This is your Friday update, which takes a quick look at the week ahead and some developments that El Paso Matters is following.
COVID Booster Shots For Children: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommends that children ages 5 through 11 get a booster shot 5 months after their initial Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination series. Booster shots are available for children at no cost at the following city-run clinics via appointment or walk-in from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday:
- 9341 Alameda Ave.
- 7380 Remcon Circle
- 220 S. Stanton St.
- 9566 Railroad Drive
Memorial Day Closures: Most federal, state, county and city offices will be closed on Monday for Memorial Day. The ports of entry will remain open and the city’s bus system will run on its holiday schedule. Also all banks, including the Federal Reserve System, NASDAQ and the New York Stock Exchange, will be closed. All schools including the University of Texas at El Paso and El Paso Community College will close too.
Climate Charter Signature Deadline: Sunrise El Paso has until Tuesday, May 31, to deliver 20,000 signatures to the city clerk’s office that are needed to send a climate charter amendment to council for approval to put on the November ballot. As of this week, the group had surpassed that number but was aiming to collect 30,000 in the chance the city clerk rejects any signatures. The proposed charter amendment calls for the creation of a city climate department and the establishment of clean renewable energy goals for the city, among other measures intended to mitigate climate change. Signatures can only come from registered voters living within El Paso city limits.
City Hires Code Enforcement Director: Arthur S. Alvarado has been hired as the city of El Paso’s first code enforcement director, overseeing policies that govern overgrown weeds, sidewalk obstruction, illegal dumping, junked vehicles and oversized vehicles in residential areas. He started working this past week.
