Month: April 2012

Some school board members in the Tornillo Independent School District are questioning the resignation of their superintendent, Paul Vranish. Vranish is being investigated by the Texas Education Agency and the Department of Public Safety for allegedly mishandling district funds for personal gain. Vranish has denied the accusations and resigned during a Jan. 31 school board

United States Attorney Robert Pitman and FBI Special Agent in Charge Mark Morgan announced the arrest Thursday morning of 20-year-old Kaleb Harper Ketchens of Meridian, MS, in connection with an unauthorized access of the El Paso Independent School District computer system. On March 28, 2012, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Ketchens with

The superintendent of the Tornillo Independent School Discript provided clarification and new information Monday regarding his resignation’s terms and compensation. Superintendent Paul Vranish is facing two investigations for allegedly mishandling district funds for personal gain. He denies the allegations but recently resigned during a Jan. 31 after the TISD’s board neglected to extend his contract.

ABC-7 was the only media inside the Tornillo Independent School District’s small board room during Thursday’s public meeting. On the agenda were some items relating to the investigations involving superintendent Paul Vranish’s use of taxpayer dollars. Vranish is accused of mishandling district funds for personal gain and is facing separate investigations by the Texas Education

A trustee position that has been vacant since September at the Tornillo Independent School District is causing concern among some community members. A viewer asked ABC-7 to look into school board seat vacancies and state-mandated deadlines to see if TISD was in compliance. ABC-7 found the corresponding section in the Texas Education Code, which states,

New Mexico State University students are angry over a series of price hikes going into effect this fall. The Board of Regents voted to raise tuition, housing and parking rates. After having their tuition raised every year for the past few years, students said they’re frustrated and terrified of having to take out student loans.

The city of Socorro is one step closer to creating its own paid fire department. Socorro currently has a volunteer fire department, but city leaders passed a measure Thursday to draft a job description for a new, paid fire chief position. “People are in favor of it,” Mayor Trini Lopez told ABC-7. “For years and

As we approach the summer months, the city’s Department of Transportation readies for an increase in graffiti on public and private property. Daryl Cole, the director of the department, told ABC-7 the office typically receives 150 calls a week to remove tagging. Cole said the volume increases by about 10 to 15 percent from June

A free community wireless internet service is set to be shut off by the Tornillo Independent School District following a board meeting Tuesday evening. The service, created in 2004 and provided free of charge by the school district, has more than 500 subscribers in and around Tornillo. According to the district’s website, those interested in

It’s almost unheard of, but at one Texas university it’s becoming a reality — a four-year degree for a little less than $10,000. Officials at the Texas A&M University San Antonio campus announced its new program Thursday morning. The program begins at the high school level where students take dual credit courses for two years,

Greg Dulli, Ben Gibbard, Scott Ian and other rocker fanatics sound off on our national pastime and talk about their favorite Major League Baseball opening day memories. For some, it’s the recent memory of the Red Sox winning a World Series and the pride still felt from that going into the new season. For others

Boxing promoter, Bob Arum announced on Thursday that El Paso’s Sun Bowl has been chosen to host the Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. vs Andy Lee, World Middleweight Championship bout on Saturday, June 16th. The twelve-round title fight will be one eight bouts presented by Arum’s Top Rank, Inc, of Las Vegas, Nevada. The Chavez vs

Las Cruces Police have arrested the parents of four children who recently tested positive for cocaine, according to police officials. Eric Lee Estrada, 30, and Stacey Carreras, 26, both of 2250 Missouri Ave. in Las Cruces, were arrested Wednesday and charged with four counts each of negligent child abuse. Child Protective Services was investigating the

Eddie Vedder has announced the postponement of his 15-city U.S. solo tour today due to temporary nerve damage in his right arm, the result of a back injury sustained earlier this year. Pearl Jam manager Kelly Curtis explains, “After having worked aggressively with doctors and physical therapists for the last eight weeks to repair the

The Diablos are sharing a home with the Santos. Sounds like a religious telenovela take on “The Odd Couple.” Actually, the Santos are a new soccer team that has been playing its home games at Cohen Stadium – same as the Diablos. The Santos are a part of the new Pecos Soccer League has been

ABCNews Joshua Holley, 28, was surfing at his favorite spot off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii’s North Shore, when he felt a push on the left side of his body. “I looked to my left and I saw this really big dorsal fin,” Holley said. “I got this popping sensation in my foot, I didn’t

Update: The show sold out in less than 30 minutes. Previous story: El Paso band At the Drive-In are set to play a warmup show in Marfa, Texas on April 12. The gig will be the band’s first show since going on indefinite hiatus 11 years ago. Ballroom Marfa, known for hosting some of music’s

Upper Valley versus Lower Valley got a bit more interesting when Canutillo residents banded together to send each Fabens Community member a bronx cheer. test ttttt

Neon Desert Music Festival organizers announced more bands to its lineup on Wednesday morning. Bands added include: Le Butcherettes, Penguin Prison, Class Actress, Zechs Marquise, The DA, Eureka the Butcher and Sadah Luna, Dependientes Del Beat, Kontra Golpe Noise Manifesto, and Esteban Carrasco. Previous music acts announced include Moby DJing and Sparta headlining.

On April 1st, the Bureau of Reclamation began releasing water from Caballo Dam into the Rio Grande, according to the National Weather Service. As you may have noticed, the Rio Grande has run dry in El Paso and Dona Ana counties for the past few months. Many have taken advantage of the dry river bed

Seattle and Oakland did play two regular-season games in Japan last week, but the stateside opening night honors go to Ozzie Guillen’s new-look Miami Marlins. They open their Major League Baseball season tonight against the defending World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals at the Marlins modernistic new ballpark on the site of the old Orange

Sunland Park mayor-elect Daniel Salinas will not be sworn in prior to Thursday’s 5 p.m. deadline. The New Mexico Supreme Court has declined to make any special provisions. But the city does have several options and everything appears to hinge on a Sunland Park City Council meeting on Tuesday. The council is expected to decide

A number of law enforcement officials on the southwest border, along with two members of Congress, have asked the Department of Defense to send surplus military equipment from the war in Iraq to the southern border in an effort to bolster security in the region. Congressmen Ted Poe (R-Humble) and Henry Cuellar (D-Laredo), both from

Neon Desert Music Festival organizers announced more bands to its lineup on Wednesday morning. Bands added include Le Butcherettes, Penguin Prison, Class Actress, Zechs Marquise, The DA, Eureka the Butcher and Sadah Luna, Dependientes Del Beat, Kontra Golpe Noise Manifesto, and Esteban Carrasco. Previous music acts announced include Moby DJing and Sparta headlining. Meanwhile, reunited

Autopsy reports for the suspect in native El Pasoan Esme Barrera’s murder show the 25-year-old died by asphyxia, according to a report by KXAN-TV in Austin. Authorities found James Loren Brown with a plastic bag over his head, secured with packing tape. His hands were handcuffed behind his back, according to officials. A suicide note

The NFL and Nike have unveiled new uniforms for all of the league’s teams. Click here to see all 32 new uniforms of NFL teams

Texas Department of Public Safety public information officer Elizabeth Barney tells ABC-7 that the report on the accident that killed DPS trooper Javier Arana Jr. is in. According to the report, Edgardo Antonio Flores, the driver of the Ford Ranger that struck Arana’s patrol vehicle, ran the red light at the intersection of Bob Hope

ABCNews A playful dog that lost a paw was set to be euthanized in California when a veterinary technician stepped in to save him and helped him get a prosthetic paw. Skip the pit bull was two months old when his owners discovered he had a bone deformity. They could not afford treatment and his

Finding shade and a cooling mist can be difficult outside during the summer. But one local inventor thinks he’s come up with a solution. And his product could end up on sale to millions of people through the largest retail chain in the world. Carlos Kato, inventor of the Personal Misting Umbrella, came up with

With the community?s assistance, the El Paso Convention and Visitors Bureau edged out San Marcos in Round One of their quest to host the 2012 Social Media Tourism Symposium (SoMe). In Round Two, El Paso is going toe-to-toe with Buffalo-Niagara, New York. The El Paso CVB is asking the community to play an active role