El Paso Mobile Home Community Unites Against Landlord + More Local News

Children's Hospital Ruling Expected Tuesday

A federal bankruptcy court judge is expected to issue a ruling on outstanding rent owed by Children's Hospital next Tuesday. University Medical Center wants Children's to pay nearly $3 million in back rent, but hospital officials deny they really owe the money to UMC. Children's CEO Mark Hebers testified yesterday that UMC is overcharging the hospital for services, and the hospital's attorney claims Children's shouldn't have to pay rent on a taxpayer funded building. The judge decided yesterday that Children's Hospital has until Dec. 15 to assume or deny its lease with UMC, an extension that may not matter if the hospital is forced to pay back rent.

Second El Paso Area Resident Dies From West Nile Virus

An elderly woman is now the second El Paso area resident to die from the West Nile virus this year. El Paso Public Health Director Robert Resendes announced the woman's death in a statement yesterday. The woman, who lived in the Socorro area, was not identified. Resendes reminds all area residents that West Nile is a serious health threat that can be a life-threatening event for healthy people. Both of the people who died from West Nile this year had other conditions that were complicated by the virus.

Congressmen React To New Report On VA Deaths

Two area lawmakers are not happy with a new report showing that 307,000 veterans may have died while waiting on a request for treatment with the VA. El Paso Congressman Beto O'Rourke says he's not surprised. He tells KFOX-TV he's surveyed area veterans and has found many that are still waiting for their first appointment after submitting applications for care. O'Rourke says the VA must act immediately to provide better access to care using all available resources. New Mexico Congressman Steve Pearce says he wants to dig into the statistics, but understands it's hard to trust the VA given the way medical care at the agency has been mismanaged.

El Paso Mobile Home Community Unites Against Landlord

An El Paso mobile home community is uniting against a new landlord who they say is trying to find any way possible to evict them. Residents at the Queens Mobile Home Estates in northeast El Paso say the landlord is trying to force them to sign new leases that contain possibly illegal conditions. They were told to sign a new lease by mid-August or face eviction, regardless of whether they had a previous lease that was current. Tenants have filed suit against the company, JP El Paso One, and a judge has put a restraining order against the landlord until a hearing Sept. 10. The new lease would force disabled veterans to remove wheelchair ramps outside their homes, and could allow the landlord to take possession of property if a rent payment is late.

Chihuahuas Leave Las Vegas With Division Lead

The El Paso Chihuahuas' quest for a Pacific Coast League division title is closer to coming true. The Chihuahuas beat Las Vegas 10-1 last night to take first place in the Pacific Southern Division. El Paso has five games left to play, all which will be played against Reno starting tonight. If Las Vegas and El Paso end up in a tie at the top of the division, the Chihuahuas will win the title and a berth in the PCL playoffs.