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Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Friday, October 21, 2005
Council agrees to seek airport drilling contract
By JON FULBRIGHT
Staff Writer
Town of Pecos City Council members agreed to seek a contract with one oil and gas exploration company for drilling rights on Pecos Municipal Airport property and with a second company for the right to drill on land near the city’s North Worsham Water Field, during the council’s regular meeting Wednesday morning at City Hall.
Council members approved a tentative agreement with Presario Oil Co. on Midland on a five-year lease to drill on land owned by the city at the airport, though the final terms of the lease are still to be worked out by city officials. The city sent out requests for bids on the property on the south side of Pecos this summer, at the urging of Pecos Economic Development Corp. president Mike Burkholder.
City attorney Scott Johnson said Presario was the lone bidder, with an offer of $27.56 per acre for the five-year lease, with a 3/16 royalty. “The royalty is pretty much what it usually is, the royalties are usually 3/16 or 4/16, the term is fine, but the $27 bonus is a little low,” Johnson said, adding that similar land deals in the Mentone area of Loving County offered bonuses of $100 to $100 an acre.
Johnson said that based on the size of the airport property, the bonus offered would net the city just under $30,000.
“Keep in mind this is our only bid,” he told the council.”I’d like to get a royalty for the city.”
Johnson then recommended the council approve the offer pending negotiations with Presario Oil on a higher bonus payment.
“Once they’ve started, will there be any hindrance to airport operations?” asked council member Frank Sanchez.
“It’s stipulated in the least there won’t be any interference,” Johnson said.
The other deal was with Latigo Petroleum, which is seeking to drill a well on city property southeast of Pecos.
“I got a call last week from a company wanting to drill,” Johnson said. “We don’t own the mineral rights, just the surface, so we won’t get any royalty, but we do get surface damage.”
The offer was for $3,000, with a $8 per rut road damage fee. Johnson added that Latigo also was seeking to purchase water and caliche from the city for their drilling site.
In other action, the council received the final 2005 fiscal year tax collection report from Lydia Prieto, along with the 2005 tax rolls on which the fiscal 2006 budget is based.
Preito said total collections for the past year came to $924,798, while the tax rolls for 2005 totaled $911,521. Preito also gave the council a list of errors and corrections from the past year, which lowered the initial tax estimates by $33,941. She said changes such as additions to the over-65 homestead exemption were responsible for the lower number.
The council approved a new one-year interlocal agreement with reeves County Hospital for ambulance services, which had previously been approved by the Reeves County Hospital District board. The contract is the same as the one negotiated between the city an hospital district earlier this year, and is for 2006.
The contract increased the district’s base payment over a three-year period from $60,000 to $70,000, but would raise the cap proposed from $5,000 to $15,000, if the ambulance service ends up running in deficit. City manager said any future changes to the agreement would be made after the city has a chance to look at payments and collections under the current contract.
Wednesday’s meeting was moved up a week from its normal fourth Thursday of the month date, and Mayor Dot Stafford said a water report for the city again had not arrived in time for action to be taken on an ordinance increasing the city’s water and sewer rates. The council approved increasing rates by an average of $24 a month to pay for state-mandated water and sewer projects, but wanted to wait for a report on how fully the increases would fund the projects before taking action.
The report was not ready for the council’s Oct. 13 meeting, and city finance director Sam Contreras said the person working on the report had been ill and as a result, action on the ordinance would again have to be tabled.
“Hopefully we’ll get it by next week,” Contreras said. A special council meeting will be scheduled when the report arrives.
City making 2nd effort at Walthall St. seal coating
Donated materials and warmer weather through the weekend should solve the problem drivers have been enduring on Walthall Street in Pecos for the past two weeks, after the Town of Pecos CityŐs first attempt at seal coating the heavily-used street literally fell apart.
City Council members on Wednesday heard from city utilities director Edgardo Madrid during the public comments section of their regular meeting. Madrid told them that a second repaving effort would be done on Walthall Street Thursday morning.
City crews resurfaced the street two weeks ago, but rain and cold weather that arrived two days later caused the asphalt to pull up from the surface of the street, leaving a rut along the main driving lanes in spots, and pieces of asphalt in the traffic lanes in other sections of the 11-block street.
Madrid said a Lubbock company, SEM Materials, was donating the asphalt for the new attempt, and that it would cost the city about $2,000 in labor for the new roadwork. A Texas Department of Transportation supervisor will also double-check the work on Thursday.
“We’re bringing on (asphalt) distributor from Jones Bros., because the one from the county was not providing sufficient pressure,” Madrid said. He added that the new asphalt was more of a cold weather mix than the original mix, and had been planned for use on Seventh Street.
Madrid said the Walthall Street project would be the final one for this year. Additional street resurfacing work is scheduled for 2006, which Madrid said would take place in June, July and August.
Temperatures were forecast to be around 90 degrees by Thursday afternoon, when work on the street was expected to be completed, while highs are forecast in the mid-80s on Friday and around 80 on Saturday and Sunday, with only a slight chance of rain both days.
Madrid also said the city would make a stronger effort to keep drivers off of Walthall Street on Thursday, to allow the asphalt time to set. Drivers turning onto and driving across the street two weeks ago prior to the cold, rain weather arriving in town was partially blamed for the later problems with the asphalt failing to adhere to the existing surface.
Accidents near UP tracks kill one, delay trains
Three men escaped injury Thursday morning when a flatbed trailer they were towing was struck by a Union Pacific freight train at a crossing about two miles west of Pecos.
The accident took place about 8 a.m. when a Dodge Ram 1500 pick-up, driven by Jesis Quiroz Tarin, 72, of Pecos, was headed south on County Road 408 (Locker Road), approaching the Union Pacific Railroad crossing just north of Interstate 20. Reeves County Sheriff’s Deputy Frank Campos said Tarin was towing a flatbed trailer and had two passengers in the pick-up, identified as Geronimo Menchaca and Monzerat Orozco, both of Pecos.
“They said they saw the train coming, but didn’t think it was moving that fast,” Campos said. “By the time they reached the tracks and cross, it took off the trailer.”
The eastbound UP freight train knocked the trailer about two car lengths past the crossing on the north side, while it took the train about three quarters of a mile past the intersection to come to a full stop. The rear bumper of the pick-up was torn away, and the vehicle ended up running partially off the road on the west side of the crossing.
Along with sheriff’s deputies, Pecos police, and U.S. Border Patrol agents arrived on the scene just after the accident. Pecos EMS personnel were also called to the scene, but no one was transported to the hospital for treatment.
The accident was the second in less than 24 hours to shut down the Union Pacific’s line through the Permian Basin, On Wednesday afternoon, an accident east of Monahans left a 65-year-old woman dead.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, Dr. Frances Agnes Johnson, Ph. D, 65, of Monahans died Wednesday in the accident off Interstate 20 near mile marker 87.
The DPS said Johnson was driving a 1988 Cadillac Deville when she attempted to pass another vehicle, veered over to the right lane and exited the roadway, lading near the UP railroad tracks.
Johnson was wearing her seat belt, but here was no sign of braking, according to DPS trooper Willie Andino, who was the investigating officer.
An autopsy is being performed.
Memorial services are planned for Saturday, October 22, at Martinez-Smith & Miller Funeral Chapel.
She was a former teacher in Monahans and Pecos and the author of children’s books.
The Monahans News contributed to this report
“X-mas” group seeks applicants, funding for gifts
Elves are getting ready for the Christmas holiday already and applications to be recipients of the special toys and items provided by the volunteers will be available beginning Monday.
Applications to receive “goodies” from the Christmas for Kids Program will be available beginning this Monday, Oct. 24, and running through Nov. 18. Applications can be picked up at the Reeves County Sheriff’s Office from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., Mondays through Fridays.
“All applications must be completed in order to qualify for the program,” said elf Sofia Baeza.
The group is comprised of volunteers who raise funds to provide the essentials for children in the community, who would otherwise lose out on having a Merry Christmas.
“Our main goal is to provide a happy Christmas for as many children in the community as we can,” said Baeza. “We don’t just provide toys, but the essentials, such as coats and shoes.”
Last year the group helped out 524 children and included 182 families.
In 2003, the program provided essentials to 511 children and 173 families.
“The numbers seem to go up every year and we know that there is a lot of need in the community,” said Baeza. “We’ll try to accommodate everyone.”
The deadline to fill out an application to be a recipient of the Christmas for Kids is Friday, Nov. 18.
Baeza said that people wait until the last minute to fill out the applications, but that the group would like to have them right away in order to check for eligibility requirements.
“We need to screen them and if they are not completely filled out, we send it back to them and this takes time,” she said.
She said that the group would be screening the applications more closely, after using a computer for the fourth year in a row to match up all the names submitted to the program and finding some duplicate names.
Only one application is allowed per household. If three adults live in a household, only one adult is allowed to complete and turn in an application.
The applications will also be screened to see if the children really do exist and that the names are not fictitious, and family household income will also be taken into consideration.
The “Christmas for Kids” program is aimed at helping to bring a cheerier holiday for children of less fortunate families in the community.
Baeza also said, “This is for children in Reeves County only,” and the children must be attending Pecos-Barstow-Toyah or Balmorhea ISD, with the exception of babies and toddlers.
She said that a lot of their applications come from the schools, but that they are available in some city and county offices, as well as the sheriff’s department.
“We also helped four families who lost all their belongings in fires this year, two emergency families due to medical problems and one Katrina relief family that was from Pecos and stayed here during the disaster,” she said.
The first fundraiser the group is planning to bring in money to buy all the necessary items is a barbecue plate sale scheduled for Friday, Nov. 4, at the Reeves County Sheriff’s Posse Barn.
The barbecue sale will be held beginning at 10:30 a.m., and plates will be $5 each.
Volunteers will also participate in a door-to-door drive from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 19.
Baeza said that the barbecue plate sale has generated the same amount of money the last two years.
She said that she wanted to thank everyone in the community, the businesses, organizations and especially the volunteers.
Donations are always being accepted for the program.
Anyone wanting more information on Christmas for the Kids could call the Reeves County Sheriff’s Department, at 445-4901.
Chamber surveying proposal to move Night in Old Pecos
Pecos Chamber of Commerce officials are continuing to look at changing the date of Night in Old Pecos in 2006, away from the Saturday prior to the start of the West of the Pecos Rodeo.
Officials are looking at moving the annual event back a month, from the end of June to the end of July, and the subject was discussed during the Chamber’s Oct. 11 meeting, where a survey about the change was handed out.
“I’ve talked to 15 of the out-of-town vendors, 12 got back to me and said it would be no problem,” said board member Debbie Thomas.
Thomas said the Night in Old Pecos committee has been discussing changing the date of the event to late July, instead of having it the day after the Golden Girl/Little Miss Cantaloupe Pageant, which is held the last Friday in June.
Night in Old Pecos/Cantaloupe Festival has been held the Saturday following that event for the past several years. The Cantaloupe Festival originally was held in late July, but was combined with Night in Old Pecos a decade ago due to a shortage of volunteers to organize the event in the weeks following the West of the Pecos Rodeo.
“It’s important that you get back to me, we won’t change it if it’s not what you want,” said Thomas.
Chamber members also were given a review of the Reeves/Loving County Fall Fair during their meeting. Chamber Executive Director Linda Gholson said the Fair was a huge success, but suggestions are always welcome.
Gholson added that Loving County will no longer be participating with Reeves in the fall fair or stock show next year, so it will just be called the Reeves County Fall Fair.
Goose Parade timetable set for next week
Ghosts, goblins, witches and assorted characters are invited to participate in this year’s Mother Goose and Friends parade, set for Saturday, Oct. 29.
Judging will be held from 5:30-6 p.m., at the West Texas National Bank drive thru.
The parade will begin at 6 p.m., at the bank and continue down Oak Street.
Refreshments for participants will be served from 6:30-7 p.m., at the West of the Pecos Museum Park located on Oak Street.
Individual judging categories include: birth through 3 years; 4-6 years; 7-9 years and 10-12 years of age.
Group judging category includes groups of two or more (example: Lilo & Stitch). All ages will be placed into this one category.
First, second and third prizes will be given in each category. Young children may use decorated motorized vehicles for the event. No bikes and 4-wheelers will be allowed.
The annual event is sponsored by the Pecos Area Chamber of Commerce WomenŐs Division.
Modern Study Club holds art program
The Modern Study Club gathered in the home of Joyce and Donald Morton at 3:30 p.m., on Wednesday, Sept. 28, for an Art Department program presented by Dept. Chairman Joyce Morton.
The thought-quote for the meeting was, “Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one.”
Chairman Morton directed members, step by step, as they painted pretty greeting cards in keeping with the program entitled, “Make Your Own Greeting Cards: Using Watercolor paints, stamping, patterns, computer programs.” She also furnished envelopes for the cards and a pattern to enable participants to make their own envelopes, if they so desired. Each member was able to take a pretty card home with them after the fun program.
President Lena Harpham presided during the meeting.
During opening ceremonies Pearl Gustafson led the Club Collect and Betty Lee led the pledges to the United States of America flag and the Texas flag, as all repeated with them in unison. Margie Williamson led the singing of “You Are My Sunshine” as the music for the meeting, in keeping with the Art Program which projected cheer, brightness and butterflies.
The Western District Fall Board Meeting slated Oct. 15, in Pecos was discussed and work was done on finalizing plans for that event. Club members were asked to pay their $17 registration fee at the gathering.
Margie Williamson moved that the club endorse Catherine Travland for President-Elect of he Western District of the Texas Federation of Women’s Clubs for 2006-2008 and the motion was seconded by Pearl Gustafson. The vote was unanimous and The Modern Study Club is honored to be represented by Mrs. Travland.
Paula Fuller, Ways and Means Chairman, suggested Nov. 12 for the club’s Fund Raiser Bake Sale and plans are being made for that event which is held to benefit the club annual Pecos High School Senior Scholarship.
Western District First Vice President Cathy Travland reported on the TFWC Fall Board Meeting she had attended in Austin on Sept. 15-16. The theme for the 2005 gathering was “Honoring Our Heritage” and TFWC President Barbara Winingham of Bowie presided.
Roll Call was answered by replying to the question, “Why Do You Send Greeting Cards?”
Hostesses Lena Harpham and Joyce Morton served delicious refreshments prior to the program and business session.
Eagle band marching in area competition
Pecos High School band members have been practicing diligently getting ready for competition scheduled for this weekend in Odessa.
The Pecos Eagle Band will compete against other area Class 3A Bands this weekend at Ratliff Stadium. Pecos will perform at 3:45 p.m., Saturday at the stadium.
“I think we’ll do pretty good, the kids have come a long, long way,” said Pecos Eagle Band Director Bill Goff.
He said that the group has been playing a little bit harder music this year than they did last year, as the band tries to improve on their recent disappointing area results.
“This is a wonderful group of people and I think they’ve been giving it their all,” said Goff.
Goff said that the Eagle Band has been practicing their usual times, but that the students themselves had called for an extra practice on Tuesday night.
“They also called for a section rehearsal for tonight,” said Goff.
The Eagle Band will depart from Pecos at noon Saturday, for any community members that would like to help send them off.
“I think that they really think that they will do well,” said Goff. “They believe that they’ll do pretty good, because they have been trying so hard and will perform at their best on Saturday,” he said.
Monahans, Fort Stockton, Greenwood and Presidio are the other Class 3A teams who’ll compete in the area band competition.
Enchilada plate sale set next week
An enchilada plate sale will be held from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., Friday, Oct. 28, at the Santa Rosa Hall.
Plates will be $5 or $5.50 with an egg on top. Deliveries will be made on three or more plates.
The plates will consist of three green or red enchiladas, rice, beans and salad.
The event is sponsored by the Prayer Group.
For orders call 445-2302.
School planning “Reading Night”
Bessie Haynes Elementary School is sponsoring “Family Reading Night” on Tuesday, Oct. 25, from 5-6:30 p.m.
Students, parents and grandparents are welcome to come and read books together. Students can then test and earn AR points.
Come by the library and visit the Scholastic Book Fair.
There will be a great selection of books, crafts and novelties. The class with the most visitors will win a $30 gift certificate to the book fair.
Briggs' announce the birth of their daughter
Dixie Jo Briggs was born at 4:10 pm on October 13, 2005 at Odessa Regional Hospital to Smokey and Laura Briggs. She weighed 7lbs. 6ozs. and was 19 inches long. Mother and daughter are both healthy and came home Saturday afternoon. Dixie has two sisters, Ruby, age 8, and Carson, age 4.
Marriages
Marriages for July 2005, as filed with the Reeves County Clerk’s Office.
Joel Fierro Urias and Sonia Zamarripa Urias.
Marriages for August 2005, as filed with the Reeves County Clerk’s Office.
Roland Frank Baca and Ilidia L. Juarez.
Jose Herrera, Jr. and Monica Marie Rivera.
Ricky Lee Salinas and Belinda O. Varela.
Martin Armendariz Fuentez and April Mora Castillo.
Frank Ramirez Garcia and Evarista Mora.
Rene Hidalgo Ortega and Cindy Munoz Vasquez.
Gabriel Chavez Hinojos and Monica Torres Moya.
Jesse Hinojos Adame and Eleni Trujillo Martinez.
Randall Wayne Blount II and Cassady Nicole Bradley.
Marriages for September 2005, as filed with the Reeves County Clerk’s Office.
Matthew T. Contreras and Desiree M. Hernandez.
Adrian Sandoval Mendoza and Ruth Corina Tavarez.
Roy Lindsay and Cleata Clark Allison.
Divorces
Divorces for August 2005, as filed with the Reeves County District’s Clerk’s Office.
Florentino Yniguez and Diana Yniguez.
Johnny Hernandez Varela, Jr. and Mary Ann Ronquillo Varela.
Edward A. Levine, Jr. and Angelica Maldonado Levine.
Artemio A. Munoz and Dolores C. Munoz.
Divorces for September 2005, as filed with the Reeves County District Clerk’s Office.
Mary G. Valenzuela and Michael Valenzuela.
William E. Chandler and Pabla Chandler.
POLICE REPORT
EDITOR’S NOTE: Information contained in the Police Report is obtained from reports filed by the Pecos Police Department, Reeves County Sheriff’s Office, or other officers of those agencies.
The serving of warrants by an officer for outstanding fines of either traffic citations, animal control violations or other court costs are considered arrests and will be printed as such unless indicated that the fines were paid. In such instances we will indicate payment and release.
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Raul Lujan Barrera, 36, 1401 S. Cypress St., was arrested by police on Sept. 29 and on a warrant charging him with assault under the Family Violence Act. Police said the arrest took place at 8:54 p.m. in the 300 block of South Sycamore Street.
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Jeffery Paul Lack, 28, 110 N. Alamo St., was arrested by police on a warrant charging him with theft by check. Police said the warrant was issued out of the Hays County Sheriff’s Department in San Marcos, and the arrest took place at 2 p.m. on Oct. 12 in the 300 block of South Eddy Street.
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Devilla Willard Troy, 71, 815 1/2 S. Cedar St., was arrested by police on Oct. 17 and charged with assault under the Family Violence Act, a Class C misdemeanor. Police said they were called to the 800 block of South Cedar Street at 9:43 a.m., where they met with Linda Troy, who told officers she had been pushed twice by her husband during an argument. Officers said Troy admitted pushing his wife and was then place under arrest and taken to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
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William Michael Meierhoff, 39, 715 W. Eighth St., was arrested by police on warrants charging him with forgery and credit card abuse. Police said the arrest took place at 11:18 a.m. on Oct. 18 at the intersection of Fourth and Sycamore streets. Meierhoff was then transported to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
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Jose Manuel Garcia, 50, 411 W. 10th St., was arrested by Pecos police on warrant charging him with burglary of the habitation. Police said the arrest took place at 2:47 p.m. on Oct. 4 at 1009 E. Fourth St.
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Ester Hinojos Marquez, 45, 306 S. Sycamore St., was arrested by police on Sept. 28 on charges of public intoxication and possession of marijuana, a Class B. misdemeanor. Police said Marquez was stopped in the 200 block of East Ninth Street by officers looking for a purse they believed belonged to her after talking earlier with a male subject. The marijuana was located inside the purse, along with identification for Marquez. She was also deemed to be intoxicated and was arrested and taken by officers to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
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Louie Reyes, 32, 813 S. Cedar St., was arrested by police on Sept. 28 and charged with public intoxication. Police said the arrest was made in the 200 block of East Ninth Street, and Reyes was then taken by officers to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
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Frederico Rede Lara, 48, was arrested by police on Sept. 27 and charged with crimial tresspass. Police said the arrest was made after they received a report of a shoplifter at the Flying J Truck Stop on Interstate 20. Lara was taken by officers to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
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Randall Wayne Blount, 18, was arrested and charged with retaliation and criminal mischief on Sept. 27, following two incidents that occurred earlier in the month in downtown Pecos.
Police said attorney Scott Johnson said on Sept. 10 that two of his office windows had been broken out at 110 W. Sixth St. Six days later, Town of Pecos City Main Street manager Tom Rivera reported a glass window at the State Theater, 421 S. Oak St., also had been broken out.
Officers said after an investigation a warrant was issued for Blount’s arrest, and he was taken into custody on Sept. 27 by officer Felipe Villalobos. Officers said Blount admitted he had damaged both buildings, and along with the first two charges, on Sept. 29 he was served with a warrant for criminal mischief while at the Reeves County Jail.
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Julio Anchondo Franco, 22, 2401 S. Eddy St., was arrested by police on Oct. 1 on a charge of assault under the Family Violence Act, a Class C misdemeanor. Police said the arrest took place at Franco’s home, after officers met with a female who allegedly had been assaulted. Franco was then placed under arrest and taken by officers to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
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Maria Senada Mendoza, 30, 101 S. Park St., was arrested on Oct. 3 on warrants charging her with no valid driver’s license and failure to appear. Police said the arrest took place at 1:45 a.m. at 201 E. Third St., and Mendoza was transported to the Criminal Justice Center.
Pecos Enterprise
York M. "Smokey" Briggs, Publisher
324 S. Cedar St., Pecos, TX 79772
Phone 432-445-5475, FAX 432-445-4321
e-mail news@pecos.net
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Copyright 2003-04 by Pecos Enterprise
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