Category: kvia-local-news

Rosemary Garcia

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Maria Zampini is off to work as University Medical Center of El Paso’s new chief executive officer. The native El Pasoan has been with UMC for more than 30 years now, marking an exciting step in her career — and the hospital’s history as its first female CEO.

Zampini is a Coronado High School graduate and obtained both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in Business Administration from UTEP.

She began at UMC in 1993 when the hospital was still known as the Thomason General Hospital. Zampini was a Nursing Development Coordinator. She has been the Chief Operating Officer since 2013.

This change at UMC is part of an overall organizational restructure. UMC said Zampini will still report to Jacob Cintron, who is the CEO and President of the El Paso County Hospital District.

Zampini said that over three decades ago she never imagined she would one day become the hospital’s CEO. She feels humbled to enter this new role.

“One of the things that you always want to do is mentor others and make sure that there’s others that are also following along and that say, ‘Hey, I can do this.’ This is something that women can do in nontraditional roles,” she told ABC-7.

During her time as COO, Zampini oversaw multiple bonds, expansion projects, and facility renovations.

In November 2024, El Paso taxpayers approved UMC’s $396 million bond for more than 20 projects to improve the UMC campus, increase healthcare access points and develop a burn center. ABC-7 asked Zampini how these projects are moving along.

“This is the part of any bond where it doesn’t seem like a lot is happening because you’re not seeing the cranes. But so much has happened. We’ve done a lot of outreach to the local community for contractors and other vendors we’ve been working on that. We’ve secured architects, we’ve secured properties. And so it’s going very well, and it’s on pace for where it should be in this, in this point of a construction project.”

Zampini said the bond projects that will be completed first are an observation unit and the rehabilitation facility.

ABC-7 also asked Zampini how she plans to address financial pressures and staffing shortages at UMC.

“I think that that’s something that we talk about on a daily basis, right? Those are the things that we’re always looking at is how can we do things a little better? How can we be more cost-effective? And the things that we’re doing, how do we recruit?”

ABC-7 asked the new CEO how she plans to be transparent with the community and taxpayers.

“I think transparent means that we’re constantly communicating about what we’re doing and how we’re doing it, and that’s something that we strive for and that we’ve been doing with, with everything that we do.”

The new CEO said University Medical Center of El Paso continues to adapt to the growth of the El Paso community and meet the needs of patients.

Zampini said she’s been at UMC for so long because she’s passionate about improving the quality of life of UMC patients.

“You can see that whatever we work on actually changes people’s lives. And so there’s an impact, to, the community. That’s very positive.”

For now, Zampini said she will continue to listen to various stakeholders, help execute current projects and continue UMC’s mission.

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Nichole Gomez

Crime Stoppers of Houston has introduced SafeSpace, a digital safety platform shaped and led by students to help teens outside of school. SafeSpace is designed for teens and provides them with round-the-clock access to guidance, interactive activities, and reliable support. It’s a place where students can take a break, think things through, and move forward in their own way. Learn more at https://www.thesafespaceforstudents.com/

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Heriberto Perez Lara

CIUDAD JUÁREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) — The Chihuahua State Public Security Secretariat started operations at the new Sentinel Tower, or “Torre Centinela” in Downtown Juárez two weeks ago, a project that presented back in 2022, as ABC-7 previously reported.

During a news conference Monday, the Chihuahua Public Safety Secretary, or Police Chief, Gilberto Loya Chávez along with Adrián Eduardo Lui Chavira, the officer in charge of the Undersecretary of the ‘Centinela’ Platform, presented progress and advances of the new SSPE Chihuahua headquarters in Ciudad Juárez.

Secretary Loya highlighted the “effectiveness” and “efficiency” of the first phase of the move to the new facilities, which began with the deployment of 150 SSPE personnel, who are already operating from the tower. Loya and Lui also emphasized that this “migration process” is being carried out in an orderly manner and without interrupting security and surveillance operations in the state at any time.

According to them, in this initial phase, critical areas of the tower have been put into operation:

The 15th floor, which houses the State Command Center

The 14th floor, designated for the server area and the Undersecretariat of the Centinela Platform

The 13th floor, which houses the Undersecretariat of Intelligence and Police Analysis.

ABC-7 took a tour at the 19th and 13th floors of the tower. The 13th floor showed dozens of intelligence staff and officers working to surveil critical and important areas across the state, not only in Juárez.

Currently, the Centinela Tower project is 95.5% complete overall, with construction levels exceeding 90% from the first floor onward, in addition to 92% completion of the parking area, according to both SSPE officials.

“This infrastructure is the heart of a technological network that covers the entire state, comprised of 8,650 cameras, 98 archways, and various security checkpoints,” SSPE Secretary Loya said.

The relocation of personnel will also continue gradually until all areas are fully occupied.

“This change of administrative and operational headquarters will not affect the services the Secretariat provides to the public, guaranteeing the continuity of state security functions from the new State Police headquarters,” Loya added.

SSPE Chihuahua Secretary Loya mentioned the collaborations they have with international law enforcement agencies, with the U.S., Colombia, and El Salvador, among others to battle transnational crime and criminal organizations harming the border area are “legal and necessary,” adding they only share important information and intelligence.

“I have been very clear on this, international collaboration is legal, it is a matter that is legal and it is also necessary in that order because the need exists, why? Because transnational crime is something that occurs worldwide and we cannot be exempt from having that collaboration or that permanent communication with the different entities,” Chief Loya said.

SSPE Chihuahua has been collaborating along with U.S. federal agencies such as CBP, Border Patrol, FBI, DEA and ATF, among other Texas and New Mexico law enforcement departments, where they have identified four big issues they battle every day.

“From here (Mexico) to there (U.S.), which is a problem for U.S. authorities, is the trafficking of synthetic and non-synthetic drugs and human trafficking and from there (U.S.) to here (Mexico), we also have two problems: arms trafficking and money laundering,” Loya added. “So, since these are crimes that begin on one side of the border but end on the other, that’s why communication is so important, and it’s also so important that everyone does their part to prevent this from happening.”

Secretary Loya expects to have the Sentinel Tower ready in the coming months.

“As I said, we’ll gradually be bringing in the staff of the Public Security Secretariat with the change of headquarters and from there, we’ve started bringing in staff, and as we open floors in an orderly fashion, we’ll bring them in area by area to each of the floors as they open,” Secretary Loya also said.

For the idea of having a new “International Fusion Center” aimed at having foreign law enforcement agencies collaborating here, Loya said. According to him, only the Mexican ‘Cancillería,’ or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) is the entity that can determine which foreign, or international law enforcement agencies can be operating within Mexican territory.

Watch the full ABC-7 Xtra story on ABC-7 at 10.

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Nichole Gomez

El Paso, TX (KVIA-TV)- Project BRAVO will host the 3rd Annual Homeownership Expo.

The Homeownership Expo is ideal for:

First-time homebuyers

Individuals looking to improve their financial readiness.

Families interested in affordable housing opportunities

Families ready to build generational wealth

There will be a complimentary breakfast and snacks, take part in exciting raffles, and discover a variety of educational materials and community resources. Arrive early, stay engaged, and make the most of networking and prize opportunities throughout the event!

3rd Annual Homeownership Expo  on Saturday, June 20, 2026, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM at 9050 Viscount Blvd., Building A, El Paso, TX 79925.

For more information about the Homeownership Expo, please contact Jessie Vasquez at jvasquez@projectbravo.org or call 915-562-4100 ext. 130.

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Heriberto Perez Lara

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Astrid Lind is a local El Paso resident who kindly made an El Paso miracle for nearly a dozen BTS fans coming from different parts of Mexico.

Lind found a Facebook page where several BTS fans were looking for a place to stay this weekend in El Paso for the two BTS concerts happening at the Sun Bowl, and she received a lot of inquiries, according to her.

People were even willing to pay more just to stay in her living room.

“I kept seeing on the Facebook pages people saying, ‘oh my gosh, help me, my hotel canceled, my Airbnb just canceled,’ other people posting because I don’t know where to stay, please help me,” Lind said. “I’m thinking, well, I’m going to be alone this weekend, I have a big house, I have five extra bedrooms, and I said, well, maybe I can help some of these girls.”

Astrid started finding ladies of all ages and did FaceTime with all of them to show them her house so they would feel safe and comfortable staying there. She posted that her house was available for females only, and it started getting a lot of posts and inquiries.

“I did have a lot of people that I had to say no to, and I feel terrible because I know there’s nothing out there, and I even had four girls who reached out to me, and I said, I have nothing to offer you, but I can put our mattresses in the upstairs living room, and they actually said okay,” Lind said. “I have some that won’t actually get a bed, but at least they’ll be safe.”

Lind says she was disappointed to see several Airbnbs priced in the thousands of dollars, some even listed at over $38,000, because it is the time to show that these big events can come to El Paso, along with fans from around the globe.

“They’re worried (the fans), they’re scared, there are so many people that don’t have a place to stay still, and desperation is definitely something that I feel for them,” Lind said.

With her family out of town this weekend, her daughters out in college, she wanted to help those who couldn’t find a spot to stay this BTS concert weekend.

“I want to show the girls a good time, I want to show them El Paso hospitality like it should have been since the beginning, so I do have plans to take them to the mall and take them to good places; I’m excited to show them what El Paso is all about,” Lind added. “I’m so excited they came to El Paso, and that’s why I want to show them a good time; this is our chance to show all these people who have never been here what our city is about.”

One of those BTS fans staying with her is Marilyn Pereira. She is from Peru but has lived in Mexico with her husband and kids for nearly a year now, and she has been a fan since 2017 and has been to different BTS concerts in other countries.

“The experience was completely different. Seeing them in Latin America is a bit difficult because, for instance, there are no assigned seats there, so, if you manage to secure a spot in the standing-room area down front, it’s very hard to actually see them; it gets incredibly crowded—absolutely packed and it’s even hard to breathe,” Pereira said. “The whole experience is just entirely different, that is why, from that moment on, I decided to follow them in the United States or Mexico, places where it’s much easier to watch them from a seated section, since, after all, many of us aren’t exactly young anymore.”

Marilyn wasn’t able to get BTS tickets for El Paso on her first try; a friend of hers who lives in Dallas gave them to her and was very excited for the opportunity.

Before she met Astrid on social media, she couldn’t find any place to stay for the weekend, which is why she’s very grateful to her for welcoming them at her house.

“I said to her, please, practically begging, because I couldn’t find anything,” said Pereira. “I felt very certain that she was a woman, and above all because of the kindness she showed us in opening her home, since I couldn’t find anything else, she was my salvation.”

Pereira, along with other ladies staying at Astrid’s house, will go to both BTS concert dates in El Paso and have high hopes and expectations about the event.

“I feel blessed; God brought me here for a reason. Through BTS being a part of my life, I met Astrid. I feel safe; I’ve made new friends, for instance, women who are married just like me, and whose husbands support them just as mine supports me. That kind of connection happens only rarely in life. That is exactly how I feel: blessed and grateful for everything, for Astrid, and for God allowing me to be here, feeling safe while watching my favorite band, and surrounded by friends who share this same experience. I am certain that this is something we will cherish for a lifetime,” Pereira added.

“To be honest, I don’t know what I would have done. I think, perhaps, I would have stayed in Juárez. That was one of the options a friend suggested to me: ‘You stay in Juárez and then cross over.’ But being a foreigner, it was my first time here, I had no idea how I was supposed to cross: whether to cross on foot, by taxi, by car, or by bus,” Pereira said. “For me, no, I had no other option but to stay there, and the last thing my husband said to me was, ‘Well, are you staying here, or are you leaving? I want you to be safe, but if not, you’ll have to give those tickets to someone else.’ But I said no, because it would break my heart.”

Now, Marilyn hopes to have a good time, without any mishaps and for BTS to see that they have ‘ARMYs’ all over the world.

“Astrid, I love you very much. Astrid, you have my heart and my lifelong gratitude; I will never forget, I will never forget how we met and how wonderfully you treated me when I came to see BTS. I will never forget it, never,” Pereira said. “And to the people of El Paso: give yourselves the chance to get to know us, the BTS fans. We ARMYs are well-behaved, and we want to share the message that BTS embodies: a message of self-acceptance, acceptance of who you are. We come from different cultures, different races, different generations, and different age groups; we are a community that embraces everyone, aren’t we? And that is what we hope for from you as well, not just to see you, but to accept you and to enjoy this moment together—to enjoy your company.”

“Thank you to my husband; I love him for staying home with our children and allowing me to fulfill my dream,” Pereira added.

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Nichole Gomez

El Paso, TX (KVIA-TV)-Businesses in Southern New Mexico now have a new way to grow beyond the region. The first Las Cruces Consumer Product Summit is set for May 5, 2026, at Mesilla Valley Mall. The event will connect local founders, product entrepreneurs, and small business owners with experienced operators, strategists, and regional leaders.

The event is free and open to everyone. You can register at lascrucesconsumerproductsummit.com.

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Rosemary Garcia

DAYTON, OHIO (KVIA)—Members of Sun City Independent continue to celebrate following a series of triumphant performances at the WGI Percussion Championships in Dayton, Ohio.

The group finished in 13th place, marking the highest placement and one of the strongest performances in the program’s history. The group participated in the Independent Open Class and brought unbeatable energy to spectators.

Sun City Independent is an indoor percussion marching arts organization. Participants come from various local high schools and undergo a rigorous audition process. Kody Wayne Jones, the director, said performers are from the ages 14 to 22 years of age.

Jones said they are all passionate about music and performing!

“All of our students will really, really want to be here and want to be the best. And that’s kind of the thing we look for,” he said.

In Dayton, the group performed an emotional, choreographed routine that included dance and music.

Sun City Independent was founded in 2018 and has already made some serious strides! Jones first joined the group as a participant. He said it was incredible seeing how the group has evolved over the years.

“It was just, like, everything we’ve been working past for the past ten years had finally, like, come to, like, realization when we saw the students take that field and all the staff were happy and crying, just watching all the students perform. And it was a really great moment just watching them be there at Dayton, Ohio, in the finals competition, competing with the best of the best in the world from El Paso.”

Jones said their overall goal this year was to make it past preliminaries and into finals! An accomplishment they now look back on fondly!

“It was that which was the best time of that trip, because that’s what we’ve been working for all season!”

During finals, the group came in 13th place overall. Jones said he’s excited to return to the competition and is hopeful they’ll make it into the Top 10.

The group is hosting a fundraiser this Sunday. It’s happening at Oasis Bowling Lanes from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. For more information, click here.

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Hillary Floren

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Sisters Katrina and Myra Villareal have a lot in common, but these days what they’re enjoying most is fangirling over BTS. They have tickets to see them in concert at the Sun Bowl not one day, but two. The two of them know the words to every song, and they’ve meticulously created hundreds of friendship bracelets to hand out to fellow fans.

“In the moment when we make the bracelets we envision the interaction between other fans,” Myra says. Both sisters say the music is something they bond over.

Both young ladies have a personal connection to BTS music, and credit the songs with helping them discover things about themselves, and find encouragement.

“I kinda found K-Pop in a time I was going through something.  I was down on myself like, ‘I’m not enough.’  K-Pop was kind of an escape for me.  It brought a lot of happiness to me and being able to share that with my sister has been really nice,” says Katrina. Myra agrees.

“Yeah, I was going through a rocky time, my sister introduced me…there’s this one specific song…we were talking about my life…what I should do.  There’s a part in the song that says ‘you’re gonna be ok, take your time, it’s a new beginning,’ and I’m like ‘it’s gonna be ok.’   When they play that song, I’m gonna cry my eyes out!!!  But happy tears,” she laughs.

The bond between these two sisters will surely grow stronger after this weekend’s concerts.

Light sticks, trading cards and friendship bracelets in hand, they say they’re enjoying the ride and fangirling all the way. If you see them at the Sun Bowl, say hi! They may just give you a friendship bracelet.

 

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Nichole Gomez

Sabor will host a Mother’s Day brunch, along with an upstairs Mother’s Day Market, which is free to attend. The pop‑up is an experience designed to help guests find meaningful, handcrafted gifts ahead of Mother’s Day. The market really celebrates El Paso’s creativity and culture. It’s a chance to support small businesses and discover makers who pour their hearts into their work.

Event Reminders

• Free to attend

• Sunday, May 3rd

• 10:30 AM – 1:30 PM

• Mezzanine, Second Floor at Hotel Paso Del Norte

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KVIA ABC-7

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)– El Paso Police responded to an unattended death on the the 300 block of Coles St. in South-Central, near the Segundo Barrio.

Authorities said they were called out around 7:19 Wednesday morning.

No other information has been released and the investigation is ongoing.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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