Broadway Off-Broadway Off-Off Broadway Cabaret Dance Opera Classical Music Minneapolis / St. Paul Connecticut Atlanta Chicago Los Angeles Central New York WEST END UK Regional Canada Australia / New Zealand Europe Asia Latin America Africa / Middle East TV/Movies Music Performances will run from May 23 through June 8 Oceanside Theatre Company haa unveiled the cast and creative team for Latin History for Morons, a razor-sharp, laugh-out-loud chronicle of 3,000 years of Latin American history. Running May 23 through June 8 at the historic Sunshine Brooks Theater in downtown Oceanside, this marks the first professional production of the show outside of John Leguizamo's acclaimed national tour Written by Emmy- and Tony-winning performer John Leguizamo thought-provoking solo play that tackles the glaring absence of Latinos in U.S As a father sets out to help his son with a school project his journey becomes a whirlwind of discovery-from ancient empires and revolutionary heroes to modern-day pop culture and brilliantly comedic crash course in Latin identity "We are incredibly honored to present the first professional production of Latin History for Morons not performed by John Leguizamo, but by the brilliant Rick Najera." says Managing Director "This production marks an exciting evolution of the piece-one that allows us to connect more deeply with our local Latin community share stories that have too often been erased and bring fresh urgency to a narrative that feels even more vital today than when it was written in 2016 and resilience are not just relevant-they're necessary." this production is a thrilling opportunity." says OTC Artistic Director giving new dimension to a piece that's both hilarious and hard-hitting At a time when the world feels increasingly divided fearless comedy to cut through the noise-and Latin History for Morons does exactly that and ultimately unites us through laughter and truth." His original solo shows A Weekend with Pablo Picasso and ¡Cantinflas and his 2014 adaptation El Henry earned the San Diego Critics Circle Award for Best New Play Sigüenza also served as Playwright-in-Residence at San Diego Repertory Theatre and was a cultural consultant and voice actor for Pixar's Coco Najera is the creator and host of Latino Thought Makers and the podcast Najera in America Almost White: Forced Confessions of a Latino in Hollywood often biting look at life as a Latino creative in an industry slow to evolve "I couldn't think of a better actor to take on Latin History for Morons than Rick Najera," said director Herbert Siguenza. "He's been a Latino all his life-so he's more than qualified!" Siguenza added, "Rick and I are thrilled to bring John Leguizamo's powerful work to the stage we need to celebrate and preserve our culture and history." Joining the creative team for the first time are Director Herbert Sigüenza; Movement Consultant Tamara Rodriguez; and Scenic Designer Douglas Cumming, whose art direction in film and television include The Maze Runner, Fantastic Four, and X-Men: First Class. The Old Globe has just announced the full cast and creative team for William Shakespeare’s All’s Well That Ends Well. Two-time Obie Award-winner Peter Francis James (Public Theater’s Stuff Happens, Classic Stage Company’s The Maids, Broadway’s The Merchant of Venice with Al Pacino, Broadway’s Present Laughter with Kevin Kline) directs a cast of 22. The Old Globe has announced the full cast and creative team for William Shakespeare's All's Well That Ends Well. Two-time Obie Award-winner Peter Francis James (Public Theater's Stuff Happens, Classic Stage Company's The Maids, Broadway's The Merchant of Venice with Al Pacino, Broadway's Present Laughter with Kevin Kline) directs a cast of 22. Oceanside Theatre Company haa unveiled the cast and creative team for Latin History for Morons, a razor-sharp, laugh-out-loud chronicle of 3,000 years of Latin American history. Learn more! TuYo Theatre will present the world premiere of La Llorona on the Blue Line, written by Mabelle Reynoso and directed by TuYo Theatre's co-artistic director Dr. Maria Patrice Amon. Learn more! function closestickysocial(){document.getElementById("foxsocial").style.display="none";}@media(max-width:1024px){.most-popular,.video-row{display:block;margin-top:25px}}Videos and exclusive discounts on tickets to your favorite shows © 2025 - Copyright Wisdom Digital Media, all rights reserved. Privacy Policy This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — An El Paso man was arrested after reportedly leaving his 3-year-old child in a car while he was inside a bar in west El Paso on Sunday Officers arrested Alan Alberto Najera Melendez The incident happened on March 16 around 1 a.m A person called the police saying the child was in the vehicle without the vehicle running and said Najera was inside the bar for about three hours When officers arrived they found the child with tears rolling down her face and said "I want my dad" according to the arrest affidavit Officers took the child to a Fire Medical Service Center for a medical check-up and other officers went inside the bar looking for the parent they were told two people had run out the door When officers asked him why he had left the child in the vehicle he said he had to use the restroom officers could smell the odor of alcohol on Najera The bar manager told police Najera had been there for hours and was hiding inside the restroom when police arrived Najera was charged with abandon/endangerment of a child RECOMMENDED: Senator Luján celebrates completion of water projects to boost access in rural New Mexico Sign up to receive the top interesting stories from in and around our community once daily in your inbox Texas - A widely anticipated bill to change dangerous dog laws in Texas faced its first test today San Antonio Rep. John Lujan's HB 2806 was debated in the House Public Health Committee It was left pending so lawmakers could continue to work on it This bill has the same big ideas we've seen in the past including holding owners accountable by upping the penalty if their dog attacks someone It also allows you to anonymously fill out an affidavit for a dangerous dog which is necessary to launch an investigation Lawmakers hope this will lead more people to report neighbors whose dogs consistently escape from their property without fear of retaliation BILL TRACKER: San Antonio lawmakers push for stricter dangerous dog laws If the bill passes, it will be known as the Ramon Najera Act, in honor of the elderly man who was mauled and killed back in 2023. "These aren't unfortunate accidents they are preventable tragedies," Lujan told the committee Abbott's team to find out why the Najera Act was vetoed last year and those changes are reflected in this bill But there are some notable changes in the newest version of the legislation There was a section removed that would have targeted people who continually raise vicious animals It would have barred people from owning dogs if they had multiple dangerous dog convictions It also allows—but does not require—animal control authorities to report attacks if a victim doesn't choose to pursue charges That section will be specifically bracketed to Bexar County according to the committee substitute version of the bill Brad Davenport of San Antonio Animal Care Services testified on the bill in Austin "Although the State of Texas has good dangerous dog laws this bill would help enhance existing law and provide methods to prevent and significantly reduce future attacks," Davenport said "We would be able to designate a dog as dangerous without having to receive an affidavit from a witness or victim." The push comes after several high-profile incidents, including the death of 1-year-old Jiriyah Johnson in October and the fatal mauling of Ramon Najera in 2023 Governor Greg Abbott previously vetoed the Ramon Najera Act arguing that existing state penalties for irresponsible dog owners were sufficient local legislators are determined to revisit the issue Lujan's bill was the first among the dangerous dog legislation to be scheduled for a committee hearing You can track the rest of the bills here “My goal is to bring the campus to the community and bring the community to campus.” Sandy Oliver Lopez Najera, PhD has received the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Award from Chapman University, honoring his outstanding work promoting community empowerment. Lopez Najera is an alumnus of the Doctor of Philosophy in Biostatistics program in the Department of Population and Public Health Sciences at Keck School of Medicine of USC He is currently an instructional associate professor of mathematics at Schmid College of Science and Technology at Chapman University Lopez Najera is an experienced statistician who has worked across industry and academia, and bringing people together and lifting them up is a calling he is passionate about. At USC, Lopez Najera co-founded the Graduate Society for Biostatistics and Epidemiology a student organization which has grown to include dozens of members and provides a peer community to graduate and undergraduate students he has spearheaded campus education following federal policy changes brought in partnerships with pipeline programs serving local youth and is serving the local community as an advocate for access to higher education Lopez Najera becomes known for his wealth of knowledge and he has shaped his career as a vessel to help others The award highlights the efforts of someone that embodies Dr and by three students that wrote letters of support for me One of the students wrote about the mentorship that I provided him outside of class – life mentorship How can I support you in your professional development goals Anything that you want to process out loud that I can support you with I try to be there for students that can identify something in me that makes them feel safe or that makes them feel like they can reach out to me How do you initially connect with those students I try to get all my students to realize how capable they are because I typically see non-STEM majors in my classes and an opportunity to present at the Student Scholar Symposium at the end of the semester for extra credit Sometimes in office hours students might share some personal detail that allows me to envision how I could support them in the realm of my academic role and if they trust me then a mentorship relationship can begin if they’re open to it last semester there was a student that was struggling attending class Anytime students are struggling with attendance I’m not going to judge them for their lack of attendance I remind them to let me know if there’s anything I can do to support I kind of had a feeling that the student might be struggling with something at home is everything okay?’ I think sometimes that’s all they need to really open up I want to help because I see myself in their struggles and how hard it is to have your personal life I want to be a support so that they can go through the process and have effective strategies to manage their stress so that they don’t create more damage as they’re trying to achieve I hosted educational forums for the campus community to learn about policy changes taking place I was educating our campus community on what that means and on how that’s going to affect students that are currently at Chapman I also collaborated with campus partners so that we could come up with ways to educate our community and to provide support to this complicated issue I think that was probably how I began to build a reputation on campus Has helping people and creating community always been something you have been drawn to One of my mottos is “If it isn’t there I worked at a nonprofit organization – back then it was named the Achievement Institute of Scientific Studies but they recently changed their name to the Achievement Institute for STEM Scholars It’s a nonprofit organization that recruits students from Santa Ana Unified Their purpose is to introduce under resourced students to STEM careers and majors not only are students familiar with a career and a major that they could pursue I started figuring out ways to bring that organization to campus My goal is to bring the campus to the community and bring the community to campus Then we’re good neighbors and partners with our surrounding community It’s one of the reasons I pursued a PhD – there’s a different level of access and credibility and I can use that to create some good in my community I was in a master’s program in applied mathematics and I didn’t know what I wanted to do and I was waiting for something to come through One of the required courses was biostatistics and the professor mentioned that if any of us would be interested in pursuing a higher degree in biostatistics that he knows a man by the name of Stan Azen at USC and you’re definitely qualified for this program so I’m gonna help you the best way I can.’ And that was it I remember walking away from that meeting with such a sense of relief I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do clinical trials and research.’ I always want to help people so I thought I could use whatever skill set I’m developing to help a community find effective therapies for different conditions that may be afflicting them and to this day we still meet to catch up or collaborate I did work in industry as a biostatistician for about seven years right after graduating so I did fulfill that desire to contribute to scientific discoveries that could potentially be beneficial for people I’m grateful for that and for my experience at USC the staff members created a lot of impactful change for me finding avenues and resources throughout my time there They are where a lot of the heart of the institutional community lies Biostatistics has opened many doors of opportunity to serve for me I’ve been a non-affiliated scientific board member of the Southern California Kaiser Institutional Review Board since 2014 helping protect human subjects in research What is something that you enjoy about your current position I have the opportunity to help students change the way they think about the world and to become critical in the way they select the information they consume I tell my upper division students – specifically the STEM majors – that either they are currently in a position now where people will depend on them to translate scientific complicated information in a way that the general public can understand so that they can make informed choices and better decisions about their livelihood I take that responsibility very seriously in the examples I bring to class What advice do you have for students who might want to follow in your footsteps You shouldn’t compare yourself to what you see in others’ paths Sometimes other peoples’ career paths seem very linear and it almost seems impossible from your perspective to repeat the process I think everybody has different challenges and things that they need to overcome One day your path is going to seem very linear and easy to others because of all the problem solving and things that you figured out along the way It took me 15 years from the time I graduated high school to finally get a PhD One of the things my dad used to tell me when I would be really down is and you will either arrive there with very little preparation and nothing to show for the time that you’ve been waiting and you could be ready to take advantage of all the opportunities.’ So Phone: (323) 442-1900 Copyright © 2025 University of Southern California Nájera captures narratives of UC Riverside students in “Learning to Lead: Undocumented Students Mobilizing Education” When Jennifer R. Nájera found herself teaching courses on immigration and education at UC Riverside she realized the books listed in her syllabus did not fully capture the realities faced by many of her undocumented students.  whose family returned to Mexico due to a family death wanting to complete his last five quarters at UCR He soon found himself in a dark reality: alone and unemployed due to his lack of Social Security number Sergio crossed the Arizona desert where a human smuggler Left to die and with his feet bleeding and blistered both eventually making it across the desert with the help of strangers who gave them water and food Jorge anxiously waited in Riverside — in the midst of finals — to hear back from his father In her new book, “Learning to Lead: Undocumented Students Mobilizing Education,” published Oct Nájera tells the stories of UCR students who learned to navigate life without U.S citizenship — at times becoming advocates for themselves and for their peers “I wrote ‘Learning to Lead’ because of the undocumented students I was meeting in my classroom students who had stories that I did not feel were being captured in the books we were reading,” said Nájera an associate professor of ethnic studies who in 2015 authored “The Borderlands of Race: Mexican Segregation in a South Texas Town (University of Texas Press).  and details that leave the reader with a heartache illustrating the very real impact immigration education policies have on students’ lives.  For years Nájera connected with undocumented students on campus in attempts to understand their lives and how not having U.S citizenship impacted their employment possibilities Then she spent five years writing this book Nájera said most students in her study found out they were undocumented when they were getting ready to apply for college “Learning to Lead” attempts to present the limitations and the possibilities of education to humanize undocumented communities Nájera sees her work for this book as research acompañamiento The book highlights UCR student organizations that provided critical support to undocumented students Among those important groups is Providing Opportunities PODER has been a pillar of support since 2008 when it was created by undocumented students and allies; the group created a series of workshops to educate students and their families about state and federal immigration laws as well as the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Other organizations include La Unión Estudiantil de la Raza a brotherhood created in 1992 with the intention of supporting Latinx/Chicanx men attending UCR and wanting to give back to their community UER friends were crucial for students like Jorge She also mentions Chicano Student Programs an office created 52 years ago to offer academic in addition to high school programs such as AVID and Puente have positively changed the outcomes of UCR Latinx students Through conducting interviews and research Nájera understood that these students’ stories started at home — the realities of immigration and all the vulnerabilities undocumented people face “Parents had installed in them an understanding of legal status and their limitations for mobility and possible connections with ICE,” Nájera wrote they had also learned about resilience and advocacy lessons that would compel them to move forward even when they faced challenges away from home The undocumented education that their parents gave them established the foundation of two things: critical consciousness and empowerment.”  February 2025 — Details coming soon!  Nájera guides readers through deep storytelling and profound emotional connection to each of the undocumented college students featured in this beautiful book The compelling stories of their full humanity demonstrate so powerfully that ‘education’ happens in families It is a must-read for anyone interested in college students coeditor of "We Are Not Dreamers: Undocumented Scholars Theorize Undocumented Life in the United States" tel: (951) 827-1012 email: webmaster@ucr.edu The Golden West Trailblazers highlighted the 2024 All-East Yosemite League high school football team honors The league's respective coaches voted Golden West sophomore quarterback Jayden Najera as the EYL Most Valuable Player led the Trailblazers (10-2) to an outright EYL championship with a perfect 5-0 record It was the program's first absolute league title since the 2001 season Najera threw for 1,021 yards with 11 touchdowns He also ran for 247 yards and four rushing touchdowns was selected as the EYL's Coaching Staff of the Year Redwood junior running Jimmie Burk was selected as the EYL's Offensive Player of the Year after rushing for 904 yards in five league contests earned the EYL's Defensive Player of the Year award the Trailblazers swept the league's top linemen awards was the 2024 EYL Defensive Lineman Most Valuable Player and senior left tackle Alex Carmona garnered the league's Offensive Lineman Most Valuable Player honors Golden West also had eight other All-EYL first-team honorees: All-EYL awards were voted by the league's respective coaches Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInGADSDEN COUNTY (WCTV) - A man was found guilty this week for his wife’s stabbing death in 2022 at their Gadsden County home according to the Second Judicial Circuit of Florida State Attorney’s Office Juan Najera-Santana was found guilty of second-degree murder with a weapon after a three-day trial His guilty verdict stems from the deadly stabbing of his wife that happened in December 2022 after the two got into an argument Najera-Santana stated during the trial that he lost control and did not remember stabbing his wife the press release indicated that he took responsibility for her death Gadsden County deputies responded to Najera-Santana’s home in reference to a homicide Deputies arrived on the scene and entered the home to find him lying on top of his wife’s body who State Attorney Jack Campbell said Najera-Santana had been married to for several years and had two children with Najera-Santana told the responding deputies that he was sorry for what he had done After being interviewed by law enforcement the state attorney’s office said he confessed to stabbing his wife to death after an argument He is expected to be sentenced on April 4 at 2 p.m To keep up with the latest news as it develops, follow WCTV on Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky and X (Twitter) Have a news tip or see an error that needs attention? Write to us here Please include the article’s headline in your message Be the first to see all the biggest headlines by downloading the WCTV News app. Click here to get started Samantha Najera is a local content creator and former KSAT employee She is celebrating the season five premiere of her popular local digital “Bean & Chisme Show” on Facebook and YouTube Najera opens up with KSAT’s Ernie Zuniga about her journey as a business owner single mom and former Peter Piper Pizza hostess The segments feature a diverse range of guests small business owners and everyday individuals Read more Pickup Lines segments here Copyright 2025 by KSAT - All rights reserved Ernie Zuniga is a veteran TV and media personality in San Antonio and is a community-based journalist at KSAT Email Newsletters KSAT RSS Feeds Contests and Rules Contact Us KSAT Internships Careers at KSAT Closed Captioning / Audio Description Public File Current EEO Report Terms of Use Privacy Policy Do Not Sell My Info FCC Applications Copyright © 2025 KSAT.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application of Sanford passed away on Saturday July 27 The family will greet friends from 12:00 until 2:45 pm Saturday (8/10/2024) at Rogers Pickard Funeral Home Graveside services will follow at 3:00 pm at Buffalo Cemetery and most importantly spending time with her family She is preceded in death by her brother Eriberto “Eddie” Najera She is survived by her mother Maria Najera (Miguel Espinosa); daughters Jaycee McLean Iyanna McLean; brother Julio Cesar Quiroz Najera (Breanna); sisters Estefania Najera (Luis) and Maria Nambo Najera; nieces and nephews Dani Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors President Donald Trump participates in a National Day of Prayer at the White House. WATCHHusband of Soledad Najera admits he helped take wife to a field and killed her: Warrantby KAYLEE SHIPLEY ROBERT LOCKLEAR and CHERISSE HOFFMAN | WSET (WSET) — The husband of a woman who has been missing for eight years out of Pittsylvania On Wednesday during the continued execution of a search warrant of Moorefield Bridge Road was arrested by investigators for the abduction and murder of a missing person Escalante was arrested without incident near his residence He was charged with one count of Abduction and kidnapping punishable by a term of imprisonment of not less than one year nor more than 10 years or in the discretion of the jury or the court trying the case without a jury confinement in jail for not more than 12 months and a fine of not more than $2,500 Escalante is also charged with one count of first-degree murder punishable by imprisonment for 20 years to life and a fine of up to $100,000 RELATED: Officials responding in Pittsylvania County are searching for a woman who vanished in 2016 Escalante is being held without bond in the Pittsylvania County Jail Investigators from law enforcement agencies remained on-scene at Moorefield Bridge Road to complete the execution of the search warrant ABC13 obtained a warrant into the case and confirmed that Escalante was Najera's husband The warrant details the timeline of the case the Pittsylvania County Sheriff's Office received a call from Escalante on March 21 who claimed that his wife had left him for another man But there were no further updates in her story until October 2022 That's when the warrant said Najera's sister called the sheriff's office wanting an update on the missing investigation which included multiple interviews with Escalante Escalante admitted he helped kill his wife the accused [Escalante] admitted he assisted another person in duct-taping his wife Soledad Najera's hands and eyes and that he assisted in forcefully placing her in a vehicle where she was taken to a field located in Pittsylvania County and intentionally murdered and buried," the warrant reads Escalante was in court for an arraignment in the Pittsylvania County Juvenile and Domestic Court He requested to be given a court-appointed attorney Despite the judge saying she didn't think he qualified for a public defender she granted his request due to the nature of his charges Escalante will be back in court for his preliminary hearing on Jan ABC13 is still working to get answers to the following questions Former Carlsbad High School wrestler Marcus Najera looks to take a winning high school record to New Mexico Highlands University this fall He signed a national letter of intent to wrestle for the New Mexico Highlands (NMHU) Cowboys in Las Vegas Najera started wrestling in Maryland when he was five years old His father Michael was in the military and moved around for nearly 20 years before settling in Carlsbad nearly six years More: Carlsbad High School graduate earns All-American junior college wrestling honors The elder Najera coached Marcus on various youth wrestling teams and also served an assistant coach for the Carlsbad High School wrestling team Marcus Najera started wrestling for the Cavemen while in eighth grade He placed sixth in the state wrestling meet As each year progressed his finishes were higher including a second-place finish in the 114 pound division during the 2023 state tournament “It was rough at first,” Najera said of his final year wrestling for the Cavemen “I went up in weight class from 121 to 114 I think I did pretty good overall,” he said More: Carlsbad wrestlers plan for college wrestling career Najera finished second at the state tournament in 2022 Wrestling is a mainstay in the Najera family as Marcus’ older brother Matthew completed his freshman year for the Cowboys in 2023 According to the NMHU Athletics Department website the Cowboys finished seventh in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) Colorado Mesa won the 2023 conference title The Cowboys were 7-11 overall and 1-6 in RMAC action in 2023 More: Six Carlsbad wrestlers place at State tournament Cody Cole is the head wrestling coach at NMHU The Cowboys had nearly 15 student-athletes from New Mexico competing on the team in 2023 Marcus Najera said a family familiarity with the Cowboys attracted him to Las Vegas “The team is mostly people from New Mexico My parents know half the people on the wrestling team there,” he said Mike Najera said he wanted Marcus to attend NMHU even though other schools were looking at him More: Artesia High School makes history with first ever home varsity wrestling matches “I really wanted him to wrestle his brother Matching up they can really push each other,” he added The elder Najera wrestled during his time in the military and passed that knowledge and training to his sons “Wrestling is very tough and mentally exhausting I wrestled for a (military) post team for a couple of years,” he said Marcus Najera said he likes to wrestle on his feet as opposed to wrestling an opponent on the mat More: Carlsbad fighter seeks world championship in December jiujitsu competition Before a match he generally prepares by walking around and listening to music Some of his goals as an incoming freshman include helping the Cowboys claim an RMAC title and winning some matches Marcus Najera plans to major in elementary education at NMHU with a possibility of coaching younger youths in wrestling after graduation Mike Smith can be reached at 575-628-5546 or by email at MSmith@currentargus.com or @ArgusMichae on Twitter « Back SAN ANTONIO – It was a brutal and bloody scene in February 2023. Ramon Najera was trying to save his wife from two 65-pound Pitbulls when they turned on him He died in the front yard of his seamstress and his wife’s injuries were so severe she needed special wound care at Brooke Army Medical Center It wasn’t the first time these dogs had attacked someone and that is why a federal lawsuit has been filed according to Najera’s family attorney Marion Reilly The Najera family is suing the City of San Antonio and City Attorney Andy Segovia for damages arising from “a grievous and preventable tragedy.” The lawsuit was filed on Friday “Basically because the city had the ability and the potential to stop the dogs once they had them in their possession They really failed to protect the community And states and municipalities have an obligation to make sure that everybody within their community is equally protected,” said Reilly this suit states the dogs who attacked the couple had been deemed dangerous and taken off the street before and the city knew these dogs had been involved in two or three incidents before the attack on Feb The lawsuit states the City Of San Antonio’s Animal Care Services still released the dogs back to the owners resulting in severe injuries to Janie Najera and the death of Ramon Najera it was revealed that ACS had previously impounded the dogs for another attack and had received multiple complaints about them over the past two years It was also disclosed that San Antonio police had been called to the Moreno and Schnieder’s home more than 100 times in two years for various disturbances “What’s sad about this is the city has a habit of failing neighborhoods that already have some issues You’d never have three vicious attacks like this But when it gets to disadvantaged neighborhoods KSAT reached out to the city for comment on this Federal Civil Action lawsuit The City Attorney’s Office released the following statement The responsibility for the actions of pets lies with the pets’ owners and in this case the owners have been found criminally liable The City has not yet been served with the suit The City will investigate the claims and address them in the litigation if needed The Najera’s attorneys acknowledge the lawsuit won’t bring Ramon Najera back “What we can do is we can stop this from happening again is that if the city does what it’s supposed to do that these kinds of things don’t happen,” Reilly said Janie Najera has never talked publicly about what happened that day She sat down with KSAT’s Steve Spriester and talked about the haunting images she still lives with and what justice in her and her husband’s name looks like You can watch that interview Tuesday at 10 p.m Copyright 2024 by KSAT - All rights reserved Steve Spriester started at KSAT in 1995 as a general assignments reporter Willy Chavarria moves people. His work touches them at their core and compels them to be part of what he’s doing. Professional skateboarder and adidas team rider, Diego Nájera dreamed of one day walking in a Willy runway show but Nájera also emerged as one of the central faces of the newly announced Willy X adidas collaboration Below Nájera explains the unforgettable experience of making his NYFW debut and what it meant to do it for Willy I should have known then that something big was in the works I love his work and we have mutual friends He was exactly how he is: himself and real How did you go from meeting him in Paris in June to walking in his show in September Willy invited me to his studio when we first met in Paris I came to New York to film (a skate video) for my friend Ben’s brand So we both went to Willy’s studio together We brought Willy his favorite cookies and a Grand jacket as gifts for him We were supposed to be there like 20 minutes but ended up all talking for two hours Willy told me he’d really like for me to walk his show I hit up adidas and they helped me come back for the show and made sure I was here days early for fittings and anything else needed What was the experience like to walk in your first show but also the meaning behind this collection and show So grateful to be a part of such a meaningful moment but models had to arrive at 1:30pm for make-up and doing photos It was sick to see how the whole process works and meet so many cool people backstage all my nerves were full of joy and ready to walk There was direction on stance and walk and what they wanted us to do It’s everything I would personally buy and wear White hoodie with Willy Chavarria written in old English arched across the chest White track jacket with royal blue accents White track bottoms that zip off into long shorts with unique patterns It’s the baggy silhouettes of the pieces that makes them fit so comfortable and unique You have to wear and touch the pieces to see how special they really are What does it mean to you to be in Willy’s show You never see a Mexican designer get to the level Willy has he still celebrates us and all of humanity It’s amazing to see him get so much love and support It’s such a blessing to walk in his show period What else did you do while in New York during Fashion Week All the good things you do when you’re in New York Headed on a domestic adidas trip right from New York Stay locked in on the things I envision and accomplish them Schiaparelli’s Spring–Summer 2025 accessories collection is led by the soft which has a curved hobo shape and little gold charms that form a face on its handle​ It comes in hand-spray-painted suede—turquoise fading into caramel—and in grained leather in sand The line also includes bright red acetate sunglasses with a tiny keyhole detail at each temple a fine wire necklace shaped like a fish skeleton with a pearl and zebra-print Facebags decorated with enamel and brass “eyes  Measuring Tape sandals in nude leather embroidered with gold add a playful twist while sculptural bracelets and ribbon-style earrings echo the collection’s anatomical motifs these pieces blend art and fashion in a bold surreal way—exactly what Schiaparelli does best Originally launched in 1978 Timberland’s iconic 3-Eye Lug Boat Shoe—affectionately dubbed “La Bateau” is getting a bold revamp through a new collaboration with French fashion house Jacquemus Trading out their iconic “construction yellow,” synonymous with their brand and their famous Original Yellow Boot™ for designer Simon Porte Jacquemus’ signature “banana yellow.” Merging rugged New England grit and romantic French Riviera playfulness Keeping the aspects that have made it a staple for decades the Timberland & Jacquemus 3-Eye Lug Boat Shoe keeps its premium leather but introduces new details like metal lace keepers and squared-off eyelights giving it a more Paris than Portsmouth edge The design is stepping far from boat decks and into wardrobes around the world dropping April 23rd online and select stores MM6 Maison Margiela and Salomon continue to push boundaries with the latest evolution of their creative partnership — a collaboration rooted in shared innovation and a mutual aptitude for redefining functional fashion the collection reimagines the running wardrobe through a fashion lens adapting effortlessly to the fast pace of urban life Launching as part of the Spring/Summer 2025 AVP collection this genderless capsule is a seamless fusion of Salomon’s technical prowess and MM6’s avant-garde sensibility Dropping in two waves — April 17th and May 8th — the collection blends lightweight performance fabrics with unconventional silhouettes and signature design elements from both houses Highlights from the collection include a reworked MA-1 bomber crafted from translucent windproof ripstop and a pair of exaggerated wide shorts and fitted shorts are elevated with graphic elements that nod to MM6’s irreverent spirit; oversized logos Footwear takes center stage with the return of the XT-4 Mule sneakers in two seasonal colorways and the introduction of Salomon’s Spectur 2 road shoe Available online at MM6 Maison Margiela and Salomon’s official websites Please confirm that you are at least 18 years old Sal Salazar Adam Barraza SAN ANTONIO – Janie Najera remembers seeing the dogs bark and charge the fence in the yard next door but what happened next would shatter her world I can’t get the dog off of me.’ And I was screaming to see if somebody could hear us recalling the deadly dog attack that happened in February 2023 on Depla Street Janie Najera was bitten and knocked to the ground by the pitbull, and her husband jumped out of the car to save her. Ramon Najera didn’t survive the attack I’m thankful that the fire department got there,” she said “My husband is my hero because he saved my life I think the dogs would have finished me up too.” Janie Najera has never sat down for an interview but chose now because she wants justice for her husband you can watch the entire interview with Janie Najera in our Spriester Sessions The Najera family is making sure the dogs’ owners The couple pleaded guilty to a charge of dangerous dog attack resulting in death in August and are in the punishment phase of the trial Janie Najera testified in the trial on Tuesday and tearfully recounted the harrowing incident the painful recovery from the dog bites she suffered and the guilt of surviving the ordeal The family has also filed suit against the city The family alleges San Antonio’s Animal Care Services knew these dogs were dangerous well before the deadly attack if they would have done what they had to do They could have done a lot more,” Janie Najera said and what she believes justice should look like they could have used the guns and those dogs But I’m just thankful that the fire department came to my rescue and I thank them from the bottom of my heart A Gadsden County man was convicted this week of second-degree murder in the 2022 stabbing death of his wife the 2nd Judicial Circuit State Attorney's Office announced when he faces up to life imprisonment before Circuit Judge Ronald Flury Gadsden County Sheriff’s deputies responded to Najera-Santana's Chattahoochee home finding that he had stabbed his wife of "several years," killing her Her name is redacted from available records "Deputies found the defendant lying on top of the victim’s body when they entered the home," a State Attorney's Office news release says "The defendant told the responding deputies that he was sorry for what he had done." explaining the stabbing happened after he had confronted his wife accusing her of infidelity with another man who were in the home when the killing happened He "called his mother and told her what had taken place and that he needed her to come get" his children he "testified on his own behalf and stated he lost control and did not remember stabbing his wife but ultimately took responsibility for her death," prosecutors said The jury deliberated for just over three hours before returning a verdict of guilty for second-degree murder with a weapon Under Florida law second-degree murder is when a death is not premeditated but there's evidence the perpetrator had a "depraved mind" without "regard (for) human life." The case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys McLane Edwards and James Beville Tallahassee attorney Matthew Williams defended Najera-Santana Jim Rosica can be reached at jrosica@tallahassee.com. Follow him on X: @JimRosicaFL appeared in court Thursday facing several charges in connection with the disappearance and murder of his wife authorities have yet to locate Najera's body Escalante reportedly told authorities that Najera left him for another man An investigation began in 2022 when Najera's sister from Colorado called the Sheriff's Office to ask for the status of Najera's missing person investigation RELATED: Husband of Soledad Najera admits he helped take wife to a field and killed her: Warrant investigators testified that Escalante admitted to assisting a man named Pedro in duct-taping Najera's hands and eyes before placing her in a truck Escalante reportedly wanted his wife to confess to infidelity Escalante told authorities that he did not go with Pedro and Najera Pedro later informed Escalante that something went wrong and he had struck Najera in the head with a pickaxe Investigators believe Najera's body may be on Oak Hill Southern Megasite at Berry Hill That's where Escalante drove them when they asked him where he believes her body is Escalante's case is set to proceed to a grand jury Authorities continue their efforts to locate Najera's body as the investigation unfolds Rose Ann E. Gutierrez, Ph.D., assistant professor of equity and diversity in education in the College of Education & Human Development recently moderated a pivotal panel at the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) annual conference a doctoral student at the University of Nevada who co-chairs the ASHE Presidential Commission on Undocumented Individuals led discussions during one of the conference's featured sessions titled "Entering a Post-DACA Era: Navigating Post-DACA Realities with and for Undocumented Students in Higher Education." With the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program set to phase out and no undocumented high school graduates eligible for DACA after 2025 higher education and employment opportunities for undocumented students face significant challenges The panel explored how institutions can support these students amid evolving policies and a challenging sociopolitical climate "This session underscores the need for universities to be more vigilant in creating anti-xenophobic and anti-racist environments and actionable support systems for undocumented students who are navigating the intersections of racism and legality in a post-DACA reality," Gutierrez emphasized Gutierrez’s research focuses on racial equity and intersectional justice in education She examines how racial inequities persist within higher education systems and explores how students—particularly low-income and first-generation students of color—navigate these challenges sheds light on the role higher education institutions play in shaping student pathways and outcomes across P-20 Janet Najera, a first-year doctoral student in the Equity, Diversity, & Language Education program shared practical strategies for fostering resilience and inclusivity “Being a part of this panel and engaging with fellow advocates from various states in the nation highlighted the importance of standing together in solidarity in advocating for undocumented students and communities as a whole Najera’s passion for advocacy stems from having family members and friends who were undocumented themselves “I always knew that I wanted to help and after being in several professional roles that focused on supporting students and families from underserved communities I knew that this is what spoke meaning to me My passion deeply lies in being able to advocate for more inclusive policies and opportunities to support a more equitable future for the undocumented community as a whole.” Emphasized the need for increased institutional support for undocumented students especially those entering higher education post-DACA and it's crucial to continue advocating for permanent reform solutions." “Being a first-generation doctoral student in the program Gutierrez’s guidance and commitment to advocacy I am also very thankful to have been provided with the opportunity to engage as a panelist at my first national conference to provide information on such an important topic "I would like to express my gratitude to Vice President Michael Flores from the Office of Government and Community Engagement, as well as the Graduate School Association as these opportunities play a crucial role in advancing the professional development of Ph.D Najera plans to use her research to expand support services and resources for undocumented students aiming to break down barriers and drive policy changes Giving Day: The Wolf Pack Way raises over $750,000 From literacy to leadership: empowering voices across borders candidate in literacy studies in the College of Education and Human Development and preschool educator at the Child and Family Research Center (CFRC) Reno to hold annual ‘Honor the Best’ celebration The Wolf Pack will celebrate outstanding individuals who have demonstrated exceptional achievement on May 13 and the diversity of research topics all made me feel like I was in exactly the right place' 2025 Three-Minute Thesis competition finalists announced A peek into Nevada Woman Filmmaker of the Year’s newest documentary Reynolds School of Journalism students awarded over $184,000 in scholarships More than 60 students were honored at the annual Savitt Awards Banquet Leading with safety: professor of microbiology and immunology recognized for displaying excellence in lab safety and research team voted recipient of 2025 Excellence in Laboratory Safety Award Engineering faculty developing wearable tech that could treat depression Electrical & Biomedical Engineering Assistant Professor Jihwan Yoon’s device would deliver radiofrequency pulses to brain regions involved in mood regulation and cognitive function Neighborhood ‘ambassadors’ needed to help prepare communities for wildfire Reno and the Nevada Division of Forestry holding informational meeting May 7 Honoring faculty through awards and fellowships Extension offers Home Horticulture Certificate Program Program provides information for home gardeners and those interested in becoming Master Gardeners College of Education & Human Development hosts first-ever Student Teaching Welcome Celebration Students discover where they will be student teaching in Fall 2025 Doctoral student and professor selected for prestigious International Science Education Institute chosen to participate in the 2025 Abell Institute He's got adidas and Grand Collection supporting him and his talent on the skateboard is still undeniable.  Enter this new edit by Grand Collection, that shows Diego on a solo trip to the skateboarding Mecca of Tokyo Japan with equal parts banging clips and lifestyle footage Come for the Lost in Translation voiceovers Tokyo's neon nightlife look dreamy here captured brilliantly by JP Blair Lost in Translation came out over 20 years ago but Scarlett Johansson's quotes still ring true about the fabled city jetlag—Diego fights 'em off with nighttime strolls through Shibuya gettng fresh rows and of course the authentic local cuisine but we'll never know how good Diego is at karaoke how classic are hte 'yoke scenes in LIT Crispy white high tops and flowing adi trackies Diego makes quick work of Japan's night spots the ender switch tricks are just what you'd expect Pretty cool way to sum up a trip to Tokyo and give the internet wormhole something unique By Blair AlleyBlair Alley is the Content Director for TransWorld SKATEboarding An El Paso man was arrested after police found his crying 3-year-old daughter alone in a car as he drank at a bar was arrested on suspicion of abandoning or endangering a child with intent to return No attorney for Najera is named in court records El Paso Police Department officers responded to a report of a child found alone in a vehicle not running about 1:13 a.m March 16 in the parking lot of Brew Sports Pub West located at 8041 North Mesa St. Officers arrived at the parking lot and began searching for the vehicle they found the 3-year-old girl alone in a car seat in the back of a black 2023 Kia Soul The Kia was off and the doors were unlocked More: Men get 100 years for shooting at Juárez police in 2023 Cereso prison breakout Officers opened the door and asked the girl if she was okay mucus around her nose," the affidavit states She was taken out of the car seat and given to El Paso Fire Medical crews to evaluate her Officers and fire medical crews went inside the bar and with the help of the bar's general manager Patrons told the officers two people ran from the bar's front doors The officers found Najera walking outside the bar They asked him why he left his daughter in the car alone Officers smelled an "odor of an unknown alcohol coming from (Najera's) breath," the affidavit states Najera was placed in handcuffs because he was allegedly attempting to leave while the girl was placed in the front seat and given an officer's jacket to stay warm The bar's general manager told officers Najera and another person Najera hid in the restroom as officers were searching for him Najera and the other person had about three alcoholic drinks each at the bar More: El Paso County sheriff homicide detectives investigate deadly Fabens shooting Officers contacted the person who initially reported the abandoned child. The reporter said she arrived at the bar around 11 p.m. and heard a baby crying. She saw two men searching for something inside the car. The reporter left the bar about 12:10 a.m. and, as she walked out, saw the girl inside the car alone. She called emergency services to report the incident. Officers took the girl to a police station and later released her to her mother, who currently has custody of the girl, the affidavit states. Najera was booked March 16 on a $30,000 bond. He remains jailed as of Friday, March 21, jail logs show. Aaron Martinez covers the criminal justice system for the El Paso Times. He may be reached at amartinez1@elpasotimes.com or on X/Twitter @AMartinezEPT. Daniel Najera, 65 of Hobbs, New Mexico passed away March 25, 2025, surrounded by his family and loved ones at the University Medical Center in Lubbock, Texas. Mr. Najera was born May 16, 1959, to Jose Najera and Josephine Acosta in Hobbs, New Mexico.  Visitation for Daniel will be Wednesday, April 02, 2025, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Calvary Memorial Funeral Home Chapel. A rosary will recite at 6 p.m.  Funeral services will be held Thursday, April 03, 2025, at 11 a.m. at Hobbs First Assembly with Pastor David Ramirez officiating. Cremation will take place at a later date.  Daniel was preceded in death by his parents: Jose and Josephine Najera. Two sisters: Christiana Najera and Linda Gonzales.  Funeral services are under the direction of Calvary Memorial Funeral Home of Hobbs, New Mexico.  Tribute Archive in her second year as principal at Watkins Mill High School has been named Hispanic Educator of the Year by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Montgomery County She was honored at the Hispanic Leadership Awards Gala on Oct She started working for MCPS in 2001 as a teacher at Watkins Mill Along with MCPS colleague Michael Williams she started the Minority Scholars Program (MSP) almost 17 years ago She established an MSP chapter at Clarksburg High School in 2009 The program has since grown to all 25 high schools 25 middle schools and nearly 10 MCPS elementary schools cultivating student leadership and advocacy Najera now serves as county coordinator for MSP “It is an honor to be recognized for my work in Montgomery County and to be highlighted as a Latina educator is something that I take pride in,” Najera said Call: 240-740-3000 | Spanish Hotline: 240-740-2845 Email: ASKMCPS@mcpsmd.org Email: ersc@mcpsmd.org ©1995–2025 Montgomery County Public Schools principal at Watkins Mill High School since the 2023-2024 school year has been named the Hispanic Educator of the Year by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Montgomery County (HCCMC) She was honored at the Hispanic Leadership Awards Gala on Friday “Najera is the principal at Watkins Mill High School and a passionate advocate for equity in education As a County Coordinator for the Minority Scholars Program (MSP) and co-founder of PODER Educators in MCPS she is dedicated to empowering students and supporting Latino educators A proud graduate of MCPS and daughter of Salvadoran and Guatemalan parents Vilma began her career as a Spanish teacher where she founded the Organization of Latin American Students (OLAS) and coordinated the Annual MCPS Latin Dance competition she established an MSP chapter at Clarksburg High School in 2009 which has since expanded to all 25 high schools and nearly 10 elementary schools in Montgomery County Recognized as Educator of the Year by the Montgomery County Executive Council in 2016 she has presented at national Conferences and pariciated in panels promoting cultural change Vilma served as an assistant principal and principal intern at Quince Orchard High School and acted as principal of Brown Station Elementary School Driven by a commitment to equity and leadership through love she is dedicated to ensuring every student has the opportunity to succeed while honoring her cultural heritage and advocating for justice in education.” SAN ANTONIO – After she was sentenced along with her husband Christian Moreno for the death of 81-year-old Ramon Najera the attorney for Abilene Schnieder said the blame for Najera’s death should be placed on Animal Care Services (ACS) Schnieder’s attorney Vincent Callahan filed an appeal on Tuesday in the Sixth Court of Appeals District of Texas who had possession of the two dogs due to a prior dog-bite incident shouldn’t have released the two dogs back to her without highly restrictive conditions placed on Schnieder Schnieder still remains in jail after she was sentenced to 15 years in prison a Bexar County judge sentenced a couple whose two dogs attacked and killed an elderly San Antonio man and injured his wife to nearly two decades in prison each 226th District Court Judge Velia Meza sentenced Christian Moreno to 18 years in prison They faced a maximum punishment of 20 years Since the charge of dangerous dog attack resulting in death is not considered a serious or violent offense by the state the defendants will only have to serve 25% of their sentence before being eligible for probation The defense had sought probation for the couple this was preventable,” Meza told the defendants prior to announcing their fate “(Dog ownership) involves not only taking care of your dog but ensuring the safety of the people in our neighborhoods Instead of going on trial, Schnieder and Moreno pleaded guilty and the case went straight into the punishment phase Meza heard from over 20 witnesses that the state and defense presented The state’s main witnesses were neighbors who had complained for years about Schnieder and Moreno’s dogs were loose and had previously attacked two other people the wife of 81-year-old Ramon Najera who died in the February 2023 incident tearfully and angrily addressed the defendants during a victim impact statement “You both took a big part of my life away .. I feel that you’re serving what you deserve for the crime you committed,” she said Janie Najera told the defendants that one of her daughters had to take her in due to the injuries she suffered in the mauling I could hardly get out of bed without any help The widow echoed Meza’s comments about the tragedy being preventable You could have realized those dogs needed to be put down,” she said Before Janie Najera finished addressing the defendants she also blamed someone else for her grief there’s somebody that should be sitting right there next to you guys The city should be next to you guys ‘cause they’re guilty Saying that Animal Care Services didn’t do enough and had a certain responsibility, the Najera family is suing the City of San Antonio and City Attorney Andy Segovia for damages arising from “a grievous and preventable tragedy.” ACS had the dogs quarantined weeks before the deadly attack but a previous bite incident wasn’t ruled serious and after 10 days the owners paid to get them out Lisa Nuñez-Najera saw the business card tucked near the screen door of her Kansas home It was from a lieutenant with the sex crimes unit of the Wichita Police Department a new one before she could process the last Had something terrible happened to a family member Or maybe they were calling about one of the sexual assaults she had reported over the years from too many times when she had called for help and felt The lieutenant said he wanted to speak with her about a rape she had reported in 2006 The agency had just now processed her sexual assault evidence kit She thought the kit had been tested years ago Kansas discovered its rape kit backlog almost by accident Kansas Bureau of Investigation Director Kirk Thompson heard about stockpiles of untested sexual assault evidence kits discovered in several major U.S Thompson thought Kansas police officials had been routinely sending their rape kits for testing But he asked a staffer at the agency to run a basic analysis comparing the number of reported rapes in the state to the number of sexual assault kits submitted for testing A statewide inventory later uncovered 2,200 untested kits at 86 Kansas law enforcement agencies the Kansas Bureau of Investigation received a $2 million grant through the National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative Department of Justice program that has since provided nearly $350 million to state and local agencies across the country to test rape evidence bring answers to victims and institute reforms so that another backlog never develops Katie Whisman oversaw the initiative for the state A Kansas native who in second grade knew she wanted to work in law enforcement Whisman had started at the Kansas Bureau of Investigation as an intern and worked her way up over more than a decade including eight years as an agent assigned to narcotics and violent felony crimes Serving as the executive officer in the director’s office she became entrenched in every step of the program’s rollout from convening a steering committee to encouraging law enforcement agencies to count their kits to developing a strategy for getting the evidence tested But once the state lab began processing the first kits what happened to those cases was out of her control The decisions fell to local police and prosecutors Whisman knew those agencies are often strapped for resources She asked her team to complete a full background check on every suspect identified through DNA testing hoping to “take as much of the load off of them as we possibly could.”  a veteran of the department who oversaw the unit that investigates domestic violence and sex crimes Stephens had hand counted the agency’s untested kits – a wall of boxes in a temperature-controlled storage room He and others on his team had taken turns driving them to Topeka for testing Stephens read the lab reports and flagged about 300 cases for further review mostly those where testing had turned up a DNA profile and a suspect’s name a team of local law enforcement officials and prosecutors met to discuss whether the investigations could be reopened After a brief phone call with Stephens on the day she found his business card at her front door Nuñez-Najera hesitated – then agreed to come to police headquarters for a meeting Nuñez-Najera had not known the name of the man who she said raped her But she recognized him as someone who lived in her trailer park she was a 22-year-old mother with two young boys When the stranger showed up at her front door he had a friend with him who grabbed her sons and led them into the yard and toward a van The man pushed into her home and then cornered Nuñez-Najera in the bedroom An instinct to protect her children took over She said she stopped fighting as he raped her because I need to get out there to my kids,’” she said an advocate from the local sexual assault center offered her fresh sheets for her bed back home A nurse swabbed her body for evidence and bagged up her clothes An officer asked her questions and took notes for a report But when a detective later called Nuñez-Najera and asked if she wanted to pursue the case She believed the man was connected to a local gang and her maternal instincts kicked in again: She was worried for her family’s safety She told the detective that it was probably better to drop it He asked for her to think on it and said that he would call back Twelve years passed before she heard from the police about the case again very few people whose kits were tested were ever contacted by police When Whisman and her team sent their packets of suspect information to law enforcement officials She recalled her staff near tears because they had worked diligently to get to the point of handing over suspect names to police – and then “nothing’s happening.”  “We had one case where the law enforcement agency was totally bought in I will not look at them again,’” she recalled Whisman reallocated more of her grant budget toward training police and prosecutors hoping to address misconceptions about sexual violence If she could not control the outcome of cases from the backlog she would try to make things better for victims in the future She made the same calculation after a case from a previously untested kit made it to trial only to end in acquittal “We’ve invested in making the criminal justice response better It’s the people that are sitting on the jury,” she recalled thinking “So what can we do to influence change there?”  Whisman used grant money to pay for a public awareness campaign with a message she hoped would resonate across the state: Rape is real When Nuñez-Najera arrived at the Wichita Police Department she was greeted by a detective she had never met That churned up a well of anxiety inside her that she had been trying to settle all day She had only just grown comfortable with talking to Stephens and now had to start fresh with someone new recounting the assault in as much detail as she could remember his features had faded in her mind but never disappeared “All the same feelings just went right back inside of me in that moment,” she said The detective asked her to sign near his photo It bothered her to see her name beside his picture Nuñez-Najera walked from the police headquarters a few blocks to the Wichita Area Sexual Assault Center The two had known each other for a few months and though an advocate who worked for the police department also attended the meeting Nuñez-Najera had insisted that Stolz be there as well The daughter of a wheat farmer who grew up on the outskirts of Wichita Stolz has worked at the center for most of her career except for about two years she spent traveling around the state to train police on domestic violence and sexual assault she found officers’ attitudes steeped in rape myths and assumptions that most victims were lying there was a police department in the state that was putting victims on polygraphs,” Stolz recalled It felt nearly impossible to combat that culture in a three-hour training Stolz was hopeful when she first heard that Kansas was awarded a federal grant to test old rape kits She wondered if law enforcement officials would be able to connect seemingly disparate assault reports through DNA as was happening in other parts of the country she attended a training in Topeka where law enforcement prosecutors and advocates discussed how they would work together as results from the backlogged kits came in Stolz said she was included in just one meeting at the Wichita Police Department where they discussed a handful of cases “And those were their cases that they knew way more about than I did I didn't have a huge opinion in those meetings other than to say Wichita police chose to contact the victims in only the cases officials believed had the potential to be prosecuted − 16 cases with 17 victims total Officials said they were unable to locate several of those people Another eight said they did not want to move forward with their cases said officials chose to contact so few people because they did not want to traumatize victims by bringing up their rape if their case was not being reopened wondered if support from her organization would have resulted in more women agreeing to have their cases move forward Stolz was included in just two cases: Nuñez-Najera’s and one other The second woman was living with a friend at the time and after the interview with police Stolz helped her get into a shelter and then find permanent housing As for the hundreds of victims who still have no idea their kits were tested Stolz said she understands the police department’s desire to not cause additional harm but sexual assault survivors are more resilient than most people give them credit for She said it feels paternalistic for the police to withhold information about a crime that is so personal She was concerned that authorities could even know the identity of a suspected rapist but not tell the victim “I hope with all my heart they considered long-term victim safety and not just criminal prosecution in their decisions on notification,” she said Stephens acknowledged to USA TODAY that there are Wichita cases where DNA testing identified a suspect for the first time but the victim has not been notified because police do not plan to reopen the case Stolz took a deep breath to calm a wave of anger “That is such an egregious violation of human rights,” she said When Kansas officially wrapped up its backlog clearing effort in 2019 the results were underwhelming: 10 victims notified state officials said that the outcomes underscored “the ongoing need for increased training It was difficult to keep tabs on work by local departments Some continued to work cases after the grant initiative ended where officials secured their first conviction in 2019 and one other this year She pointed to successes beyond convictions saying the program created new partnerships within the criminal justice system trained more than 1,300 people and kickstarted reforms the state legislature passed a law mandating that all sexual assault kits from crimes reported to police be submitted for testing within 30 days That legislation was supported by the Kansas Sexual Assault Response Advisory Council a committee formed as the backlog effort wound down that includes many of the same partners said the process ignited deeper change within the department The agency in 2018 announced a policy of testing all kits nearly four years before the rest of the state All recruits now receive two days of training on responding to sexual and domestic violence and the unit that investigates those cases has grown from eight detectives to 12 Victims are now interviewed in a room with comfortable seating and art hanging on the walls not at a metal table outfitted with handcuffs meant for suspects said the department is committed to providing compassionate support to victims and a sex crimes investigator would never leave a business card in the open at a victim’s home today and so we have to do better moving forward,” Ford said the Kansas Sexual Assault Kit Initiative failed to deliver change a national nonprofit that advocates for rape kit reform says Kansas has completed only three of six key pillars of reform just 15% of rapes reported to Kansas law enforcement agencies led to an arrest according to the most recent data from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation That is less than when Kansas started its backlog initiative in 2014 The number of rapes reported to authorities – a statistic public officials often hope will go up to indicate victims are more willing to seek police help – has fluctuated but remained relatively stagnant It also often takes months – or even years – for rape kits to be processed Wichita Police Department officials said they wait nine months or longer for the county crime lab to process a sexual assault kit unless they request expedited testing for a high-priority case The wait was even longer after the agency moved to a policy of testing all kits In the nearly four years since the city had counted its previous backlog more than 700 additional untested kits had piled up Officials sent them to the state lab in 2019 who left the Kansas Bureau of Investigation in 2020 was taken aback when she heard that some of the progress she hoped for has not materialized She said she remains proud of what the effort accomplished but she proposed several things Kansas officials should undertake today to make additional progress: Allocate more money for training modernize the state’s sexual assault laws and implement a rape kit tracking system Officials from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation declined interview requests but in a statement said the agency has taken the first steps toward launching a tracking system And I really felt that things were getting better and things would continue to be better for victims,” Whisman said hearing it was a flash in the pan and we’re back to the way things were There have been stretches of Nuñez-Najera’s life marked by fear so crippling that she rarely left her home and startled at the sound of her own dog barking Attending support groups at the sexual assault center has helped pottery and dreamcatchers that hang from the walls of her home in Wichita She said police have told her the name of the suspect in her case: Jorge Martell-Silva The year after a lieutenant first left a business card on Nuñez-Najera’s door Martell-Silva’s mug shot was added to a list of suspects on the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office website “JORGE is wanted by the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office for RAPE CHARGES.”   Nathan Gibbs told USA TODAY that a 2018 rape warrant for Martell-Silva is still outstanding today Wichita police declined to confirm Martell-Silva's name but told USA TODAY that the warrant in Nuñez-Najera’s case remains active and that they believe he is out of the country Martell-Silva did not respond when contacted for comment through social media messages from a reporter He has not been convicted of any crime in the case Nuñez-Najera said it is a relief to know that if he ever returns to the country she is glad that her kit was tested and that police called her with the results It hasn’t changed how she sees the Wichita police: If she needed their help today As much as she had tried over the years to bury what had happened When police asked to meet about her case after her kit had been tested she nearly said no because she wasn’t sure she was strong enough to finally face it “like I get a little bit of my power back.”  Contributing: Savannah Kuchar and Dian Zhang Tricia L. Nadolny is a reporter on the USA TODAY investigations team. Contact her at tnadolny@usatoday.com or on X @TriciaNadolny Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInTOLLESON, AZ (AZFamily) — Officials confirmed a West Valley school board president has been removed from her position amid an investigation into sexual harassment claims Tolleson Union High School District confirmed to Arizona’s Family that Dr Elda Luna-Najera was replaced as the governing board president on Wednesday night Officials say she was replaced “so that school business could proceed.” Kino Flores was voted as the new board president Steve Chapman will serve as vice president Luna-Najera will remain as a member of the Tolleson Union High School District board Arizona’s Family reported an “outside independent party” was called in to investigate claims of sexual harassment Superintendent Jeremy Calles reportedly filed the complaint after months of unwanted sexual advances by then-president Dr Superintendent Calles claimed the unwanted advances began last December He said when he rebuffed Luna-Najera in April she leveraged her position as governing board president to try to force him out “I’m all for gender equality and empowering our women and bringing them up to leadership positions but there’s two sides of that coin,” he previously said See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description. Copyright 2024 KTVK/KPHO. All rights reserved. The main threats are large hail, damaging wind gusts, and heavy rains with an isolated tornado also possible. FORECASTSHARE PHOTOS & VIDEODefense blames the city in deadly dog attack punishment hearingby Jordan Elder SAN ANTONIO - The couple charged with a deadly dog attack in 2023 began the first phase of their punishment hearing Monday morning Christian Moreno and Abilene Schnieder are being charged with a dog attack resulting in death after their dogs got loose last February and mauled 81-year-old Ramon Najera a judge is hearing testimony to decide their fate.They are facing up to 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine the prosecution says there is no question criminal negligence occurred in this case but they’re hoping to establish what degree of negligence there was “This isn’t just a mere one or two incident type of thing,” prosecutors said “We expect that the evidence is going to show some pretty gross criminal negligence over the years.” The attorney says the state will be seeking the maximum punishment in this case aiming to show just how vicious and aggressive the dogs were The defense gave brief opening statements as well saying evidence will show that the City of San Antonio had multiple chances to resolve the issue of these dangerous dogs being loose The attorney says the dogs should have been processed as dangerous dogs long before this attack which would have led to euthanization because he says his clients would not have been able to afford to maintain dangerous dog requirements “That clearly would have avoided this tragic situation,” the defense attorney said The first witness called to the stand was David Avila He says he was bitten by one of their dogs Avila described a broken fence on the couple's property where the dogs were able to escape frequently adding the gate was often open or unsecured giving the dogs the chance to squeeze through "They're not friendly dogs," Avila said While out watering his flowers in September 2022 Avila says the dogs escaped their fence and ran into his yard Avila says he yelled for his then-wife to bring their child inside because she was playing in the yard His neighbor's Beagle chased the dogs out After a few run-ins with the Moreno family Avila says he started reporting issues to the police and to Animal Care Services and began documenting issues like overflowing trash in addition to warning each other when the dogs were out Avila recounted the day of the attack on Mr "They let me know that something terrible had happened," Avila said of his mother and neighbors "I didn't know how to react." Avila if anyone had offered him a dangerous dog affidavit which starts a dangerous dog investigation "I feel like I was pushed to the side," Avila said The next witness on the stand was Mario Cardona Jr. He lived in their house on Depla Street with them for a few weeks on and off Cardona says there were three dogs living there at the time "They would dig their way around," Cardona says describing the dogs escaping from the yard "Did you ever witness these dogs being aggressive?" the prosecutor asked Cardona says the couple would breed pit bulls and tells attorneys that he did witness fighting between the dogs but described it as just claiming their territory The next witness called was David Terrones "Sometimes they went in my yard," he says of the couple's dogs "I heard somebody screaming and dogs barking I went outside to see what was going on," Terrones said He took his hose and sprayed Najera's wife so the dogs would leave her alone saying the white dog was biting her while a black dog bit her husband Another neighbor used a pole to try and help Terrones said they struggled to even get to the couple because the dogs were being so vicious Fernando Esparza has been living on Depla Street for almost 30 years He tells attorneys he often saw the dogs roaming around the street after escaping from Schnieder and Moreno's yard The courtroom saw images of Esparza's bite wounds He says he would only walk with a stick after that incident Defense attorneys ask Esparza if he was visited by animal control officers and if they told him about any forms to fill out to deem the dogs dangerous after what happened to you?" the defense asked saying he would have tried to fill out an affidavit if offered one Debra Flores came to the witness stand next saying the dogs are in our yard," Flores said when asked about occasions when she interacted with Schnieder and Moreno She describes several times when the dogs were loose "They were aggressive," Flores said She says she brought her concerns to Moreno but felt ignored The court saw video from her security cameras showing the dogs roaming near her house she records dogs running down the street and a man limping "Did they bite you?" Flores yells in the video her son fired toy guns to scare the dogs away Flores said she feared the dogs would hurt She says he had interactions with Schnieder's brother about putting the dogs away so she could clean in front of the house When asked how many times she saw the dogs out of their yard Sylvia describes their behavior as aggressive "They approach you as to attack you," she said through the interpreter She says she told the couple she was scared of the dogs but they would only temporarily fix the problem corralling the dogs for a moment but not fixing the fence When asked how many times she told the couple about the dogs she estimated ten times just in 2021 and 2022 "I understood they were trained to attack or to bite," Sylvia told prosecutors She says Moreno's attitude changed after one of his dogs bit David She says she would call the police when the dogs were out but they were put back inside the yard by the time police arrived Sylvia said it would take hours for police to come to the street Sylvia described seeing a firetruck and felt bad the day of the dog attack but said "finally" because she knew this meant someone would help them with this problem "Were you surprised?" an attorney asked "The animals are very aggressive and the owners are negligent." She says she believed it was a matter of time Sylvia got emotional recounting the scene of the attack "They walked like there was nothing happening," she says of Schnieder and Moreno walking by the scene She says an officer yelled for them to control the dogs Moreno's attorney clarifies with Sylvia that she made many attempts to reach the police and the city about the dogs "How long would it take them to arrive?" the defense asks "The maximum was five or six hours," Sylvia responded She says the operators finally told her she was calling the wrong number and to call 311 with animal issues "Did anyone arrive?" Moreno's attorney asked She remembers calling animal control three times and said nothing happened the other two times she called Moreno's attorney asks again if she was made familiar with the process of filing a dangerous dog affidavit Sylvia says she was not made aware of that and wants to know why she wasn't "Do you believe they're responsible for what happened?" Moreno's attorney asks "I don't want to take responsibility away from the dog owner," Sylvia responds "It seems like you tried very hard to get Animal Care Services to pay attention," Schnieder's attorney says The attorney tells Sylvia that at a previous hearing no one stepped up to sign an affidavit regarding the dog that bit her son and clarifies that she or her son were not offered an opportunity to sign one Yvette Rodriguez is the next witness called "They were pretty vicious and always ready to attack," Rodriguez says of the dogs that lived next door to her "We had to put a privacy fence up for fear the dogs would come across and get to us," Rodriguez said She says her sister reported hearing yelling from outside "We got into her vehicle," Rodriguez said "We drove down the street and that's when we noticed that the dogs were getting to Mr Rodriguez says Moreno and Schnieder arrived as the attack was happening and yelled for the dogs to come in The first video we see is the now infamous clip taken that night.. firefighters standing on a car with pickaxes trying to handle the dogs A white dog with a bloodied face barks loudly Firefighters order them to get the dogs away saying they've bitten a firefighter and possibly killed someone else Schnieder yells for the dogs to come inside the yard Members of the Najera family left the room before the videos played "Animal Care Services never came by..." Belinda said she says "I think they were tired of us calling." She witnessed a dog bite David Avila and says she reported the dogs over and over She was in her living room when the attack happened "I wanted to help the man," Belinda said She honked the horn of her car to try and get the dogs off of Mr She also threw things from her car at the dogs "Nothing would help," Belinda said the white dog switched gears and ran toward the car We see this unfold on video played in the courtroom You can see one dog go from being outside the gate to inside the gate within seconds when they hear more sirens Moreno's attorney asks Belinda how many times she called ACS "They just said they'd send someone over." She says they should have talked to the neighbors and made more of an effort She says a truck drove by but did not stop He is a Medina County Sheriff's Deputy Attorneys are asking about a traffic stop he assisted with in Castroville Hetzer says he was called in to assist and mainly dealt with Schnieder Clifford King is a San Antonio firefighter who responded to the dog attack in February of 2023 that's when we looked down and I saw dogs on the side of the street going at.. but due to the call we were pretty sure that was one of the patients," King says King says the dog was going back and forth between the man and the woman laying on the ground pretty much trying to distract or break the dogs' attention The firefighters grabbed tools to try and fight the dogs away One firefighter stayed in the truck to page for more help and see who else was on their way "I noticed right when I turned the corner of the truck He was striking the dog trying to get the dog off of him," King recounts He says this just redirected the dog but did not stop it Najera but the dog ran back over each time he leaned down His counterparts started treating the patients and King stood at the fence to try and block the dogs from coming back out San Antonio Fire Captain Lou Arm was also part of the unit that responded to the dog attack "It was a chaotic scene," Arm said "I've been a paramedic for a long time Arm is seen on video ordering the couple to control the dogs and informing them that they bit him and might have killed someone else The court viewed images of the bite on the captain's leg "Had you ever responded to an animal attack where the dog didn't back down?" the prosecution asks "Is it common?" the prosecution asks Paramedic Timothy Gomez was called in for backup when Captain Arm was bitten "They sounded like they were in danger," he said He told prosecutors she had dog bites on her arms and hands and wanted to know if her husband was okay The final witness of the day was another paramedic who responded to the scene that day He says he and his partner were already headed in the direction of the call and thought they could help "There was a large amount of blood loss.. Dogs were still running around at this time so paramedics feared they'd get out of the gate Najera to the hospital and took him to the trauma bay we had firefighters that were literally fighting for their lives," the paramedic said it's not typical on an EMS scene." (WSET) — An investigation is underway to find a woman who has been missing since 2016 Officials are acting on a search warrant that pinpoints 46-year-old Soledad Najera's last seen location to her home on Moorefield Bridge Road in Pittsylvania County A witness at the site before ABC13 arrived said they saw dozens of personnel from the FBI and CSI as well as excavation crews Pittsylvania County Sheriff Mike Taylor said she has been missing since March 2016 and is believed to be last seen alone "Today just culminated in several months and years of investigations," Sheriff Mike Taylor said "This is the last known place that Soledad was seen alive so we're starting at that location and working our way out." He added that the goal is to find evidence of whether or not she is here we are going to be assured ourselves that we have found or not found any evidence of her whereabouts,” Taylor said Sheriff Taylor said crews got there at 11 this morning He said a deputy will stay on the property throughout the evening and that the search will continue Tuesday morning at 7 a.m Sherriff Taylor said they have been investigating since 2022 and it's taken a while to pinpoint evidence to that location He says that officials have also been in contact with her family who are incredibly concerned and they will continue to work with them throughout the investigation "They have helped us in the background information about her and about her lifestyle," Sheriff Taylor said "We have been in touch with family members and we'll continue to be in touch with family members." SEE ALSO: LPD investigates incident at University of Lynchburg They also said Soledad Najera was a member of Sacred Heart Church in Danville These are all the agencies that Taylor said were involved in the search: We are continuing to report on the incident and will update this story when more information becomes available If you know anything about the disappearance of Soledad Najera call Investigator Chaney at 434-432-7840 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-791-0044 is honored for her service as an advocate for student veterans Texas A&M System Office of Veteran and Military Services The Texas A&M University System has awarded Janneth Najera with the 2024 Student Veteran Excellence Award for her outstanding service in support of student veterans The award is given annually to no more than two students within The Texas A&M System in recognition of service to campus and/or community; exemplifying the core values of the campus or military services; and serving as an advocate for student veterans or veteran issues Najera is a Marine Corps veteran from Katy who is pursuing a master’s degree in international affairs at the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University During her nearly eight years in the military she served as both a mechanic and a Marine Security Guard departing active duty as a sergeant in 2020 “It is truly an honor to have been nominated by my peers to receive this award,” Najera said I have remained steadfast in my commitment to serving others As a passionate advocate for veterans’ rights I tirelessly work to ensure that the sacrifices of servicemen and women are honored and recognized Through my involvement in various outreach programs I provide invaluable support to my fellow veterans offering a helping hand and a listening ear whenever needed.” Following her stint in the Marines, Najera earned her bachelor’s in international/global studies from Texas A&M and served as president of the university’s chapter of the Student Veterans of America (SVA). She also worked closely with the staff of the Don & Ellie Knauss Veteran Resource and Support Center (VRSC) which helps transition Aggie veterans into college with peer leadership innovative programs and resources aimed at facilitating academic and personal success “Janneth applies her leadership skills to strengthen and support our Aggie student veterans,” said VRSC Director Col “She effectively builds community through participation in Aggie traditions and community service It is a pleasure to work with her and watch her live our Aggie Core Values every day.” Najera said she chose to pursue her undergraduate and graduate degrees at Texas A&M because the university culture aligns with her values which led me to join the Marine Corps,” she said and I saw that Texas A&M wholeheartedly embraces its’ as well I was lucky to learn that Texas A&M places such a strong emphasis on caring for their veterans.” Najera expects to graduate in May and plans to continue working in public service for the benefit of her country “As I pursue my studies and engage in meaningful community service I remain committed to making a positive impact in the world,” she said dependents and military-affiliated students participate in their Student Veterans of America (SVA) chapters and the National SVA “They go above and beyond for student veterans across the country and advocating for veterans in higher education,” she said For more information about SVA, visit studentveterans.org. Learn more about all Texas A&M has to offer student veterans at aggieveterans.tamu.edu View past winners of the Student Veteran Excellence Award from The Texas A&M University System Spring graduations will be celebrated May 8-10 across nine ceremonies at Reed Arena The annual awards recognize individual staff members teams and student employees for their contributions to the university community The Friars honor their beloved dachshunds and support Texas A&M’s veterinary hospital through a heartfelt gift that reflects their love for animals and the Aggie Spirit watch videos and discover how Texas A&M University is shaping an innovative more secure future for the citizens of Texas and the world SAN ANTONIO - Another set of witnesses is preparing to take the stand in the case of a San Antonio couple whose dogs mauled an elderly man last year. Abilene Schnieder and Christian Moreno are charged with dog attack resulting in death. The two pled guilty last month. The judge also heard from firefighters and paramedics who responded to the attack in February of 2023 One of the key witnesses called Tuesday was Janie Najera Her husband Ramon was killed in the attack A whole row of family members came to support her including Ramon's 100-year-old mother She says the two met in the 1970's while out dancing something they always enjoyed doing together She says her husband loved the military and his family She says Ramon was upset about a recent diabetes diagnosis because he feared they wouldn't be able to continue living a life they loved He was able to do dialysis as they traveled and was excited to keep going places with her Ramon was starting a new job as a security guard "He was always very proud to represent whatever company he worked for," she says Janie says Ramon was very particular about his uniforms and wanted his pants to fit perfectly the couple headed to get his pants altered It's what led him to Depla Street that day They tried to call the seamstress ahead of time The couple parked in front of the seamstress' home walking up the driveway to knock on the door She asked the seamstress' grandson if they could leave the clothes he was already climbing the fence," she says Janie called for help and Ramon rushed to help her and I was between the car and the curb..." I can't take the dog off of me," she says Ramon said to her The seamstress' grandson ran out to help with a rake "The dog grabbed my husband and he started pulling him," Janie says She says that's when another dog began attacking too "This dog is gonna finish me up," Janie recalls thinking when the white dog came running over to her The dog ran away and began attacking her husband instead His dialysis line ended up being pulled out of his arm Janie says she felt the fire department arrive to help put her on a stretcher She says she was only worried about her husband at the time I cry in the mornings and I grab my pillow and I say to myself 'how could this happen to us?'" Janie says She says she constantly thinks about what she could have done differently to have saved her husband The defense tells Janie that Moreno pled guilty in this case and accepts that he was negligence with his dogs then asking about the lawsuit recently filed against the City of San Antonio "Is it fair to say you find some fault in how the City of San Antonio and its agencies handled this?" the defense asks "I don't want nobody to go through what I've gone through." San Antonio Police officers and Animal Care Services officers were sworn in as witnesses Tuesday morning Officer Jesse Mendez with the San Antonio Police Department was first on the stand He was dispatched to Depla Street the day of the attack we were standing there to make sure the dogs were still not on the loose," Mendez said "The first thing I remember was seeing blood everywhere," Mendez said "There was so much blood that you could taste it in your mouth." Mendez says they followed a trail of blood to a house The court viewed body camera footage from Officer Mendez The dogs were already inside at this point I don't want them," you see Schnieder tell officers "Am I gonna get in trouble for this?" You hear lots of lights and sirens in the background I guess they broke through it," Schnieder says on body cam She adds the dogs "just got out of ACS" and that the agency should have their paperwork Detective Richard Casillas takes the stand next He works with San Antonio Police to document crime scenes The dogs were already contained in their house," Casillas said "I was informed that several people were bitten by the dogs." Casillas says his job was to take photos of the scene including the tools used to keep the dogs at bay Some of those photos are shown to the courtroom "It's not secure," Casillas says as he looks at a photo of a hole in the fence We see bloodied tools that firefighters used to defend themselves and the Najeras Casillas was also tasked with photographing Janie Najera's injuries The prosecution presented images of her hands and arms with puncture wounds Schnieder tipped her head down as some of the images were presented When he arrived to Depla Street in February 2023 "I did start taking photos of the area taking pictures of the evidence," McCallister said He took photos of blood trails and of the dogs involved in the attack McCallister's photos are displayed in the courtroom McCallister photographed each dog after they were secured in cages He says one of the dogs had healed and fresh wounds meaning the dogs had prior injuries or lacerations "Quite a few around the face and head," McCallister says McCallister notes healed wounds on this dog too The defense presses McCallister on the age of the wounds he identified in the photos Bethany Snowden with ACS also testified Tuesday She is the special operations manager for ACS' field division The prosecution asked about the number of bite investigators in San Antonio over the years She says four bite investigators served under her in 2020 and 2021 Snowden was asked how many calls ACS receives each day they acquire a photo or proof that a bite occurred State law says that animals must go into quarantine for ten days If the owner doesn't come in that day Owners can also surrender their pets to the city she testifies one of Schnieder and Moreno's dogs bites David Avila and is taken into quarantine Snowden says the owners reclaimed the dog on the 11th day She says Moreno paid $266 to get that dog back Snow was taken into quarantine after that incident Moreno came back on the 11th day and she says "most" of the fees were paid Snowden says two dogs were involved in that event Snowden detailed those cases and then told attorneys she walked around the scene the day the Najeras were attacked The courtroom saw images from outside and inside the Schnieder/Moreno home Snowden on dangerous dog affidavits and if anyone who reported bites from the dogs was offered them "We try to get affidavits for every severe bite that comes in," Snowden says Those are larger lacerations or wounds on more extremities compared to a mild or moderate bite Raymond Najera took the stand after lunch today He has been a big driver of change in the city's efforts to adjust dangerous dog protocol "He was a proud San Antonian," Raymond says He says his father's death left a hole in their family "Everyone looked up to him," he said "His longevity was taken away," Raymond adds "We had plenty of time left with our father." Next to the witness stand is Eppie Martinez "He was just full of life no matter what he did," Martinez told attorneys He says they had plans to go to Vegas in April They already had their Cirque du Soleil tickets Martinez says it's tough now that Ramon is gone and he speaks with Janie on the phone often "It seemed like he had many years to go," he said testifying for the defense on canine conduct and behavior Moreno's attorneys ask about his experience with dangerous dog ordinances They discussed the ordinance in San Antonio the persons who can submit such an affidavit," Crosby says Crosby says he has examined the bite history of the dogs involved in the fatal attack This story will be updated as witnesses are called to the stand Best of the Capitol School district to probe sexual harassment allegations against lawmaker A Democratic state representative also serving as the president of the Tolleson Union High School District Governing Board is under investigation for alleged sexual harassment toward the district’s superintendent and creating a hostile work environment The school district has hired an outside firm to investigate the allegations against Rep the board’s vice president Kino Flores said during a board meeting Tuesday night District Superintendent Jeremy Calles said he filed a sexual harassment and hostile work environment complaint against Luna-Nájera, 12News reported on Friday The board held a meeting Friday to consider Calles’ contract and he told the station he believed Luna-Nájera was retaliating against him for rejecting her advances and he believed she tried to get the board to terminate his position as superintendent “At no point has the board considered terminating the superintendent’s employment,” Flores said Tuesday The board’s Friday emergency meeting only had one agenda item the board members discussed in executive session Luna-Nájera didn’t respond to requests for comment after Tuesday’s meeting Calles told The Arizona Capitol Times he was unable to comment further on the matter while it is under investigation Calles told 12News on Friday that Luna-Nájera had made advances towards him from December to April Two school board members of Littleton Elementary School District also called for Luna-Nájera’s resignation Board members Markus Ceniceros and Rachel Barnett wrote a letter to the board Monday and expressed their concern with the “troubling” allegations against Luna-Nájera especially in a manner that creates a toxic environment It erodes trust in district leadership and sets a harmful example for our students,” Ceniceros and Barnett wrote in their letter Leezah Sun’s campaign for state Senate during the primary 2024 primary election Sun resigned from the House after the House Ethics Committee determined she threatened a lobbyist with the city of Tolleson and Luna Najera was appointed in February to the seat Sun vacated representing Legislative District 22 Barnett was also involved in a child custody dispute in which Sun improperly intervened in June 2023 Sun allegedly attempted to prevent the transfer of the children per a court order and Barnett was the mother in the case Luna-Najera recently won her primary race to advance to the general election for a House seat in LD22 along with House Minority Leader Lupe Contrearas Luna-Nájera beat the runner-up in the race LD22 leans heavily toward Democrats and is not in the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission’s competitive range “We know the integrity of this investigation is critical to our teachers to our parents and to the community that we serve,” Flores said “We have reached no conclusion regarding the allegations We will not rush to judgment and we have resolved to consider all information available and get all facts Get our free e-alerts & breaking news notifications Essential news and information about Arizona government TOLLESON, AZ — The Tolleson Union High School Governing Board reorganized on Wednesday. The Board President Dr. Elda Luna-Najera is now just a board member. This change comes after sexual harassment claims were made against Luna-Najera by Tolleson Supt "We waited for the investigation to be over," said a member of the Tolleson Union Education Association Two members from the association called for Luna-Najera's resignation at Wednesday's Governing Board meeting "I'm not sure if you read the same statement I read," said Luna-Najera in response ABC15 received a statement from the Governing Board: and we would like to share with the school community and stakeholders our findings and conclusions There was a sexual relationship between the Superintendent and the Governing Board President Luna-Najera holds a powerful position on this Board and she is often able to determine the result of contested issues placed before the Board and especially in light of her powerful position it was inappropriate for her to engage in a relationship with Superintendent Calles even if that relationship was fully consensual between the two individuals While it was inappropriate for both parties to engage in the relationship they shared Luna-Najera’s role in that relationship was considerably more egregious due to power that she held Luna-Najera pursued a physical relationship with Mr Calles even after he made some effort to discourage her advances Thank you for trusting us to conduct this investigation and for your patience in waiting for this conclusion Our board is committed to ensuring trust and transparency in communication with the school community and stakeholders we want to assure you that the safety and well-being of our students and staff remain our utmost priority We are committed to fostering a culture of respect and accountability within our district We will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that every member of our community feels safe I am requesting a future agenda item on re-organization in response to these conclusions." "I disagree with the board's press release and the conclusion of the investigation," said Luna-Najera after the meeting Do you have a concern in your community or a news tip Connect with us: share@abc15.com Facebook | Instagram | YouTube She only read a statement and did not answer many questions including if she was considering resigning or what she disagreed with told ABC15 he has seen a redacted summary of the report and also disagrees with the board's statement "The report when it comes out will show you there was nothing consensual taking place," said Supt He told us he believes Luna-Najera should resign "I'm hoping we can get past this soon," said Supt "I still intend to be the leader of this district." as best as possible," said new Governing Board Vice President Steven Chapman there's no plan for the public to see the findings of the final report ABC15 also asked if he believed Luna-Najera should resign "I think it's a fair call for the situation that she step aside," said Chapman But he said that the decision is not up to them ABC15 does not have a copy of the report or a summary but will be requesting more information about the investigation Calles said he and his legal team are considering filing a defamation lawsuit in response to how the Governing Board has handled the statements released throughout this situation Report a typo Show Breaking News BarCloseLocal NewsColton Game Duncan Weigand Abbie Coleman PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY, Va. – UPDATE: This all started back on March 21, 2016, when Najera’s husband Ruperto Escalante made a call to the Pittsylvania County Sheriff’s Office. Court documents say the call was to report that his wife had left him for another man, due to the nature of the call, no report was filed. There was no case until October 2022, when the office received a call from a Colorado woman, wanting to know the status of her sister, Najera’s missing persons investigation. That’s where the investigation began, eight different agencies were involved and court documents say they interviewed Escalante multiple times. But Monday, police searched the home and property the couple shared. They arrested Escalante Wednesday where according to court documents, he admitted to helping another person duct tape Najera’s hands and eyes. He says he then helped force her into a vehicle, where she was taken to a field in Pittsylvania County and intentionally murdered and buried. Escalante is charged with one count of first-degree murder and one count of abduction and kidnapping and is being held without bond. 10 News reached out to Commonwealth’s Attorney Bryan Haskins who said Escalante had his first court appearance Thursday where he was appointed an attorney. This is a developing story and stay with 10 News for updates. A man has been arrested and is facing felony charges for the abduction and murder of a missing woman, according to the Pittsylvania County Sheriff’s Office. On Wednesday, deputies arrested 56-year-old Ruperto V. Escalante near his residence on Moorefield Bridge Road in Danville, Virginia following a search warrant. He has been charged with one count of abduction and kidnapping, a class 5 Felony, punishable for a term of imprisonment of not less than one year nor more than 10 years. He has also been charged with one count of first-degree murder, a Class 2 felony, punishable by imprisonment for 20 years to life and a fine of up to $100,000. Authorities said Escalante is being held without bond in the Pittsylvania County Jail. His first court appearance is slated for Thursday at 8:30 AM in Pittsylvania County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court. A search warrant was executed at a residence and a business located on Moorefield Bridge Road in furtherance of an ongoing missing persons investigation of Soledad Najera, The Pittsylvania County Sheriff’s Office said Monday. Najera has been missing since March 21, 2016 and the PCSO said that it hoped that the search by law enforcement would help identity any evidence that may lead investigators to the whereabouts of Najera. According to authorities Najera is originally from Durango, Mexico and attended the Sacred Heart Catholic. Multiple agencies are involved in this investigation, including: If you have any information on this investigation or the whereabouts of Soledad, please contact Investigator Chaney at 434-432-7840, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-791-0044. Copyright 2024 by WSLS 10 - All rights reserved. Colton joined the WSLS 10 team as a digital content producer in July 2024, soon after graduating cum laude from Virginia Tech with a B.S. in sociology and a minor in psychology. Duncan Weigand joined WSLS 10’s digital team in June 2024, weeks after graduating from Virginia Tech with a bachelor’s in communication studying multimedia journalism and a cognate in marketing. Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines TV Listings Email Newsletters RSS Feeds Contests and Rules Contact Us Internships at WSLS 10 Careers at WSLS 10 Closed Captioning / Audio Description Public File Current EEO Report Terms of Use Privacy Policy Do Not Sell My Info FCC Applications Copyright © 2025 WSLS.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group The family of the late Ramon Najera has just filed a federal lawsuit against the City of San Antonio after the deadly dog attack RELATED |Defense blames the city in deadly dog attack punishment hearing while the owners of the dog saw the beginning of their sentencing after pleading guilty to the attack the family announced the lawsuits against the City of San Antonio and city attorney Andy Segovia The lawsuit alleges the city knew the dogs were dangerous on numerous occasions before the incident in question and prior incidents of aggression the city released the animals back into the community even though they had a documented history of attacking other individuals We are also reaching out to the city for a reaction to the lawsuit as well for their statement We of course will continue to follow the very latest on this case A group of Tulsa Public Schools teachers and a TPS official visited Washington and attended the first-ever back-to-school night at the White House Hunter Najera is a 5th-grade teacher at Mayo Demonstration He was in the middle of teaching when Traci Manuel TPS's teacher retention strategist and former teacher of the year he was shocked to learn that he would be going to Washington the special part about the trip was being able to advocate for education He and the other teachers got to visit Sen Najera said he wants his students to know that there are people fighting for them and their education on a national stage "I think that was the big thing that I want to relay to my children every single day is there are people that are helping make your life a better life That you will be going to school so that you can prepare for the next step in your career and into your adult years," Najera said Manuel said bringing teachers to the White House for the back-to-school night was a no-brainer because teachers are the heartbeat of school districts She said these teachers are just a few of the many rockstars TPS has Manuel said she chose the four teachers that went because they've excelled but also gave them the opportunity to advocate for public education "I also wanted them to experience what it’s like not only inside the classroom but outside the classroom advocating for public education It’s another thing to be an advocate for teachers in the profession and so I got a chance to create a trip for them outside of just the White House experience to make sure they could take back a plethora of things for their classroom," Manuel said Jonathan Polasek studied Journalism at the University of Texas and has covered the oil and gas industry as well as sports Jonathan joined News On 6 as a multimedia journalist in August of 2022 after working in Midland and Odessa \"I think that was the big thing that I want to relay to my children every single day is there are people that are helping make your life a better life That you will be going to school so that you can prepare for the next step in your career and into your adult years,\" Najera said \"I also wanted them to experience what it’s like not only inside the classroom but outside the classroom advocating for public education and so I got a chance to create a trip for them outside of just the White House experience to make sure they could take back a plethora of things for their classroom,\" Manuel said and general news updates from News on 6 delivered right to your inbox