EL PASO — A state appeals court late Friday again halted El Paso County’s shutdown of nonessential businesses that was scheduled to last until Dec. 1. El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego issued the shutdown order Oct. 29 in an effort to slow the latest outbreak of COVID-19 here, where total cases since the pandemic began surpassed 70,000 Friday. A group of local restaurants and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued to block the order after it was issued, arguing that it went beyond Gov. Greg Abbott’s executive order that outlines what limits can be placed on private businesses across the state. Although ...