El Paso News Archives

El Paso is lighting up and tuning up for a cheerful, activity-packed Christmas season.

A snowfall on parts of El Paso prompted state highway officials to close a heavily traveled commuter link through a mountain pass.

Lubbock's former Deputy Chief Medical Examiner is under fire. A document specialist from Austin who often works for defense attorneys has filed a medical board complaint against Dr.

It happened by accident in the 1950s, when the then newly created Public Service Board realized it could manage the water rights only of land it owned.

Two southern New Mexico teenagers have been arrested after U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized nearly 30 pounds of heroin at the El Paso, Texas, port of entry.

U.S. District Court Judge Frank Montalvo has denied a defense request to recuse himself and will continue presiding over the corruption case of lawyer Luther Jones and District Clerk Gilbert Sanchez.

President Barack Obama is about to unfurl what he's calling a plan that will win the war against al-Qaida in Afghanistan.

Who gets the credit for the ideas that come to fruition in El Paso? Like who thought up "Sun City?" Who named our bus service "Sun Metro?" Let's all put an ear to the ground and listen to our politicians answer: Me! No, me! I did it! You didn't, I did it! OK, let's pull up our ears now.

"When someone's driving drunk, a traffic light is not going to make a difference." West-Central city Rep.

Cutting the number of high-school dropouts in half in El Paso County could increase wages by about $33 million and raise state and local tax revenues by about $3 million, a new study shows.

Western Refining will pay $1.95 million for an algae-to-biodiesel project in New Mexico as part of a settlement of air-quality violations at its New Mexico refineries, the New Mexico Environment Department reported Wednesday.

A winter storm watch will be in effect for the city of El Paso from Sunday afternoon through Tuesday morning.

If you want to find the most dangerous intersection of 2009, you have to head to Far East El Paso.

Nidia Acosta, 33, died after a 2006 Ford Focus driven by Beatric Terrazas, 61, backed over her on Friday evening.

Fort Bliss opens the post to 36 different countries from around the world Tuesday.

"It should be status quo for the near future," said AAA spokesman Brian Newbacher.

At least 41 businesses in El Paso will be part of a national audit of 1,000 businesses by federal officials looking for immigration violations in hiring workers.

Tom Brown, minister, orator and exorcist, is suddenly a political activist. Brown is the man who is challenging the City Council on its decision to offer health-insurance benefits to unmarried and gay partners of city employees.

Nobody in an official position bothered to check the guy's resume? Dr. Paul Shrode, who for years has fought allegations that he lied on his resume and is underqualified to be chief medical examiner of El Paso County, finds himself the target of a new state complaint.

Paul Rodriguez knew exactly where the makers of the new comedy movie "I'm Not Like That No More" should hold their first screenings.

Thirteen members of the Bloods street gang have been arrested on federal drug charges.

The city held its mass H1N1 flu vaccination clinic on Tuesday at the Convention Center, with El Pasoans waiting in long lines with some confusion outside, followed by an organized and timely process inside.

Happy Thanksgiving. And on this day in El Paso we can say persons, projects coming our way -- and a bit of luck -- have made this a bountiful year.

Maj. Libardo Caraveo is laid to rest Wednesday at Arlington National Cemetery. He was one of 13 people killed in the Fort Hood shooting spree.

The FBI today announced the arrests of 13 members and associates of the Bloods street gang.

Residents in the violent Mexican border city of Juarez will soon be able to report crime through an anonymous international tip line.

Colder weather is starting to put additional pressure on the homeless, elderly, infirm, poor and disabled.

The father of the man shot and killed Monday night in Northeast El Paso hopes his killer is found and arrested.

Artist Jose Cisneros, known for his vivid depictions of the people and culture of the Southwest, has died in El Paso.

A teenager was killed by a shotgun blast Monday night in Northeast El Paso. The 17-year-old boy was shot at 7:30 p.m. during a gathering with other young people at a home in the 3900 block of Thomason Avenue near Dyer Street, police said.

As a newsroom, we've been spending a bit more time in Ciudad Juarez, trying to widen our perspective on the ongoing drug war that is paralyzing El Paso's twin city.

El Paso police were at the scene of a shooting Monday night near the intersection of Dyer and Thomason streets in Northeast El Paso.

The aroma of Thanksgiving at the home of Rick Cook is the same as at any other household in El Paso.

El Paso Mayor John Cook is holding his monthly open door meeting Wednesday. The mayor's door is open to the public from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. You have the chance to bring any concerns you have on the 10th floor of City Hall.

Trudy Trafton illuminated our lives with simple words. Trafton loved bending our ears with her "musings" about life, as an El Paso Times guest columnist.

Karla Fuentes is a young artist with an interesting canvas -- tennis shoes. At the suggestion of her boyfriend, a couple years ago, Fuentes hand-painted a pair of tennis shoes and gave them to him as a Christmas present.

The number of Americans traveling away from home for Thanksgiving will be up only slightly this year from 2008, according to a report from the AAA auto club.

Arnett Moultrie scored 25 points and Claude Britten added 19, both career highs, as Texas-El Paso defeated Arkansas State 82-56 Saturday night.

Corey Dlask, who plays father duck Drake, rehearses with Ceci Schlesinger, who plays mother duck Ida, in the El Paso Playhouse production "Honk!" The musical runs through Dec.

Men of Mobile, we have been insulted! It seems some Webzine called TotalBeauty.com has deemed us number five among the eight ugliest cities in these United States when it comes to dudes.

The El Paso County Health Department said two individuals have died from the H1N1 virus.

Customs and Border Protection agents said they found dangerous pests at the El Paso and Santa Teresa ports of entry on Tuesday and Wednesday.

El Paso blogger David Karlsruher hit a touchy subject and for that he's the subject of a lawsuit -- what we consider a frivolous lawsuit.

Police in the Mexican border city of Ciudad Juarez say four of state police officers have been killed and two others injured in two separate attacks.

UPDATE: The phone number the health department released this morning to make a vaccination appointment was wrong.

The federal government is seeking $1 million from three people, including a Customs and Border Protection employee, who were arrested on bribery and smuggling charges, U.S. attorney's office officials said Thursday.

A tanker truck carrying 9,200 gallons of propane rolled over in Far East El Paso, according to El Paso County sheriff.

County ethics commission Chairman Stuart Leeds on Monday filed a defamation suit against online columnist David Karlsruher, who wrote in a blog posting that the ethics panel leader was planning a witch hunt against his political adversaries.

This is one of the nation's top job-performing cities, according to a study released Wednesday.

The long-running dispute between Eastside bar owners and nearby residents will continue with an independent mediator.

A lawsuit has been filed recently that could provide us with entertainment for quite some time. In a blog post on Nov. 11, local blogger David K. expressed worry about why the Ethics Commission was being rushed along. David K. expressed his belief they were being rushed so the "witch hunts" could begin, comparing ethics commission chairman Stuart Leeds (pictured above right) with Salem Witch Hunt leader Cotton Mather (pictured above left).

County ethics commission Chairman Stuart Leeds on Monday filed a defamation suit against online columnist David Karlsruher, who wrote in a blog posting that the ethics panel leader was planning a witch hunt against his political adversaries.

The U.S Postal Service has spiraled downward, reporting a huge loss net loss for the 2009 fiscal year, and with the loss may come some changes to the way you get your mail.

There's controversy over new breast cancer screening recommendations. The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force says women in their forties do not need yearly mammograms.

A 7-year-old boy who attended school in El Paso has been slain in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, in shootings that also left his father dead.

It all began with a 1965 Pontiac GTO. Once Meyer Marcus inserted the key into that '65 GTO, it was over -- he was hooked.

A local teachers' union might consider moving forward with a grievance it filed in October if it does not soon see changes to a grading policy in the El Paso Independent School District.

The stationary, and just about everything else at the County Attorney's Office is about to change.

A 7-year-old boy killed in Juarez on Friday was a third-grade student at Glen Cove Elementary, an Ysleta Independent School District spokeswoman said this morning.

If you think you can do better, go put your resume in. Hell, go coach a youth football team and then come back tell me how easy it is to win every single game, or even half of them.

Normally, this is the point where Mike Price would talk about pride, having fun, playing for the seniors, playing for each other.

Meet Honey.This cute little bobbed-tail dog was a stray that ended up as a shelter dog.

Most kids dream of going to Disneyland. But how many kids get to wave a magic wand in a TV commercial there? El Paso's Molly Jackson, who's all of 37 pounds and turns 8 on Nov.

The memory of the Holocaust continues to reverberate through a local museum that is celebrating its 25th anniversary.

Here's how artists Suzi Davidoff and Rachelle Thiewes spent their summer vacation: They lived for two months in an artists co-op in Finland; stayed six days in St.

What started as a fun night around a bonfire in a popular desert hangout in East El Paso turned into a tragedy for a group of friends on the way home when four of them were killed Thursday morning in a three-car crash.

Special Traffic Investigators were on the scene of a fatal motorcycle crash in far East El Paso County today, a sheriff's spokesman said.

Authorities say a 7-year-old boy, three women and a university professor are among 15 people who were killed in a single day in the Mexican border city of Ciudad Juarez.

The city government is entitled to the $30,000 that former city Rep. Melina Castro paid to settle a lawsuit, an appeals court has decided.

The U.S. Forest Service study of decision-making during the Station Fire's first three days concluded that commanders used "best professional practices" while trying to knock down the fire that began Aug.

It is engaged in the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity. The company serves approximately 360,000 customers including residential, commercial, industrial and wholesalers.

There's a simple reason why Sunday's AC/DC concert at the Don Haskins Center sold out nearly 9,000 tickets in four hours last month.

Two people were arrested late Wednesday after a three-week undercover narcotics operation in the Northeast, a sheriff's spokesman said this morning.

They were legends in life but often overlooked in death. That changed Wednesday when 42 Buffalo Soldiers who fought and died in the El Paso area received a lasting tribute.

Four people were killed in a triple vehicle accident in the city's Far East side, El Paso police said.

EL PASO, Texas a ' Some legislators concerned about how to pay for new highways in Texas have suggested considering an increase in the 20 cents-a-gallon state fuel tax.

El Paso has reason to celebrate: The state's top teacher is from the community. Yushica Walker is a sixth-grade science teacher at Morehead Middle school and has been teaching for 13 years.

The 95-room Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott in West El Paso is scheduled to open Tuesday.

El Paso native Enriqueta "Queta" Fierro was given the city's Conquistador Award today for her years as a community volunteer and activist.

David Cook is part of an exclusive club - one that comes with 30 million potential fans and alums such as Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood.

County Commissioner Willie Gandara Jr. on Tuesday named J. Roberto Oaxaca, a personal injury lawyer from the Lower Valley, as the 10th member of the El Paso County Ethics Commission.

Gunmen burst into an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting and opened fire in a violence-plagued Mexican border state, killing one person and wounding four, authorities said Tuesday.

His name is Justin. He's a heroin addict. He's been sober for 42 days. And he's 16.

Shawntrell Dawkins, the wife of a Fort Bliss staff sergeant who was found guilty last month of injury to a child, pleaded not guilty to the same murder charges on Monday.

It is engaged in the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity. The company serves approximately 360,000 customers including residential, commercial, industrial and wholesalers.

Dozens stood outside of the AARP/Walgreens Wellness Tour Bus on Sunday waiting for free health screenings, and the topic of conversation was the healthcare reform bill.

Across the centuries and decades, local and regional historians have debated the big question: Who were the first El Pasoans? Obviously, they were the Indians, although these were not necessarily the ancestors of present-day Indians.

Police said today they are investigating a West Side aggravated robbery. About 8:30 p.m. Saturday at a Game Stop store in the 6900 block of N. Mesa, a man entered the store and demanded money while pointing a weapon at the clerk, police said.

While some people wear their heart on their sleeve, El Pasoans share profound personal feelings on their cars.

Want a little cream cheese with your Colline? Rodolfo with your riesling? Mixed greens with your Mimi? Then by all means you have to check out what the El Paso Opera has cooked up for its current fall production, "Le Vie de La Boheme." It's not opera exactly.

One of the 13 people killed in the Fort Hood rampage Thursday was identified as Maj.

Several hundred bikers representing more than 30 clubs rumbled along Paisano near Downtown El Paso during the 27th Annual Toy Run by the El Paso Motorcycle Coalition of Clubs Sunday.

Pifas Silva is watching the opening montage from comedian Gabriel Iglesias' new, El Paso-filmed Comedy Central special, "I'm Not Fat ... I'm Fluffy," which debuts at 7 p.m. Sunday on the comedy network.

In this day and age of "American Idol" and "America's Got Talent," many have been inspired to travel across the country for a chance to gain that 15 minutes of fame on a national stage -- even though most of us Carrie Underwood and Ruben Studdard wannabes are better off sticking to shower solos.

Authorities said gunmen have killed a police commander in Mexico's deadliest city, where a dismembered, decapitated body was found hours before.

Western Refinery has accomplished what every property owner in El Paso dreams of -- getting money back from the taxing entities.

It's tough for some veterans to even think about. "It's just spine chilling," said John Selam, an Army veteran.

One of the four men killed Wednesday execution-style in south Juarez was from El Paso, Chihuahua state police said today.

Vacation trips are expensive. Concerts are expensive. Movies are expensive. So what is there to do for entertainment that is relatively inexpensive during these tough economic times? How about a trip to the park? Parks are a great place to just relax or get a little exercise, depending on your state of inertia.

Gunmen with automatic weapons burst into a Mexican strip club on the U.S. border, opened fire on patrons and killed six people including an American soldier, the army said on Wednesday.

Bob Cook, president of the El Paso Regional Economic Development Corp., plans to be in Guam next week to talk about El Paso and Fort Bliss expansion.

On Oct. 31, the streets of El Paso will be filled with trick-or-treaters, but several religious leaders across the city are encouraging families to stay out of the streets and instead attend celebrations at churches.

Halloween used to be all about scary, but now some El Pasoans say now it's all about sexy.

Grand jurors have indicted a woman on a charge of animal cruelty after she accused of abusing her family's pit bull puppy.

It's that time again, for Texans to head to the polls to voice their opinion. But you won't cast a ballot for politicians.

EL PASO El Paso Andress High School band director Josh Coleman, of Alamogordo, died of natural causes according to preliminary autopsy results, the El Paso County medical examiner said Sunday.

An 82-year-old man missing for about a week was found by his family during the weekend in Juarez, an El Paso police spokesman said Monday.

Rigoberto Avila will die for killing a 19-month-old boy. Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court refused Avila's appeal, as well as appeals from two other Texas death row inmates.

So just when I think El Paso hypocrisy can't get any worse, I read an op-ed piece in the El Paso Times from State Representative Marissa Marquez.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation announced the addition of Eduardo Ravelo, aka "Tablas," to its "Ten Most Wanted Fugitives" list.

El Paso boxer Antonio Escalante improved to 22-2 with 14 knockouts with a second-round knockout of Carlos Fulgencio on the undercard of the Luis "Yori Boy" Campas-Hector Camacho Jr.

On Friday, the city of El Paso got thousands of doses of the H1N1 flu vaccine. "Now that we got 13,000, it's time to open the doors and get those doses out," said Michael Hill, the director of the El Paso Department of Public Health.

Make no bones about it. Creating a haunting scene with skeletons, enormous spiders or other ghastly creatures on doorsteps and front yards is fun.

El Paso police and medical crews are at the scene of a bus crash in Downtown El Paso.