Gabe Padilla and Melissa Padilla opened the eatery at 9993 Socorro Road in 2023, naming it after Gabe\u2019s ancestors: the Piro Tribe, which established villages in Socorro. Caf\u00e9 Piro features a menu that honors the Piro heritage and serves as a cultural and artistic space.<\/p>\n
The Padillas entered the culinary world with a food truck named Casa del Humo before opening for their brick-and-mortar restaurant.<\/p>\n
The couple now heads to Chicago in June for the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards Ceremony. Four other restaurants are finalists for the award in the Texas region.<\/p>\n
Caf\u00e9 Piro and two other El Paso area chefs \u2013 Andr\u00e9s Pablos from Acc\u00e1 and Danny Calleros from Ardovino\u2019s Desert Crossing \u2013 were nominated as semifinalists<\/a> for the award in January. Taconeta was named a semifinalist in the Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program category.\u00a0<\/p>\n City Opens New Community Health Clinic in Central El Paso<\/p>\n The Department of Public Health opened its fifth community health clinic at the Medical Center of the Americas at 4240 Alameda Ave. in Central El Paso.\u00a0<\/p>\n The $9 million project, funded by an American Rescue Plan Act grant, is expected to serve about 10,000 people a year, according to a city news release.<\/p>\n The 10,500-square-foot facility offers programs including HIV prevention, sexual health services and tuberculosis diagnosis and treatment.<\/p>\n Dr. Veerinder Taneja, public health director, in the news release said community clinics are \u201cvital components of our department, addressing one of the community\u2019s greatest needs \u2014 access to care. These clinics provide preventative screenings and ensure individuals receive necessary medical treatment.\u201d<\/p>\n Tierra del Este Trail Now Open on Far Eastside<\/p>\n The Tierra del Este Trail in far East El Paso is now open to the public. The $1.1 million trail begins at Holly Springs Linear Park, 14541 Holly Springs Ave.<\/p>\n The new 1-mile, 11-foot wide trail, which connects to existing trails along Rich Beem Boulevard and John Hayes Street, features pedestrian and bicycle paths, mile markers, collapsible bollards, ADA ramps and dog waste stations.<\/p>\n The city held a ribbon cutting Thursday for the project, which was funded by the city\u2019s quality of life bond approved by voters in 2012.<\/p>\n The completion of the trail comes after the City Council last summer voted to cancel other planned trails and transfer funds into the Tierra del Este Trail.<\/p>\n Two other trails are in the works, including the $860,000 Mountain to River Trails System and the $1.7 million Montana to I-10 Paved Trail.<\/p>\n Sun City Lights Coming to Lower Valley\u2019s Pueblo Viejo Park<\/p>\n Pueblo Viejo Park, at 233 N. Zaragoza Road in the Lower Valley, will be the site of the city\u2019s next Sun City Lights installation. The program aims to identify and enhance iconic city corridors with lights, public art and signage.<\/p>\n The City Council on Wednesday unanimously approved a $667,000 construction contract for Keystone Contractors and Engineers for decorative lighting features, a pavilion, benches, new landscaping and a rock wall monument sign in the theme of folklorico dresses. The total project budget is about $1.2 million.<\/p>\n Construction will begin this spring and is expected to be completed by fall.<\/p>\n \u201cThe image of a folklorico skirt dancing through that area with this illumination is going to be just very beautiful,\u201d said city Rep. Lily Lim\u00f3n, whose district the park is located within. \u201cIt is certainly in a very strategic area.\u201d<\/p>\n Sylvia Carreon, president of the Mission Valley Civic Association, said during the City Council meeting she supports the project but not the location because it faces the least populated area around the park.<\/p>\n \u201cEverything is beautiful. It\u2019s just the location where they\u2019re going to put it. I hate to say I don\u2019t think it\u2019ll be a waste of money, but I don\u2019t see how many people will actually get to visit this area,\u201d Carreon said.<\/p>\n The project was planned for Zaragoza Road and Texas State Highway 20, but the city could not get approval to build along Alameda Avenue, which is part of the state highway.<\/p>\n The city has completed several other Sun City Lights projects since the program was launched in May 2016, including Kern Place on Cincinnati Avenue and Paseo de Las Luces at the Paso del Norte Bridge.<\/p>\n Information: Elev8ElPaso<\/a><\/p>\n EPCC Replaces C\u00e9sar Ch\u00e1vez Day with Institutional Holiday This Year<\/p>\n El Paso Community College students and employees were given Thursday, April 2, off this year to take the place of the scheduled observance of C\u00e9sar Ch\u00e1vez Day<\/a> on March 31.<\/p>\n The EPCC Board of Trustees voted 6-0 during its monthly meeting March 30 in the college\u2019s Administrative Services Center, 9050 Viscount Blvd. Board Chairman Brian Haggerty was absent for the vote taken after a one-hour executive session.<\/p>\n The change was a result of the March 18 directive by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to not celebrate the Ch\u00e1vez holiday due to reports of misconduct by the late labor leader who died in 1993. The Texas Legislature designated March 31, Ch\u00e1vez\u2019s birthday, as a state holiday in 2000.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/20250521_130123.jpg\")
The El Paso City Council may update an ordinance that could impact where rideshare patrons get dropped off for establishments in the Cincinnati Entertainment District. Wednesday, May 21, 2025. Credit: Elida S. Perez \/ El Paso Matters<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/CB_EPCCStock-20.jpg\")
A campus map at El Paso Community College\u2019s Valle Verde campus. (Corrie Boudreaux\/El Paso Matters)<\/p>\n