Author: KVIA

Heriberto Perez

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — A joint effort by officials with the El Paso County, Juárez University, and the Animal Welfare Department aims to raise awareness and address prevention efforts of the spread of Rickettsiosis in El Paso County after cases were recently confirmed in Juárez.

According to Crystal Reyes, the interim director of the Animal Welfare Department, this disease has caused 27 confirmed deaths in Juárez so far this year.

“It is key to take good care of our pets, and if there are any stray cats or dogs, report them to animal welfare or animal services within the county or the city,” said Dr. Hector Ocaranza, the health authority for the City and County of El Paso.

Dr. Ocaranza added that compared to the border, this disease is not very common in El Paso.

“Our children and people also come into contact with stray animals,” he said. “Stray animals can be infected and infested with ticks and fleas, which may carry these bacteria and can be deadly if not treated properly.”

Officials advise all residents to care for their pets and report stray animals to animal welfare or animal services in the county or city.

“The best advice is to properly remove ticks if you handle stray pets, encounter stray animals, go hiking, or find ticks,” Dr. Ocaranza added. “If you experience any symptoms, consult your healthcare provider early in the process. Early detection allows for the best treatment.”

“There is treatment available, and it should be started early, as not everyone bitten by a tick will necessarily be infected, so we ask people not to panic,” Dr. Ocaranza said.

Click here to follow the original article.

Olivia Vara

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — El Paso water says that a “StormWater Fee” is added to everyones water bill alongside the water usage bill and the wastewater usage bill.

They say that it is used for operation and maintenance of the storm water system, and to pay for bonds that El Paso Water takes out for larger projects

El Paso Water says the fee residents currently pay is $7.42 per water bill, with the original storm water fee having started at $4. They say there have been several increases in this bill over the last three years due to mandates from city council and through the residents of El Paso wanting to see more projects completed.

When asked in an interview whether these storm water fees help mitigate flooding to peoples homes who are customers of El Paso Water, they said stormwater projects, whether it’s for the maintenance or the building of these really large projects, is to protect public health and safety.

El Paso Water said that the stormwater fee is utilized to collect, convey and redirect all of this water away from people’s homes and from private property.

El Paso Water said they wanted their customers to know that upwards of $362 million worth of work has been done. They say that $650 million of projects were initially identified.

ABC-7 asked El Paso Water in an interview what they would say to people who question the stormwater tax, especially during flooding after these storms that come in to the area.

Gilbert Trejo, Vice President for operations and technical services at El Paso Water, said “We understand their frustration because they they pay a fee and they, they probably don’t want to see any water in the streets. But in El Paso, the streets are part of the stormwater system. The curbs you see on the side of roadways, that is to keep water within, the roadway. They’re like little channels, you know, you try and use public infrastructure for many different ways.”

Click here to follow the original article.

Olivia Vara

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — The Humane Society of El Paso (HSEP) will host the 32nd Annual Happiness Happens Here Telethon presented by Mark Worley on August 2, 2025, from 4:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. on KVIA ABC 7.

This telethon has been a platform for HSEP to showcase homeless animals seeking adoption and to highlight their life-saving work for over thirty years. The event allows viewers to see the services provided by HSEP, including medical care, shelter, enrichment, and food.

HSEP says each animal receives individualized care, whether they stay for a short period or longer.

The telethon will feature various segments to inform the public about the mission and programs of HSEP. Community participation is encouraged to support the care of homeless pets in El Paso.

For more information, tune in on August 2 and learn how you can help HSEP create a positive impact.

Click here to follow the original article.

Nichole Gomez

El Paso, TX (KVIA-TV) – This year marks the 14th Anniversary of the Binational Breastfeeding Coalition (BBC) “Border Latch Celebration,” where lactating individuals gather to provide their children with the best nutrition and offer peer support to one another.

Date: Saturday, August 2, 2025Event details:Time: Starts at 9:00 amCountdown 10:30 amPlace: Jenna Welch & Laura BushEl Paso Public Library at El Paso Community College6701 S Desert Blvd, El Paso, TX 79932

Click here to follow the original article.

Nichole Gomez

El Paso, Tx (KVIA-TV)- The monsoon season continues, heavy downpours can drastically reduce visibility, create slick roads, and cause flash flooding, leading to increased risks for drivers. The Texas Department of Transportation in El Paso emphasizes that driving safely during these conditions is crucial to prevent accidents and ensure the safety of yourself, your passengers, and everyone else on the road.

Closures TX Dot El Paso:

I-10 Widening West

Sunday, July 27 through Thursday, July 319 p.m. to 5 a.m. (Nightly as needed)

I-10 eastbound between Redd and Mesa right lane closed

Crews will be paving, weather permitting. Monday, July 28 through Saturday, August 29 a.m. to 4 p.m. (as needed)

North Desert and South Desert between Anthony and Redd Road alternating lane closures (daily).

Redd underpass alternating lane closures

Crews will be working on electrical and miscellaneous construction work.  I-10 Widening West 2Monday, July 28 through Saturday, August 29 a.m. to 4 p.m.

I-10 east- and westbound between Anthony and Nashua alternate lane closures

North and South Desert between Anthony and Nashua alternate lane closures

Crews will be performing dirt work and removing miscellaneous materials. Sunday, July 27 through August 19 p.m. to 6 a.m. (Nightly)

I-10 east- and westbound between Anthony and Nashua left lane closed

Crews will be performing concrete placement for new pavement surface.  ArtcraftMonday, July 28 through Friday, August 19 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Artcraft east- and westbound between State Line and Doniphan alternate lane closures

Crews will be conducting illumination installation and delivering construction material.

North Desert between Clarkstone and Blue Sky left lane closed

South Desert between Helen of Troy and Northern Pass left lane closed

Crews will be loading and unloading material and equipment. Borderland Expressway Phase 2Monday, July 28 and Tuesday, July 297 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Stan Roberts east- and westbound between McCombs and Martin Luther King alternate lane closures

Crews will be installing portable concrete traffic barriers.Traffic SignalsMonday, July 28 through Saturday, August 29 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Edgemere and John Hayes intersection west- and eastbound on Edgemere and/or north- and southbound on John Hayes right lane closed

Lee Trevino and Ivanhoe intersection north- and southbound on Lee Trevino right lane closed

Lee Trevino and Ivanhoe intersection north- and southbound on Lee Trevino shoulder and median closed

Crews will be striping.Transmountain RehabMonday, July 28 through Friday, August 19 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Loop 375 (Transmountain) westbound left lane closed from one mile east of the summit to half a mile east of the summit.

Crews will be completing installation of guardrail.Mesa Safety LightingMonday, July 28 through Friday, August 19 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Mesa (SH-20) both directions between Resler and Pitt right lane closed

Crews will be working on drilled shafts and borings.Loop 375 Border Highway Safety LightingMonday, July 28 through Friday, August 19 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Loop 375 westbound between Fonseca and San Marcial right lane closed

Loop 375 eastbound between Cypress and US-54 left lane closed

US-54/Paisano eastbound on-ramp closed

Loop 375 east- and westbound at Delta between Fonseca and Cypress shoulder closed

Crews will be working on lighting improvements.Guardrail RepairDaily, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.Monday, July 28

Loop 375 westbound between Fonseca and Paisano right lane closed

 Tuesday, July 29

US-54 northbound between Trowbridge and Pershing right lane closed

 Wednesday, July 30

US-54 (CD lanes) northbound between Trowbridge and Cassidy left lane closed

 Thursday, July 31

I-10 eastbound between Sunland Park and Mesa Park left lane closed

 Friday, August 1

Loop 375 (Transmountain) westbound between US-54 and first set of picnic tables left lane closed

Crews will be repairing guardrail.  MaintenanceSunday, August 34 a.m. to 4 p.m.

US-54 South CD lanes at Montana exit closed

Detour: All traffic exit at Montana.

Trowbridge entrance ramp to US-54 South closed

Gateway South at Yandell closed

Crews will be working on bridge at Ramp K. Monday, July 28 through Friday, August 19 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Dyer north- and southbound between Angora and Mesquite Flor alternate lane closures

McCombs north- and southbound between Gateway South and Stan Roberts alternate lane closures

Crews will be working on shoulder. Future Downtown ProjectThursday, July 31 to Friday, August 8(including Saturday and Sunday)9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

I-10 eastbound between Downtown/Santa Fe exit to past Missouri left lane closed

Crews will be drilling borings. Purple Heart 375 Widening ProjectSunday, June 29 to Thursday, July 31Daily, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Purple Heart Highway (Loop 375) north- and southbound alternate lane closures between Montana Avenue and Spur 601

Crews will be paving and boring in median. Continuous closure, beginning 4 a.m. Saturday, August 2 to 5 a.m. Monday, August 4

Purple Heart Highway (Loop 375) northbound main lanes closed from Montana Avenue to Spur 601

Crews will be relocating barriers. Loop 375 Widening ProjectMonday, July 28 to Friday, August 1Daily, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Americas Avenue (frontage road) southbound left lane between Pan American Drive to Zaragoza Entrance Ramp

Crews will be working on installing T-551 concrete barrier. Monday, July 28 to Thursday, July 31Nightly, 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.

Loop 375 southbound left lane closure between North Loop Exit Ramp and Pan American Entrance Ramp

Crews will be painting T-551 concrete barrier.

Americas Avenue (frontage road) alternating closures at Zaragoza (POE), South Americas Road, Pan American Road, Socorro Road, and Alameda Avenue. Intersections at bridge underpasses.

Crews will be painting bridge structures.  I-10 Landscape & Aesthetic ProjectMonday, July 28 to Friday, August 1Daily, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Gateway West Boulevard at Barranca Drive right lane closure

I-10 westbound between Lomaland Entrance Ramp and Yarbrough Exit Ramp right lane and shoulder closure

I-10 westbound Lomaland Entrance Ramp closed

I-10 westbound between Lee Trevino Exit Ramp and Lee Trevino Entrance Ramp right lane and shoulder closure

I-10 westbound Lee Trevino Entrance Ramp closed

Gateway West Boulevard passing Zaragoza Road left lane closure

Gateway East Boulevard before Zaragoza Road left lane closure

Gateway East Boulevard at Zaragoza Road turnaround complete closure

Crews will be placing electrical service poles, placing lighting and sun panels for sun structure, placing steel reinforcement & formwork for concrete riprap, and placing concrete riprap. Preventive Maintenance ProjectMonday, July 28 to Friday, August 1Daily, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

State Highway 54 north- and southbound alternating lane closures between US 62/180 and I-10 (Van Horn)

Crews will be performing mobile operations on replacing roadway pavement markings. Monday, July 28 to Friday, August 1Daily, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

US 62/180 west- and eastbound alternating lane closures between Hudspeth/Culberson County lines and Texas/New Mexico state line

FM 1111 north-and southbound alternating lane closures between US 62/180 and I10 (Van Horn)

FM 2249 west-and eastbound alternating lane closures between Wood Drive and FM 1576

US 62/180 west- and eastbound alternating lane closures between State Park Road and FM 2317

I-10 Frontage Road west- and eastbound alternating lane closures between Boracho Station and 1 Mile east of Boracho Station.

Crews will be performing mobile operations on replacing roadway paving markings. 

Closure Links:West Area Project ClosuresI-10 Widening West ClosuresEast Area Project Closures 

Click here to follow the original article.

Olivia Vara

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — 1200 students visited El Paso Community College on Saturday, July 26, to receive free backpacks loaded with school supplies.

This initiative was part of EPCC’s 10th Annual School Store Backpack Giveaway. 32 different EPCC departments came together with several community partners to host this event.

Students from Kindergarten through 6th grade from across El Paso received folders, notebooks, pencils, pen, rulers, scissors and much more, all to help them get ready for their first day back to school.

Event organizers announced that they had doubled the number of children they assisted last year compared to this year, attributing this success to the support of the community.

At Saturday’s event, kids were able to enjoy food, play games, and visit with characters like EPCC’s Mascot, Tejano Jack.

Click here to follow the original article.

Olivia Vara

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) —  Clean-up efforts are actively underway in Vado this morning following significant flash flooding earlier this week. 

Dona Ana County is organizing a community cleanup event, while officials are urging residents to place trash and debris near the curb by 9 AM for easy removal. 

Multiple construction crews, including Sandoval Construction and Nine Degrees Construction, are assisting by pumping out water and digging out mud from yards.

Flooding levels are reported to have reached up to four feet in certain areas. 

Additionally, volunteers will utilize Vado Elementary School as a staging area for flood relief activities, working throughout the day to aid residents in their recovery efforts. 

Hazardous materials will not be picked up for safety reasons.

Click here to follow the original article.

Paul Cicala

EL PASO (KVIA) — Thursday, April 24th was National Tequila Day, and, the celebration continues through the weekend. In another edition of “People, Places & Paul“, KVIA Anchor Paul Cicala goes “Xtra Depth” from the Agave Room & Ambar Bar at the Plaza Hotel in downtown El Paso, where the largest and rarest agave spirit collection in the United States is located.

The prestigious bar and Agave Room houses over 800 of the rarest and most expensive unique agave spirits. Some of the Agave-based adult beverages include: tequilas, mezcals, sotols, bacanoras and raicillas.

Adrian Gonzalez, the General Manger of the Plaza Hotel Pioneer Park, gave ABC-7’s Paul Cicala a personal tour and taste session at the Agave Room for the purpose of this story.

“That’s why we created this space,” said Gonzalez as he showed off some of the most coveted Agave spirits, “so they can see it and touch it, and you know, the bottles are beautiful, but, when you see them up in the tequila towers above the bar, it’s like ‘is that for real’, but, here you can touch them.” 

As ABC-7’s Paul Cicala learned first-hand, not only could -touch them-, you could taste them.

The Plaza Hotel’s bar & restaurant “Ambar” is also known to be frequented by celebrities, when they’re visiting the borderland. For example, while shooting a movie a few months ago in downtown El Paso, it’s said that actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Benicio Del Toro made trips to the Ambar while staying in the Sun City.

ABC-7 also caught up with budding Latin Country singer MŌRIAH, who was at the Plaza Hotel shooting a video for her upcoming single.

“This bar, this hotel, it’s one of my favorite in the country.  It’s the reason why I’m filming the first part of my video here as a Latin Country artist,” said MŌRIAH, as she sat at the Ambar bar with an Agave spirit in-hand.

“We could not be more pleased with the level of entertainment and culinary experience we offer through our Agave Room,” says Adrian Gonzalez, General Manager of The Plaza Hotel Pioneer Park. “This space gives justice to our amazing collection, by allowing guests to be surrounded by and sample our vast selection of agave spirits, featuring some of the rarest and most expensive bottles in the country. Additionally, it allows many of our discrete celebrity and VIP guests to utilize our private guest elevators to access the room without onlookers.”

The Plaza Hotel Pioneer Park offers a series of tastings including:

– Monthly Agave Flight available at Ámbar, price varies. Available every day at Ámbar Restaurant and Bar from 10am-12am, just ask your server/bartender. Reservations to Ámbar via Resy.

– Weekly Agave Tastings every Thursday at 5pm. Reservations made via Ámbar Restaurante’s Resy. $50++ per person.

– Quarterly Agave Dinners are announced via Eventbrite, Resy, and Ámbar’s Website and Newsletter. Price varies but usually dinners are $175++ pp unless stated otherwise. Reservations for Dinners are made via Evenbrite or The Plaza Hotel’s Resy.

CLICK HERE TO MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS

People, Places & Paul is a semi-regular segment that airs on KVIA ABC-7 as Paul Cicala takes you to hotspots around the borderland, and also introduces you to many of the “movers and shakers” in our region.

In a press release, the Plaza Hotel Pioneer Park stated: “Inspired by the tequila rooms found in the finest tequila houses in Jalisco, Mexico, by day, The Plaza Hotel Pioneer Park’s Agave Room transforms into an exclusive setting for intimate meetings, complete with agave spirits tasting breaks. The space offers Mexican-inspired breakfast, lunch and dinner menus with delectable dishes such as wood-grilled margarita french toast, featuring brioche bread topped with citrus-tequila marinated berries, fresh mint and citrus zest, drizzled with agave syrup. The hotel team’s vision extends to agave tasting dinners and public tastings of rare and unique agave spirits.”

“The Agave Room is used for bespoke culinary experiences, including weekly agave spirits tastings, agave tasting dinners, executive meetings, bridal party celebrations, and milestone birthdays.”

Click here to follow the original article.

Nicole Ardila

ABC-7 met with two sisters from Vado, N.M. whose homes got flooded overnight Wednesday — they shared what their homes look like and their biggest concerns.

Rosa Emilia Olasio and her sister, who are also neighbors opened their doors to ABC-7 and showed the now muddy rooms their homes are filled with.

Their items, all scrambled, had to be moved up to high ground once they saw water seeping in.

Rosa said in Spanish, that she didn’t sleep at all that night, as she was worried about her home.

“My niece and her children — the poor things, because all the water got inside. All their things floating around,” said Rosa, emotional from the overnight experience. “I hope it doesn’t rain again, we ask that God to help us, and that the water stops.”

Her sister rushed to grab a bag filled with important documents. She was worried about her bedroom, as there’s a door that leads to her front yard — which was flooded with rising waters.

On Wednesday morning, ABC-7 found the sister walking around the residential area with a broom-stick trying to unclog drains in the area — where water then started to flow.

The sister said also in Spanish, that she hopes the rain stops.

Click here to follow the original article.

Heriberto Perez

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Congressman Tony Gonzales’ office recently announced that he is leading the Texas border delegation on a bipartisan bill aimed at protecting funding for Colonias in several counties across the state.

This bill, called the “Ensuring Continued Access to Funding for Colonias Act,” seeks to safeguard federal funding sources for Colonias along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Colonias are communities outside city limits, characterized by high poverty levels and a lack of essential water, sewer, and housing infrastructure.

“Colonias along the border have historically lacked the most basic necessities, like water and sewage. Though federal grant funding exists to address those needs, an outdated provision in the law may soon disqualify these communities from being eligible for it. My legislation, the Ensuring Continued Access to Funding for Colonias Act, corrects this problem so that colonias continue to have a fighting chance for self-sufficiency and economic development. Preventing colonia grant funds from lapsing is not only the right thing to do—it is essential to promoting public health, safety, and security along the border,” said Congressman Gonzales.

This bipartisan bill aims to increase the population eligibility for the Colonia Set-Aside of the Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) from one million to two million residents. It also ensures that Colonias in El Paso and McAllen remain eligible for targeted federal CDBG funding.

According to the news release, Texas has the most Colonias among the four border states.

U. Congressional Representatives Veronica Escobar, Henry Cuellar, Monica De La Cruz, and Vicente Gonzalez also co-sponsored Representative Gonzales’s legislation.

“Colonias across the Borderland often lack critical infrastructure and support, like potable water, affecting the health and prosperity of our community,” said Congresswoman Veronica Escobar. “The Ensuring Continued Access to Funding for Colonias Act will help our local government overcome the financial obstacles to provide first-time, and much-needed, infrastructure to colonias. Ensuring colonias get the funding and support they need has been a priority for me since my time in El Paso County government. I’m proud to have brought millions in funding during my time in Congress and, now, proud to join my colleagues in continuing to elevate the needs of families living in colonias and maintaining federal support as well.”

ABC-7 reached out to Congressman Gonzales’s office for an interview.

More updates will follow in later newscasts.

Click here to follow the original article.