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Ryan Woodcraft<\/p>\nThis is your weekly news roundup, which takes a quick look at some developments in government, politics, education, environment and other topics across El Paso.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Socorro ISD to Investigate Trustee Ryan Woodcraft Over Assault Accusations<\/p>\n
Ryan Woodcraft<\/p>\n
The Socorro Independent School District is expected to launch a third-party investigation into school board Trustee Ryan Woodcraft, who was arrested on July 25\u00a0 on accusations of choking a 16-year-old during a Father\u2019s Day party.<\/p>\n
The board voted unanimously Wednesday during a special meeting to hire an investigator to review a parent complaint involving the incident after a closed-door discussion with its legal counsel.<\/p>\n
Woodcraft recused himself from the meeting shortly after it convened.<\/p>\n
Witnesses at the party said Woodcraft was acting strangely and discussing illegal drugs before he was seen placing the teenager in a chokehold, causing his face to turn red and purple, according to a police affidavit.<\/p>\n
Woodcraft\u2019s attorney, Brian Kennedy, denied the allegations in a statement provided to the El Paso Times.<\/p>\n
Kennedy declined El Paso Matters\u2019 request for an interview.<\/p>\n
Board President Michael Najera said Superintendent James Vasquez will not be involved in the review or comment on the situation.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause the review is pending, we will not discuss the allegations, evidence or possible outcomes. We expect the criminal matter will proceed separately through the appropriate law enforcement and judicial processes,\u201d Najera said during a news conference after the meeting.<\/p>\n
Najera said he can\u2019t speculate on the scope of the investigation or its cost.<\/p>\n
He also noted that the board does not have the authority to remove one of its members but can censure them.<\/p>\n
El Paso County Annex to be Named After Ex-State Sen. Jos\u00e9 R. Rodr\u00edguez<\/p>\n
The El Paso County Commissioners Court on Monday voted unanimously to name the Downtown County Annex at 320 S. Campbell \u2013 which houses the County Attorney\u2019s Office \u2013 after Jos\u00e9 R. Rodr\u00edguez, a former county attorney and state senator.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Dozens of speakers described Rodr\u00edguez not just as a politician, but as a mentor who helped build the careers of multiple El Paso public servants.<\/p>\n
The resolution detailed Rodr\u00edguez\u2019s career highlights, including being elected as El Paso county attorney in 1992. He served 17 years in that role, handling juvenile crime, family violence, child abuse and mental health cases. He was elected to Senate District 29 in 2010 and served until he retired in 2021. He grew up a farmworker and later represented farmworkers as a Texas Rural Legal Aid lawyer.<\/p>\n
\u201cA very fitting tribute to have the Downtown annex named after Sen.Rodriguez,\u201d County Attorney Christina Sanchez said during the meeting. \u201c We will try to do and live up to your standards and to your name every day.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rodr\u00edguez thanked the Commissioners Court for the honor and said he felt a little \u201csheepish\u201d about it when Commissioner David Stout\u2019s office reached out to him.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen they called me and I said, \u2018Well, wait a minute, I\u2019m not dead yet. Why?\u2019 I\u2019m old school \u2026 and I thought that you only did it after somebody died, but it\u2019s quite an honor,\u201d Rodr\u00edguez said during the meeting.<\/p>\n
He said one of his proudest accomplishments was helping get water and sewer services for colonia residents. He said having a robust intern program was a key priority for him.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had upwards of 11 and 12 interns because we believe strongly in helping give opportunities to young people and helping them develop their careers, many of which then went on to become lawyers, doctors, even state legislators, which is always a good feeling,\u201d Rodr\u00edguez said.<\/p>\n
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Students at El Paso ISD\u2019s Navarrete Middle School participate in an ice breaker activity on the first day of classes, 2022. (Corrie Boudreaux\/El Paso Matters)<\/p>\n
El Paso ISD Adopts New Attendance Requirements\u00a0<\/p>\n
Students enrolled in the El Paso Independent School District may lose credit if they miss more than 10% of a class during the 2026-27 school year due to a policy change designed to improve attendance and increase funding.<\/p>\n
Starting next week, elementary school students who miss more than 17 days could be at risk of losing credit.<\/p>\n
Middle school students who miss a class eight times in the fall semester or more than nine times in the spring semester, and high school students who miss a class more than four times a semester will automatically lose credit.<\/p>\n
The change is part of EPISD\u2019s latest District of Innovation plan, which the board voted to renew in May.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The state\u2019s District of Innovation program allows districts to create a plan exempting them from certain state requirements, such as requiring students to attend at least 90% of a class to obtain credit.<\/p>\n
Under the previous plan, students could get credit as long as they got passing grades for a class, regardless of how many classes they missed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think that it\u2019s important for our students to be here every day so that they can learn. In addition, it has a financial impact,\u201d EPISD Superintendent Brian Lusk said. \u201cImproving attendance by 1% is going to be multiple millions of dollars, and that helps us financially.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Ronnie and Ashley Lowenfield\u2019s $300,000 donation to the Texas Tech Health El Paso Building Hope Campaign will fund the Ronald W. & E. Ashley Lowenfield Tumor Board Room in the Steve and Nancy Fox Cancer Center, which should open in late 2028. The gift was announced Monday, July 27. (Courtesy Texas Tech Health El Paso)<\/p>\n