Category: kvia-local-news

Rishi Oza

UPDATE: The EPISD Board of Trustees voted to cut 55 contracted positions during their meeting Monday night.

The board approved 94 jobs to be cut, but they were able to get the number down with retirement incentives and placing some into other positions.

“we just want to assure parents that we’re doing everything we can, literally everything that we possibly can as a district and as a board to make sure that we’re taking care of the classroom,” said Board President Leah Hanany.

The board was able to keep school psychologists at their current positions despite being listed on the agenda. Some psychologists gave public comment during the meeting and they were relieved to know their jobs were safe.

“This was a very agonizing three weeks knowing that we were on a list,” said Renee King Rivera, a psychologist with the district. “My trust in the district has been restored in the sense that I know that we are looking in the best interests of students.”

The board will meet again on Tuesday to finalize their budget agenda.

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — The El Paso Independent School District Board of Trustees will vote on hundreds of job cuts during its meeting Monday night.

The district filed for financial exigency two weeks ago, which allowed them to make these cuts without the Texas Education Agency intervening. EPISD faced a $53 million deficit, and these cuts will get them to a deficit of around $4 million.

They will vote on its budget agenda Tuesday night.

To find the full meeting agenda and which jobs the board will be discussing below.

Special-Board-Meeting-Agenda-and-Materials—June-15,-2026_4469675747661207365Download

ABC-7 will have a full report on the vote and which jobs are on the line on ABC-7 at 10.

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Gabrielle Lopez

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Twelve people have been arrested after U.S. Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations found a stash house in El Paso. CBP said Monday it found the house in May.

On May 27, agents found a stash house used for human smuggling, CBP said. They found 11 adults in the staying in the U.S. illegally and one unaccompanied child in the house. Agents arrested and sent them to the Ysleta Border Patrol station.

CBP said 10 of those found were from Mexico and the other two were from Guatemala.

The adults faced charges and the child was administratively processed, CBP said. They were sent to the Processing Transport Detention Unit.

Courtesy: CBP

CBP said the investigation is still ongoing.

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Gabrielle Lopez

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Weekend thunderstorms treated El Pasoans to a stunning double rainbow Sunday.

The National Weather Service said double rainbows form when part of a light ray reflects twice on a raindrop.

ABC-7 and its viewers captured many pictures from different parts of the city. You can view the gallery below.

To submit a weather photo, you can send it to our share form.

ABC-7’s StormTrack Weather team issued an ABC-7 First Alert for Sunday’s rain. Thunderstorms stick around Monday night.

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Olivia Vara

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — “We’re gonna be patrolling the areas, patrolling the county to make sure people are staying away from fireworks tents. That’s one of our biggest concerns that pop them popping firecrackers too close to the stands,” Sam Villarreal told ABC-7 during an interview.

Sam is with El Paso County Emergency Services District No. 1 in Horizon City and says bottle rockets and missiles with fins are especially hazardous.

“Once they actually go up in the air, pop, it’s there’s actually a stick attached to them. A longer stick. And that’s what actually catches fire. And the embers land in the desert, catch brush. And that’s what usually catches fire,” said Sam.

On Monday, county commissioners discussed the possibility of banning bottle rockets and missiles with fins — the two aerial fireworks seen as the highest wildfire risk during dry conditions.

They’re expected to make a decision on whether to ban them later.

The ban would run through July 4th, but sparklers and fountains would still be allowed.County commissioners also brought up a new law.

It extends fireworks sales until midnight on July 5th, this year only, for America’s 250th birthday.

Sam says many firework vendors end up not even buying the fireworks that could be banned, in case they are.

For now, cooler weather is what keeps this ban from reaching approval.

Jimmy Nevarez, owner of Fireworks Pyro, says the ban would only affect a small portion of his supply.

Jimmy says if El Pasoans want to enjoy their fireworks, they need to be safe and show restraint with them.

“Courteous. Be courteous to your neighbors because next year, if it is dry, then the county commission will definitely keep that in mind and there will be more restrictions to follow,” said Jimmy.

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Gabrielle Lopez

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (KVIA) — A Las Cruces native will represent New Mexico at Miss America’s Teen Competition in September. Jordyn Campion took the crown at Miss New Mexico’s Teen 2026.

“Receiving the title of Miss New Mexico’s Teen is an incredible honor,” said Campion in a statement. “I am excited to represent our state, share my passion for service, and inspire young people to recognize that they have the power to create meaningful change in their communities.”

Campion studies at Centennial High School, a press release said. She’s a competitive swimmer and ambassador for Land of Enchantment, a program aiming to prevent litter and graffiti, and Still She Rose, a wellness program for women in the pageant community.

She founded No Tread Left Behind, which combats illegal tire dumping in New Mexico, according to the press release. Since launching the program, she helped remove more than 200 tires illegally dumped in public lands.

Campion is a Doña Ana County Youth Commissioner, where she has been building skills in representing local youth.

As Miss New Mexico’s Teen, Campion will spend the next year serving her state’s communities before taking the stage in West Palm Beach, Florida. Her time serving the state will focus on volunteering, leadership, environmental stewardship and youth empowerment, the release said.

Miss America’s Teen will take place Sept. 6.

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Carpio Griego

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) – La Nube STEAM Discovery Center allowed the first 600 children to enter for free to celebrate National Children’s Day and explore on Sunday.

La Nube is able to this through a partnership with Cummins in order to celebrate the holiday according to Guest Experience Director for La Nube Hannah Harris.

Children could be exposed to Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math in an interactive way through the exhibits that is usually a $17 ticket.

The free aspect is something several people that attended told ABC-7 was what made this an affordable way to have a fun day out with their family.

People like Timotheus Hicks, who said it was nice to have somewhere to get out of the hot summer weather, especially with the attraction being free.

“That’s really awesome, especially with it being so hot outside,” Hicks said. “So it’s nice to have somewhere you can come inside like today, it’s free, so it’s really been a big help from our family.”

Hicks also said he liked seeing his child interact with what was available at La Nube as an educational aspect Harris says is a priority to try to expose children to at a younger age.

“Steam is important, it covers all areas of education,” Harris said. ” We’re really big on the arts here at La Nube and I think that kids getting access to that, especially here and giving us a central place in El Paso, is huge.”

Coming to La Nube is something that leads to first time visitors like Jonathan Perez, who said he didn’t see everything but still had fun.

“It’s my first time here and honestly I love it so far. I’m barely on the second level and there’s still more to go,” Perez said. “It looks amazing, and it being free for the for the kids, that’s what’s really important. I think that’s what matters the most.”

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Katrina Villarreal

UPDATE (9:57 a.m.) — An El Paso Police Detective Judy Oviedo told ABC-7 police learned about the crash at 2:38 a.m.

She said the police unit was at the intersection of Kansas Street and Wyoming Avenue “preventing traffic from using the I-10 entrance.”

UPDATE (5:32 A.M.) — El Paso Police has cleared the scene.

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — El Paso Police are responding to a three vehicle crash involving a El Paso Police unit.

The crash happened at the corner of Wyoming and Kansas.

This is a developing story.

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Gabrielle Lopez

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — A 39-year-old El Paso man faced 20 counts of animal cruelty after the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office said Monday it rescued 35 animals in Far East El Paso.

Saturday, County Animal Welfare went to a home on the 700 block of Agua Del Rio after a reported injured dog. It said officers found animals living in unsanitary and unsafe conditions with poor access to food, water and shelter.

EPCSO detectives alleged Edgar Adrian Fuller as responsible for the animals. The sheriff’s office said two injured dogs didn’t get treatment, 13 cats showed signs of sickness and five underweight pigs.

The sheriff’s department later helped rescue 16 dogs, 14 cats and five pigs. EPCSO said the animals received medical treatment.

Detectives got 20 animal cruelty warrants, five of which were for livestock animals, according to EPCSO. They arrested Fuller Sunday and booked him into the county detention facility on a $37,000 bond.

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Heriberto Perez Lara

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — ABC-7 reported the City of El Paso approved a new ordinance requiring short-term vacation rental owners to contribute to El Paso’s hotel occupancy tax (HOT).

The city said this will create a more equitable lodging tax structure while generating an estimated $3.5 million annually to support tourism-related investments throughout the community.

Isaac Martinez, a local Airbnb and business owner, said he was first concerned about the ordinance, but then he learned it is not going to impact owners directly. The tax will be directly applied to guests looking for a short-term rental to stay in El Paso.

“Between my wife and me, our main way of running our business is to be, you know, to be servant-led, to be servant to our guests,” Martinez told ABC-7.

Once he and his wife became Airbnb owners, they wanted to start supporting other homeowners because they knew people who do that here want an extra source of revenue and income to support their families.

“So that’s the main reason why we wanted to start and operate a full-service business that helps people start their Airbnbs, pretty much maintain them as well, clean them and also support with guest communication and support. The main reason was just to help other families that are also kind of sort of like us that are starting and maybe they have children or they have elderly parents are trying to support,” Martinez also said.

According to him, these taxes will be applied directly to the guests and the city is trying to have a partnership with all the short-term rental platforms for them to apply for taxes directly.

It is unknown how much extra will be charged by those taxes, as the city is still taking time for implementation and outreach; the City of El Paso also said that the action approved will begin no earlier than 90 days or later than 180 days after adoption.

“The owners or hosts that are running their businesses like an actual business, I don’t I feel like there’s not going to be any big problem or there’s not going to be a big issue as far as occupancy or getting fewer bookings, because everything’s going to be on an even playing field, with the hotels and other hosts,” Martinez added.

He also said, “This ordinance will not affect guests as much as they think it will.”

“A lot of these guests, they’re looking for amenities that hotels don’t provide, or motels don’t provide, because they’re looking for a more comfortable stay somewhere where they could host some of their family, because a lot of the times we get people from out of state or even from out of the country that have family here in El Paso, and they want to host their families inside our Airbnbs to have a reunion or just like a lunch or dinner.”

For him, his wife and their business, their plan is always to improve their properties and make them better for their guests and anyone coming from out of town.

“I just wanted to give some reassurance to hosts all around El Paso that this tax ordinance should not be a big factor and as far as getting bookings, instead of trying to see this as a negative, we should definitely look at it as an opportunity to become better hosts, so that we could attract the right guests,” Martinez said.

“More than anything, I think these taxes, once that are implemented into the city and as a city keeps on bringing in events such as Coldplay and BTS, all that to is going to be a benefit to us because we’re getting more bookings and now we’re able to to charge a better price for our homes and also be competitive with with other hotels and motels.”

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