Today is
Thursday June 04, 2026
The City of Tyler Downtown Department hosted an open house Tuesday. The event, held on College Avenue, will give residents and visitors an opportunity to see recent improvements firsthand, learn more about the Downtown Improvement Project and ask questions about the work underway.
To accommodate different schedules, two open house sessions will be offered: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Both sessions will take place along a marked section of College Avenue in front of Plaza Tower and the Peoples Petroleum Building. The event is come-and-go, and City staff will be available to answer questions and share information about the project.
Updated design renderings of the future Downtown green space, streets and sidewalks will be on display, offering a visual aid to highlight the full scope of the project.
ALVARADO, Texas (AP) — A Palestinian woman who was the last person still in immigration detention after the Trump administration’s 2025 crackdown on pro-Palestinian activism on college campuses was freed Monday after a year in custody.
Leqaa Kordia, a 33-year-old from the West Bank who has lived in New Jersey since 2016, had been held in a U.S. immigration detention center in Texas since last March. Her detention was linked, in part, to her participation in a protest outside Columbia University in 2024.
“I don’t know what to say. I’m free! I’m free! Finally, after one year,” Kordia, with a beaming smile, told reporters after emerging from the detention center.
An immigration judge had ordered her released on bond three times. The government challenged the first two rulings, but Kordia was freed Monday on $100,000 bond after it did not challenge the third.
Kordia said she was looking forward to going home and hugging her mother “so hard.” But she also said she would keep fighting on behalf of people still being held at the detention center.
“There is a lot of injustice in this place,” she said. “There is a lot of people that shouldn’t be here the first place.”
Kordia was among a number of people arrested last year after the Trump administration began using its immigration enforcement powers on noncitizens who had criticized or protested Israel’s military actions in Gaza, many students and scholars at American universities.
Among them was Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University graduate student involved in campus protests. He spent three months detained in a Louisiana immigration jail before being freed. Rümeysa Öztürk, a Tufts University student who co-authored an op-ed criticizing her university’s response to Israel and the war, was detained for six weeks.
Others did not fight to stay — one Columbia doctoral student fled the U.S. after her visa was revoked and immigration agents showed up at her university apartment.
Arrests of activists like Khalil drew condemnation from elected officials and advocates. But Kordia was not a student or part of a group that might have provided support, so her case remained largely out of the public eye while her detention carried on.
Kordia said she joined a 2024 demonstration outside Columbia University after Israel killed scores of her relatives in Gaza, where she maintains deep personal ties. She was around 100 people arrested by city police at that protest, but the charges against her were dismissed and sealed. Information about her arrest was later given to the Trump administration by the New York City Police Department, which said it was told the records were needed as part of a money laundering investigation.
Kordia was arrested during a March 13, 2025, check-in with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in New Jersey. She was detained immediately and flown to Prairieland Detention Center, south of Dallas.
Federal officials have accused Kordia of overstaying her visa, while scrutinizing payments she sent to relatives in the Middle East. Kordia said the money was meant to help family members suffering during the war.
Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, had previously criticized Kordia for what she said was “providing financial support to individuals living in nations hostile to the U.S.”
The department said in an email Monday night, “The facts of this case have not changed: Leqaa Kordia is in the country illegally after violating the terms of her visa.”
“The Trump administration is committed to restoring the rule of law and common sense to our immigration system, and will continue to fight for the arrest, detention, and removal of aliens who have no right to be in this country,” read the statement.
An immigration judge found “overwhelming evidence” that Kordia was telling the truth about the payments.
Kordia was recently hospitalized for three days following a seizure after fainting and hitting her head at the privately run detention facility.
At a hearing Friday, Kordia’s attorneys said she had a neurological condition that had worsened while in custody, putting her at an elevated risk of seizure. They reiterated that she could stay with U.S. citizen family members and did not pose a flight risk.
The immigration judge, Tara Naslow, agreed.
“I’ve heard testimony. I’ve seen thousands of pages of evidence presented by the respondent, and very little evidence presented by the government in any of this,” Naslow said.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said on X that he asked for her release when he met with President Donald Trump last month
“I am grateful that Leqaa has been released this evening from ICE custody after more than a year in detention for speaking up for Palestinian rights,” Mamdani said.
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Offenhartz reported from New York.
TYLER — In a letter addressed to the Treasury Secretary and U.S. Trade Representative on Monday, U.S. Rep. Nathaniel Moran joins other House members in urging the Trump Administration to address the importation of illegal Chinese e-cigarettes without FDA approval. According to the letter, Chinese vape exports to the U.S. surpassed $10 billion in 2025. The smart vapes are able to connect to smartphones, enabling unauthorized access to personal data, cameras, microphones and more, the letter said.
Representatives raise their concerns about the unauthorized importing of the vapes, as they are sold near schools and military bases.
“These illegal Chinese vapes are a threat on every front,” Moran said. “They contain toxic levels of lead and carcinogens, and are deliberately marketed to target our kids with candy flavors and social media influencers. They are sold near schools and military bases by foreign nationals, and their ‘smart’ technology risks funneling sensitive data directly to the Chinese Communist Party,” Read the rest of this entry »
POLK COUNTY, Texas (KETK) – A boil water notice has been announced for customers in the Chesswood water system as of Monday.
According to a press release, this notice was issued by a “production issue” at the water plant, leading to an outage. All customers are now advised to boil their water before consumption. Children, seniors and individuals with weakened immune systems are particularly susceptible to harmful bacteria.
To effectively eliminate the bacteria, water should be brought to a vigorous rolling boil and kept boiling for an additional two minutes. Alternatively, individuals can purchase bottled water or source water from other means for drinking and consumption.
Once the notice is lifted, Texas Water Utilities will inform its customers. For any inquiries, people can contact the company at 866-654-7992.
LIVINGSTON, Texas (KETK) — Newly released footage from the Livingston Police Department captures a dramatic Monday morning car chase, leading to the arrest of a 22-year-old suspect.
The Livingston Police Department said they were notified by the San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office that a stolen vehicle may be heading into their area on State Highway 146. Officers later located the vehicle traveling northbound on 146, south of the city limits, and attempted to initiate a traffic stop in the area of Red Barn.
The driver continued to flee from authorities and officers conducted a PIT maneuver to prevent the suspect from getting back onto 146. Despite the maneuvers, the suspect continued to drive into the city limits of Livingston.
As the pursuit continued, deputies from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office deployed spike strips near Garner Street, disabling the vehicle’s tires. However, the driver continued on to East Church Street, where he collided with a department vehicle.
According to officials, the suspect exited his vehicle on Old Woodville Road and fled into a wooded area. Officers successfully deployed a taser against the suspect and took him into custody.
Following his arrest, the suspect was identified as 22-year-old William Rivera from Lee’s Summit, Mo., and charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle and evading arrest with a vehicle.
“This is a great example of difficult and split decisions officers are forced to make in dangerous situations,” Livingston PD Lieutenant Jake Mueller said. ” Our officers handled the situation with professionalism and brought the pursuit to a safe conclusion. The suspect is in custody and no one was injured.”
HENDERSON COUNTY– A 17-year-old man from Trinidad was arrested on Wednesday after a car chase in Henderson County, where officials said he struck another vehicle. According to an arrest affidavit and our news partner KETK, officers from the Tool Police Department were dispatched to Arnold Hills Road after receiving reports regarding a suicidal man who had stolen a dark colored 2022 Kia Soul.
After locating the suspect, an officer attempted to initiate a traffic stop on Lyndell Drive, but the driver disregarded the officer and continued to flee from authorities.
As the pursuit continued, the suspect collided with another vehicle that was traveling on State Highway 274. After the collision, the pursuit continued toward Tool and eventually ended in Trinidad.
Following the pursuit, the suspect was identified as Caidyn Farris. He was booked into the Henderson County Jail after being charged with evading arrest, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and unlawful use of a vehicle.
TYLER – A man was arrested after a shooting was reported in the Montgomery Gardens Boulevard area in Tyler on Monday. Deputies responded to the 2200 block of Montgomery Gardens Boulevard at around 1:30 p.m. on Monday for reports of shots fired. Our news partner KETK reports that two individuals arrived at a house and exited their vehicle to speak with the occupants. An argument ensued when a man emerged from the house while brandishing a weapon.
One of the people from the vehicle had returned to the passenger seat when the man who had emerged from inside the house allegedly started firing at the car’s passenger side door.
The man inside the vehicle was uninjured, according to the sheriff’s office. The man who fired at the car was arrested and will be charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and booked into the Smith County Jail.
TYLER – As severe weather moves through East Texas, many power companies and electricity co-operatives have reported thousands of power outages across the area.
Lake O’ the Pines marina docks flipped over by high winds
Our news partner KETK has compiled the following list of East Texas counties from the Texas power outage map and as of 11:00 a.m. on Monday, about 2,694 customers were without power. You can view that list here.
ATHENS – Four people have been charged for attempting to bring suspected cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines and illegal pills into the Henderson County Jail with a tube of eczema cream. According to the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office and our news partner KETK, a narcotics investigator was investigating drug trafficking in Henderson County when they learned about a plan to deliver illegal drugs to the Henderson County Jail on Saturday morning.
Several sheriff’s office investigators and K9 deputies were able to intercept the delivery of drugs, which reportedly made use of a Gold Bond eczema cream tube to hide balloons of suspected cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines and pills.
The sheriff’s office has arrested Megan Chapman, 36 of Eustace, and Shannon Boyle, 47 of Eustace, with allegedly attempting to make the delivery to two inmates in the jail, Jessy Pierce, 28 of Mabank, and Joshua Sallings, 40 of Mabank. Read the rest of this entry »
JEFFERSON, Texas (KETK) – The Bullfrog Marina on Lake O’ the Pines was damaged by high winds during severe weather on Sunday. According to the Lake O’ the Pines Chamber of Commerce, the outer section of the marina’s boat slips were entirely flipped over by Sunday’s high winds, likely damaging many boats docked there.
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office reported multiple downed trees and a downed stop sign on Sunday as well.
TYLER, Texas (KETK)– All smokable THC products must be removed from Texas dispensaries by March 31, upsetting business owners in East Texas.
A year ago, the debate started in the 89th legislature to ban or regulate THC products in Texas. In the end, state lawmakers could not agree. Ultimately, leading Governor Abbott to issue an executive order banning all THC products.
This order requires the 9,100 hemp retailers in the state, like Green Nation in Tyler to change the way they do business.
“What the law did is essentially that any THC products are now part of the total D-9 calculation. So, the State Health Department is essentially changing the way that hemp is defined by Texas and federal law,” Green Nation Owner, Austin Hubbard, says.
The new requirements on THC levels would eliminate the use of the hemp flower–and could limit 80% of the product for the industry and state lawmakers are hopeful that the new stricter rules will lead to lower health risks for the public.
Experts weigh in on Texas U.S. Senate runoff between Paxton, Cornyn
The Texas Department of State Health Services has also proposed raising licensing fees. Retailers, like Green Nation, could see fees spike from $150 to $20,000, and manufacturers could experience fees of $250 to $25,000. Hubbard is worried ‘a lot of these stores won’t be able to afford that.’
Hubbard is working to find a way to keep his business afloat by filing a temporary restraining order against the ruling until 2027.
People say that this is the only thing that deals with my post-chemo pain. So, I mean, it’s that’s really taken away from the people that need it the most,” Hubbard says, staying customer-driven through the legal battle.
In a statement to KETK News, the Texas Department of State Health Services addressed their new rules: DSHS promulgated rules in accordance with the statutes and the governor’s executive order. To set these fees, DSHS made estimates of the costs necessary to support regular inspection of manufacturers and retailers, including inspector salaries and travel, laboratory testing costs, related legal and State Office of Administrative Hearing costs for resulting compliance actions, and assistance from the TABC and the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) per Executive Order GA-56.
LONE STAR, Texas (KETK)– Officials have responded to the scene of an oil spill that happened in the Ellison Creek Reservoir on Friday night in Lone Star.
Brianna McClain, the Mayor of Lone Star, said the city is aware of the leak. Morris County Judge Doug Reeder said the the oil well company involved with the leak has been identified and that there’s no ongoing leak or spill as of Saturday morning.
Reeder added that some areas of the lake may pose a threat to the public until they finish cleaning up the the spilled oil. Texas Game Wardens are currently inspecting the lake and are taking water and soil samples to further investigate.
“Please be advised that some areas of the lake may pose a risk at this time. Proceed with caution until more information is gathered,” Reeder said.
The public is also being advised to avoid Mayor’s Cove and the City’s boat ramp on the south end of the reservoir, since that area has been closed until further notice, according to Reeder.
“The safety of our residents, lake users and local wildlife is extremely important to us,” McClain said. “We will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide updates as more information becomes available.”
TYLER – Crime rates declined in most East Texas counties over the past year, according to newly released FBI data, though a handful of counties reported significant increases. Data from the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Crime in Texas (CIT) Online Portal shows reported crime fell in 18 of the 28 East Texas counties between 2024 and 2025.
Rains County recorded the largest decrease, with reported crime falling 36.03% between 2024 and 2025. Meanwhile, Anderson County saw the largest increase, with reported crime rising 53.19% during the same period. Smith County reported 5,793 crimes in 2025, giving it a crime rate of about 2,293.4 per 100,000 residents after adjusting for population. While Nacogdoches County has less than half the population of Smith County, it recorded a higher crime rate of 2,702.5 in 2025, meaning crimes occur more frequently there relative to the county’s population.
Our news partner KETK compiled a list showing how crime rates changed across East Texas counties from 2024 to 2025. You can view that list here or by continuing to read below. Read the rest of this entry »
If Texas wants to continue to be a leader in oil, the Permian Basin needs more energy.
That’s the warning influential trade groups representing oil companies have been telling state lawmakers and regulators for years.
A dearth of power plants and transmission lines connecting the region to the rest of the state’s grid means there isn’t enough electricity to power field operations, such as compressors and oil pumps.
In 2023, lawmakers offered a solution that spelled out a dramatic expansion of electricity transmission infrastructure in the Permian Basin, the state’s biggest oil field.
“Texas’ thriving production is driving the state’s success,” the Texas Oil and Gas Association, a statewide trade group whose membership makes up roughly 90% of the state’s crude oil and natural gas market, wrote to regulators charged with designing that plan. “And a reliable electricity supply is crucial to sustaining this industry.”
The industry’s advocacy has been successful. Costing upward of $13 billion, the Permian Basin Reliability Plan is now at the final stages of administrative review and public input before construction can begin, which could be as soon as next year, some observers say.
But the most recent blueprints of the plan — which include building the state’s biggest transmission line through the Texas Hill Country — have spurred opposition from a coalition of landowner and conservative groups and a handful of lawmakers who are asking regulators to pump the brakes.
Groups opposing the state’s plan worry that construction along beloved landscapes and rivers will damage the environment and usher in higher costs for ratepayers. A solution, they said, would be for regulators to revisit their plans.
“We understand the Permian Basin needs reliability,” said Jada Jo Smith, president of the Hill Country Preservation Coalition, a group composed of landowners and conservationists. “We’re not saying we don’t understand it needs to happen, we’re just saying do it the right way. The process needs to be carefully thought out.”
Industry leaders said oil companies can’t afford to wait. Oil and gas production has skyrocketed in Texas, a milestone that industry leaders said has also become a bottleneck. The West Texas oil fields lack adequate infrastructure to import large volumes of electricity to maintain momentum.
“To be very blunt, in order for Texas to continue to be the beacon for economic growth it must develop these projects in a timely fashion,” said Ben Shepperd, president of the Permian Basin Petroleum Association. “And the greatest risk of failure for the Permian Basin Reliability Plan is for these necessary projects to falter under any sort of delay.”
In 2024, the Texas Oil and Gas Association said its members had a blockbuster year, a milestone accompanied by a looming risk: electricity.
The available infrastructure was, the Petroleum Association told the Public Utility Commission in a letter, “years behind the electrical needs of the industry.”
Over the next two years, the utility commission, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, the state’s main grid manager, and the oil and gas industry debated whether construction should be split into two phases or built all at once.
Fulfilling the wishes of the oil and gas industry and the industrial sector, the utility commission partially approved ERCOT’s proposal to build or improve 260 transmission lines across Texas by 2038. That plan includes three major transmission lines, otherwise called import paths, one of which would transport electricity from east to west. These lines, called 765 kV lines, can carry more electricity than any other line that currently exists in Texas. It will cost nearly $14 billion, a cost that ratepayers are expected to cover.
“One thing our members have recognized is the need for these transmission projects to move without delay,” said Shepherd, the Petroleum Association’s president. “For years, the demand for this infrastructure has far outpaced construction and while we have long said we are agnostic about the voltage, routes, or other considerations, we are deeply concerned about delays, given that these projects have been needed for the better part of the last decade.”
State Rep. Charlie Geren, the Fort Worth Republican who wrote the bill, agreed, telling the utility commission in a 2024 letter not to phase out the project.
“I want to make it clear that it is my legislative intent that HB 5066 be fully implemented and should not be held up or delayed by the discussion of higher voltage lines for the state,” Geren wrote.
Geren did not respond to an interview request.
Regulators at the utility commission have greenlit most of the 260 proposed projects. But the utility commission has yet to fully approve 33 of the biggest, most controversial proposals of the expansion package. The six companies that proposed the projects still require the final stamp of approval, which includes public input.
Multiple groups — conservative policy analysts and grassroots movements — have already begun urging the utility commission to reconsider a proposed path through the Devil’s River in the Texas Hill Country. And now they’re getting a boost from state lawmakers.
The groups argue that the project is moving too fast and costs too much, and hope their advocacy will result in proposals for other routes and additional studies.
Brent Bennett, a policy director at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a conservative think tank, said another factor driving up the demand is data centers. He said the evidence of that demand comes from studies relying on speculation, as many of the projects have not been built or connected to the state’s grid, but rather state they intend to.
“I think eventually, if the demand comes, we’re going to need them,” Bennett said of the transmission lines. “But how soon do we have to build them? And can we do this in a more phased, less disruptive manner?”
Residents have already begun organizing to try to stop the project in the Hill Country, where a network of rivers cuts through rolling hills and grassland in Central Texas. The region has a storied camping culture spanning generations. Now it’s the site of gatherings in protests and town halls. The project, residents of the area argue, could devastate the landscape.
“We just started thinking, ‘Gosh, this is going to be devastating for these areas that they’re proposing,’” said Smith, of the conservation group whose coalition consists of 48,000 people, including 17 other organizations. “All of these areas, their livelihood depends on rivers in the summer and hunting in the winter, and these proposed routes really threaten that.”
Some lawmakers — including those who previously supported the legislation — agree. At least five of them, whose districts are in areas where the transmission line would pass through, wrote a letter to the utility commission in January, asking regulators to reevaluate their plans. Two of them — state Reps. West Virdell, R-Kerrville, and Don McLaughlin, R-Laredo — had not been elected when the bill was passed. State Rep. Eddie Morales, D-Eagle Pass, and Sens. Roland Gutierrez, D-San Antonio, and Pete Flores, R-Llano, voted for the bill.
“We have each heard from hundreds of constituents, along with business organizations, local officials, and conservation groups, expressing significant concerns about the potential impacts of this project,” the letter said. “Given the magnitude of this project, we believe additional time is necessary to fully evaluate the most responsible path and consider new transmission route links that will avoid pristine river basins, minimize land fragmentation, reduce ecological harm, protect sensitive water resources, and ensure meaningful public engagement.”
In a statement to The Texas Tribune, Morales said at the time, new transmission lines were vital for lawmakers to address. Morales represents the Devils River State Natural Area located in Val Verde County.
“This line will be built, and Texas will benefit from it,” he said. “However, I am urging the PUC to recognize the importance of preserving this pristine landscape and reject the possibility of a proposed line to cut through this region.”
The other lawmakers did not respond to an interview request.
The Public Utility Commission of Texas told the Tribune it has received four applications for 765 kV projects. Additional details on those projects and applications are available on the agency’s website. Residents can protest the projects or apply to intervene in the proceedings. The utility commission has 180 days from the date the applications are filed to approve, modify, or deny them. The process involves legal proceedings before the State Office of Administrative Hearings.
“The PUCT’s Office of Public Engagement has attended public meetings, conducted informational briefings with state legislators to inform the public of these proceedings, and fielded over 135 calls from consumers,” a spokesperson for the utility commission said. “The (transmission service providers) responsible for each project conduct the majority of public outreach and have been hosting multiple open houses for each project in their service areas.”
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Disclosure: Ben Shepperd, Permian Basin Petroleum Association, Texas Oil & Gas Association and Texas Public Policy Foundation have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune’s journalism. Find a complete list of them here.
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This story was originally published by The Texas Tribune and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency proposed Friday to weaken air pollution limits on a chemical used to sterilize medical equipment, a move that would reverse a Biden administration finding of high cancer risks at manufacturing facilities that use ethylene oxide to clean medical devices like catheters and syringes.
The EPA said it is concerned that the current Biden-era standards “actively threaten” manufacturers’ abilities to sterilize equipment and “jeopardize one of America’s only options for a secure domestic supply chain of essential medical equipment.”
Ethylene oxide plays a crucial role in sterilizing lifesaving medical devices, including pacemakers and syringes, but long-term exposure can cause leukemia and other types of cancer among people who work at medical sterilization facilities or live nearby.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said the proposed rule shows the agency’s commitment to protecting people’s health while maintaining a stable domestic medical supply chain.
“The Trump EPA is committed to ensuring life-saving medical devices remain available for the critical care of America’s children, elderly and all patients without unnecessary exposure to communities,” he said in a statement.
The proposal is the latest in a series of moves by the EPA under President Donald Trump to relax pollution limits and lower costs for industry. In February alone, the agency weakened restrictions on mercury from coal-burning power plants and repealed a scientific finding that served as the central basis for U.S. action to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and fight climate change.
An EPA rule finalized in 2024 was intended to reduce ethylene oxide emissions by about 90% by targeting nearly 90 commercial sterilization facilities across the country. The Biden-era rule also required companies to test for the antimicrobial chemical in the air and ensure their pollution controls are functioning properly.
The American Lung Association called the proposed rule change unacceptable.
“The science shows that both short-term and long-term exposure to ethylene oxide is dangerous for health,” said Laura Kate Bender, the association’s vice president. “People who live near many commercial sterilization facilities are much more likely to develop cancer over their lifetimes. No one should have to live with elevated cancer risk because of air pollution in their community.”
Environmental justice advocates noted that many ethylene oxide facilities are located in minority communities where Black and Brown people have been exposed to the cancer-causing chemical.
Ethylene oxide, also known as EtO, is a gas used to sterilize roughly half of all medical devices and is also used to ensure the safety of certain spices and other food products. It is used to clean everything from catheters to syringes, pacemakers and plastic surgical gowns. Brief exposure isn’t considered a danger, but breathing it long term elevates the risk of breast cancer and lymphoma, the EPA said.
The EPA first classified ethylene oxide as a human carcinogen in 2016.
In 2022, the EPA laid out the risks faced by residents who live near medical sterilization facilities. In Laredo, Texas, for example, residents and activists fought to clean up a sterilization facility run by Missouri-based Midwest Sterilization Corp. It was one of 23 sterilizers in the United States that the EPA said posed a risk for people nearby.
Sterigenics, a major sterilization company, shuttered a medical sterilization plant in a Chicago suburb after monitoring found emissions spikes in nearby neighborhoods. They eventually settled numerous lawsuits.
Scott Whitaker, president and CEO of the Advanced Medical Technology Association, said medical sterilizers provide a vital service and many devices can’t be sterilized by any other method.
“We appreciate the EPA’s efforts in listening to and understanding the importance of supplying safe, sterile medical technology without interruption while protecting employees and communities near sterilization facilities,” he said in an email.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn, who has raised concerns about emissions at a Sterigenics plant southeast of Los Angeles, said Friday that “the EPA is moving in the wrong direction and putting more Americans’ health on the line.”
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Associated Press writer Dorany Pineda in Los Angeles contributed to this story.