The San Elizario Historic Art District has long been a vibrant stronghold for our region’s artistic community that has roots traced back hundreds of years to the 1750’s.
Our art district hosts more than 40 galleries, museums, studios, and shops in the three-block area in San Elizario, which represents the work of over 100 artists.
I’ve had the privilege of bringing this important piece of home to the Texas State Capitol: throughout this week, local San Elizario artwork is being displayed on the ground floor rotunda of the Capitol. On Monday, I had the opportunity to recognize local artist and San Elizario Historic Art District founder Al Borrego on the House Floor.
I am also in the application process of making San Elizario a state-recognized cultural district through the Texas Commission on the Arts. It’s an honor to be able to give our community the statewide recognition it deserves.
Bringing dairy farms back to El Paso County
We are closer than we’ve ever been in over a decade to bringing the dairy farm industry back to El Paso County.
Last Thursday I passed a bill through the House that will determine the impact of dairy farming in El Paso County. This has been one of my top priorities since taking office and I’m happy to have been successful so far.
We’ve received a significant amount of support throughout El Paso County, as well as coverage on the local, state, and national level about this issue. HB 1081 will require the Texas Animal Health Commission to determine the current risk for Bovine Tuberculosis in the state if dairy farming were to resume in El Paso County. After over a decade, we are the only county in the entire nation that is banned from dairy farming.
With new policies and updated technology, this is the most sensible approach in making sure we have the most accurate information possible. In doing this, we can determine that dairy farming in El Paso County is as safe as it is in Hudspeth County and Doña Ana County, New Mexico.
Our county was once one of the top five milk-producing counties in Texas, and responsible for five percent of the milk production in the United States.
Dairy in El Paso was once a 40-million-dollar a year industry. It provided for hundreds of jobs in our community– not only directly through the farms, but also by growing crops like alfalfa, corn, and sorghum that helped sustain dairy farming in El Paso County.
I anticipate moving this bill through the Senate and sending it to the Governor’s desk.