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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Top Stories
Friday, November 17, 2000
County, city jobless rates continue downward trend
By JON FULBRIGHT
Staff Writer
PECOS, Nov. 17, 2000 - Reeves County's unemployment rate continued its recent
downward trend in October, though the drop for last month reported by the
Texas Workforce Commission was less than that during the previous three months.
Local unemployment dropped from 8.4 to 8.3 percent in October,
as the county's workforce also declined with the end of the summer
harvest season in the area. The number of jobs in Reeves County fell by
over 1,000, from 7,745 to 6,691, while unemployment dropped from 653
in September to 554 last month.
The county's workforce is at its lowest level since last January,
when there were just over 6,500 people in the county's labor pool. But
the number of jobs is up by 350 since then, when unemployment was at
its high for the year, at 12.2 percent.
Unemployment remained slightly higher in Pecos, but the jobless
rate was down to 9.5 percent, its low for the year after starting off at
13.8 percent in January.
The TWC said there were 5,231 people in the city's workforce
last month, down from 6,057 in September, but the number of unemployed
also fell, from 585 to 496, which lowered the jobless rate from 9.7 percent.
Other cities in the Permian Basin and Trans-Pecos region
reported sharper drops in their jobless rate, with the overall rate for the
area falling from 5.5 to 4.7 percent.
Ector County saw its workforce decline while the number of jobs
grew, resulting in a 1.1 percent drop in unemployment. Midland County
fell from 4.9 to 4.2 percent, while Andrews and Ward counties also
saw unemployment fall by seven-tenths of a percent.
Brewster County had the area's lowest unemployment rate, at
2.3 percent, as the increase in the number of jobs matched a rise in the
county's labor force. Meanwhile, neighboring Presidio County continued to
have the region's highest unemployment rate, but the TWC
said unemployment in the county dropped by almost 250 in October,
lowering the rate from 30.3 to 23.5 percent.
Statewide, Texas' unemployment rate dipped slightly in October to
a seasonally adjusted 4.3 percent from September's revised rate of
4.4 percent, according to the TWC.
Before adjusting for seasonal variations in the job market,
the number of unemployed Texans actually fell 40,200 to 412,800, and
the number of working Texans increased by 63,100 to about 10 million,
the commission said.
"Not only is the unemployment rate down from the previous
month, the rate is three-tenths of a percent lower than it was last October,"
said commission chairwoman Diane Rath.
Without adjusting for seasonal patterns, Texas unemployment
would have fallen from 4.3 percent in September to 3.9 percent in October, the
commission said. Economists generally adjust unemployment figures to account
for seasonal ups and downs, believing that this gives a more accurate picture of
the underlying economy.
Total government employment grew by 7,700 jobs in October, with
Austin-San Marcos and Bryan-College Station
leading the way as universities continued to add staff for the fall semester, the
commission reported.
Collections set Saturday for `Christmas for Kids'
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Nov. 17, 2000 - Little elves will be going door-to-door seeking donations for a
very worthy cause on Saturday.
The group will be collecting for the Christmas for the Kids fund,
an organization designed to bring warmth and happiness to as
many children in the area as possible.
"We want to provide the essentials for as many children
as possible, this Christmas season," said Christmas for the Kids organizer
Sofia Baeza. "We want to help as many families as we can."
Baeza said the group began accepting applications on Oct. 29
and will continue to accept them until Dec. 6.
"We already have families that have filled out the applications
and returned them," said Baeza. So far 69 families and close to 200 kids
have been put on the Christmas for Kids list, according to Baeza.
Last year, Christmas for Kids helped out 521 children, with
181 families benefiting from the special project.
This year's goal is to raise $6,000. "We raised about $5,200 last year,
but we feel we'll have more children and more families on the list," said Baeza.
Baeza said that last year they had a lot more families and children
on the list than the year before. "The number just keeps growing and
this year proves to be the same," said Baeza. "I have a lot of new names
on the list and combined with the ones we usually help the number is
going to be really high."
About this time last year, the number of applicants was at 42
with 102, according to Baeza.
A barbecue lunch was held on Nov. 4 at the Reeves County
Sheriff's Posse Barn to help raise funds for the project. "We raised over $1,200
during that event," said Baeza.
Lucio Florez took the group $238, while Joel Martinez with the
Barstow Fire Department donated $150 from that organization. "We
really appreciate their help and want to thank them for their efforts,"
said Baeza.
There are about 8-10 families from Barstow that benefit from
the Christmas for the Kids Program each year.
"The businesses have been really helpful, also, they always
come through for us," said Baeza.
Volunteers that will be helping out during the door-to-door drive
on Saturday include, the Town of Pecos City Youth Advisory Group,
Pecos High School tennis players and Spanish Club members, and
Baeza said that she had contacted all the coaches to get their students to
help with the drive.
"We always need a lot of volunteers and I encourage
any group or organization that wants to, to come out and help us raise
funds for these kids," she said.
Baeza said that the main goal of the group was to provide the
best Christmas ever for the kids in our community.
"Since 1996, when we started this program, our community has
always been there for us, I know it will be here again this year," she said.
"We provide the essential items such as shoes, clothes, jackets
and we want to help every child that is on our list every year," said Baeza.
"We want to make it a `Happy Holiday,' for these less fortunate children
in our community."
For more information on the program call the Reeves
County Sheriff's Office at 445-4901.
TWC honors Pineda's work in Pecos area
By LEIA HOLLAND
Staff Writer
PECOS, Nov. 17, 2000 - The Texas Workforce Commission honored a
dedicated employee of 25 years with the Star Award this week.
Retired Workforce Development Specialist Dora Pineda was the
guest of honor at an award ceremony at the Pecos office of the
Texas Workforce Commission on Wednesday where she
received recognition from the state and her co-workers.
Pineda started working for the workforce commission in 1969
after showing up one day looking for employment.
"I just came in looking for a job," she said.
Pineda said the original Texas Employment Commission
office manager for Pecos, Joe Carpenter needed an employee who was
a veteran and bilingual.
"I fit all of those," she said.
Pineda served in the Army during the Korean War and was
stationed in Korea and Japan.
After interviewing with Carpenter, Pineda said she had
to take a written exam, which she passed but then had to wait a month and
a half before the position was available.
Since Pineda and her husband Mac Arthur were raising two
sons and a daughter, she worked part-time for the first five years and
then became a full-time employee.
"It was good because I could work nine to two and be home when
the children came home from school," she said.
Pineda did just about every job in the office during her 25 years
there, including 18 years in iterant service where she would work with
the migrant workers.
She also worked with a program called Project Rio, which
helped people coming out of prison to find jobs and get associated with
society again.
Pineda retired from her career in the workforce commission On July
31, 1999. "I didn't want to but I couldn't work anymore because I am
legally blind," she said.
She said she misses going to work everyday but enjoys being at
home and is taking Braille lessons with the help of the Texas Commission for
the Blind.
Pineda said she misses helping the people the most.
"It's always been in my nature to help people," she said. "I always
do the best I can to help them."
That is the dedication that made the Permian Basin Local
Program Coordinator Landre Doan nominate her for the quarterly award.
Doan said a committee of workforce employees meet to
look over the nominations and chooses who they feel deserves the award
the most.Pineda said she was surprised when she found out she won
the award.
"Landre is the one who called me," she said.
Pineda said she has done and seen it all when it comes to the
workforce commission and was hard to replace.
"Five people were hired to do my job," she said.
After all the work covering eight counties and all the over-time
hours spent on helping people Pineda said she loved what she did.
"I didn't mind it as long as somebody was happy," she said.
Obituaries
Ignacia Tarango
Ignacia Tarango, 74, of Pecos, died Thursday, Nov. 16, 2000, at her residence.
A prayer service will be held at 7 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 18, at the
Pecos Funeral Home Chapel.
Services are scheduled for 3 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 19, at the Pecos
Funeral Home Chapel with Ismael Lujan officiating. Burial will be in
Greenwood Cemetery.
She was born July 18, 1926, in Saragosa, was a homemaker and a lifelong
area resident.
She was preceded in death by two sons and a daughter.
Survivors include her husband, Bernabe Tarango of Pecos; three
sons, Mario, Alvino and Adan Tarango of Pecos; four daughters, Imelda Reyes
of San Angelo, Gloria Valeriano of Pecos, Eva Ramirez of Utica, Mi. and
Sonia Uribe of Houston; 21 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Pecos Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Marana Osborn Humphrey, 100, died Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2000.
Graveside services will be held at 2:15 p.m., Monday, Nov. 20, at
Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery. She will be buried with her
beloved husband, Joseph Robert Humphrey.
She was born June 28, 1900, in Emory, Tx. She and Joseph
Robert Humphrey were married in 1923, and they came to Pecos, where he
had graduated from high school in 1916. He was superintendent of
schools, and she was a teacher.
Through the years, Marana was a strong, positive influence on
the students that she taught, and won many teaching accolades.
She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and
great-grandmother. Her grandsons will cherish the memories of living
with her in Austin at various times during their college years, and
memorable visits.
She was preceded in death by her husband, "Joe Bob" in 1972.
Survivors include two daughters, Martha Muirhead of Plattsburg,
Mo. and Lillian Creasy of Pecos; four grandsons, Joseph R.
Muirhead, John Muirhead, Robert Rhea, and Scott Rhea, and two
great-grandchildren.
Her loving touch will remain with all those who loved her, and she
will be very missed.
The family requests that memorials be made to
the Alzheimer's Association or their favorite charity.
Ronald Tate
Ronald Bruce Tate, 58, of Hobbs, N.M., died on Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2000,
in Intercoastal, La.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. MST (11 a.m. CST), Monday,
Nov. 20, at Chapel of Hope Funeral Home Chapel in Hobbs with Rev. LaVoid
Ford of Temple Baptist Church officiating.
Burial services will be at 3 p.m. CST, at Mount Evergreen Cemetary
in Pecos with graveside services conducted by the Pecos Masonic Lodge.
He was born on July 4, 1942 in Edna and married Erie Bolden on Dec.
6, 1963 in Franklin, LA.
He was a 32nd Mason and a member of the Pecos Masonic Lodge.
Survivors include his wife Erie Bolden of Hobbs; one son Ron Tate
of Lafayette, La.; his step-father Horatio, Ak.; and one grandson.
Weather
PECOS, Nov. 17, 2000 - High Thursday 60. Low this morning 42. Forecast for
tonight: Cloudy with a chance of rain: May be mixed with sleet or snow
late. Low in the lower 30s. East wind 10 to 20 mph. The chance
of precipitation is 30 percent. Saturday: Cloudy and cold
with rain likely. Rain changing to sleet or snow during the morning.
High in the mid 30s. Northeast wind 10 to 20 mph. The chance
of precipitation is 60 percent. Saturday night: Cloudy and
cold with a 20 percent chance of snow. Low in the mid 20s.
Total accumulations 1 to 3 inches. Sunday: Decreasing
cloudiness. High in the mid 30s to near 40.
Pecos Enterprise
York M. "Smokey" Briggs, Publisher
Division of Buckner News Alliance, Inc.
324 S. Cedar St., Pecos, TX 79772
Phone 915-445-5475, FAX 915-445-4321
e-mail news@pecos.net
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Copyright 2000 by Pecos Enterprise
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