Corina Esparza, Savanna Aguilar, Sandra SanMiguel and Jorge Garcia from Americas High School have won the 2013 Roll-off Mural Contest! Out of several other high schools across the city, these students won over a panel of judges from the Environmental Services Department.

As part of “El Paso’s Earth Day Celebration,” the Environmental Services Department created this contest to promote environmental awareness. The winning design is called “Let’s Paint a Better World.” Each student will receive an award plus the school will be given a trophy.

The students, with the guidance of their art teacher, are painting the design on a 26 ft. long by 6 ft. high roll-off garbage dumpster that will be unveiled during “El Paso’s Earth Day Celebration” on April 20^th at the Union Plaza District.

This gorgeous dumpster will be used to by Environmental Services to haul garbage from the City’s Citizen Collection Stations to the Greater El Paso Landfill.

I went out to visit Pet Guardian Angel and spent some time with PGA director, Martha Williams. We spent time talking about our love for animals and the horrible situations some animals face. Back in the 1980′s Martha and other member of PGA fought to end the inhumane method of killing poor animals called the “Volkswagen Engine” method.

She told me how these poor animals would be contained in a small area where car exhaust fumes would be pumped into which caused the animals to die in such a painful way. These animals would actually rip each other apart before their lungs would burn out until they finally died.

Martha and others from PGA fought to end this method for years and were able to change Animal Control’s method of euthanasia to a more humane injection. They also were able to change the way Animal Control would euthanize all animals that were not claimed by owners instead of trying to get them adopted.

PGA and Martha are still saving animals at their 14911 McCracken Dr. location. It may be far out but it is worth the trip to see all these adorable animals with hope in their eyes. According to Martha, “Dogs brought here have hope in their eyes as they look at people passing by hoping their owner will return or someone will take them home. You can notice that hope fade after awhile. We try to keep that hope alive.”

Volunteers keep these animals in playful spirits so if you would like to help out the PGA team contact them by calling (915) 598-0411, visiting their website or on Facebook!

Now if you would love to adopt a wonderful pet like this adorable puppy with gorgeous blue eyes, head on down to Pet Guardian Angel. This cute girl is actually weening from her mother and will soon be able to adopt.

Pets Available to adopt do come with all required procedures and range from $100 to $125 on selected dogs and cats. They do hold adoption fairs every Sunday from 10:00pm – 4:00 pm at the PGA facility.

Pet Guardian Angel Hours are:

10:00 AM –  5:00 PM Tuesday through Friday

10:00 AM  -   4:00 PM Saturday

10:00 AM  -  4:00  PM Sundays

Check out some of the adorable animals just waiting for you to take home!

Enter to win a chance to #BREAKFREE from everyday life with a trip to Miami!

You and a guest could win an all-expense paid trip to Miami — plus, the lucky grand prize winner will also receive two Samsung Galaxy Victory 4G LTE phones and $500 in spending money. After you enter the contest, be sure to share it with your friends on Facebook or Twitter to double your chances of winning!

Two grand prize winnerswill each receive: Hotel and airfare for two Two Samsung Galaxy Victory 4G LTE phones $500 spending money Contest ends on: 3/31 at 11:59PM EST

Share with your friends here, or by using your Samsung Victory with the hashtag #BREAKFREE

Source: Virgin Mobile Presents: #BREAKFREE Flyaway Sweepstakes

Contest update: Live Nation Global Touring has confirmed that the remainder of the Lady Gaga Born This Way Ball performances have been canceled. The Lady Gaga #BreakFree To Miami Sweepstakes has been suspended until further notice.

Please check back for more updates.

RECENT SUBMISSIONS

Calling all little monsters! Upload a pic of your best Lady Gaga outfit to win tickets to see her live in Miami. Note: Sharing the contest with friends will double your chances of winning!

Source: Virgin Mobile Presents: #BREAKFREE to Miami Sweepstakes

Remember, if you went, enter your secret code found in the back of the pamphlet here.

Thank you to everyone who attended and to our vendors. We hope you had a great time. See you there next year!

Thank you to all of you who came out and signed up for a chance to win with the Great Purse Giveaway.

This year not only could you win a brand new, brand name purse, but also 5 purses contained $1000 each!

It was super exciting to see the faces of those that won as they revealed the contents inside and finding the $1000 ticket that made their Christmas a whole lot merrier!

- Register for a $2500 Shopping Spree with the Viva Auto Group Giving Tree –

I also want to thank all of our wonderful and fantastic sponsors this year:

Barragan’s Salon & Spa, Jewel Gallery, Make Room For Baby, WB Liquors, El Paso Cosmetic Surgery, The Outlet Shoppes at El Paso, Wild Horse Nightclub, Hyundai of El Paso, and One Source FCU.

Stay tuned because we have more winning on the way just for you!

You have until December 12th to cast your vote for these babies. Good luck!

There’s no more helpless feeling in the world for a parent than when their child is sick.  Imagine how awful you feel when your little one has a cold – now imagine how terrifying it would be if your child needed a kidney.

Nine year old Natalie Mirage got sick, and was first thought to have Mono, but later tests showed she had Good Pasture Syndrome, and her kidneys were failing.  KTSM introduced us to Natalie last night.

Natalie is on the UNOS (United Network forOrgan Sharing) list, which is a non-profit organization that manages the nation’s transplant system.  Unfortunately, because only 1 – 2% of people who die have donatable organs, the list is longer than the available organs for donation.

That’s why Natalie’s family is trying to get a live donor.  The donor would need to be willing to donate a kidney to Natalie right away, and because she has type O blood, the donor would have to be either O positive or O negative.

If you can help, or know someone who can, contact Natalie’s mom, Patti Mirage at 423-747-3604, or go to their Facebook pages, Natalie’s Prayer Army, or Pray for Natalie.  Our prayers and well wishes go out to Natalie and the entire Mirage family.

Jarrod’s wife tells us all about her soldier and their family:

“Jarrod is my husband we have been together since Sept. 2001 and got married on Oct 31st 2003.

He is still in Afghanistan – he deployed June 27, 2012 and should return around the end of February or early March of next year.

Jarrod first deployed to Iraq  with the 10th Mountain Division of Ft. Drum NY on October 14th, 2009, and returned in Sept 2010.

He re-enlisted in December, 2010, and we PCS’d from Ft. Drum, NY, at the end of March, 2011 to Ft Bliss.

Jarrod again deployed to Iraq from Ft. Bliss in August, 2011 and returned on Thanksgiving night that same year.

He deployed for the 3rd time in June of this year to Afghanistan,and will return sometime either end of March or April of next year.

Jarrod has been in the military for 14 years, and will be re-enlisting again while on deployment.

He is a NCO Combat Medic.

We have 2 children, (his step children, but he doesn’t see them as step he says they’re his children also!)

We were blessed with our 1st grandson on August 28, 2007.  His name is Conner Bowen who is known as Jarrod’s “Lilman”.

Then we were again blessed with our second granddaughter on October 17, 2009.  Her name is  Caman Bowen who Jarrod calls his “LilPrincess”.  She was born 3 days after Jarrod deployed fom Ft. Drum to Iraq.

We’re expecting our 3rd grandchild another girl, Caylee Sue, in November of this year, again, while Jarrod is deployed in Afghanistan.”

These are some pictures that Pam would like to share with KISS listeners.  Thank you so much to Jarrod for his service to our country, and to Pam for sharing his story!

[button href="http://klaq.com/morning-show-winner-hunter-james-garcia-gets-the-game-ball-at-the-utepsmu-game-gallery/" title="See Hunter Accept the Game Ball at the UTEP Game" align="center"]

The El Paso Children’s Hospital

I was also shown a very precious video by Hunter’s mom. It was about a year ago that he was in the hospital for a prolonged visit and he woke up for a breathing treatment. He wanted to sing and it was captured on web camera. So amazing how positive Hunter is throuhg his stuggles. What a blessing he is to many! Watch…

Chalk the Block isn’t just about drawing on the sidewalk, it’s art installations, and music, and families checking out Downtown El Paso.

This year, Chalk the Block will also have Flexion, a really amazing group that is made up of acrobats on stilts.  I know!  Acrobats on stilts!  Check them out!

There is a lot to do and see at Chalk the Block – there are even light installations flashed up on downtown buildings!

I’m going to be at Chalk the Block Saturday afternoon from 2p – 4p, so swing by the KISS FM tent and say hi!  But don’t forget to make plans to check out Chalk the Block this weekend in downtown El Paso!

For those of you who are more interested in the sport itself, here are some revised logos you can have a laugh at.  Be safe out there today!

Discover the Power of the Broom with Brooms for the Cure!
Presented by GECU

A team of local artists have created and decorated some custom designed brooms, that are now on display at GECU!

Visit any of the eleven GECU locations around town and check out one of the Brooms for the Cure, and you can get signed up to win tickets to see the Broadway Blockbuster, WICKED at the Plaza Theatre!

Eleven pairs of tickets will be awarded, one from each GECU location, plus one pair of deluxe tickets to the opening night show!

Then, on Saturday night, January 21st, 2012, join us at the Wyndham Hotel where we will auction off all the brooms at “A Chocolate Affair”, with all net proceeds going to the Susan G. Komen For the Cure!