Author: KVIA

Rosemary Montañez

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)— At just 16 years old, Desiree Arzaga’s artwork is now part of an exhibit at the El Paso Museum of Art.

It’s part of Enfoque Community Spotlight: EPISD Transformation Through Art. The exhibit highlights the work of 42 El Paso ISD high school students.

Desiree’s art teacher at Irvin High told her about the exhibit last year, and she immediately got to work.

“I drew a cathedral door that’s on Milan Cathedral. I just appreciate that art so much. So I wanted to draw it,  and I tried to do that the best I could.”

Desiree told ABC-7 that she worked on the piece for months and devoted countless hours to completing it. She said she worked on it during school and at home. It took nearly a year to complete.

Desiree’s art was only one of three selected at Irvin High, and then she advanced to the next phase.

Her art teacher, Delma Vargas, said Desiree was committed to perfecting her art piece.

“Desiree has always been the detail kind of girl. Anything that she draws, she makes it come to life. So when I saw her drawing, the detail, the intricate detail of every single piece, I was just wowed. I was; it’s phenomenal. I’ve never seen anything like it,” Vargas said.

Vargas said it was a difficult task selecting which pieces would move to the next round, but she was confident in all of her students’ abilities and creations.

“They communicate their emotions. They communicate their stories, their culture through these pieces. So it’s very important not only to teachers but to their students, for everybody to know what they’re about.”

Vargas said she was excited to see her students’ artwork on display at an art museum.

Desiree said her black-and-white piece challenged her as an artist.

“Actually. I don’t think I’ve ever had such a struggle. Like mentally, I was, like, a little bit overwhelmed. I was like, ‘Is this going to work? Should I restart?’ I actually did restart a couple times because I just didn’t like the way I measured the segments and everything, because it does involve architecture. So everything has to be symmetrical, or it had to look right. And I struggled with that because I’ve never done that. So I think this was the third attempt, the third big piece of paper, and it worked.”

She felt proud when she finally completed the piece, and it was a special moment when she saw it on display at the El Paso Museum of Art.

“When I was in the museum, I was like, wow, this is like, I did that. And it was such a good experience to see.”

Desiree also witnessed other art enthusiasts admire her work at the museum.

“I saw this woman, and she, like, got teary. She started tearing up, and I talked to her, and it just, it’s, like, a it’s such a crazy feeling, like I made something that affected someone in that way,” she said.

As an aspiring graphic design artist, Desiree said this special moment has motivated her to keep pursuing art.

“It was such a good experience to see it there. It made, like, everything, like all the stress that I had and those little doubts, it made all of that, like, worth it. Like, yes, like I did it. I did it.”

The junior said that while she isn’t currently taking any art classes, she is still very dedicated to art.

Desiree has been a busy student as she juggles her coursework between her high school classes and college-level classes. She is on track to receive her associate’s degree from EPCC at the same time she graduates high school.

The exhibition is on view through Sept. 30 at the El Paso Museum of Art, 1 Arts Festival Plaza.

If you have a Good Vibes Only idea, please e-mail news@kvia.com.

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Nichole Gomez

El Paso, TX (KVIA-TV) — Rudolph Helping Hands announces the second annual 5K/8K/1-Mile Walk, happening on Sunday, October 5th, 2025, from 8 AM to 12 PM. Race starts promptly at 8 AM. This community event will benefit the University Medical Center Foundation of El Paso and the El Paso Children’s Hospital Foundation—two organizations at the heart of life-changing work in our city.

Packet Pick-Up

October 4th Place:Rudolph Mazda5415 S Desert Blvd.El Paso, TX 79932

Saturday, October 4thTime: 11 AM TO 5 PM

VIP Tickets & Perks:

VIP tickets grant you access to the VIP Tent, which features complimentary drinks without waiting in line, a mimosa bar, a breakfast bar, comfortable seating with couches for relaxation and enjoyment of the event in style, and exclusive VIP parking for easier access and convenience on race day.

You will receive a special VIP gift as a token of our appreciation for your support.

Join as a Vendor – Be part of our vendor marketplace and connect directly with attendees eager to support local businesses for just $100, which includes one 6-ft table and two chairs. Please note: vendors must provide their own 10’x10′ (or smaller) pop-up tent.

Vendor setup is strictly between 5 AM and 7 AM.

Everyone in the community is invited to enjoy:

Local vendors to shop unique products along with food trucks and many other vendors offering health focused products or services.

Family-friendly activities including water dunking, jumping balloons, and face painting for the kids.

Free alcoholic beverages (21+) with a live band to enjoy after the race.

Get VIP access with exclusive perks for an extra charge!

https://facebook.com/events/s/changing-lives-in-915-8k-run5k/529162382934311

https://www.instagram.com/rudolphhelpinghands?igsh=ZzBiNXlnbnl3NHN0&utm_source=qr

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Heriberto Perez Lara

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector’s Interim Chief Patrol Agent Walter N. Slosar recently posted on social media the deployment of 500 Texas National Guard soldiers to El Paso to support the border mission along with DHS.

The soldiers will be performing various duties, including working on infrastructure.

“The technology will be able to track illegal entries in ‘real time,’ and intelligence sharing will be conducted worldwide,” Border Patrol mentioned on a social media post.

ABC-7 reached out to the Texas Military Department, the Department of Homeland Security and the National Guard Bureau Public Affairs Office for comment.

The Texas Military Department stated that, for operational security reasons, it cannot disclose the number of personnel, mission specifics, or particular capabilities.

“TMD’s Texas Tactical Border Force (TTBF) continues to support Operation Lone Star alongside state and federal partners. Together, we continue to disrupt cartel activity and narco-terrorism, stop illegal immigration, and protect our southern border,” said the Texas Military Department in a statement.

“Our service members have been working with federal partners extensively and continuously on the border for decades, and the Texas Tactical Border Force is activated to continue this enduring mission,” TMD’s Public Affairs Office added.

“Governor Abbott continues to work closely with the Trump Administration to secure the border,” said Andrew Mahaleris, Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s Press Secretary. “The Governor directed all state agencies to coordinate with the Trump Administration on border security, deployed Department of Public Safety tactical strike teams to support homeland security operations, and entered into agreements with DHS earlier this year that authorize the Texas National Guard to help enforce immigration law. Texas will continue utilizing every tool and strategy to secure the border and protect Texans.”

The 1st Armored Division from Fort Bliss also announced today the deployment of approximately 2,500 troops from the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team that will assume the southern border mission from the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, for this fall.

“The Strike team is taking all necessary steps to prepare to assume this mission,” said Col. Douglas Baker, commander of the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division. “Our Soldiers are taking their training and preparation for this mission very seriously, as some of the areas we will operate in will be close to the communities in which we live. It is important for us to continue to maintain the trust and confidence of our friends and neighbors as we conduct operations in support of our nation.”

According to a news release, the brigade will operate under the command of Joint Task Force – Southern Border.

“Joint Task Force – Southern Border, under the direction of U.S. Northern Command, executes full-scale, agile, and all-domain operations in support of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to protect the territorial integrity of the United States and achieve 100% operational control of the southern border,” 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss Public Affairs Office added.

ABC-7 reported in February, dozens of Texas National Guard Soldiers were deputized to enforce immigration law along the border.

More updates in later newscasts.

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Hillary Floren

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Christine Brandl is a mother and wife, a busy OB/GYN, a professional bodybuilder, and caring daughter. She is also a Parkinson’s warrior, taking her diagnosis in stride while motivating and helping others along the way. This weekend, September 19th, she’ll take her fight onstage in a professional bodybuilding championship. She’s teamed up with the Michael J Fox foundation and is Posing for Parkinson’s – raising awareness and money to help find a cure.

Brandl was officially diagnosed with Parkinson’s last year, but her battle began decades ago, though her symptoms didn’t point to exactly what was wrong.

“After the birth of my daughter I lost my ability to smell.   Profoundly.  Then the ability to taste. In 2013, I started with rigidity and restless leg syndrome, and severe insomnia. I went to mayo clinic and was diagnosed with autoimmune disorder,” Brandl recalls. Treatment for those symptoms worked for a few years, and then – more changes came.

“Six years ago the tremor began, um called the differential tremors.  I was treated, I got better.  Then in 2024 we couldn’t control it any more so I went to see a neurologist and they just watched me walk down the hallway  and said I had Parkinson’s,” Brandl says. A CT scan confirmed the diagnosis.

Brandl, a physician herself, says sometimes it takes time for a disease to play out to reveal an actual diagnosis. She also has a newfound respect for patients who call with anxiety, as they await test results.

Her reaction to the diagnosis is a refection of the way her parents raised her.

“I put on my athletic gear, and it’s time to start a fight. Gather my village, let’s go. Here we go,” Brandl says. Her husband and children, however, were devastated. Now that some time has passed since the diagnosis, different emotions are setting in. Brandl is dealing with anger, wondering why this happened – especially given her lifestyle of clean eating and a lifetime of athletics, including college volleyball and professional bodybuilding.

She’s discovered that talking is what heals her. She has also found healing through journaling. She encourages others dealing with with health struggles to work through their emotions with a therapist, and give themselves time to work through it. She says if you’re embarrassed to talk about it, find someone you don’t know.

“I am living life completely different. Learning to slow down and appreciate my family.  My goal in life is to  hold my grandkids without dropping them,” Brandl says.

Her partnership with the Michael J Fox foundation has given her new purpose. She says she used to be more focused on delivering babies. Now, it’s finding a cure for Parkinson’s, and raising awareness. For more information on her mission, or to make a donation, click here: https://give.michaeljfox.org/fundraiser/6512168

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Nicole Ardila

Before the borderland sees a cooldown, Las Cruces Public Schools wants to make sure every kid has a warm coat.

Coats for Kids has been doing this over 30 years, but this year, they won’t be accepting used coats — Instead, now they’re asking for donations.

They’ve partnered up with Love Las Cruces this year to give a brand new coat to every LCPS elementary school student who needs one.

So far, they’ve raised funds for 200 brand new coats — but last year, they distributed almost 3,000.

Amy Himelright with LCPS says some kids don’t get sent to school because it’s too cold and don’t have a coat — but more often, they go to school without one, which is a challenge for them.

“We have some students who are faced with homelessness. We have migrant families and some kiddos just that for whatever reason need a coat,” said Himelright. “So, if a kiddo needs a coat, we want to match them with that, no matter what their background.”

They say a donation of $20 dollars buys one coat, something they say can help out a family tremendously.

“For many of our families, their having a coat means making a choice. It can mean groceries, it can be Christmas gifts,” Himelright continued. “So, when we know that for just $20, we can match a child with a brand new coat, that’s such a gift.”

If your child needs a coat, parents can let an LCPS teacher, school counselor or social worker know.

Love Las Cruces is also hosting a live streamed donation drive Friday, Sept. 19 to Sunday, Sept. 21, more information is posted on their Facebook page.

To donate, go to Love Las Cruces’ website, here.

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Nichole Gomez

El Paso, TX (KVIA-TV) — Amaya Galberth, a student at Parkland High School, has captured international attention after being crowned Teen United World 2026. Representing Teen Texas United World, Amaya earned the title during the competition.

The multi-day event judged contestants in a range of categories, including a submitted photo, a personal interview, an activewear walk, an evening gown presentation, and an on-stage question. As a Teen United World ambassador, Amaya will serve as a global representative, representing Texas and the United States while advancing her mission of leadership and service.

For the first time, the 2026 Texas United World pageant will be held in El Paso on February 15 at the Starlight Event Center. Registration is open for young women across Texas to apply.

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Nichole Gomez

El Paso, TX (KVIA-TV) — Wet N’ Wild Waterworld is opening its first-ever Haunted Scaregrounds this fall. The event will feature activities, roaming scare actors, specialty food items, and an all-new haunted house. The Haunted Scaregrounds opens on October 3 and will be open select nights through November 1. Tickets are on sale now, starting at $ 9.99 + tax when purchased online in advance at https://wetnwildwaterworld.com/.

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Heriberto Perez Lara

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Leadership for the Border Patrol El Paso Sector says they are still seeing properties being used by Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) as stash houses. Agents have found more than 158 so far in the 2025 fiscal year, which ends in October.

For comparison, Border Patrol agents in the sector found more than 280 stash houses in fiscal year 2024. The El Paso Sector covers El Paso and Hudspeth counties and all of New Mexico, 125,500 square miles in total.

As ABC-7 reported, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said federal agencies in the sector arrested 35 migrants along with their smugglers in a human smuggling scheme in Chaparral, New Mexico, at the start of the month.

Watch ABC-7 for more details in our upcoming newscasts.

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Heriberto Perez Lara

JUÁREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) — The Mexican National Association of Importers and Exporters (ANIERM) in Juárez reports that the Transformation Sector (manufacturing side) continues its downward trend of job losses, with 834 eliminated in August alone.

According to the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS), Ciudad Juárez lost 155 jobs last month, dropping from 488,368 in July to 488,213 in August.

The city has already seen a total decrease of 27,420 jobs over the past two and a half years, when it topped out at 515,633 positions registered with the IMSS in March 2023.

Compared to August of last year, 7,038 jobs have been lost, based on IMSS data.

ANIERM states that social services gained 504 jobs, business services added 214, commerce increased by 30, the electrical industry added 26, and the agricultural sector increased by 4. Other sectors that shed jobs included transportation, losing 61, and construction, which lost 37.

“The pillar of the economy, manufacturing, has lost nearly 28,000 jobs, accounting for almost all of the losses,” said Marcelo Vázquez, Chihuahua Delegate for ANIERM. “This is serious because when manufacturing declines, other sectors of the economy also begin to contract.”

So far, construction is the sector that has lost the most jobs, with 1,441 fewer positions over the past year, according to ANIERM.

“Much of this is due to the uncertainty caused by tariffs, and another part of this trend is because wages in Juárez are 50% higher than in the rest of the country,” added Delegate Vázquez.

ANIERM states that Maquiladoras are hesitant to invest and expand on the border because labor costs have become too high. Other factors of uncertainty include labor reforms, the threat of reduced working hours, double bonuses, and other issues that could further increase labor expenses.

Additional concerns involve reciprocal tariffs imposed by President Trump on several Central American countries, which prevent maquiladoras from relocating.

“Right now, the business sector and the government must prioritize improving conditions for companies and work to attract and develop new Mexican businesses,” Vázquez also said.

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Olivia Vara

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — The Texas Education Agency (TEA) released a letter addressing social media content from some public school educators related to the assassination of Charlie Kirk.

The agency states that these posts do no reflect the vast majority of Texas teachers who work with millions of students.

TEA says it will refer documentation of misconduct to its Educator Investigations Division for review.

The letter says these posts could violate the Educators’ Code of Ethics and will be examined for sanctionable conduct.

The letter adds that while free speech is a right, it does not “give carte blanche authority to celebrate or sow violence against those that share differing beliefs and perspectives.”

The statement from the TEA urges educators to report additional instances through TEA’s Misconduct Reporting Portal.

Texas AFT responded by condemning the online harassment campaigns aimed at Texas educators and reaffirmed its commitment to protecting teachers’ professional integrity.

In their statement, the union emphasized that teachers’ professional conduct must be judged by state ethics standards, not by partisan online campaigns.

Texas AFT says administrators need to uphold due-process protections while evaluating any educator conduct tied to social media posts.

Texas State Board of Education Member Gustavo Reveles also issues a statement on social media today in response to the TEA.

Reveles wrote on social media, in part, “I urge the Commissioner to redirect the Texas Education Agency’s energy and resources towards addressing the large backlog of open investigations into educator misconduct that already existed, rather than threatening the certification of teachers for expressing their views in a private setting.”

KVIA reached out to the Texas Education Agency for a response but has not yet heard back.

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