Category: kvia-local-news

Gabrielle Lopez

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — A youth soccer program under the El Paso Locomotive FC aims to help young players fall in love with the sport before diving into competition. The First Stop Recreational Program is open for children ages 5-9, according to the Locomotive FC.

Players will learn the basics of soccer, build teamwork, sportsmanship and the “freedom to try, fail, and to try again.”

In a news release, the FC said youth sports can move toward competition too fast before children find passion for the game. First Stop wants players to understand that growth in sport is a journey, not a race.

First Stop also wants to welcome families who may be new to organized soccer.

“If we nurture those first moments with care, patience and purpose, we help cultivate not only better players, but a stronger soccer culture for El Paso for years to come,” the FC said.

Each season is 10 weeks long, according to the FC website, and has a total of eight games. The starting date is set for Sept. 7 and ends Nov. 14.

Practices are scheduled for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons.

Gamedays take place on Friday afternoons or Saturday mornings each week at the Sunland Park Sports Complex.

Paying for the program covers administrative costs, coaching resources, field rentals, equipment, and a ticket to a Locomotive home match, according to the FC.

Players will need long socks over shin guards, sneakers or cleats, a soccer ball and Locomotive jerseys. The FC said players will get their jerseys at the meet and greet a week before the season starts.

Registration for the upcoming season is still open. You can fill out a form here.

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Olivia Vara

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)– El Paso is one of the sunniest cities in the U.S. with about 300 days of sunshine a year. Yet vitamin D deficiency in the Borderland is more common than you think.

Local health professionals note that the intense desert heat frequently drives people indoors during peak daylight hours, drastically minimizing natural sun exposure.

Additionally, on the chance El Pasoans do venture outside in the heat, diligent use of high-SPF sunscreen effectively blocks the ultraviolet rays necessary for the body to synthesize this essential nutrient.

This widespread lack of vitamin D often quietly shows up through chronic fatigue, muscle weakness and a weakened immune system. Many El Pasoans remain unaware that these are the symptoms of a vitamin D deficiency because they mimic other health conditions.

Health officials emphasize the importance of routine blood panels to accurately detect low levels before you start noticing symptoms.

Depending on the severity of your vitamin D deficiency, health officials may recommend targeted oral supplements or specialized vitamin D injections.

Ultimately, balancing smart sun protection with proactive medical guidance is the best way for El Pasoans to maintain optimal bone and immune health.

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Gabrielle Lopez

update (4:26 p.m.) — The City of Sunland Park confirmed with ABC-7 that all lanes reopened.

UPDATE (1:32 p.m.) — One person has been airlifted by the El Paso Fire Department’s Fire STAR helicopter and two others went to the hospital after the crash, according to Sunland Park Fire.

Courtesy: SPFD

Three vehicles were involved in the crash, SPFD said.

Courtesy: SPFD

SUNLAND PARK, N.M. (KVIA) — A crash closed all lanes at the intersection of Pete Domenici Highway (NM 136) and Strauss Road in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, according to the City of Sunland Park Tuesday.

The crash is near the War Eagles Air Museum.

Courtesy: City of Sunland Park

First responders expect a longer closure to clear the crash site and to investigate, the city said.

Sunland Park’s fire and police departments are at the intersection.

The city said drivers should avoid the area and find a different route.

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Heriberto Perez Lara

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — The El Paso Fire Department’s Water Rescue Team, which handles swift-water rescues, canal emergencies and flood responses across the El Paso area, among other things, will start its seasonal training today.

ABC-7 reported late last month that water was released into the El Paso canal and into the Rio Grande, where the Water Rescue Team has responded to body recoveries and rescues lately.

Last night, the El Paso Police Department, along with other local agencies, found a man dead in the water canal by Socorro Rd.

ABC-7 will tag along with the Water Rescue Team today to learn more about how they will prepare in case of more water rescues during this summer season.

Watch the full story in our later newscasts.

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Gabrielle Lopez

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Starting Wednesday, people can tour the Magoffin Home amid its restoration.

The Magoffin Home in Downtown El Paso “tells the stories of a multicultural family that influenced the development of the Southwest borderlands,” the Texas Historical Commission said.

The mansion has been closed as crews repair the 150-year-old adobe bricks, but tourists will have a chance to watch experts at work. The historical commission said tourists can even see parts of the building not visible since the walls first went up in the 1870s.

Hard hat tours will be available on some Wednesdays and Saturdays through July, with more dates to be added. Tours start June 10.

Tourists have to be at least 6 years old, according to the historical commission. To take the tour, you have to wear a hard hat (provided at the tour), close-toed shoes and long pants.

Tourists wear hard hats as they tour the Magoffin Home.(Courtesy: Texas Historical Commission)

Adult admission is $7, senior admission is $6 and students can get in for $4.

The historical commission recommended making a reservation, which you can do through this website.

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Nicole Ardila

Update (8:15 p.m.) — The majority of El Paso City Council members voted against the possibility of canceling the tax incentive agreement with Meta for the data center in Northeast El Paso.

The votes were as follows:

FOR: Dr. Josh Acevedo, Lily Limón, Chris Canales

AGAINST: Alejandra Chávez, Ivan Niño, Art Fierro, Deanna Maldonado-Rocha, Cynthia Boyar Trejo

UPDATE (6 p.m.) — Public speaking continues into the afternoon as council makes their way through a list of 183 speakers. Earlier in the day, council was dealing with overflow because council chambers reached capacity at over 220 people.

There are many people both in support of the Meta data center and against it. One side says Meta is going to drain resources and cost El Pasoans. The other says the data center will provide jobs for working class laborers and prevent them from leaving the city to find a job somewhere else.

Tensions between the two sides remain high. Mayor Renard Johnson has had to reiterate the guidelines for both speakers and observers in council chambers multiple times. Several pro-data center speakers were booed and interrupted while at the podium.

One pro-data speaker who was booed said, “They were very rude. It’s a group of rude individuals that have a lot of misinformation, and they’ve been saying it for months, and now I’m happy to see the unions and people that are actually out on the front lines, actually building this with accurate information, come out and speak in support of their community.”

A speaker against the Meta data center said, “It will be a tragedy. There will be nothing left of El Paso. Nothing. Can you not see it? Because I can. And as you can tell, I’m not even from here. But my family is here.” Supporters of Item 37 in chambers cheered for her as she spoke.

There are still several hours of public comment left before council reaches a decision.

UPDATE (12 p.m.) — For the public speaking session, 183 people signed up. The city called up people in groups of five to allow them to have time to have their say.

Each person is provided three minutes to address the council. That means there is just more than nine hours of public speakers signed up.

ABC-7 is at the meeting and will provide updates.

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — During Tuesday’s city council meeting, residents will have a chance to share concerns about the Meta data center to possibly cancel the contract..

Item 37 on Tuesday’s agenda was introduced by City Rep. Lily Limón and Rep. Josh Acevedo, who are directing the city manager and attorney to negotiate and terminate the contract, after hearing from a majority of residents who are against it.

Mayor Renard Johnson told ABC-7 last week that the agreement can’t be terminated. He told abc-7 why it could come at a cost for the tax payer. 

“If you were to enter into any litigation with that particular company, and if El Paso was to lose, we would also have to pay their attorney fees. So that would be a significant amount of money that would be based on the taxpayers,” he said.

He also shares that it makes a bad impression on other companies for future negotiations.

Organizations like Amanecer People’s Project, who fights for clean resources, says this meeting is a huge step to reduce any environmental and financial harms from this project.

Co-founder Matthew Rodriguez says the city might have not been well aware of the scale of damage a center like this can cause to the borderland, and calls Mayor Johnson’s argument to not cancel, a “scare tactic.”

“This talk about ‘trust’ and ‘we need to honor our word’ and ‘this will hurt our reputation,’ these things just aren’t fit to this situation,” says Rodriguez. “Meta is is trying to extract from us, people don’t want that to happen, it’s very clear that people don’t want it.”

The meeting begins at 9 a.m. but public comment begins at 10 a.m.

You can call in at 915-212-0049 or sign up to speak in-person on Item 37 by 9 a.m.

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Mia Okubo

(KVIA) — Monday, Doña Ana County announced a new online Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan (ICIP) website where residents can review proposed infrastructure projects and give feedback on through a questionnaire.

The project page provides information about the County’s proposed 2028–2032 ICIP projects. The page serves as a tool to assist in local governments funding for capital projects and help prioritize which projects are needed most for the local community, the county said.

Many of the projects in the ICIP involve transportation, public safety, park, community facilities, utilities, and other public infrastructure improvements.

County Manager Scott Andrews said, “Public input is an important part of planning for the future of Doña Ana County, we encourage residents to review the proposed projects and complete the questionnaire so we can better understand the needs and priorities of the communities we serve.”

The public comment period will close at 11:59 p.m. June 17.

The ICIP project page and public feedback questionnaire can be accessed here.

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Gabrielle Lopez

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — After two El Paso Independent School District board members resigned after the board voted to declare financial exigency Thursday.

Financial exigency is similar to bankruptcy for educational institutions. The board voted 5-1 to declare it amid financial obstacles and a multi-million dollar deficit.

Trustee Daniel Call voted against the motion and Trustee Valerie Beals was absent. They each had about a year left in their terms.

State law requires the school board to accept their resignations and declare their seats vacant. To fill those seats, the board has to decide between appointing new members or hold a special election.

Community members could apply for the open seats if the board decides to choose appointments. Other board members would review those applications and vote on who will serve until the next election.

If the board calls for a special election, EPISD would have to cover the cost.

County election officials say the tag could reach hundreds of thousands of dollars depending on when the election is held.

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Gabrielle Lopez

CIUDAD JUÁREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) — Officers in Juárez rescued four children found without an adult in a home in south Juárez, the city’s municipal government said Monday.

Officials said officers found the children overnight after someone reported a possible abandonment at the intersection of Palacio de Monte Alban and Privada Azteca.

At the neighborhood, officers questioned a neighbor who claimed the children were seen alone in the morning.

One child, a 6-year-old, said his parents left that morning and was looking after his siblings. He also said he was trying to make food because they were hungry, according to officials.

A neighbor then helped officers enter the property using a ladder since the front door was locked, officials said. Inside, they found two boys and two girls, aged 3 to 6 years old, according to officials.

Courtesy: SSPM Juárez

The children went to the social work department for care and shelter.

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Gabrielle Lopez

UPDATE (June 12, 2026) — The City of Las Cruces expanded cooling station availability ahead of Saturday’s high heat, it said Friday.

Here are the cooling stations open this weekend, according to the city:

Thomas Branigan Memorial Library, 200 E. Picacho Ave.

Open Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Mesilla Valley Intermodal Transit Terminal, 300 W. Lohman Ave.

Open Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Open Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Meerscheidt Recreation Center, 1600 E. Hadley Ave.

Open Friday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Open Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

ABC-7’s StormTrack Weather team issued a First Alert for high temperatures and rain chances this weekend. Las Cruces is expected to stay shy of triple-digit heat, but stay high at 99.

For a list of cooling centers in El Paso County, click here.

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (KVIA) — Cooling centers in Las Cruces will open Tuesday — just in time as the area prepares for possible triple-digit temperatures in its forecast.

From June 9 to June 11, some community centers, libraries and other buildings across Las Cruces will be available for a break from the heat.

These locations are open June 9-11 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to the city:

Frank O’Brien Papen Community Center, 304 W. Bell Ave.

Henry R. Benavidez Community Center, 1045 McClure Rd.

Munson Center, 975 S. Mesquite St.

Sage Café, 6121 Reynolds Dr.

The Thomas Branigan Memorial Library is open Monday-Thursday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. From Friday-Saturday, the library will open 10 a.m. and close 6 p.m. Sunday, the library is open 1-5 p.m., the city said. Its address is 200 E. Picacho Ave.

The Mesilla Valley Intermodal Terminal (300 W. Lohman Ave.) is available as a cooling station from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. weekdays and 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, the city said.

Lastly, the Meerscheidt Recreation Center (1600 E. Hadley Ave.) will be available from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. The city said the facility is under construction, but designated areas will stay open for the public to cool off in.

For a list of cooling centers in El Paso, click here.

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