Author: KVIA

Gabrielle Lopez

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — An El Paso school made it to a list of 84 Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) grants. El Paso Community College will receive part of more than $20 million in grants, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced Monday.

The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) awards the JET grants to help schools buy equipment for career and technical education training programs.

EPCC’s college district will receive $283,385 to train 12 students as electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians.

Gov. Abbott said the JET grant will buy and install equipment for the cohort at EPCC.

JET grants go toward training students for jobs in high-demand occupations. Gov. Abbott said TWC gets the grant funding from the Texas Legislature.

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Gabrielle Lopez

HORIZON CITY, Texas (KVIA) — A welfare check led to an arrest in Horizon City, police said Monday.

Horizon City police initiated a welfare check near Horizon Boulevard and Ashford Street on Oct. 2.

During the investigation, officers learned about an alleged assault at a nearby business, HPD said. After checking records, authorities found a three outstanding warrants.

Officers arrested 25-year-old Andy Joshua Medina. He was charged with public intoxication, assault by contact and indecent exposure. Police said he also had outstanding traffic warrants.

Jail records said Medina was booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility on Oct. 3.

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Lauren Bly

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)– According to a news release, on Saturday, deputies with the Precinct 6 Deputy Constables Office arrested 34-year-old Mauricio Toscano for 45 counts of sex offenses against children.

Toscano was charged with 20 counts of possession of child pornography, 18 counts of sexual performance of a child under 14, six counts of online solicitation of a minor, and one count of online solicitation of a minor sexual conduct.

Tascanco is being held under a $250,000 bond.

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Nichole Gomez

El Paso, TX (KVIA-TV)-Hueco Tanks State Park & Historic Site welcomes everyone to the 32nd Annual Community Fair on Saturday, October 17, and Sunday, October 18, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.Come enjoy a fun, family-friendly weekend that celebrates the natural and cultural heritage ofHueco Tanks. You can explore educational exhibits, try hands-on activities, and sample food from local vendors.There will also be community partners, guided rock climbing tours, pictograph tours, and hiking opportunities.Guided tours will highlight the unique landscapes and stories that make this site so special.For 32 years, the Community Fair has brought together people from El Paso and beyondfrom across the region to experience the history, culture, and natural beauty of Hueco Tanks.This event honors the past, celebrates the present, and looks to the future.

The Community Fair is free, requires no reservations, and has no capacity limits. Everyone is invited to join this annual celebration of community, conservation, and the outdoors.

For more information, call Hueco Tanks State Park & Historic Site at (915) 857-1135 or follow the park on Facebook and Instagram for updates.

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Nina Gallegos

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Community members gathered at Ascarate Park on World Mental Health Day for NAMIWalks El Paso, an event focused on raising awareness, encouraging people to seek help and reminding those facing mental health challenges that they are not alone.

The walk brought together people committed to supporting mental health and building a community where individuals and families can find the resources they need.

For Fernando Muniz, who has worked in the mental health field for 26 years, the most rewarding part of his work is seeing people overcome challenges and move forward.

“It’s just sometimes it brings you to tears. Seeing people succeed. I want to cry right now,” Muniz said.

Muniz said helping children, adults and families realize their potential is what makes the work meaningful. He also encouraged people who may be struggling to seek support and take advantage of available services.

“You do have a right to get services. Look for them, you know, pursue the services. It’s OK. Get help. It’s very important,” Muniz said.

The event also highlighted the importance of bringing people together to address mental health challenges and reduce the stigma surrounding them.

Isidro Torres, executive director of NAMI El Paso, said mental health conditions affect a significant portion of the population.

“One in five people live with a mental health condition and are affected in a given year,” Torres said.

Torres said NAMIWalks is about more than raising awareness. It also demonstrates that support is available for people who may feel alone in their struggles.

“If today proves anything, it’s that there’s a community out here to support you and ready to help you any way we can,” Torres said.

The gathering served as a reminder that mental health is an ongoing conversation and that asking for help is an important step toward getting support.

As participants crossed the finish line at Ascarate Park, the message was clear: People experiencing mental health challenges do not have to face them alone, and it is OK to speak up when they are struggling.

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Gabrielle Lopez

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — El Paso Electric named a new leader after CEO Kelly Tomblin announced her retirement, the utility confirmed with ABC-7 Friday.

Eliecer “Eli” Viamontes will replace Tomblin as president and CEO, according to a LinkedIn post. He’s currently the CEO of Entergy Texas in the Houston area.

Tomblin has more than 30 years of experience in the energy industry, according to EPE. She worked around the world from the U.S. to the United Kingdom. Before working at EPE, she worked as a CEO of a utility in Jamaica.

“Stepping into EPE right now feels incredibly special. At its core, our work comes down to keeping the lights on, serving the families and businesses that count on us every day, and making smart investments that help our region thrive,” Viamontes said in his post.

EPE said Tomblin launched several key initiatives for the company, including a new strategic plan and expanding renewable energy.

EPE said Viamontes will succeed Tomblin on Nov. 9. She will stay with EPE in an advisory capacity through the end of the year to “support a seamless transition.”

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Gabrielle Lopez

SIERRA BLANCA, Texas (KVIA) — One person was flown to an El Paso hospital with serious injuries after a rollover crash near a Border Patrol checkpoint, the Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed with ABC-7.

DPS Acting Lieutenant Eliot Torres said the crash happened around 11 a.m. Friday near the Sierra Blanca checkpoint along I-10 East.

Lt. Torres said the crash caused the passenger-vehicle lanes to close. All traffic is currently using the 18-wheeler side at the checkpoint.

Views of a rollover crash near a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint in Sierra Blanca, Texas.(Courtesy: FitFam El Paso via Instagram)

Video showed a white van on its side. A helicopter was also at the scene.

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Gabrielle Lopez

HUDSPETH COUNTY, Texas (KVIA) — A $15 billion data center project has been set for Hudspeth County, according to County Judge Joanna MacKenzie. Construction could start as early as 2027.

In a social media post, the county said ServerDomes Global is one of the organizations involved in the project. The company is based in Boise, Idaho.

According to the county judge, the project is expected to bring 800 construction jobs that will take four to five years. After completion, an estimated 200-300 permanent jobs will be available.

The county judge said the data center is located on private property in the Desert Haven area. Additionally, she said the project isn’t requesting tax abatements from the county. Potential taxable value and resulting tax revenue haven’t been determined.

Project managers started helping with grading private roads following community concerns, the judge said. Agreements on road use involving county roads are in talks.

Judge MacKenzie learned the facility will make its own electricity. She said it will draw water from the property once during initial startup. It won’t withdraw water after. MacKenzie said the aquifer recharges.

The county is seeking information confirming that the facility won’t impact surrounding water users.

MacKenzie said she had “very little information” about the proposed data center before organizers confirmed their plans.

She said she visited the site Thursday to speak with contractors and others involved. She said project representatives recognized that conversation with local government and the community should have started sooner.

Since the judge’s visit, project representatives have been in talks with Hudspeth County, according to MacKenzie.

The Commissioners Court invited project representatives to provide more information and answer questions about the facility.

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Gabrielle Lopez

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — El Paso Water scheduled nine community meetings to get feedback on the proposed fiscal year 2027-28 budget. The Public Service Board received a presentation of four budget scenarios.

On Sept. 30, EPWater said it has four approaches to investment and risk: accelerated reliability, strategic, lean and high risk.

According to the utility, at the lowest end, the combined water, wastewater and stormwater budget is 27% lower than the current year’s $1.2 billion budget.

At the higher end, the combined budget is 25% higher than the current year’s budget

The utility said with accelerated reliability, it would make the largest capital investment, such as faster pipeline replacement to reduce the risk of breaks and outages.

Its strategic approach would prioritize the highest-needed capital projects while balancing the system’s reliability, affordability and financial risk.

The lean approach reduces capital and operating expenses by delaying 21 projects and eliminating 140 positions, the utility said.

Lastly, the high-risk approach makes the lowest level of capital investment. EPWater said the approach would include: significantly deferring or canceling capital projects at four treatment plants, including the Pure Water Center, and two other locations and eliminating 300 positions.

The public can attend the meetings, which are all planned for the evening across the eight El Paso City Council districts. There will be an all-community meeting at the TecH2O Water Resources Learning Center.

The meeting structure starts with an open house, a presentation from an EPWater official and ends with a Q&A session.

Attendees can give feedback, which the utility will use for its presentation to the PSB as they consider the proposed budget.

The PSB will vote on the fiscal year budget, rates and fees on Jan. 13. If approved, they will take effect March 1, according to EPWater.

All budget community meetings will take place 5:30-7 p.m. unless otherwise noted.

Oct. 13 District 2 – Central/Northeast Memorial Senior Center, 1800 Bryon St. 79930 Oct. 13 District 5 – Far East Upper Eastside Command Center, 14301 Pebble Hills 79938 Oct. 15 District 3 – Lower Valley Valle Bajo Rec. Center, 7380 Alameda 79915 Oct. 15 District 4 – Northeast Northeast Command Center, 9600 Dyer St 79924 Oct. 16 *(10 – 11:30 am) All Districts – East TecH2O Center, 10751 Montana 79935 Oct. 20 District 8 – Downtown Armijo Rec Center, 700 E 7th Ave 79901 Oct. 21 District 7 – Lower Valley Mission Valley Command, 9011 Escobar Dr 79907 Oct. 22 District 6 – East Marty Robbins Rec Center, 11620 Vista Del Sol Dr. 79936 Oct. 22 District 1 – West West Side Command Center, 4801 Osborne Dr 79922

You can learn more about the proposed budget here.

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Heriberto Perez Lara

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — A new border monitoring platform, “Fila de Puentes,” provides live wait-time estimates at international bridges, compiled from U.S. Customs and Border Protection data, community reports, and other official sources.

José Andrés Meza Parra is from Juárez and lived on the border all his life. He started Fila de Puentes nearly a year ago, looking to help people like him who cross the border every day.

Meza’s ultimate goal is for people to save time before heading to the international bridges and to know which bridges have a shorter wait to cross.

This website provides real-time traffic tracking across international bridge lanes, showing current wait times — even in other U.S.-Mexico border regions.

An example of wait times at international bridges in the El Paso-Juarez area.(Courtesy: Fila de Puentes)

The tracking service also monitors 32 live crossings across 11 border cities from Tijuana to Matamoros. It incorporates lane-by-lane estimates, Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection (SENTRI) lane status, live video feeds and community input to help drivers compare conditions across bridges.

The platform also embeds live video camera feeds at key locations, including the Paso del Norte Bridge (PDN, Santa Fe), the Bridge of the Americas (BOTA), Ysleta-Zaragoza, and Stanton-Lerdo. It also offers an interactive virtual assistant, Fili IA, to answer questions about crossing.

In the Juárez–El Paso region, data on the platform show heavy traffic at several major bridges.

Friday, the Paso del Norte Bridge recorded the longest wait time at 75 minutes, followed by the Ysleta-Zaragoza Bridge at 69 minutes and the Puente Libre (BOTA), at 60 minutes.

The Jerónimo-Santa Teresa bridge showed a 55-minute wait time, while Tornillo recorded a 15-minute delay. The Lerdo bridge, which serves SENTRI traffic only, shows a one-minute wait time.

Beyond the Juárez–El Paso area, the platform provides tracking for 26 additional border crossings; covered locations include:

San Diego–Tijuana Laredo–Nuevo Laredo Calexico–Mexicali Brownsville–Matamoros McAllen–Reynosa Nogales Eagle Pass–Piedras Negras Del Río–Ciudad Acuña Douglas–Agua Prieta Progreso–Nuevo Progreso.

If you cross the border daily and want to know how to save some time doing that, you can watch the full story tonight on ABC-7 at 5 and 6.

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