Author: KVIA

Nichole Gomez

El Paso, Texas (KVIA-TV)-Scam artists are taking advantage of Los Angeles residents as the historic wildfires continue to wreak havoc on parts of southern California. Special Agent Jeanette Harper with the FBI El Paso wants to warn the public that scammers are exploiting mass casualty events and disasters, such as the New Year’s Day terrorist attack in New Orleans and the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles.

Scam artist are committing fraud by soliciting fake charitable donations to support victims or their families including monetary and cryptocurrency donations as well as in-person collection drives. Agent Harper explains that scammers may pose as disaster relief agencies to collect personal information, conduct charitable fraud schemes, or commit fraud against disaster assistance programs.

The FBI says scammers may also impersonate official entities, celebrities, influencers, or others. For example, a scammer might pose online as a high-profile victim to solicit donations. Artificial Intelligence may be used to increase the perceived legitimacy of a fraud or impersonation. Charity fraud scams can come to you in many forms: emails, social media posts, crowdfunding platforms, cold calls, etc.

Always use caution and do your research when you’re looking to donate to charitable causes. Agent Harper stated that in 2024, the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center received over 4,500 complaints reporting approximately $96 million in losses to fraudulent charities, crowdfunding accounts, and disaster relief campaigns.

FBI El Paso Tips to Protect Yourself

Do your research before you donate to anything.

Verify charities by researching the charity online to see if there are news articles, reviews, or posts linking the charity to fraud;

Check to see if the charity is registered with your state’s charity regulator.

Validating that crowdfunding efforts are supporting the beneficiaries advertised;

Researching who is behind the crowdfunding request and who the request is intended to benefit;

And reverse-searching images and stories associated with the request, as scammers will often copy and paste material stolen from others.

Be suspicious of online communications claiming to be from individuals affected by the events and seeking immediate financial assistance.

Recognize that pressure to “act fast” might signify a scam.

Do not send payments to unknown individuals or organizations asking for financial assistance.

Do not communicate with or open texts, posts, emails, attachments, or links from unknown individuals posing as entities.

Emails from official organizations rarely come from free email services such as Gmail or Yahoo.

The FBI El Paso says, if an unknown individual contacts you, do not release any financial or personal identifying information, and do not send any money. Do not use debit, gift, or prepaid cards for payment. Use these organizations to check out charitable organizations:

BBB Wise Giving Alliance (www.give.org)

Charity Navigator (www.charitynavigator.org)

CharityWatch (www.charitywatch.org)

Candid (www.candid.org)

If you have already donated funds and believe you are a victim of a scheme, do not pay additional fees or taxes to obtain a refund of your money. Please do not pay for services claiming they can recover lost funds. Please immediately contact your financial institution and file a report with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov. 

Andrew J. Polk

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — With a record number of executive orders signed day one of the new White House administration by President Donald Trump, and more immigration policy changes that came in the days that followed, local leaders in El Paso are scrambling to keep up.

On Wednesday, El Paso Mayor Renard Johnson and Chief of the El Paso Police Department Peter Pacillas spoke about what was known so far, and what the city is preparing for.

“Let me first start by saying that El Paso is a very safe community,” Mayor Johnson said in a news conference Wednesday morning. “And it has been business as usual for us in this community for the last few days. There has been a number of executive orders that have come out that we’re still trying to to, to process and get an understanding of. And I want El Pasoans to know this, that you can live in peace in our community. You can go to the schools. You can go to the churches, and you’re going to be okay.”

With swirling questions about immigration enforcement, potential federal investigations into those that don’t comply, and what comes next, the mayor said that what they know now is that the city doesn’t have the resources to enforce federal immigration law.

“I’ve reached out and I’ve spoken to the director of field operations for U.S. Customs and Border Protection,” Johnson said. “I’ve spoken to Border Patrol, and as of now, we’re in a wait and see mode. We’re still gathering information because the executive orders are coming out so fast that we’re still processing in our city.”

Chief Pacillas said that the focus of the El Paso Police Department will be on enforcing local laws as it usually does.

“We work together to determine who is the best entity to enforce the law and get the best prosecution,” Pacillas said, referring to state and national law enforcement partners. “The El Paso Police Department does not enforce immigration laws.”

Chief Pacillas added that the city and police department do not yet know how federal authorities will be handling these new immigration policies or how officers will be reacting or responding yet.

Nichole Gomez

El Paso, Texas (KVIA-TV)-The CDC reports that vaccine exemptions among kindergartners have hit an all-time high. The executive director for  Immunize El Paso, Henry Brutus, talks about vaccine hesitancy and how current vaccination rates are becoming an increasing concern in the El Paso community.

Heriberto Perez

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — The Catholic Diocese of El Paso and various Borderland community leaders and officials will hold a news conference today at 1 p.m. to address the impact several recent immigration policies and executive orders signed by President Trump could have on the border.

In a press release, the Diocese mentioned they will be joined by y Dr. Glen Fennelly, M.D., MPH, Board President of Doctors of the World USA; Leah Hanany, EPISD Board Trustee Representing District 1; and Melissa Lopez, Executive Director of La Estrella de El Paso, among others.

The Hope Border Institute also mentioned they will join the news conference to address the reversal of the Sensitive Locations Policy which protects schools, hospitals, social service agencies, and places of worship from indiscriminate immigration enforcement actions; the statement said.

City representatives, County authorities, and EPISD officials are also set to join the conference.

“In the face of unprecedented actions to shut down our border, threats to engage in a campaignof mass deportations, and the elimination of crucial protections at the heart of community security with the reversal of the Sensitive Locations Policy, our borderlands community is sending a clear message that we remain united in protecting our identity as a welcoming community,” said Dylan Corbett, Executive Director at the Hope Border Institute.

ABC-7 will livestream the news conference which starts at 1 p.m. this afternoon.

More updates in later newscasts.

ABC17NEWS

COLUMBIA, Mo (KMIZ)

Colussi Cantuccini Chocolate Drops cookies

D. Coluccio & Sons has recalled its Colussi Canturini Chocolate Drops.

The company issued the recall for the 300-gram blue packages because the cookies may contain undeclared almonds, which puts those allergic to nuts at risk of an allergic reaction.

The Food and Drug Administration says the cookies were sold at stores nationwide and by mail.

The product has a UPC 8002590006020, marked with lot numbers 3540152 BBD 15-01-2025 and lot number L354150 BBD 29-05-2025 on the back of the bag.

No illnesses have been reported, according to the FDA. Consumers are urged to return the cookies to where they purchased them.

Vornado Air space heaters

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has recalled nearly 8,000 Vornado VH2 Whole Room Heaters.

According to the agency, the heater’s power cord can detach and get damaged, which poses electric shock and fire hazards.

The recalled heaters are off-white and have a red “V” printed on the front of the unit with the word “Vornado” and were sold on Amazon between August and October 2024.

The impacted units have a “JUL24” and “AUG24” date code.

CPSC urges users to stop using the heaters immediately and to contact Vornado for a free replacement.

Jeep Cherokee recall

Stellantis has recalled over 63,000 Jeep Cherokees.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports the recall was issued because the vehicle’s power transfer unit may become damaged due to a poorly seated input shaft ring. Federal regulators say it can cause the vehicle to lose power or lose its park function, which increases the risk of a crash.

This recall impacts certain 2017-2019 Jeep Cherokee vehicles.

Chrysler has not said how it will fix the problem but says owners will be notified by mail by Feb. 13.

     

Nichole Gomez

El Paso, Texas (KVIA-TV)-NAMI El Paso is working to improve the lives of individuals and families affected by mental health conditions through education, support, and advocacy. They will be offering NAMI basics, which is a free class for parents and caregivers of children who may be experiencing symptoms of mental health conditions. It provides tools, resources, and support to help them navigate challenges and advocate effectively. Classes are free and led by experienced facilitators. If you are interested in the free classes, NAMI El Paso has all the upcoming courses, support groups, and events. You can find the information here: namiep.org/upcoming.

Nicole Ardila

Local El Paso jails are almost at capacity, and if local law enforcement is forced to house migrants in those facilities, the El Paso County Sheriff worries that it would cause problems for the county. 

“We don’t have the manpower, we do not have the training, you know, to go after immigration,” said Sheriff Oscar Ugarte.

Sheriff Ugarte said they still haven’t met with federal authorities about orders to detain migrants in their jails. 

Yet he says a lot of questions are up in the air if they are forced to — such as if they’ll get federal funding, or if it’s even legal. That’s something he said would need to be considered with the county attorney once they do get executive orders. 

And the biggest worry he says, is capacity. 

“We don’t have the resources,” said Ugarte. “As we stand right now, detention officers, we are short on staff. Deputy patrol officers, we are short on staff and our infrastructure. We don’t have the bed space right now. We’re almost at capacity.” 

The Annex has a capacity of 1,896 inmates, and currently has 1,751 already. 

Ugarte said while his deputies are not working with customs and border patrol right now, they are understaffed and working a large amount of overtime — an issue that can worsen if they are ordered to follow federal immigration laws and President Trump’s Administration policies which he said he does not agree with.

“I think it’s going to cause a great separation and trust issues between law enforcement and the community,” said the Sheriff. “I believe a lot of crimes are going to go unreported because they will feel fear, you know, in calling local law enforcement because they might be deported.”

Sheriff Ugarte said that their office is not focusing on immigration laws, and that their main priority is public safety. 

KTVZ

(Update: Adding video)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The founder of a Bend nonprofit that fights to prevent human trafficking revealed Thursday that he’s the person behind the “googly eyes” affixed to numerous pieces of roundabout art in recent months, a prank that drew international attention.

Jeff Keith was not immediately available for an interview.

Here’s the full news release revealing the humorous moves that Keith says “took on a life of its own,” followed by the city response sent to KTVZ News:

Behind the Laughs: The Story of Bend’s Googly Eyes and the Fight Against Sex Trafficking

How a Lighthearted Act Became a Metaphor for Awareness and Vigilance

BEND, OREGON—Bend, Oregon, has recently become the unlikely home to a series of googly eyes placed on sculptures throughout the city. These unexpected additions have sparked smiles, laughter, and widespread curiosity, even earning global media attention from outlets like BBC and a playful mention on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

However, the story behind these googly eyes is about much more than simple mischief. Jeff Keith, the person behind the trend, has quietly used these acts of lighthearted creativity as a form of self-care, balancing the emotional toll of his intense work at a national nonprofit that focuses on identifying young trafficking victims online to law enforcement for recovery in the United States.

That nonprofit is Guardian Group, a Bend-based organization dedicated to combating human trafficking in the United States. For over a decade, Guardian Group has worked 24/7 and 365 days to prevent and disrupt the trafficking of women and children. Since launching its victim identification program in 2018, the organization has partnered with law enforcement across 33 states, identifying over 1,011 potential victims of trafficking.

In 2022, Guardian Group expanded its reach with the launch of Project 1591®, a groundbreaking volunteer-driven initiative that has already led to 650 victim identifications. Project 1591® represents a monumental step in scaling victim recovery efforts. The program leverages a global team of 188 certified volunteers across 36 states and 12 countries. Together, they have contributed over 6,800 investigative hours, saving resource-strapped law enforcement agencies valuable time while directly enabling victim recovery and trafficker accountability.

“I’ve always used pranks and humor to relieve the stress of my work with Guardian Group, but I never expected a prank like this to take on a life of its own,” said Jeff Keith, the organization’s founder. “I understand the city’s concerns, and I’m in conversation to address any unintended effects. But even when I’m just trying to bring a little levity, my mind always drifts back to the mission. It’s hard not to see the connection. Just like the googly eyes made people pause and notice something new, my work at Guardian Group is about stopping and recognizing the realities of human trafficking happening in our communities.”

Guardian Group invites the public to learn more and donate to strengthen their efforts at combatting trafficking. Every contribution helps expand the organization’s programs and enhances its ability to identify victims, disrupt trafficking networks, and bring perpetrators to justice.

—

Asked for any comment or response by KTVZ News, the City of Bend provided this statement:

“The City staff is focused on City operations, wildfire preparedness, Council Goals and budget development. Our understanding is that a community member may be interested in recognizing the impact of the googly eyes, but we are not pursuing anything at this time nor are City staff in direct conversations with him.”

Heriberto Perez

JUAREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) — The Mayor of Juárez Cruz Pérez Cuéllar spoke this morning about recent deportation flights by the Trump administration saying the city has not seen a rise in the flow of people yet or deportees since last week.

“In some ways, it is positive that the deportations are in some cases by plane and to different countries, because one of the fears we have is that all deportations that the United States Government are conducting could arrive here at the border; In this case, we have seen that if you are from Colombia you go to Colombia, if you are from Guatemala you go to Guatemala and if you are from Mexico you are welcome as the program ‘México te Abraza’ says, that keeps us in a calm situation and I hope we continue that way,” said Mayor Pérez Cuéllar.

Today Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum also said her country has received 4,094 migrant deportees since last week, mostly Mexican nationals.

“So far there has not been a substantive increase, a few days that decreased with the start of President Trump, but if we take it by week it is a number that our country has had on other occasions,” President Sheinbaum said.