Category: kvia-local-news

Gabrielle Lopez

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (KVIA) — A man received a 14-year prison sentence after he pleaded guilty to first-degree murder Tuesday. Drake Armendariz shot and killed a 17-year-old boy in the Las Cruces area back in March 2023.

The Third Judicial District Attorney’s Office announced Armendariz’ sentencing. It said Armendariz was 16 years old at the time of the shooting on March 3, 2023. He fired six rounds into a vehicle driving on I-25 just outside Las Cruces.

The gunfire hit Benjamin Archuleta, a passenger in the vehicle, and was transported to a hospital. He died one day before his 18th birthday, the Third Judicial District Attorney’s Office said.

The Third Judicial District Attorney’s Office said the case was originally dismissed prejudice in February 2024 by the previous district attorney. After taking office, Doña Ana County District Attorney Fernando Macias reviewed the case and had the charges reinstated.

District Attorney Fernando Macias said, “This case is a reminder that choices have consequences, and our office will continue to hold violent offenders accountable, including young offenders.”

Armendariz originally received a 30-year prison sentence. The district attorney’s office said with 16 years suspended, he has an effective sentence of 14 years. He also received 793 days of pre-sentence confinement credit.

Upon his release, Armendariz will be a convicted felon, serve two years of parole and have five years of probation, the district attorney’s office said.

“We waited 3 long years for justice, but the time has come,” said Lucky Archuleta, the victim’s uncle. “You probably deserved more, but God forgives.”

In March 2023, authorities also arrested 16-year-old Daniel Ortiz in connection with the shooting, ABC-7 previously reported.

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Gabrielle Lopez

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — El Paso Community College announced it will bring back Tejano New Stages, an event featuring original stories by emerging playwrights. This will be Tejano New Stages’ third year running.

EPCC Theatre Director Ted Karber Jr. created the free event back in 2024, and calls it a “reader’s theatre of original scripts.”

This year’s Tejano New Stages is scheduled for Aug. 7-8 at 7 p.m. at the EPCC Forum Theatre at the Transmountain campus (9570 Gateway Blvd. North). Admission is free.

Audiences won’t see any sets or costumes — just pure storytelling.

Eight EPCC theatre students will read and perform their work. Instead of a fully-staged production, Tejano News Stages focuses on voice performance, EPCC said.

(Courtesy: EPCC)

The event gives students an opportunity to use their voice and emotional connection to bring their story to life.

“This event continues to create a space where new voices, original stories, and students and local writers can be celebrated. There is something special about hearing a new work come to life for the first time and sharing those stories with our community,” EPCC Assistant Threatre Director and Stage Manager Colleen McCrary said.

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Max Zepeda

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Destination El Paso, in partnership with the city, annouced Tuesday night that the 2027 Texas Society of Architects Annual Conference and Design Expo will be returning to El Paso next October.

It marks the first time the event has come to the Borderland since 2022, and for just the third time in the event’s history.

“Today isn’t just about announcing another conference,” said El Paso Mayor Renard Johnson during a press conference in Downtown Tuesday night. “It’s about recognizing how far El Paso has come.”

According to a press release provided to ABC 7, the conference scheduled for October 7-9, 2027 will draw 1,800+ attendees to El Paso and $1.4 million into the city economy.

In the release, Destination El Paso writes the following:

“The Conference showcases El Paso as a premier destination for meetings, architecture, culture and innovation…The 2027 Texas Society of Architects Annual Conference & Design Expo reflects El Paso’s continued momentum as a destination where architecture, culture, innovation and hospitality come together to create meaningful visitor experiences and economic impact.”

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Gabrielle Lopez

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Tuesday, the El Paso City Council unanimously approved funding to continue operations at the Welcome Center for the homeless. ABC-7 previously reported the center planned to shut down Aug. 31 when the council voted against one-time funding.

The City of El Paso said part of the fiscal year 2027 budget will help the Welcome Center run 24 hours a day from September 2026-February 2027. In the meantime, the Opportunity Center for the Homeless will discuss a long-term funding solution with community partners.

The council approved $380,000 in gap funding as part of the fiscal year 2027 budget Tuesday.

City Representative Chris Canales made a motion to use the money, which is from an American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) investment interest. It passed 8-0.

In June, El Paso City Council voted against $430,000 in ARPA investment interest revenue, prompting the planned closure for the end of August. The money would have acted as one-time funding. The motion failed with a 5-4 vote.

John Martin, the Opportunity Center’s deputy director, said at Tuesday’s city council meeting that he applied for several grants. He also said the Welcome Center has funding through its current contractual agreement through Aug. 31.

Martin mentioned looking at a second location to avoid the cost of the current lease.

At the Welcome Center, first responders and outreach teams help connect people with services like shelter navigation, medical care and case management. It operates through the Opportunity Center for the Homeless.

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Gabrielle Lopez

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — The El Paso Police Department said it arrested and charged two men after they allegedly failed to stop for authorities in a stolen vehicle, an EPPD spokesperson confirmed with ABC-7.

A news release said 22-year-old Angel Aaron Flores from Horizon was charged with aggravated robbery, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, evading arrest with a vehicle and failing to stop or render aid for a crash.

Additionally, 18-year-old Rafael De Jesus Bustillos from San Elizario was charged with evading arrest, aggravated robbery and assaulting a peace officer, police said.

EPPD said its Auto Theft Task Force investigated an aggravated robbery that happened Sunday. Officers found the stolen vehicle Monday and asked the Texas Department of Public Safety for help with a traffic stop.

The driver of the vehicle allegedly refused to stop, and a crash happened, police said. The vehicle became inoperable at the

Tuesday, the El Paso Police Department said it arrested two men for aggravated robbery after they allegedly failed to stop for authorities.

Monday, EPPD’s Auto Theft Task Force investigated an aggravated robbery that happened Sunday, according to a news release.

Officers found the vehicle Monday and asked the Texas Department of Public Safety to do a traffic stop. The driver allegedly refused to stop, and a crash happened, police said.

The vehicle became inoperable on Dyer Street just north of Hercules Avenue, according to EEPD.

Officers arrested Flores and Bustillos and booked them into the El Paso County Detention Facility.

Angel Aaron Flores (left) and Rafel de Jesus Bustillos (right).

Flores has no bond and Bustillos’ bond totaled $61,000, according to jail records.

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Nina Gallegos

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -– El Paso’s proposed $1.407 billion fiscal year 2027 budget is accompanied by a property tax rate that would generate about 7.89% more revenue for the city’s maintenance and operations compared to last year.

The average homeowner with a home valued at $232,000, if approved, would see an increase of $132 annually or $11 a month in property taxes.

This year’s budget increase is driven by:

Loss of property tax revenue

Increasing public safety costs

Debt service for voter-approved bond projects

No use of fund balance

The proposed budget would be the first in the last three years that relies upon reoccurring revenue for reoccurring expenses as compared to the No-New Revenue rate.

The largest expense of the proposed increase will go towards public safety, police and fire at just over $371 million.

The largest revenue source for that expense is property taxes. While property taxes generate about $320 million in revenue, they do not cover the cities two largest departments, public safety, at $371 million.

During the council budget presentation, the City Chief Financial Officer Robert Cortinas said the No-New Revenue rate decreased tax rates. However, in the process it took one-time revenue to defer investment in City facilities and keep low pay raises which he says is not sustainable.

He said the proposed budget is now trying to make up for that revenue. Cortinas says his concern is the future fund balance which has decreased by more than $15 million.

He poses the question: We don’t know what the future holds. The thing that the city has to think about is what position they want to be in if they lose revenue.

Cortinas recommends an overall property tax increase of 4.9 cents with these additions to the original budget:

2.6 cents per $100 valuation

0.9 cents to offset impact from lower than anticipated veritifed values

1.7 cents will generate $9.7 million in additional property tax revenue

The City is scheduled to approve the fiscal year 2027 budget on Aug. 18 following public hearings on Aug. 17.

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Olivia Vara

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — El Paso Electric is helping customers struggling with higher-than-usual summer electric bills through pop-up assistance events, held at El Paso Community College’s Administrative Services Center.

Customers just need a valid photo ID for a Customer Care team to review their bill increase and discuss payment arrangements and financial assistance options.

Those higher costs stem from recently approved rates and seasonal summer pricing, which remains in effect through October.

In the meantime, customers can lower their bills by raising the thermostat a few degrees during peak hours, running washers and dryers late at night, closing blinds to block afternoon sun, and checking for drafty windows.

Veronica Lespron’s summer has been defined by a lot more than the heat outside.

She said paying almost 200, even $250 for an electricity bill is something she can’t keep on her budget.

“Anything would help,” she said. That’s a huge jump from the roughly $60 a month she says she paid with solar panels — installed years ago specifically to avoid costs like this. But as her household grows, with kids home for summer and a son heading to college, so do the demands on that bill.

“It’s hot, so we have the air conditioning running. Kids are home. It’s just really sad to see that this is happening right now,” Veronica said.

El Paso Electric’s Michelle Lopez said they generally see an increase every year in June, July and August because those are the hottest months with the most daylight.

El Paso electric also says relief is still possible through simple habits, and that pop-up events like today’s aim to help families find tools to lower their bill.

But Lespron said that if her bill doesn’t come down, it’s not even worth having solar panels. “Absolutely not. No,” she said.

El Paso Electric will hold more pop-up events like this one in Socorro, Canutillo and at EPCC throughout August.

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Gabrielle Lopez

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Wednesday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott will meet with families in the El Paso area to discuss a new housing affordability policy, according to his campaign team.

Gov. Abbott will speak with families in the City of Socorro. A specific location wasn’t announced.

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Nichole Gomez

El Paso, TX (KVIA-TV)-TxDOT El Paso is providing an update regarding the Montana project: the three-level section is being gradually formed.

If you drive along the main roads in Montana then you will find that the roads are paved, the walls have been put up and barriers have been placed over a large area.

The wall panels include native landscaping and will be painted soon.

TxDOT says the El Paso crews are working near the intersection of Joe Battle and Loop 375, pouring concrete for the barrier.

To carry out this task, several teams and machines are needed so that all the components are in the right position. Then, quality inspections are carried out to verify the shape and to eliminate any excess concrete. Most of this work is performed by hand.

As TxDOT nears the last stage of the project, the overhead signs for the new roads are already up. The teams still have to complete the paving and have been digging out the walls of the drilled shafts, thirty feet below ground, to fit the panels. Work on the drainage is also underway, and these large boxes will protect the underground utilities.

According to TxDOT, when it is finished, the interchange will consist of three levels: Loop 375, the frontage roads, and the Montana main lanes.

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Nichole Gomez

El Paso, TX (KVIA-TV)- Measles cases in the United States are now at their highest level since 2000. Immunize El Paso urges families to make sure their children are up to date on recommended vaccines.Vaccinations are still available, even though many students have already returned to school.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports more than 2,300 measles cases nationwide in 2026. Measles spreads easily because it is one of the most contagious diseases. Health experts continue to stress that vaccination is still the best way to protect both individuals and the community.

For more information, contact Immunize El Paso at (915) 533-3414 or visit www.immunizeelpaso.org.

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