Month: February 2018

In the wake of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, more and more parents are buying their children bullet-proof backpacks. In different parts of the country, companies that sell the product say they’re now flying off the shelves – but they can be pricey. Depending on the brand and

A former campaign treasurer who was found guilty of stealing money from New Mexico State Senator Mary Kay Papen was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison. A Las Cruces jury convicted 46-year-old Steve D. Siddall on one count of forgery over $2,500, five counts of forgery and two counts of fourth-degree larceny

Graduation rates for high schools in Las Cruces are up. Big time. “I don’t know if there’s any secret,” said Dr. Wendi Miller-Tomlinson, the district’s assistant superintendent for teaching and learning. “It’s a lot of hard work on the part of the teachers, students, parents and the community to keep students engaged in school.” The

Three people at a northern Virginia military base have been transported to a medical facility and are in stable condition after a suspicious piece of mail was opened and nearly a dozen people felt ill. A spokeswoman for Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall says people in the office on the Marine Corps side of the base

A judge who was taunted by Donald Trump during the presidential campaign sided with the president Tuesday on a challenge to building a border wall with Mexico, removing what could have been a major obstacle to the signature campaign pledge. U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel rejected arguments by the state of California and advocacy groups

An iconic Nike logo of a leaping Michael Jordan that the company has used to market billions of dollars of merchandise didn’t violate the copyright of an earlier photograph of the basketball star, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday. The logo was based on a photograph taken by someone Nike hired. That photo was “obviously

The Justice Department said Tuesday it will support local officials in hundreds of lawsuits against manufacturers and distributors of powerful opioid painkillers that are fueling the nation’s drug abuse crisis. The move is part of a broader effort to more aggressively target prescription drugmakers for their role in the epidemic, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said.

President Donald Trump has reached an informal deal with Boeing to provide the next generation of presidential aircraft, the White House says. Deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley said Tuesday that the president negotiated a $3.9 billion “fixed-price contract” for the new planes, known as Air Force One when the president is on board. It follows

A utility has reached an agreement with rural electric cooperatives and others as it looks for regulatory approval to build two massive wind farms along the Texas-New Mexico border. Xcel Energy on Tuesday announced the proposed deal with several parties in Texas, which would guarantee customers see a positive net benefit from the wind farms

President Donald Trump never stopped campaigning after winning the White House and now he’s making fresh moves to establish his re-election effort. The president on Tuesday named former digital adviser Brad Parscale as campaign manager for his 2020 election bid, a sign he is prioritizing loyalty as he works to secure his own political future

The El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame is currently accepting nominations for the Class of 2018. Any person wishing to nominate someone for the new class must use the official nomination form found at this link (form is located near the bottom of the page). Be sure to follow the rules listed on that page

A man was found guilty of raping a pregnant woman in 2013 at a room at the Inn of the Mountain Gods in Mescalero, NM. Chris L. Sais, 39, was convicted of two counts of Criminal Sexual Penetration, both second degree felonies, following a two-day trial in Alamogordo. According to court documents, the incident occurred

As the gun debate heats up following the massacre at a Florida high school, companies are under growing pressure to pick a side: whether to stand by the National Rifle Association or walk away. Metlife, Delta and more than a dozen others have decided to end benefits deals offered to the organization’s members. Others, including

A troubled Albuquerque motel that has drawn scorn for attracting drug trafficking and prostitution is being targeted by the city of Albuquerque. Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller announced Monday that city officials have begun the process to declare the Sahara Motel as a public nuisance. Keller says the Sahara Motel has been a crime hotspot for

Justice Department officials are forging ahead with plans to ban rapid-fire bump stocks, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Tuesday – a move that would likely set the stage for long legal battles with gun manufacturers while the devices remain on the market. Sessions said top officials within the department believe gun accessories like the ones

Monica Lewinsky says the affair that led to impeachment proceedings against President Bill Clinton “was not sexual assault” but “constituted a gross abuse of power.” Lewinsky writes in the March issue of “Vanity Fair” that she is “in awe of the sheer courage” of women who’ve been confronting “entrenched beliefs and institutions.” The former White

Two kidnapped Americans from Texas were rescued near the northern city of Monterrey and their two alleged abductors arrested, Mexican authorities reported. The Nuevo Leon prosecutors’ office said Sunday in a statement that the victims traveled to the state on Feb. 17, and lost contact with their families in the United States the following day.

Texas A&M University experts say spring-like temperatures in areas of Texas mean snakes are coming out of winter hibernation, increasing the likelihood of people and pets getting bit. A veterinarian with the school’s Small Animal Clinical Services, Christine Rutter, says she’s already seen cases this year of snakebites on dogs. Dr. Jill Heatley, an associate

Adults over 50 are advised to get a shingles vaccine, in addition to a measles, mumps and rubella booster, according to new guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Over the past three years, cases of mumps have skyrocketed, and officials said the trend may continue in 2018. The disease causes the glands

Eating breakfast for free is an option at IHOP all day today. On National Pancake Day, the national breakfast chain’s participating restaurants are offering dine-in customers a free short stack. In exchange, patrons are urged to donate to IHOP’s charitable partners: The Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and Shriners Hospitals for

The Chicago Bears released safety Quintin Demps along with linebacker Pernell McPhee on Monday in an effort to free up cap space. Demps, a former star at UTEP, broke his forearm in just his third game with the Bears last season. He signed with Chicago less than one year ago, agreeing to a three-year deal

The University of Texas at El Paso has spent tens of millions of dollars in parking garages, but students say parking is still a major issue with the school’s parking system. UTEP is home to more than 25,000 students, and as they prepared to go to class, they didn’t hesitate to stop and answer the

The January 2018 live release rate for El Paso’s Animal Services Center was 87 percent, the highest ever reported. The live release rate is the percentage of animals leaving the shelter alive through adoption, return to owner or transfer. The Animal Services Task Force recently reported the good news to the City Council. The group

It’s not just public high schools in Las Cruces: a district spokesman told ABC-7 the administration building has also received threats. “Every time you look at these incidents or something that’s high-profile like this, it makes us reflect on our vulnerabilities, whether it’s at central office or schools,” said Todd Gregory, the district’s director of

El Paso police said special traffic investigators were on the scene of a serious crash in northeast El Paso. Police tweeted about the incident shortly before 7 p.m. Monday. The crash happened on Dyer Street at Angora Loop. Police said two vehicles were involved in the crash and there were serious injuries. ABC-7 is working

The GO 10 highway construction project is over halfway done. The $158 million project spans nearly 6 miles on I-10 in West El Paso. Since 2015, the way drivers navigate the highway has changed dramatically. “We’re probably on the order of 75-80 percent completed at this point,” TxDOT District Engineer Bob Bielek said. Here’s a

City officials and the Housing Authority of the City of El Paso announced Monday a $40 million renovation of the Blue Flame Building is underway. The building, located at the corner of Stanton and Texas, will be remodeled into the city’s first high-rise residential development in the downtown area. It will be 18 stories tall,

Days after the arrest of a 17-year-old El Paso girl accused of killing her newborn baby, health officials are reaching out to the public to raise awareness about resources available to expectant mothers. El Paso County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Erica Gomez Friday. Investigators say she gave birth to her baby at home and abandoned the

The Las Cruces City Council will soon vote on an incentive to attract more experts in the film industry to the southern part of the state. “There’s a huge demand,” said Marco Olvera, founder and owner of the locally-owned Palamora Productions. Las Cruces city leaders hope to attract the attention of the film industry, in

Las Cruces police arrested a man suspected of exposing himself and masturbating near a gas station where a woman and her son witnessed the incident Saturday Febraury, 24. Investigators say the woman and her 4-year-old son spotted 45-year-old Ricky Rivera, of the 1600 block of Telshor Boulevard, exposing himself from the balcony of his nearby