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.
UTEP Vice President who Had Been Under Investigation Resigns
Jake Logan, UTEP’s vice president for Institutional Advancement, has resigned, according to the University of Texas at El Paso. The institution did not provide an official last day of service.
Logan, who had not been on campus much since February, was the subject of at least two Title IX investigations and was the focus of a 2024 inquiry by the university’s Office of Human Resources for alleged “inappropriate behavior” at a 2023 staff holiday party. Title IX investigations often focus on potential sex-based discrimination.
The former UTEP official, who denied wrongdoing at the party, did not respond to a request for comment.
Since joining UTEP in May 2020, Logan and his team had broken institutional fundraising records for four straight fiscal years. During the 2024 reporting period, his office brought in more than $50.5 million.
The university said Logan resigned “to pursue new opportunities.” It thanked him for his service and wished him well. It did not respond to questions about any investigation results.
In a June 11 response to a Freedom of Information Act request for data about Logan and Title IX complaints, the Texas Office of the Attorney General ruled that the university must withhold responsive information.
A letter dated May 14 from the OAG to the University of Texas System stated that the requested information should be withheld because it could involve compliance with ethics and standards of conduct, financial reporting, internal accounting controls or auditing. The letter goes on to say that the release of information could interfere with ongoing compliance investigations.
In his annual performance evaluations, Logan earned high marks from UTEP President Heather Wilson. She wrote that he was hired to rebuild the Institutional Advancement office, and that he had succeeded.
The university named Gary Edens as the acting head of Institutional Advancement in February. He is the university’s former vice president for student affairs.
El Paso Restaurants Get Honorable Mention on Texas Monthly’s Best BBQ List
While no El Paso restaurants (or any in Far West Texas) made Texas Monthly’s most recent Top 50 BBQ Joints list, two local favorites received honorable mention: Desert Oak Barbecue on the Eastside and Hallelujah! BBQ in Central El Paso.
The magazine’s taste testers led by barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn traversed thousands of miles across the state to visit more than 300 restaurants to compile the list. All visits were unannounced and Texas Monthly paid for all meals. Vaughn had this to say about El Paso’s honorable mentions:
Desert Oak Barbecue: “This joint retains the crown for the best barbecue in El Paso. Crispy smoked and fried chicken wings are available in several flavors, and they pair well with the green-chile cheese rice or the creamed corn.”
Hallelujah! BBQ: “The signature 13 Habaneros sausage isn’t as spicy as it sounds, and it goes great with comforting sides such as green-chile mac and cheese and pinto beans with brisket chunks.”
SISD Talks Teacher Raises, Stipends, Closing Employee Clinic
The Socorro Independent School District is considering closing its employee health clinic and moving those services to a University Medical Center of El Paso clinic as a cost-saving measure.
The SISD school board is scheduled to hold a public hearing and vote whether to close the employee clinic during a June 24 board meeting.
If approved by the board, UMC would begin providing services to SISD employees and their families July 1. The district’s clinic, located at 11950 Bob Mitchell Drive, would close by Sept. 30.
Employees would receive the same services, including preventative care and wellness checks and mental health and counseling support, and new services such as pediatric care may be offered, said Mario Carmona, director of employee benefits during a board meeting Tuesday.
He said the cost of visiting the clinic will remain at $10 and will have longer hours: from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
The board did not discuss how much the district would save by closing its clinic, or how much the contract with UMC would cost, but said it could be based on a fixed rate or on the number of visits.
During the meeting, the board also discussed employee raises and stipends for the coming school year after state lawmakers approved House Bill 2 during the 2025 legislative session. The bill provides funding for and requires school districts to give teacher pay increases based on student enrollment.
Under HB 2 SISD teachers with two or fewer years of experience would get a step increase, those with three to four years experience would get a $2,500 raise and those with five or more years experience would get a $5,000 raise. Non-classroom teachers, nurses and librarians will also get a 1.5% off market mid-point raise.
The district is also considering offering a $5,000 stipend to newly hired school psychologists and a $2,500 stipend to teachers with more than 25 students in their class. The district is also looking into increasing the stipend for special education teachers in the behavior intervention unit from $2,000 to $3,000.
The board would still need to approve the district’s compensation plan and budget for the 2025 school year by the end of June, before any raises or new stipends go into effect.
The board also held a closed-door discussion on the applications for the new superintendent and the firm conducting the search. Board President Michael Najera said the district will continue working with the Texas Association of School Boards for the search.
City of El Paso Names Directors for Streets, Budget
Two key city departments have new directors: Streets and Maintenance will be led by Randy Garcia and the Office of Management and Budget will be led by Sasho Andonoski.
Garcia has worked with the city since 2012, starting as an administrative analyst for the streets and maintenance leadership team. In 2017, he was promoted to administrative services manager overseeing a budget of over $100 million, the city said in a news release. He has served as assistant director since 2022, a role in which he restructured the Traffic Engineering and Fleet Maintenance Divisions. He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in accounting from the University of Texas at El Paso.
The streets department is tasked with managing and maintaining the city’s street infrastructure, including roads, bridges, and traffic signals and handles street cleaning, pothole repair and other maintenance of city roads.
Andonoski joined the city in 2014 as a project manager and then served as executive budget advisor, where he led key initiatives. In 2022, he worked at Sun Metro as an administrative services manager. He has a master’s in nonprofit studies and a graduate certificate in leadership and management from Arizona State University, a bachelor’s in economics, finance and financial management from Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in the Republic of Macedonia.
The Office of Management and Budget is responsible for managing the city’s budget, ensuring financial transparency, analyzing financial data and reporting on the status of the city’s financial resources.
They begin in their new leadership roles June 15.
Socorro Fixed-route Bus Service to End, Paratransit to Continue
The El Paso Transportation Authority that provides public transit services to rural areas within El Paso County will continue to serve paratransit riders, such as individuals with disabilities or seniors, in the city of Socorro, although its fixed-route services will end July 1.
The city of Socorro will begin its on-demand bus services once the EPTA services end. The Socorro service will enable residents to call and request a ride at no cost. The city purchased eight electric vehicles for its public fleet that are Americans with Disabilities Act accessible, Victor Reta, Socorro city spokesman said.
Socorro used American Rescue Plan Act funds to purchase the fleet as part of its Socorro ¡Avanzando! plan that evaluated transit services and needs in the city.
The Socorro City Council unanimously accepted the transportation development plan during its June 5 public meeting.
The change in services comes following the city of Socorro opting out of joining the transportation authority that provides bus services to Fabens, Horizon and Clint. Municipalities are required to join and contribute to operation costs.
The post UTEP VP resigns; SISD eyes raises; Texas Monthly praises El Paso BBQ appeared first on El Paso Matters.
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