Month: January 2014

A new education era has begun for a West Texas school district after a testing scandal to bypass federal accountability rules sent an administrator to prison. Attorney Juan Eduardo Cabrera Jr. on Monday begins as superintendent of the El Paso Independent School District. The El Paso ISD board of managers last week approved a contract

A new state law is giving hope to an El Paso man on death row, convicted of killing a baby boy more than ten years ago. The Texas Tribune reports that on Wednesday a judge will hear arguments, then rule on whether or not Robert Avila should get a new trial. Avila was ordered to

For the second time in a year the Santa Teresa Country Club is up for sale to pay back taxes. “The golf course looks dry as the rest of the desert,” saidMike Alavarez, a registered nurse and Santa Teresa resident Alvarez said Santa Teresa Country Club was supposed to help his property values when he

The beginning of a new football era at UTEP fizzled Saturday night. Head coach Sean Kugler roamed the sidelines for the first time, but his team dropped a close game late. The Miners fell behind early against the University of New Mexico Lobos; however, a late surge pushed the game into overtime. In the end

Five years ago, El Paso lost one of it’s most well-known ambassadors. He was a coach, but his reach extended far beyond the court.Don Haskins was the first college basketball coach to bring a national championship to El Paso. He did so when utep was known as Texas western.He also did it with black players,

There was a massive manhunt, but the man still got away.Swat teams, K-9 units and a Texas state police helicopter couldn’t turn up a suspect. According to El Paso Police, the man was being arrested for violating his probation.When he was last seen the man was in handcuffs, but still on the loose. Right now,

Lengthy waits at the El Paso International Airport could soon be a thing of the past if you’re willing to pay for preferred service. El Paso’s airport is one of 60 that will soon join the Transportation Safety Administration’s pre-check program. Since 2011 more than 15 million people have used the program which allows select

Star basketball recruit Isaac Hamilton’s appeal to the National Letter of Intent committee to be released from UTEP was denied, according to UTEP Athletics spokesman Jeff Darby. “We still consider the University of Texas at El Paso to be his best option when you weigh risk versus reward,” UTEP coach Tim Floyd said in a

UTEP kicks off the 2013 football season by hosting the New Mexico Lobos at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Sun Bowl Stadium. Catch up on both teams by clicking the two links below. UTEP version of game notes: http://bit.ly/17Ep6bL New Mexico version of game notes: http://bit.ly/1cPE0gR Tickets are available at the University Ticket Center and

Renewed concerns over the timeline for construction of El Paso’s new ballpark. MountainStar Sports has signed a one-year contract extension this week for a stadium in Tucson. But despite that backup plan, most expect the first pitch to be thrown in El Paso in a little more than seven months. “Everything is focused here on

The company finishing up El Paso’s newest shopping center — The Fountains at Farah in East El Paso — is already planning another shopping center in Northwest El Paso. A new retail development from Centergy Retail will be located by Artcraft Road and Paseo Del Norte, on the Northeast and Southeast corners of the intersection

Architect Lorenzo Aguilar, charged in connection with a public corruption scheme, has admitted guilt. He appeared before federal judge Frank Montalvo this morning and pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud and the Deprivation of Honest Services, according to court records. Aguilar was indicted with former El Paso county judge Anthony Cobos in December

The Dona Ana County Clerk is asking for public donations to fight his legal battle. A group of Republican state legislators filed a legal challenge against him for issuing same-sex marriage licenses. Legislators said he does not have the power to issue same-sex marriage licenses. The filing accuses the clerk of trying to take over

New charges have been filed agasinst a Las Cruces Police officer who resigned after allegations of rape. ABC-7 confirmed Wednesday that the 15-year veteran officer, Mike Garcia, faces multiple counts of sexual assault against a minor dating back to 2004. An attorney with the third judicial district attorney in Las Cruces confirms eight new charges

Chihuahua State police have released a sketch of Diana la Cazadora — or “Diana, the Hunter” as she allegedly calls herself. She is the Juarez woman sought for allegedly shooting two bus drivers in the head after boarding their respective buses. In an email to authorities, a woman who claimed responsibility for the killings identified

Two people are in the hospital after crashing head-on into a semi truck early Wednesday morning. The incident happened at 2:22 a.m. at the intersection of Bomarc and Transmountain. Police say a woman driving a Mustang was heading south on Bomarc underneath the overpass when she ran a red light and hit the semi on

Congressman Beto O’Rourke hosted a town hall meeting on U.S. intervention in Syria, Tuesday night at the El Paso Community Foundation. Over 200 people attended, 63 got up to speak. The meeting lasted from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. O’Rourke is against military action in Syria. He is set to return to Washington where Tuesday,

Former El Paso County Judge Anthony Cobos has pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy to commit mail fraud and the deprivation of honest services. He made the plea on Tuesday according to court records. Cobos was accused of receiving $4,500 in bribes from lobbyists in exchange for his vote as the head of the El Paso

On Oct. 1, enrollment begins for health care insurance under the Affordable Care Act. Applicants will be assisted by local organizations that have received federal grants to help people understand their options and help with the enrollment process. These “navigators” have exactly four weeks to get ready. One local organization, the La Fe Clinic, told

The El Paso Committee who helped draft the redesign of San Jacinto Plaza hopes the City will be able to purchase and retrofit an original streetcar into a caf. The redesign, approved by El Paso City Council, includes plans for a trolley car-turned-cafe in the middle of San Jacinto. But the city hasn’t been able

A 17-year-old girl from Houston is in critical condition at an El Paso hospital after allegedly taking the drug Molly, also known as ecstasy. The teen is still hospitalized, according to the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office. At 2:15 a.m. Monday, sheriff’s officers responded to University Medical Center in reference to the teen, who was

A 15-year-old girl died due to asphyxia by her 18-year-old ex-boyfriend, according to an El Paso County Sheriff’s Office affidavit. According to the affidavit, deputies were sent to Alejandra Arango’s San Elizario home shortly before 4 p.m. on Aug. 5 where they met with her mother. Her mother, Rose Chavira, said she went into the

The El Paso Independent School District board of managers hired Juan Eduardo Cabrera as the district’s new superintendent. Cabrera was named the sole finalist for the superintendent job in early August. The board had named Cabrera a finalist on Aug. 12 but could not appoint him officially until after the 21-day waiting period in accordance

Rural parks don’t get much funding in El Paso County. This year’s budget talks continue at the El Paso County Courthouse, however, the recommendation for this year’s budget is $249,333. By comparison, Ascarate Park is recommended to receive $1.42 million. That amount doesn’t include money used for the pool and golf course. Commissioner Vince Perez

Two young men have been arrested after police say the pickup truck they were riding in crashed through a front lawn and into boat in East El Paso. The incident happened just after 1:30 Tuesday morning on the 11,000 block of Dick Mayers Drive. The truck first crashed through a short rock wall, before hitting

Former El Paso mayor John Cook has made it official: He’s running to be the next Texas Land Commissioner. That office is currently held by Republican Jerry Patterson, who has announced his intention to run for Lieutenant Governor in 2014. Cook says he’s not bothered by the long odds Democrats face in the Lone Star

An El Paso doctor will be sentenced Tuesday after pleading guilty to federal drug charges. Dr. Fernando Gonzalez-Ramos faces as much as 5 years, 11 months in federal prison for running a so-called “pill mill” at a clinic in West Virginia. The FBI reports that Gonzalez-Ramos traveled back and forth from El Paso to West

(CNN) Endurance swimmer Diana Nyad reached the shores of Key West on Monday afternoon, becoming the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida without a shark cage. This was the 64-year-old’s fifth attempt to make the swim. She first tried it at the age of 28, in 1978, Nyad began the swim from Cuba

The Las Cruces Police Department tells ABC-7 “ride-alongs” with police officers have been cut indefinitely. This is a result of the recent arrest of 37-year-old veteran detective Michael Garcia. Last week Garcia resigned, less than five days after he was arrested on felony charges for sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl inside his unmarked police car

ABC-7 crews drove out to Truth or Consequences to learn more about a fatal helicopter crash that happened Saturday. The crash happened near highway 187 just five miles south of T or C. Three people were killed. The cause of the crash is being investigated by the National Transportation Safety board.