Good Morning El Paso: 04.22.15

“my dad was here all day, and h was like, ‘there’s no water. What do we do?'” a water emergency in tornillo causing frustration for residents. why they’ll have to wait longer for water to come back. also, the el paso independent school district is facing a multi-million dollar deficit. why teachers could be the ones to pay. plus: “How do you take a man, put him in handcuffs, and then feel as though you want to hurt him dead.” outrage continues over the death of freddie gray while in police custody. protesters say they won’t stop until they see arrests. here is a view of our planet from this international space station. today is the 45th annual earth day. the event is celebrated by more than a billion people in 192 countries around the world. earth day got its start in the u-s to increase public awareness of environmental problems. this is what it looks like back here in the borderland. a live look this wednesday morning from the abc-7 mountain cam. a very good morning el paso, las cruces, and juarez. i’m stephanie valle. and i’m hillary floren. good morning, everyone. a live look at stormtrack doppler radar is showing… currently around our region… here’s your day planner for today… expect skies, winds and temperatures in the by 8 am, by noon and for your drive home around 5 pm. we’ll talk more about what to expect for the rest of this work week and the weekend ahead coming up in your full forecast. now to a traffic alert.. traffic on i-10 west is open again. that’s far better than it was just a few hours ago — traffic on both sides of i-10 was completely closed after a power line went down! that has since been cleared up… but that was on top of lane closures on i-10 west… which will be back in effect tonight. about 3-thousand residents in tornillo remain affected by problems caused by a malfunctioning well pump. and frustration is growing as the problem might not be fixed until friday. “this is off. And they’re on. this is what some are finding when they turn on the faucet… nothing. residents cant shower, cook, or clean — unless they’re getting water from a source other than the el paso county tornillo water imrprovement district. superintendent jeannie meza-chavez says they may need to cancel classes for the tornillo school district tomorrow and friday. water officials are stressing for residents to be patient: “with people, i know its hard to ask them to be patient, but that would help. And we are, we’re working as fast as we can. We are in communication with other water districts. epwu will be lending us some trucks to bring some potable water.” if you do have water, you are asked to boil water. there is help being offered — including a drinkable water pickup location. the red cross is also establishing showers, restrooms, and drinking water located at amador field for more information call 915-764-2966. could salary freezes be coming to the el paso independent school district? at a budget workshop last night — the district reviewed its budget for the next school year — finding that it at least faces an $11-million-dollar deficit — and at worst — a $25- million-dollar deficit. this is due to decling enrollment, a drop in state funding and higher payroll costs. at this time the district is recommending a salary freeze. now these are just estimates. the texas legislature has yet to approve an education bill detailing the exact amount of funding episd can expect. sticking with the el paso school district.. the board of managers approved the district’s modernization plan last night. that means rennovating aginig schools, creating additional pre-k-8th grade campuses, and consolidating half- empty elementaries. but the decision angered some critics … who say the district should have waited to vote on the issue until the elected trustees take office in may. “The seem to think they can ramrod things through with two months left…that only benefit contractors and architects.” “It further deteriorates th trust and transparency within the community and employees within episd” among the first projects to get underway will be a new a pre-k-thru-1st grade center at vilas elementary — it will be rebreanded asi the mesita early childhood center. the center is set to open this fall. blue bell creameries says it’s getting closer to identifying how listeria got into its facilities. the century-old texas ice cream maker has recalled all of its products after some were linked to a deadly string of illnesses. blue bell is working with the fda to find out how it’s products were contaminated. the company is confident it will survive this most challenging time in the creamery’s 108 year history. they’re heartened that the scare hasn’t cost them the loyalty of true blue bluebell fans. no word yet when products will return to store shelves. raw emotions in baltimore this morning as the city demands answers. this after freddie gray died under mysterious circumstances… after suffering an injury while being arrested. let’s go now to abc’s bazi kanani with the latest pkg ==Nats protestors== chanting another community outraged. the protests growing in baltimore… where 25- year-old freddie gray was stopped by police for unclear reasons… then died after suffering a severe spinal injury in police custody. ===sot==lisa harrison/ protester== police brutality is at an all-time high, and it needs to stop. the justice department … now launching an investigation… and several videos of the arrest may help. here… an auto- panning police camera shows someone running down the street. gray is seen on the ground with two officers kneeling next to him. less than three minutes later… a quick shot as he’s put into a transport van. police say they don’t know when or how gray was injured. ==sot deputy commissioner jerry rodriguez/baltimore police:== We had no evidence, physical or video or statements of any use of force. but a severe spinal injury is usually the result of blunt force. the family insists police are responsible. collapsing into tears … gray’s mother and sister were carried away from the protest. the crowd… calling for murder charges against the six officers involved in the arrest. ==sot==tim chin/ protester “we’re no gonna back down, it’s a serious issue, it’s a fundamental institutional problem that we’re having with police departments across the country from coast to coast.” on- camera close: those six officers are now on paid leave. baltimore police say they will complete their investigation by the end of the month. another independent panel and, now, the justice department will also investigate. bazi kanani, abc news washington some local high school students have a big weight lifted off their shoulders. that’s because they are the recipeints of the gates millenium scholarship. but first– meteorologist krystal klei has your detailed forecast. krystal… and this is abc-7, where news comes first!