Category: kvia-local-news

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (KVIA) — Thursday, the Las Cruces Police Department announced it will host a town hall July 29 with interactive sessions with Mayor Eric Enriquez and all six city councilors.

Residents can sit at the table of their council district to talk about public safety.

LCPD Chief Jeremy Story, the department’s deputy chiefs and other staff will answer questions and hear ideas from those attending the town hall.

“These town hall meetings are important for our city and for us as a department,” said Chief Story. “We grow and become better as a community when we come together, share concerns and ideas, and learn from each other.”

The town hall will start at 6 p.m. at City Hall on 700 N. Main St. LCPD said it will be in three conference rooms on the second floor of the north wing.

LCPD said to expect the meeting to last about two hours.

Chief Story will share recent crime statistics, LCPD said.

Here is the list of councilors and their districts:

District 1: Cassie McClureDistrict 2: Bill MattiaceDistrict 3: Michael HarrisDistrict 4: Johana BencomoDistrict 5: Becky CorranDistrict 6: John Muñoz

LCPD encourages those interested in the town hall to arrive early. It said parking is available on the west side of City Hall and in the parking garage on the east side (accessible from Campo Street).

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (KVIA) — The New Mexico State Police said last week it arrested a woman wanted for attempted first-degree murder warrant in Las Cruces, according to a news release sent Thursday.

NMSP’s Fugitive Apprehension Unit, with help from the U.S. Marshals Service, arrested 35-year-old Aimee Bethany Martinez July 17 on an attempt to commit a felony (first-degree murder) warrant.

NMSP FAU learned about Martinez’ whereabouts after investigative efforts, police said. Officers conducted surveillance to confirm her location and make an arrest plan.

Martinez was booked into the Doña Ana County Detention Center.

According to jail records, her bond is set at $1,000.

ABC-7 requested documents detailing the arrest and is waiting for a response.

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Thursday, the Hospitals of Providence announced a new weight loss center and medical office located in West El Paso.

A ribbon cutting unveiled the Weight Loss Center West in conjunction with Providence Medical Partners General Surgery and Weight Management, according to THOP. It’ll help more patients access care for surgical and weight loss services.

THOP said the weight loss center is the only hospital in El paso to have a national accreditation from the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program by the American College of Surgeons.

The program includes a range of resources with surgical options, weight loss medicine options, support groups and nutritional counseling, according to THOP.

“I am really excited and proud to be a part of this new center that can help patients in need of specialized care from weight loss goals or patients in need of surgical care,” said Dr. Benjamin Clapp.

Dr. Clapp will lead the weight loss center as the medical director, THOP said. He said the center customizes plans for patients, including weight loss, mobility increase, reducing medications needed due to obesity and other treatments.

“The universe of weight loss and all of the tools available continue to evolve over time, and so this is our commitment to continue that evolution supporting our patients on their journey to success,” Victoria Gonzalez, CEO of THOP Memorial Campus said.

THOP’s Weight Loss Center West is located at 4532 N. Mesa St.

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Some El Pasoans noticed higher electricity bills, some saying it’s the highest charge they’ve seen.

El Paso Electric said what residents are seeing are summer rates and newly-approved rates taking effect. 

With these changes, some EPE customers said their bill tripled.

Katherine Laca said she already struggles to balance household expenses while raising her daughter.

“I can’t have enough money to buy her what she needs for school, what she needs because I need to pay the bill,” Laca said.

Laca said her monthly electric bill is usually around $35. But when she opened her latest bill, she found a charge of $182.

“$182, and, well, I want to know what’s going on,” she said.

El Paso Electric said two factors contributed to the increase.

The first is new electric rates that were approved by state regulators and recently took effect. The utility said the rate review process had been underway for more than a year and was needed to recover the cost of replacing aging infrastructure and maintaining reliable service.

“It was approved and implemented,” a company spokesperson said. “The reason that we went for a rate review is because we were trying to recover costs with updating old and outdated infrastructure to ensure reliability across the board because that’s one of our priorities.”

The second factor is seasonal summer pricing, which remains in effect through October.

Customers may notice charges on their bills listed as “Summer 1st Tier” and, for some, a second-tier rate. The utility said the first tier covers electricity use between 0 and 600 kilowatt-hours. Residential customers who use more than 600 kilowatt-hours are billed at a higher rate, with usage above that threshold charged at about 14 cents per kilowatt-hour.

For Laca, the higher bill has added financial pressure.

She said she may have to find look for extra work to cover utility costs and prepare for her daughter’s school expenses.

“Two jobs to find, paying the bills and then get my daughter for her school, things like she needs,” Laca said.

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — The Consulate General of Mexico in El Paso will offer free legal guidance and resources to the community during Legal Assistance Week 2026, from July 27–31, 2026.

The initiative aims to help community members understand their rights and access available assistance.

This year’s campaign focuses on providing accessible information to women, children, juveniles and members of the LGBTQ+ community by promoting their rights and working to prevent violence and discrimination.

The week-long event, formally known as “Semana de Asesorías Legales Externas” (SALE), is being held under the theme “Inclusion is Protection.” It seeks to increase public awareness about the free legal assistance available through the program, following a similar initiative held in April.

A Legal Information Call Bank is scheduled for Monday, July 27, from 4:30-6:30 p.m.

Immigration specialists will also be available to answer questions about individual rights, consular protection and available legal resources. Community members can call (915) 613-2173 for free and confidential guidance.

Free walk-in legal assistance will be available Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., at the Consulate.

Attorneys and partner organizations participating in the Legal Assistance Program for Mexican Nationals (PALE) will provide one-on-one guidance at no cost.

Throughout the week, the Consulate will also share informational videos on its social media platforms. These videos will offer practical resources to help the community learn about their rights and available support services in the region.

“Through initiatives like SALE, the Government of Mexico, via the Consulate General of Mexico in El Paso, reaffirms its commitment to expanding access to legal guidance and promoting the well-being, inclusion and protection of the rights of Mexican nationals living in the United States,” a news release said.

ABC-7 spoke with the Consul General of Mexico in El Paso, Mauricio Ibarra Ponce de León, to learn more about the ninth edition of the SALE week and how community members can access the legal resources available to them next week.

Watch the full story in our evening newscasts.

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — El Paso has a very rich boxing history, especially so in the past few years. Stephanie Han’s rise to becoming the WBA World Champion has put a spotlight on the Sun City, and now, Moises Rodriguez is one of those new stars.

Rodriguez has been one of the top amateur boxers in the world over the past few years and has leveled up in 2026.

His next goal is to represent the Sun City at the 2028 Olympics.

“We’re a small town. I feel like a lot of people overlook us,” said Rodriguez. “They don’t see big, elite, high level athletes coming out of this town. It shows that someone from the small town can be big.” 

Rodriguez is currently at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs getting ready for a camp in Italy. His next tournament is in December, and with a win, he could be in prime position to be in the Olympics in 2028.

“I’m ranked number two in the United States right now in my weight and age division. So there’s just one more person ahead of me to try to make it to the Olympics. That’s the next big step,” he said.

After winning an under-18 tournament and the Gold Gloves National tournament in 2025, he now has international wins under his belt.

“I won the Helsinki tournament in Finland. And I also won in Colombia. I won gold for both those tournaments for United States,” he said.

He’s been training with his father since he was 8 years old, and his dad believes he has enough to get to Los Angeles for 2028.

“He makes me very proud as a father,” his dad told ABC-7 with a smile. “What he has accomplished throughout his whole boxing career as an amateur, it’s hard. Not any teenager can do it, but he’s been able to do it.”

His mother, Erica, is also involved in boxing. In fact, the whole family is. Erica says her father got her into the sport as a kid, and now all of Moises’s siblings box.

Erica says sometimes she has to step in and draw the line between Moises and his father.

“Sometimes I do,” said Erica. “I’m like, okay, hold off. So this is dad right now. This is coach.”

His father believes Moises can do whatever he puts his mind to, and is excited to see what the next steps are for his son.

“As long as he stays consistent and he works hard and he keeps pushing and keeps pushing. He’s there, he’s there,” said Rodriguez. “He’s knocking right on that door.”

Watch “Olympic Dream” Thursday on ABC-7 at 6 p.m.

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Wednesday, the Ysleta Independent School District unanimously approved a $32 million loan to help cover payroll and other expenses.

District leaders said the money will be used while they wait for state or tax revenue to come in.

The original loan for $63.2 million was approved in May from two different lenders. A YSID Spokesperson said,” Morgan Stanley expressed concern about a report from the district’s Internal Auditor.” One of the lenders backed out after documents included the lender’s name and after public discussion about the district’s financial state.

Addressing the setback, Superintendent Dr. Xavier De La Torre reflected on the administrative process that led to the public board meeting, noting that naming the specific financial institution prematurely complicated matters.

“Because we placed their name in the documents, we were tied to that bank,” De La Torre said. “In hindsight, it may have been better to leave the documents without the actual name of the institution so we wouldn’t have to call you back.”

The special meeting ended in a 6-0 vote. The tax revenue and anticipation loan will not exceed $32 million.

While Dr. De La Torre initially expressed uncertainty regarding whether a replacement loan would carry the same financial terms, Chief Financial Officer Lynly Cambern provided the board with the updated figures—and the new loan comes at a higher price tag.

Because the district was forced to secure a replacement lender on the open market, interest rates increased.

“The terms are slightly different; the interest rate is slightly more,” Cambern explained. “The original lender quoted us at 3.6%, and this lender, because it’s in the open market—the true interest cost is 4.3%.”

Despite the higher interest rate, the district secured the necessary funding to bridge the gap until state tax revenues arrive.

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Ethics and campaign finance law questions were raised following recent reports that El Paso City Council District 8 candidate Arturo Alluin had spend thousands of campaign dollars on clothing and businesses he owned, as shown in his initial campaign finance filing.

With the election months away, he sat down with ABC-7’s Andrew J. Polk to answer those questions and more.

“I didn’t mismanage any funds,” Alluin said. “I didn’t steal any funds. I didn’t misuse any funds.”

Alluin says he was trying to be as transparent as possible, including in reporting what he personally spent on new suits for the campaign.

He has since filed a corrected report as of Tuesday that removes that more than $2,500 expense and clarifies other donations.

But he says the clothing will be used just for the campaign and office to match what constituents expect from their elected officials.

“That’s the only use, realistically, that I have for all of this,” Alluin said. I don’t use it, I don’t – I didn’t dress like this. I do have and I have had suits before.”

Alluin also owns two restaurants – Sushi Itto near downtown and Meduza Mediterranean Steakhouse on the Westside. He has spent more than $3,500 for campaign events and meetings at them since starting his campaign.

The Texas Election Code has a section addressing restrictions on certain payments from campaigns to businesses that candidates own or are involved in.

Sec. 253.041. RESTRICTIONS ON CERTAIN PAYMENTS. (a) A candidate or officeholder or a specific-purpose committee for supporting, opposing, or assisting the candidate or officeholder may not knowingly make or authorize a payment from a political contribution if the payment is made for personal services rendered by the candidate or officeholder or by the spouse or dependent child of the candidate or officeholder to:

(1) a business in which the candidate or officeholder has a participating interest of more than 10 percent, holds a position on the governing body of the business, or serves as an officer of the business; or

(2) the candidate or officeholder or the spouse or dependent child of the candidate or officeholder.

(b) A payment that is made from a political contribution to a business described by Subsection (a) and that is not prohibited by that subsection may not exceed the amount necessary to reimburse the business for actual expenditures made by the business.

(c) A person who violates this section commits an offense. An offense under this subsection is a Class A misdemeanor.

While Alluin did note on his campaign finance reports that the expenditures could directly benefit his businesses and thereby himself, he says he didn’t charge his campaign the full cost, leading to a net loss for the restaurants.

He added that he was not fully aware of the provision of the election code.

“I wasn’t aware of anything,” Alluin said. “Like I said, I’m not a politician. I just did the right thing. I gave myself the discount that I should have. And thankfully, and fortunately for me, it coincides with the code. And like I said, all of those expenses were paid for by me personally. They were personal funds with my credit cards. I didn’t get a single contribution or a single dollar out of anybody that I met. 

Alluin says he has spent thousands more at other local businesses to have other meetings with consituents of the district and campaign meetings since starting his run for office.

“You know, I was building trust and building my connections and building my relationships,” Alluin said. “So to that, again, I say, yes, they were meetings with different people and everybody can attest for that. And it was just a coincidence thing. You know, I strive to do the right thing always. And I did the right thing, and I’ve been doing the right thing.

You can watch the full interview with Alluin at the top of this article.

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — A motorcycle and truck crashed at 1800 Zaragoza Road in East El Paso Wednesday, according to El Paso police.

The police department said it happened around 4:01 p.m. and its Special Traffic Investigators unit is at the scene.

It happened near a four-way stop in front of the Walmart Supercenter.