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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Top Stories
Friday, May 25, 2001
Council approves deal for prisoners to fill jail facility
By LEIA HOLLAND
Staff Writer
PECOS, Friday, May 25, 2001 -- Town of Pecos City Council approved the interlocal
agreement with the U.S. Marshal's Service that would allow the Service to
house federal prisoners in the Pecos Municipal Criminal Justice Center,
during their regular meeting Thursday evening at City Hall.
City Manager Carlos Yerena said that the contract with the Service sets
the per diem rate to $42 per day for each prisoner to be housed at the jail,
which is being built just north of Interstate 20 near Reeves County Hospital.
Currently, most Marshal's Service prisoners awaiting trial or hearings in
U.S. District Court in Pecos are kept at out-of-town facilities.
Yerena explained to the Council that after one year, the Marshal's Service
would look at the history of the facility to determine whether the per diem
rate should go up or down.
"Now it can go up but it has the potential to go down," he said.
Yerena said that the service has already approved the contract.
City Attorney Scott Johnson said that this per diem rate is slightly above
average for West Texas.
"The per diem is pretty good for facilities in this area," he said.
Johnson said that he would approve the agreement and that he believes
that the facility would be beneficial to Pecos.
"I feel that we can do very well at that rate," he said.
In other action, local environmental activist Clark Lindley updated the
council on the radioactive waste bill that went before the state legislature
this month.
Lindley said that the Texas Senate passed the bill that would allow private
companies to store radioactive waste above ground in West Texas, but the
House Calendars Committee voted 5-3 against sending the bill to the House
of Representatives, which "killed the bill."
"As far as this session goes, we've been able to kill the bill," he said.
If passed, the proposed waste dump was expected to be located on land
owned by Waste Control Specialists near Eunice, N.M. in far western Andrews
County. WCS also was seeking to house federal radioactive waste at an adjoining
site, which was cited as the main reason the bill died in committee.
Aside from their Andrews County location, WCS would have had an option
of a site near Barstow that Envirocare of Texas had sought for the dump,
before ending their Texas operations earlier this year, but a provision in
the bill would have banned any radioactive waste dumps from counties along
the Pecos River.
The Council also approved a resolution for an automated weather observation
system (AWOS) that would be installed at the Pecos Municipal Airport.
Yerena told the Council that they had submitted an application for a state
AWOS grant through the Texas Department of Transportation Aviation Department.
The grant is federally funded, with the state paying 75 percent of the
total cost and the city contributing 25 percent, which would be a total of
over $21,000, according to the resolution.
Yerena said that having the system would provide pilots better information
as to what the weather is like at the airport and also put Pecos on the map
with the National Weather Service.
"This system would allow us to be included in statewide weather service,"
he said.
The Council discussed and approved an employee recognition policy in which
employees of the city would receive recognition for outstanding performance
each five years of service.
In other business, the Council approved a bid of $4,250 by Robert Franco
for property at 1320 West Fifth Street, and the tax collectors and accounts
payable reports were approved.
Memorial Day local closings are announced
PECOS, Friday, May 25, 2001 -- Most businesses, along with both local
banks, area utility companies and city, state and federal offices will
be observing Memorial Day with a long weekend.
The Pecos Post Office will be closed on Monday to observe the holiday,
but mail will be delivered to the boxes. The United States Federal Courthouse
will be closed along with the Reeves County Courthouse.
Reeves County Commissioners, who would normally hold their second regularly-scheduled
meeting of the month on Monday, instead will hold their meeting Tuesday morning
at the courthouse. No agenda for the meeting had been released as of press
time.
Town of Pecos City offices will also be closed for the special holiday,
along with other utility companies.
The Pecos Enterprise will be closed and no paper will be printed on that
day. Regular office hours will resume on Tuesday for all the business offices.
Holland top grad, Reynolds No. 2 on recount
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Friday, May 25, 2001 -- Grant Wade Owen Holland will be giving the
valedictorian's speech at this year's Pecos High School graduation,
while a re-check of final grade point averages ranked Randall Reynolds
at the salutatorian for the Class of 2001, which will graduate tonight
at Eagle Stadium.
Reynolds' GPA ended up one one-thousandth of a point ahead of fellow senior
JoAnn Wein, who originally was announced as salutatorian on Thursday before
the re-check resulted in the change this morning. Reynolds' final local GPA
was 4.02333, while Wein's GPA was 4.02203.
Reynolds will give the salutatorian's speech tonight prior to Holland's
valedictory address. The guest speaker for tonight's 8 p.m. graduation ceremony
will be Angelo State University President Dr. James Himan.
Holland completed his four years at PHS with an overall GPA of 3.9875
and a local GPA of 4.1875. He has been a student in Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD
schools throughout his education.
Holland has been a member of several athletic and co-curricular organizations
during his years at Pecos High School. He has been a varsity swimmer for
four years, receiving many honors and awards during his swim career. He has
been an All-District Swimmer for four years, an All-Region Swimmer for three
years, and an All-State Swimmer for two years. He served as co-captain of
the boys swim team for two years. He was named as an Academic All-American
Swimmer this year.
He was a member of the percussion section of the Mighty Eagle Band for
four years, serving as co-captain during his senior year. He was selected
by the band members as Band Beau this year.
This year's Valedictorian was selected as Outstanding Student for Art
II, Latin I, Band III and Government during his four years at PHS.
As a sophomore, he was the recipient of the Kodak Young Leader Award.
He has served as a swimming instructor and a lifeguard for children during
the summers, and completed his scuba diving certification as a junior.
After graduation, Holland plans to attend Texas A&M University to
study psychology.
He is the son of Judy and Walter Holland and has one sister, Leia. He
is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. W.O. Terry of Amarillo and Mr. and Mrs. J.C.
Holland of Denver City.
Reynolds was named Student of the Year by the Pecos Chamber of Commerce,
and was an academic All-American swimmer. As a sophomore, he won international
contest held by Microsoft in 1999 to design a logo for their web site.
He is a member of the Pecos Youth Advisory Commission and was a Co-Captain
of the Pecos Eagle Swim Team that finished fifth and sixth at the state finals
the past two seasons. Reynolds was part of the relay that set a new district
record during district competition this year.
Among his many accomplishments and volunteerism include: the Youth Advisory
Commission which serves meals to the needy on Christmas and Thanksgiving;
the commission has held clothing drives to give to the needy and to the Christian
Home; the commission has participated in Adopt-A-Block programs; participated
in the annual Toys for Tots; in the cancer walks such as Relay for Life;
helped repaint the gazebo at Maxey Park with the Youth Advisory Commission
in 1997; goes Christmas Caroling with the Latin Club where they carol in
Latin; caroling at the nursing home with his church group and every summer
he teaches swimming lessons through the American Red Cross as a Water Safety
Instructor.
Reynolds is the son of Lisa and Randy Reynolds. Grandparents are Norma
Jean and Elvia Reynolds and Marcia Metler
Wein has been a member of the National Honor Society for three years and
public relations reporter for the 2000-2001 school year.
She was a member of the Latin Club for four years and served as treasurer
in the 1999-2000 school year.
Wein played volleyball in 1997-1998 and was on the swim team for four
years where she served as team captain from 1999-2001.
She is a certified swim instructor and certified lifeguard.
Wein was also a Peer Mediator and received the Outstanding Student Achievement:
Pre AP Biology Award in 1997-1998; the English II (1998-1999); Computer Science
(1999-2000); AP Biology (2000-2001) and the Voice of Democracy Winner in
2000-2001.
Wein is a member of the First Baptist Church and Youth Group Mission Trip
to Laredo; a participant in 2000 Rodeo Review-Entertainment at Nursing Home
and has volunteered for Meals on Wheels, Police Youth Bike Safety Program
and Community Trash-Off.
She is the daughter of Raynell and Charlie Wein.
Pecos Elementary in need of boxes to move supplies
PECOS, Friday, May 25, 2001 -- Boxes are needed at Pecos Elementary School
in order to transfer supplies for the third grade students over to
Austin Elementary.
Thursday was the last day the school will be open, and third grade classes
will be moved to Austin Elementary starting in August. As a result, the teachers
are packing up all the supplies and moving them to their new classrooms at
Austin Elementary.
If anyone has any boxes they'd like to donate please call the school
at 447-7212.
McLaren group ordered held for trial on weapons charges
By JON FULBRIGHT
Staff Writer
PECOS, Friday, May 25, 2001 -- After listening for an extended period on
Thursday to former Republic of Texas leader Richard McLaren and several
of his associates declare themselves prisoners of war, U.S. Magistrate
Durwood Edwards ordered McLaren and four others detained pending their
August trial on federal weapons charges, stemming from the 1997 standoff
with Texas Rangers and other state law enforcement officials near Fort
Davis.
A bond hearing was held on the Republic of Texas members on Thursday at
the Lucius D. Bunton Federal Courthouse in Pecos. It was the same site where
McLaren's run-in with Judge Bunton five years ago over illegally filed liens
on property in the Davis Mountains helped spark the week-long standoff at
McLaren's compound southwest of Fort Davis between April 27 and May 3, 1997.
A trial on charges of violating the National Firearms Act against McLaren,
his assistant, Robert "White Eagle" Otto, and three other Republic members,
Richard Frank Keyes, Greg Paulson and Karen Simon Paulson is scheduled to
begin before U.S. District Judge Royal Furgeson in Midland on Aug. 6. The
federal weapons charges are separate from the state charges that McLaren
and the others were later convicted of following the standoff.
During the hearing, McLaren and the other defendants' arguments centered
around a lack of jurisdiction by the federal court claiming that they were
prisoners of war and as such were due a hearing under an international court
as provided for by the Geneva Convention.
The detention hearing is required by federal court rules once a person
is taken into federal custody. Until recently the defendants were in state
custody, either serving sentences from state convictions arising from the
1997 standoff in the Davis Mountains, some of which are pending appeal.
McLaren was ordered arrested by Bunton in April 1996 after failing to
respond to a judgment against him for filling $1.8 billion in false property
liens. When he failed to abide by the terms of his agreement with Bunton
that allowed his release in June of 1996, a second arrest warrant was issued
in December 1996. McLaren remained at his compound for the next four months,
until neighbors Joe and M.A. Rowe were kidnapped on April 27, 1997, leading
to the standoff with law enforcement officials.
Kidnapping convictions against McLaren and Otto were overturned by the
Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals in El Paso, and are pending an appeal by
the state in Austin, while the Eighth Circuit's judges upheld the kidnapping
conviction of Keyes.
Weather
High Thursday 99. Low this morning 66. Forecast for tonight: Mostly
cloudy with a 20 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms. Low around
60. Southeast wind 5 to 15 mph. Saturday: Partly cloudy. High around
100. Saturday night: Partly cloudy. Low in the mid 60s. Sunday: Partly
cloudy. High in the upper 90s. Memorial Day: Partly cloudy. Lows in
the mid 60s. Highs in the mid to upper 90s.
Obituary
Ismael V. Rodriguez
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
Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium.
Copyright 2000 by Pecos Enterprise
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