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.
City’s Animal Services to Open Westside Adoption Center
The city of El Paso will open its Animal Services Westside Adoption Center with a ribbon-cutting this weekend.
The $8.9 million project transformed about 17,400 square feet of the southern side of the former Morehead Middle School into an adoption center. Funds for the project come from the 2020 capital plan.
Renovations include new living spaces for the animals, new kennels and cat exhibit areas, new meeting, storage, laundry, locker and feeding rooms and a new walking trail for pets and adopters. Other upgrades included new restrooms, HVAC, electrical and plumbing improvements, and expanded parking.
The city in a news release said the adoption center was designed to reduce the spread of disease and create a healthier environment for animals, staff and the public.
The ribbon cutting is at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, at the center, 5625 Confetti Drive. The adoption center will be open from noon to 6 p.m. Monday through Sunday.
The El Paso City Council in September 2023 approved the purchase of the vacant school from the El Paso Independent School District for $3.8 million. A portion of the property has been converted into a Community Readiness Center that can be activated by the El Paso Office of Emergency Management. The building for a short while served as a temporary emergency shelter for migrants during an influx when other shelters were at capacity.
NIH to Fund EPCC, UTEP Research for High-Tech Patient Treatment Training
In the near future, El Paso Community College biology students and faculty will be able to use DNA to tailor individualized health care prevention, diagnosis and treatment based on a person’s response to medication using the internet.
The EPCC Board of Trustees voted unanimously Wednesday to accept a grant of nearly $485,000 for a Computational Genomics and Cloud Computing project from the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute. The three-year project started Sept. 1 and ends Aug. 31, 2028.
Genomics include gene sequences and how variations can influence health and disease. The project also involves “precision medicine,” which allows physicians to use a patient’s lifestyle, genetics and environment to choose the best treatment plan. Pharmacogenetics is a branch of precision medicine and takes into account a person’s response to medicine to decide the proper dosage, or any potential harmful side effects.
EPCC will work with researchers at the University of Texas at El Paso to create training modules and faculty preparation. Among the goals is to allow researchers and clinicians to analyze large-scale genetic data more efficiently.
Steven Smith, vice president of Instruction and Workforce Education, told the board that this program was an exciting opportunity for interdepartmental cooperation. It combined biosciences and cloud computing, which is the storage and analysis of data over the internet beyond local servers and computers.
The use of the cloud will simplify collaborations and allow secure sharing of data across institutions.
Among the EPCC professors who will participate are Maria Alvarez, professor of biology, and Carolina Chianelli, associate professor of biology. In a statement from both, they expressed their excitement to be able to introduce their students to this field.
They said decreased DNA and RNA sequencing costs and enhanced technology during the past decade have made this program possible. They said the available tools will allow their students to track the evolution of a virus.
“These funds will … enable us to provide the background and training for this much needed workforce,” Alvarez and Chianelli said.
Sunset Amphitheater in Northeast to Break Ground in November
The planned Sunset Amphitheater to be built in Northeast El Paso will break ground Nov. 19, Venu Holding Corp. said in a news release Wednesday.
The 12,500-seat amphitheater is part of a public-private partnership between the city and Venu, formerly Notes Live. The amphitheater will be owned, developed and constructed by Venu as part of a $31 million economic incentive agreement with the city with the company committing $100 million for its development. Venu acquired 20 acres of city-owned land as part of the deal.
The city entered into the agreement in April 2024, but did not finalize the land purchase and sale agreement until May 2025. The agreements were delayed, in part, because of an unexploded ordnance map at the Cohen Entertainment District. Venu, which relies heavily on investors to fund its amphitheaters, ultimately added extra insurance to address the concerns.
Read more about how Venu funds its amphitheaters
“We’re thrilled to bring Venu’s signature entertainment experience to El Paso,” J.W. Roth, founder and CEO of Venu, said in the release. “This groundbreaking represents more than just the beginning of construction; it’s the start of a transformative journey for this community.”
The amphitheater is expected to be completed by fall 2026.
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