Category: kvia-local-news

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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Joseph Montero

UPDATE (8:20 a.m.) — All lanes are now open, according to El Paso police.

UPDATE (7:08 a.m.) — The El Paso Fire Department said two people were taken to the hospital.

One person has minor injuries and the other person has serious injuries.

UPDATE (2:02 a.m.) — El Paso Police say all lanes are closed between Exit 27 and Hondo Pass.

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Special Traffic Investigators are at the scene of a crash involving a car and a motorcycle in Northeast El Paso.

It happened on US-54 North and Diana.

Police say the call came in at 11:28 p.m.

As of 1:46 a.m. this morning, all lanes are closed on US-54 north.

ABC-7 will continue to update you as we learn more.

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Heriberto Perez Lara

CIUDAD JUÁREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) — Chihuahua Attorney General César Jáuregui Moreno placed his resignation on Monday, days after the State Investigation Agency (AEI), along with Mexico’s Defense Department (SEDENA) and several U.S. officials, discovered two drug labs south of the state on April 18.

The drug lab was discovered around 400 miles south of the Juárez – El Paso border.

The state of Chihuahua has been in communication with the Mexican federal government over an ongoing investigation to discover exactly what happened and how two CIA agents were involved in the operation.

The U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, Ronald Johnson, has been very vocal about what happened with the two U.S. and two Mexican officials who died during this operation. He also spoke in Sinaloa last week; here are his remarks.

Today, the Mexico Attorney General’s Office (FGR) issued a news release saying it is currently conducting two investigations regarding the events that took place at ‘Sierra Pinal’ in Chihuahua and the statements made by the former Attorney General of Chihuahua, Jáuregui.

“The federal investigation was initiated following a communication from that state A.G.’s office regarding the discovery of an open-air facility—located between the municipalities of Morelos and Guachochi—dedicated to the manufacture of synthetic narcotics. The second investigation was initiated based on a criminal report, following a news conference held by the Chihuahua A.G. on April 19, as well as information shared during the Chihuahua State Security Roundtable,” FGR’s news release states.

According to Mexico’s Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC), Secretariat of the Navy (SEMAR), Secretariat of National Defense (SEDENA), Mexico Attorney’s Office (FGR) and Mexico’s National Guard (GN), neither U.S. officials had immigration permits, nor governmental clearance to operate in Mexico.

“According to available immigration records, one of them entered the country as a visitor, without permission to engage in remunerated activities, and the other with a diplomatic passport. Neither possessed formal accreditation to participate in operational activities within Mexican national territory,” the news release says.

Chihuahua Governor Maru Campos has named Francisco Sáenz as interim Chihuahua AG while they look for someone to take over the State’s Attorney General’s Office (FGE).

ABC-7 spoke with former U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Texas and retired El Paso Police Department Deputy Chief, Robert Almonte, who said his thoughts and prayers go out to the two U.S. and two Mexican officials who died during this tragic incident in Chihuahua. Almonte also gave his insight, saying he was not surprised to hear that these two U.S. federal agents were collaborating with the Mexican authorities.

“The United States Marshals Service was heavily involved in locating ‘Chapo’ Guzmán this last time that he was arrested and extradited, but the United States Marshals assigned to Mexico were heavily involved in locating or pinpointing ‘Chapo’ Guzmán’s location, leading the Mexican authorities to his location and allowing them to place them under arrest,” Almonte said. “So this is nothing new, you’ve got to keep in mind there are several U.S. law enforcement agencies working in Mexico, they’re working in Mexico, and they’re working with the Mexican authorities.”

Almonte also mentioned that U.S. federal law enforcement agencies recently provided critical intelligence to Mexican authorities, allowing them to find ‘El Mencho’ in Guadalajara, allowing them to find his location and end up eventually killing him during an operation.

“I don’t see the binational relationship stopping, I really don’t, because if the relationship were to stop, then the winners are going to be the criminals, the cartel members, everybody selling drugs and killing people, and with the drug lab that was recently discovered; so, I don’t see it stopping,” Almonte said. “But let me say, I know President Sheinbaum is, in my opinion, making it look like, well, we were not aware that the CIA officials were there, let me tell you, those CIA officials would not be there without the knowledge of the Mexican authorities that were involved in this investigation (Chihuahua officials); there’s no doubt about that.”

“So this was not anything that the U.S. secretly did or anything like that. Unfortunately, it’s making the news because tragically, these agents lost their lives.”

Almonte says there are still a lot of questions around this incident and the current investigations being conducted by the Mexican Attorney’s Office (FGR) and he says he doesn’t have a lot of faith in Mexico conducting an effective investigation in this case.

“I find it hard to believe that the Mexican government was not aware of it, and if they’re saying the CIA agents were assisting the state authority, then I don’t think it’s the responsibility of the agent to make sure the Mexican government knows the chain of command, I think it’s incumbent upon the state officials in Mexico to make sure that the proper notification had been made to the federal government,” Almonte added.

He also spoke about how common it is for U.S. and Mexican law enforcement to be collaborating on a day-to-day basis.

“That’s extremely common, this is something that happens every single day, where U.S. federal agencies assigned throughout Mexico are working with Mexican authorities and providing, as we mentioned earlier, critical intelligence information to assist Mexican authorities in taking down these drug labs or making some arrests; it’s very common,” Almonte added. “Let me say this also, if it were not for all of the critical information provided by U.S. law enforcement assigned in Mexico, things would be much worse in Mexico; you think they’re bad now? If we were not there, it would be even worse.”

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Rosemary Garcia

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — During this time of year, many students are completing academic assessments, including STAAR tests and other final exams. However, this can lead to feelings of stress, anxiety, worry, dread and even excitement.

Tanya Trujillo, a psychiatric nurse practitioner in El Paso, said it’s important children and teenagers feel supported during this season.

She said students should feel excited about completing the school year, but that’s not the case for everyone.

“It should be a great time of year with celebrations, and looking forward to the end of the year. But with that also comes the testing. And so they do have concerns sometimes,” she said.

Trujillo is a mother of two. She sees around 20 patients every day, including children. She said it’s common for students to visit their school nurse because they feel anxious.

Trujillo said children and teens, just like adults, need to take breaks from schoolwork and recharge.

She also said self-talk is very powerful.

“Our brains start to believe the things that we tell it. And so we want to tell it positive things.”

She recommended saying phrases like the following:

“I know this material; I know this. I’ve studied all of the things that I have in front of me; I’m going to do great. I’m going to do well.”

Students also need frequent, positive reminders, and that starts at home and at an early age.

“So if, you know, we are teaching them the positive things like speaking nicely to ourselves, saying good things about ourselves, those are the pathways that are created, and those are the pathways that our brain has to move forward on.”

Trujillo also recommends parents create a good routine they can follow on big school days.

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Nichole Gomez

El Paso, TX (KVIA-TV)- If you travel on I-10 between Vinton and the New Mexico state line, please be aware of upcoming changes. According to TxDOT El Paso, a 48-hour eastbound closure is scheduled this weekend, beginning at 3 a.m. Saturday and ending at 3 a.m. Monday. I-10 eastbound between Anthony, NM, and Los Mochis will be closed during this period.

TxDOT El Paso officials say crews will use this time to shift traffic to the new inside lanes from Anthony to Vinton, marking the first major change in the second phase of the I-10 widening project. This shift is necessary to allow demolition and reconstruction of the outside lanes. The eastbound switch will result in multiple ramp closures, including Exit 1 for Anthony, Exit 2 for Vinton, and the corresponding eastbound on-ramps. Drivers may use Exit 0 eastbound and re-enter I-10 at Los Mochis.

According to TxDOT, a full westbound closure is planned for May 16 through May 18. Afterward, the westbound Vinton on-ramp and Exit 0 will close. Once these changes are implemented in both directions, ramp closures will remain in effect for one year. Please plan accordingly.

NEED TO KNOW:

48-Hour Full Closure NoticeI-10 Widening Phase 2

Saturday, April 25 – Monday, April 27 (48 HR Closure)

3 a.m. to 3 a.m.

I-10 eastbound full closure between Anthony, New Mexico and Los Mochis

Detour:

Traffic to exit East O’Hara, turn left, right to Anthony Dr. and turn left

Traffic to proceed through Doniphan to Vinton

Turn left on Vinton, proceed onto South Desert, and turn right

Continue onto South Desert to enter I-10 eastbound after Los Mochis.

Crews will be conducting a main lane traffic switch.

Saturday, May 16 – Monday, May 18 (48-HR Closure)

3 a.m. – 3 a.m.

I-10 westbound at Los Mochis full closure.

Detour: Traffic will exit at Los Mochis, proceed on North Desert, through the intersections at Vinton and Anthony, and enter I-10 westbound after Anthony.

Crews will be working on a westbound traffic switch.

Artcraft Project

Monday, April 27 – Thursday, April 30

9 p.m. – 6 a.m. (Nightly)

South Desert between Transmountain and Artcraft full closure

Traffic in the local community of Campus Park will have access. Crews will be preparing roadway for girder set.

Wednesday, April 29 – Friday, May 1

9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

I-10 westbound on-ramp before Artcraft closed

Crews will be placing column rebar and formwork.

Borderland Expressway Phase 2 Project

Monday, April 27 – Friday, May 1

Daily, 7 a.m. – 5 p.m.

US-54 east and westbound between Mesquite Hills and McCombs alternate lane closures

Mesquite Hills reduced to one lane between US-54 and Red Man. Flaggers will be on-site directing traffic as needed for haul trucks crossing Mesquite HillsFlaggers will be on-site directing traffic as needed for haul trucks crossing at McCombs and Stan Roberts intersection.

Crews will be transporting earth embankment into the project.

Full Weekend Closure

24/7 Saturday, May 9 – Monday, May 11

Beginning at 4 a.m., Saturday, May 9 – 6 a.m.Monday, May 11 (50-HR Closure)

Martin Luther King (FM-3255) north and southbound between Stan Roberts (FM-2529) and O-Hara (NM-404) full roadwayclosure

Local traffic will access businesses and residences between O’Hara (NM-404) and TX/NM State Line.

Detour: Traffic will use NM-404 (O’Hara Rd.), IH-10, LP-375 (Woodrow Bean/Transmountain) and US-54.

Crews will be working on installing permanent drainage structures for Martin Luther King (FM-3255) new road configuration.

Horizon/Darrington Reconstruction Project

Monday, April 27 – Friday, May 1

Daily, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Horizon Boulevard east and westbound alternating lane closures between Ashford Street and Desert Mesa Drive

Darrington Road north and southbound alternating lane closures between Horizon Boulevard and Nunda Drive

Crews will be paving and working on electrical work on islands and medians.

Safety Lighting on Mesa (SH-20) & Dyer St. (BU-54) Project

Monday, April 27 – Wednesday, April 29

9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

SH-20 (Mesa) eastbound at Sunland Park intersection right lane closed

SH-20 (Mesa) westbound at Belvidere intersection right lane closed

SH-20 (Mesa) westbound at Resler intersection right lane closed

Monday, April 27 through Friday, May 1

BU-54 (Dyer) eastbound at Hercules intersection right lane closed

Crews will be working on lighting improvements.

Road Repair

Sunday, April 26

5 a.m. – 4 p.m. (Daytime)

I-10 eastbound at Cotton three left lanes closed

Monday, April 27 – Thursday, April 30

9 p.m. – 6 a.m. (Nightly)

I-10 westbound between Viscount and Geronimo alternate lane closures

Monday, April 27 – Thursday, April 30

9 p.m. – 6 a.m. (Nightly)

I-10 westbound between Viscount and Geronimo alternate laneclosures

Crews will be working on road repairs.

Guardrail Repair

9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Monday, April 27

I-10 eastbound between Mesa and Resler right lane closed.

Tuesday, April 28

SH-20 (Doniphan) southbound between Valley Chile and Union right

lane closed

Wednesday, April 29

Loop 375 (Border Highway) eastbound between Paisano and Fonseca

right lane and exit at Fonseca complete closure

Thursday, April 30

US-54 north and southbound between Montana and Cassidy shoulder

closed

Loop 375 (Transmountain) between Main Gap and Mile Marker 19 leftlane closed

Friday, May 1

I-10 eastbound at Sunland Park exit ramp complete closure

Concrete Repairs

9 a.m. –4 p.m.

Friday, April 24 (Emergency)

Gateway East to Gateway West at Trowbridge turnaround complete closure

Thursday, April 30 – Friday, May 1

Desert North between Medan and Helen of Troy right lane closed

Culvert Cleaning

Monday, April 27

9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Loop 375 (Border Highway) on-ramp at Executive complete closure

Tuesday, April 28 – Friday, May 1

Loop 375 (Border Highway) eastbound between Spur 1966 and Paseo Del Norte Bridge right lane closed

Maintenance

Monday, April 27

9 p.m. to 6 a.m. (Night)

Loop 375 east and westbound between US-54 and Coles complete closure

Paisano to Loop 375 closed

Traffic will detour to Paisano in bothdirections.

Crews will be working on bridge joints.

Monday, April 27 – Friday, May 2

9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Ramp N connecting between Loop 375 East andUS-54 North ramp closed

Crews will be working on bridge joints.

North Desert between Medano and Helen of Troyright lane closed

Crews will be working on shoulder.

Closure Links:

West Area Project Closures

I-10 Widening West Closures

East Area Project Closures 

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Rosemary Garcia

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)—El Pasoans Oscar, Yolanda, and Adrian Cisneros will visit the Texas Governor’s Mansion next week to receive the Volunteer Family of the Year Award. For 18 years, the family has diligently volunteered to help improve the lives of others.

At the age of one, Oscar and Yolanda’s oldest son, Alex, was diagnosed with leukemia. He would spend the next few years of his life in and out of the hospital.

While he was hospitalized at Providence Children’s Hospital, Alex participated in the Creative Kids hospital art program. It’s a nationally recognized youth development organization that allows young people to thrive creatively and emotionally. The program offers art classes to children while they are hospitalized.

Yolanda said Alex deeply enjoyed the classes.

“He would say, ‘When I’m painting free, I’m free. I don’t have to remember if I’m at the hospital, if I have leukemia. I’m just free.”

During their time at the hospital, the family remembers the generosity and kindness of many volunteers, who overall improved their hospital experience.

At seven years old, Alex died, but despite his short life, he left a resounding impact. His family remembers him as a wise and meticulous child.

“Alex was an amazing kid. Everyone who knows Alex or who met Alex at that time fall in love with him. He was a magical kid,” said his mother.

His brother Adrian was only two years old when Alex died.

“Every recollection I have of him, he’s smiling. He’s always happy to be there. Even, like, in the stressful hospital, he was always running around. He made me like value that every day is another day,” he said.

The Cisneros decided to take their pain and grief and transform it into something good. The family decided to join Creative Kids as volunteers and give back to a cause close to their hearts.

Evwery week, the Cisneros help others process fear, experience moments of healing and rebuild confidence.

The family was recently nominated for the Governor’s Volunteer Awards. Andrea Gates-Ingle, the executive director and co-founder of Creative Kids, met the family over 20 years ago and she nominated them.

She said it is admirable to see the family continue to help others during times of grief.

“They could have easily just, you know, gone away and try to grieve on their own. But instead, they decided they wanted to honor Alex’s memory,” Gates-Ingle shared.

Earlier this year, the family learned they had been chosen as the recipients!

Yolanda was at the park when she received a phone call from Gates-Ingle, asking her to check her e-mail for the announcement.

“I was amazed. So I turned to my husband, and I said, ‘We got the award.’ He said, ‘No.’ And I’m like, ‘Yes.’ So we were just quiet. Just, it was a big surprise. We feel so special. My family, we were like us? because we don’t feel like we are doing something that extraordinary,” she said.

The Cisneros said they will continue to share Alex’s passion for art with others. They hope they can continue to carry Alex’s legacy.

“We decided to honor his name,” said Oscar Cisneros, Alex’s father, when asked why he volunteers.

“We decided to continue. We decided to honor Alex’s memory. So that’s what we’re trying to do,” Yolanda added.

A room at Creative Kids was also renamed in honor of Alex’s memory.

Forty-two recipients, including the Cisneros family, will be traveling to the governor’s mansion next week for a special reception at the Texas Governor’s Mansion.

The Governor’s Volunteer Awards serve as the state’s highest recognition for volunteer service.

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Joseph Montero

UPDATE (3:08 p.m.) — A man has died after a car hit him while crossing the street without using a crosswalk, police said.

Police said Ismael Botelo was crossing Mesa Street near UTEP while a car drove southbound. The car hit Botelo, who was transported to the hospital. He died to his injuries.

El Paso police said this is the 17th traffic-related death of 2026 compared to 21 at this time last year.

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)- The El Paso Police Department’s Special Traffic Investigation unit says they responded to a collision involving a pedestrian at the 2400 block of N. Mesa St.

Police say the call came in at around 11:01 p.m. Thursday night.

Officials have not released the condition of the pedestrian.

We will continue to bring you updates both on air and online.

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