|
Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Top Stories
Monday, July 02, 2001
Tercero crowned Golden Girl for 2001
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Monday, July 2, 2001 -- Desirae Tercero wowed the audience with
her song and took home the coveted title of Golden Girl of the Old West
during the Annual Golden Girl of the Old West/Little Miss Cantaloupe Pageant
held Friday evening at the Pecos High School Auditorium.
Tercero, the daughter of Beatrice Matta, sang "The Way You Love Me,"
a song made popular by country singer Faith Hill, during the talent portion
of the pageant. The winning nominee was sponsored by La Fiesta, Bianca's
Dry Gulch, Popular Thriftway and Desert Rentals.
Earlier in the evening, Marissa Tarango, the daughter of Gaston and
Mary Tarango, was crowned Little Miss Cantaloupe for 2001 out of 12 girls
competing for that award.
Runner-up in the Golden Girl competition for 2001 was Kristina Dominguez,
who did a dance routine to a song by Jennifer Lopez. Dominguez is the granddaughter
of Fred L. and Vera Dominguez. Her sponsors are Pecos Pest Control, Terrazas
Restaurant, Alfredo's Restaurant, Pecos Downtown Lions Club, Sandell's
Wrecker Service and La Nortena Tortilla Factory.
The Miss Congeniality Award went to Nikki Walker, while Shanna Tredaway
was the recipient of the advertising award. Cassie Foster and Kattie Davis
were this year's other Golden Girl candidates.
In the Little Miss Cantaloupe competition, Josie Paz, the daughter of
Guadalupe and Diane Paz was the runner-up behind Tarango.
The other Little Miss Cantaloupe Contestants this year were Brittney
Alligood, daughter of Robin and Gil LeBeouf and Ronald and Charlene Alligood;
Dana Conger, daughter of Jarret and Jennifer Conger; Marissa Elizondo,
daughter of Martha Elizondo; Stephanie Fuentez, daughter of Steve and Nellie
Fuentez; Mia Lara, daughter of Rene and Michelle Lara; Kelly Lease, daughter
of Bill and Faye Lease; Gabriana Nichols, daughter of Sonja Nichols and
Jose Hernandez; Kendra Rayos, daughter of Carlos and Yvette Romo; Emily
Rodriguez, daughter of Peter and Tanya Rodriguez and Jenica Tersero, daughter
of Edward and Diane Tersero.
The evening was filled with music and entertainment with Johnny Terrazas
serving as MC.
Special entertainment was provided by former Golden Girls Sara Matta
and Erin Dominguez, former Little Miss Cantaloupe Kiara Gutierrez, 2000
Golden Girl Diana Rubio and Sudden Impact.
Leslie Gray and Gospel Grass performed their own special music during
the evening.
Two out of town belles were presented. Keelie Cates, the daughter of
Bob and Susie Cates, of Fort Stockton, currently holds the title of Miss
Fort Stockton.
Lauren Gray, the daughter of Russell and Leslie Woodard Gray, was representing
Monahans.
Little Kiara Gutierrez saved the evening, during a long intermission,
in which the Golden Girl contestants were still busy dressing in their
18th Century Ball Gowns.
Gutierrez was called up to the stage and asked to sing one more song,
acappella. She sang "You're the Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me."
Council asked to speed up hydrant, sewer installation
By LEIA HOLLAND
Staff Writer
PECOS, Monday, July 2, 2001 -- Town of Pecos City Council members were
asked to speed up installation of fire hydrants and sewer line connections
on the southeast side of town during their regularly scheduled meeting
on Thursday.
Linda Bailey asked the council there during the public comments portion
of the meeting if the city would be putting in any fire hydrants on 13th
Street because there are not currently any in that area. She also asked
the council if they planned on connecting the houses on that street to
the city sewage system.
Bailey said that previous administrations had promised to add the homes
to the system for many years but it has still not been done.
"I lived there most of my life and nothing has happened," she said.
Yerena assured her that the city is currently adding and replacing fire
hydrants on the east side of town.
City Utilities Manager Octavio Garcia said that they are working on
the new hydrants but things are moving slow. He said that they should be
adding new hydrants to 13th Street soon.
City Manager Carlos Yerena also said that the city is currently looking
into some grants that would let the city connect the homes onto the sewer
system.
"We're looking at a grant to provide sewage (connections) to the outlying
houses," he said.
City Finance Director George Bejarano assured Bailey that despite what
has happened in the past, the current administration would be sure to get
it done.
"If this administration says it will happen, then it'll work," he said.
Also on Thursday, the council approved the second reading of the landscaping
ordinance for the city as well as the accounts payable and the minutes
of previous meetings.
In other action, the council voted to appoint Councilmen Frank Sanchez
and Johnny Terrazas to the Pecos Recreation Board.
Terrazas is currently serving on the Board and Sanchez volunteered to
also serve.
PHA board discusses drop in migrant occupancy rate
By LEIA HOLLAND
Staff Writer
PECOS, Monday, July 2, 2001 -- The Pecos Housing Authority (PHA) and
Farm Labor Housing (FLH) Board of Commissioners installed new commissioner
Jim Workman on the board Friday, during their monthly meeting at the PHA/FLH
Administration Office.
Workman was recently appointed by the Town of Pecos City Council to
replace former commissioner Alberto Alvarez.
Alvarez' term expired this year and he moved to El Paso, leaving the
position open for a new board member.
During his first meeting as a commissioner, Workman and the other present
board members, Chairman Frank Perea and Commissioner Juanita Davila, discussed
the migrant occupancy of the FLH.
PHA/FLH Director Nellie Gomez informed the board that this year the
number of migrant worker families that are living in the FLH has dropped
from the previous years.
"The migrant occupancy has been low," she said.
Gomez said that she believes that the number of occupants has dropped
because the amount of other housing that has been made available to them.
"I think that they are being furnished housing by the cantaloupe growers,
so they're not needing the farm labor housing apartments," she said.
During May's meeting the board discussed the possibility of proceeding
with the conversion of the FLH project status to a Multiple Family Housing
Project status under the USDA Rural Development.
At that meeting, Gomez said that it is hard for the FLH to receive funding
right now, but if they could change over to multiple family housing it
would be easier.
Having 15 available apartments this season gives the board a good idea
that the farm labor housing will not be needed much longer, according to
Gomez.
"This is a real good indication that the farm labor housing is not in
as much demand as the past," she said.
Because of that, Gomez said that the board voted to continue the conversion
of the farm labor housing to family housing so there would be a better
chance of filling the apartments year round.
.Reeves County Judge Jimmy Galindo met with the board to discuss the
revised interlocal cooperation contract between the county, the Town of
Pecos City and the PHA for the construction of additional holes at the
Reeves County Golf Course.
The board decided to table the agenda item until the next meeting because
they did not want to approve the agreement without the two remaining commissioners,
Sandra Lira and Ray Golden, being present.
The board also discussed the annual physical inspection by the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development REAC program that was conducted
on June 18.
The inspections included everything from the PHA property project grounds,
to the office maintenance, laundry rooms and a random number of individual
units.
Gomez said that the inspections went well and the HUD inspector found
nothing wrong with the PHA.
"There were no findings, so we feel like we did real good on that,"
she said.
The board approved an updated report on the PHA roof damages that were
caused by the high windstorms recently.
Gomez said that everything has been repaired except for the daycare
building located on the east side of town.
In other business, the board approved the minutes of the last meeting
and the monthly reports.
City given grant for new airport weather station
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Monday, July 2, 2001 -- Those high spring winds and high summer
temperatures Pecos has had over the years but which have never been part
of the official National Weather Service daily reports may finally make
it onto those listings starting next year, after funding for an automated
weather observation system at Pecos Municipal Airport was approved on Thursday
by the Texas Transportation Commission.
The commission approved $85,000 for the installation of system, part
of a project to enhance the city's airport facilities and make it safer
for pilots flying in and out of Pecos. But because the system is fully
automated and will come with a radio transmitter, it will also allow local
temperature, wind and precipitation information to be transmitted daily
to the National Weather Service office in Midland.
"We were very active in seeking and applying for this grant," said Town
of Pecos City Manager Carlos Yerena. "We want to enhance the local airport
and make it more accessible to the pilots."
"We are in the business of enhancing aviation services in Texas," said
David Fulton, aviation director for the Texas Department of Transportation
(TxDOT). "The presence of this system increases the value of the airport
by adding safety features that will attract more business."
The system provides automated, real-time weather information for airport
users. Accurate weather information, such as wind speed and direction,
air temperature, visibility and cloud height aid pilots in reviewing instruments
as they approach the airport. In addition, the system will enable weather
reports to be transmitted over VHF frequency radios and telephones allowing
pilots to receive the necessary information as they prepare flight plans.
The system can also provide immediate weather information to local radio
and television stations, hospitals, as well as the general public. Along
with the National Weather Service's office in Midland, the Lower Colorado
River Authority and the National Forestry Service have also expressed interest
in the information generated by the weather systems.
Twenty-five percent of the system's cost will be picked up by the city
of Pecos. The remainder will be covered through TxDOT's Aviation Facilities
Grant Program.
This year, TxDOT expects to provide approximately $60 million in funding
for planning, constructing and maintaining community airports. There are
approximately 275 community airports in Texas eligible for funding.
Community airports log more than three million flight hours per year
and provide aircraft facilities for agricultural, medical, business and
commuter use.
"The airport is a big asset to our community and we want to improve
and expand it, which is part of our economic development plan," said Yerena.
First show tonight for "Holder Posey" at State Theater
PECOS, Monday, July 2, 2001 -- The Windmill Square Players melodramatic
production of Holder Posey the Felonious Photographer will debut tonight
at 8 p.m. at the State Theatre. Tickets are $5 each and the concession
stand will be open.
The play will show again on Tuesday night at 8 p.m. and there will be
a matinee showing at 3 p.m. on Wednesday.
School board receives update on Internet security measures
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Monday, July 2, 2001 -- Internet filtering and monitoring for
school computers and the different services provided through the school
district were the topic of discussion at Thursday evening's special Pecos-Barstow-Toyah
ISD Board meeting.
Jodi Exum, Technology Coordinator for the district gave an update at
the special meeting and said that the district had complied with all the
rules under the Children's Internet Protection Act, but lacked a public
hearing.
Under CIPA, district administrative authorities for recipients of service
must certify that they are enforcing a policy of Internet safety that includes
measure to block or filter Internet access for both minors and adults to
certain visual depictions in order to receive discounts for Internet Access
and Internal Connections services under the universal service support mechanisms
(e-rate).
PBT-ISD has had an Acceptable Use Policy for Internet safety in place
since 1996. Staff that accesses the Internet with district equipment must
have Internet training and have read and signed the AUP. Students who use
the Internet at school must have Internet training, have signed the AUP,
have a parent who has signed their AUP, and have an instructor sign their
AUP.
Exum told the group during her presentation that P-B-T ISD has used
Internet filtering/monitoring since May of 1997. "We use CyperPatrol by
Surf Watch. We are researching the possibility of changing next spring
to a more dynamic report oriented filter," she said.
Exum said that the computers are
Weather
High Sunday 104. Low this morning 70. Forecast for tonight: Partly cloudy
with a less than 20 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms. Low around
70. Southeast wind 5 to 15 mph. Tuesday: Partly cloudy with a less than
20 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms. High in the mid 90s. Southeast
wind 10 to 20 mph. Tuesday night: Partly cloudy. Low near 70. Fourth of
July: Partly cloudy. Lows around 70. Highs 95 to 100.
Obituaries
Jody Branch and Mike Oglesby|
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
|
