Good morning, El Paso.

Marathon Petroleum announced a $70K gift to eight local nonprofits as part of El Paso Giving Day Early Giving that began Thursday; employees will volunteer to support causes like Recker's Outreach, which plans to waive service fees for families + boost community support.

This weekend, events include the Mission Trail Music Festival at Socorro Mission from 1 to 10 p.m., the Horizon Wine Festival at Three Missions Brewery, and Cowboy Boot Day at San Jacinto Plaza from 6 to 10 p.m., plus a Safety Safari at the zoo Friday at 9 a.m.

El Paso Animal Services and Friends invite pet owners to honor lost pets at the second annual 'Siempre con Nosotros' pet ofrenda at MACC, running from Oct.

17—Nov. 15; submit your pet’s photo and $5 memorial contribution by Oct. 13 to support ongoing care programs.

The historic Kress Building in downtown is beginning a new chapter as plans for its transformation emerge — the landmark, which opened in 1907 and survived a 1924 fire, has long served as a community gathering place.

On Halloween from 3-6 p.m., the City of El Paso Parks and Recreation Department is hosting free carnivals at community centers for families to enjoy games, music, candy, and a costume contest - check your nearest location for details.

Sin Yolanda restaurant and cantina will open today and tomorrow at 340 Vin Rambla Drive in Montecillo, offering locals a fresh dining option.

The new eatery is set to bring a welcoming atmosphere and new flavors to the neighborhood.

Young dancers aged 6 to 17 can audition on Oct.

24 for NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet, set to perform Dec. 23 and 24 at the Plaza Theatre. Participants will rehearse for 6 to 8 weeks at For the Love of Dance and must pay a $50 fee to cover costume costs.

Texas residents will be able to apply for free to public colleges during Free College Application Week from Oct.

12 — 18 on the ApplyTexas system. The waiver covers undergraduate and community college fees.

Southwest University in El Paso was named School of the Year 2026 by Career Colleges and Schools of Texas for its strong graduation rates, effective job placement, and active community involvement.

The award recognizes its career-focused education across multiple disciplines.

Socorro Independent School District is launching SISD Virtual Academy, a new fully online program for Texas public high school students using Edgenuity for coursework and Schoology for tracking assignments; applications for the first cohort (up to 50 students) will open soon.

El Paso Water has announced the MyEPWater app that lets customers track water use, manage accounts, and pay bills.

The app is available on Apple and Android devices (it also offers tailored alerts), making it simple to stay on top of usage.

El Paso is extending two major roads to ease traffic congestion on West and East sides.

The Resler Drive extension (a $12.6 million project) will start this fall and finish in winter, and the Montwood Drive extension (a $18.2 million project) broke ground and is set to complete in spring.

Hospitals in El Paso are urging women to get mammograms for early detection — University Medical Center offers $50 3D mammograms for uninsured patients this month, and doctors advise regular exams starting at age 40 with younger women evaluated if risk factors exist.

Texas Mutual Insurance Co. and Texicare have awarded $1 million in healthcare grants to local groups, including Paso del Norte Health Foundation and Borderplex Connect — funds will support diabetes prevention and digital health literacy projects in El Paso.