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.
El Paso County Issues Disaster Declaration to Tap into State Funds
El Paso County this week issued a disaster declaration in response to an increase in migrant arrests by Texas state troopers, saying it’s necessary to tap into Operation Lone Star funds to recoup jail and court costs associated with the arrests.
The declaration signed by El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego on Tuesday states the arrests, including two instances of mass arrests, have resulted in a “significant and unanticipated financial hardship” on the county. Operation Lone Star, the controversial border security initiative launched by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, deployed the Texas National Guard and the Texas Department of Public Safety to the border.
The DPS is presenting the arrest cases to the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office for detainment and the District Attorney’s Office for potential prosecution, “creating a chaotic and unsustainable burden on El Paso County’s criminal justice departments,” the declaration states.
County officials said that the increased migrant arrests by state troopers is costing the county more than $8 million this fiscal year. That’s in large part because the county loses millions of federal funds it would receive to house federal inmates in the county jail instead. The county does not get compensated for housing inmates arrested through Operation Lone Star, but does get compensated for housing federal inmates.
The declaration comes after the Commissioners Court on Monday unanimously voted to apply for up to $5 million in grant funding through Operation Lone Star. The county had resisted issuing the declaration for nearly two years – since city of El Paso Mayor Oscar Leeser issued a first declaration in December 2022.
The county is preparing its budget for the next fiscal year and faces a shortfall of about $9.2 million from federal inmate revenues. Staff will present Commissioners Court with a proposed county budget on Monday, July 29.
Contamination in the air obscures views over the El Paso tri-state region in 2021. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters)
City of El Paso Not Selected for EPA Grants for Climate Action Plan
The city of El Paso has lost out on two major federal grants that could have provided millions of dollars to implement a climate action plan to help address climate change, air pollution and extreme heat throughout the Borderland.
The city’s Office of Climate and Sustainability sought as much as $600 million in funding from the Environmental Protection Agency, which is doling out billions in federal dollars through the Inflation Reduction Act spending bill that Congress passed in 2022.
The EPA’s grant program is meant to provide money for communities across the United States to counter climate change, develop renewable energy sources and slash pollution. The EPA announced last week $4.3 billion of awards in its latest round of climate-related grants.
The city of El Paso applied for up to $500 million in funds to enact a regional climate plan – one of about 300 applicants who together sought $33 billion in funding. Austin was the only city in Texas that won an EPA grant.
Earlier this year, El Paso also lost out on an award of up to a $100 million for the EPA’s “Solar for All” program that would have allowed the city to help thousands of low-income families install rooftop solar panels.
El Paso’s Gabriel Escobar Nominated as U.S. Ambassador to Paraguay
Gabriel Escobar, an El Paso native and Cathedral High School graduate, was nominated by President Joe Biden this week to be ambassador to the South American country of Paraguay.
Escobar is a career diplomat who most recently served as deputy assistant secretary of State overseeing policy towards the countries of the Western Balkans and the Office of Press and Public Diplomacy, according to his State Department biography.
His nomination as ambassador requires confirmation by the Senate.
Escobar is the son of Isabel Escobar and the late Benjamin Escobar. His sister, Veronica Escobar, represents El Paso’s 16th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
SISD Eliminates Cellphone Stipends for Administrators
Most Socorro Independent School District administrative staff will no longer receive cellphone stipends after the Board of Trustees voted 3-1 Wednesday to end the benefit starting in September. District staff said some employees working in maintenance and IT will still keep their stipends.
The move is in an effort to save money amid an ongoing budget deficit: The district gives administrative employees a monthly $50 cellphone stipend and will save $105,600 a year by eliminating it.
Trustee Paul Guerra voted against the measure. Trustees Michael Najera, Ricardo Castellano and Pablo Barrera were absent from the meeting.
“I just believe if we are going to be fair across the board, we need to keep everybody’s or remove everybody’s,” Guerra said during the meeting.
Over the next year, the district will also review its mileage stipend for employee travel and the Campus Excellence Stipend used to recruit staff to schools that need specific support.
Father of UTEP’s Modern Library to Retire
Robert Stakes, the administrator who helped transform UTEP’s University Library from a book depository to one of the campus’ most vital and vibrant destinations, recently announced his retirement after 36 years with the institution. His last day will be Aug. 31.
Stakes, associate vice president and library director, said that his mission since 2005 has been to make the University of Texas at El Paso’s library focused on student success.
Under his leadership, the library has become a magnet for students with different needs be it advising, tutoring, food or drink, technology, or a safe and comfortable place to study or socialize.
Prior to the transformation, the library counted about 653,000 visitors during the 2005-06 academic year. That number had jumped to 1,039,842 five years later.
“There’s an immense satisfaction,” Stakes said about the library’s popularity. “It has far exceeded anything I really expected.”
Stakes, who had no library background, credited librarians at California State University San Marcos for teaching him about the “Learning Commons” model to address student needs.
He said the San Marcos provost told him that, due to other personnel moves, that he would be interim dean of libraries. Stakes laughed as he recalled the provost’s pitch, “We know you have a history of taking on things you know nothing about.”
UTEP originally hired Stakes in 1982 to lead its Continuing Education efforts. Over time he assumed additional leadership roles in athletics, enrollment services and union building services. He left in 1999 for jobs with California universities before UTEP rehired him in 2005 as interim library director.
Stakes’ immediate retirement plans are to read and travel more, and to continue his volunteer work. Whatever he does, it will be at his own pace.
“I’ve been lucky,” Stakes said of his UTEP experience. “I’ve done a lot of things here and enjoyed it.”
UTEP announced July 9 that Harvey Castellano, associate library director for research, instruction and discovery services, will be the library’s interim dean upon Stakes’ retirement.
First Day of School for El Paso Students Nears
Students across El Paso will be heading back to school in the next few weeks. Ysleta Independent School District students are set to return to class Monday, July 29, while those in the El Paso, Socorro and Canutillo districts will start classes Aug. 5.
In preparation to return students to class, EPISD next week is holding Back to School Fiestas where families can learn about their campuses and feeder patterns. The events run from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, July 30:
Bowie High School, 801 S. San Marcial St.
Burges High School, 7800 Edgemere Blvd.
Coronado High School, 100 Champions Place
El Paso High School, 800 E. Schuster Ave.
Franklin High School, 900 Resler Drive
Jefferson/Silva High School, 4700 Alameda Ave.
Irvin High School, 5400 Sanders Ave.
Wednesday, July 31:
Andress High School, 5400 Sun Valley Drive
Austin High School, 3500 Memphis Ave.
Chapin High School, 7000 Dyer St.
The post County issues disaster declaration to tap into state funds; first day of school countywide appeared first on El Paso Matters.
Read: Read More