The proposal would increase the typical residential water bill by nearly $10 a month \u2013 a 12% increase \u2013 to pay for higher operating costs, aging infrastructure that must be maintained and replaced, regulatory requirements, and long-term investments needed to ensure reliable water and wastewater service for the community.<\/p>\n
All community meetings will take place from 5:30 to 7 p.m., with formal presentations beginning at 6 p.m.<\/p>\n
Monday, Jan. 5<\/p>\n
Marty Robbins Recreation Center, 11620 Vista Del Sol Dr.<\/p>\n
West Side Command Center, 4801 Osborne Dr.<\/p>\n
Tuesday, Jan. 6<\/p>\n
Armijo Recreation Center, 700 E. 7th Ave.<\/p>\n
Upper Eastside Command Center, 14301 Pebble Hills Blvd.<\/p>\n
Wednesday, Jan. 7<\/p>\n
Wayne Thornton Recreation Center, 3134 Jefferson Ave.<\/p>\n
Northeast Command Center, 9600 Dyer St.<\/p>\n
Thursday, Jan. 8<\/p>\n
Valle Bajo Recreation Center, 7380 Alameda Ave.<\/p>\n
Mission Valley Command Center, 9011 Escobar Dr.<\/p>\n
The Public Service Board, which governs El Paso Water, will take a final vote on the utility\u2019s budget and proposed rate increase Jan. 14<\/p>\n
Information: EPWater.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n An El Paso Weather Streak You Probably Didn\u2019t Know<\/p>\n On New Year\u2019s Eve 2014, El Paso\u2019s high temperature reached only 30 degrees. That was the last time El Paso had a day where the temperature didn\u2019t surpass freezing \u2013 32 degrees.<\/p>\n Through the end of 2025, El Paso has now gone 4,018 consecutive days where the temperature has gotten above freezing at some point during the day. That\u2019s the longest such streak in El Paso weather records \u2013 by a lot. The second-longest streak is 2,901 days from 2006 to 2014.<\/p>\n The ongoing streak is another example of the impact of climate change on El Paso. While El Paso\u2019s weather has rarely been subject to extreme cold, it happens. Or, at least it used to.<\/p>\n According to data from the National Weather Service, El Paso had 82 days since 1887 where temperatures never got above freezing. On four of those occasions, the daily temperature never reached 20 degrees.<\/p>\n We had four-day streaks in 1971 and 1947 where high temperatures were 32 or lower, as well as three consecutive days of sub-freezing weather on several occasions. The last time we had consecutive days of sub-freezing temperatures was Feb. 2 and 3, 2011.<\/p>\n Forbes Magazine Ranks UTEP Among Top 15 for Launching Careers<\/p>\n Santiago Lopez plans to earn his bachelor\u2019s degree in nursing from the University of Texas at El Paso in May 2026. He is confident that his academics and his externship at the Hospitals of Providence Sierra Campus will help him land the job of his dreams.<\/p>\n His experience is similar to many at UTEP and among the reasons that Forbes magazine<\/a> ranked the university in a December article among the top 15 higher education institutions for launching careers.<\/p>\n Lopez, who earned a bachelor\u2019s in kinesiology from UTEP in May 2024, began his externship in the hospital\u2019s intensive care unit in December. An externship is a short-term, observational work experience where students follow professionals in real-world settings.<\/p>\n His job includes working with the nurses to provide patient care. Upon graduation, he plans to take \u2013 and pass \u2013 the National Council Licensure Examination, or NCLEX, which will earn him his license to become a registered nurse. His goal is to work in Sierra\u2019s ICU.<\/p>\n \u201cThis externship has allowed me to improve on my clinical skills that I had practiced in my courses,\u201d he said. \u201cThis allows me to be a little more hands-on. It gives me the extra experience that I need to become a good nurse.\u201d<\/p>\n The Forbes\u2019 article rated 500 U.S. colleges on how much they helped their graduates to get good-paying jobs in their fields. The article stated that UTEP offers career coaching, resume reviews and career fairs. It also shared that UTEP expanded its alliance with Education at Work, a national nonprofit that connects college students with flexible, paid work experiences, and offsets some tuition costs.<\/p>\n The rankings were based on student work experience, such as cooperative education and internships, post-graduation employment rates, and median salaries three years after graduation. At UTEP, the amount was $59,400.<\/p>\n Wanted: Photo Entries for Archaeology Museum\u2019s Chihuahuan Desert Exhibit<\/p>\n Photo submissions are being accepted by the El Paso Museum of Archaeology for its upcoming exhibit, \u201cColors of the Desert\/Colores del Desierto.\u201d<\/p>\n The exhibit aims to celebrate the beauty of the Chiuhuahuan Desert.<\/p>\n Photographers are asked to capture natural colors in the region, including animals and plant life like native flora, fauna, rock formations, the sky and desert landscape. Photographers can submit up to three original photographs. AI-assisted enhancements on photos will not be considered. Basic adjustments for exposure, contrast, color balance, and cropping are allowed, but excessive manipulation of the original image is discouraged according to the entry form.<\/p>\n The submission deadline is Jan. 17 and accepted photographers will be notified in late January which photos have been selected. The selected photographs must be printed and framed and taken to the museum by Feb. 7.<\/p>\n The exhibit will be on display and open to the public at the archaeology museum\u2019s lobby from mid-February through September 2026.<\/p>\n Entry forms are available at EPMArch.org\/Events\/Call-for-Photograph<\/a>.<\/p>\n The El Paso Museum of Archaeology, 4301 Transmountain Road, is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Free admission.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Cold-Weather-Snow.jpg\")
Snow covered the border region on Feb. 14, 2021, when temperatures dipped to 14 degrees \u2014 but climbed to above freezing, reaching 40 degrees. (Corrie Boudreaux\/El Paso Matters)<\/p>\n![\"Forbes](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/SELC-Engage_and_Thrive_Fair-25.08-jrh-5.jpg\")
Forbes magazine recently ranked the University of Texas at El Paso among the top 15 higher education institutions for launching careers of its graduates. (Courtesy UTEP)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/EP-Archaeology-Museum-e1767127788468-1024x845.jpg\")
The view from the El Paso Museum of Archaeology, 4301 Woodrow Bean Transmountain Drive. (Courtesy El Paso Museum of Archaeology)<\/p>\n