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.
Appeals Court Declines to Revisit Ruling: City Franchise Fee is Illegal Tax
Without additional opinion, an appeals court this week declined to reconsider its previous ruling that the city of El Paso’s environmental franchise fee is an illegal tax.
A three-judge panel in the Eighth Court of Appeals on Monday denied the city’s request for a rehearing in the lawsuit challenging a monthly $6 environmental franchise fee charged on residential water bills.
The lawsuit was filed in March 2021 by former state Rep. Joe Pickett. District Court Judge Patrick Garcia in August 2024 ruled that the fee was unconstitutional and should be discontinued.
“It’s good news for the taxpayer and I’m in it for the long haul,” Pickett said about Monday’s ruling. “It’s going to be really hard for them (the city) to defend (the fee) at any level.”
READ MORE: City’s environmental franchise fee on trash bills is illegal tax, appeals court rules
With the appeals court standing by its June ruling, the city may have to refund some of the tens of millions of dollars it collected since 2015 when the levy was implemented.
The city now has until Sept. 3 to file an appeal with the Texas Supreme Court.
City spokeswoman Laura Cruz-Acosta said the city respects the court’s decision and is evaluating its appellate options. Because the case is in active litigation, she said, the city could not comment further.
The city in its motion for reconsideration argued that the panel of judges improperly analyzed the fee as if it were a regulatory fee, overlooked its home-rule authority and improperly placed the burden of proof on the city rather than on Pickett, court documents show.
In its June opinion, the appeals court said the franchise fee functioned as an illegal tax because the city couldn’t show the money collected was reasonably related to the costs the fee was supposed to cover – wear and tear on city streets caused by garbage trucks. The court noted some of the revenue instead paid for unrelated expenses, including police and fire equipment.
The city argued that the fee was not regulatory, such as a license or inspection fee, which must generally be tied to the cost of providing a government service, according to court records. As a franchise fee – compensation for environmental services trucks for using public streets to provide trash collection – the revenue collected doesn’t have to be used specifically for road maintenance, the city argued.
The city has spent about $41,300 litigating the case.
Eastside Natatorium to Close for 3 Weeks for Lighting Upgrades
The Eastside Natatorium at the Beast Urban Park, 13501 Jason Crandall Drive, will close for about three weeks starting Monday, July 27, while it receives a major lighting upgrade.
Crews will replace the indoor lighting system with 176 new overhead LED fixtures meant to improve visibility and safety throughout the facility.
SEE ALSO: El Paso pays millions more for city pools despite rising revenue
“These upgrades will enhance the overall experience for our swimmers, families, and aquatic programs while ensuring the facility remains a safe and welcoming space,” El Paso Parks and Recreation Department Director Pablo Caballero said in a news release.
The closure may last longer if unforeseen conditions arise.
To accommodate more visitors, Pavo Real Outdoor Pool, 110 Presa Place, in the Lower Valley, will expand its morning operating hours, officials said.
The Eastside Natatorium, which opened in May 2021, features a 50-meter competitive pool, a leisure pool, diving springboards and bleacher seating for about 800 spectators to accommodate tournaments. It was funded primarily through the quality of life bond approved by voters in 2012 as part of the park’s first phase that included the natatorium, outdoor water park and a recreation center that cost about $38 million.
EPCC Opens ‘Crazy Insane’ Esports Hive in Time for Fall 2026
More than 200 El Paso Community College students, employees and administrators swarmed to the July 21 grand opening of the Tejanos Esports Hive, the home of the college’s esports team.
In front of a backdrop of balloons and silver and turquoise mylar tassels, several college speakers shared the message that the new arena will allow esports student-athletes to learn and thrive in ways that will help them academically and, later on, professionally. Esports is a competitive multi-billion-dollar video gaming industry.
The 414-square-foot, $32,000 Hive is on the first floor of the Student Union of the Valle Verde Campus, 919 Hunter Drive. It has eight player stations with Alienware brand equipment, considered among the best in the industry, and a ninth for a coach or team captain. A 105-inch display monitor is against the Hive’s far wall while the front is glass panels.
Mario Gerent, an EPCC esports player, said he was honored to be at the Hive’s grand opening. “It’s history,” he said.
Gerent, an EPCC cyber security major, leads the Valorant team. Valorant is a popular tactical shooter game. The student called the Hive’s technology “crazy insane.”
Marco Fernandez, interim EPCC vice president of Information Technology, beamed as he talked about his department’s work on the Hive including procuring the equipment. He stressed that the Hive will work off its own network so esports and academic traffic do not mix to provide protection and reliability for both.
Interim esports coach Adan Lara said the Hive has generated a lot of interest among EPCC students, and that he looked forward to the start of the competitive season Sept. 28. He has nine registered players, but expects to triple his roster after fall classes begin Aug. 24.
EPCC, which launched its esports program last September, will compete in the National Junior College Athletic Association’s Esports Tier 3. The league has about 250 to 300 teams.
EPCC students who want to be part of the college’s esports team may contact Lara at jlara84@epcc.edu.
THECB Votes to Lower Performance Incentives for Community Colleges
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board decided Wednesday to lower the amount of incentive pay for the state’s community college districts because most if not all outperformed projections in graduating low-income and adult students.
The issue is that the 50 community college districts were owed more than the $1.2 billion that the Legislature allocated during the 89th legislative session last year. As a result, the coordinating board prorated the amounts awarded to the districts.
The THECB staff told its board during its quarterly meeting in Austin that it needed to slightly adjust the incentives going forward to ensure financial stability of the community college finance program.
The funding formula adopted by the Legislature in 2023 as a result of House Bill 8 put the focus on outcomes and incentives for college districts that helped certain student groups earn degrees or credentials, or transfer to a four-year institution. Under the new rule approved this week, inducements for economically or academically disadvantaged students dropped to 20% from 25%, and the amount for adult learners fell to 40% from 50%.
In the case of El Paso Community College, it received $8 million less than expected. EPCC leaders explained the situation to the college’s Board of Trustees during a special June 25 meeting. Officials told trustees that the possible fallout could include smaller employee raises and a hike to the property tax rate.
Texas Rep. Vince Perez, who represents the Lower Valley, is a member of the House Higher Education Committee. He said in a statement that he and several of his fellow house members as well as higher education organizations around the state expressed their concerns to the coordinating board about the proposed funding changes, but those pleas did not sway the board’s decision.
“These cuts will harm the students and the colleges that House Bill 8 was built to lift up, the low-income, first-generation, and adult students who are the hardest and the most expensive to carry to a credential, and the border and low-income colleges that serve most of them,” Perez said.
El Paso Native William Windle Produces Innovative MMA Stage Play for New York and Scotland
A play produced by El Paso native William Windle, which brings together mixed martial arts and music, will be performed in the coming weeks at an off-Broadway theater in New York City and in Edinburgh, Scotland.
“The Eight Faces of Ellie Morrison” will have New York previews Saturday and Sunday at Theater Two on Theater Row, then move on to Scotland Aug. 7-29 for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
The play is written by Sam Beeson, who immersed himself as an MMA fighter in developing what he’s billing as “the first mixed martial arts stage play.”
Windle, a playwright and actor, graduated from Cathedral High School. In addition to serving as producer of “The Eight Faces of Ellie Morrison,” he portrays Cameron Able, also called the Coach, in New York and Edinburgh productions.
UTEP Names Distinguished Alumnus, Gold Nuggets for Homecoming 2026
The University of Texas at El Paso recently announced that Michael “Mike” Brochu, a successful business executive in the energy, technology and investment fields, is the institution’s 2026 Distinguished Alumnus.
UTEP will honor Brochu, a 1974 graduate from what is today the Woody L. Hunt College of Business, as well as nine graduates who were named Gold Nugget recipients during the school’s 2026 homecoming festivities Sept. 20-26. The university said that its selections were based on demonstrations of service, excellence and professionalism in their careers and communities.
Brochu has had leadership roles with El Paso Natural Gas, Burlington Northern Inc., Sierra Online and several technology firms. Among his accomplishments was his work to secure a $1.2 billion sale of Sierra in 1996. Today he serves as a senior adviser for Red Door Capital Partners LLC, and sits on the boards of directors of several technology and investment firms.
The university’s Distinguished Alumni Award is the institution’s top honor for a graduate. The recognition dates back to 1950.
The 2026 Gold Nugget recipients represent the institution’s seven colleges and one school, and were chosen for their professional accomplishments and lasting community impact.
The Gold Nugget awardees and their college are Robert “Bobby” Gonzales, Miguel A. Loya College of Engineering; John T. Hjalmquist, Woody L. Hunt College of Business; Tasha Phillina Hopper, College of Nursing; Juan Martinez, Hunt College of Business/College of Education; Christian M. Salas, College of Liberal Arts; Juan Sanchez, Loya College of Engineering; Yolanda Sanchez, College of Science; Glenda Villatoro, College of Nursing; and Tracy J. Yellen, College of Liberal Arts.
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