Good Morning El Paso: 07.28.15

students in the socorro district break in their new pencils and notebooks today, but a lucky few will get to break in a brand new school! / plus! –new this morning– el paso county commissioners approved negotiations for inmate health services which include more services for mental health. “”you’re taught to be honest you’re taught to be trustworthy. you’re taught to be generous, caring. discrimination is none of those things.” and-the boy scouts decide to accept openly gay leaders—we have reaction to the change this morning. / a very good morning el paso, las cruces, and juarez. i’m stephanie valle. and i’m hillary floren. good morning, everyone. good morning! today we’re watching temperatures in the 60s, 70s, and even the 80s! the temps will rise to the upper 90s in el paso and will also see chance of rain increase again late day through the night. the chance of rain in the am is around 10 percent of less as we have somespotty morning showers still hanging close by but not in the borderland. rain chance up to 30% tonight. and in the days to come? we’ll see a change in rain chances! the temps will drop too. we’ll track the chances coming up soon! this morning it’s back to to class for this morning it’s back to to class for the socorro independent school district. the year begins with the grand opening of a brand new elementary school. purple heart elementary school is located at 14-400 g-r campuzano drive in far east el paso. that’s where we find good morning el paso’s denise olivas… denise? purple heart is sisd’s 47th school and will house kinder through 5th grade. over the weekend the school healed its official opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony. the school was also honored by representatives from the military order of the purple heart. it is the first purple heart elementary school in the state of texas. a fitting name for the school located in a part of town where so many military families call home. one student we spoke with was left in awe of the state of the art facility: new this morning– the county now has the commissioners court’s approval to begin negotiations for better mental health services for inmates. the county plans to negotiate with the university of texas medical branch for medical services, and with emergence health network for mental health services. mental health considerations are being added as part of an evaluation to be provided at a new pre-trial office, opening this fall. right now, inmates receive medical and dental aid from corizon health, but only limited mental health services. the five men convicted in the disappearances and murders of 11 women in juarez — learned their punishment. each of them was sentenced to life in prison. officials say the men kidnapped the girls — forced them into prostitution and then killed them when they no longer had use for them. the womens’ bodies were found in 20-12. you are about to play a role in how el paso’s city government operates. we now know what items you’ll be voting on in november’s city charter election. city council made the decision at monday’s meeting. the big items involve city reps themselves. they get a ten thousand dollar a year pay hike, putting city reps at 39-thousand annually… and the mayor at 55- thousand? the mayor says he doesn’t support the raises – because many city employees haven’t gotten a raise in a few years. el paso voters will also be asked to decide if city reps can have other public sector jobs while serving on council… you’ll also be asked to decide if the city attorney should report to the entire council… or just the mayor. and if they city should be allowed to cancel one council meeting every month. city council approved a proposed tax rate at monday’s meeting the 20-16 tax exemption for disabled and senior residents – is set to take effect. that means a tax decrease for one third of el paso’s property owners. and the rest will pay higher takes to to make up the difference. so the average homeowner would pay about 42-dollars more, bringing your annual city taxes to about 9-11 dollars. but again, you’ll pay less if you qualify for the senior or disabled exemptions. city council is hosting public hearings throughout august so nothing is set in stone. the boy scouts of america is now allowing openly gay adults to serve as leaders, but the group’s executive board decided there will still be an exception for church-sponsored scout units with religious objections. abc’s bazi kani has the latest -on this story developing now. after 105 years of scouting, one of the nation’s most popular youth organizations takes another step on the trail toward inclusion: the boy scouts now permiting openly gay leaders. sot robert gates “for far too long this issue ha divided and distracted us. now it’s time to unite behind our shared belief in the extraordinary power of scouting to be a force for good.” the group’s presiden said the ban on gay adult leaders was not sustainable and would lead to more costly lawsuits. a decision hailed by gay rights advocates, including many within the organization. sot steven colella, former eagle scout “previously the ban being lifted for youth members was contradictory, because it indicated it was only okay until you were eighteen.” sot oliver tessier, eagle scout parent “you’re taught t be honest. you’re taught to be trustworthy. you’re taught to be generous, caring. discrimination is none of those things.” but the policy change threatens to further fracture the organization. despite a promise by the executive board that there would still be an exception for church- sponsored scout units with religious objections, the denominations that charter most chapters are threatening to split off. in a statement, the mormon church said it was “deeply troubled” by th decision and “the admission o openly gay leaders is inconsistent with the doctrines of the church.” despite those objections, the boy scout’s president– former defense secretary robert gates– said enforcing the ban on gay leaders would definitely be the end of the boy scouts as a national movement. bazi kani, abc news, washington. still to come on good morning el paso… it’s a pain when your phone or internet doesn’t work. but imagine being without these services at a fire station! we’ll have the details. / plus–a litter of pups saved by the humane society. we’ll tell you how you can help save even more furry friends, coming up. meteorologist krystal klei has your detailed forecast. krystal… and this is abc-7, where news comes first!