VOL. 45, No. 38 SERVING ANTHONY, VINTON, CANUTILLO, EAST MONTANA, HORIZON, SOCORRO, CLINT, FABENS, SAN ELIZARIO AND TORNILLO SEPTEMBER 20, 2018 NEWSBRIEFS SEISD meetings San Elizario ISD will be holding two District, Family, & Community Meetings on Monday, Sept. 24th, 2018 at 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. The meetings will be held at the SEISD Administration Offices, 1050 Chicken Ranch Road in San Elizario. – Hector Gonzalez A real nailbiter Shridhar Chillal of Pune, India visited New York City recently and treated himself to a manicure at, of all places, the Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum in Times Square. He was long overdue. The last time Chillal, who is 82 years old, had his nails cut – Photo by Alfredo Vasquez was in 1952. His clippings, including THRIFTY – El Paso County Commissioner Court recently approved for the fifth consecutive year to keep the actual tax rate the same a thumbnail that measures 6½ feet or lower. One commissioner said that this sends the message that the county has been vigilant with expenditures. El Paso County long, are on display at the museum. courthouse (above), which was built in 1991 in downtown El Paso houses the county judge and commissioners’ offices and staffs, as According to the publishers of the well as provides facilities for various court rooms. Guinness Book of World Records, he has the longest fingernails ever County budget includes four-percent salary increase recorded on a single hand. – John Grimaldi coming year as county commissioners increasing the commissioners’ annual By Alfredo Vasquez court included a 2.5 percent step increase salary four percent, to $93,748 a year Special to the Courier Bully states and a 1.5 percent cost of living adjustment from $90,143. The county judge’s salary With school’s back in session and 19% in its budget for 2019. increased two percent, to $105,080 of high school students reporting being EL PASO COUNTY – El Paso County Commissioners also raised their bullied on school property, the personal- employees can expect pay raises in the own salaries for the third year in a row, See BUDGET, Page 5 finance website WalletHub has released its report on 2018’s States with the Biggest Bullying Problems as well as accompanying videos. To identify the Luevano gives back to San Elizario ISD states where bullying is most pervasive, WalletHub’s analysts compared 47 By Hector Gonzalez states and the District of Columbia Special to the Courier across 20 key metrics, ranging from “bullying-incident rate” to “truancy SAN ELIZARIO – For the fourth year costs for schools” to “share of high in a row, former San Elizario High School school students bullied online.” Texas graduate, Lorenzo Luevano, donated was ranked number 15. Other stats: backpacks filled with all kinds of school • The District of Columbia has the supplies for elementary students in the San lowest share of high school students Elizario Independent School District. bullied on school property, 11.50 “It is my pleasure to be doing this once percent, which is 2.3 times lower than again – it always brings a smile to my in Arkansas, where the percentage is face every time,” Luevano said. “I know highest, 26.70 percent. it can be difficult for some families to buy • The District of Columbia has the school supplies for their children so that lowest share of high school students is why I like to step in and help.” bullied online, 8.90 percent, which Luevano was born and raised in San is 2.4 times lower than in Louisiana, Elizario and he loves his community. where the percentage is highest, 21.20 When he was younger, he always percent. told himself that one day he would • Kansas has the lowest share of give back and make a difference in high school students involved in a someone’s life. physical fight on school property, 4.6 “I remember the first year I handed a percent, which is 3.4 times lower than little boy a backpack and seeing the look in the District of Columbia, where the of joy in his face. That was a priceless percentage is highest, 15.5 percent. moment that touched my heart and that I • Massachusetts has the lowest share will never forget,” Luevano said. See BRIEFS, Page 4 The first year, he donated five backpacks. The second year that number jumped to 20 and the third year An honest executive is one that to 25. This year, he brought a smile to shares the credit with the man that the faces of 30 students who did not did all the work. expect to receive such a generous gift – Photo courtesy San Elizario ISD — Quips & Quotes GIVE IT AWAY – Lorenzo Luevano carts in backpacks filled with school supplies for See BACKPACKS, Page 8 elementary students in San Elizario ISD. He plans to keep donating each school year. Page 2 West Texas County Courier September 20, 2018 View from here By John Grimaldi Death toll from 9/11 terrorist attacks 17 years ago continues to rise Last week the nation VA. The fourth plane crashed to toxic debris. One report of epic proportions. According than died from the immediate remembered those who died in the in Pennsylvania, when patriotic suggests that some 37,000 to the Healthline Web site the impact of the attacks. There are a 9/11 terrorist attacks. Officially, passengers put up a fight. people have developed at least “dust, which remained in the lot of people who are very, very 2,997 people were killed when But, in fact, those attacks one medical condition as a result air for days, covered everything ill with lung disease who will 19 radical Islamic assassins “were a death sentence for of 9/11. Another one notes that and everyone in the area. It see at least 10 years taken from hijacked four airliners and turned countless more victims in the 20,874 individuals – including held a mixture of toxins and their normal life span and we them into guided missiles aimed aftermath of that tragic event,” 16,000 first responders – are irritants that included asbestos, are already seeing many more at vulnerable targets. Three of notes Dan Weber, president sick enough to be eligible for polychlorinated biphenyls premature deaths occurring, and those planes found their targets of the Association of Mature compensation.” (PCBs), benzene, dioxin, among younger people, from the – the Twin Towers of the World American Citizens. “More than The terrorists took down the glass fibers, gypsum, cement cancers. There is going to be a Trade Center in New York City 1,000 have already succumbed two main towers, each 110 particles, and heavy metals new generation of widows and and the Pentagon in Arlington, to illnesses caused by exposure stories tall, creating a dust storm such as lead, among other widowers.” substances.” Says Weber, “December The diseases afflicting 9/11 7, 1941 is remembered as ‘a survivors run the gamut from date that will live in infamy’ heart and lung disease to a variety in memory of the more than of cancers and even Alzheimer’s 2,400 Americans killed in that disease, according to Weber. cowardly attack on Pearl Harbor. The late Dr. Jim Melius was an It once was described as the day expert on workplace medicine ‘a sleeping giant’ was awakened. who chaired the Steering September 11, 2001 is a day that Committee for what would is as infamous – if not more so. become the World Trade Center And, once again that “giant” was Health Program. In an interview awakened. But, while we’ve with Britain’s Guardian had important successes in the newspaper last year, he said, war on terror over the past 17 “within the next five years we years, there is more to be done. will be at the point where more We cannot become complacent people have died from World and we must support those who Trade Center-related illnesses recognize the dangers ahead.” PUBLIC NOTICE TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS AND PARTIES: The West Texas County Courier office is closed. The office will open again on Thursday, October 4, 2018. SERVING ANTHONY, VINTON, CANUTILLO, EAST MONTANA, HORIZON, SOCORRO, CLINT, FABENS, SAN ELIZARIO AND TORNILLO PUBLISHED: AD DEADLINE: Published each Thursday (minimum Monday 4 p.m. for Thursday publication. 50 issues) by Homesteader News, Inc. Office open Monday through CLASSIFIED RATES Thursday. $10 for 25 words, $15 for 40 words. Ad must be in writing and pre-paid. The COPYRIGHT: West Texas County Courier reserves Entire contents © 2018 Homesteader the right not to publish advertising it News, Inc. Individual authors retain all considers inappropriate. rights. Pictures, drawings and written material appearing in the West Texas DISPLAY RATES: County Courier may not be used or Open rate — $25 per column inch. reproduced without written permission Call for more information or to set of Homesteader News, Inc. an appointment. The West Texas County Courier reserves the right LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: not to publish advertising it considers Letter must not be more than 250 inappropriate. words in length. They should be dated, must be signed and have an address MAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS: and daytime phone number. Only the Minimum 50 issues for $45. name and city will be printed with the Delivery via 1st class mail. letter. The West Texas County Courier reserves the right to edit or reject letters MAIL: to the editor or other submitted material 15344 Werling Ct. it considers inappropriate. Horizon City, TX 79928 Phone: 852-3235 E-mail: [email protected] Website: wtxcc.com Publisher H Rick Shrum Contributors Homesteader Alfredo Vasquez Est.