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This is your Friday update, which takes a quick look at the week ahead and some developments that El Paso Matters is following.
Sunrise, Sunset Photos Wanted: Did you capture that perfect sunset photo? Do you want to share it? If so, the El Paso Museum of History wants it. The museum is asking photographers to submit photos for a new exhibit featuring sunrises and sunsets for an August exhibit called “Pasos Urbanos: A Photographic Narrative of Borderlands Sunrise and Sunset.” To submit a photo the artist must reside within 150-miles of Downtown El Paso, be at least 18 years old, images must be original work, and pictures must have been taken in 2020, 2021 or 2022. If selected, photographers will be responsible for providing professionally mounted frames not to exceed 36 inches in width or height. To submit, go to www.tinyurl.com/PasosUrbanos and input a maximum of two black-and-white or color images. The deadline is July 8.
Ascarate Park Billboard: A new electronic billboard that will promote events at Ascarate Park is just about complete. The billboard sits by the golf course on the southside of the park and is clearly visible from the Border Highway, which was its intent. The El Paso County Commissioners Court approved the purchase and installation of the sign on Sept. 13, 2021. The $402,542 sign is being installed by Big Media of El Paso.
SISD Superintendent Hires Former Cabinet Members: The Socorro Independent School District board on Tuesday approved Superintendent Nate Carman’s recommendation to hire two administrators who he worked with at his former district. Victoria Perez, who trustees approved as the new chief financial officer, is the assistant superintendent of finance and operations at San Benito Consolidated Independent School District. She is also board president of the Lyford Consolidated Independent School District, just north of San Benito. Andrea Cruz was named assistant superintendent of administrative services, the same position she currently holds in San Benito. Trustees Michael Najera and Paul Guerra voted against both hires. The SISD board hired Carman from the Rio Grande Valley district in March. San Benito CISD is about a fifth of the size of Socorro ISD.
Securing Duranguito Buildings: Crews this week began to stabilize two dilapidated buildings in the Duranguito neighborhood that workers hired by the then-owners started to demolish nearly five years ago. The $29,000 in repairs started on Tuesday to the old Chinese Laundry building at 212 W. Overland Ave. and what was last the Flor de Luna gallery at 300 W. Overland Ave. The work is expected to be completed within two weeks. The city’s chief architect Daniela Quesada said the buildings showed more deterioration and needed to be repaired before the monsoon further damages them. The buildings are in the Downtown area where the city has been looking to build a multipurpose arena approved by voters in the 2012 quality of life bond. The project has been stalled in a years-long legal battle with preservationists who oppose the arena being built at that site.
Correction: This story was updated to reflect that SISD Trustee Paul Guerra also voted against the hires.
