Featured Article
Journalist's murder 'a display of power, intimidation, and fear' -- pure terrorism
by David Crowder
Tony Payan, who has been watching the drug war in Juarez and Chihuahua closely for months, said it has now evolved into something far more sinister than a turf fight between the Juarez and Sinaloa cartels. It is Baghdad at its worst, says the Mexico expert, who teaches at UTEP.
Posted on November 13, 2008
Top Stories
Opposition mounts to city plans on Oregon to allow new, rapid bus line
Posted on November 14, 2008
“We are very good citizens in Downtown and are behind the efforts to redevelop Downtown, but the proposal to eliminate loading zones is devastating for our 15-story office building.” -- Jim Scherr, owner of 1 Texas Tower.
Franklin Mountains State Park to expand with purchase of PSB land
Posted on November 14, 2008
The city and PSB's price for the 1,600-acre addition is $87.19 per acre, or a total of $161,301, PSB spokeswoman Christina Montoya said.
- Fuzzy math raises questions about planned Oregon Street rapid transit
- No one involved – from Sun Metro or UTEP to the city manager’s office or City Council – can come close to accounting for the numbers used when discussing future ridership of the new bus line. A meeting to discuss the issues, which include possibly eliminating parking and loading on Oregon Street, is tomorrow.
- English only? And there's even more, as state Rep. Berman again picks the immigration fight.
- Berman is a Republican from Tyler, where his assertions have more resonance. In El Paso, the arguments don't fly very far with most (as they so far have not in the Texas Legislature, where most of his bills died in committee last year -- view list at bottom of article).
- Lawsuit claims police negligence -- and failure to properly train -- in shooting mentally ill man
- The family of an ex-soldier shot and killed by police last year is suing the officers involved and the city, claiming that the series of events leading to Steven Salguero's death involved hasty decisions and poor communication and ended the way it shouldn't have -- with two shotgun blasts.
- City getting $3 million from HUD to stabilize neighborhoods hit by foreclosures
- Citywide, said city director of Community and Human Development Bill Lilly, there are about 400 foreclosures a month, proving that El Paso is not immune to the nationwide foreclosure crisis.
- City Council requires what your mom would say: Give up seat for elderly or disabled on the bus
- The ordinance makes it a city misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500 for an able-bodied person to refuse to move from a wheelchair space if it is needed by a someone in a wheelchair, or to give up a seat for a passenger who is disabled or over 65 years old.
- A Juarez news outlet shuts down temporarily, as Drug War threats to journalists escalate
- Even as El Diario de Juarez reporter Armando Rodriguez was killed last week, more Ciudad Juarez journalists reported getting death threats. In one case, the director of a popular online news site took the threats so seriously he immediately fled to the United States.
Archives
Fuzzy math raises questions about planned Oregon Street rapid transit
Posted on November 20, 2008
No one involved – from Sun Metro or UTEP to the city manager’s office or City Council – can come close to accounting for the numbers used when discussing future ridership of the new bus line. A meeting to discuss the issues, which include possibly eliminating parking and loading on Oregon Street, is tomorrow.
English only? And there's even more, as state Rep. Berman again picks the immigration fight.
Posted on November 19, 2008
Berman is a Republican from Tyler, where his assertions have more resonance. In El Paso, the arguments don't fly very far with most (as they so far have not in the Texas Legislature, where most of his bills died in committee last year -- view list at bottom of article).
Lawsuit claims police negligence -- and failure to properly train -- in shooting mentally ill man
Posted on November 19, 2008
The family of an ex-soldier shot and killed by police last year is suing the officers involved and the city, claiming that the series of events leading to Steven Salguero's death involved hasty decisions and poor communication and ended the way it shouldn't have -- with two shotgun blasts.
City getting $3 million from HUD to stabilize neighborhoods hit by foreclosures
Posted on November 18, 2008
Citywide, said city director of Community and Human Development Bill Lilly, there are about 400 foreclosures a month, proving that El Paso is not immune to the nationwide foreclosure crisis.
City Council requires what your mom would say: Give up seat for elderly or disabled on the bus
Posted on November 18, 2008
The ordinance makes it a city misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500 for an able-bodied person to refuse to move from a wheelchair space if it is needed by a someone in a wheelchair, or to give up a seat for a passenger who is disabled or over 65 years old.
A Juarez news outlet shuts down temporarily, as Drug War threats to journalists escalate
Posted on November 18, 2008
Even as El Diario de Juarez reporter Armando Rodriguez was killed last week, more Ciudad Juarez journalists reported getting death threats. In one case, the director of a popular online news site took the threats so seriously he immediately fled to the United States.
El Paso immigration reformers, part of a border-wide coalition, set off to Washington
Posted on November 18, 2008
“We're not going just to say 'we’re here, we want a seat at the table.' We’re going with solutions and recommendations for them.” -- El Paso County Commissioner Veronica Escobar.
Group behind stormwater utility petition willing to negotiate, compromise
Posted on November 17, 2008
Mayor John Cook, who plans to run for a second term, said the stormwater utility is “definitely my Achilles heel, my big weakness.”
Garbage fight picking up
Posted on November 17, 2008
The Alliance of El Paso Waste Haulers has begun to fight over whether the city ought to take over commercial waste disposal. But, said city Rep. Susie Byrd, "They're getting the little commercial haulers stirred up when I don't think that's what we're after."
Stormwater petition verified: Council must decide within 30 days whether to take over utility
Posted on November 14, 2008
The petition asking City Council to take control of the stormwater utility contains enough verified signatures to force the issue. City Council now has 30 days for a decision.
Another brutal week in Juarez and Chihuahua
Posted on November 14, 2008
Rodriguez’s murder topped a spectacularly violent week, in which victims in public thoroughfares were shot during peak business hours, businesses were firebombed and the bodies were dumped with intimidating messages in public places.
Juarez reporter killed, while his daughter sits next to him
Posted on November 13, 2008
Armando Rodriguez, who covered crime and the Juarez cartels for El Diario de Juarez, was killed in his car in front of his home as he prepared to take his daughter to school.
PSB's Ed Archuleta gets direction to negotiate details for 1,000 acre sale
Posted on November 12, 2008
The mayor said city bought the land in 1954 for $33.88 an acre. Adding 54 years at 3 percent per year, not compounded, would result in a per acre price of $88.77 and a potential sale price for the 1,000 acres of about $88,770. The market value of the land could be $20,000 per acre or higher, a potential total of $20 million.
Council plan to kill parking, loading zones on Oregon for 'Smart 101' bus route alarms businesses, and more news
Posted on November 12, 2008
Other council action: Boxer gets Star on the Mountain award, proposal to ban big trucks from I-10's left lane goes to state, library users slipping but bus riders find Downtown's Main Library, proposal for city take-over of Ascarate Park postponed to 2009.
REDCo needs 1,000 acres of PSB land available if city wants automotive plant; talks on with 2
Posted on November 11, 2008
“I’ll tell you right now, if you start drawing lines in the sand, you’re going to ruin the whole deal.” -- Mayor John Cook to city Rep. Eddie Holguin.
Immigration reform might be a long shot in the short term
Posted on November 10, 2008
The strong immigrant vote for Obama puts some pressure on the new administration, but auguring against a quick fix are the economic crisis and the Iraq war, both of which the president-elect promises to prioritize early on his administration.
Telles to lose law license for starters, transcript shows
Posted on November 10, 2008
"You have a better than average chance to live the remainder of your life with dignity, to be able to to say, ‘Yes, I made a mistake, I got caught, but I did what I could to remedy it, and it was recognized by the judge at the time of my sentencing,’ Because, when everything is said and done, that’s what you want to happen here.” -- Federal District Judge Frank Montalvo
Transcript from public corruption hearing: Carlos "Coach" Cordova admits to taking $5,000 in bribes
Posted on November 6, 2008
“Mr. Cordova, let me say something to you, sir, before I let you go today. You have an opportunity to redeem yourself and to have a peaceful death, to go to your grave with a clear conscience. You have that opportunity in front of you now.” -- Federal District Judge Frank Montalvo at Carlos Cordova's guilty plea hearing.
City, Foster-Regency sign Farah Building shopping center subsidy contract
Posted on November 6, 2008
The execution of the contract likely means that the developers plan on going back to the county after January, when two new members of the Commissioners Court take over.
A dream come true and a night to remember at a Northeast lounge
Posted on November 5, 2008
“When I was in school in Chicago, a teacher said, ‘You could be president if you just study,’ But now, it’s real. Now, it’s about all Americans. The glass ceiling has been broken in America now.” -- Chandler Claiborne
Drug officials die in unexplained Mexico City plane crash
Posted on November 5, 2008
The Obama election was the top story of the day in Mexico, until the plane crash. In its trademark style of hyperbolic, cutting commentary, Ciudad Juarez’s Lapolaka Internet news site assessed a day that will go down in history on both sides of the border.
President-elect Barack Obama graces the covers of newspapers around the world
Posted on November 5, 2008
After winning the election 349 to John McCain's 147 electoral votes, Barack Obama's photograph appeared on newspapers around the world this morning. NPT searched the web for the best newspaper covers of the day.
Council OKs notice of intent to create tax reinvestment zone along Loop 375
Posted on November 4, 2008
The council will conduct a public hearing on the creation of the zone at 6 p.m. on Nov. 18 at City Hall and will consider the establishment of the zone at its last meeting of the year on Dec. 23.
Tight-lipped Obama campaign rallies thousands of lawyers today for Voter Protection Project in N.M., other states
Posted on November 3, 2008
“Barack Obama organized the most ambitious legal campaign ever run by a Democratic candidate, according to aides who also worked on Sen. John F. Kerry’s 2004 bid, with lawyers integrated into state field teams far earlier than ever before. They said their efforts led to the addition of more than 300 early voting sites in key battleground states and more than 30,000 extra voting hours.” -- Politico.com
Texas rights group cautions against voting straight ticket
Posted on November 3, 2008
El Paso County Elections Administrator Javier Chacon said there have been few complaints from voters about the machines seeming to switch votes, but in no instance did a voter say he or she actually voted for the wrong candidate.
