Category: kvia-local-news

Gabrielle Lopez

DONA ANA COUNTY, N.M. (KVIA) — Wednesday, the Board of County Commissioners for Doña Ana County has announced the members appointed to serve on the Community Monitoring Committee related to Project Jupiter. 

The board established the committee to provide a forum for community input and oversight related to the Project Jupiter data center being built in Southern New Mexico.

A map shows where the $165 billion data center campus — dubbed “Project Jupiter” would be located in Santa Teresa, New Mexico.

The 11-member committee includes two representatives from county commission districts, with one additional representative from District 2, where Project Jupiter will be located. 

According to the county, committee members will serve in a voluntary capacity and have to disclose any financial interest, employment or other affiliation with Project Jupiter — whether in support or in opposition.

The county released a list of the 11 members:

District 1: Gavin McMurdo and Michael Stracener District 2: Jerry Prochazka, Art Terrazas and Luis Bonilla  District 3: Wayne Grinnell and Hannan Al-Qanai  District 4: Don Bassett and Marcus Wells  District 5: Lynn Moorer and Juan Garcia  Click here to follow the original article.

Gabrielle Lopez

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — The Justice4Xavier movement is heading to the Texas Capitol after meeting with the El Paso District Attorney. District Attorney James Montoya confirmed Xavier Hernandez’ case will go before a grand jury.

Hernandez died on July 13, 2025, following an encounter with El Paso law enforcement. He was 30 years old.

The El Paso County Medical Examiner classified Hernandez’ death as homicide by asphyxia due to chest compression during law enforcement restraint.

Police say Xavier Hernandez became uncooperative and resisted officers’ commands. A taser deployment was ineffective, and an assisting off-duty officer and a witness helped restrain him due to his combative behavior, police said.

Bodycam footage of Hernandez’ encounter with El Paso police on I-10 near Yarbrough.(Courtesy: EPPD)

According to police, Hernandez became unresponsive while being restrained. Officers then initiated CPR and Hernandez was transported to Del Sol Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead despite efforts to revive him.

His family raised concerns about the use of force, restraint procedures and the circumstances surrounding his death. His family and his supporters are pushing for transparency and accountability.

Justice4Xavier and the Texas League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) are organizing a rally at the state capitol on Oct. 18. They’re calling for police reform and greater oversight.

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Gabrielle Lopez

UPDATE (Nov. 5, 2026): A 34-year-old man from Mexico has been indicted for trying to transport a teenage girl from Colorado to Mexico and producing child sexual abuse material, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Texas, announced.

Authorities inspected a bus Clemente Fernando Vazquez Serna was on at the Bridge of the Americas on Oct. 11. A criminal complaint said Vazquez Serna and a 14-year-old girl presented Mexican birth certificates.

Clemente Vasquez’ mugshot.(Courtesy: Enforcement and Removal Operations)

Authorities discovered Vazquez Serna was engaged in a romantic relationship with the minor and that he was taking her to Mexico to live with him, officials said.

Inspection of the two’s cell phones revealed child sexual abuse material of the girl, USAO said.

Vazquez Serna was arrested, and on Oct. 16, he was ordered detained.

USAO said he is now charged with:

Transportation of a minor Production of visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct Transportation of a visual depiction involving the use of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct Attempt to transport a visual depiction involving the use of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct Possession of a visual depiction involving the sexual exploitation of a minor

A federal district court judge will determine any sentence.

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — A 34-year-old man is accused of trying to kidnap a 14-year-old girl. Authorities arrested him at the Bridge of the Americas, according to the Office of Field Operations Port of El Paso.

Sunday, federal officials encountered the man at BOTA. OFO didn’t publicly identify the man and accused him of having ties to a Mexican cartel.

He allegedly traveled with a 14-year-old girl on a bus headed toward Mexico. OFO said the girl’s mother didn’t know about her whereabouts and “believed her daughter was being taken to Mexico against her will.”

Federal officials charged the man with knowingly possessing or accessing sexually explicit content of a minor. Officials issued an arrest warrant and notice to appear with removal proceedings pending.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ray Provencio, Director, Field Operations (@dfoelpaso)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ray Provencio, Director, Field Operations (@dfoelpaso)

CBP’s El Paso Mobile Enforcement Team (MET) and ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) had a joint operation at the Bridge of the Americas at the time of the man’s arrest.

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Gabrielle Lopez

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — El Paso Community College will celebrate Halloween early with trunk-or-treat events and its annual fall festival, the school announced Wednesday.

Oct. 17 from noon to 3 p.m.: Sensory-friendly trunk-or-treat at EPCC’s Valle Verde campus (919 Hunter Dr., AST parking lot).

EPCC’s Center for Students with Disabilities will host a sensory-friendly trunk-or-treat event. (File photo of EPCC’s CSD’s event in October 2025).

Oct. 24 from 6-8 p.m.: Trunk-or-treat at the Mission del Paso campus (10700 Gateway Blvd E., Parking Lot F).

Oct. 29 from 6-9 p.m.: Fall Festival at the Valle Verde campus, Americana Village.

The city of El Paso also announced a series of free carnivals at community centers happening on Halloween. Find a list of locations here.

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Katrina Villarreal

CLINT, Texas (KVIA) — The Clint Independent School District Board of Trustees approved a one-time retention stipend for district staff.

Full-time CISD teachers and staff will receive $750. Part-time staff serving in regularly scheduled and full-year positions will receive $300.

Stipends are scheduled to go out Nov. 18.

Staff must meet the following requirements to receive the stipend:

Must have been hired before Oct. 30, 2026 Must complete 2026-27 contract If the contract isn’t complete, the staff member must reimburse the district. Click here to follow the original article.

Heriberto Perez Lara

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — The El Paso Chamber, along with other local business leaders, held a news conference Wednesday in Downtown El Paso. Economy Wholesale Grocers President Paul Dipp said the bridge should be named after President Donald Trump.

“I also propose, along with many others, that the bridge be renamed the Donald J. Trump Bridge of the Americas in recognition of President Trump’s commitment to American industry and to bringing domestic manufacturing back as one of our nation’s greatest strengths,” Dipp said. “A modernized bridge that keeps this trade moving would be a fitting monument to his (President Trump) vision.”

Leaders called on local, state, and federal government leaders and officials to reconsider removing commercial traffic from the Bridge of the Americas.

“Every city along the southern border and that is a fact, is expanding capacity to do cross-border trade; El Paso is cutting it down, right when growth historically is strong,” said EPC President and CEO, Ricardo Mora. “We’re closing ourselves to trade.”

According to CEO Mora, over the last five years the region has almost doubled in growth in cross-border trade.

“Some of our representatives have failed us; their job is to make informed decisions on behalf of the community,” CEO Mora said. “This modernization of the Bridge of the Americas should be a major opportunity for El Paso and instead, the current plan will set us back both environmentally and economically; nobody wins here.”

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has previously announced plans to modernize the bridge, but those plans include removing commercial traffic.

Today, the El Paso Chamber announced the findings of a 155-page economic impact study conducted by the Hunt Institute for Global Competitiveness at the University of Texas at El Paso.

The study examined the potential consequences of removing commercial traffic from the BOTA Land Port of Entry.

Here’s the full study made by the Hunt Institute:

hi-bota-modernization-economic-and-trade-effects-in-epcDownload

“Some local and state officials pushing this plan do not seem to care about the irreversible damage that will be caused to our economy and we do,” CEO Mora also said. “We will not stand for it, and we have to put a stop to this nonsense.”

The report includes the following data and according to the El Paso Chamber, if commercial traffic is removed from ‘BOTA,’ this could happen:

10.99% of commercial trade could go to other border regions and make the region less competitive. Around $36.6 billion could be lost in 2036 alone. $2.3 billion worth of loss of economic output through 2028 and 2036 if the bridge does get modernized. Close to 9,529 jobs will be lost in total.

The report also states that total imports in the region have roughly doubled since 2020.

“Regardless, this is a mistake. Our community needs to wake up; the Chamber of Commerce represents businesses, we represent commerce and we represent trade,” CEO Mora said. “We ask our Electeds to take a stance on this; we have to fight for our community and for commerce, because without that, we will not be the El Paso, Las Cruces and Ciudad Juárez region that we want to be in the future.”

The Bridge of the Americas is the only toll-free bridge in the region; it handled around $12 billion of two-way truck trade in 2025 alone.

“The study, conducted by the Hunt Institute for Global Competitiveness at the University of Texas at El Paso, was commissioned by the Chamber in response to the U.S. General Services Administration’s (GSA) 2025 Record of Decision preferring an alternative that eliminates commercial operations at BOTA,” said the El Paso Chamber.

The GSA said the modernization design is set to be made early next year, with construction set to start in early 2028.

ABC-7 reached out to the GSA and to the office of Congresswoman Veronica Escobar for comment; they are working to provide us with a response.

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Lauren Bly

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — On Wednesday, the El Paso County Elections Department did a log and accuracy test on electronic pollbook equipment that will be used for the November elections.

The county said officials use this test to verify whether voter information has been correctly loaded into the system, whether key devices are working properly and whether ballot styles are correctly assigned to voters.

“Eerything is tested not only in the state level, but it also needs to be tested on our end so that voters are comfortable when they cast their vote at the voting site,” said Melissa Martin with the El Paso County Elections Department.

The county says they do this testing before any election.

“The results are always 100% because, again, we need to test every single precinct that is going to be serving the county. So the testing also is archive for 22 months as required by law,” said Martin.

The county follows all security protocols mandated by the state.

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Nichole Gomez

Las Cruces, NM(KVIA-TV) — The much-anticipated Coats for Kids campaign kicked off its 32nd annual drive this week, aiming to ensure that every child in Las Cruces stays warm this winter. Organized by Las Cruces Coats in partnership with Las Cruces Public Schools, the initiative plans to distribute over 1,250 brand-new winter coats to students in need before the holiday season.

This year, school counselors and social workers have identified approximately 2,500 elementary school children who could benefit from a warm coat. In response, the organization is rallying support from local residents and businesses to meet this growing need.

A unique feature of the campaign is its lighthearted “Jailbirds” fundraiser. Prominent community leaders, including the mayor, fire chief, and police chief, will be temporarily “locked up” at 1338 Picacho Hills Drive. Each Jailbird must raise bail money—with all proceeds going toward purchasing coats—to be released. Every $20 donation provides a brand-new coat for a child. Donors are encouraged to either help free their favorite Jailbird or, for fun, keep them “locked up” a bit longer by supporting the cause.

With coat purchases scheduled for mid-October, the next few weeks are critical for fundraising efforts. Organizers hope to recruit about 25 Jailbirds this year and are inviting community members to participate or support the campaign in any way they can.

The Coats for Kids program is run by the local nonprofit Love Las Cruces. To get involved, donate, or learn more about the campaign, visit the organization’s website or contact them directly. Organizers say every contribution helps ensure that no child in Las Cruces will have to face the winter cold without a proper coat.

LasCrucesCoatsForKids.com

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Gabrielle Lopez

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Downtown El Paso will once again transform into a winter wonderland for the annual WinterFest. This year, the City of El Paso said WinterFest will be “brighter and better than ever” with more than one million lights!

WinterFest kicks off Nov. 21 with the Sherr Legate Lights Parade at 6 p.m. More than 70 groups will march the Downtown route, including marching bands and dance groups. The WinterFest website said a parade route will release soon.

The city recommended going to WinterFest early on parade day to secure a spot.

Santa Claus will also make his first appearance of the season. Families can take free pictures with him throughout the WinterFest season.

After the parade, visitors can enjoy holiday magic in Downtown for six weeks.

Attractions at WinterFest include an outdoor ice-skating rink at the Convention Center Plaza. The Rink will close Jan. 3.

The city said local vendors will offer handmade gifts and food for purchase.

Visitors can also catch a movie at WinterFest. The El Paso Museum of Art and Mexican American Cultural Center organized free holiday movie screenings with the El Paso Community Foundation Plaza Classic Film Festival.

In the heart of Downtown, San Jacinto Plaza will stay lively with local musicians, dancers and other performers. At the plaza, lights will glow from 5-11 p.m. daily. The city will also set up the famous 45-foot Christmas tree.

For those wanting a fun challenge, San Jacinto Plaza will host loteria game nights on select dates in December.

In 2025, nearly 600,000 people attended WinterFest, according to the city.

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Nichole Gomez

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA-TV) — A new leadership cohort is set to launch in El Paso, offering high school-aged girls the chance to build confidence, develop leadership skills, and make a tangible impact in their community.

Strive Now, in partnership with La Nube and Mija, Yes You Can®, has announced “The Collab: La Nube x Mija, Yes You Can,” a four-session program designed to empower up to 30 young women. The initiative focuses on helping participants discover their voice, lead with their values, and collaborate on a real-world community project.

Throughout the program, participants will engage in interactive workshops where they will learn to communicate with confidence, transform conflict into connection, and lead authentically. The sessions encourage teamwork and relationship-building, culminating in the development and delivery of a community project aimed at creating lasting positive change.

Those who complete the program will earn the Purpose Every Day Community Leader Microcredential, endorsed by the GECU Foundation, in recognition of their emerging leadership and community involvement.

“We are so excited to be joining forces with two powerful organizations here in El Paso,” said Iris Lopez, founder of Mija, Yes You Can. “By bringing the resources and passion of all three organizations together, we can reach even more girls and give them the tools and confidence to view themselves as leaders.”

Registration for the four-session program is $25. Sessions will be held at La Nube on four Saturdays: November 14, November 21, December 5, and December 12, from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.

For more information or to register, visit: https://form.jotform.com/262714748344160

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