2010 Alfresco! Fridays Season season starts THIS Friday, April 2!

In 2010, Alfresco! Friday’s enters its 8th season. Alfresco Friday’s provides a casual way to experience some of the best established and upcoming local bands. Originally conceived as a way of keeping employees downtown at the start of the weekend, the concerts quickly became a draw for visitors to downtown. The upcoming season will feature Jazz, Latin, Reggae, Classic Rock, 70's, Funk, Mariachi and more.

ALFRESCO FRIDAYS takes place on Arts Festival Plaza, adjacent to the Plaza Theater and El Paso Museum of Art and is FREE and open to the public. Performances start at 5:30PM.

No outside food or beverages allowed. No pets allowed.
Please call the weather inclement hotline at 915-534-0675 for up to date information on whether or not the performance will be canceled due to weather.

2010 Schedule

Friday, April 02, 2010 La Imperial Sonora - Latin Cumbia
Friday, April 09, 2010 Dusty Low Border - Country
Friday, April 16, 2010 Sangre Gitana - Rumba / Flamenco
Friday, April 23, 2010 Radio la Chusma - Latin Reggae (world)
Friday, April 30, 2010 Azucar - Latin/Variety
Friday, May 07, 2010 Exito - Tejano
Friday, May 14, 2010 Captain Radio - Classic Rock
Friday, May 21, 2010 Aztec Zodiac - Jazz/Funk/Latin
Friday, May 28, 2010 Guitar Slim - Blues/Jazz
Friday, June 04, 2010 Fungi Mungle - 70's Disco/Funk/Rock
Friday, June 11, 2010 Karma - Rock
Friday, June 18, 2010 Windy City Tribute to "Chicago"
Friday, June 25, 2010 Brown Betty - Classic Rock
Friday, July 09, 2010 Exito - Tejano
Friday, July 16, 2010 El Paso Blues Band - Blues/Jazz
Friday, July 23, 2010 Mariachi Raices de America - Mariachi
Friday, July 30, 2010 La Imperial Sonora - Latin Cumbia
Friday, August 06, 2010 Aztec Zodiac - Jazz/Funk/Latin
Friday, August 13, 2010 PT and the Cruisers - Easy Listening
Friday, August 20, 2010 Mike Hamilton - Jazz
Friday, August 27, 2010 Radio la Chusma - Latin Reggae (world)
Friday, September 03, 2010 Marcelo & Friends - Salsa/Latin
Friday, September 10, 2010 Fungi Mungle - 70's Disco/Funk/Rock

Acts subject to change.

SHERIFF’S OFFICE RECEIVES $900,000 GRANT AWARD FROM GOVERNORS OFFICE TO FIGHT CRIME ALONG TEXAS BORDER

Austin, TX- On March 25, 2010, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office received a grant award from the Office of the Governor – Criminal Justice Division in the amount of $900,000. This grant is primarily for Deputies’ Overtime pay to protect the community and citizens of El Paso County through the reduction of crime within El Paso County & along the Texas border.

The project objective is for law enforcement and criminal justice agencies to provide support for peace officers involved in the investigation of violent crimes and/or organized crime to ensure complete and thorough investigations are conducted to gather adequate evidence to prosecute cases. Activities include, but are not limited to, conducting interviews, taking statements, assisting with crime scene evidence with collecting and processing, and other covert operations.

Download Letter Here:
Grant Award - Office of the Governor Award Letter

Health Fair Celebrates 28th Year of Serving the Community

El Paso, Texas – The City of El Paso Department of Public Health, Lower Valley School Nurses Association and Sierra Providence Health Network will host the oldest and largest health fair in the region. The 28th Annual Lower Valley Health Fair will feature free health screenings for children (speech, hearing, dental, vision, developmental) and adults (cholesterol, blood sugar, pap smears, hearing, blood pressure and foot screenings).

Children and adult immunizations will be available for $10.00 (for one shot) or $20 (for two or more shots). H1N1 influenza vaccines will be provided free of charge.

The Health fair will take place:

Saturday, April 17, 2010
9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Socorro High School
10150 Alameda

As a part of the festivities, two family fun walks will be held at 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.

For more information on this year’s health fair, please call Sandy Beckford, Socorro ISD Nurse Coordinator at (915) 937-0057, or Mario Hernandez, Heath Education Training Specialist at (915) 771-5704.

Gov. Perry Announces Deployment of Texas Military Forces Helicopters To Support Border Security Efforts

Aviation Assets Deter and Detect Crime

AUSTIN - Gov. Perry today announced the deployment of Texas Military Forces
OH-58 Kiowa and UH-72 Lakota helicopters as part of the first phase of the
state's spillover violence contingency plan, which he activated on Tuesday.
These aviation assets, which will help local law enforcement deter and
detect crime along the border, will operate between Brownsville and El Paso,
however the number and exact location will not be disclosed for operational
security purposes.

"As we continue to increase our resources and personnel along the border to
combat the threat of spillover violence, we are deploying multiple Texas
Military Forces helicopters to the Texas-Mexico border to increase aerial
surveillance," Gov. Perry said. "These resources, along with Texas
Department of Public Safety aviation assets, are vital to gathering
information from a bird's eye view and relaying important intelligence back
to local, state and federal law enforcement on the ground to ensure the
safety of our citizens."

These aviation assets will complement those already deployed to the border
by the Texas Department of Public Safety. Their capabilities include forward
looking infrared imagery, video data link / streaming and a high power
illumination system, "Night Sun."

Additional measures being taken during the first phase of the state's
spillover violence contingency plan include increased surveillance of border
activity by state and local law enforcement, the Texas Border Security
Operations Center, and the Joint Operational and Intelligence Centers to
ensure the timely sharing of intelligence information; increased ground, air
and maritime patrol presence; and increased intensity of day and night DPS
helicopter patrol operations along the Rio Grande River. Additional
resources ready for rapid deployment have been placed on standby, including
DPS SWAT Teams and Trooper Strike Teams, as well as Ranger Recon Teams
prepared to reposition based on threat.

A porous border places Texas and the nation at risk from international
terrorists, organized crime cartels and transnational gangs. Until the
federal government fulfills its responsibility of securing our border, Texas
will continue filling in the gaps by putting more boots on the ground,
providing increased law enforcement resources and leveraging technology
along the border.

Gov. Perry has a standing request with the federal government for 1,000
Title 32 National Guardsmen to support civilian law enforcement efforts to
enhance border security in Texas, as well as a more recent request for
predator drones to be based in and operate over the Texas-Mexico border to
provide essential information to law enforcement on the ground.