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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Top Stories
Friday, January 10, 2003
School board delays action on Zavala consolidation
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Fri., Jan. 10, 2002 -- Pecos-Barstow-Toyah school board members discussed
a plan to close a campus and move students from there to another campus
during their meeting Thursday evening, but took no action until further
information can be gathered.
P-B-T ISD board members opted not to vote on moving sixth grade students
to Bessie Haynes Elementary School, DAEP/AEP students to Zavala Elementary
and closing the Lamar campus where those students currently are located.
However, the board also discusses the possibility of closing both Zavala
and Lamar and moving the alternative education classes to an as-yet undetermined
site.
Board members were given a plan to close the Lamar campus and move sixth
graders into Bessie Haynes Elementary, which is currently the school for
all fourth and fifth graders.
The move would save the school district $285,547 and school superintendent
Don Love said that no jobs would be trimmed as a result of the consolidation.
"It isn't cutting jobs, that will be done through attrition," said Love.
"I think this school district has enough money to go one year and run a deficit."
"Nobody will lose their positions, they will be placed somewhere," added
assistant superintendent Gome Olibas. "Through attrition, retirements, people
going on to other jobs and such nobody will be out of a job, they'll just
be placed at another location."
Olibas said that by the time summer came around, everything would be in
place, if the move was approved.
"Do we have any classrooms available at that campus?" asked board member
Crissy Martinez.
Bessie Haynes Elementary School Principal Benny Hernandez said that there
were currently 10 classrooms available at that campus.
Martinez also asked if the cafeteria would be big enough to hold that
many students and Hernandez said that they would "stagger" the students during
the lunch hour to avoid overcrowding.
Love said that the Zavala principal Ruben Cervantes, who took over the
job at the start of the current school year, would go from being a principal
to an assistant at one of the other campuses, if there was an opening. "We'll
start a bumping process, the secretary with the most experience would keep
that position, the next one would become a clerk or teacher's aide," said
Love.
"This will have a rippling effect, but they won't lose their jobs," said
Love. "And they would stay at the same salary," he said.
Love said that the district has had some people leave, but that they weren't
replaced.
"Some leave because they retire, go to other jobs or a position that's
a step up," said Love.
"I know that's not good, but we can do it through attrition," said Olibas.
"We have to keep doing this."
"But what do we tell a principal at a school, that now he's not going
to be a principal, but maybe an assistant," said board member David Flores.
"I'm not asking to cut a principal's job, but through attrition, there
will be another position available for him," said Love. "He'll just be moved
down until a position comes open."
Board member Paul Deishler suggested that since the school district wanted
to save money, the DAEP/AEP should be moved into another building, not another
campus.
"Do they have to have their own campus, or can they just be moved to another
building somewhere," asked Deishler.
"We can have academics in the same campus as the regular students, but
not the discipline," said AEP Director Jimmy Dutchover.
"We only have one room available at the Pecos High School and that's the
room that was currently being used by Odessa College," said Pecos High School
Principal Danny Rodriguez.
He said that while the alternative education students could be housed
on the same campus, they could not be the same building as the regular students.
The program was moved from the Carver Center on East 12th St.
to the Lamar campus on the north side of town in the fall of 2000, after
Lamar's sixth graders were shifted to the Zavala Middle School campus.
"We're wasting another building, where we could save money there also,"
said Deishler. "If closing a campus is a savings, then closing another one,
and moving the few students at that campus to another building, maybe we
can save more."
Dutchover said that that was a good idea, because right now the AEP program
only has 29 students. "We don't have the problems and the students that we
had 4-5 years ago, we no longer deal with them," said Dutchover. "A lot of
our students now at AEP are there for academics and not discipline."
"We no longer have those infractions," said Dutchover.
After discussing the issue and hearing input from various individuals,
board members opted to table the item and bring it back to the board. "We
want to consider all our options and then bring it back to the board," said
board president Billie Sadler.
Cervantes told board members that the main concern for teachers and officials
at the Zavala campus was that they advise them of a decision soon. "All the
teachers and staff would like to know soon, if the Zavala campus will be
closed," he said.
Sadler assured Cervantes that a decision would be made soon and everyone
involved would be advised of their decision.
Financial Director Cookie Canon said that if the board did choose to close
that campus and move the students that it needed to be a more organized move.
"The last time, it wasn't very organized and created havoc in my office.
It just wasn't as organized as it should be," Canon said, referring to the
closing of the Pecos Elementary campus, which resulted in the move of all
third graders to the Austin Elementary School campus after the 2000-2001
school year.
Pecos man indicted in Big Bend pot seizure
By JENNIFER GALVAN
Staff Writer
PECOS, Fri., Jan. 10, 2002 -- A Pecos man was indicted Thursday by a federal
grand jury at the Lucius D. Bunton Federal Courthouse for the possession
with intend to distribute more than 2,000 pounds of marijuana.
Jaime Fuentes Casares, 20, was stopped for speeding last Friday, Jan.
3, by a U.S. Park Ranger near Panther Junction Ranger Station located in
the Big Bend National Park.
According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's office, after the
stop was made, Casares told the Park Ranger he was transporting marijuana.
A search of the vehicle was then made in which 2,845.31 pounds of marijuana
with a street value of $2,283,448 was found wrapped in approximately one
pound blocks.
Casares was driving a white 1997 Ford pickup truck carrying blue 55-gallon
barrels in which marijuana was found in and underneath as well as in the
rear seat area and a built in toolbox.
Later that same evening, the United States Border Patrol located a red
and white 1996 Ford pick-up in the same area. The pick-up was registered
to Lorena Baeza, a known acquaintance of Casares, according to the attorney's
office.
The Border Patrol agents found an additional 3,218.7 pounds of marijuana
with a street value of $2,574,960.
If Casares is convicted, he could face up to a maximum sentence of 10
years to life in prison and a $4 million fine.
United State's Assistant Attorney Gary Tromblay is prosecuting the case.
Council OKs subdivision changes, property sales
By JENNIFER GALVAN
Staff Writer
PECOS, Fri., Jan. 10, 2002 -- Town of Pecos City Council members approved
changes to streets and water lines in the central part of town as part
of the city's planned new housing subdivision after hearing from Edgardo
Madrid of Frank X. Spencer and Associates during their first meeting of 2003
on Thursday morning at City Hall.
Madrid updated the council on the changes in the order for Pecos Subdivision
Housing Infrastructure improvement on the fiscal year 2001 budget so that
they could meet the budget requirements while at the same time complying
with state regulation.
Council members decided to place a seal coating over the current streets
in that area and to remove a portion of a water line that would be crossing
over to the other end of the street.
The council members went on to approve the offers by several local citizens
on property located on South Alamo, South Locust, South Oak and East Second.
Councilman Johnny Terrazas made the motion to accept the offer of $2,000
by Rosa Maria Gonzales for the property located at 1602 S. Alamo with councilman
Frank Sanchez seconding it.
Sanchez then went on to make a motion to accept the offer of $550 by Martin
Ramirez for the property located at 718 S. Locust with Michael Benavides
seconding it.
He made the motion to accept the offer of $500 by Emma D. Gabaldon for
the property located at 233 S. Oak with Terrazas seconding it.
Terrazas made a motion to accept the offer of $100 by Selestina Q. Rubio
for the property located at 1407 E. Second St. Sanchez abstained from the
vote.
Also on Thursday, Pecos Volunteer Fire Department Fire Chief Roy Pena
updated the council on the new officers for the fire department.
First Assistant Fire Chief would be Jim Riley, Second Assistant Fire Chief
would be Melvin Orona, Secretary/Treasurer would be Javier Contreras, and
Safety Officers would be Tommy Orona and Harvey Gonzales.
Fire Representative would be Freddy Contreras, Training Officer would
be Aaron Granado, Training Coordinator would be Lynn Foster and Pension Board
would be Jack Brookshire.
Pena also informed the council that they need a place to store the fire
engine that is sitting outside in the rain.
According to Pena and EMT Jim Cravey they had to place the fire engine
outside when the EMT's received their new ambulance.
Benavides suggested that the fire engine be placed at the out at the Rodeo
Grounds under the awning.
The minutes of the regular council meeting of December 12 were approved
with Sanchez making a motion and Valenzuela seconding it.
Sanchez went on to make a motion for the approval of the accounts payable
with Terrazas seconding it.
Author's book provides history of Ojinaga area
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Fri., Jan. 10, 2002 -- Mexican nationals who would like to learn more
about their heritage and genealogy can do so by purchasing a newly
released book on the area of the northeastern Chihuahua state across
the Rio Grande from the Big Bend area of Texas.
"This is a book not only about Ojinaga, Mexico, but the surrounding communities,
the families and their lives," said Victor Sotelo-Mata, who is the author
of the book, entitled, "Ojinaga En Una Loma."
Sotelo-Mata is traveling throughout West Texas and Mexico, promoting his
newest book. He wrote another book, "Esta Vieja Mina de San Carlos," in 1992.
"I'm on my way to San Angelo now to promote my latest book," said Sotelo-Mata
on Wednesday.
Sotelo-Mata, who was once the mayor of Ojinaga and had previously been
Chief Traffic Police, had been working on the book for the past 10 years.
"For a whole year after I retired from being mayor, I stayed at home just
to work on the book," he said. "I didn't go anywhere, this was my sole mission."
Sotelo-Mata researched the entire region of Presidio-Ojinaga, where one
city lies in the United States and the other in Mexico. "They came together
and united and triumphed," said Sotelo-Mata. "They came together in the desert
to overcome obstacles and form one community."
Presidio is the second-oldest city in Texas, and Sotelo-Mata said that
his book details the Mexican culture, the families that lived in on both
sides of the Rio Grande and folklore dating back to the 1500's. "This book
has valuable information for those individuals who want to trace their family
trees and learn more about their ancestors," he said.
"Nobody has ever written a book like this and it has information since
the town started," said Sotelo-Mata.
Sotelo-Mata has been traveling throughout West Texas, and as gone as far
east as Houston promoting his latest book. He has also spoken to several
major newspapers in Mexico. "This is just a book with a lot of information,
it has a lot to offer," he said.
The foundation, the people who lived the epic of Independence and then
the revolution. "This book takes you through the prosperous years of the
1920's, through the 1930's and the 1960's," said Sotelo-Mata.
"I investigated really well for the book, so that people can learn more
about their ancestors. They can learn more about the individuals who formed
their town," he said.
Sotelo-Mata said that the book contains information on individuals who
actually knew Pancho Villa, who is sometimes hailed as the Mexican `Robin
Hood.'
"They had bands that would play for him and all that is detailed in my
book," said Sotelo-Mata, who added that this was his greatest accomplishment.
"This is the what I'm most proud of, because I did it for everyone," he said.
The cover features a photo of Ojinaga back when it first began and in
the corner, a picture of a man who was beloved in that city a long time ago.
"This was before they had newspapers and radio," said Sotelo-Mata, "And
this man knew everything, he would go from house to house and tell everyone
what was going on, from births, to weddings, to deaths," he said.
Sotelo-Mata said that everyone cried when the old man passed away, another
item that is mentioned in his book.
The book can be purchased locally at La Fiesta Restaurant and Lucky Partners
for $25.
Commissioners to award bids for building center
PECOS, Fri., Jan. 10, 2002 -- Balmorhea Community Center Construction
bids will be discussed and action taken during the regular meeting of the
Reeves County Commissioners Court on Monday morning.
Construction of the community center in Balmorhea was approved during
meetings last year, and commissioners will meet at 9:30 a.m., Monday to award
contracts for the work. The public is invited to attend.
Commissioners will also discuss and take action on the withdrawal of Smith,
Wilson, Rives and Company as outside independent auditors and the appointment
of Elms, Fairs and Company as outside independent auditors under the professional
services procurement act-due to emergency situations. Other items relating
to construction at the Reeves County Detention Center will also be voted
on, including LMD architect request for payments; Frank Spencer and Associates
request for payments; Stragetic Equipment request for payment; ACME Electric
Co. request for payment; Texas Commercial Fence Co. request for payment;
SamCorp request for payment; Carothers Construction request for payment;
Howard's Mechanical request for payment; ISI Detention Center request for
payment; Xerox Copy Machine lease for RCDC III and change order No. 6 for
Carothers Construction, Inc. for RCDC III.
The group will discuss and take action on the Trans Pecos Drug Task Force
Grant application for FY 2003-2004; bid No. 22-02 RCDC employee uniforms;
bid No. 12-02 category-frozen/refrigerated foods; maintenance agreement for
the open-line users with IBM and 2003 salary grievance committee; inmate
transportation crew mileage payments.
Commissioners will discuss and take action on bond and oath for elected
officials and deputies: Jimmy B. Galindo, Reeves County Judge; Norman Hill,
commissioner precinct #2; Gilberto M. Rayos, commissioner precinct #4; Pat
Tarin, District Clerk; Dianne O. Florez, county clerk; Walter M. Holcome,
county court-at-law judge; Linda Clark, county treasurer; Amonario R. Ramon,
JP #1; Jim Riley, JP #2; Rosendo Carrasco, JP #3; Lamberto T. Herrera, JP
#4; Jerry Matta, constable precinct #2, unexpired term; Yvonne Abila, deputy;
Isaac Diaz, reserve deputy sheriff and Trina Diaz Orona, reserve deputy sheriff.
Regular agenda items include: reports from various departments; budget
amendments and line-item transfers; personnel and salary changes; minutes
from previous meetings and semi-monthly bills.
Year In Review -- Sept. 2002
Pedestrians killed in September accidents
EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the ninth in a series of stories of major
events in the Pecos area during 2002. Today's story covers the month of September.
PECOS, Tues., Sept. 3, 2002 — Services are pending for a Pecos man
who was struck and killed by a vehicle late Saturday evening near the intersection
of Interstate 20 and U.S. 285. Hal Pratt, Sr., 61, was pronounced dead
at the scene by Justice of the Peace Lamberto Herrera, at 12:10 a.m., after
he was struck by a pickup truck traveling southbound on U.S. 285.
PECOS, Tues., Sept. 3, 2002 — Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD board members
unanimously approved maintaining the current $1.50 tax rate on Thursday,
along with a budget calling for a budget of $5,053,093 for the 2002-2003
school year.
The board voted on the tax rate and budget during a special meeting at
the P-B-T ISD Technology Center after listening to Superintendent Don Love
and business manager Cookie Canon outline the spending designations for the
new school year, along with some possible changes for the 2003-2004 school
year.
PECOS, Thurs., Sept. 5, 2002 — The Reeves County Hospital Board
of Directors voted in a special meeting Wednesday evening not to renew an
agreement with the hospital's management contractor Richard Murphy,
and to buy it out before the contract expires next year.
The board voted 3-2 against renewing the CRM Management Contract between
the hospital and Management Contractor, Richard Murphy during the special
6 p.m. meeting in the hospital's classroom. They then voted to buy out the
contract, effective Sept. 15.
PECOS, Thurs., Sept. 5, 2002 — A former employee of the Ward County
Irrigation District No. 1 in Barstow, who was arrested on theft charges
late last year, received additional probation and restitution charges
were added following a court hearing last Thursday.
Marlene Briceno Roman, 33, was arrested for Motion to Adjudicate and had
been held in the Reeves County Jail. Roman was transferred to the Ward County
Jail in Monahans and bond was set at $50,000.
PECOS, Friday, Sept. 6, 2002 — After a month of poor quality or
unwatchable images, new equipment has been ordered for the translator
station for the area's Fox Network channel, and will be installed shortly
to provide better viewing service to viewers of KPEJ out of Odessa.
However, at this time neither officials with KMID in Midland nor those
with Classic Cable are sure what the problem is that has caused Pecos subscribers
to receive poor signals from the Midland-Odessa ABC station over the past
month.
PECOS, Monday, Sept. 9, 2002 — Water bills, including one for more
than $12,000 at the Reeves County Golf Course, were the subjects of
discussion for County Commissioners this morning.
The Reeves County Auditor's Office said that the bill the county was disputing,
for $12,310, was for one meter only _ a meter that was placed at the driving
range.
PECOS, Wed., Sept. 11, 2002 — Pecos area residents, along with local
law enforcement, firefighters, EMTs and reserve and retired military personnel
gathered at the Lucius B. Bunton Federal Courthouse this morning for a commemoration
ceremony of the first anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks on
the United States.
The ceremony began at 9:15 a.m., as Pecos Downtown Lions Club and Pecos
City Council member Michael Benavides welcomed everyone out to the event.
PECOS, Thurs., Sept. 12, 2002 — An escaped inmate from the Reeves
County Jail was apprehended Wednesday at a residence in Odessa, following
six months of freedom.
Steven Perez, who escaped from Reeves County Jail on March 8, when he
was on a work detail, was returned to the jail just before 1 p.m. today.
PECOS, Monday, Sept. 16, 2002 — For the second time this month,
a homeless Pecos man has been struck and killed by a car while attempting
to cross U.S. 285, this time in the downtown area of town.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety report, Abdon Luna
Ramirez, 81, was struck by a vehicle while crossing from the north side to
the south side of the East Third Street (Business 20).
PECOS, Monday, Sept. 16, 2002 — Big, fat raindrops were a welcome
sight to some community members, but the rainfall put a damper on other local
residents, who were busy eating, listening to music and buying gift items
at the 16th of September Fiestas Saturday night.
The fiestas were held at the Santa Rosa Church grounds on Friday and Saturday,
with food booths featuring a wide variety of foods, gifts and games. However,
the rain which began about 6 p.m. on Friday, delayed the start of the opening
night's events, and the next line of showers, which passed through the area
beginning about 8 p.m. on Saturday, made some individuals leave the festivities
early and look for cover.
PECOS, Monday, Sept. 16, 2002 — A Pecos teenager is in stable condition
awaiting surgery at Odessa Medical Hospital today, after suffering injuries
in a one-vehicle rollover south of Pecos Friday afternoon.
Jessica Rodriguez was involved in a one-vehicle rollover on U.S. 285,
15-miles out of Pecos, while returning to town from Alpine on Friday.
PECOS, Wed., Sept. 18, 2002 — Reeves County Hospital District board
members voted to offer hospital administrator Richard Vernor a new three-year
contract under which he will be responsible directly to the hospital
board, members unanimously decided on Tuesday..
PECOS, Thurs., Sept. 19, 2002 — Late night storms have had Texas-New
Mexico Power Company crew members working the hard on the west side of town
for the past 12 hours, and caused blackouts for Pecos residents on
the south side of town and in rural sections of Reeves County.
According to Customer Relations Manager, Donald Hunt, a windstorm came
in at about 10 p.m. causing a lot of damage on transmitters, distributors
and other items.
PECOS, Thurs., Sept. 19, 2002 — Vandals once again were out at the
site of the Pecos High School bonfire, which is scheduled for tonight at
the old landfill. But unlike the past two years, this time the bonfire
pile itself was not set ablaze before the scheduled time.
The "pranksters" set an old couch on fire about 50 feet from the bonfire
at about 2:30 a.m., and fire personnel were out at the scene.
PECOS, Friday, Sept. 20, 2002 — A year after lowering their tax
rate due to an increase in valuations, Reeves County Hospital District
board members voted to increase the district's tax rate for 2003 by
almost three cents, due to a drop in valuations compared with 2001's
totals.
PECOS, Mon., Sept. 23, 2002 — A former Pecos auto dealer is awaiting
sentencing on a fraud conviction.
Ben Frank Meek Jr., 71, of Pecos, longtime owner of Valley Motor Co. in
Pecos and Alpine, pleaded guilty last week in federal court to bank fraud
and is scheduled for sentencing on Nov. 19.
PECOS, Tues., Sept. 24, 2002 — Pecos police are investigating their
third stabbing incident of the year, this one occurring on Sunday night in
the 1000 block of Oleander.
According to Pecos Police Department Gang Officer Mondie Granado, a call
came in at about 9:52 p.m. in reference to someone lying in the alleyway
of Oleander, in an area east of La Tienda Thriftway.
PECOS, Mon., Sept. 30, 2002 — An elderly Pecos man was found severally
beaten in his own home early Saturday morning on the east side of town
A call came into the Pecos Police Department at about 1:05 a.m. Saturday
about a suspicious person in front of the house where 81-year old, Anastacio
Acosta lives, Lt. Kelly Davis said. Acosta's home is located between the
Del Rio Bar and a storage area within the same building.
Balmorhea hosts livestock show this weekend
PECOS, Fri., Jan. 10, 2002 -- Balmorhea will have its annual livestock
show this Saturday morning and afternoon, in the ag shop at Balmorhea High
School.
The livestock show will begin at 10 a.m. with the showing of the hogs
followed by a barbeque at noon. The showing of the lambs and goats will follow
the luncheon.
The Balmorhea Livestock Show is held each year in January, the week prior
to the Reeves-Loving Livestock Show.
Weather
PECOS, Fri., Jan. 10, 2002 -- High Thursday 73. Low this morning 32. Forecast
for tonight: Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 30s. Southeast winds
5 to 10 mph. Saturday: Partly cloudy. Highs in the mid 60s. South winds
5 to 15 mph. Saturday night: Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 30s. Sunday:
Partly cloudy. Highs in the upper 50s. Monday: Mostly clear. Lows in
the lower 30s. Highs in the mid 60s.
Obituaries
Louise Ellis and Alfonso Lujan
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 2003 by Pecos Enterprise
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