Photog Blog | Photojournalism by El Paso Times

Graduation joy

Thousands of seniors in the El Paso southwest participated in graduation ceremonies beginning in mid-May and just recently completing. The happiness was readily apparent in the graduates as they received their diplomas after completion of their high school studies. 
       
(Above) Del Valle Early College High School graduate Ramon Eduardo Valles acknowledged family members after receiving his diploma Wednesday at Magoffin Auditorium and an Ysleta graduate shows off her diploma. 

                

(Above) Riverside graduate Luis Parra happily embraced teacher Jennifer Prieto. Parra told his teacher that he will miss her. (Below) Austin top-10 graduate Jacob Lavigne, left, exulted over his graduation and Hanks graduate Brittany Prater celebrated as balloons fell from the Haskins Center rafters at the conclusion of a commencement exercise. 

       

                     
(Above) Riverside graduate Ramon Ontiveros took a sweet sniff of a carnation courtesy of Devin Mirando during a graduation ceremony at the Haskins Center. Each graduate was presented an orange carnation.  (Below) Candelaria Orozco looked up proudly at great grandson Abel Gonzalez,  a new Valle Verde Early College High School graduate, at the conclusion of a graduation ceremony at Magoffin Auditorium.

                                





 

Little Bear Leaves Destruction Behind

Wolfgang and Diane Born went Sunday, June 10 to see the remains of their recently finished home that was destroyed when the Little Bear fire swept through the Wolf Creek Subdivision. Seven homes in the subdivision outside Ruidoso, N.M. were destroyed.  242 residences and/or commercial buildings had been destroyed along with 12 out building as of Monday, June. 18. Damage Assessments continue as more than 1,000 firefighters and support personnel and 9 helicopters continue to battle the blaze. Rudy Gutierrez/El Paso Times

Flags retired

The Vietnam Veterans of America, Post 844 held a retire by fire ceremony on U.S. Flag Day June 14 at the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 812. About 400 flags, which have become unusable, were retired. In top photo at left, Mal Standish saluted as his glasses reflected a 30 by 60 foot flag about to be retired. (Bottom photo) Nathaniel Ford reverently held a U.S. flag before handing it to be placed in the flames during a flag retirement ceremony. Veterans from Post 844 have been holding the Flag Day ceremony since 2010 and have retired 5,000 flags which have become tattered and unusable. The ashes from the flags is taken and then buried.

                      
                 

 

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Right on the nose

Alex Saucedo landed a punch to James Harrison's face during their welterweight bout Saturday. Saucedo defeated Harrison in one of the bouts on the Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr.-Andy Lee undercard Saturday June 16 at the Sun Bowl. Saucedo prevailed by three unanimous scores of 40-36.

Rumble in the Sun Bowl

Julio César Chávez Jr. put on the show the fans came to see ... slowly, methodically, almost surgeon-like in his pursuit, his punishment, his finishing of Irish challenger Andy Lee on Saturday night June 16 in the Sun Bowl stadium. Chávez Jr, now 46-0-1, scored the 32nd knockout of his career when referee Laurence Cole stepped in to stop the onslaught at 2:21 of the seventh round. It was the third successful defense of his WBC world middleweight title for Chávez Jr. (Top photo) Chavez, Jr. reacts after being headbutted by Lee early in the fight. (Second photo) Chavez, Jr. unleased a barrage of punches on Lee forcing the referee to stop the fight. (Third photo) Chavez, Jr. and his entourage, including Julio Cesar Chavez, Sr., left, exulted as the fight was stopped. Finally, Chavez, Jr. showed off his world title belt as he celebrated.