Author: EPCHS

salazar

Salazar versus Westfall

In 1979, Mayor Ray Salazar was running for a second term, and many observers believed he would be re-elected without much trouble. Then came retired FBI Agent Tom Westfall. Westfall and his campaign manager, historian Leon Metz, ran a vigorous campaign, with conservatives as their core constituency. Westfall made an issue of the construction of […]

The El Paso mayor’s race of 1981

In 1980 Mayor Tom Westfall announced his would not run for reelection in 1981. Ray Pearson and Jonathan Rogers emerged as the front runners. Pearson was a democratic party activist, lawyer and had a lot of political influence. Pearson also served as chair of the City Housing Authority and public service commissions. He had a […]

1975

The El Paso Mayor’s Race of 1975

In 1974, Mayor Fred Hervey decided not to run for reelection in 1975 and backed  parks and recreation alderman, Don Henderson,who was elected on the Fred Hervey slate of candidates in 1973. Henderson emerged as the front runner . Henderson ran a low key campaign,running on his experience in government and in business. Fiscal Responsibility […]

062-1998-010

Photos: Ernst and Olga Kohlberg

Ernst Kohlberg, founder of the first cigar factory in the Southwest, was born in 1857 in Prussia came to El Paso with Solomon C. Schutz in 1875. Kohlberg agreed to work for Schutz, without pay for up to a year, to pay for his passage to Texas. After working for Schutz for eight months, Schutz […]

edie

Edie Rubalcuba: El Paso’s First Female District Clerk

Edelmira “Edie”  Salazar was born in El Paso in 1936 . She attended San Jacinto and Alamo Elementary schools and graduated from Bowie High School in 1955. Rubalcaba worked at Midland Specialty and J.C. Penny. She married Art Rubalcaba, and they raised two children together. Rubalcaba started a long career in the El Paso County District […]