Category: kvia-local-news

Gabrielle Lopez

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Monday, the City of El Paso said it presented an update to its “Vision Zero Program.” The city said it hopes Vision Zero will reduce traffic deaths and serious injuries across the area.

Monday’s Fiscal Year 2026 Vision Zero Program update focused on efforts to make streets safer for motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists and other roadway users.

“Every traffic fatality has a lasting impact on a family and our community,” said Mayor Renard Johnson in a statement. “Vision Zero gives us a data-driven approach to identify where we can make our streets safer and invest resources where they can have the greatest impact. Our goal is to continue building a transportation system that is safer for everyone.”

Current Vision Zero efforts include the Quick Build Program, which provides low-cost improvements at high-risk locations, the city said.

“Vision Zero allows us to move from identifying where serious crashes are occurring to taking targeted action,” said Joaquin Rodriguez, Capital Improvement Department Director. “By using data to guide our investments, we can focus improvements where they are most needed while continuing to pursue projects and partnerships that make our streets safer for everyone who uses them.”

The city said Vision Zero goes hand-in-hand with the city’s anti-DWI strategy, which involves enforcement, education and community partnerships.

During the city’s 90th session state legislative agenda, the city council incorporated anti-DWI and road safety priorities. The city said the action included supporting opportunities for state funding, partnerships and policies that can further strengthen safety efforts.

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Mia Tricarico

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Monday, Meta opened applications for a fund investing in local communities where it has data centers, including El Paso.

During Monday’s meeting on the Community Benefits Agreement, local leaders looked into how Meta is investing in the community.

The data center promises up to 300 permanent operational jobs. Community advocates are seeking binding assurances that specialized training programs will ensure these jobs go to local El Pasoans.

However, the City is still waiting for final confirmation from Meta that hiring will prioritize El Pasoans.

Leaders are evaluating how Meta’s proposed community funding aligns with El Paso’s Climate Action Plan, specifically focusing on local workforce development, energy conservation, and neighborhood development.

Officials have cautioned against terminating existing agreements, noting that walking away could expose taxpayers to significant legal and financial liabilities. City representative Cynthia Trejo emphasized that the goal remains steering the agreement to secure binding, long-term benefits for El Paso residents before the final October deadline.

Those who want to apply to the fund have until Oct. 19. You can find the application link here.

Meta said the fund is a $1 billion commitment to invest in communities where they’re building data centers.

It said applicants can apply for projects in four focus areas: community enhancement, economic vitality, education and sustainability.

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Gabrielle Lopez

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Deputies with the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office helped find a woman indicted on a child murder charge, EPCSO said Monday. Court documents said she failed to feed two children — one of whom died.

According to the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, its deputies helped find 25-year-old Glenda Marks. EPCSO worked with the U.S. Marshals Service Lone Star Fugitive Task Force and the El Paso County District Attorney’s Office during the investigation.

According to court documents ABC-7 found, Marks also went by “Glenda Neeley.” Documents also said she had a “legal duty to act, namely as a parent.”

Glenda Marks’ mugshot.(Courtesy: EPCSO)

Marks was recently indicted on one count of capital murder of a person under 10 years old, one count of murder and four counts of injury to a child, elderly or disabled person. Documents said the offenses happened in March 2023.

Court documents said Marks lied to a child’s parent about regularly feeding a child under 10 years of age. She allegedly starved the child and canceled an alarm system set up to ensure the child was regularly fed. Documents said she injured the child by failing to provide food.

Documents said marks also secluded the child to prevent herself from “being able to hear or see the child.”

The child’s death was “caused while [Marks] was in the course of and in furtherance of the commission or attempt of the felony,” documents said.

Court documents said Marks injured another child under the age of 14. She allegedly didn’t feed the child and caused “serious bodily injury” by failing to provide food.

Authorities found her in Montague County, Texas, and the U.S. Marshals Service took her into custody. After her arrest, EPCSO’s Fugitive Apprehension Unit transported her back to El Paso County and booked her into the county detention facility.

Her combined bond totaled $1.6 million, according to EPCSO.

In a statement released Monday morning, El Paso County Sheriff Oscar Ugarte stated the following in regards to this case:

This arrest demonstrates the importance of strong partnerships among local, state, and federal agencies. By working together and sharing resources, we can locate individuals wanted for serious offenses and ensure they are brought back to El Paso County to face justice.

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Nina Gallegos

UPDATE (9:30 p.m.): The El Paso County Commissioner’s Court voted 5-0 to adopt the budget for Fiscal Year 2026-2027.

The County adopted the No-New-Revenue tax rate, a move Precinct 2 Commissioner David Stout said required difficult financial decisions in the previous budget year.

Commissioner David Stout said the county was only able to reach the lower rate because commissioners made difficult choices last year, including a minimal tax-rate increase.

“I have seen in the past people push hard to add items to the budget,” Stout said. “They celebrate when they are included. They take credit for delivering them and then walk away when the bill comes due.”

Stout said the county’s decision last year helped make the current tax rate possible.

“We were only able to go down to the no-new-revenue rate this year because of the difficult decision some of us took last year to increase the tax rate minimally,” he said.

Under the new rate, homeowners whose property values have remained unchanged would pay about $17 less per year, according to the budget presentation.

The 2026 tax rate was at $0.451133, while the tax rate for Fiscal Year 2027 is $0.4477.

According to the county’s taxpayer impact statement, the median homeowner could see their annual property tax bill increase by nearly $70, despite the lower tax rate.

Public safety was another major focus of the budget discussion. It makes up the biggest portion of the budget at $171.8 million, or 36%.

More than $6 million was added to the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office budget. The increase comes as the Sheriff’s Office faces a deficit of more than $4 million this year.

Overtime expenses are a significant part of that shortfall.

During the budget discussion, commissioners questioned why overtime costs have increased so substantially this year.

The Sheriff’s Office said staffing shortages are one factor.

Deputy Gailey told commissioners that a number of employees have left the department for other employment opportunities, increasing the need to bring in additional personnel.

“We have seen a number of people leave the department for other opportunities or employment,” Gailey said. “So that’s impacting the requirement we’re having to bring in.”

Commissioners said they will ask Sheriff Ugarte to attend their next meeting in person to provide a more detailed explanation of the Sheriff’s Office’s overtime costs.

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) – In Monday’s El Paso County Commissioners Court meeting, commissioners will vote whether to approve a budget amendment to the county’s 2025-2026 operating budget.

The amendment is to use funds from the Sheriff’s Office general fund in the amount of $47,975 to cover the costs of replacement doors and substation restroom cabinets.

The funds will also cover the cost of an elevator contract. The budgetary amendment won’t impact El Paso County’s overall budget of $681,614,389.50, according to the agenda.

County commissioners will also decide whether to approve and adopt the proposed El Paso County budget for Fiscal Year 2026-2027, beginning Oct. 1.

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Nichole Gomez

El Paso, TX (KVIA-TV)-The YMCA of El Paso, together with the 50th Anniversary Title Sponsor, the GECU Foundation and GECU, will officially kick off the 50th Annual YMCA Turkey Trot.

It is now the region’s biggest holiday race and marks the official start of the Sun Bowl Parade. The funds collected  support YMCA financial assistance, helping ensure children and families can access YMCA programs.

WHEN: Tuesday, September 15, 2026 at 10:30 a.m.WHERE: Houston Park 900 Montana Ave. El Paso, TX 79902

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Nichole Gomez

El Paso, Tx (KVIA-TV)-Women from throughout the city and other areas will attend the ONE Conference 2026 at Abundant Church East from September 16 to 18.

The free event will run for three days and include nationally known speakers, worship services, special events, and opportunities to help women grow in their faith and confidently move into the way they were created to be.

The conference this year, presented by the ONE Sisterhood, has “She Holds the Key” as its theme and stresses the idea that women are called, purposed, and chosen.

ONE Conference Features:

Shannon Nieman, the conference host and founder of the ONE Sisterhood, will speak on Wednesday, September 16. On Thursday, September 17, Bianca Juarez, a Bible teacher, author, and lead pastor at Revere Church, will be a guest speaker, and on Friday, September 18, Zai Chandler, senior pastor of Union Church, will speak.

Registration can be obtained at theonesisterhood.com/#made_for_more

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Armando Ramirez

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — CandleLighters held a fundraising walk at Ascarate Park on Saturday to support children fighting cancer in the Borderland.

According to organizers, proceeds raised from the walk will help fund all 30 CandleLighter Programs.

CandleLighters said there were games, food, and entertainment for attendees, and the walk had participants go around Ascarate Lake, which was lit by thousands of luminarias.

To learn more about CandleLighters and their mission to support cancer patients and families, click their link here.

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Armando Ramirez

UPDATE (2:53 PM) — Greg Cunningham released the following statement regarding the rally held by Democratic nominee for New Mexico Governor Deb Haaland and Congressman and Democratic nominee Gabe Vasquez:

“Gabe Vasquez has spent four years telling southern New Mexico he is a moderate. Today he is on a stage with a woman who ran the Interior Department while Washington froze new oil and gas leasing, and a man who wanted to decriminalize illegal border crossing.

That is not an accident. It is where he has always been. He voted against the Laken Riley Act, against the Secure the Border Act, and against the tax cuts working families are counting on.

The moderate act ends the second he thinks nobody from New Mexico is watching.”

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KVIA)– Saturday, Democratic nominee for New Mexico Governor Deb Haaland and Congressman and Democratic nominee Gabe Vasquez hosted a political rally in Las Cruces.

Haaland and Vasquez spoke about issues and topics such as lowering costs, better opportunities, and safer communities for New Mexicans.

Former U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was also in attendance at the rally.

ABC-7 reached out to Vasquez’s opponent, Greg Cunningham, and Haaland’s opponent, Gregg Hull, for a comment on the rally and the items discussed at the rally.

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Armando Ramirez

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — The City of El Paso Parks and Recreation Department is reminding residents of upcoming seasonal closures and schedule changes taking effect throughout the remainder of 2026.

The department has announced the following seasonal closures and schedule changes for popular locations around the City of El Paso:

Spray Parks and Pavo Real Aquatic Center

All City spray parks and the Pavo Real Aquatic Center will close for the season on Sunday, September 13. The Pavo Real Aquatic Center, the City’s only outdoor pool, has closed for the fall and winter season. Officials in the department say residents can continue to enjoy the City’s indoor pools, which remain open for public use.

The Parks and Recreation Department operates 14 aquatic centers throughout El Paso, including indoor and outdoor facilities.

Scenic Sundays Return to Fall Hours

Starting in October, Scenic Sundays on Scenic Drive will transition to its fall operational schedule, which will remain in effect through March. During this time, Scenic Drive between Wheeling and Robinson will close to vehicle traffic form 7 a.m. to noon. Officials say this allows residents a experience one of El Paso’s most scenic destinations by walking, biking or simply enjoying the views.

El Paso Municipal Rose Garden

The El Paso Municipal Rose Garden will close for the season on Monday, November 30.

The seasonal closure allows Parks and Recreation staff to complete necessary maintenance and prepare the garden for the next season. Until then, the four-acre garden is open daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and is free to the public. The garden features more than 1,400 rose bushes representing more than 430 varieties.

Residents are encouraged to plan their visits accordingly and make the most of the City’s parks, recreation facilities and outdoor amenities while they remain open. For more information about the City of El Paso Parks and Recreation Department, visit ElPasoTexas.gov/parks.

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Gabrielle Lopez

UPDATE (4:26 p.m.): According to the El Paso Police Department, a Peterbilt 18-wheeler truck hit a man trying to climb its ladder.

EPPD said it happened at the 1200 block of Myrtle Avenue, which is near the Opportunity Center for the Homeless.

While the truck drove west, 43-year-old Samuel Guzman tried to climb the truck’s ladder for “unknown reasons,” police said. Guzman fell, and the truck’s rear tires hit him.

EPPD said Guzman died to his injuries. The incident marked the 43rd traffic death this year compared to 42 at this time last year.

Police said the investigation into the incident is ongoing.

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — One person died after a crash involving a person and a semi, according to the El Paso Police Department. It happened Monday around 7:31 a.m. at Noble Street and Myrtle Avenue.

EPPD’s Special Traffic Investigations unit is now investigating the crash.

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