Month: June 2011

Raquel Cardiel touched many lives in the 20 years she was alive. “When my mom told me she’d passed away, it was like the whole world fell on top of me,” said sister Erika. Erika and her mom Nancy are grieving Raquel’s death about two weeks after the cancer victim died. “I used to be

June 30, 2011 Department of Public Health FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Armando Saldivar (915) 771-5718 Cell: (915) 355-5234 Consider Pets during Fourth of July Celebrations Animals still a concern despite area-wide fireworks ban El Paso, Texas – Every year the Animal Service Program is inundated with calls and the shelter is filled with pets as

If you take the bus, or have considered giving your car a break, Thursday is a good day for you. El Paso’s Sun Metro Transit System is offering free rides all day. One bus driver told ABC-7 he had already encountered a few passengers at 5:30 a.m. surprised by the gesture. “They still have their

It’s hot and it’s summer, and that means one thing at El Paso City Hall: time for budget talks. El Paso City Manager Joyce Wilson has released her plan on how the city should spend its money for fiscal year 2012. This year, El Pasoans will be spared a tax hike. Wilson proposed keeping next

An account has been set up to help the victims of a major house fire June 23 near Riverside High School, the Ysleta Independent School District announced Thursday. No one was injured in the fire, however, the family pet was killed and the house was a total loss, including all contents in the house and

Socorro police and El Paso County fire marshals are searching for the people responsible for several fires in the area, including a “suspicious” early-morning fire that destroyed an unoccupied mobile home. “We now have evidence that indicates a serial arsonist is on our streets,” Socorro police Lt. Joe Alvarez said. “And our investigators want to

Brian Wickstrom is California-bound — again. UTEP’s senior associate athletic director has been named director of intercollegiate athletics at the University of California at Riverside. “I am privileged, honored and excited to become a member of the University of California-Riverside. These are exciting times to be at UCR and I look forward to working with

El Paso native Eddie Gutierrez will discuss gay and lesbian issues with President Barack Obama during a reception today at the White House. Gutierrez, who spoke with ABC-7 last week, called the invitation to the White House “a humbling experience.” “I only found out a few weeks ago that I was invited alongside 150 other

In response to one of the worst droughts in more than a century, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has declared El Paso County and all its surrounding counties as primary natural disaster areas. In addition to excessive heat and high winds, wildfires have burned hundreds of thousands of acres in Texas. ?Many producers have lost

Like it or not, fireworks are now for sale in the city of Socorro. Despite a countywide ban restricting the sale, possession and use of the 4th of July favorites, Socorro officials decided to make the ‘sale’ part legal within city limits. One by one, fireworks stands have come alive along I-10 after having targets

There seems to be some confusion over the reason lines of people are being left outside at many of the City of El Paso’s public pools this summer. On Monday Parks and Recreation officials told ABC-7 the lines are being caused by a capacity problem. But an internal email forwarded to ABC-7 from City Hall

America Ferrera is a married lady. People magazine’s website says the 27-year-old “Ugly Betty” star and longtime boyfriend Ryan Piers Williams were wed Monday night in “an intimate setting” with close friends and family in attendance. A representative for Ferrera confirmed the report Tuesday. Ferrera won an Emmy, a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors

New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez on Wednesday declared a state of emergency regarding the use of fireworks in the state through July 6. Martinez urges all New Mexicans to refrain from buying, selling or using fireworks during the dry summer fire season. Martinez and officials are also encouraging the public to attend professional fireworks displays

A man grabbed a hatchet from the hardware department and threatened two Sears store employees Monday afternoon at Mesilla Valley Mall, police said. Las Cruces police responded to a report of two employees being threatened by a man brandishing a hatchet about 4 p.m. Monday. Officers said the man entered the store and was acting

The kind of heat the Borderland is experiencing can be dangerous not only to your body, but also to your mind. It’s apparent these triple-digit temperatures have a lot more people are on edge. “I don’t feel like dealing with anything,” said Armando Reyes, who works outdoors for Drive and Shine Mobile Car Wash and

The FBI is on the hunt for a man who robbed the Wells Fargo Bank at 4600 Woodrow Bean Tuesday afternoon. Investigators said he walked into the bank at around 4:30 p.m., handed the teller a note that said “this is a robbery.” The man did not show a weapon. After taking the money, the

Retired UTEP accounting professor Anne Lee Leahey died Saturday while digging for artifacts in the Santa Teresa desert. Leahy was searching for artifacts near the Santa Teresa Airport when she became separated from her family. Doa Ana County Sheriff’s Department Capt. Mike Kinney said that Leahy collapsed during an outing when temperatures were almost 107

Two men arrested on suspicion of starting a massive blaze that destroyed two businesses and two homes in east El Paso have been charged with arson. According to the arrest affidavits obtained by ABC-7 News, Leonel Chavira and Cipriano De La Torre intentionally started the fire and “in doing so, recklessly damaged or destroyed property

The Bureau of Land Management confirmed firefighters were battling three fires in the High Country Tuesday afternoon. Authorities told ABC-7 they suspect lightning sparked the fires. Air resources were being sent to a fire burning 12 miles east of Mescalero, New Mexico, which authorities are dubbing the “Number 3 Fire.” As of midday Tuesday, it

Dispatchers at Animal Services have received more reports of alleged animal neglect in the last two weeks this year, than the same time period last year, according to one official. In the last two weeks, there have been 275 complaints of animals without water or shade. Compare that to 113 last year in the same

Seat belts won’t prevent you from getting into an accident. But they can minimize the impact a crash can have on your body. “Buckling up is going to prevent you — in case of a rollover — from being thrown out of the vehicle, having a concussion, breaking your bones, or worst of all, having

Loved ones held different fundraisers for the two mothers and child killed in a violent wreck outside Las Cruces June 22. On Wednesday morning, investigators said Marialy Morga, 22, and her 4-year-old daughter Ylairam Ruby and 18-month-old son Yahir were traveling on I-10 west outside of Las Cruces. Family members said they were on their

A man is dead after an early morning wreck on Interstate 10, according to El Paso Police. Investigators said James Causey, 28, was driving westbound on I-10 near the Raynolds exit at about 1:40 Sunday morning when he lost control of the 1997 green Honda Accord he was driving. Police said Causey is from the

With consistent triple-digit heat hitting in the Borderland and most kids out of school, thousands are flocking to the city’s public pools. But there’s not enough room for all of them. El Paso Parks and Recreation Department officials report lines at just about every one of the15 pools. ABC-7 found a line outside the Armijo

Two crashes and three deaths in just 24 hours and police say excessive speed was a factor in both. On Saturday morning, 18-year-old Luis Garcia and his brother, Andres were driving west on I-10. Police say Luis was speeding, drifted onto the left shoulder, over-corrected and slammed into a TxDoT camera pole, splitting the car

Extreme heat remained in the borderland Monday, making for potentially dangerous weather conditions. The forecast called for high temperatures around 105 to 107 degrees, with lows in the mid 70s. Monday marked the 18th day of 100+ degree high temperatures in El Paso. The yearly average is 14. Sunday’s high hit 108 degrees, becoming the

El Paso Police have identified both officers and the man who was shot during early-Saturday morning shooting in El Paso’s lower valley. According to EPPD, the officers who discharged their weapons have been identified as Officer Antonio Licerio, a three year veteran of the El Paso Police Department and Officer Keenan Greseth, a one year

The City of El Paso is encouraging residents who want to escape the heat to ride a sun metro bus to any air-conditioned destination, such as shopping centers, library or museums, and sun metro stations. All Sun Metro buses are air-conditioned and cool. The ABC-7 Stormtrack Weather Lab has recorded extremely hot temperatures. On Saturday,

An elderly couple is in the hospital after being stung by bees more than 100 times, according to San Elizario Fire Department officials. Batallion Chief Robert Lopez said children were playng by a tree and throwing rocks at a beehive at about 12:30 Sunday afternoon, at the San Elceario Catholic Church in San Elizario. Lopez

Police said two teen brothers were killed in an early-morning wreck Saturday near downtown El Paso. The crash happened around 2:55 a.m. on I-10 west near the downtown Mesa Street exit. El Paso Police Department spokesman Darrel Petry said Luis Garcia, 18, was driving a 1995 green Acura Integra westbound on the freeway when he