El Paso Police Search For Missing Teen + More Local News

El Paso Police Search For Missing Teen

El Paso Police are searching for a 15-year-old girl who they say may be in danger. Police have issued an alert for Karen Janette Gallardo, who was reported missing by her mother yesterday afternoon. The girl did not come home from Irvin High School yesterday, and detectives believe the teen to be in danger, though they are not saying why.

Children's Hospital Ordered To Pay Back Rent

Officials at Children's Hospital say they will comply with a judge's order to pay University Medical Center more than $2 million in back rent. Yesterday, the federal bankruptcy court judge in Austin ordered Children's to pay $2.3 million in back rent that has built up since the hospital's bankruptcy filing in May. He also ordered hospital officials to pay nearly $900,000 in rent every month for the next three months. In a statement, Children's CEO Mark Herbers said the hospital would continue to work on restructuring its debt in hopes of emerging from bankruptcy as a stronger organization.

Illegal Dumping To Cost Up To $4,000 In El Paso

City leaders are tired of all the illegal dumping going on in and around El Paso, and hope a stiffer maximum fine will help control it. The City Council voted yesterday to double the maximum fine for illegal dumping to $4,000. However, lawmakers say prosecuting illegal dumping cases is difficult, as few witnesses ever come forward to testify against those accused. City officials estimate it takes a $1 million a year to clean up illegal dump sites around the area.

Labor Day Weekend Sees 37 DWI Arrests

An effort to keep drunk drivers off the roads during the Labor Day weekend is showing substantial results. El Paso police said yesterday they arrested 37 people for DWI from Friday to Monday. Those totals only include those arrested by El Paso officers and not any arrests by the Texas Highway Patrol. Eight drivers were arrested with blood alcohol levels of .15 or higher and will face an even stiffer sentence if found guilty.

O'Rourke To Hold Town Meetings This Weekend

Congressman Beto O'Rourke is coming to El Paso this weekend to meet with constituents about issues important to them. O'Rourke plans to hold a general meeting to answer a variety of questions at 9 a.m. Saturday at the EPCC Transmountain Campus Theater. O'Rourke plans to have a separate meeting at one o'clock with anyone who wants to talk about veterans' issues. That town hall will be held at the same location.