End of her reign

September 16, 2017

Our county judge has decided to run for a seat in the feral congress.

The Times recently wrote that she said the following in an interview that they had with her:

“I’ve been tested during some of [the] most difficult times in our community’s history.  I hope that the public in El Paso saw that I passed that test.”

That kind of sounds like one of our local school district superintendents who said he had “one of the hardest jobs in America”.

It would be nice to have government officials that do not consider themselves to be victims.  Maybe their sense of entitlement might diminish a little bit if they did not have to suffer so badly.

This county judge is responsible for the financial mess at the children’s hospital and for the unsustainable clinics that our new hospital administrator somehow has to salvage.  Our readers should feel free to point out other failures that she has brought to us.

If she gets elected she will be at the bottom of the pile in terms of influence in congress.  The more senior members of her party will relegate her to the job of trying to raise money for the party.  That will consume most of her time.  Unlike our current congressman she is not perceived as being very capable and will thus have difficulty raising that money.

We deserve better

Brutus

7 Comments | County Government, Federal Government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

Is the city really confused?

September 15, 2017

Our city government is evidently appealing the judge’s ruling in the multipurpose performing art and entertainment center lawsuit.

The Austin, Texas judge in the case said that the city cannot use money from the quality of life bonds that we passed to build a sports arena.  She went further and said that the city cannot use any other source of funds to add on to the center in such a manner as to facilitate making it a sports arena.

The story the city is telling us is that they are appealing the judge’s order to seek clarification on what the city can and cannot do.

It seems to us that a motion for clarification of the judge’s order is what the city should be using if they are really only interested in clarification.

An appeal takes the case to a different court.  A motion for clarification asks the existing judge to be specific on certain points.

Civil appeals are supposed to be based on errors in findings of fact or conclusions of law.

It could be that the appeals court will refuse to hear the case.

We deserve better

Brutus

11 Comments | City government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

EPISD–science cuts

September 14, 2017

This comment came in from a reader:

Did anyone else know about what the comment addresses?

I wouldn’t hold my breath getting a straight answer out of EPISD. Nothing they do make sense anymore. Case in point, the dismantling of the once good science department with its leaders who have helped science teachers in the classrooms.

EPISD wants to be a STEAM district but reassigned TIS personnel until a decision was make to allow them to keep their positions. Now the science department and personnel, the SRC resource center, and Live Materials have gotten the ax.

Don’t expect campuses to appropriately use the funds that have previously been used to stock the SRC. It will not be cost effective to purchase science supplies at the campus level. The district was able to purchase in large quantity at a lower price.

Smh. EPISD is going downhill at break neck speed. Too many yahoos in district administrative positions making terrible decisions that do NOT benefit the students. Whoever (TB) is making these horrible decisions should be fired, effective immediately.

2 Comments | El Paso Independent School District | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

Communication from a city representative

September 13, 2017

Evidently a city representative sent this to one of our readers:

Greetings,

     This week, hope took a hold of me at different angles. On the positive side, last Sunday I volunteered at the El Paso Unites for Hurricane Harvey Animal Rescue event downtown. Not only did I donate a print of one of the original posters from the El Paso Transnational Trolley Project, but I helped in the reception of donations. El Pasoans with cars and trucks pulled into San Jacinto Plaza, dropping off loads of pet food, diapers and bottled water to benefit the animals (and, of course, humans) that continue to suffer because of the effects of Hurricane Harvey. Some didn’t even stay for the free concert; they just pulled up, unloaded and left. When you read about the overflow of volunteers and the amount of monetary donations the relief efforts have been receiving, it makes me proud to be American. It gives me hope to see many different Americans and citizens of the world come together to help each other.


On the other side of hope, there is more of a strained hope that I felt as the president proclaimed the end of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy. I joined a vigil this past Tuesday to speak my mind and to stand in solidarity with those affected by the decision. I, myself, am a son of immigrants and a child of the border. I could have been born in any other country, but my parents had the foresight to have me in the greatest one there is. There is a lack of empathy on the side of this administration to place the fault of one generation onto another. This change in policy had me think more about the empathy we all should for those who are productive members of society that are making the best of the opportunities afforded to them in the United States and had no choice about being born or raised in the USA. For some DREAMers, they do not know life in any other country, like most Americans do. The hope in me is that these DREAMers will be able to fulfill the opportunity  that comes with hard work and dedication in fulfilling the American Dream. At our best, we, as a country, lend a hand to those in need in the name of giving them a chance to be on equal footing to pursue their American Dream. We continue to see it with the efforts in Houston and east Texas and my hope is that we will see it with the DREAMers.

     Lastly, We want to express our deepest heartfelt condolences and sympathy to the Sumrall family on the passing of former District 1 Representative, Janice Sumrall. Representative Sumrall was a very progressive leader who really listened to her district and was instrumental in the formation of the Rim Area Neighborhood Overlay, the Dorris Van Doren library, and was the grand marshal of the first Gay Pride Parade in El Paso. My success in this office is predicated upon the hard work placed upon the shoulders of many office holders before me, and Representative Sumrall was an important civic leader to the people of El Paso and District 1. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to your favorite animal shelter or the Animal Rescue League of El Paso: 915-877-5002, info@arlep.org. Memorial service will be Saturday, September 9, 2017 1:30 pm at Martin Funeral Home West, 128 N. Resler Dr.

Warmly,
Peter Svarzbein
District 1
300 N. Campbell St.
El Paso, TX 79901
(915) 212-1002
District1@elpasotexas.gov

7 Comments | City government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

EPISD–classroom conditions

September 12, 2017

This note was posted as a comment but deserves some more attention:

how can our students in EPISD be expected to do good on the STAAR test when it is above 90° in the classrooms.

Red pen edit:
How can our students in EPISD be expected to do well on the STAAR test when it is above 90° in the classrooms?

13 Comments | El Paso Independent School District | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

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