Month: June 2012

Eddie Espinoza, former Village of Columbus, New Mexico mayor, was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison in connection with a firearms straw purchasing and trafficking operation, according to a U.S. Department of Justice news release. United States District Judge Robert C. Brack also ordered that Espinoza be placed under supervised release for three years

The UTEP football team’s games at Tulsa, Houston and Southern Miss this fall have all been picked up for television, the Conference USA office announced on Thursday. Fox Sports Network will carry the Miners’ game at Tulsa on Oct. 11, with kickoff slated for 6 p.m. MT. The Oct. 27 matchup at Houston will be

Gov. Rick Perry on Wednesday night got on board with County Judge Veronica Escobar’s proposed ban on fireworks through the Fourth of July. Escobar called for County Commissioners to extend Monday’s disaster declaration, banning the use and possession of fireworks past its 60 hour limit. Escobar said she hoped the extension would prove to the

A man who was seriously injured in a rollover crash early Saturday morning in west Las Cruces died Wednesday at an El Paso hospital, according to Las Cruces Police traffic investigators. Joshua Garcia, who turned 29 on Tuesday, was involved in a single-vehicle rollover crash at around 1:30 a.m. Saturday, June 9, near the intersection

If the upcoming 2012 El Paso bond issue passes in July as expected, nearly $47 million will be earmarked for the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office. That money will include $44 million for an expansion of the jail annex in east El Paso, and $3.5 million for an aging fleet of sheriff’s deputy cars. Sheriff

An El Paso teenager took his life earlier this month after being bullied because of his sexuality, according to family and friends. Brandon Elizares was 16 years old and a sophomore at Andress High School. His mother Zachalyn said Brandon’s younger brother discovered his body inside his room. He had apparently died after swallowing pills.

Editor’s note: This story was written by Sgt. John Ortiz, a journalist in the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division who just returned from Afghanistan On a cloudy day at the 1st Armored Division Chapel, the 3rd Brigade Combat Team part of the 1st Armored Division said its final goodbyes June 13 to three

Many people living in the areas hit hardest by the Little Bear Fire had pets and livestock. State and county officials have stepped in to provide evacuees with a safe haven for their animals. There are currently eight shelters set up around both Lincoln and Otero County where people can take animals of all sizes.

For those who enjoy what nature has to offer the Southwest, then the Franklin Mountains State Park is a common place to visit. Access to the area is what officials with the El Paso Water Utility say stops many from visiting the area. A unanimous decision between the EPWU and the City of El Paso

Las Cruces Police arrested a man they say allegedly threw a rock through the window of a vehicle carrying his ex-girlfriend and their two children. Daniel A. Jurado-Estrada, 25, of the 5100 block of Creek Trail, is charged with two counts of negligent child abuse and one count of aggravated assault against a household member.

United States Attorney Robert Pitman, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Mark Morgan and U.S. Department of Education Inspector General Kathleen S. Tighe announced that in El Paso this afternoon, 56-year-old Lorenzo Garcia, former Superintendent of the El Paso Independent School District (EPISD), pleaded guilty to federal charges in connection with schemes to

At Wednesday night’s CISD School Board Meeting.Meeting, the Canutillo Independent School District was dealing with aftershocks from last week’s federal investigation that rocked the El Paso Independent School District Concerns were raised after a 4-year-old email from CISD Superintendent Dr. Damon Murphy emerged, appearing to encourage grade manipulation while he was serving as an associate

El Paso Fire Department investigators believe a handful of dumpster fires and an apartment fire were intentionally set. Officials also think all the fires were set by the same person or persons. The dumpster fires were called in to the fire department around 2:30 a.m. Wednesday. All four of them were in Central El Paso.

The latest attempt to recall El Paso Mayor John Cook has reached a dead end. The recall drive, led by Michael Hayes, started in April amid discontent over the mayor’s tie-breaking decision to overturn a voter-approved ordinance that would have stripped away health benefits for gay and unmarried partners of city employees. That ordinance would

The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) is asking all village of Ruidoso evacuees to conserve drinking water when returning to areas which have been impacted by the Little Bear Fire. The fire may have damaged electrical wires or other water facilities which are critical to producing drinking water. If unable to produce drinking water, the

The Little Bear Fire in the Lincoln National Forest continues to expand at a rapid rate. Officials said the fire grew by about 8,500 acres in just 24 hours Monday morning. Officials said the fire seems to be moving in a northeast direction because of winds and the way the terrain runs. As of Monday,

Were you stuck in that mess on Interstate 10 East Tuesday morning? Texas Department of Transportation said a mistake by a local contractor caused the huge backup. The area is along I-10 East at the Geronimo overpass, just West of the Robert E. Lee and Airway overpasses. Interstate 10 was closed in that same area

While the Little Bear fire in the Lincoln National Forest has not reached Ruidoso, the village is full of activity. It houses the base camp for fire crews and many people who had to evacuate from their homes. Shelters have been set up, but many evacuees are choosing to stay with friends, family, or even

The Little Bear fire in the Ruidoso area has grown to more than 36,000 acres, and has now burned down 224 homes. Thanks to some cooler temperatures, firefighters have made progress and the blaze is now 30 percent contained. They still expect the blaze to be highly active in some areas. New Mexico Gov. Susana

MIDDLEBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) – A store owner in the Massachusetts town of Middleborough says she’s “really happy” that residents have voted to impose fines for swearing in public. At a town meeting last night, residents approved a proposal from the police chief for a $20 fine for the foul-mouthed. Mimi Duphily says she and other

I’m a photojournalist and have been with the KVIA team for six years. I was born and raised in the beautiful Sun City and grew up in the Lower Valley. I will always love the people and the culture that surrounded me growing up. If it wasn’t Sundays at the flea markets with my grandfather,

Doctors say the homeless Miami man whose face was mostly chewed off by a naked assailant is awake and alert and doing “well”, but in need of more surgery. Jackson Memorial Hospital released two photos of 65-year-old Ronald Poppo with his permission on Tuesday afternoon, one showing him walking down a corridor assisted on either

The oaks and the pines are not the only things dying in the Gila National Forest. “It’s just devastated,” outfitter and hunting guide Billy Lee says of the forest. “I don’t know how these people are going to make it.” Those “people” Lee refers to are wilderness guides in the area surrounding New Mexico’s historic

Updated New Mexico Fire Information Ski Apache Live Video Cam Ruidoso Live Video Cam Slideshow: Little Bear Fire Near Ruidoso Fire Crews Make Containment Headway, Ruidoso-Area Residents Worry Wildfire Will Deplete Water Supply Little Bear Fire Continues Expanding Near Ruidoso Wildfires Continue to Burn in Ruidoso, New Mexico Little Bear Wildfire Grows To 26,000 Acres

Federal authorities raided a sprawling ranch in Oklahoma and a prominent quarter horse race track in New Mexico Tuesday, part of an investigation that a published report said was connected to a horse breeding operation run by the brother of a high-ranking official in a Mexican drug cartel. Ruidoso Downs, N.M., Police Chief Doug Babcock

Tensions were high when El Paso County Commissioners discussed $110 million of proposed bonds to improve infrastructure throughout the county. Two separate issues were on Monday’s agenda surrounding the bonds including determining what financial institutions would underwrite the bonds, an action that was tabled last week because some commissioners didn’t feel enough information was made

Tomorrow will be hot with a high of 100 and and partly cloudy skies. Wednesday will be breezy, mostly sunny and even hotter with a high of 102. Thursday will also be breezy with highs in the very upper 90’s and mostly sunny skies. Chances for showers come into the forecast on Friday at 10%

Two new commissioners were approved for the Emergency Services District No. 2 during Monday’s Commissioners Court meeting. Dr. Pamela Padilla and Jerry Knotts, who were two of the first four applicants hired to be reviewed by the entire county commissioners, will begin their terms effective immediately. Previously, candidates were reviewed and approved by a single

Undefeated World Middleweight Champion and the Son of the Legend, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.. will return El Paso, Texas for the first time in nearly six years, headlining “Viva Chvez!” on Saturday, June 16, at Sun Bowl Stadium. After initial concerns from The University of Texas System regarding the world championship event from taking place

USA Today’s Bob Velin questions Top Rank founder and CEO Bob Arum about his storied career in boxing: What has been your greatest moment in your 40-plus years in boxing? Two really come to mind. One is when George Foreman knocked out Michael Moorer to win the heavyweight title. That was spectacular considering when Foreman