Month: February 2015

Unversity Medical Center wants to expand by building four clinics throughout El Paso County. The price tag is a $162 million bond which the county commissioners will consider on Monday. But a wide sector of the community is pushing back against the idea. The El Paso County Medical Society and Hispanic Chamber of Commerce together

It’s been about a year since ABC-7 first broke the story about the financial shortfall at El Paso Children’s Hospital. Since then, the University Medical Center board has been working with Children’s and El Paso County Commissioners to find a solution. Monday afternoon, UMC board members met for the first time in 2015. If it

The initial plan to come up with solutions to deal with the El Paso Children’s Hospital’s multimillion dollar debt to University Medical Center has hit a roadblock. The special financial committee between Children’s, UMC and El Paso First is no more. “The parties were unable to move forward, to reach consensus on any kind of

University Medical Center had its budget and $20 million line of credit approved by county commissioners Monday. But will it be enough to keep the hospital out of financial trouble in the future? UMC has seemed to be on rocky financial ground recently, laying off dozens of employees just months ago. But UMC CEO Jim

President and CEO of University Medical Center James Valenti already oversees eight healthcare centers and one new out-patient clinic on the West Side, but he’d like to add three more primary and specialty care clinics in the North, Northeast and Central El Paso by 2015. “Our plan is to expand our clinic base throughout El

The University Medical Center hospital board adopted its budget and tax rate for the coming fiscal year Tuesday afternoon. In a unanimous vote, the hospital board adopted the $527 million budget and the tax rate of slightly more than 22 cents per $100 home valuation. “we’re taking the effective tax rate, which is great for

ABC-7 got a hold of University Medical Center Chief Executive Officer Jim Valenti’s contract with the hospital and performance evaluation for 2014 that got him a $119,915 bonus. Local officials like county commissioners Carlos Leon and vince Perez have been vocal about the bonus, especially while the hospital continues to struggle financially. Valenti’s contract states

ABC-7 is getting a closer look at the serious financial issues at the El Paso County Hospital District. UMC staff presented a quarterly report and audit to county commissioners Monday, including details on the $66 million they say have been lost over the past fiscal year. UMC says that’s due in large part to the

ABC News: Two Ukrainian military jets were shot down in the Donetsk region of the country today, the Ukrainian defense ministry said. Read full article here: http://abcnews.go.com/International/ukrainian-jets-shot-defense-ministry/story?id=24674661

Every two years, the University Interscholastic League looks at how many students are enrolled at each high school.Those numbers help them determine which schools will play against each other. To make it fair, they try to keep the big schools playing against other big schools, and small schools playing against small schools. This year, they’re

Before the 80th annual Sun Bowl between Virginia Tech and UCLA kicked off, fans gathered for the Sun Bowl Sky Party on the top of the nearby parking garage. Fans traveling from both schools mixed with El Pasoans for a couple of hours, enjoying the warm winter day. UCLA fans appear to be out in

The ride-sharing app Uber hit the borderland back in late June, and has caused some concerns over the past few months. Uber is fighting several lawsuits across the country because many cities said the company is in violation of city taxi cab regulations. But Uber said it is a transportation network company and not affiliated

Fort Bliss soldier Tyrone Head was found not guilty of the two counts of murder he was facing Thursday, a court official said. Closing arguments began Thursday, and the verdict was returned that afternoon. Head was accused of taking part in a gunfight that ended with the killing of two of his fellow soldiers. The

A state district judge has ruled the way Texas funds its schools is unconstitutional. The ruling said Texas fails to disperse money equally across the state. Retired director of the Region 19 Education Service Center said borderland educators have been fighting for equal funding for as long as he can remember. He said the Texas

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has added Leo Click Jr., 43, to the Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitives list, and a cash reward up to $7,500 is now being offered for information leading to his capture. Capital Area Crime Stoppers and the Victoria Crime Stoppers are each offering additional rewards for Click’s arrest.

In 2012, the Texas Department of Transportation reported 3,400 traffic-related deaths in the state. In work zones, 17,000 were documented. Efforts to lower the statistics are underway statewide by TxDoT officials with new tools to warn drivers and protect the safety of workers on highways. Three new devices will soon be seen in the city

Three months ago, new multi-colored lights popped up on a pair of bridges over Interstate 10, book-ending Downtown El Paso. But those multi-colored LED lights are now just one color. “They’re cool!” said El Pasoan Adam Reinke, who indicated he likes the many different colors best. They have the capability of changing from blue to

More roundabouts are coming to some El Paso neighborhood streets in the near future. El Paso’s City Council Tuesday heard updates on the progress toward construction of the traffic circles and other road changes across the city. The second phase of the neighborhood traffic management program is entering the final stages of design and could

El Paso police are investigating two separate fatal pedestrian accidents that happened Monday night. A 74-year-old woman was struck and killed by a 2006 Toyota Camry at about 8:15 p.m. Monday in the 3100 block of E. Paisano. El Paso Police say Josephina Gonzalez was crossing Paisano near the intersection of San Marcial when she

Nov. 21, 2014 Update: El Paso Police have identified the two people found dead in an East Side home on Thursday. They have been identified as 44-year-old Maria Elena Sernas and 64-year-old Jorge Rojero. Police say Sernas went to the home in the 9800 block of Eastridge to retrieve property from Rojero, her ex-husband. Police

In El Paso, hundreds of patients at Providence Memorial Hospital have been exposed to tuberculosis. City health officials tell ABC-7 more than 700 patients and 40 employees were exposed over a one year period. Officials say a hospital employee was working with an active case of the disease in the post-partum unit and the newborn

New information today about a request the El Paso County Attorney sent to the Texas Attorney General. She’s asking him to clarify how El Paso school board trustees are required to submit their financial records. The letter obtained by ABC 7’s I-Team requests an opinion from Attorney General Greg Abbott, and states some un-named school

Police are looking for the driver who crashed his truck into a home right in front of Irvin High School. Eighty-four-year-old Earl Black has lived at the home for over 30 years. He said he was scared to death after hearing the loud crash. The truck crashed right into a spare bedroom, just feet away

Home builder, Tropicana Homes, is now building 152 low-income housing units in far east El Paso. But nearby neighbors are not happy with the ongoing changes. Multiple neighbors said these new apartments will increase traffic in the area, overcrowd the schools and ultimately lower their property value. “It will overcrowd our schools, and traffic will

Trolleys are on the fast track to return to downtown El Paso. But not everyone on City Council is happy about the project or cost associated with it. While council did vote to approve a new agency and subsequently funding to get El Paso’s street cars up and running again, sparks flew during the discussion

The Battle of the Alamo began 177 years ago on Feb. 23, 1836. To commemorate, a famous letter of desperation and courage was brought back to the site of the historic siege in San Antonio on Friday. On Feb. 24, a day after the battle between rebel Texas forces and Mexican Gen. Santa Anna began.

In observance of Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, the Environmental Services Department has made adjustments to its collection schedule. TRASH & RECYCLING COLLECTIONS No collections Christmas DayThursday (Christmas Day) collections will have waste picked up Sat., December 27No collections New Year’s DayThursday (New Year’s Day) collections will have waste picked up Sat., January 3

A woman was rescued following an accident on Transmountain road Saturday night into early Sunday morning. More than 25 firefighters went to the site of the crash, officials said. According to officials, thewoman’svehicle rolled down a steep mountainside. The woman wasunconsciouswhen inside her vehicles when a search team rescued her, fire officials said. Sunday morning

As you head out the door, we have some closures around town you will want to be aware of. Starting Sunday at 9 p.m. through Friday at 6 a.m. The westbound lanes on I-10. Will be completely closed between the Paisano Exit ramp and the Raynolds entrance ramp. Westbound traffic will be exiting at the

Interstate 10 will be completely closed starting at midnight Sunday morning as work on Spur 1966 continues. It’s not expected to reopen until at 6 a.m. Monday. The Texas Department of Transportation has designated some detours for people heading east on I-10. Drivers will be asked to exit at Sunland Park and continue on Paisano