In Juarez, the Zona de Tolerencia has Moved, and the Mariscal is Changing
oh my god, I cant believe that in this time an era there are still writers that have such an ignorant view of Mexico.
"women are not allowed on beer halls?" what kind of beer halls and in what era did you visit mexico, was it in this century?
This is shameful, that newspaper that says its from community and a newspaper that prides itself in being regional, bicultural and multinational publishes stories from people who only know Juarez from its bars. I think the story is interesting but the lacks of a focus. -- Abeja
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El Richie, even though he really believes there are 2 moons, knows more about the Juarez nights than anybody I know (El Paso nights too), he's wiser than he wants anybody to know and he has stories that will become border parables when he tells them. I hope he becomes a regular (paid) contributor to NPT. -- Bobby Byrd
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Searching Juarez for Uniforms, and Finding, as Always, a Chucho, an Indio, and El Arbolito
Rich Wright was one of the first people I met when I came to El Paso some 15 years ago and, even though I've met thousands since and don’t see Rich very often anymore, he remains one of my favorite El Pasoans. He is a true “City Treasure” and I’m delighted he is writing for Newspaper Tree.
Whenever someone asks me and my wife of five years (and before that, girlfriend of another 4 or 5…) “Where did you guys meet?” We proudly answer “Wildhare’s”.
It always brings back many fond memories for the both of us. The evenings of Alejandro Escovedio plying his soulful art on the guitar or the many other bands that would have had no other place to play in El Paso, and of course, Rich.
The man has what we would have called on the bayou “joie de vivre”, a passion for living life with relish, good times or bad. He has a curious sense of finding great interest and importance in the mundane, the seedy, even the lowbrow; what’s more he has a way to make it all seem keenly facinating to others, too.
He loves the area and it’s people, not just El Paso and Juarez but every little dusty, broken-down place of interest (or disinterest) around here, on both sides of the border. He knows who we are, not who we pretend to be.
Who else could write a story about having a few drinks at the Kentucky Club and the Arbolito, a small set of otherwise meaningless events in which nothing really happens……and make it sound so damn nostalgic and desirable?
Sign me up for the next excursion to nowhere, Carta Blancas are on me….. -- DJ
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Blight Ordinance Fails, with a Vote Along Familiar Lines
Castro's move comes at a time when downtown investment is going smoothly, and there is no sign of a need for eminent domain. It seems she's trying to stir up some friction when downtown revitalization is proceeding relatively harmoniously. (Er, the puppetmasters are trying to stir up some friction.) It seems she feels left out of the downtown dialogue. -- Armando
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Imagine you are 80 years old, in poor health, living on social security, in a home you own that you were born in and some bureaucrat decides it should be condemned and sold to a third party who can add more value to the public weal. You are paid the “fair market value” of $30,000. What do you do with that? Can you find a substitute home at that price before you die or become homeless?
That actually happened on my watch running the HFC, and it was for a legitimate public purpose – EPISD used eminent domain to remove people out of the Segundo Barrio for a new school. This was a legal use of eminent domain for the public purpose.
Now, imagine the anger and bitterness such an action could provoke if poor people were dispossessed so that some developer could take their property for private purposes. This should never be allowed and if our Council decides that it should be allowed, it is time to throw them all out. We have a free market and if the property is so valuable, let the developer negotiate for it in a free market and not use the City as its henchman. If the owner won’t sell, well too bad. Life isn’t perfect and it is not the job of the City to make it so for the benefit of the wealthy. It is more the job of the City to protect the rights of the powerless and that starts with protecting their property, little as it might be. -- Jerry Kurtyka
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Most disappointing. The city has passed another grand failure in my book. I'm all for eliminating the blight downtown, but not at the cost of those who have weathered the storm for years to maintain their properties. The city and the developers they are in cahoots with will have free reign to snatch said properties out from under their feet.. So let me get this straight. The owners of non-blighted properties are just supposed to take the city's word their buildings wont come under fire? How convenient. A new downtown at all costs should not be the prime objective here. I fear our downtown is losing its soul one day at a time. A shame. -- Omar
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O'Rourke should not have voted here. This is a clear conflict of interest. He cannot honestly say that papa Sanders will not benefit from his vote.
Shame on him, and all politicos who use their office for such purposes. El Paso politics=opportunism! The people are watching. -- EM
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Mental Health Complex Could Take Piece of Ascarate Land
Commissioners Court better go back and study the Deed from the Federal Government on this one. A Commissioners Court order doesn't change the original deed. This came up once before and in order to use it for anything except public recreation, the Federal Deed whould have to be revisited and changed. It is actions like this that upset so many people. When the prior action was stopped because of the deed any effort to change the deed was also dropped. LEAVE OUR PARKS ALONE. We do need the land for the Mental Health project but not this way. -- Ray Gilbert
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TCEQ Hearing on Asarco Continuance is Feb. 8
The issue of the continuance has made organizing and mobilizing El Pasoans a living nightmare. Although the request is necessary to make sure everything is being done on the legal side to keep ASARCO from reopening, I hope it doesn't serve as a distraction to those who want to participate in Austin if in fact the final hearing takes place on Feb.13th.
Once again, to all those who wish to participate and travel to Austin: We must continue to move forward as if this continuance request will be denied and the up or down vote will take place as scheduled.
For more info on going to Austin: Call El Paso ACORN, 915-633-5412 -- Dave
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Foreclosure Crisis Needs Attention
One of the reasons there is this foreclosure crisis is because El Paso allowed the real estate appraisers to increase property values during the last five years based on a couple hundred wild sales to people from the West coast that thought $500,000 was normal for a regular size average home. Those sales do not represent the true value of those homes since the people buying them, in El Paso terms, had unlimited money after selling their homes in California. This drove up property taxes and the majority here did not see any real pay raises, so their monthly payments went up due to the higher appraisals, that were based on bad science, or "wild sales" to out of towners with no concept of money. These El Paso homeowners qualified for their loans based on their income, not FUTURE income and now they can't afford their house payments. The Realtors just kept raising prices and adding 5-7% increase for commissions to every sale. And with every sale, the homes get more expensive because with each turnover of a home, the price includes a new sales commission. The City should have held the appraisals the same and the Realtors should have stopped encouraging house flipping, adding 7% to each flip. -- Hypnotistone
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All you need to know about avoiding foreclosure - Don't buy what you can't afford.
Your monthly payment shouldn't exceed half of your total monthly income.
Oh yeah - health insurance is more important than a fancy car. -- David
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Sushi, Sensimilla and Slaughter
It is so evident that crime reaches all aspects of life. Dutifully and diligently our country's officials are hard at work behind the scenes protecting the safety of the children.
I am so glad that my grandmother's family decided to migrate to the U.S in 1902. God Bless everyone! We may have our problems but because of our checks and balances, because of the strife for equality, truth, and justice, I am proud to be an American. -- Rita
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Proposal to Ban Pitbulls - NOT!
As an APBT owner (and animal lover) I applaud you on your article and effort to rally the citizen of this wonderful city of El Paso to make an effort to stop blaming such beautiful breed and put the blame on these irresponsible dog owners. We need more animal advocates as you to measure up the truth of our current situation and to bring much needed awareness to our Pit Bull problem. -- Raul
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