Police responded to the 1200 block of Airway around 8 p.m. on Thursday night after a 2004 Ford Taurus driven by Cynthia Dominguez, 26, veered over the median and hit a 27-year-old motorcyclist Michael Paauwe head on. More >

Beer runs, one of the most prevalent crimes in El Paso, dropped by about 17 percent last year, according to El Paso Police Department figures. Beer runs — in which a thief grabs beer and flees without paying — dropped in all of the city’s police regions last year except for the Northeast, which had a 4 percent increase.

This crime is so common that photos of unidentified beer-run suspects are regularly posted on the Police Department’s website.

When Kinder Morgan (NYSE: KMI ) announced its intent to purchase El Paso (NYSE: EP ) in October, it made it very clear that it was not interested in the exploration and production side of the company. Now, as the deal moves closer to regulatory approval, Kinder Morgan is faced with the very thing that has haunted mankind since the beginning of time.

El Paso police have located a private ambulance stolen from an East Side hospital possibly by a psychiatric patient. Police said the ambulance was found about 9:30 p.m. outside the Albertsons store at 5636 N. Desert on the West Side. A man suspected of taking the vehicle was also in custody. More >

There is now just one Bank of the West in the Las Cruces/El Paso region. California-based Bank of the West has branches in Las Cruces and Anthony. El Paso-based Bank of the West – a different company – has decided to change its name to WestStar Bank to avoid confusion, especially if the California company opens locations in El Paso one day.

The California bank, founded 137 years ago with a different name, has a trademark on the Bank of the West name. But it did not ask or require the El Paso bank, founded 22 years ago, to change its name, said Rick Francis.

El Paso Pipeline Partners LP said Friday that the board of its general partner raised its quarterly cash distribution to 50 cents.

The Houston-based natural-gas pipeline company said the distribution, which represents a 2 percent boost from El Paso’s previous distribution of 49 cents, will be paid on Feb. 14 to unitholders of record as of Jan. 31.

Apollo Global Management LLC and Riverstone Holdings LLC , two New York-based private equity firms, have reportedly placed a $7 billion joint bid to purchase all of El Paso Corp’s (NYSE: EP) exploration and production assets from Kinder Morgan Inc. More >

El Paso Mayor John Cook is in debt for $16,212 and a group seeking to recall him has $2,150 left for its effort, according to finance reports filed with the city clerk.

The reports, filed to fulfill the Jan. 15 deadline for candidates, office-holders and specific purpose committees, were posted Monday on the city clerk’s website.

Cook listed a total of $3,361 in political expenditures, $452 total contributions and $16,212 in outstanding loans.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta will address a “town hall” meeting of about 500 soldiers of the 1st Armored Division and family members at Fort Bliss.

Panetta will appear Thursday afternoon at the Combat Aviation Brigade facility at the West Texas Army installation.

It’ll be Panetta’s first visit to Fort Bliss since he took office last July. He’ll also attend a meeting of the Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce. The expansion of Fort Bliss, as part of the military’s base closure and relocation program, has been one of the main economic drivers for the city.

Police didn’t have to go far to arrest a West Texas man accused of drunken driving on Interstate 10. El Paso police say his vehicle hit a stopped patrol car. More >