May 2015 - Posts
On the evening of May 20, 2015, Commissioner Leon met with the residents of Desert Acceptance (Square Dance) to address any questions regarding the $7.4 million USDA sewer wastewater project. Residents had the opportunity to become more familiar with the project and were encouraged to participate in the development.
Square Dance is located approximately 1.6 miles from El Paso Water Utilities’ nearest wastewater collection system in Far East El Paso. This project requires a permanent connection to EPWU’s existing wastewater collection system on Montana Ave. The project consists of constructing a wastewater collection system inside the subdivision and extends the collection lines to Montana Ave.
Commissioner Leon was honored to be a testimonial speaker at the United Blood Services Luncheon on May 6, 2015 to thank all the volunteers that spend a tremendous amount of time helping and supporting this organization. He emphasized the important role they play in their community, and reminded them that because of their efforts he, like many others, are still alive.
Founded in 1943, United Blood Services provide blood, blood components and special services for patients in more than 500 hospitals in 18 states. More than 25 million people in communities throughout these states depend on United Blood Services' generous volunteer blood donors and dedicated staff to make sure lifesaving blood is available when and where it is needed. This organization is responsible for providing blood for all 19 hospitals in this region; 70% of the blood that is collected comes from volunteer blood drives.
On Monday, May 11, 2015, Commissioner Leon presented Chief Tom Whitten and Commander Kevin Lanahan from the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office with a resolution designating May 10-16, 2015 as Police Week in El Paso County. During Commissioners Court, Commissioner Leon publicly saluted the service of law enforcement officers in our community and in communities across the nation.
There are more than 900,000 law enforcement officers serving in communities across the United States, including the dedicated members of the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office and all other local, state and federal Law Enforcement Agencies in El Paso County. Since the first recorded death in 1791, more than 20,000 law enforcement officers in the United States have made the ultimate sacrifice and have been killed in the line of duty, including 56 members of Law Enforcement Agencies in El Paso County, including Constable Robert Parker White who died November 1, 2014. The names of these dedicated public servants are engraved on the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers’ Memorial in Washington, D.C. or recognized on the Texas Peace Officers’ Memorial in Austin, Texas.
The names of 117 brave men and women killed in the line of duty during 2014 will be added to these memorials. By joint resolution of Congress and signed by President John F. Kennedy on October 1, 1962, and proclaimed by President Barack Obama, May 15, 2015 is designated as Peace Officers Memorial Day and May 10 through May 16, 2015 as Police Week to honor those fallen officers and their families. President Barack Obama directs that on Friday, May 15, 2015, the flag be flown at half-staff on Peace Officers Memorial Day.
On Monday, May 4, 2015 Commissioner Leon honored Mr. Harry Edward Steen Sr., a courageous World War II veteran who died in his sleep on April 18, 2015 in his home at the age of 97. He was the last surviving Bataan Death March member in El Paso. Today, there are less than 25 survivors left in the country.
Mr. Steen’s widow, a close family friend and family from Arizona and Allen, TX were present to receive this resolution in his honor.
Harry Edward Steen, Sr. was born on March 7, 1918 in St. John's, Arizona to Tex Annie Laura Birmingham and Harry Steen. After graduating from Reserve High School in 1936, moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico where he was drafted into the US Army on April 3, 1941, and initially assigned to Fort Bliss, Texas.
Mr. Steen was part of the first battalion that boarded the ship USS Pearce not knowing where they were headed over-seas until noticing a sign with the word “Manila” posted on the windshield of one of the Army trucks on the ship, realizing they were headed for the Philippines arriving on September 16, 1941.
In December 1941, during World War II, Mr. Steen was present during an attack by the Japanese Military on Clarke Air Field, 200 yards away from where he stood. In April of 1942, The Island of Corregidor was attacked, and after a three month battle Bataan surrendered, leaving many dead and Mr. Steen and other Americans taken as prisoners.
Harry E. Steen Sr. along with other Americans and Filipinos begin to endure what was known as the ‘Bataan Death March’, leaving thousands of prisoners with no food or water and suffering from extreme hunger, disease and abuse. Over a period of three and a half years, he and other tortured prisoners were fed a rice ball a day, returning at a mere eighty pounds when he was liberated at war’s end in 1945.
Upon his return to the states, Mr. Steen met and married his wife, Mary Lou Steen, and moved the family to El Paso in the early 1970s and called El Paso home ever since. Mr. Steen was married to Mary Lou Steen for 58 years and had 5 children.
Commissioner Carlos Leon hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony this morning to commemorate the opening of the El Paso County Eastside Annex.
In an effort to better serve the community, the Eastside Annex will provide convenient access to offices for County Commissioner Precinct 1, Justice of the Peace Precinct 4, Constable Precinct 4, Adult Probation, and County Clerk. It will also house a community meeting room with a 100-seat capacity.
The Eastside Annex allows constituents to receive some of the same services as they would at the El Paso County Courthouse, improving the level of service and communication with their elected officials.
