El Paso Blog

If you’re looking to get out of your house this weekend, consider walking around El Paso aimlessly with the undead at the third annual Zombie Walk El Paso.

Don’t worry, it’s all for the fun and love of zombies. These zombies moan and groan for brain and flesh, but don’t actually satiate their gory appetites.

The walk starts at about 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25, at downtown El Paso’s San Jacinto Plaza. Where the zombies will travel is anyone’s guess, but it’s sure to be weird and fun.

Read More...

Early voting in El Paso has begun. By the looks of it, everyone is going out and casting a ballot. The El Paso County elections administrator told the El Paso Times that the first day of early voting would set a record.

This is great news for a city known for its apathetic voters. Obviously, the presidential race is the main reason many voters are flocking to their polling sites, but how many of you know about the more than 10 other local races? (That doesn’t even include the small school-district races.)

Read More...

Heads up, Obama supporters — Democratic vice presidential hopeful U.S. Sen. Joe Biden is hosting a rally at 1:30 p.m. Friday in the Mesilla Plaza near Las Cruces, N.M.(a 45-minute drive from El Paso). Doors open at 11:30 a.m.

The event is free and open to the public. No tickets are required, but campaign officials are asking people to RSVP online at www.nm.barackobama.com.

Obama campaign offices in Las Cruces, Anthony, Deming and Alamogordo will be handing out a limited number of “preferred viewing tickets” on a first-come, first-served basis from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday.

Read More...

We’re more than half way into the football season, but many University of Texas at El Paso fans are anxious to hear the squeak of basketball kicks on the shiny, hardwood floor.

You can get a first look at the 2008-09 UTEP Miner men’s and women’s basketball teams at “Miner Madness” on Saturday, Oct. 18, at the Don Haskins Center.

The event is free!

The festivities start at 1 p.m. with free food at the tailgating party hosted by local bar Three-Legged Monkey.

Read More...

Coming home late one evening last week, I looked up to see an odd bird in the sky. It took me a moment to realize that it wasn’t a bird. It was in fact a bat — just in time for Halloween!

Bats can be seen taking flight just before the sun sets throughout El Paso until mid-October or early November. Currently, the bats are migrating to Mexico for the winter.

Each year during the summer months, and as the bats migrate, El Pasoans report finding bats in or near their homes or businesses. The bats don’t usually attack people, but if you find one, don’t touch it. It might have rabies.

Read More...

The weather is starting to get colder, which means several outdoor activities are coming to an end. Among them is La Viña's Music on the Patio.

On Sunday, the local winery will host the final Music on the Patio of the year from 1 to 5 p.m.

For the last several years a group of us have headed out to La Viña with a picnic basket, a blanket and board games to enjoy the outdoors and live music.

Admission is free, but you have to purchase beverages from the winery. If you go I recommend the Cote de Bravo or the Rojo Loco.

La Viña is located at 4201 S. Highway 28 in La Union, N.M. It's a good opportunity to get out of the stuffy indoors and appreciate the region’s wine country.

Here’s a curious item I found while searching for things to do this week.

Speed Dating: Centennial Style!

I’m not on the market, but I found the item intriguing because single friends gave me the impression that speed dating in El Paso was a bust. However, Fort Bliss does indeed offer speed dating for singles 35 and older at the Centennial Club on Biggs Army Airfield. The fast-paced dates begin at 7 p.m. on the second Friday of every month, beginning Oct. 10.

Read More...

Clowns scare me to death. I don't know how or why that is, but I fear those disturbing grins and exaggerated features.

I'm not alone, which is probably why the organizers of the KLAQ Haunted House have selected "Twisted Circus" as the theme of this year's haunted house.

I normally avoid these kinds of things because I'll pass out before I scream. But if you love the thrill of being chased by a chainsaw-toting maniac consider going to the "Twisted Circus."

The haunted house is located at the corner of Lee Trevino and I-10 West. It's open from 6 to 10 p.m. Sunday - Wednesday, and 6 p.m. to midnight Thursday - Saturday. Tickets are $10.

Are you brave enough?

Does the financial turmoil have you worrying about your personal finances? Maybe you, like me, just want to eliminate all the debt you’ve accumulated over the years.

Some of the local banks and credit unions offer financial counseling to help their clients learn the basics of budgets and finance. Several will work with your creditors to strengthen your credit score; much like those third-party companies you see on TV commercials.

Read More...

Nov. 4 is just around the corner. Have you decided who you'll vote for?

Actually, a better question is: Have you registered to vote?

Oct. 6 is the deadline for voters to register in Texas. If you haven’t registered and you have no clue how to do it, don’t panic!

To vote you need to be a U.S. citizen, a resident of El Paso County and 18 years old. You can’t be a convicted felon (unless your sentence is completed) or declared mentally incapacitated by a court.

Read More...