Robinson Canó cut by Padres, elects free agency
Robinson Canó's short stint with the San Diego Padres is over. Less than a month after signing him, the Padres parted ways with the veteran slugger, who elected to become a free agent Thursday when he declined an assignment to Triple-A El Paso. San Diego had hoped the 39-year-old Canó would provide some much-needed offense against right-handed pitching but he batted just .091 (3 for 33) without an extra-base hit in 12 games.
news.yahoo.comConfronted with mass shootings, Texas Republicans have repeatedly loosened gun laws
Gov. Greg Abbott and other Republican leaders signaled an openness to some gun restrictions after recent mass shootings. But in the last several years, lawmakers have eased gun laws, most notably by passing a permitless carry bill last year.
For More Than 20 Years, the ‘El Paso History Radio Show’ Has Shed Light on Sun City
This is the El Paso History Radio Show, a program dedicated to exploring the rich past of this area of the Southwest. The radio signal reaches listeners throughout El Paso County and the southern parts of New Mexico’s Doña Ana and Sierra counties, and, with clear meteorological conditions, can stretch as far as Albuquerque. El Paso History Radio Show itself has had a long history. “I grew up in El Paso, went to public school, and they never taught El Paso history, so I knew very little about what was going on in this town. After nearly 21 years at the desk, Jackson Polk handed the mic over to son Andrew, a producer of the show and host of the programs Talk El Paso and The El Paso Public Forum.
texashighways.comInternational trade halted at Texas border crossings as truckers protest Greg Abbott’s new inspections
Commercial traffic at the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge stopped Monday and a similar protest affected traffic into and out of El Paso. The blockades could impact the flow of produce to restaurants and grocery stores.
Pentagon: Afghan airport attack wasn't preventable
The military investigation into the deadly attack during the Afghanistan evacuation has concluded that a suicide bomber, acted alone, and that the deaths of more than 170 Afghans and 13 U.S. service members were not preventable. (Feb. 4)
news.yahoo.comWatch: Local public health leaders across Texas reflect on the uneven challenges of coordinating the fight against COVID-19
Public health officials have played a crucial role in vaccination efforts and tracking the spread of the virus. But different needs from their communities and insufficient aid have complicated the work.
Central Michigan ends wild trip west in Sun Bowl against WSU
Central Michigan's trip west has turned wild, and the Chippewas still have the goal of ending a five-game losing streak in bowl games. One thing didn't change: Central Michigan (8-4) is still in the desert southwest for a New Year's Eve bowl game.
news.yahoo.com“I thought he was going to kill me”: Migrants say return of Trump-era border policy will put asylum seekers in danger
A Cuban woman sent to Ciudad Juárez after seeking asylum in El Paso was raped as she waited for her U.S. court date. She worries more migrants could be victims of violence as the Biden administration revives the "remain in Mexico" program.
Aryan Brotherhood gang member from Magnolia added to Texas Most Wanted list, DPS says
The Texas Department of Public Safety on Wednesday added two new fugitives to its Texas 10 Most Wanted lists. Gang member Joshua David Whitworth, of Magnolia, was added to the Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitives List and sex offender John Oliver Talmadge McMickings, of El Paso, was added to the Texas 10 Most Wanted Sex Offenders List.
Among El Pasoans, Beto O’Rourke’s gubernatorial run excites loyal fans and revives longtime grudges
El Pasoans who have followed O’Rourke’s political career are excited about his run for governor. But his critics still remember his support of a development plan that could have displaced Mexican American residents from one of the city’s oldest barrios.
U.S. reopens land borders with Mexico to vaccinated travelers
EL PASO — After 19 months of closure, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Monday reopened its ports of entry to vaccinated travelers from Mexico, a long-awaited event for business owners who depend on tourists and Mexican nationals who had not been able to visit family on the American side for more than a year and a half.
myrgv.comDemocratic state Reps. Claudia Ordaz Perez and Art Fierro will vie for the same El Paso House seat due to redistricting
Ordaz Perez announced she will challenge Fierro after new political maps forced her to run against another incumbent if she wanted to seek a new term. Democrats have criticized the GOP-drawn House map for diluting the El Paso area's representation.
CDC panel unanimously endorses Moderna and J&J Covid boosters, sending to director for final approval
An influential Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisory committee on Thursday unanimously recommended boosters of Moderna and Johnson & Johnson's Covid-19 vaccines, sending it to CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky for final approval. It also endorsed J&J boosters for everyone 18 and older who received the initial shot at least two months ago. More than 39 million Moderna recipients and nearly 13 million J&J recipients may be eligible for a booster dose as early as Friday, according to a slide presented by the CDC during the meeting. Moderna recipients can get a booster at half the dosage of the original two shots. It often occurred in young men and usually after the second dose, he said.
cnbc.comAfter months of store closures and layoffs, border businesses eager to welcome back Mexican customers Nov. 8
For 19 months, business owners along the Texas-Mexico border have seen a drastic drop in customers because of COVID-19 travel restrictions. With land borders scheduled to reopen Nov. 8, they are banking on a return to pre-pandemic sales.
Workforce Solutions Borderplex announces near $2 increase to living wage – The Big Bend Sentinel
By Big Bend SentinelEL PASO – A family of three, including two full-time working adults and one child, must earn no less than $14.39 per hour to be able to provide basic family needs without leaning on public assistance. Previously, the living wage was set at $12.51 per hour. WSB will not invest into training for occupations that earn below this hourly wage. Living wage earnings reflect the geographic costs related to supporting a family with basic necessities including food, childcare, health insurance, housing, transportation, civic needs (quality of life recreational activities and administrative expenses). “Anyone living below those wages poses a challenge for this economy to survive, much less thrive.”
bigbendsentinel.comPandemic border crossing restrictions will end in November – Houston Public Media
The United States will lift pandemic travel restrictions at border crossings with Mexico next month, reopening the border to fully vaccinated individuals and ending a virtual shutdown that separated families and hurt businesses that relied on shoppers from Mexico.
houstonpublicmedia.orgBeto O’Rourke on Matthew McConaughey: “I don’t know how he feels about any of the issues”
In a Texas Tribune Festival interview, the former member of Congress discussed the fight for voting rights, his takeaways from his last two runs for office and speculation about his becoming a candidate for governor.
Flooding feedback needed from residents, organizations across West Texas – The Big Bend Sentinel
By Big Bend SentinelEL PASO – If you live in West Texas and have experienced flooding at your home or business, the Upper Rio Grande Regional Flood Planning Group (URGRFPG) wants to hear from you. As part of the Texas Water Development Board’s statewide flood planning process, the Rio Grande Council of Governments has sponsored the URGRFPG to ensure West Texans from across the 23-county area have a voice in helping the state prioritize flood control projects. The ongoing Upper Rio Grande (Region 14) Flood Plan is identifying and evaluating projects to mitigate flooding for people, property and businesses across the region. Going forward, only the projects listed in the 2023 State Flood Plan will be eligible for funding support through TWDB’s Flood Infrastructure Fund. Here’s How You Can Get Involved:
bigbendsentinel.comBalmoral ranked Houston area’s top-selling master-planned community for first half of 2021
Balmoral, a 750-acre master-planned community in Humble, was ranked the Houston area’s top-selling master-planned community and the Lone Star State’s second top-selling master-planned community for the first half of 2021.
Texas veterans homes overseen by George P. Bush were often the deadliest places to be during COVID-19 pandemic
Seven of the state's nine veterans homes had a fatality rate of 25% or more, far higher than the statewide average of 11% for nursing homes. Bush has vowed to not renew the operators’ contracts.
In first trip to U.S.-Mexico border as vice president, Kamala Harris focuses on causes of immigration
Harris toured Border Patrol facilities in El Paso and met with local groups that aid migrants, but Republicans continued to attack her for not visiting the Rio Grande Valley, where a large number of border apprehensions are happening.
Biden administration threatens to sue after Texas officials say they’ll yank licenses from facilities housing unaccompanied migrant children
A federal attorney claims an order from Gov. Greg Abbott violates the U.S. Constitution’s Supremacy Clause and said legal action could follow if the state carries through with plans to pull licenses from the federally contracted facilities.
Texas Republican leaders promised action on gun safety after the El Paso shooting. Instead, they passed permitless carry.
The Legislature passed a bill allowing Texans to carry handguns without a license or training — an expansion of gun rights so divisive Republican leaders in previous years refused to touch it.