by Melissa Herrera Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — The Socorro Independent School District is set to hold a special meeting on Monday to discuss the issuance of non-renewals for several educators by the end of this school year officials will review recommendations from the district's administration regarding employees who have been informed they will not return for the 2025-2026 school year The district attributed the layoffs to "a result in the continued and projected decline in student enrollment and low program participation." the district announced it is financially struggling with a $38 million budget shortfall The district announced there would be several cuts in different areas such as central office and elementary fine arts to address its financial situation The changes impact terms and contracted employees according to the agenda and math and science teachers at various middle and high schools some elementary and middle school educators will face increased class sizes The meeting is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m at the District Service Center Board Room at 12440 Rojas Dr RECOMMENDED: El Paso teachers face uncertainty as SISD announces contract non-renewals RECOMMENDED: Socorro school board offers $2,500 bonus to retiring or resigning staff Sign up to receive the top interesting stories from in and around our community once daily in your inbox KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos Full Store: https://www.krqe.com/news/new-mexico/bosque-fire-outside-socorro-burning-200-acres/ Full Story: https://www.krqe.com/news/new-mexico/deming-father-accused-of-sexually-physically-abusing-children-while-living-in-caves-enters-plea Full Story: https://www.krqe.com/news/community/active-duty-military-personnel-eligible-for-free-entry-to-new-mexico-museums-historic-sites Full Story: https://www.krqe.com/news/new-mexico/25-years-later-a-look-back-at-the-cerro-grande-fire Full Story: https://www.krqe.com/news/community/in-n-out-confirms-potential-plans-for-second-restaurant-in-west-albuquerque Full Story: https://www.krqe.com/news/crime/albuquerque-man-who-robbed-a-south-valley-whataburger-sentenced-to-federal-prison Full Story: https://www.krqe.com/news/education/student-detained-after-gun-found-at-tres-volcanes-community-collaborative-school Full Story: https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-metro/albuquerque-city-council-votes-to-offer-more-services-at-gateway-center Full Story: https://www.krqe.com/news/politics-government/albuquerque-city-council-looks-to-crack-down-on-problematic-motels/ Full Story: https://www.krqe.com/weather-academy/krqe-weather-academy-visits-whittier-elementary-school UNM's Will Asby is the Mountain West Baseball Player of the Week Full Story: https://www.krqe.com/news/politics/ap-coalition-of-19-states-ask-federal-judge-to-reverse-deep-cuts-to-us-health-and-human-services City of Albuquerque unveils redevelopment plan for downtown A firefighter responds to the Otero Fire near Socorro on Sunday evening destroyed six homes and eight outbuildings Crews battled two wildfires in New Mexico that ignited Sunday evening amid red-flag weather conditions with high winds and warm temperatures — including one blaze that scorched several homes in Grants The Alamo Fire was discovered around 7:20 p.m Sunday in a neighborhood on the east side of Grants New Mexico State Forestry Division spokesperson George Ducker wrote in a news release issued Monday While it had burned only about 5 acres and was 100% contained the Alamo Fire destroyed or damaged at least eight homes according to the news release and the city of Grants KOB-TV reported two firefighters were injured in the blaze which began as a brush fire in a field and then spread to homes Grants Fire and Rescue Chief Mike Maes said in a livestreamed news conference Monday he believed the fire was human-caused He noted the specific cause of the fire is still under investigation Maes said city police began evacuating neighborhoods when the fire was discovered we do not have a civilian loss of life or injury,” he said Several businesses and organizations are collecting donations to aid families who lost their homes in the fire. The fire department posted a list of donation collection sites on its Facebook page, facebook.com/Grantsfireandrescue The Otero Fire in the Rio Grande bosque east of Socorro “Response crews were able to staff the fire overnight and put in containment lines on the fire’s north side,” he wrote adding the fire was still burning in brush and grass The wildfires come as weather forecasters say conditions posing high fire danger will give way to possible rain showers and thunderstorms throughout the week statewide Santa Fe’s best chance for rain could come Friday and Saturday according to the National Weather Service in Albuquerque Drought Monitor shows the state is in dire need of rain Conditions have slightly worsened in New Mexico with more areas reported in severe and extreme drought Thursday than a week prior was listed as “abnormally dry,” while the rest was in some level of drought Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Receive a list of headlines from the latest edition of The New Mexican in your inbox every morning get a preview of The New Mexican's big Sunday stories and review highlights from the week Stay informed of the latest local news by receiving emails as soon as news is posted online Stay up to date with news from the Capitol during the legislative session and follow New Mexico politics throughout the year A guide to outdoors opportunities and profiles on peoples' connections with places Keep up with what's going on in the local business scene Receive the latest episode of "Conversations Different" in your inbox every Tuesday. Taking the temperature of New Mexico's environmental issues local prep sports and more every Wednesday Contests and special offers from The Santa Fe New Mexican and advertising partners Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account – The Otero Fire near Socorro is now 40% contained Fire crews estimate it has burned just under 500 acres The fire started Sunday evening in the bosque area east of Socorro Crews are still trying to figure out what caused it. There are no evacuations or closure at this time Any person with disabilities who needs help accessing the content of the FCC Public File may contact KOB via our online formor call 505-243-4411 The lives of some Socorro and Canutillo independent school district employees were upended late last week as they received a piece of paper informing them that their contracts would not be renewed after the end of the school year Some of those employees who have been laid off include middle and elementary school music teachers from Socorro ISD and registered nurses from Canutillo ISD Several SISD employees who received the notices Friday declined to comment at this time saying they were going to first consult with their teacher unions Socorro ISD officials would not yet disclose how many employees have been laid off or how many more will be affected The district plans to give the updates “when it presents the final list of impacted employees to the board,” said Daniel Escobar the district’s chief communications officer The next regularly scheduled board meeting is April 16 but it’s unclear if a meeting might be called sooner In February, the Socorro ISD board voted to lay off about 300 employees, eliminate elementary fine arts programs and increase class sizes in an effort to cut the district’s budget by $38 million Socorro ISD initially said it would notify impacted employees that their contracts would not be renewed by April 1, but the district extended the deadline to see how many would take a $2,500 incentive to retire or resign voluntarily Employees had until Monday to qualify for the buyout More: Private school voucher bill clears first test in Texas House Most school employees’ contracts are 12 months long and end June 30 “We are deeply saddened by the layoff notices that have already been issued to our dedicated teachers and we share in the disappointment that these circumstances have brought,” West Texas Alliance President Rosie Perez told El Paso Matters via text it is our responsibility to stand together in solidarity and offer the full support and resources needed to help those affected navigate this next chapter with dignity and confidence.” Perez said the organization has focused on supporting members who were given layoff notices such as providing information on applying for unemployment insurance and accessing retirement Socorro American Federation of Teachers President Veronica Hernandez said most of the union’s members who received a notice were probationary employees who have been with the district for less than three years and can have their contracts pulled for non-renewal with no cause “They don’t need a particular reason at all much less if you have situations like the district’s (budget) deficiency That’s a good cause,” Hernandez told El Paso Matters She said the organization is working with its attorney to see how many of its members are being affected and if there is any recourse non-probationary employees can take to keep their jobs The Socorro AFT is also working with teachers to help them get their special education certification possibly allowing them to take new positions within the district “Several teachers have expressed that they’re willing to take this test this coming month,” Hernandez said More: Violent crime victims remembered during El Paso District Attorney's Office ceremony The Canutillo ISD board voted in March to lay off employees and cut programs to address a projected $5.8 million deficit for the coming school year The district did not specify how many employees would be affected Canutillo ISD officials have not responded to El Paso Matters’ questions about the layoffs Some of those who received layoff notices have debated whether it’s worth working the rest of the school year knowing they won’t have a job with the district after the summer I have so many kids with chronic illnesses I’m heartbroken,” one registered nurse from Canutillo ISD who received a layoff notice told El Paso Matters Canutillo ISD did not give a deadline for notifying employees but will need to do so before approving contracts for the next school year Canutillo ISD plans to reduce the number of registered nurses it has to just three for all 10 of its campuses and hire licensed vocational nurses — or LVNs — to tend to students LVNs generally require less schooling and can practice as school nurses under the supervision of a registered nurse, according to the Texas Board of Nursing On April 3, Canutillo ISD posted a job listing for seven LVN positions across multiple campuses each campus will have either a registered nurse or LVN on duty The school board also voted to eliminate its nurse coordinator position which was in charge of overseeing the district’s nurses and implementing health programs Some nurses El Paso Matters spoke to were concerned that the quality of care students receive would be affected without enough registered nurses to supervise “The way they plan to do this is to have an RN at a different campus there is no way they’re going to be closely supervised,” a Canutillo ISD nurse said in an interview Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — Socorro said that thanks to social media account FitFam they arrested a 46-year-old convicted felon and wanted man in connection with a drive-by shooting According to the Socorro Police Department Rene Rivera was arrested Saturday and charged with: The charges stem from a drive-by shooting that happened Thursday at around 9 p.m Socorro police believe Rivera was driving a dark vehicle down this road and then fired a gun out the window before fleeing authorities did not report any injuries resulting from the shooting Home surveillance video from the area appears to show the drive-by shooting and was shared on Instagram via FitFam Socorro police said that after an investigation they managed to identify Rivera as their suspect Rivera was booked into the El Paso County jail RECOMMENDED: Horizon City 'street racer' crashes into rock wall, ends in jail cell Following the announcement of Rivera's arrest Rojas thanked witnesses who came forward and helped with the investigation including FitFam for quickly sharing the images from the shooting Rojas's praise comes with a warning saying that people in an emergency or dangerous situation should prioritize their safety and well-being rather than taking a video As El Paso County voters head to the polls on Saturday to decide on crucial school board and municipal government races live results will be tracked throughout the night The most significant race involves filling four seats on the El Paso Independent School District board of trustees voters will determine leadership for the San Elizario Independent School District with only 4,499 in-person votes and 1,146 mail-in ballots cast by the end of early voting Trouble viewing the results sheet? Click here. Results won't be available in Sunday's print edition but the latest developments will be posted online Stay tuned for real-time updates starting at 7 p.m bringing you the most current election results and insights Texas (KFOX14-CBS4) — The Socorro Independent School District (SISD) is implementing a resignation incentive program as part of its strategy to address a $38 million budget deficit only about 50 employees have opted in ahead of the April 7 deadline we hired more teachers because that's where the need was at the schools those are also the areas where we're planning on looking." The district initially projected savings of over $7 million from the program the savings are now estimated at around $3 million "We're hoping to get about $3,000,000 or so worth of cuts out of that We've budgeted for about 100 knowing that we probably would not get there," Vasquez said SISD is exploring other cost-cutting measures and revenue-generating strategies These include potentially raising the school tax rate "When addressing our financial situations we have to include all options on the table We're looking at land sales to help sell some of our properties to generate more revenue," Vasquez said To meet its financial obligations through August the district is preparing to take out a $35 million short-term loan similar to a loan secured last November to pay employee salaries "We're looking at other ways to streamline the district and just to make sure that we are looking at our entire budget to see what other places that we can cut We also need to look at ways to increase our revenues to further bolster our financial position," Vasquez said The district's deficit is anticipated to be $16 million by the end of the year Efforts to reach SISD teacher unions for comment on the incentives were unsuccessful RECOMMENDED: Socorro school board offers $2,500 bonus to retiring or resigning staff Sign up to receive the top interesting stories from in and around our community once daily in your inbox Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application 2025 at Goodhue Assisted Living in Goodhue She grew up and attended school there before moving to Texas in her early 20s There she met William "Bill" Budensiek while he was serving in the U.S They later renewed their vows at The Little Brown Church in Iowa Together they made their home in Zumbrota and raised 3 children Socorro worked on the family farm and in factories in the Zumbrota Area She supported her children and attended all of her grandchildren's events She was a hard worker who was a little bit stubborn She knew her own mind and enjoyed cracking jokes She and Bill enjoyed traveling to Mexico to visit family Socorro enjoyed road trips and when the children were younger they drove out West to camp in national parks She also enjoyed the occasional trip to the Casino Cristal LaCanne of Zumbrota; 6 grandchildren Mariah (Cole) Lingbeck; 5 great grandchildren Albert; a brother and a sister; and her parents Croix Hospice for their assistance in the excellent care Socorro received Arrangements with the Mahn Family Funeral Home Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — The Socorro Independent School District (SISD) has begun moving forward with plans following its finalized 3-2 vote to lay off up to 300 employees by the end of the school year to address a $38 million budget shortfall described the emotional atmosphere following the decision RELATED: Socorro ISD votes 3-2 to reduce staff, larger class sizes, fine arts program cuts explained after the district's board meeting during a news conference that the layoffs were necessary to prevent the district from becoming financially insolvent "It was painful to make that recommendation it's going to be painful for everybody who's going to be impacted by this," Vasquez said and a significant drop in student enrollment as reasons for the financial crisis "We went from gaining over 500 students one year to losing over 500 the next year so nobody could have anticipated that," Vasquez said The district's Human Resources and Finance Departments will begin meeting to determine staffing needs based on projected enrollment for the next school year "Performance will matter," Texas Education Agency (TEA) conservator Andrew Kim emphasized noting that decisions will not be arbitrary Michael Hinojosa stated that the board decision was difficult but necessary "They had to make some tough decisions Board President Michael Najera expressed gratitude for the leadership shown during this difficult time the determination to improve our situation as a district The district has until May 21 to notify educators and staff whose contracts will not be renewed RELATED: El Paso community rallies against proposed cuts to SISD fine arts programs and we want to make sure we show compassion and understanding of their situation," he said The layoffs are part of a broader effort to stabilize the district's finances and avoid a state takeover "We made the decision that was in the best interest of the district as a whole to save us from a financial exigency," Vasquez said Sign up to receive the top interesting stories from in and around our community once daily in your inbox I saw an article on the web last week that ranked Socorro as one of the “25 Most Affordable Towns to Buy a Home in New Mexico.” While it’s not surprising that Corrales or Los Alamos did not make the cut I will say that you could buy two homes in Tucumcari for the price of one in Socorro choosing between Socorro and Tucumcari is no contest the city’s population hasn’t exactly exploded over the last 30-40 years but I’m reminded of a quote in Tony Hillerman’s book of essays The Spell of New Mexico: “New Mexico towns tend to reach a certain modest size and then grow slowly if at all.” but to assert that Socorro is unique in the Land of Enchantment is to state the obvious what other town can boast not only the second-oldest newspaper in New Mexico but also the most esteemed research universities in the Southwest it was 61 years ago today that Socorro police officer Lonnie Zamora reported seeing something in an arroyo off Raychester that he at first thought was an accident scene What he took to be an overturned automobile turned out to be something wholly other which proceeded to lift off the ground in a roar of flame and fly off toward Box Canyon Although Lonnie never speculated on what it was Major Hector Quintanilla of the Air Force’s Project Blue Book stated on the 1979 TV documentary UFOs: It Has Begun “Our first reaction was that it was a lunar test module from NASA or the Air Force That seems to be the only logical explanation.” the folks at White Sands would never admit to making such a miscalculation New Mexico is stuck with being linked with UFOs and the Socorro story has one of the top head-scratchers in that department All that has nothing to do with real life in Socorro where you see your friends in stores or restaurants or driving down the street on a daily basis It hit me one time while I was having lunch in Albuquerque I was looking around at people coming and going and it dawned on me that I did not recognize one single solitary soul It’s that sort of moment when you know you’re Socorro-ized ‘You know you’re a redneck if … ?’ There should be ‘you know you’re from Socorro County if...’ and I have borrowed some from other people (in no particular order): You give directions by referring to what used to be there You argue that Socorro County chile is better than Hatch and then whether Lemitar or San Antonio is best You can assume the landfill is closed on windy days You’ve brought a folding chair to watch a parade on California Street You’d never think twice about buying tamales or burritos from a cooler You wear your Warrior or Steers sweatshirt to Magistrate Court Your Christmas decorations include a big plastic Santa on one side of your yard and a Nativity scene on the other You’ve fantasized about cooking an egg on your dashboard You debate whether the Owl or Buckhorn has the better green chile cheeseburger You can correctly pronounce words like Sedillo and Datil or names like Guerro or Ganadonegro You buy 30 pounds of roasted green chile and then spend an afternoon peeling them You order your enchilada with a fried egg on top You choose a tortilla instead of bread at Sophia’s You’ve held up traffic by talking with someone on the sidewalk You’re relieved when the pavement ends because the dirt road has fewer potholes You see nothing odd in people holding a conversation using Spanish You know that this place is so dang livable and “muy bien” that you really couldn’t care less what Tucumcari home prices are an art teacher who has dedicated 20 years to education is facing an uncertain future as the Socorro Independent School District (SISD) grapples with a significant budget shortfall SISD is facing criticism after announcing plans to cut funding for elementary fine arts programs This move could eliminate art and music classes across the district The decision comes as SISD deals with a $38 million budget shortfall attributed to chronic absenteeism which he said would not only affect his livelihood but also the creative development of hundreds of students Montoya detailed the moments he found out from the district and interim superintendent "There was a special meeting set up where we got to attend and that is when we were informed that the following school year there will not be funding for the elementary arts programs," Montoya said "We are all very shocked and very disappointed." RELATED: Socorro ISD's potential fine arts cuts spark concern among parents who travels between multiple campuses to teach art emphasized the importance of fine arts in education "There are so many students that their only outlet is the fine arts," he said "It creates better individuals and more rounded individuals." Montoya also shared that SISD has been recognized for several achievements within its fine arts program "We have very recognized programs in art and music It started with the elementary programs," Montoya said The district's decision has sparked concern among educators and parents who fear the impact on students' education and well-being Montoya noted that art and music classes often provide students with a much-needed respite from their daily academic routines and they have an art lesson or a music lesson and that just gives them enough to get through the day and show up the following day...It's one of the many few reasons that sometimes students do attend school because they know they're going to get something that has a worthwhile value to them," Montoya said with the announcement of layoffs and the displacement of several teachers and staff with SISD Montoya expressed his devastation over the district's decision "We get to come and be rock stars every day because they love to be in our classrooms...I'm just devastated that I won't be able to go and be there for them anymore," shared Montoya The final decision on the layoffs and program cuts will be discussed at a board meeting on Wednesday Montoya hopes the community will rally in support of the fine arts programs urging attendees to wear pink in solidarity "I'm not exactly sure how this ends but I'm hoping that there is an alternative," Montoya said "We want to let our community know that we're trying our best and we hope that we can count on their support." The SISD school board is expected to discuss budget cuts and potential teacher layoffs this Wednesday during its board meeting at 6:00 PM in the District Service Center Board Room Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — The Socorro Independent School District (SISD) in El Paso is preparing to lay off employees as it grapples with a $38 million budget deficit Interim Superintendent James Vasquez announced the impending layoffs in an email to teachers and staff stating that the district must make these cuts to ensure financial stability for the 2025-2026 school year "We have worked with our conservators and other financial experts to identify ways to reduce our deficit," Vasquez wrote our choices were either make these drastic cuts or become insolvent as a district This is without question the most difficult time in the district’s history." The email did not specify the number of layoffs as the district is still determining the exact figure Vasquez assured that once the number is finalized RELATED: Socorro ISD takes out $25.1 million loan to pay employee salaries SISD has attempted to save $25 million by reducing its workforce by 8% including a 10% cut in district-level staff through attrition the district had to take out a loan in November to cover payroll for the holiday season and is considering another short-term loan in 2025 president of the Socorro Education Association I'm astonished," Soto said after meeting with Vasquez "It's gotten to the point where they have to do something drastic to cover the budget and get out of this deficit." Soto revealed that the district plans to eliminate 300 jobs "I thought we were told repeatedly that this would be handled through attrition Vasquez said it wasn’t enough to cover the deficit," she said The district's financial struggles are attributed to several factors including a decrease in enrollment by approximately 1,200 students which cost SISD $10 million in state funds and inadequate state funding for public schools have compounded the issue Soto also mentioned that the district plans to eliminate the fine arts program leaving many teachers uncertain about their futures "There aren’t enough positions locally to absorb these teachers," she said they’ll likely have to look outside the district—or even outside the area." expressed feeling misled by the district's assurances that no jobs would be lost "This is completely different from what we were told," she said we were assured no one would lose their job—that positions would be transferred The district plans to address the media in a press conference and hold a board meeting on Wednesday to provide further updates Wind gusts of 30+ mph along with afternoon and evening blowing dust, could reduce visibility. Weather Maps RadarSocorro ISD votes 3-2 to reduce staff Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — The Socorro Independent School District (SISD) has voted to implement staff reductions for the 2025-2026 school year by a 3-2 vote a decision driven by a significant budget deficit During a tense and 5-hour long school board meeting on Wednesday night which will affect several employment areas while Marivel Macias and Paul Guerra opposed it Board trustees Pablo Barrera and Ricardo Castellano were absent from the board meeting and community members attended the board meeting in support of the fine arts and other programs that will be affected by the board's decision It is estimated this decision will affect 300 educators and staff members The district cited declining student enrollment and inadequate state funding as reasons for the reductions The cuts will include the following employment areas: The decision will also increase class sizes across the district: Interim Superintendent James Vasquez previously announced the need for workforce cuts and budget reductions to address a $38 million deficit Vasquez recommended the proposal to lay off employees eliminate its fine arts elementary arts program making the announcement to those affected on Friday RELATED: Longtime art teacher shares devastation as Socorro ISD plans elementary fine arts layoffs The decision has sparked concern and emotional responses from the community "There's 300 employees who are going to lose their job 300 families are going to have to see what they're going to do to be able to put food on the table." Another community member expressed gratitude to educators "Thank you all for being the unsung heroes of education SISD has been under conservatorship by the Texas Education Agency since last year with two conservators overseeing the district's financial and operational improvements for the next two years TEA conservators Manny Hinojosa and Andrew Kim attended Wednesday's board meeting and spoke publicly in regards to administrative suggestions before the board came to a decision The Socorro Independent School District is planning to lay off employees increase class sizes and cut programs in an effort to save itself from financial ruin SISD employees late Friday received an email from Acting Superintendent James Vasquez informing them the district needs to reduce its budget by $38 million for the 2025-26 school year and will need to cut staff to do so “We are currently working to identify exactly how many employees will be impacted and we will do everything we can to help them through this painful process,” Vasquez said in an email More: Vasquez email Vasquez email A Socorro spokesperson said the district wouldn’t comment on the financial challenges beyond Vasquez’s email But multiple people familiar with the plan said they were told the district could lay off up to 300 people ahead of the next school year That includes eliminating dedicated fine arts teachers at elementary schools An agenda for Wednesday’s Socorro school board meeting said the plan includes “elementary fine arts redesign.” Two veteran teachers said the district’s elementary school fine arts teachers received an email Thursday night telling them to cancel Friday classes and attend a 1 p.m Vasquez and others delivered devastating news there will be no fine arts in the elementary schools no art in any of the elementary schools,” one teacher said they were told adding that Socorro’s two fine arts academies were exempted The teacher said the reaction to the news was “absolute shock “At a previous meeting when Jim Vasquez came to speak to us personally at our campus he told us that there would be no eliminations that they would do everything they can to make sure that students were not hurt that we did nothing to hurt their education,” the teacher said “And I fail to see how taking away fine arts is a part of that because it is just as an important part of their education as anything else So this was a complete reversal of what we had been told before.” More: Bowie High School in El Paso played historic role in ICE policy lawsuit A second teacher said the cuts in fine arts will hurt students “Many things have happened over the years to where we’re finally having students from El Paso make it to all-state, and students from El Paso making it to the state mariachi contest. We just have the band from Socorro march in the Rose Bowl parade We’re seeing the benefits of starting elementary-level music and fine arts education bubble up through the high schools and it’s good for El Paso,” the teacher said Socorro ISD is El Paso County’s second largest school district but has seen enrollment decline in recent years as El Paso’s birthrate plunges and it competes with charter schools and neighboring Ysleta ISD for a diminishing student population The SISD school board will discuss and potentially vote on layoff recommendations at its meeting Wednesday Some of the recommendations include cutting administrative staff and Career and Technical Education program employees redesigning its elementary fine arts program and restructuring staffing for academic programs with low student participation The district also plans to change its staffing formulas increasing middle school class sizes from 24 to 26 students per teacher and submitting waivers to the Texas Education Agency to allow it to increase its elementary class sizes from 22 to 24 students per teacher A third teacher who was briefed on the elimination of dedicated elementary fine arts faculty said administrators at the Friday meeting discussed how quickly broader layoffs will take place Administrators at Friday’s meeting said that individual campuses will be given a number of positions to cut and have to identify staff members whose contracts won’t be renewed for next school year by the beginning of March “The other thing that he said was that everyone’s supposed to be notified by April 1st,” this teacher said The Socorro district has been depleting its reserves in recent years as it struggles with declining enrollment, stagnant state funding and management issues that led the Texas Education Agency last year to appoint two conservators to oversee the district Last year, the SISD school board adopted a $479.6 million budget with a $22 million deficit for the 2024-25 school year Since then, the district reduced its employee health plan contribution to cut costs and took out a $25 million loan to make payroll when its cash reserves were low Vasquez said the district has saved $25 million by eliminating vacant positions cutting its operating budgets and reducing its workforce by 8% through attrition Student enrollment has decreased by 1,200 students in the last three years and daily attendance has decreased by more than 2% Those developments have led to a $16 million reduction in state aid The third teacher from Friday’s meeting with SISD administrators who spoke to El Paso Matters said good teachers will lose their jobs, but the biggest impact will be on students. “Look, we can get new jobs, we can look for other opportunities, but our children are looking to us for their education and for their well-being and a well-rounded education,” the teacher said. Socorro ISD to offer payout incentive for 100 employees who resignEl Paso MattersSome Socorro Independent School District employees may be able to take a $2,500 payout to resign as the second-largest district in El Paso prepares to lay off 300 workers. SISD trustees voted unanimously Thursday to approve a $2,500 incentive for the first 100 probationary, non-certified and contracted employees who voluntarily resign at the end of their 2024-25 school year contract. Trustees Marivel Macias, Pablo Barrera and Ricardo Castellano were absent. Employees who are thinking of retiring or resigning can take the incentive and potentially reduce the number of staff who need to be laid off, SISD Chief Financial Officer David Solis said. “While it may not be a one-for-one where if 100 employees resigned that would save 100 employees, because it just depends on where those resignations are, it could potentially save some, so, that’s what we were looking at,” Solis said. Socorro American Federation of Teachers President Veronica Hernandez told El Paso Matters the district may need to cut more than 300 employees from the budget to stay afloat. “If they want to bring the budget back to what it was, they’re gonna need more than that, which is scary,” Hernandez said. Acting Superintendent James Vasquez has said the district needs to reduce its budget by $38 million for the 2025-26 school year or face financial exigency — the equivalent of bankruptcy for financial institutions. The layoffs and changes approved by the board are expected to cut the budget by about $30 million, leaving it with an $8 million deficit. Solis said the district hopes the voluntary resignations could close that gap. Employees have until 5 p.m. April 7 to submit their resignation notice. Employees who take the incentive may still be able to qualify for unemployment insurance, but it may affect the amount they receive in the first few months, Hernandez said. Weather Maps RadarSocorro and El Paso County offer free pecan shell disposal to prevent beetle infestationby Melissa Herrera Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — In efforts to prevent another red flour beetle infestation the City of Socorro and El Paso County are offering free pecan shell disposal services until April 30 This initiative comes after the red flour beetles infested homes in the Socorro area last summer Residents can drop off pecan shells at the Socorro Recycling Plant The drop-off site is available to all residents The services are available due to a grant from the Texas Department of Agriculture El Paso County Commissioner Iliana Holguin said El Paso County will be responsible for hiring the vendor that will pick up and properly dispose of the pecan shells outside of the county highlighted the importance of this service following an ordinance Socorro's city council passed in January 2025 which prohibits the use of pecan shells for landscaping or driveways we've gotten a couple of calls from some concerned residents just because they've noticed that maybe some of the neighbors have used in the past this method of landscape material," said Cruz Jr "So it doesn't have a direct hit on your pocket Holguin emphasized the need for these services noting the common use of pecan shells in the area "It's not anything strange to have red flower beetles but it just so happened that we experienced an infestation of them just an explosion in the population and the pecan shells serve as a food source and so that just exacerbated the problem," said Holguin "We're taking every step that we can to try to prevent an infestation like that happened last year from happening again And a big part of that is removing the food source for the beetles." Holguin also recommends residents cover any potential cracks in doorways and ensure their homes are properly sealed to prevent another infestation The services are available on Mondays from 7 a.m RECOMMENDED: Over 80 truckloads of treated pecan shells sent to Clint Landfill, more expected Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — The Socorro Independent School District (SISD) is once again grappling with financial difficulties prompting discussions about securing a substantial short-term loan the district's Chief Financial Officer "The district will need to secure another short-term loan to help meet our payment obligations in August." "This year the anticipated need is approximately 35 million dollars." RECOMMENDED: Canutillo ISD announces workforce cuts amid $5.8 million deficit This financial strain follows the district's recent repayment of a $25 million loan "August is one of the months the district does not receive state funding." SISD is exploring the possibility of raising the school tax rate for homeowners through a Voter Approved Tax Rate Election (VATRE) The current tax rate is $1.05 per $100 valuation but this could increase if the VATRE is approved "We continue to explore the possibility of a voter approved tax rate election or VATRE if approved by voters it could bring in up to 28 million in additional funding." RECOMMENDED: Students highlight easy access to firearms as Las Cruces tackles youth violence prevention While the board has not yet decided on pursuing the VATRE "We are taking steps to be ready." Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — The Socorro Independent School District said they need a $25.1 million loan in order to pay their employees for the next two months one of two conservators with the Texas Education Agency who overlooks SISD's budget and board decisions explained that the loan is due to the district choosing to pay their employees on a bi-weekly basis rather than a monthly check "Socorro complicated it a little bit more by now so you have to have cash on hand to make your payroll," stated Hinojosa SISD will be getting the $25.1 million loan with a 4% interest charge from PNC Bank said they plan on paying back the loan by January with the funds they receive from their state and tax revenue By the time the SISD is expected to pay the loan back Hinojosa also added that due to declining enrollment the district does not have the funds it needs to pay its employees by the time state and tax revenue is received "It's going to probably be paid off in January It may bleed over a little bit in February those that interest rate won't happen multiple months," said Hinojosa SISD's Board of Trustees decided to get the loan during a special board meeting Thursday night The last time SISD needed a loan was back in 2002 Hinojosa said the loan back then was needed because the district at the time was growing whereas now enrollment rates are declining It has not happened in Socorro for over 20 years.. You cannot have added employees and added payroll costs and declining enrollment and that's why we have to fix this right now," said Hinojosa RECOMMENDED: El Paso County seeks volunteers for Ethics Commission, apply by Nov. 4 The president of the Socorro Education Association (SEA) said that there is no need for employees to be worried about not receiving their next paycheck "People thought that the district didn't have the money They will always get paid," said Angelica Soto Soto also said that many of the SISD employees are looking forward to being paid monthly rather than bi-weekly it's only the professional staff that will be going back to once a month getting a paycheck once a month," said Soto – A man was awarded a $2 million settlement in federal court because of how he was treated inside the Socorro County Detention Center Jessie Chavez suffers from severe mental illness he’s been in and out of jail for property crimes and drug charges he was thrown into solitary confinement without a toilet He was also forced to live in his own filth for days as his mental health deteriorated His attorney with the New Mexico Prison and Jails Projects says the size of this settlement sends a message it sends a particularly impactful message to these facilities that they need to change,” said Steve Allen with New Mexico Prison and Jails Project. Allen says it’s one of their largest settlements taxpayers ultimately foot the bill in Socorro County KOB 4 reached out to Socorro County officials “The County of Socorro is proud of its caring and attentive detention staff Our staff provides quality care to all detainees as the detainees are members of our community the County disagrees with statements made by Plaintiff’s Counsel and the allegations in the complaint The County continues to implement additional standards in the facility to improve the quality of care The County is also continuing to effectuate positive change through the implementation of our welding program and other educational opportunities for our detainees like every other entity in New Mexico and especially rural New Mexico strive to address our community’s need for mental healthcare in an environment of extremely limited resources.” the spectacular season continued with an 8-7 home win vs Socorro improved to 23-1 overall and 5-1 in District 1-6A which puts the Bulldogs atop the district standings Both Socorro and Montwood were 4-1 in district entering Wednesday's game 4 this week in Class 6A by the Texas Girls Coaches Association Catcher Mia Dominguez singled in shortstop Lei Cardoza in the bottom of the eighth with an RBI single Cardoza doubled with one out to set up the winning run Dominguez hit a three-run homer in the game and Cardoza added a solo homer Cardoza bats leadoff in the lineup and Dominguez bats second Pitcher Haley Rodriguez earned the win in the circle pitching all eight innings and is now 16-1 on the season We just have to keep pushing forward as a team" What Socorro players Lei Cardoza and Mia Domiguez said"We had each other's back," Dominguez said I was relaxed at the plate and I knew I could do it." Added Dominguez: "It was really nerve wracking but we have great chemistry on this team and it was a big win for us." Shortstop Trinity Munoz had three hits and a home run and catcher Grace Ponzio hit a pair of home runs for the Rams More: HS Scores El Paso high school sports scoreboard for March 31-April 5, 2025 Chavez can be reached at fchavez@elpasotimes.com; @Fchavezeptimes on X An estimated 300 teachers and staff in the Socorro Independent School District will lose their jobs at the end of the year after the school board on Wednesday approved a plan to cut $38 million from next year’s budget The board voted3-2to accept recommendations from Interim Superintendent James Vasquez to lay off employees eliminate its elementary fine arts programs and increase class sizes Trustees Michael Najera, Cynthia Ann Najera and Alice Gardea voted in favor of the recommendations, while Paul Guerra and Marivel Macias voted against them. Trustees Pablo Barrera and Ricardo Castellano were absent The vote came after a nearly five-hour meeting filled with pleas from teachers parents and students hoping to save the elementary school fine arts programs as the once-growing district attempts to claw its way back to financial solvency But the board also received a sobering presentation from the administration and state-appointed conservators Manny Hinojosa and Andrew Kim that demonstrated years of board-approved deficit spending that has brought El Paso’s second-largest school district to a fiscal precipice “If we don’t make the necessary cuts for the next school year if we don’t have money in our fund balance to cover the deficit we would have to declare financial exigency who pointed out he has the authority to overrule decisions by the board and superintendent “You cannot pay your mortgage with your credit card,” he said the state takes over and they replace the board “You see how close you are to the edge right now And I have the authority to overrule your decisions The district will decide who will be laid off by March 7 and notify employees by April 1 Interim Chief Human Resources Officer Celina Stiles said during the meeting Vasquez said even without the elementary fine arts program the district will need to teach the subject to its students “We’ve been getting it done expertly by our fine arts teachers,” Vasquez said “We want to work to see how we can support our regular (education) teachers to be the same.” students and supporters of the elementary fine arts program packed the SISD board room — and filled an overflow room — to ask trustees to keep the elementary fine arts program and urge them to find alternatives to the layoffs More: Socorro ISD plans up to 300 layoffs, increased class sizes to deal with budget shortfall Some suggested reducing salaries and cutting high level administrative positions Others expressed concern that getting rid of the elementary school fine arts program would worsen the district’s already poor attendance and push parents to enroll their students in other districts “There is no doubt that a comprehensive academic experience that includes the arts is and will always be best for every student The minute you choose to cut fine arts programs and eliminate those positions is the minute SISD is no longer the best choice for my kids,” said Lluvia Salas Some talked about the difficulties students with disabilities face and how changing teachers or increasing class sizes can exacerbate them “Laying off our teachers further compounds the challenges faced by students with disabilities … Increasing the student-to-teacher ratio will increase anxiety in our children and will make it harder for the remaining teachers to provide individualized attention to the children,” said Diana Serano the parent of an Eastlake High School special education student “I want to request you to not fire my teachers and I’m tired of having substitutes,” her son David Serano added More: 'Totally messed up.' El Paso drivers arrested after crashing vehicles into each other Vasquez told El Paso Matters the 300 layoffs are an estimate and said he wasn’t prepared to say the exact number of employees that will be cut or how many of them would be teachers “We’re hoping that teachers who have been considering retirement might do that which could reduce the need for layoffs,” he said District administrators will meet with campus leaders next week to look at enrollment projections and staffing needs as the district plans to increase class sizes at elementary and middle schools Campuses with declining enrollment will also come up with plans to reduce staff Vasquez said Socorro ISD has been “overstaffed” for years and in an effort to make the district more appealing has invested heavily in salaries and health benefits to retain and attract teachers Ahead of the 2022-23 and 2023-24 school years the board approved higher raises than what was recommended by district administration These changes raised the average SISD teacher salary from over $55,200 a year in the 2019-20 school year to nearly $86,000 a year during the 2023-24 school year according to data reported to the Texas Education Agency Socorro American Federation of Teachers President Veronica Hernandez denounced the idea that raises contributed to the district’s budget issues and the need for layoffs She said she could not tolerate blame being placed on the salary increases over the last two years for the district’s financial troubles the district hired more staff in anticipation of an additional 700 students enrollment declined by 500 students to 47,200 Enrollment declined by another 600 students this school year and is expected to continue declining to about 43,000 students by 2034 More: An IRS hiring freeze could delay income tax refunds; what to know Even with the layoffs, Socorro ISD will likely still need to find more revenue to stay afloat. The district projects it will have a $38.3 million deficit during the 2025-26 school year. By laying off employees, closing existing vacancies, changing staffing formulas and redesigning programs the district expects to cut the deficit by $30.3 million, leaving it with an $8 million deficit. The district is considering asking voters to approve a “penny swap” later this year that would allow it to move property tax rate money earmarked for repaying debt to use in general operations. If approved, the swap wouldn’t change the tax rate but would allow the district to generate an additional $28 million in revenue, Vasquez told El Paso Matters. The plan to reduce the district’s budget by $38 million assumes teachers continue leaving the district at the same rate as in recent years. During the 2023-24 school year, the most recent data available, about 11% of SISD teachers resigned or retired. At that rate, the district will lose about 220 by the next school year, according to district figures. The district has implemented a hiring freeze for all but a few specialized positions such as special education teachers, Vasquez told El Paso Matters. That means between attrition and layoffs, Socorro could have 400 or more fewer teachers next year than this year. The plan also assumes that the state won’t increase school funding or raise its basic allotment of $6,100 per student – a number that’s been unchanged since 2019. Even if lawmakers agree to increase school funding as planned by the Texas Legislature, Socorro ISD will use the additional money to rebuild its reserves, which have been depleted in recent years by budget deficits. Last year, the SISD school board adopted a $479.6 million budget with a $22 million deficit for the 2024-25 school year. The deficit has grown to $24 million since then, Vasquez said. “We need to build up our fund balance. At the end of this year, we’ll only have 17 days (of operating revenue) in our fund balance, and we need to get back to the 75 days in our policy,” he said. In an effort to cut costs, the district reduced its employee health plan contribution leading to reductions in their take home pay and has removed vacant positions from the budget. The district took out a $25 million loan in November to make payroll when its cash reserves were low and while it waited to receive a scheduled payment from the TEA. Vasquez said the district will have to take out another loan this summer because it won’t have the cashflow to make the payment out of its revenues. President Donald Trump participates in a National Day of Prayer at the White House. WATCHSocorro sets up pecan shell drop-off to combat red beetle infestation in El Paso Countyby David Ibave Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — To prevent a red beetle infestation Socorro has set up a pecan shell drop-off site for all El Paso County residents the City of Socorro said it has created a drop-off site for people to properly dispose of pecan shells after the area was plagued by a red beetle infestation for months The site is located at 241 Old Hueco Tanks Rd The drop-off sites will operate on Mondays from 7 a.m this is to prevent another red beetle invasion as pecan shells are the pest's main food source Socorro also said the initiative was made possible through a grant from the Texas Department of Agriculture Tornillo and Vinton are welcome to drop off their pecan shells RELATED: Over 80 truckloads of treated pecan shells sent to Clint Landfill, more expected – A wildfire in Grants destroyed six homes and left two firefighters injured Sunday night. The chief of the Grants Fire Department says it started as a brush fire in a field then spread to houses behind that field. KOB 4 asked the GFD about a potential cause but it was human caused,” said Grants Fire and Rescue Chief Mike Maes Police reportedly got a tip about a man who could be involved in the start of that fire They are still looking for that man and the fire is still under investigation. The two firefighters are expected to be OK That wasn’t the only fire that burned Sunday Fire crews also responded to a 200 acre fire in Socorro County Viewers sent KOB 4 video and photos of the fire in the bosque north of Socorro. says it started on the west side of the river and jumped to the east. High wind and dry conditions helped spread the flames. Multiple agencies including Valencia county and State Forestry helped fight the fire. Any person with disabilities who needs help accessing the content of the FCC Public File may contact KOB via our online formor call 505-243-4411. Weather Maps RadarSocorro police arrest man with a gun after he stalked a woman and her 3-year-old childby David Ibave Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — Police in Socorro arrested a 24-year-old man after a woman reported she and her toddler were being stalked by a man with a gun Eric Daniel Meraz Rodriguez was arrested Monday at around 2:40 a.m. near the area where a woman reported she and her three-year-old child were being followed and possibly shot at Police said the woman told them she was driving near North Loop Drive and Nuevo Hueco Tanks when she noticed a vehicle following her and heard gunshots RECOMMENDED: El Paso man arrested for murder, accused of dumping woman's body in Ciudad Juarez Rodriguez was booked into the El Paso County Detention Center Sign up to receive the top interesting stories from in and around our community once daily in your inbox. A Socorro football player wrapped in a blanket had to watch from the sideline, his heart sinking, as his team lost to New Mexico Military Institute Friday night thwarting its chance to make a run for a state football championship title. A day earlier, 16-year-old Josiah Barba, along with Oscar Acosta, an assistant football coach, tried to help Barba’s sister who was involved in a domestic dispute with her baby’s birth father. A Socorro Police report stated, on November 14, officers responded to a call in reference to two males who had received gunshot wounds at a home located on Silva Street. Upon arrival, officers asked the suspect, Leonardo Perez, 20, of Socorro, to come out of the residence with no weapons and his hands up. Police said Perez came out and officers placed him into handcuffs and secured him in the police vehicle. After being read his Miranda rights, officers questioned Perez about events surrounding the incident. Perez reportedly told police he was having a fight with his girlfriend over a child, and a physical altercation took place, noting a female was pushed out of the residence. According to reports, the female called her brother, who arrived a short time later with his 33-year-old assistant football coach. Police indicated Perez was reportedly inside the residence and fired his gun several times, striking both males. The victims were transported to Socorro General Hospital where Barba, along with his assistant coach, underwent surgery to treat gunshot wounds. Police conducted a search warrant and secured a rifle from the residence. Court records indicate Perez is facing eight felony charges and one misdemeanor, including abuse of a child (results in great bodily harm), three charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, three charges of assault with the intent to commit a violent felony and battery on a household member. Perez is being held at the Socorro County Detention Center. His attorney has requested a speedy trial. Prior to the game, Socorro High School football players and their coaches gathered in the endzone to offer prayers for their teammate, Barba and assistant coach Acosta. Although Barba was released from the hospital Friday night, he had to settle for watching the game from the sidelines during its final minutes. Publisher’s note: See story on page 9 on Friday night’s game between the Warriors and New Mexico Military Institute. Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account. Print When Socorro Herrera saw the former shoeshine booth in a Los Feliz liquor store parking lot back in 1976 Herrera helmed Yuca’s Hut on Hillhurst Avenue with the help of her family and a few longtime employees The menu and its beloved “Mama” or “Mama Yuca’s,” as longtime customers called her even after a 2005 James Beard award in the America’s classics category and the inevitable changes to the neighborhood around it taking orders and writing the names of customers on paper bags “She was funny as hell,” her eldest daughter said over Porto’s pastries at their home in Glendale on Friday but she still visited “the Hut” a few times a week and kept an eye on Yuca’s second location in the parking lot of another liquor store on Fair Oaks Avenue in Pasadena On Friday morning, Yuca’s posted its first announcement of Socorro’s passing on Instagram. Late Saturday afternoon at the Hut the credit card machine was down, so orders were cash-only, but if you didn’t have enough, the woman behind the counter said it was OK to pay next time. Food the origin story of Los Feliz begins on Hillhurst Avenue under the canopy of “Mama” Socorro Herrera’s Yuca’s Hut who has been involved with the family business since she graduated from Brown in 1980 a New Jersey–born artist who lives in the neighborhood A couple and their teenage son had stopped by to pay the rest of a tab in cash from yesterday moved from New York 18 years ago and has been a Yuca’s customer for just as long Yuca’s helped open my eyes to a different sort of Mexican food,” he said “And this James Beard-winning taco stand in the parking lot of a liquor store is such a classic L.A Her bean-and-cheese burritos are rectangular purses of American cheese and whole pinto beans; her burgers echo the taco meats with which they share the small grill; and her kitchen doesn’t serve quesadillas (although you can order the bean and cheese without beans) Food Hillhurst Avenue is a broad but sleepy street that runs a straight line between Sunset and Los Feliz boulevards it was important to Socorro that all customers be treated equally — no preference was given to the many Hollywood celebrities and famous chefs who’d tuck in for her cochinita pibil and gang members were welcome as long as they treated her with respect Novelist and food writer Ruth Reichl recalled fondly that Mama never knew her by face although she lived a few blocks away for years while working as restaurant critic for the L.A Times and had eaten there repeatedly for decades “I fell in love with their bean-and-cheese burritos,” said Reichl, who named Yuca’s “best taco” in this paper in 1990 two years ago and I went almost every day.” While Mama called the shots and preferred to keep the menu basic she was still willing to innovate when necessary “We recognized right off the bat that it was her baby ‘I think you should change this.’ And once in a while she would say Socorro Herrera and her daughter Dora chat with customers at Yuca’s Hut in Los Feliz (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) She insisted on making food fresh all day long which meant that they were constantly cooking and chopping throughout the day; over time she made small changes to improve efficiency and happiness She once mashed the beans for her burritos She got tired of chopping ham to order for her ham-and-egg breakfast burrito Sometimes customers requested crispy carnitas “That was usually a mistake on our part because we had let it overcook and then they loved it,” said Dora then crank up the oven and crisp it and save the crispy bits for those who wanted it Socorro del Carmen Sosa Suarez was the first of four children born to a homemaker and a law enforcement officer in Mérida From the beginning her father treated her like the firstborn son he’d wanted her spunk and her adaptability were likely rooted in her early childhood experiences tagging along with her father to bullfights and bars He put her in front of him on horseback at 2 months old and then she would be taken in the back and given one of the first cups of the bull blood from the kill He would hit the bars on the way home on his horse a bunch of the bars had little tables set up for Mom and they’d give her this little mini beer — she couldn’t go in the bar Socorro married Jaime Herrera in the early ’50s Socorro used sewing skills she’d picked up from her godmother to start a clothing business she winged it but quickly became a bespoke tailor to elites In the mid-1960s they moved to Los Angeles where Socorro succeeded as an Avon saleswoman as well as a sample maker in the garment industry She noticed that her co-workers didn’t have time to shop for their children during the holidays so she and Jaime filled a U-Haul with toys and went from factory to factory selling toys at wholesale prices to the busy parents In 1976 Margarita met someone who was trying to sell an 8x10 space on Hillhurst Avenue in Los Feliz Socorro and Jaime hadn’t planned to open a restaurant but they figured it would be helpful to cover Dora’s tuition at Brown Initially they continued making the menu items from the Middle Eastern joint that had inhabited the space before them but Socorro soon pivoted to the cuisine of her homeland Her kids say that they knew she’d found her passion in Yuca’s because she never got bored or looked for another job again The neighborhood has changed a lot over the years — long gone are Pedro’s Grill on Vermont where Jaime and Socorro used to go out dancing after work and the Acapulco on Sunset and Hillhurst where Mama would post up on Saturday nights to play lively games of Pac-Man The sisters used to joke that the worst thing about Yuca’s was that they no longer had food cooked at home — it was all takeout from the Hut But the family always met around the dinner table at the end of their busy days; they would wait to eat until Margarita got home from work as a grocery store cashier at 10 p.m “All of us would meet in the kitchen and talk and drink and eat for a couple hours It was this nice big party almost every night it must be so hard to work with your family.’ And it’s like In an interview for the L.A. Times in 2016, Socorro admitted that working with family “isn’t easy, but if they love you and you love them, you find a way to make it work so it’s not always what you want or what they want, it’s a balance.” Her success, she said, was probably due to the fact that she decided what she wanted. “I set rules and insisted on them and now the same rules are in place. There’s got to be a leader, because you need the consistency of one person deciding and setting the tone — that’s how you maintain quality in what you offer. People come back decades later and say it tastes exactly the way they remember it.” World & Nation Subscribe for unlimited access Site Map Weather Maps RadarSocorro ISD's potential fine arts cuts spark concern among parentsby Harrison Parker Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — Parents in the Socorro Independent School District (SISD) are expressing shock and concern over potential cuts to fine arts programs in elementary schools Union officials and fine arts teachers have indicated that most elementary students may lose access to these programs a parent of an eighth-grade student who plays the violin credits her son's academic success to his involvement in music "You want to look forward to not only going to math class but also going to band class or their orchestra class too," Lucero said explained the benefits of music and art education for students "Later it would turn into better focus for children not to mention social skills," Hernandez said So you’re going to start seeing behavioral problems Lucero mentioned that if SISD proceeds with the cuts she would consider moving her children to another district emphasized the importance of arts in education Because children who are involved in band and orchestra and art programs This is sometimes a pathway to higher education," Solis said highlighting the broader benefits of arts education When you create music or you create an art piece you’re creating a sense of confidence," she said Many parents hope that upcoming board meetings will reconsider the decision to cut fine arts programs In a little hut on Hillhurst in Los Feliz, Socorro Herrera defined Mexican food at Yuca's for nearly 50 years passed away in December after a brief illness and takes comfort in the legacy her mother leaves behind "My official title is president of the Yuca's Restaurant Group," says Dora sharing love and good food and creating good vibes Socorro worked in the kitchen cooking food from her native Yucatan before retreating to the outside counter to take orders during her later years Socorro was the first-born child to a father who wanted nothing more than a son just living the life of a young boy in 1930s Mexico really defined who she grew up to be," Dora says Socorro Herrera stands in front of Yuca's during the early days in a hut that was formerly a shoeshine stand Jaime Herrera met Socorro through her sister Socorro and Jaime opened a small food stand in Los Feliz on April 1 taking ownership from a man who made falafel Socorro slowly phased out the falafel so she could showcase food from the Yucatan Dora recalls her older brother standing on the sidewalk waving in cars offering customers double their money back if they weren't satisfied with their mother's cooking Dora says Mama's secret was using her hands where you put yourself into the food and the people can taste it Socorro Herrera with her daughters Margi (left) and Dora (right) at the James Beard Awards where Yuca's was honored in the American Classics category who took orders at Yuca's in Los Feliz for nearly 50 years where a precursor to orange chicken took flight Honor May Eldridge follows our obsession with the Hass avocado from backyard gardens to the subject of tariffs Tu David Phu reconciles his family's trauma with his perceptions of what ingredients are deemed worthy farmers market chicories are favored by chefs for creating balance in dishes Good Food’s Evan Kleiman delivers local-first missives from our vibrant food community Donate by midnight tomorrow and your $100 becomes $200 for KCRW thanks to a $10,000 match by music legend Moby DOuble dollars Get the latest from KCRW in your inbox 3x a week. Weather Maps RadarTraffic stop in Socorro leads to arrest of fugitive with $125,000 bond for firearm chargesby Staff Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — A traffic stop leads to the arrest of a 28-year-old wanted man in Socorro Aaron Rosales was arrested after he was pulled over driving a white Ford F-150 in the area of Liahona and North Loop Drive Police said that after Rosales was pulled over it was discovered that he was wanted for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon during the stop officers discovered Rosales had a handgun leading to getting an additional charge of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon the additional charge carried a bond of $75,000 leading to Rosales being booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility with a bond totaling $125,000 Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — The Socorro Police Department is investigating a deadly crash in the City of Socorro on Sunday afternoon The Socorro Police said officers responded to a serious motor vehicle accident at 1:42 p.m A maroon Mazda Minivan attempted an eastbound turn onto Socorro Rd when a motorcycle heading westbound was struck The driver of the motorcycle died on the scene the motorcyclist appeared to not have been wearing a helmet TxDOT said all lanes on Socorro Rd at Lisa Diane Rd are closed due to the crash This is a developing story; check back for more updates RECOMMENDED: Crash closes all lanes on 375 North at Bob Hope, traffic backed up to Rojas RECOMMENDED: Crash near Van Horn shuts down part of I-10