Olivia Vara
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — An El Paso woman received a text message warning that someone had logged in to her Wells Fargo account from Houston.
She replied she wasn’t the one who logged in, and a person pretending to be a Wells Fargo employee soon called her.
She later found out that person was trying to scam her.
This is a developing story, check back later for further details.
Nicole Ardila
Before heading out for some fun and fireworks this 4th of July, make sure to keep your pets safe indoors to prevent them from suffering with anxiety and escaping home.
With fireworks going off all night, pets can get startled with the loud noises or even from your parties.
El Paso Animal Services recommends keeping your pets indoors in an enclosed room, that way they can’t get loose and any loud noise gets muffled.
You can also leave them comforting toys or put on a thunder jacket on them for anxiety— but here’s what else they recommend:
“Some background noise, whether it’s music, whether it’s a movie, putting the volume all the way up,” said Kristen Gurrola, from the City of El Paso Animal Services.
Otherwise, if your pet gets lost and is without a microchip — it can make it difficult to bring them back home.
They say microchipping your pet is a free and easy solution for a situation like this.
“I think just instinctually, they hear something very loud, they get startled, and they just start running,” said Gurrola. “Unfortunately, especially if they don’t necessarily have a means to keep them confined or isolated away from all of the noise. And they can get just very nervous, and then they can just run.”
If you’re not sure if your pet is microchipped, you can take them to El Paso Animal Services or a fire station to check. If they do have one, make sure the ownership information is all updated.
And if your pet does get very jittery or anxious, they recommend you take them to a vet.
Hillary Floren
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Summer isn’t just a change of season, it’s often a season of emotional shifts, too. Whether your child is graduating, becoming more independent, or you’re simply feeling the tug of time, these transitions are real.
Local life coach and mother of two Brandi Brown is all too familiar with these changes, and has come up with a way to help moms (or anyone) navigating periods of change. She calls it “Mom’s Summer Journaling Prompts.” It’s a 6-week reflective guide for navigating transitions with peace, clarity and inner strength.
Brown says when our kids are going through transitions, they feel what we feel, and absorb our energy. The journal can help caretakers reflect, release, and reimaging what’s next. She adds that this is the most powerful form of parenting. Modeling, not managing.
Brown is the heart and founder of Navigating It All, LLC. She’s experienced in helping individuals embrace their authentic selves, overcoming limiting beliefs, and create meaningful change. She says we live our best lives when we live with intention.
Is now the time to become the best version of yourself? For a copy of Brown’s journaling guide, click here: https://navigatingitall.com/
Paul Cicala
EL PASO (KVIA) — If you go to the Heart Gallery of El Paso website at www.heartgalleryelpaso.org you can see a handful of amazing kids who hope to find a forever home. ABC-7 Anchor Paul Cicala continues work with the Heart Gallery to spotlight youngsters from our borderland who hope to be adopted.
Heart Gallery of El Paso also works closely with the non-profit “CASA” (Court Appointed Special Advocates).
CASA Training Director, Viviana Silva, said, “It’s really just coming together to advocate for these children in need and just being a voice for them, especially since their going through this process, trying to find a forever home.”
It’s a vision that’s also shared by Heart Gallery of El Paso.
Lisa Saucedo, CEO of CASA of El Paso, added, “Casa of El Paso serves the abused children that are in foster care. We provide volunteers to advocate for their best interest in court.”
“Because our advocates are court-appointed,” Viviana Silva said. “They’re able to talk to anyone and everyone involved in the system with teachers and biological families, to case workers, attorneys, anyone and everyone so that they can give that recommendation as to what are in the best interest to the judge when there are court hearings.”
The charity CASA also encourages volunteers to step up and donate their time with the non-profit.
“If you just think about a volunteer doing what we’d do for our own children,” said Saucedo, “We would get to know them, know what’s happened to them, get to know their foster parents, talk to their teachers, their doctors, their therapists. Figure what they need. Do they need to be on a soccer team. Do they need a school uniform. Do they need therapy sessions. Do they need help in school or with homework. What will make their lives better while they’re in foster care.”
ABC-7 anchor Paul Cicala has done a number of segments on kids looking to be adopted, as KVIA continues to partner with the Heart Gallery, and will continue with these profiles in the upcoming weeks. Look out for the stories on ABC-7.
Rosemary Montañez
El Paso, Texas (KVIA)– A trip to the hospital can be a scary place, especially for young children. They often find themselves in an empty room, waiting for hours on end with their parents.
But one local high school student is hoping to change that by coloring!
17-year-old Catesby Hunt created Coloring Care. It’s a program where volunteers cross the border into Ciudad Juárez and color with children who are waiting inside the FEMAP family hospital.
Catesby started the initiative after witnessing many children waiting inside the hospital lobby visibly scared and afraid. She came up with the idea to color with them and help pass the time.
“I feel like you, like, become friends with them, like, in a way. And I feel like it kind of like brings them all together, and like, it’s such an easy thing to do, and you don’t really need to teach them, like, how to color,” she said.
Despite language barriers, she said anyone can get involved in this activity.
“I don’t speak Spanish personally, and I feel like coloring, you don’t really need to have, like, like, that language, the same language, to do. And it’s such, like, an easy thing to kind of like grow, like, their creativity. And it’s such an easy thing for, like, kids to do,” Catesby said.
The high schooler started the initiative last June. She said the program has expanded significantly since then. Now, she visits the hospital every month and takes several volunteers with her!
ABC-7 also spoke to some volunteers who are taking part in this program. They said they are proud to be part of something that is giving back to others!
“It’s nice to be able to, like, make them smile. And us, like, thinking that we did that to them automatically makes my day,” volunteer Victoria Fernandez said.
Another volunteer, Valentina Hernandez, said despite this being a small gesture, it is still make a big difference.
“And, it’s made me realize how, like, something as small as spending time with kids, like, while they’re waiting, can put a huge smile on their face. And I feel like it’s something they will remember for a long time,” Valentina said.
Catesby said the space within the hospital has also expanded in a short amount of time. The hospital was previously providing a desk for Coloring Care, but now they have been designated an entire room.
The executive director at FEMAP Foundation, Yubia Fierro, said it has been wonderful seeing the volunteers interact with the children!
“They’re always engaging with all the other volunteers. And sometimes the volunteers are not only helping them do the coloring but also, like, learning numbers and playing with stickers and different other activities,” Fierro said.
The volunteers also make coloring kits made up of coloring books, crayons, stickers and a snack! The bags are given to the kids waiting inside the hospital.
Catesby said she has seen kids become confident and actually look forward to waiting inside the hospital!
“And it’s like, it’s so rewarding seeing, like, kids that are going through, like, such hard things, like forget about, like, their struggles and just have fun.”
Catesby encourages others to take part in this initiative that gives back! If you want to get involved, they always accept monetary donations or items like coloring books and crayons!
Click here to learn more about Coloring Care.
If you have a Good Vibes Only story idea, email news@kvia.com
Andrew J. Polk
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Businesses in Ruidoso are trying to clean up after floodwaters swept through the village the last few days. We sent ABC-7’s Andrew Polk to talk with business owners as they deal with the mess left behind. Watch the video above to see more images of the aftermath.
Heriberto Perez
JUÁREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) — President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order back in April, enforcing that all truck drivers in the U.S. and crossing into the U.S. be qualified and proficient in English.
The White House previously said:
The Order directs the Secretary of Transportation to rescind guidance that watered down the law requiring English proficiency for commercial drivers.
It mandates revising out-of-service criteria to ensure drivers violating English proficiency rules are placed out-of-service, enhancing roadway safety.
It instructs the Secretary of Transportation to review state issuance of non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses to identify any irregularities and ensure American drivers are validly licensed and qualified.
The Order directs the Secretary of Transportation to carry out additional administrative, regulatory, or enforcement actions to improve the working conditions of America’s truck drivers.
In Juárez, some cargo transportation companies are complying with this executive order by hiring English instructors to teach their truckers who cross the border into the U.S. daily.
Fletes Sotelo SA de CV, a local Juárez logistics company, has been teaching English to its truck drivers since the order was signed; they currently have around 100 drivers.
Truck drivers could face consequences such as warnings, fines, or even losing their licenses to cross cargo into the U.S. if they cannot communicate effectively with U.S. Department of Transportation officials.
ABC-7 spoke with Manuel Sotelo, owner of the company and national vice president of the Cargo Transportation Chamber (CANACAR) in Northern Mexico, to learn how this executive order might impact border businesses. We also attended one of the English classes these truck drivers attend three times a week.
More updates in later newscasts.
Nichole Gomez
El Paso, TX (KVIA-TV)—The countdown is on. In just a few days, Miss Texas will be crowned. Miss Texas 2024 Annette Addo-Yobo explains how she has advocated for autism, her experience representing the Lone Star State, and the significance of Miss Texas Week.
Nichole Gomez
El Paso, TX (KVIA-TV)—Cruise ship crime reports are rising—Derek Hackert from the FBI El Paso El Paso explains what you need to know before you plan your next family vacation.
