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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Wednesday, February 12, 2003
Drug raid lets officials `tag' graffiti artist
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Feb. 12, 2003 - A "graffiti artist" was arrested Tuesday night for vandalism
in downtown Pecos in December, as the result of evidence found during
a narcotics search warrant executed in January.
Hector Archuleta Garcia, 18, was arrested last night at 10:10 p.m., at
the corner of Second and Willow streets, on charges of graffiti, Class
B Misdemeanor.
"A warrant was issued by Judge Amonario Ramon and that
warrant was served last night," said Pecos Police Investigator
Armando Granado.
The graffiti was reported back on Dec. 23, 2002, according to
Granado, at Security State Bank, the corner of Second and Cypress streets.
The bank had only recently put in the rock landscaping.
"We came upon some evidence on Jan. 21," said Granado.
Granado said that a narcotics warrant was executed at 311
N. Cypress St., on Jan. 21. "Upon searching the residence we found
the same emblem that was spray painted on the rocks on a football helmet
and walls and paper covers on Ruff Ryders, in the northeast
bedroom, which happens to be Garcia's bedroom," said Granado.
Granado said that the emblem was on the cover of the Ruff Ryders
(CD), the cover itself had the emblem and a can of black spray paint was
also uncovered during the search.
At the time of the narcotics search warrant nobody was arrested.
"They'll probably have to sandblast the rocks," said
Granado. He added that damage was estimated at over $50 but under $500.
Granado said that the graffiti problem has slowed down a bit
and that officers had been working hard at curbing this particular problem.
"It used to be a big problem, but it's slowed down a bit," he said. "This
is actually the first case that we have been able to solve as far as
graffiti," he said.
"It's toned down really and this is the only new graffiti we have had
in town," said Granado.
He said that Garcia had drawn the outline first and gone back a
couple of nights later and filled it in with the black spray paint.
"Anybody that is caught doing graffiti will be arrested
and prosecuted," said Granado.
Granado said that anybody who has any information on people
doing graffiti should report it to the Pecos Police Department or to contact
him at 445-4911.
Garcia is currently in the Criminal Justice Detention Center
awaiting arraignment.
Bejarano stepping down as city finance director
By JENNIFER GALVAN
Staff Writer
PECOS, Feb. 12, 2003 - The Town of Pecos City will be looking for a new finance
director to replace current finance director, George Bejarano.
Bejarano said that he had submitted his resignation as
the Town of Pecos City's Finance Director on Monday, with
Friday, Feb. 21, being his final day on the job.
"Three or four personal reasons have made me come to
this decision," Bejarano said. "It was not because of any conflicts.
We are all striving for the same goal for Pecos."
One of Bejarano's personal reasons is based upon his
wife's current illness, which during the month of November kept him out
of town.
He added that as a team he along with the city council members
have accomplished some of its goals and objectives for the City of
Pecos since he took the job two years ago.
"The credit goes to all the City Council members and
everybody that worked in order to get the grants of $2.4 million; a $4,000
grant for the Housing Infrastructure, the $300,000 grant for the
installation of the water and sewer pipe lines in the colonias, and the opening of
the landfill," he said.
With all the people working together, Bejarano said that
they could accomplish it's goal with their encouragement, support and help.
He said that these are all projects going on at this time and that
while he regrets having to leave, feels that this is right time for him to make
this move.
"I have had an exciting wonderful two years here,"
Bejarano said. "The people have treated me nice. I respect them and
they respect me."
Originally being from South Texas, Bejarano said that he
would be moving back there. However, he added that there is something
else going on which has made an effect on his decision.
"It was a blessing to have this at the point that I need it,"
Bejarano said.
He added that he hoped the Lord would help in leading Pecos into
a new direction.
"May God bless the City of Pecos," Bejarano said. "May
the Lord give wisdom to move Pecos into a new direction."
He added that he did know who would be replacing him at this
time but said that it would be up to City Manager Carlos Yerena and the
City Council to make the decision after they have completed with
their search.
Council to consider golf course water
The Town of Pecos City Council will meet at 7 a.m., Thursday at
City Hall to discuss several items, including water use at the
Reeves County Golf Course.
The members of the council will hear public comments from
the Pecos Men's Golf Association on its water issue at the golf
course, which is run by Reeves County but gets part of its water supply
from the Town of Pecos City.
Council members will also hear from concerned citizens on the
sale of beer and glass containers in the city limits.
In other action, the council will hear a presentation on the
status of the Town of Pecos City's development of the
South Worsham Well Field Project.
Discussion and consideration will be made by the council on
the acceptance on the construction completion of the Town of
Pecos City's development of South Worsham Well Field Project part
B, the agreement with the cloud seeding modification program,
the ordinance # 99-12-15 amending ordinance relating to the
city's drought contingency plan and the financial audit report for the
year 2001-2002 which will be presented by accountant Dan Painter.
The council will approve the minutes of its regular
council meeting of January 23, its accounts payable report and its
juvenile monthly report for January.
Video briefs board on N.M. water allotment plan
By JON FULBRIGHT
Staff Writer
Red Bluff Water Power Control Board members watched
television on Tuesday and got to see New Mexico's perspective on the
current Pecos River water crisis, along with the steps that state is trying to
take to fulfill its water obligations to Texas under the 1946 Pecos River Compact.
Compact Commissioner J.W. Thrasher played the 30-minute
tape "Crisis on the Pecos" for board members during their
monthly meeting in Pecos on Tuesday. It was produced by the New
Mexico Interstate Stream Commission and shown on PBS stations in that
state late last year, and outlined the cutbacks that state was making
and would be seeking to make in water usage in the Pecos River Valley
south of Fort Sumner, N.M.
Thrasher, who was also interviewed for the documentary,
told Red Bluff members the current plan was scheduled for a vote in
the Carlsbad and Roswell areas this week. If approved, New Mexico would
seek to take 6,000 acres of farmland in the Carlsbad area and another
12,000 acres around Roswell and Artesia out of production by buying the
water pumping and artesian water rights to that land.
"They want to drill new wells, and pump the water into the Pecos,"
he said. "Eventually, they want to build up a 125,000 acre/foot credit in
Red Bluff."
"If the agreement doesn't get blown out of the water, we'll
start getting to solve these things," Thrasher added.
Red Bluff Lake currently has just over 58,000 acre/feet of water,
which is its highest level since the middle of 2001, but still only enough for
a very limited water release this year, unless further rains fall within
the next month board members said.
Thrasher added that seeing any excess water come down from
New Mexico is highly unlikely. "Compared to the dams upriver, you've got
more water than they do," he said. Santa Rosa Reservoir on the Pecos
River contained only 10,286 acre/feet of water, Fort Sumner had 14,033
acre/feet, Brantley Lake had 17,664 acre/feet and the Avalon diversion
near Carlsbad at 84 acre/feet, with little prospect for any sharp increase in
the near future.
"There's no snow pack in the Santa Christos (Mountains). If
they don't get any rain in the next few months they'll have to rely
on floodwaters," Thrasher said.
The documentary showed that permits granted by New
Mexico officials for drilling wells in the eight years after the Pecos River
compact was signed helped create the current problems for both states. The
wells, drilled in the Roswell and Artesia areas, cut water flow into the
Pecos and resulted in a suit being filed by the State of Texas, which led to
the 1989 Pecos River Compact settlement. Red Bluff was paid $14 million by
New Mexico for water not transferred downstream over the years, and
New Mexico was ordered to meet the water release requirements made under
the 1946 agreement.
The current drought conditions, that began in the early 1990s in
Texas and expanded into the Pecos River basin in New Mexico two years
ago, have already had an effect on New Mexico farmers. The
documentary said Carlsbad farmers received only 1.3 acre/foot water allocation
last year, and farmers there complained that farmers upstream used three
to seven acre/feet of water last year.
Red Bluff Lake's low level in 2002, at just over 40,000 acre/feet,
resulted in Texas farmers getting no water releases during the irrigation
season, and also caused the Pecos River to go dry south of the Barstow Dam
in May and June of last year. Fifty percent of the water released from
the lake is lost on its way downstream, and the lake's earthen dam must
have its water level maintained at no less than 20,000 acre/feet.
Tom Turney, former New Mexico State Engineer, said if the
current proposal isn't approved, New Mexico will have to meet its obligations
to Texas through a priority water rights call, in which junior rights
holders would lose their water in favor of senior rights holders, which
include farmers in the Carlsbad area and the required water releases to Red Bluff.
Thrasher added that New Mexico is also looking at putting water
in upstream into the Pecos, and are in talks with area oil companies over
the location of the proposed pumping. However, he said, "The quality of
the water will have to meet our approval, before we'll change the compact."
"They're finally coming to grips with the fact we live in a desert,"
said board member Lloyd Goodrich, while Thrasher pointed out that the
Trans-Pecos region itself suffered from excess water usage in the past.
However, he added, "We are doing everything we can to get water
into the river, because I know if you can't farm down here two years in a
row, there may not be any farmers left by the time the water arrives."
Lindsay, Riley get awards for agriculture, FD work
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
A longtime rancher and Pecos resident was honored last week
with the Agriculture Service Award during the Annual Chamber
of Commerce Banquet, held last Thursday at the Reeves County
Civic Center.
Jimmy Toone presented the award to Roy Lindsay during the
awards ceremony and said that Lindsay was most deserving to receive it.
Lindsay was born in Pecos and has lived here all his life.
His grandparents, John Hamilton and Alfie Lindsay moved to
Reeves County in 1911.
"He has been a rancher for many years," said Toone.
Lindsay owns the Minnie Kyle Ranch in Loving County and
the Black Hills Ranch (the old Heif's Ranch) in Reeves County.
He formerly owned the "Sun Well" Ross Ranch in Eddy County New
Mexico and now leases lands in Reeves and Loving Counties.
He has been a public servant on many boards, both in Reeves
and Loving counties. "He served on the U.S. Department of Agriculture
Farm Service Agency for 15 years or more," said Toone.
Lindsay served on area Soil Conservation Service Board for six
to eight years. He works on Agricultural Appraisal Boards for both
Reeves and Loving Counties and worked on the Election Board in Loving
County many years.
He is a member of the First Baptist Church and has been since he
was 17. "He is proud of his Christian upbringing," said Toone.
Lindsay and his wife Dorothy raised a family of three girls and
three boys. "He is a third generation rancher," said Toone. "He
worked as a cowboy on area ranches in his younger years."
Lindsay then worked for Frosty Bowers and Martin Kelly
handling heavy equipment doing agricultural dirt work on farms and ranches
until they quit the business. He obtained heavy equipment and continued
to do agricultural dirt work in the area and continues to this day
as Lindsay Western Construction Company, Inc.
Roy Lindsay's grandson, Roy Lindsay (known as "Little
Roy"), son of John Lindsay, was named after his grandfather.
"He wrote an essay for his English class in 2001 at the age
of 12 that best describes his grandfather," said Toone.
"Little Roy" read his essay to the crowd during the awards ceremony.
The essay was entitled, "My Hero," and read:
"Webster defines a hero as one greatly regarded for
his achievements or qualities. This is true for most heroes, I would
guess, because that kind of outlines what we judge people by, their
qualities. Some people might look up to older people, because they've been
around awhile. Others may look up to younger people because they're
rich or good-looking; but truthfully, heroes can be anybody. Anybody
is worthy of being a hero, but it all depends on how you look at him
or her.
"My hero is 72. He is also an avid worker. He is my beloved papa,
Roy Lindsay, and I love him a whole lot. He and I are a lot alike, but that is
not why he is my hero. He is my hero because he is always eager to
work. He never lies around and feels sorry for himself, even though he is not
in perfect physical condition. But he goes and gets it done no matter
what. That is why he is my hero.
"There are some bad things about heroes. For one, they could get
in trouble with the law and let you down. Also, they could let you get the
wrong impression if they're the wrong role model. They are not perfect
either. When people think that their role models are perfect, they could get
in trouble. For example, role models or heroes can also be racist, which
can influence you to be racist, too.
"Some heroes, on the other hand, may be good role models. They
could set standards for you. Some heroes are good people and need to
be respected. If a child is going through a hard time, a hero can give them
hope that things will change or work out. Role models are also good,
because you have someone to look up to. That may teach you not to be
self-centered.
"I would like to sum this up by saying that I think heroes are
good things to have. They set a standard for you to live by, and that can
be good. I'm not saying that all examples are good, but if you are going
to honor somebody, make it somebody worth it. I really enjoy having a
"hero" because I like somebody to
compare myself to. If I'm in a bad situation, I can think about what would my
hero do in a situation like this. I also hope to turn out like my papa. You
must also remember `Heroes are made, not born'."
Another award handed out at last Thursday's banquet was
Firefighter of the Year, which went to Jim Riley this year.
Ernest Matta presented the award to Riley at the banquet.
"He has been a member since January 1988," said Matta. "He
is being recognized today for his dependability, commitment
and makes a difference by caring."
Riley has served as safety officer,
2nd assistant and now 1st assistant
to the chief.
"He makes a difference by caring, and by trying to make changes in
the community by volunteering," said Matta. "We admire him for the
person he is and the good he does, always there when needed, patient
and skillful, respectful and true."
Riley has helped fight 202 fires.
"It takes all 44 of us and we work really well as a team," said Riley,
upon accepting his award.
Car wash to help finance graduation trip
A car wash will be held from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., Saturday on the
west side of the parking lot at Gibson True Value, 810 W. Walthall St.
The fundraiser is to raise money for the Pecos High School
senior trip, which is scheduled after graduation in May.
Weather
PECOS, Feb. 12, 2003 - High Tuesday 71. Low this morning 46. Forecast for tonight:
Mostly cloudy, with a slight chance of showers. Lows in the upper
40s. East winds 5 to 15 mph. The chance of rain is 20 percent. Thursday:
Cloudy. Chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the
upper 60s. South winds 10 to 20 mph. The chance of rain is 50 percent.
Thursday night: Partly cloudy. Slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
Lows in the mid 40s. The chance of rain is 20 percent. Friday: Partly
cloudy. Highs near 70. Saturday: Mostly cloudy. Lows in the upper 30s.
Highs in the lower 60s.
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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