KTEP El Paso

Dec 10, 2024 | texasstandard.org | Aaron Montes |KTEP El Paso

KTEP News’ analysis of cases found teenagers and young adults are often the drivers involved in high-speed pursuits by state troopers going after suspected smugglers transporting unauthorized migrants. The strategy is part of Gov. Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Star border enforcement initiative. Kelli Childress, El Paso County’s Chief Public Defender, said her office represented about 300 individuals charged with human smuggling this year. She said many drivers are teens or young adults.

Dec 6, 2024 | texasstandard.org | Angela Kocherga |KTEP El Paso

From KTEP:Desert bighorn sheep are back roaming the Franklin Mountains. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department released about 80 sheep to their historic range as part of a larger effort to return the native animals that disappeared in Texas because of disease and unregulated hunting. “It’s just a dream come true in terms of sheep restoration,” said Jose Etchart, a senior biologist with Texas Parks and Wildlife in El Paso.

Sep 30, 2024 | texasstandard.org | Angela Kocherga |KTEP El Paso

From KTEP:Two years after a deadly shooting at a watering hole near this small West Texas town, the case remains stalled, and the sheriff is now among those calling for justice. “In my opinion they should have been indicted. We should be looking forward to going to trial. If the district judges don’t dismiss it,” said Hudspeth County Sheriff Arvin West, in his first interview since the incident that killed a migrant man and critically injured a woman.

May 31, 2024 | texasstandard.org | Alfredo Corchado |Eduardo Garcia |Eduardo García |Angela Kocherga |KTEP El Paso

From KTEP:MEXICO CITY – Crossing a historic threshold, Mexicans appear poised to elect a Jewish woman as president this Sunday but to otherwise leave politics largely unchanged. Indeed, the vote won’t reflect hunger for a sweeping shift in the country’s direction, according to a nationwide in-home poll commissioned by Puente News Collaborative, an El Paso-based non-profit organization.

May 24, 2024 | texasstandard.org | Angela Kocherga |KTEP El Paso

From KTEP:In a historic vote, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission approved rules for hunting and trapping mountain lions in the state. The unanimous vote by the 11 commissioners banned canned hunts and set a 36-hour limit for checking traps for live mountain lions. Until now, there was no requirement for checking a trap, and the big cats could be left to die of exposure or dehydration. “We don’t need to facilitate negligence.