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PECOS, March 14, 1997 - Head Start Policy Council members on Thursday
approved everything on their agenda except possibly the most important -
hiring a Head Start director.
Frank Perea, interim executive director for the Community Council of
Reeves County, hired Mary Jane Ontiveros for that position last week,
and she has completed work to correct most of the deficiencies Head
Start faces.
But Perea said the council voted 4-3 not to approve Ontiveros, and the
council will meet again at 6 p.m. today to consider six other applicants.
"I will give them the resumes of all those I interviewed, but if they
ask me for a recommendation, I will recommend Mary Jane," Perea said.
"Based on my interviews, personal observations, their applications and
resumes - and the most important, knowledge of Head Start - she is my
choice," he said. "Mary Jane was the only one that had any experience or
knowledge of Head Start. She was the person I felt was best qualified
and could better represent the community and the Head Start children."
Ontiveros began her work with Head Start in Saragosa, where she became
center director and then Head Start director under CCR executive
director Yvonne Martin.
Conflict with Martin led Ontiveros to resign about 2½ years ago, Perea
said.
Bill Wendt, who serves the policy council as a community representative
from Saragosa and as a Community Council board member, said he voted
against Ontiveros because of those problems and because Saragosa
residents say they don't want her as Head Start director.
And he feels that she has already corrected the deficiencies, and an
inexperienced Head Start director could handle it from here on.
"As far as I can see, the only thing we have left is the community needs
assessment," he said. "It doesn't matter if the director knows anything
about Head Start. The Dallas people will train her. I just feel they
want someone in there, and they are willing to train her.
"People in Saragosa are really making their voices known they don't want
Mary Jane," he said. ``I feel like I have to vote the way they want me
to. It has nothing to do with me personally. If it was personal, I would
be the opposite.''
Wendt said he likely won't be at tonight's meeting, because he learned
on Thursday that his time on the policy council has expired. The by-laws
allow a person to serve only three years, and he has exceeded that, he
said.
Perea said it is imperative that a Head Start director be on the job
next week when several people from out-of-town will arrive to survey the
community, train staff and critique procedures drawn up by Ontiveros.
John Whitcomb, a retired superintendent of schools, is being sent by
Texas Tech to do a community needs assessment, Perea said.
"On Wednesday, we have Sandra Trowers, a retired Head Start director
from Carlsbad, N.M., helping with personnel policies and volunteer
training plans. She will make sure they are right and recommend any
revisions needed."
Sharon Stern will be here Wednesday to begin training all the staff and
council members on Head Start rules and regulations, known as "70.2."
"But they told me it would be contingent on having a Head Start
director, because they need to work with her," Perea said.
Ontiveros is still on the job today, despite the negative vote by the
policy council.
"She said she was a little upset about it, but has been through it
before," Perea said. "She showed up this morning and said, `You hired me
to do a job, and that's what I am going to do.'"
Perea said he knows he made the right choice, and he is upset that
policy council members apparently voted their personal feelings instead
of considering what is best for Head Start.
"It is disheartening," Perea said. "We are trying to get this fixed - it
is broke. And when something has been done to fix it, to say, `No, we
don't want her...That tells me they are putting their personal agendas
first instead of considering Head Start kids."
Linda Clark, Community Council board president, said that she, too, is
disheartened by the policy council's lack of support.
"Dallas (Head Start regional office) is waiting to hear from me," she
said. "I kept putting them off until we could get all this stuff
approved. I need to call Cathy Criner (monitor) today and tell her she's
not going to get it today."
Criner's audit of Head Start last spring turned up six deficiencies that
could cut off federal funding of about $500,000 a year if they are not
corrected. Clark said they should have been corrected by June, but no
progress had been made when Criner returned in December for another
audit.
Ontiveros went to work Monday and immediately began to draw up staff
training, parent training and volunteer training plans to correct one
deficiency, Clark said.
On Wednesday, she began setting up the community needs assessment
survey. She is just what the program needs to keep its certification,
Clark said.
"Mary Jane is familiar with all the Head Start rules and procedures and
what needs to be done," she said. "She had them all ready for the
council to approve. She's showed she can get it done. It makes common
sense to me, we need to put somebody in there that can get these things
done."
Clark said that if the policy council hires someone with no experience,
the Head Start staff will have to show them what to do, and the program
will suffer.
PECOS, March 14, 1997 - With less than a week remaining to file to run
in the May city, school and hospital district races in the area, only
one election so far is guaranteed to be contested.
The race for the Toyah City Council is the lone race that has more
candidates than seats available, although nearly a month has past since
filings began for the May 3 election.
Incumbents are the only ones to file so far in the Town of Pecos City
and Barstow city elections, as well as for the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah and
Reeves County Hospital District races. No new candidates have filed in
any of those races for the past 10 days, and in the past week, they've
been joined by the two school board incumbents whose terms are up in the
Balmorhea ISD election.
Paul Matta and James Garlick have both filed for new three-year terms on
the Balmorhea school board.
In Toyah, things are heating up a little bit more with four individuals
seeking three positions on the Toyah City Council. All three are 2-year
terms.
Vying for those positions are incumbents Diana Tollett and Rose Barnes.
Others include Jana McHorse and Howard Dennett. Bart Sanchez who
currently holds a position on the council has not put in is bid for
re-election.
In the Balmorhea city council election, Kathy Haynes, Norma Jean Redwine
and Janelle Ward are the three incumbents whose two-year terms expire in
May. Only one person has filed for a position on that council. Richard
Hoefs has filed for election to the council.
In the Pecos city elections, the only ones to file so far are incumbents
Gerald Tellez, Dr. Elvia Reynolds and Randy Graham.
In Barstow, incumbents Olga Abila, Lucio Florez and Salvador Villalobos
are seeking new two-year terms and are unchallenged so far, while in the
Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD election, Hugh Box and Steve Armstrong are the
only ones to file. Both are seeking three-year terms.
In the election for RCH board, only voters in Precinct 2 and Precinct 4
will cast ballots this year. Incumbents Marcella Lovett ad Jeannette
Alligood are seeking new two-year terms.
Potential candidates have until Wednesday (March 19) to file for a
position in all the May elections.
Early voting for Pecos voters in the city, school and hospital elections
begins April 14 in the Pecos Community Center, 508 S. Oak St.
PECOS, March 14, 1997 - Pecos Police are continuing to investigate at
least two incidents of vandalism at the Reeves County Civic Center.
Pecos Police Patrolman Michael Dominguez said he noticed graffiti in
black spray paint on the north and west, outside walls of the Civic
Center Thursday night, while at the carnival currently being held in the
south parking lot of the Civic Center.
Dominguez said this morning he was going in to check the police blotter
to see if any earlier report of the vandalism had been filed.
This morning, Pecos Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Tom Rivera
reported more writings on the wall, said Dominguez, when he went out to
investigate additional writings with red spray paint near and over the
same spots.
The patrolman said he will continue to follow-up on some leads
throughout the day.
"This is more than I've seen on a building in Pecos," said Rivera this
morning about the graffiti. "I'm burning up about it. It's a shame,"
added the chamber representative.
The Chamber of Commercce oversees the city/county facility on South
Cedar Street, which handles a variety of events. It will be hosting
out-of-town visitors on Saturday for a one-day boxing tournament.
A Reeves County Road and Bridge Department employee was at the scene
this morning cleaning up the graffiti.
PECOS, March 14, 1997 - Pecos Housing Authority directors on Thursday
chose Estes & Associates of Fort Worth to conduct the annual audit,
discussed placing a ceiling on rent for HUD tenants and granted two
employee raises in Farm Labor Housing.
Estes bid $880 for the audit, which he estimated would take 22 hours at
$40 per hour.
John Blakeway of Fort Worth bid $920 for 23 hours, and David O. Tate bid
$1,040.
Card, Graham & Co. of Pecos declined to bid because they have already
scheduled their audits for this year. They suggested PHA invite bids at
the end of December when auditors are making up their schedules for the
year.
Tony Palencia and Vanessa Hernandez received 45 and 50-cent hourly wage
increases, respectively. Palencia does maintenance work, and Hernandez
is a part-time clerk in Farm Labor Housing.
Hernandez said 24 of the 56 units are vacant, and Palencia has cleaned
six and has them ready to rent.
Salary increases for HUD employees were tabled until the budget is
approved. Executive Director Nellie Gomez said she has received the
proposed budget from the fee accountant, but failed to put it on the
agenda.
The board set a special meeting for 5 p.m. next Friday to approve the
budget and consider pay raises.
Gomez proposed setting a ceiling on rent in HUD apartments, which is
based on family income. She said that low-income tenants who get a
better job have to immediately begin paying higher rent, and it is hard
on them.
"A lot of tenants earn real high income, and their rent goes sky high
based on their wages," Gomez said.
Board chairman Frank Perea said a ceiling is a great idea, but a ceiling
would encourage them to stay in public housing.
"That's not the message Congress is sending," he said. "You go to public
housing until you get back on your feet."
Gomez said that welfare reforms will include a limit on the time a
person can stay in public housing, on welfare or on food stamps.
"That will probably by the rule for our renters," she said.
She suggested putting a ceiling on their rent and allowing them to stay
six months so they can save up some money to pay higher rent elsewhere.
"We really need to let them stay only six months or one year," said
Yvonne Martin. "If they are on welfare and then get a job, everything is
taken away from them and they have to start over again."
"I have a problem with renting to people that have that kind of income
taking advantage here when they can afford to rent something for $300 or
$400," Perea said.
"We are trying to help them get out of poverty," Martin said. "Three
months would be enough if they got a big raise."
"I think we should give them at least a year," Gomez said.
"What about those on the waiting list that really need a place to live?"
asked Martin. "Let's not baby them."
"We need to look at the legal part of it," said Perea, suggesting
directors take the proposed plan home and study it before making a
decision.
Perea suggested leaving the evaluation of Gomez until the next meeting
when Ken Winkles can be present. Winkles was the only director absent
from Thursday's meeting.
PECOS, March 14, 1997 - A woman who formerly lived in Pecos is listed in
satisfactory condition and a Big Spring teen has been released from jail
following an incident that ended with the woman being shot in the back
late Tuesday night.
Elida Munoz, 27, formerly of Pecos but who currently resides in Big
Spring, was airlifted to Lubbock Methodist Hospital from Big Spring's
Scenic Mountain Medical Center after being shot in the back late
Tuesday.
Big Spring Police Sergeant Victor Brake said this morning that about
11:36 p.m. police responded to the 1400 block of Settles St. in
reference to a gunshot victim.
At the scene police found Munoz, "lying in the street with a gunshot
wound to the back," said the police official.
According to Brake, the bullet was shot from a small caliber pistol.
An arrest was made Wednesday, following the "investigative efforts" of
Police Detective Jim Rider, Brake said.
Raul Mendez, 17, of Big Spring, was arrested on a warrant following a
police interrogation. He was charged with aggravated assault with a
deadly weapon and taken to Howard County Jail in Big Spring.
He was arraigned by Municipal Judge Gary Tabor, who set a $20,000 bond
on him.
His bond was posted Thursday and Mendez was released from the county
jail, according to a jail spokesperson.
A Lubbock Methodist Hospital representative said Munoz is in
"satisfactory condition" just after noon today.
Brake said the altercation that lead to Munoz's shooting, "was
apparently an ongoing domestic type situation between two different
groups of people that live on the same street."
Santiago "Jimmy" M. Natividad, 59, died Tuesday, March 11, at
University Hospital in Albuquerque, N.M.
A rosary will be held Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Pecos Funeral Home Chapel
with Mass scheduled for Saturday at 11 a.m. at Santa Rosa Catholic
Church. Burial will be in Santa Rosa Cemetery.
He was born Aug. 6, 1937 in Toyahvale, was a laborer and a Catholic.
He was preceded in death by a son, Jimmy Natividad Jr., in 1989.
Survivors include five daughters, Patricia Wren of Costa Mesa, Calif.,
Sylvia Bonillas of Fontana, Calif., Annabel N. Zubeldia of Chino,
Calif., Estella Cordero of La Harba, Calif. and Julie Natividad of
Albuquerque, N.M.; three brothers, Pedro Natividad of El Paso, Benito
Natividad of Dallas and Ramon Natividad of Pecos; four sisters, Rosa
Rodriguez, Rufina Rayos of Pecos, Rita Fuentes and Catarina Lara of
Odessa; 10 grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
Pecos Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Services for Reverend Roy A. Carley, 89, will be held at 11 a.m. on
Saturday at the First Baptist Church, with Rev. Bob Porterfield
officiating.
Reverend Carley was born Nov. 20, 1907 in Rutliff, Newton County. He
graduated from Jeff Davis High School in Houston, Baylor University in
Waco and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky.
He was associate pastor of First Baptist Church, later became pastor of
First Baptist Church, Vindon, La., and Michigan Avenue Baptist Church in
Chickisha, Okla. From 1942 through 1945, he served as a chaplan in the
U.S. Army in six major campaigns in Europe.
He served in the Algeria-French Moroccan campaign, Tunisian campaign at
station Sened, Macknarsey, Sedjane Valey and Bizerte. From 1945 to 1949,
he served as poastor of First Baptist Church, Rosenberg. From 1949 to
1959 he was pastor of Second Baptist Church in Pasadena. He then served
as pastor in Seminole and Pyote, while teaching school in Pecos from
1960 until 1971, at which time he moved to Midland.
He was preceded in death by his wife Doris Francis Johnson in November
1996.
Survivors include two sons, Roy S. Carley of Midland, Denny Carley of
Flagstaff, Ariz.; one daughter, Doris Lloyd of Midland; one brother,
Raymond Carley of Houston; three step-children, Addison Johnson III and
Sammy Johnson of Lake Jackson, Elizabeth Johnson White of Columbia,
S.C.; eight grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and several nieces
and nephews.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers memorials may be made to The
Building Fund, First Baptist Church, 2104 W. Louisiana, Midland, Tx.
79701.
Hazel Fern Abernethy, 89, died Thursday, March 13.
Services are scheduled for Saturday, March 15 at 11 a.m. at Wood-Dunning
Colonial Chapel in Plainview with Dr. Travis Hart of First Baptist
Church officiating. Burial will be in Parklawn Memorial Gardens.
She was born March 27, 1907 in Moorwood, Oklahoma Territory, was a
member of the First Baptist Church and a Sunday school teacher, was a
civilian recruiter for the WAAC Chapter of the American Red Cross during
World War II.
She helped establish senior citizen centers in a nine county area while
on the Advisory Committee for Office on Aging and was active in the
Plainview Senior Center. She was author of three books and active in
several civic clubs and organizations.
She was preceded in death by one daughter, Mary Patricia Abernethy in
1996.
Survivors include two daughters, Carolyn Rankin of Pecos, Betty Jane
Crow of Plainview; one brother, J.D. Cline of Tyler; four grandchildren
and eight great-grandchildren.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers memorials be made to their
favorite charity.
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