County names Veteran of the Year, El Paso doctor faces AG lawsuit, Anthony ISD voters OK tax hike

This is your weekly news roundup, which takes a quick look at some developments in government, politics, education, environment and other topics across El Paso.

El Paso County Names Debo' A. Wakefield Veteran of the Year

Retired Army Sgt. 1st Class Debo' A. Wakefield, whose military career started in the Women's Army Corps, has been named Veteran of the Year by the El Paso County Commissioners Court.

"I am a person of service, it doesn't just stop because you get out of the military," she said during the meeting. "I've been in service all of my life that I can remember, from a candy striper at 15 until my retirement in 1992 and I continue as a travel nurse and still do a lot in the community today."

Wakefield was honored for her service and community work Monday ahead of Veterans Day on Nov. 11. The award is presented to former military service members whose community contributions exemplify leadership, generosity, and ongoing dedication to supporting local veterans.

Wakefield served as a medical assistant in the corp before advancing to a surgical technician role. Over 21 years, she rose to the rank of sergeant first class. She later served as a travel nurse, including in El Paso.

She volunteers at area food banks, collects essentials for women's shelters, and participates in scholarship fundraisers. She is a member of the Buffalo Soldier Motorcycle Club, the Silhouette Civic and Social Club and Old Glory Memorial.

Through her work with Aloha Medical Mission, she also travels to Honduras to provide surgical support to underserved communities.

"Humbled and honored as I am, there's nothing like giving back when you serve and you give back to your community," she said, encouraging the public to do small gestures for others – including veterans. "I'm telling you, the little bit of time that you take to say hello, shake somebody's hand, give them that little hug or embrace or just say that you care ... makes a difference."

Texas AG Sues El Paso Doctor Over Gender-Affirming Care

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued an El Paso doctor for allegedly providing gender-affirming medical care to minors, a violation of state law. The lawsuit, filed Oct. 29 in conservative Kaufman County rather than El Paso, accuses Dr. Hector Granados of prescribing puberty blockers and hormones to minors.

Texas lawmakers passed a policy last year banning transgender teenagers and children from accessing transition-related drugs and surgery. Adults can still access gender-affirming care.

Granados, a pediatric endocrinologist, runs a private practice in East and Central El Paso. The clinic offers treatment for conditions including thyroid disorder, adrenal and pituitary gland disorders, diabetes, growth deficiency and genetic syndromes that cause atypical sex development, according to its website. Doctors can legally prescribe hormone therapy to treat these conditions. The website does not mention gender-affirming care. Granados could not be reached for comment.

"State law forbids prescribing these interventions to minors because they have irreversible and damaging effects," Paxton said in a news release. "Any physician found doing so will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law."

For gender-affirming care, doctors prescribe puberty blockers and hormone therapy to patients with gender dysphoria, a disorder and feeling of distress when a person's expressed gender doesn't match the sex they were assigned at birth. Left untreated , gender dysphoria can lead to anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation. While transgender people make up less than 2% of the state population, they report a high rate of suicide attempts .

Gender-affirming care is life-saving care, said the Rev. Stan Sloan, chair of the Borderland Rainbow Center's board. Sloan said he is speaking for himself, not on behalf of the organization.

"Being a member of the LGBTQIA+ community carries a higher rate of suicidality due, in part, to the dehumanization of the person," Sloan said. "LGBTQ+ people are real people, with real hopes, real fears and real dreams. My hope is that they are afforded the same opportunities for hope, health and healing as others want for themselves."

Free Art Classes for Children, Teens with Disabilities

The El Paso Museum of Art will begin offering art classes for children and teenagers with intellectual and developmental disabilities. EPMA Arcoiris is the first pilot program under the museum's new P.A.I.N.T.E.R. (Promoting Art Inclusion Nurturing Talent Education Resilience) Initiative. The program engages students ages 5 to 18 in hands-on activities led by professional teaching artists.

The free classes will be held monthly beginning Sunday, Nov. 17. Families can register by calling 915-212-03056 or emailing .

Free Breast Cancer Screening at Sparks Clinic

Texas Tech Health El Paso's Paul L. Foster School of Medicine received a $30,000 grant from the National Breast Cancer Foundation to provide free breast cancer screening at its pop-up clinic in Sparks. The clinic, run by medical students, opens twice a month to offer mammograms and breast exams in a community with limited access to preventative health care.

The colonia, located in East El Paso near Horizon City, has a population of more than 5,000 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's projection. El Paso County has an average of 507 people every year living with breast cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute. Detecting breast cancer at an early stage can reduce the chances of death.

: 915-215-6551 or via email .

Anthony ISD Voters Approve Tax Increase

Anthony Independent School District voters narrowly approved a tax rate increase during Tuesday's election to help the district cover the cost of upgrades and pay its daily operation expenses.

Just over 51% of voters cast their ballots in favor of raising the district's tax rate by about 12 cents to $0.914688 per $100 property valuation. This would increase taxes by $81 a year for the average $68,000 home in Anthony, Texas.

Anthony ISD Board Secretary Christine Singh said she was thankful to the voters for approving the new rate.

"In these times where our taxes are going up and the economy the way it is, (the voters) still felt it was important to vote yes so that we can improve the district's schools for the students," Singh told El Paso Matters.

The Anthony ISD School Board voted unanimously 6-0 in August to approve a tax rate higher than its voter approval rate of $0.794688 per $100 valuation, triggering a tax ratification election. Trustee Cynthia Ramirez was absent for the vote.

The new tax rate will provide the 750-student district in Far West El Paso County over $1 million in local tax and state revenue, according to a presentation on the district's website .

The board also approved a $10.6 million budget — which includes the new tax rate — with a $223,600 budget surplus in August.

Without the tax ratification, Singh said the district would likely have a budget deficit but did not know for how much.

Singh said the district plans to use the funds generated by the tax increase to upgrade air conditioning systems in its campuses, replace a charter bus and resurface its outdoor track.

The funds will also be used to provide a 2% pay raise for all its 140 employees.

Fabens ISD Names New Superintendent; New Trustees Elected

Fabens Independent School District voters reelected one trustee and ousted two others during Tuesday's election.

Incumbent Luis "Charlie" Estrada was reelected with 54% of the vote, defeating his opponent Angel Gonzales. Incumbent Adan Escobar was defeated by Crystal Ramirez, who received 54% of the vote; while incumbent Sylvia Gonzales lost to Greg Spence, who garnered 54%.

Board President Orlando "O.O." Flores ran unopposed.

Fabens ISD trustees serve a four-year unpaid term. The board comprises seven members.

The 1,900-student district in far East El Paso County is also getting a new leader.

The Fabens ISD school board named Rogelio Segovia as superintendent, the district announced in October.

Segovia previously served as assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction.

Segovia is Fabens ISD's first permanent leader since former Superintendent Veronica Vijil resigned in June 2023 after the board voted not to extend her contract earlier that year.

After resigning, Vijil submitted a complaint to the Texas Education Agency alleging the board failed to follow federal and state regulations and created a hostile work environment for administrators.

TTHEP to Offer First Full-ride Dental School Scholarship

Texas Tech Health El Paso announced this week the first Hunt School of Dental Medicine scholarship that would cover tuition and fees for a student's four years of instruction.

Deborah Whitehill, wife of the late Dr. H.V. Whitehill, shared the news during the annual TTHEP Season of Thanks luncheon Nov. 6 on campus. Dr. Whitehill practiced dentistry in the region for more than 30 years. He died earlier this year at age 77.

Whitehill said she created the scholarship because she and her husband understood the community's need for more doctors and dentists.

"He would be pleased to know we're playing a part in meeting that need," she said.

Dr. Richard Black, dean of the dental school, said that the scholarship would help future dental students achieve their full potential.

TTHEP stated that while GPA and other criteria will be a factor, preference will be given to students from El Paso who intend to practice in the El Paso region. The institution will select the scholarship's first recipient from next year's freshman class, which starts in fall 2025.

When asked about the full value of the scholarship, TTHEP explained that the amount of tuition and fees for a dental school student fluctuates annually. For the 2024-25 academic year, a Texas resident would pay $43,700 and an out-of-state student would pay $64,114. If the amounts stayed the same, the full-ride, four-year amount would be $174,800 for in-state students and $256,456 for non-Texas residents.

Reyes Elementary Gets Improved Connectivity Under Canutillo ISD Bond

The Canutillo Independent School District spent $370,000 to bring wireless internet to classrooms, offices, the cafeteria and portables throughout Reyes Elementary School that previously had issues connecting.

The school's Wi-Fi system was upgraded to address "dead zones", which posed a safety concern because they could not get reliable internet or cell phone service in the case of an emergency, the district said in a news release Wednesday.

The upgrades are part of a $387 million bond approved by voters in May.

"This project will allow our students to connect their devices and use modern learning techniques. But it'll also afford our teachers and parents a sense of security knowing that emergency services are now fully accessible via telephone and internet," Reyes Elementary School Principal Jessica Melendez-Carrillo said in the news release.