Category: kvia-local-news

Gabrielle Lopez

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Motorcyclists are more vulnerable in traffic due to their smaller size and reduced visibility, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office said. With increased motorcycle crashes in the county, the sheriff’s office shared safety tips for all drivers.

“We all have to be driving defensively, and so that’s all we ask,” Chief Deputy Emmanuel Soria said. “Have a good time, but do it responsibly.”

EPCSO said motorcyclists should:

Wear a Department of Transportation-approved helmet and protective gear

Follow the speed limit

Anticipate the actions of other drivers

Avoid riding in a car’s blind spot

Use turn signals and make your intentions clear to other drivers

If you’re on the road but not driving a motorcycle, EPCSO said you should:

Look twice for motorcyclists before changing lanes or turning

Check mirrors and blind spots carefully

Give motorcyclists a full lane to ride on

Keep a safe distance from others

EPCSO said many motorcycle crashes happen when drivers don’t yield to the right of way, especially on left turns.

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Gabrielle Lopez

CIUDAD JUÁREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) — A Socorro man has been sentenced to three years and six months in a Juárez state prison, the The Chihuahua Attorney General’s Office said Thursday. His charges include homicide, property damage and bodily injury made during a crash in Juárez.

Investigators said Henry Raygoza caused a deadly crash that killed a 12, 14 and 16-year-old in June 2024.

It happened at the intersection of Bernardo Norzagaray Boulevard and General Rivas Guillén Street, officials said, near the Santa Fe Bridge.

Officials said Raygoza read-ended a Honda, which lost control, drove over a median and onto the opposite road facing the wrong way.

A semi then crashed into the Honda.

The crash injured others, damaged cars and municipal infrastructure, officials said.

Raygoza will serve at CERESO 3 prison.

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Rosemary Garcia

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — El Pasoan Betty Landin joined countless other business hopefuls aiming to be cast in the next season of ABC’s Shark Tank. The nationwide quest to find entrepreneurs for the upcoming season closed at the end of April.

Landin’s story of resilience begins in Tamaulipas, Mexico, where she was born to conservative parents. Landin was not allowed to go to school.

Landin longed to be an inventor, but decided to pursue business in Ciudad Juárez instead. She faced homelessness and would even become a single mother.

After moving to El Paso, Landin would invent the Wander Pillow, a neck pillow with a built-in hidden blanket. While her creation has already sold over 1,000 units, Landin is ready to take her business to the next level!

ABC-7’s Rosemary Garcia spoke to Landin about her journey to the United States, her ambitions of becoming an inventor and entrepreneur, and how she’s hoping to secure a spot on the popular hit TV show.

Watch Rosemary’s special report “Mompreneur” Wednesday at 10 p.m. only on ABC-7.

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Gabrielle Lopez

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — The El Paso Independent School District appointed a new district police service chief. Donica Pedregon made history as the district’s first woman to lead the department.

Pedregon joined EPISD’s police services in 2014 and has since served in several leadership roles, such as a field training officer. Her promotion to chief of police isn’t the first time she made history.

In 2021, she became the first female sergeant in department history and first female lieutenant in 2024, according to the district.

“I do not want to focus on me simply being a woman,” Pedregon said. “However, I do recognize the significance of this moment and what it represents for those who will some day follow the same path.”

She has more than 15 years in law enforcement experience inside and out of the district. She helped mentor and train future officers at the El Paso Community College Law Enforcement Academy, EPISD said.

Courtesy: EPISD

“As someone who has risen through the ranks of this department, it is the honor of a lifetime to now lead the outstanding men and women of the El Paso ISD Police Department,” Pedregon said.

Pendregon is also a U.S. Army combat veteran, according to EPISD.

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Rosemary Garcia

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)—Just days away from Silva Magnet High School’s graduation ceremony, senior Josefina Cortez is eager to embark on the next chapter of her life.

At a young age, she realized she wanted to study medicine. She said her grandmother being diabetic and facing other health challenges fueled her passion.

Cortez is one of six children, and she’ll be the first in her family to graduate from high school and go to college.

Earlier this month, she earned her associate’s degree from El Paso Community College. At Silva Magnet, she was involved in multiple school clubs and extracurricular activities.

During her downtime, she helps her sister raise money for her cheerleading team by baking and selling banana bread. She said the extra money goes a long way.

“My mom being a single mom, it helps pay for my sister’s cheer expenses sometimes, even with home necessities. You know, my mom’s a little bit short. We use that money, and it’s definitely very helpful.”

Health Sciences and Technology teacher Edna Ramirez said Cortez has grit that sets her apart from other students.

“I see that she puts her mind to something, and there’s nothing that will stop her from achieving it. There’s, like, that grit to go for it and achieve what she’s looking for,” Ramirez said.

Cortez applied for the highly competitive UTEP Terry Scholarship. She said she almost didn’t apply, but her friends insisted. The moment she learned she had earned the scholarship was a special one.

“I just burst out into tears, you know, with my friends. And it was such a wholesome moment,” she said.

Ramirez said the exciting moment happened during her class. She said she was:

“Crying with her. We were so happy because I know she’s like, you know, just screamed at the top of her lungs. And I turned around, and I was like, what’s going on? And she’s like, I got it. And I immediately knew that it was that. So we, I know the entire class was emotional. We were just so happy for her,” Ramirez said.

Cortez said she is proud to be a first-generation college student. She wants to continue on this path to inspire all of her siblings, her mother, and her grandmother!

She said she’ll be studying science and nursing at UTEP next fall. She dreams of becoming a pediatric oncology nurse.

Congratulations, Josefina!

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Gabrielle Lopez

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office said it charged a man for animal cruelty after finding an underweight dog with visible bones.

On Memorial Day, deputies helped the Animal Welfare Unit with an investigation on the 13300 block of Estancia de Misiones Street off S San Elizario Road.

They found a medium-sized pit bull in “extremely poor physical condition,” according to the sheriff’s office.

The dog looked malnourished with visible ribs, spine and hip bones, EPCSO said. The sheriff’s office said the dog had a hard time moving and needed help.

Deputies contacted the owner, Manuel Salazar Jr., and took him into custody after an investigation, EPCSO said.

He faced an animal cruelty charge and was booked into the county detention facility on a $2,000 bond.

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Mia Okubo

Harmony Public Schools

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — All Six Harmony Public Schools Campuses have been recognized in El Paso to earn a National PLTW Distinguished School Recognition.

Project Lead The Way is a national nonprofit organization that provides transformative learning experiences in computer science, engineering, and biomedical science, helping students develop real-world knowledge and skills for future careers.

The national recognition from Project Lead The Way (PLTW) during the 2025-26 academic year for their commitment to expanding student achievement and access to high-quality STEM education.

Dr. Kamil Yilmaz, West Texas Superintendent for Harmony Public Schools said “This achievement reflects the dedication of our educators, the hard work of our students, and our district’s continued commitment to preparing students for success through STEM-focused education. Through programs like PLTW, we are building future leaders, innovators, and problem solvers.”

The following campuses earned PLTW Distinguished School honors:

Harmony School of Excellence El Paso — PLTW Distinguished Launch School

Harmony School of Innovation Elementary El Paso — PLTW Distinguished Launch School

Harmony School of Science Elementary El Paso — PLTW Distinguished Launch School

Harmony School of Innovation El Paso Middle/High — PLTW Distinguished Gateway School and PLTW Distinguished High School

Harmony School of Science Middle/High El Paso — PLTW Distinguished High School

Harmony Science Academy El Paso — PLTW Distinguished High School

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Gabrielle Lopez

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Students at the University of Texas at El Paso are closer to having a new on-campus housing option. Thursday, with pickaxes in hand, university officials broke ground for a new $102 million dorm called “Miner Crossing.”

The dorm will have 507 beds in rooms made for for one to two students to live in, UTEP said. The five-story dorm will be next to Kidd Field.

Beyond bedrooms, the new dorm will have a dining room that will serve 1,400 meals a day, including pizza, salads and desserts, according to UTEP. Students can expect study spaces, gaming area and a fitness center too.

Miner Crossing will be a “traditional freshman dorm,” according to UTEP President Heather Wilson. She said she expects a lot of student athletes to live in the building.

She said by working with UTEP’s athletics department, she expects all student athletes to have a high-protein meal plan, even if they don’t live in Miner Crossing.

The outside of the building will match UTEP’s Bhutanese architectural style, the campus said.

Construction will take about two years, UTEP said. Students can start living in Miner Crossing in the 2028 fall semester.

UTEP said it has had a waiting list to live on campus for the last four years.

Wilson said a new dorm is necessary since the university is getting more applicants from people living outside of El Paso.

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Gabrielle Lopez

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — A 53-year-old man was arrested and charged for allegedly crashing into an El Paso County Sheriff’s Office patrol unit, EPCSO said Thursday. The sheriff’s office also said the man drove while intoxicated.

The sheriff’s office said deputies used a patrol unit with its emergency lights on to block Montana Avenue at Krag Street to investigate a motorcycle crash May 24.

At 10 p.m., Amado Vasquez Burrola allegedly drove past the road closure and crashed into the deputies’ unit. One of the deputies had to run out of the way to avoid being hit, EPCSO said.

After an investigation, deputies took Vasquez Burrola into custody and charged him with DWI with an open alcohol container and possession of marijuana, EPCSO said. They booked him into the county detention facility on a $10,100 bond.

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El Paso Matters

by Claudia Lorena Silva

More than 400 El Paso Independent School District jobs, including teachers and central office staff, may be cut as the Board of Trustees will vote Tuesday whether to declare financial exigency and implement a massive savings plan that includes layoffs.

EPISD Superintendent Brian Lusk is recommending the board make the declaration and approve a plan to reduce its staffing levels by 410 positions, which could also include retirements, resignations and vacant job openings, according to the agenda posted Thursday to the district’s website.

This includes 250 campus level positions and 160 central office positions, which will save the district $17 million and $11 million a year, respectively, according to information provided as part of the agenda for Tuesday’s meeting.

EPISD currently has over 4,700 employees and 3,500 teachers, according to Texas Education Agency staffing reports. Eliminating 410 jobs would be a 9% workforce reduction.

If approved, it would be the deepest job cuts ever enacted by an El Paso school district that will impact the vast majority of its campuses.

EPISD officials said in a statement that they are currently reviewing the staffing and budget recommendations reflected in the agenda materials. 

“As noted in the agenda backup, the district anticipates a reduction of 400+ positions overall; however, not every reduction will result in an immediate reduction in force of current employees.

“Some reductions will come from eliminating or not filling vacant positions, while other actions may include reassigning staff into roles where there is a continued need and where the district can best support students.

“Throughout this process, El Paso ISD’s priority is to protect classroom instruction and limit impacts to students,” district officials said in a statement.

A public school consultant on May 19 recommended the district declare financial exigency as it faces a $52.8 million budget shortfall this fiscal year after discovering significant systemic issues in tracking its finances. EPISD estimated that without significant cuts, it would face a $42 million deficit next school year.

READ MORE: El Paso ISD may declare financial emergency, large-scale layoffs after review puts budget deficit at $52.8 million

Employees affected by the layoffs can request a hearing with the board and superintendent to make a case for their job.

Lusk is also recommending the district reduce the contribution it makes toward its employees’ health savings accounts from $1,000 to $500, saving the district $1.3 million; reviewing employee stipends for potential reductions; reducing the central office travel budget;  and reviewing coding and data collection to ensure it sends accurate information to the state.

PODCAST: As EPISD looks to ‘extreme measures’ to avoid financial exigency, imminent layoffs create anxiety, uncertainty

El Paso Federation of Teachers President Ross Moore said he expects the board to approve Lusk’s plan.

“EPISD is in dire financial straits. Yes, it is necessary,” Moore said. 

The district can also consider salary reductions, furloughs and other unspecified methods of cutting staffing costs, according to the presentation posted on the agenda. It is not clear based on the agenda documents if Lusk will make these recommendations.

If the board approves Lusk’s plan, EPISD will have 20 days to notify the Texas Education Agency. It will be the 19th district in the state to declare financial exigency over the past 10 years.

LEARN MORE: What financial exigency means for EPISD: layoffs, budget cuts, broken contracts

In the proposed financial exigency declaration, the district states that its savings per student has decreased by more than 20% in the past two years. That’s one of the developments that allows a school district to declare financial exigency under state law.

Exigency is similar to a bankruptcy filing, in that it gives local governments the power to break contracts, including employment agreements.

The declaration will expire at the end of the 2026-27 school year.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

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