This is your weekly news roundup, which takes a quick look at some developments in government, politics, education, environment and other topics across El Paso.
Sun Metro Awarded $30 Million For Natural Gas Buses
The federal government is giving $30.6 million to the city of El Paso to replace 32 of Sun Metro’s aging natural-gas powered buses with new versions that also run on compressed natural gas. The grant comes from a $1.5 billion pot of money for public transportation that was established through the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, which Congress passed in 2021. The $1.5 billion was awarded to 117 different transit agencies around the country.
The city of El Paso didn’t respond to questions about the grant award, but in a 2022 report Sun Metro said its entire fleet of 231 buses run on compressed natural gas.
In its grant application Sun Metro sought new natural gas buses that are less-polluting than its older models, instead of novel bus technologies that don’t emit pollution such as battery-powered buses or buses that run on a hydrogen fuel cell instead of a combustion engine. El Paso was somewhat of an outlier; three-quarters of the $1.5 billion in grant awards went to communities that sought newer technologies – including hybrid, battery-electric or hydrogen buses – or for infrastructure such as hydrogen refueling stations or bus chargers.
“In this program, we work with what local applicants tell us they need and (compressed natural gas buses) was what Sun Metro came to us with,” said Polly Trottenberg, deputy secretary with the U.S. Department of Transportation. “It is our hope that over time we will transition to a zero-emission bus fleet. We’re going to do it in stages. But, clearly, the dollars we’re putting here I think are going to have a dramatic effect of reducing emissions all over the country.”
El Paso County Director Strategic Development Jose Landeros, at right, presents the Bond Advisory Committee’s recommendations to the El Paso County Commissioners Court Monday, July 8, 2024. (Screengrab / El Paso County YouTube)
County Commissioners Talk Bond, More Meetings Set
The El Paso County Commissioners Court has two more capital planning workshops planned before formally voting whether to call for a bond election in November – and what projects to include in it. The next two meetings are set for July 18 and July 29, and follow a Tuesday, July 9, meeting when the county’s Bond Advisory Committee presented its recommendation that commissioners ask voters for a $295 million bond. The committee also recommended about $188 million in projects to be funded with certificates of obligation.
Jim Senter, the University of Texas at El Paso athletics director, appealed to commissioners Tuesday in hopes the county will include $99 million in general obligation bonds for Sun Bowl Stadium improvements, saying the university hoped to partner with the county to “increase and enhance the quality of life that we have for all El Pasoans” by spurring economic development. The Sun Bowl was not on the list of projects recommended by the bond committee.
The court has until Aug. 19 to call for the bond election, but could also vote on it Aug. 12. The last day to register to vote for the Nov. 5 election is Oct. 7. Early voting is from Oct. 21 to Nov. 1.
Texas Tech Health El Paso has received a $2.5 million grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas to expand a program that aims to increase the number of people in the region who receive the human papillomavirus vaccination. HPV infections are spread through intimate skin-to-skin contact and can cause cancers of the cervix, vagina and vulva, penis, anus and back of the throat.
(Courtesy Texas Tech Health El Paso)
Texas Tech Health El Paso Awarded $2.5 Million Grant for HPV
Texas Tech Health El Paso has received a $2.5 million grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas to expand a program that aims to increase the number of people in the region who receive the human papillomavirus vaccination, or HPV.
The money will enable the Tiempo De Vacunarte (Time to Get Vaccinated) program to serve 83,000 individuals and provide 3,640 vaccines throughout the five-year duration of the grant, Dr. Jennifer Molokwu, director of Cancer Prevention and Control at Texas Tech Health El Paso, said in a news release. Nearly 2,000 uninsured or underinsured individuals ages 9 to 45 have completed an HPV vaccine series under the program.
“We’re committed to increasing HPV vaccine uptake in our target communities, particularly among adolescents and underserved populations,” Molokwu said in a statement.
The grant will help tailor bilingual HPV cancer prevention services and initiatives in collaboration with school districts and health providers to underserved communities in El Paso, Hudspeth, Culberson, Presidio, and Brewster counties. It will also help the program establish partnerships with private pharmacies in rural areas to make the vaccines more accessible.
HPV-related cancers disproportionately affect Hispanics, particularly those residing along the U.S.-Mexico border, Texas Tech said in a news release. HPV infections are spread through intimate skin-to-skin contact and can cause cancers of the cervix, vagina and vulva, penis, anus, and back of the throat.
The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, or CPRIT, is a $6 billion, 20-year initiative that has awarded more than $3.6 billion in grants to Texas research institutions and organizations. CPRIT awarded Texas Tech grants in 2014 and 2019.
Employment Positively Impacts Veterans with Mental Illness
Having a job can have a positive effect on the well-being of veterans with mental illness, according to a study led by two faculty researchers from the University of Texas at El Paso. Stress and Health published “Employment and emotional well-being in veterans with mental illness” in its June issue.
Emre Umucu, assistant professor, UTEP College of Health Sciences
Authors Emre Umucu and Beatrice Lee, who teach in UTEP’s College of Health Sciences, studied 517 veterans from three sample groups where everyone was feeling a mental health condition or psychiatric disability such as depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder.
Participants, mostly men, were in their late 20s or 30s and included all genders and racial and ethnic backgrounds. They were questioned about their mental health, sense of well-being and employment status.
The researchers learned that employed participants with mental illness or psychiatric disabilities had lower stress levels, a brighter outlook, and a stronger connection to social and emotional well-being.
According to a UTEP statement, the Veterans Administration documented that more than 1.7 million veterans received mental health care services in 2023 to deal with transition-related stressors. U.S. Census Bureau data from 2020 showed that there were approximately 68,000 veterans living in El Paso County.
“For these veterans, employment is not just a means of financial support,” said Umucu, the study’s principal investigator. “It can also serve as a critical public health intervention that can significantly enhance the emotional well-being and quality of life for veterans with disabilities.”
UTEP, the Spencer Foundation and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services funded the study.
EPISD, YISD Appoint New Principals
The El Paso Independent School District appointed and hired 15 new principals to oversee several campuses starting the 2024-25 school year.
The district announced the leadership changes Monday, just two months after EPISD Superintendent Diana Sayavedra discussed a redesign initiative that includes plans to close or consolidate schools by the 2025-26 school year.
Public school principals are tasked with overseeing the day-to-day operations of a school. This includes managing staff, providing instruction and materials to teachers and making decisions on disciplining students.
The newly appointed principals include:
High Schools
Austin High School: Maribel Ruiz
College Career Technology Academy/Raymond Telles Academy/Delta: Daniel Montoya
San Jacinto Adult Learning Center: Cyndi Ponce
Middle Schools
Nolan Richardson Middle School: Elena Montero
Wiggs Middle School: Rodolfo “Rudy” Diaz
Pre-K through 8th Grade Schools
Dr. Josefina Tinajero PK-8: Martha Martinez
Charles Q. Murphree PK-8: Christine Miles
Elementary Schools
Archie Duran Elementary School: Terry Montes
Mesita Early Childhood Development Center: Jennifer Mata
Lundy Elementary School: Hillery Smith
Carlos Rivera Elementary School: Michelle Pringle
Hawkins Elementary School: Rafael Guardado
Coldwell/Sunrise Mountain Elementary Schools: Anna Torres
Kohlberg Elementary School: Patricia Bazan
Polk Elementary School: Summer Steele
The Ysleta Independent School District also announced Monday that Valerie Hairston was appointed as the new principal of Del Valle High School.
Carlos Amaya, EPCC’s vice president for Enrollment Management, addresses some of the approximately 200 students who participated in the April 20 FAFSA Workshop at Region 19. El Paso Community College and the University of Texas at El Paso organized the event meant to help students to complete their FAFSA, which is the key to unlock access to billions of dollars to attend college. (Daniel Perez / El Paso Matters)
FAFSA Application Numbers Down in El Paso, Nationwide
Fewer high school seniors in El Paso filled out their Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, during the 2023-24 cycle that ended in June over last year, according to the Texas College Attainment Network.
The agency, an initiative of Educate Texas, reported that 73% of seniors completed the forms, which is about 11% less than the previous year. Despite the drop, El Paso’s Region 19 ranked as the best in the state for FAFSA completion. The state had a 56% completion rate, which is 8% lower than last year.
This year’s FAFSA, a new form that was supposed to make the process faster and easier, had a shaky launch last December – three months behind schedule – and suffered through numerous glitches that frustrated many applicants and their families. A completed FAFSA unlocks the door to $150 billion in college grants, work-study funds as well as federal and state student loans.
Carlos Amaya, vice president for Student and Enrollment Services at El Paso Community College, credited the numerous FAFSA events as a reason for the county’s strong FAFSA numbers.
He said that he could not provide the college’s registration figures, but said they are better than last year, and that includes an increase in first-time college students. Fall classes start Aug. 26 at EPCC and the University of Texas at El Paso.
EPCC and UTEP officials encouraged students who have not filled out their FAFSA to do so. They also suggested students contact their admissions and financial aid offices to learn about their options and get their questions answered.
The National College Attainment Network FAFSA Tracker showed that 46% of seniors submitted their FAFSA nationally. That is a 11.6% drop from the 2022-23 cycle.
The post Sun Metro gets $30M for green buses; county set to advance bond discussions appeared first on El Paso Matters.
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