Month: May 2012

New Mexico Finance and Administration Secretary Tom Clifford has suspended two Sunland Park city officials after a state auditor’s report identified multiple violations of New Mexico law that have resulted in mismanagement of public funds. The report also contains findings related to violations by several former city officials, including the former mayor, two city managers

A three-year ordeal involving police and one of El Paso’s food icons officially ended on Monday when Carlos Diaz de Leon stood in front of El Paso City Hall flanked by two Paso Del Norte Civil Rights Project lawyers. Diaz de Leon, who was one of five men who filed a lawsuit against the City

The New Mexico Corrections Department on Monday distributed the Prison Rape Elimination Act video to wardens at the six state-owned prisons and four privately run prisons. The video will be shown to current and incoming inmates to enable them to reduce their risk of becoming rape victims while incarcerated, Shannon McReynolds, Inspector General for the

Matt Willms, a 7-foot-1, 210-pound center, has signed a national letter of intent with the UTEP Miners. Willms played last season at Findlay Prep, which won its third ESPN NHSI championship in four years. He averaged 8.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks for a 32-1 team. Willms shot 62 percent from the field and

ABCNews Viruses might eventually be able to power the very phone, computer or tablet you?re reading this article on. And we?re not talking about those digital viruses or infestations ? trojans, worms, and whatnot. Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy?s Berkeley Lab have found a way to generate power using human viruses. Yes, those

ABCNews After making his historic remarks on same-sex unions last week, President Barack Obama led a conference call with black church pastors to explain his support for gay marriage, the New York Times reports. The call, which was held with “eight or so African-American ministers,” occurred about two hours after the president’s interview with ABC’s

Police in Tulsa, Okla., say Nolan Richardson III – the son of former Arkansas and Tulsa basketball coach Nolan Richardson – has been found dead in his home. He is the second of Richardson’s children to die at an early age. Officer Jason Willingham said Monday that Richardson III’s wife found her husband dead in

Raymundo Carranza, a 17-year veteran with the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, who was arrested over the weekend by the El Paso Police Department for Accident Involving Personal Injury or Death, met with Sheriff Richard Wiles in regards to the incident and has resigned. El Paso Police have identified the man killed in an alleged

Police tell us the name of the El Paso man who was changing his tire when he was hit by an off duty deputy, is 26-year-old Richard Lopez. Police say 45-year-old sheriff’s deputy Raymundo Carranza was driving east bound in a 2007 Honda Ridgeline pick-up when he struck Lopez, who was changing the flat tire

Campaign finance reports, filed with the United States Federal Election Commission, show that U.S. Congressional candidate Beto O’Rourke has made numerous reimbursements to a company he’s part-owner of, Stanton Street Technology Company. Texas Watchdog, a media group, reported that the O’Rourke campaign has spent $17,786 for web services and social media networking. The practice of

For some El Pasoans, graduation weekend marks a bright milestone with bleak undertones. A Pew Research Center Study released Thursday said only 54 percent of Americans ages 18-24 have jobs. That’s an all-time low for the age group, according to the study. On Friday evening, El Paso Community College graduates received their diplomas and talked

Police were called to the Montana Bar in central El Paso early Saturday morning after a fight ended in a man being stabbed. Police said the victim was taken to University Medical Center in serious condition. Officials on the scene told ABC-7 that several people were detained and questioned, but have since been released. According

Eighty years ago this month, the seventeenth annual commencement ceremony for the College of Mines and Metallurgy (a branch of the University of Texas) took place in El Paso. The class of 1932 had a total of twenty graduates, with nine women graduating with a Bachelor of Arts Degree, and eleven men earning a Bachelor

A man is dead after being struck by a car early Saturday morning in Northeast El Paso. Police are now searching for the person responsible for hitting him. Just after 4:00 a.m. Saturday, dispatchers tell ABC-7, the victim was changing a tire on the westbound lanes of Fred Wilson at the Marshal Road exit near

Expect a mild night with lows in the low 60’s and a very slight chance for showers. Mother’s Day will be a warm one with highs in the upper 80’s and a 20% chance of afternoon and evening showers. Cooler air moves into the region Sunday night which will drop highs to 77 on Monday.

More than a half a million dollars worth of restoration was put into the Magoffin Home which, after being closed for a year, is back open and on display. The executive director of the Texas Historical Commission said a year ago the Magoffin Home was in poor shape. He said wood was painted over to

Police say they received a call just after four this morning reporting a traffic collision. Once officers arrived at the scene they found a vehicle that had been struck by another vehicle — but the other vehicle wasn’t there. Police tell us the driver of car that was hit was dead when they arrived. Special

The Chelsea Outdoor Pool was bustling with kids and parents every summer since it opened in 1956. But after 56 years, the pool is closed indefinitely. City engineer Alan Shubert told ABC-7 the expansion locks, which are found in the concrete bowl where the walls and floors curve, had been leaking. The leaking water then

This week may be a reflection of how divided the nation is on same-sex marriage. North Carolinians banned it. At a federal level, a clear difference with the President – officially saying gay marriage should be legal. The very same day, House Republicans passed an amendment making gay weddings illegal on military installations. Voting records

The Black Keys will perform at 8 p.m. Oct. 10 at the New Mexico State University Pan American Center, according Ticketmaster.com. Tegan and Sara will be the opening act. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. May 18 at all Ticketmaster locations and at Ticketmaster.com. Prices are: US $32.50 Ticket + US $9.65 Fees

Two gun shops were burglarized overnight Monday and El Paso Police said the suspects are on the loose with stolen weapons. El Paso Police Spokesman Chris Mears on Friday confirmed to ABC-7 that suspected burglars broke in to Sportsman Elite, located near Mesa and Remcon, and stole several guns. Mears would not say how many

After a soggy past couple of days, we’ll notice more sunshine today and this weekend, which will allow temperatures to warm back up to 80s. However, there is a chance for rain later this weekend and early next week. The chance for rain is at 10% Sunday and 20% Monday. Temperatures should remain in the

For 22-year-old Javier Lujan this weekend marks a major milestone in his life: college graduation. Lujan will be the first one in his family to graduate from a university, and it’s something everyone in his family is proud of. Lujan said getting that diploma Saturday from New Mexico State University has been a dream years

ABC-7 asked Workforce Solutions Upper Rio Grande what the most in-demand careers are in our area. According to Public Affairs Coordinator Bernadette Flores, the fastest growing occupational categories for our region are: 1. Office & Administrative Support 2. Education, Training 3. Sales & Related Occupations 4. Food preparation & Serving 5. Healthcare Practitioners Other fields

Thunderstorms that started around Silver City and areas to our north around midday are now plowing through southern New Mexico and far west Texas. Severe thunderstorm warnings have been issued for eastern Doa Ana and Otero counties this afternoon and evening. Border Patrol agents at White Sands reported golf ball-sized hail around 5:45 p.m., along

First there was the infamous Tupac Shakur “hologram” at Coachella last month. Then came speculation about which dead artist would be brought back to the concert stage. Now comes word that Freddie Mercury, who died almost 21 years ago, will appear on stage during the 10th anniversary show of the musical We Will Rock You.

Art Mesa is devastated by the mauling death of his granddaughter. “There are no words I can say,” the baby’s grandfather Art Mesa said, with tears welling in his eyes. “I loved her dearly. She was my baby.” Fifteen-month-old Jazilyn Mesa was killed Tuesday morning, after her father’s pet pit bull, Tyson, turned on his

A Northeast El Paso family is outraged after they say their 2-year-old was abandoned on a school bus for hours Wednesday morning. The school bus was operated by head start staff for the Education Service Center-Region 19. Jayden Rodriguez is the boy who was left behind on the bus. He was not hurt and is

Las Cruces Police have arrested a 71-year-old man for allegedly sexually assaulting a young girl when she was between the ages of 4 and 8. Manuel B. “Manny” Patino was arrested in May 2012 and has been charged with four counts of criminal sexual penetration in the first degree, one count of second-degree criminal sexual

El Paso’s Regional Economic Development Corporation (REDCo) and the Paso del Norte Group (PdN Group) will join together as the initial nucleus of what will evolve into a new Regional Economic Development Partnership, according to a news release. Russ Vandenburg, President and CEO of TVO North America and the 2012 Chairman of REDCo, said the