El Paso Times from El Paso, Texas • 11

fci rKA I ii' its 4M IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS Tuesday, Sent 10, rflWn? FmU. PaVX Cfeihiny fete mxrr I iHlL '1 Ki I i -rr Socorro JJ V- Fredf -T' MEXICO fund-raiser SKA V- ''X -4 'rportT Fablns ft EIPa6jL- 4 AJomr -'ji Vsjp i Judrez UTEP Fund-raiser car wash: The University of Texas at El Paso chapter of the National Student Speech Language and Hearing Association will have a fund-raising car wash from 10:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Luby's Cafeteria, 3601 N. Mesa.

All donations will go to benefit the UTEP Speech and Hearing Clinic and the Hanen Scholarship Program, which helps parents of children with language difficulties. The association "is a 70-member professional organization that encourages interest in speech, hearing and language disor- ders. Information: Myra Call, 587-6177. TRANS MOUNTAIN Candidate Some candidates running for office in the Nov. 5 elections will take part in a question-and-answer session at the monthly meeting of the Northeast El Paso Civic Association at 7 p.m.

Thursday in the community room of the Trans Mountain Apartments, 5317 Trans Mountain. The candidates that have said they would attend are: Charles Hooten and Bill Sparks, Commissioners Court Precinct Pat O'Rourke and Victor Flores, county tax assessor-collector; and James Daross and Patrick Garcia, 384th District Court. Another forum is planned for Oct. 10, association President Lois Pelkey the Hanks High School Orchestra. Information: Ivonne Figueroa, 595-3123 or 779-1968.

CANUTILLO Road work begjns: New road work will get under way today in Canutillo and Westway as the county's Road and Bridges crew prepares to pave or seal spots on 19 different roads in the area. New construction will occur on McArthur and South Vinton roads. The county also is overlaying an additional 3.5 miles of Bosque Road in front of Canutillo High School. Road crews are expected to finish the work by Friday, unless delayed by weather. "If the weather on the West Side holds out, we'll probably be able to get this done in three days," County Road Superintendent Bobby Busta-mante said.

"Right now it's going real smoothly. We start early in the day and are moving as fast as possible." The county's $980,000 summer paving program includes 33 miles of repair work and 12.5 miles of new paving for dirt roads throughout El Paso County. Start of the program was delayed a month in July because of heavy rains. In Our Neighborhoods runs Tuesday through Saturday. To have your community news included, please call 546-6416 or mail the information to In Our Neighborhoods, El Paso Times, P.O.

Box 20, El Paso 79999. You can also fax the information to 546-6415. said. Information: 755-5047. for center equipment and supplies, Director Frank Neal said.

This is the first time the center has tried this type of fund-raiser, which will include cake, ice cream and root-beer floats sold for no more than 50 cents. The items were donated by area merchants, Neal said. Information: 566-1217. LEE TREVINO fi. Stadium cushion sale: The Wi Friends of the Strings Associ-at'on at Hanks High School is having a stadium cushion sale at all home games at the entrance of the new stadium, 2001 Lee Trevino.

Cost is $5 and proceeds will go to GRANDV1EW PARK Ice-cream social: Plenty of sweets will be available at an ice-cream social fund-raiser from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Sacramento Senior Center, 3134 Jefferson. The proceeds will go to pay Judge candidates try creative ways to get noticed Raul Hernandez Courts control, abortion, civil rights or other matters that might come up before their courts. She said that if certain lawyers expected to get a break from her, then she'd only get contributions from certain attorneys. "I think my campaign contributions indicate that it is a wide spectrum of attorneys.

I think they have a stake in having a good, hard-working judiciary so the cases can she said. The two square off at noon today at a luncheon sponsored by the El Paso Bar Association at the El Paso Club, atop Texas Commerce Bank Downtown. Raul Hernandez covers courts for the El Paso Times. His column appears each Tuesday. If you have story or column suggestions, call him at 546-6124.

of the public's dim view of lawyers coupled with the fact that he is a Democrat will make up for Cardone's overwhelming judicial experience? "I don't know if I am banking on it. I made that an issue for me because I thought it was inappropriate for me. I didn't really do it as a gimmick or anything like that," Leverton said. "I believe in judicial campaign reform. It is legal for judges to (take money from lawyers), but I don't think it's right.

"I recognize the fact that I do have some advantage simply because I am a Democrat," he said. "Yes, I am hopeful that that will help me as well. Just because she's been a judge for a few years, it doesn't mean that she is the most qualified candidate to be a judge." Cardone is getting more than 90 percent of her contributions from lawyers. The contributions have come in financial increments of $100, $200 and those lawyers in the $500 club Felix Saldivar, Gary Hill, Enrique Ramirez, Charles McDonald and William Elias. Does the judge think lawyers are just a really generous lot who love to support judicial races, or are some expecting judicial dividends? "I truly believe that there is no person better able to judge the qualifications of a judicial candidate other than the lawyers," Car-done said.

"Those are the people that deal with those judges on a daily basis and have the most at stake in the judicial system." Cardone said the general public doesn't completely understand the issues in a judicial race. She noted that it is unethical for judges to comment on issues such as gun El Paso County Democratic Party. But Leverton said he got around LULAC's no-campaign-ing-on-the-fiesta-grounds rule by giving the kiddos free balloons with his name on them in big letters. Then, the elated kiddos gingerly walked into the fiesta grounds with them. "He did it inside the fiesta, Raul.

He gave one to my son," Cardone said in an interview. Wow, I thought. This is shaping up to be the mother of all judicial races. So, I went to take a peek at Cardone's and Leverton's campaign arsenal. Cardone has raised $18,290 and has spent $3,586 as of June 30.

Leverton raised $14,640 and spent $3,586. Leverton, a lawyer, refuses to take campaign contributions from lawyers: Is he banking that much Two Saturday mornings ago, I was standing beside my two nephews, Isaiah and Israel, watching the Fiesta de las Flores parade go by San Jacinto Plaza. About half an hour before, I was driving east on MO near Downtown when I caught a glance of a political billboard put by 383rd District Court judge candidate Reed Leverton, a Democrat. Nice, I thought. My nephews and I were at the fiesta parade to see their older brother, Antonio, who plays the trumpet with the Jefferson High School Band.

Minutes after the Jefferson band marched by us, I noticed a makeshift but beautiful parade float adorned with zarapes and Mexican hats. On top of a float stood the judge of the newly created 383rd District Court, Kathleen Cardone, a Republican, with smiles for the voters, candies for the kiddos and nonstop waves. Politicians of all persuasions were allowed to participate in the fiesta parade and many did so, including Cardone. Leverton, however, said he did his campaigning outside the fenced-in fiesta at Washington Park. He set up at a table by the I In Commissioners Court meetings are at 9:30 a.m.

Mondays in the Commissioners Court Chambers, 501 E. Overland, and are televised at 7 p.m. Wednesdays on cable Channel 15. El Paso County Commissioners Court action Monday, Sept. 9 to aj ra TO O) I () I School invites Army officers to join fall classes at Bliss Commissioners Carlos Aguilar III and Roqelio Sanchez wanted the bid YYN YN! specifications to include a requirement I 3-2 in favor.

Vendors have six weeks to bid for one or more of the four proposals for service: congregate meals at the 21 centers; preparation of homebound meals; delivery of homebound meals; and transportation of seniors to the centers. The Marriott's contract expires Sept. 30 but can be extended on a month-by-month basis until commissioners award the bids. NUTRmON BID PROPOSAL Commissioners approved writing tour separate proposals for bids to provide services for the City-County Senior Nutrition Program a move they hope will save thousands of dollars. But they argued over forcing companies to provide a stipulated level of benefits for employees of the program.

receive benefits similar to the level provided in the county's current contract with Marriott Management Services. Most of the employees worked for the county until the food preparation and transportation service was privatized several years ago. County Judge Chuck Mattox broke the 2-2 tie. Meanwhile, Commissioner Charles Hooten said his plan to bid for services separately would save at least $300,000 a year for the county. Hicks did receive permission in a second item to go out for bid on of completing the classroom work with your fellow officers, rather than taking the correspondence course or trying to get away for the long, full-time residency course.

"We discuss current events and see how they relate to foreign policy and other aspects of our studies," said Valenzuela, public affairs officer for the U.S. Section of the U.S. International Boundary and Water Commission. "Last year, we had a broad cross section of majors and promotable captains in our classes including nurses, air defense officers and officers from the Guard and Reserve." After the spring and fall classes are completed, students can attend two-week summer phases phase 2 the first summer, then phase 4 the second summer, when By Jim Conley El Paso Times All active duty and reserve Army officers who need the Command and General Staff College course for promotion to lieutenant colonel are welcome to enroll for the school at Fort Bliss this fall. Both phases 1 and 3 will be taught by U.S.

Army Reserve instructors who will provide classroom instruction on the first three Thursday nights of each month from October through May. "It's a great opportunity to continue professional development," said Lt. Col. Rene Valen-zuela, who will teach phase 3 this fall at Beaumont Army Medical Center. "It's an enjoyable means Vote: No action.

aow paSoans to pay taxes or graduation takes place. Valenzuela will teach phase 3', this fall, while Lt. Col. Rick Rob-1 ins an El Paso lawyer will teach phase 1 at the Sergeants; Major Academy at Biggs Field. "An advantage of this course is that the classes become a staff! event; so you work in staff-groups," Robins said.

"Without! that interaction, you lose that I part of your training." They urge students to contact them for information as soon as 1 possible. Enrollment must be completed by October. They said their school also is! registering students for the Com-j hined Armed Service Staff School, the prerequisite for pro-s motion to major. Information: Valenzuela at 534-6699 (work) or 533-2017) (home). Robins: 532-7988 (work).

vehicle registration tees with the Discover Card. The office already accepts Visa and MasterCard. TAX OFFICE ARGUMENT With four months left in office, County Tax Assessor Jimmy Hicks again attempted to have Commissioners Court deconsolidate its tax-collecting contract with the city of El Paso but commissioners refused to take any action. Hicks, who leaves office in December, broached the subject through an agenda item that called for action "on a letter dated Aug. 21, 1996, from the city of El Paso concerning the collection of property taxes." But Commissioner Dan Haggerty told Hicks if he wanted to discuss the issue, which Hicks routinely brings to commissioners, that it should be written more clearly on the agenda.

The county and city consolidated tax-collecting efforts in 1984. Hicks came into office in 1985 and says the state Constitution specifies that the county tax assessor should collect the taxes. tl Paso limes Southwest 75 districts sue education board students "almost certainly will lead Texas to the status of a backwater state in the next two decades," the lawsuit says. "National studies have reached the same conclusion that Students without high-tech skills will fall further and further behind in competition for good-paying jobs," it says. The lawsuit says school districts must use local tax dollars to make up for insufficient state technology funds.

has OK'd only $30 per student, the districts said. The $89 million is the estimated difference statewide, said Austin lawyer Buck Wood, who represents the school districts in the lawsuit filed Monday in Travis County state court. Texas Education Agency lawyer David Anderson said there's a discrepancy between the law's provision for increased state technology funding and the state budget, which doesn't provide for the increase. That doesn't matter, Wood said. He said there's no requirement that the expenditure be part of the budget measure, and that the school districts are legally entitled to the money.

"In the last year, numerous studies have emphasized that Texas must devote more resources to public school training in technology," says the lawsuit. One study has concluded that a failure to fund such training for Associated Press AUSTIN Seventy-five school districts, including El Paso and Socorro, are suing the State Board of Education, saying it is sitting on $89 million that under state law should be spent on technology in the classroom. The school districts say that under the 1995 education reform law, they should be getting $55 per student for technology this school year. Instead, the board rie Collier, 38, of Santa Fe. ALAMOGORDO The state auditor's office has begun a review of city records.

District Attorney Bert Atkins says. Officials expanded an investigation that began several weeks ago into the "possible inappropriate acceptance" of a gift in exchange for favorable treatment by the city's finance department, Atkins said. ALAMOGORDO Six men will be inducted into the International Space Hall of Fame Oct. 19. The list includes 16th century German astronomer and mathematician Johannes Kepler, Soyuz cosmonaut Valeri Vladimirovich Polyakov, former CBS anchorman Walter Cronkite, and astronauts Vance DeVoe Brand, Dr.

Francis Andrew Gaffney and Dr. Norman Earl Thagard. AUSTIN The threat of having state licenses suspended brought child support payments totaling more than $33 million from deadbeat Texas parents, the attorney general's office reported Monday. The license suspension sanction, allowed by a law that took effect Sept. 1, 1995, was responsible for payments being made in 32,884 child support cases, the agency said.

Grand jury indicts 2 in drive-by shooting DALLAS Two teens have been indicted in the Aug. 20 drive-by shooting that wounded six Sunset High School students. Dallas County grand jurors Monday returned indictments against Alex Arzola, 18, and Stephanie Laredo, 17. Each is charged with six counts alleging aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and six counts of engaging in organized criminal activity, authorities said. Police allege Laredo drove the minivan from which Arzola fired a shotgun blast.

Both defendants remained jailed pending trial. Six students at a bus stop were hit by flying pellets from a shotgun blast fired from a van as it passed a crowd outside the school. Also: TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES Three people were injured, one critically, when a boat operating without headlights ran ashore Saturday in the dark and into the side of a rocky cliff at Elephant Butte State Park. Aboard the boat were David Phillips, of RuidoBO, who was critically injured; Jnmes Rogge, 43, of Ruidoso; and Ma 'Cheerleader mom' gets 10-year jail term in as little as six months, though prosecutors said they would fight such a request. "Everyone was in concurrence that if she were willing to do that the girl wouldn't make the cheerleading team, police said.

That, in turn, would improve Hol-loway's daughter's chances of making the squad. Both girls were 13 at the time. During Holloway's trial, jurors heard secretly recorded tapes of her asking her former brother-in-law, Terry Harper, to hire a hit man. Prosecutors said she gave him the earrings and promised to pay cash for the murder within a month. "You want her dead?" Harper asked.

"I don't care what you do with her. You can keep her in Cuba for 15 years," she replied. "I want her gone." Holloway was convicted of solicitation of murder and sentenced to 15 years in prison. She won a new trial, however, after it was learned a juror was on probation and should have been disqualified from serving. Two years ago, Holloway agreed to pay $150,000 to Heath and her family to settle a lawsuit accusing Holloway of causing the Heaths extreme anguish.

"I've always wanted to see Wanda Holloway show some remorse, which she never has. I think her only regret is getting caught," Heath said. Associated Press HOUSTON Wanda Webb Holloway, who offered her diamond earrings in a murder-for-hire plot aimed at getting her daughter on the junior high cheerleading squad, was sentenced to 10 years in prison Monday. Holloway, portrayed as a vindictive stage mother at her 1991 trial and two subsequent TV movies, pleaded no contest to murder solicitation and was sentenced by District Judge George Godwin. Defense attorney Jack Zimmerman said she can apply for release Holloway this, it would be the best for ev erybody," Zimmerman said.

Holloway plotted to have Verna Heath murdered by a hit man, hoping the death would upset Heath daughter Amber so much Time wire reports.