by Diego Mendoza-Moyers, El Paso MattersAugust 24, 2023 Gasoline prices climbed by more than 50 cents per gallon in El Paso since last month, hitting an average of $3.95 per gallon of regular unleaded on Wednesday – topping the statewide and national average prices for gas. El Paso and Las Cruces saw gasoline prices increase
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by Elida S. Perez, El Paso MattersAugust 22, 2023 The city’s juvenile curfew ordinance is set to end on Sept. 1 despite a last-minute move by El Paso Mayor Oscar Leeser to keep it in place. Last week, City Council voted to end the local curfew ordinance in an effort to comply with House Bill
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by Ramon Bracamontes, El Paso MattersAugust 18, 2023 Portions of Montwood Drive – from Montwood High School to Hanks High School – will be closed starting Sunday as part of a city street resurfacing project. The closures will be solely on Montwood Drive and will stretch for two miles from Saul Kleinfeld Drive to Lee
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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — UTEP is choosing to keep its tuition and mandatory fees the same for the next two academic years. The University of Texas System Board of Regents just approved the measure for all UT institutions. UTEP last raised its tuition rate in 2021. This new announcement will keep the rate the
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Editor’s note: Following the publication of this article, El Paso City Representative Cassandra Hernandez reached out to ABC-7 to say that Deborah Paz’s complaint against Kennedy and Annello has no connection to her or her campaign. Hernandez says Paz took a minimal role in her campaign after being hired by her campaign manager. While ABC-7
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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — El Paso Police arrested an Odessa, Texas man on a drunk driving charge after investigators say he caused a crash in Socorro. Officers arrested 36-year-old Javier Melendez Jr. just after 1:30 a.m. August 20, 2023. They found him a few blocks away from a fiery rollover crash on the 11800
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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — El Paso County Chief Public Defender Kelli Childress sits down with ABC-7 to talk about the Capital Murder trial of El Paso father Jose Varela and what comes next for the family after his acquittal. Varela was accused of killing his daughter, 2-month-old Velma, in February of 2017. Childress said after spending six years
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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Several law enforcement agencies worked together to recover a 13-year-old found locked inside a suspected stash house in West El Paso. Officials with the Texas Department of Public Safety say a group was using the house for sex and drug trafficking. Officials tell ABC-7 that agents worked with Texas Highway
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by Cindy Ramirez, El Paso MattersAugust 23, 2023 El Paso County is considering adopting a tax rate that would raise some property taxes about $100 a year to fund increased operation costs and pay raises for employees – including hefty salary boosts for county commissioners, the county judge and other elected officials. El Paso County
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VINTON, Texas (KVIA) — Clean-up began Wednesday morning on a pile of clothes dumped behind a vacant business in Vinton, Texas. Residents in the area became curious when a mysterious pile of clothes seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. Images of the pile have circulated around social media in recent days. The pile of
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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Texas Department of Public Safety Special Agents and Drug Enforcement Administration agents arrested 44-year-old Jamiel Alexander Chagra Nichols on Friday for allegedly selling drugs to active duty Ft. Bliss soldiers. ABC-7 has confirmed that Nichols is a member of the infamous Chagra family, well known for drug dealing in West
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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — El Pasoan and Red Cross volunteer Humberto “Beto” Flores gets ready to head to Hawaii in the coming weeks to help with relief operations for those affected during the Maui Wildfires. At least 114 people died in the fires, with that number expected to rise as about 850 people are still
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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — The Borderland has experienced a drier monsoon season this year, and because of that any rainfall that hits our area can impact our roadways. Our dry climate creates the perfect conditions for flooding. When rain hits the overtly dry ground it’s hard for any rain to saturate. This leads to
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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — El Paso County commissioners unanimously approved funds to start a gun buyback program Monday. This comes after growing concerns over a recent uptick in gun violence among teens and young adults. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, firearms are the leading cause of death in children and youth from
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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — A group of Army Veterans from the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity take time out of their busy schedules to help kids at SSG Manuel R. Puentes Middle School by directing traffic. Distracted drivers make mornings outside any school dangerous. John Jones, veteran and fraternity brother, says they started working with
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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — El Paso father Jose Varela has been found not guilty of capital murder and murder in the death of his infant daughter by a jury. Varela was standing trial after being accused of murdering 2-month-old Velma in February of 2017. ABC-7 was in the courtroom when the verdict was announced.
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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Nearly $15 million is headed to El Paso migrant organizations. The money is coming from the Department of Homeland Security through FEMA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, as part of $77 million announced Monday spread out nationwide. The money is being given to support border and interior communities receiving
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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Alice Cooper guitarist Nita Strauss was treated for heat exhaustion after performing at the Sun Bowl Friday. “Turns out I was right about that stadium being hot yesterday- so much so in fact that I experienced heat exhaustion during the show for the first time EMTs told me that my
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UPDATE August 21, 11:38 a.m. — Closing arguments are underway. The jury is expected to begin deliberating this afternoon. Stay tuned to ABC-7 at 5 and 6 for the latest information. EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)- The jury in the Capital Murder trial of Jose Varela heard from the defendant Friday, during day 4 of the
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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — El Paso motorcyclists are raising concerns about the increase in deaths involving motorcycles on Texas roads. This comes after three serious motorcycle crashes happened in El Paso within 24 hours earlier this week. “Look twice before you get on the freeway,” Carlos Atilano, a member of the El Paso Motorcycle
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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — The El Paso Police Department and partner agencies announced 112 arrests — including 46 felony arrests — in less than a month as a part of its violent crime suppression operations, according to officials. EPPD worked with the Texas Department of Public Safety and special agents from both the FBI
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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — El Paso Mayor Oscar Leeser said the city is planning to open a new shelter to host asylum seekers and animals during Monday’s city council meeting, The idea came as the city wants to address both crowding situations; taking animals off the street and combining them with migrants to improve
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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Court documents obtained by ABC-7 break down the two felony charges that a man now faces after walking towards a group of people in the Cincinnati Entertainment District while carrying a rifle. Andres Gabriel Lodoza, 22, was arrested after telling agents with the FBI and Military Police officers that he
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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) – Day 3 of the Capital murder trial of Jose Varela got underway Thursday at the El Paso County District Court. Varela is accused of killing his 2-month-old daughter Velma in 2017. The courtroom heard from Varela’s step daughter, who testified that the defendant came into her life when she was
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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Texas Governor Greg Abbott and the state’s Department of Transportation announced a record $142 billion in total investment for Texas’ transportation infrastructure, which will include El Paso. The record investment includes the unanimous adoption of the $100 billion 10-year statewide roadway construction plan with TxDOT for transportation projects to enhance
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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — El Paso Mayor Oscar Leeser filed a veto against an action taken by City Council during its August 15 meeting that would eliminate the juvenile curfew ordinance. City Council received a presentation Tuesday outlining a new Texas state law, H.B. 1819, which prohibits cities from enforcing their own curfews on
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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Paso del Norte Children’s, a nonprofit organization providing services to children with special needs and their parents, celebrated its 75th anniversary Thursday. Organization leaders, patients and their families, and other stakeholders gathered to celebrate the big milestone. ABC-7 proudly served as media sponsor for the event. Also in attendance, Team
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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — A possible sinkhole opened in the middle of a sidewalk at the Fountains of Farah Wednesday afternoon. The outdoor mall is located in East El Paso, across the street from Cielo Vista Mall. ABC-7 crews captured the sinkhole on video. The damage appears to have affected an entire section of
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EL PASO, TX (KVIA) — The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is actively seeking individuals to join their ranks and contribute to the safety and security of our nation. With a range of compelling programs, one standout opportunity is the Bomb Tech Certification Program, a crucial initiative that ensures the safety of our communities. The
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EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — The City of El Paso has announced El Pasoan Rebecca Munoz as the new Director for the Mexican American Cultural Center (MACC). Munoz begins her new role as the Director of the MACC effective immediately. The new center, which is a part of the Museums and Cultural Affairs Department (MCAD),
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