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KTSM reporter and former weekend anchor Kai Porter will say goodbye to El Paso next month. His last day at the station is Jan. 8.
Porter will be moving to Portland, Ore., where he will be reporting for a news station there. The Santa Fe, N.M. native has been with KTSM for four years.
"I am grateful for all of the opportunities I've had at KTSM over the past four years and I will miss all the wonderful people I've met in El Paso," Porter said. "I'm excited to begin my new job as a reporter in Portland."
On a personal note, I will miss Kai, who has truly been one of the sweetest reporters I've ever come across. It's always been a treat to cover stories alongside Kai because of his personality. Good luck Kai!
•KFOX will start the new year by launching a new hour-long newscast beginning at 5 p.m. weekdays in an effort to get ahead of other local news broadcasts.
“We asked our viewers and those already watching the other stations. The message was clear: Borderland news viewers prefer KFOX14’s late night news and they want us at 5 p.m. as well,” said Elizabeth O’Hara, KFOX's news director. “We’re excited to give viewers what they want in the format they’ve grown to love.”
The new newscast will start Jan. 2 featuring anchors John Purvis and Erika Castillo and chief meteorologist Sandra Diaz.
“I can still remember when we launched KFOX14 News at Nine,” says KFOX general manager John Witte. "To see our commitment continually growing through newscasts, social media, and media partnerships is a wonderful testament to how invested we are in our viewers. Because we are never afraid to forge new ground, it was only natural for us to offer the first continuous hour of local news in the early evening.”
To watch a 30-second promo for the newscast, scan the QR code above.
•KFOX has also welcomed a new reporter to their news team, Bernadette Flores. She comes to El Paso from Tulsa, Okla., where she worked for the FOX affiliate there. According to her station bio, Flores, a veteran reporter and Hanks High School graduate, said her passion is investigative journalism and breaking news.
•KVIA also has a new reporter, Vanessa de la Viña, who is based out of the station's Las Cruces bureau. She comes to the Borderland by way of Florida, where she worked as a producer and reporter for the University of Florida's news bureau, and reported for ABC News on Campus.
"I am thrilled to be working at KVIA in the El Paso, TX/Las Cruces, NM area," she stated on her LinkedIn profile. "I am looking forward to learning and growing throughout my time here."
KFOX reporter Ric Dupont was arrested on Saturday on suspicion of driving while intoxicated.
According to Dupont's arrested affidavit, three Border Patrol agents saw Dupont driving a white Nissan passenger car with front end damage near the intersection of Vista Del Sol and George Dieter. Agents called state troopers to report the vehicle, stating it appeared the damage was recent because the car's apron had been dragged and steam was coming from the hood. The car was also missing a front driver head lamp.
Agents also reported they saw the car turn right onto George Dieter and drive onto the median. They then stopped the vehicle and detained Dupont for state troopers.
When a trooper arrived at the scene, he noticed "an odor of alcohol coming from (Dupont's) person." The trooper also noted Dupont's speech was slurred and "his balance was off."
Dupont allegedly admitted to drinking but refused to provide a breath sample. The report doesn't state what time the incident occurred.
Dupont was booked into the El Paso County Jail but was released shortly afterwards after posting a $600 bond. He was reportedly placed on three-days suspension at KFOX and returned to work Thursday.
This isn't Dupont's first run-in with the law. Back in 2009 when he was a photographer for KVIA, he and reporter Darren Hunt were detained by an El Paso police officer while covering a major crash that shut down a portion of I-10. They were released soon after they were taken to the Westside Regional Command Center and the officer was later suspended.
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