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July 2, 1997

Parade kicks off 115th West of the Pecos Rodeo


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Top three world bull riders challenge former world champion

By JON FULBRIGHT

Staff Writer

PECOS, July 2, 1997 - The West of the Pecos Rodeo will officially get
underway tonight at the Buck Jackson Rodeo Arena, with the top three
current leaders in the world bull riding standings scheduled to
participate.

The trio - Johnny Chavez, Travis Sullivan and Mike White - will already
have a goal to shoot for following Tuesday night's special pre-rodeo
section of bull riding, after former world's champion Tuff Hedeman
scored 87 points aboard "The Warrior" to take the early lead in the
event.

It was two points less than Hedeman had scored on board the same bull
last week in Weatherford, but still good enough to give him a six point
lead in the competition and earn the $1,000 bonus Wednesday's riders
were competing for at the arena. Erik Bortnem and Jeremy Taylor each
scored 81 points and are in second place in the standings.

Three sections of bull riding were held on Tuesday, and two sections
each will take place during each of the four rodeo performances,
beginning tonight at 8:30 p.m.

Along with the current world leaders, last year's West of the Pecos
Rodeo champ Michael Gaffney is also scheduled to ride tonight. Aaron
Semas, on board National Finals Rodeo bull 'Superstitious' also will
have a shot at a high score during tonight's bull riding competition.

Along with the bull riding section, competition in ladies' barrel racing
also got underway Tuesday night, while slack competition wrapped up in
steer roping, and earlier in the day calf roping, steer wrestling and
team roping finished up their slack competition.

Jerry Cox of Cotulla holds the lead after two go-rounds in steer roping,
with a 22.7 combined time. He also led in the second go round, with a
10.9 second effort. Trevor Brazile, 1996's Rookie of the Year and 1995's
All-Around Cowboy winner at the West of the Pecos Rodeo, was second with
an 11.0 time and third overall at 24.3 seconds, while Buster Record is
second overall at 24 flat after placing third in the second go round
with a 12.4 time. J.D. Yates was fourth in both the second go and
overall, with 12.6 and 26.1 times.

In barrel racing, Kim Squires of Carnegie, Okla., holds the early lead
with a 17.75 time, while Stacy Bent of LaPorte is second with a 17.89
effort. Two area cowgirls, Deb Sibley of Carlsbad and Courtney Bowman of
Fort Stockton, are next with 17.92 and 18.02 times.

In calf roping, the leader through two rounds is Stran Smith of Tell
with a 19.1 time after a 10.1 effort in the second go-round, good for a
second place tie there. Johnny Grimes of Kerrville is second overall
with a 20.3 time and Doug Clark of Wayne, Okla is next, at 20.9, while
Terry Kitchens of Mullin leads in the second go, with a 10 flat effort.

Byron Walker of Ennis leads both in the second go round and the overall
standings in steer wrestling. His 4.3 time gave him a 9.1 total on two
attempts. Jason Harper of Palmer and Brian Bauerle of Austin tied for
second at 4.5 seconds and Harper was second overall, with a 9.2 time.

Oklahoma ropers Charles Poague and Bill Bockus hold a .3 second lead on
Colorado ropers J.D. Yates and Jay Wadhams in the team roping, with a
17.6 time. Stormy Pruitt of Fort Davis and Zane Bowers of Llano teamed
up to take the lead in the second go round, with a 7.2 second time, and
stand fourth overall, at 20.2 seconds.

Last year's All-Around Cowboy, Arnold Felts, had problems in the regular
steer roping event this year, but still won the senior steer roping
competition. Felts won both the first go round at 12.9 seconds and the
final go, with a 13.6 time, for a 41.9 total on three attempts. Eldon
Dudley and Myrl Goodwin tied for first in the second go, with 13.8
efforts, while Goodwin was second overall, with a 50 flat total.

Along with the bull riding leaders, current world leader in bareback
riding, Danny McLanahan is scheduled to compete during tonight's rodeo
performance. Four time world's champ Marvin Garrett and his brother
Mark, last year's winner at the West of the Pecos Rodeo, are also on
tonight's program.

In saddle bronc riding, Dan Mortensen, the current world leader and 1995
National Finals Rodeo champ and '96 runner-up, heads the field of
contestants tonight. Canadian champ Rod Hay is also on the schedule.

Steer roping tonight will feature Todd Casebolt, sixth in the world last
year, while national finalists in barrel racing Sue Miller and Donna Kennedy also are scheduled to compete.

West of the Pecos Rodeo Parade
one of the largest in recent years


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PECOS, July 2, 1997 - Cowboys, cowgirls, beauty queens, horses and
wagons, horses and more horses, all the essential elements for the West
of the Pecos Rodeo Parade were present today as the annual parade rolled
through the streets of Pecos this morning.

More than 40 entries paraded in front of the judges' review stand for
inspection. Division winners were:

Antique Cars: First Place, Weldon Brookshire; Second Place, Debbie Mata

Bicycles: First Place, Jake Young; Second Place, Brian Fuentez

Civic Organizations: First Place, Pecos High School Class of '87; Second
Place, Pecos High School Class of '77

Commercial Organizations: First Place, Anchor West; Second Place, Blue
Bunny

Horseback and Animal Drawn: First Place, Anchor West; Second Place,
Sheriff's Posie

Golden Girl Floats: First Place, Cynthia Almanza; Second Place, Ivy
Brossman.

Oscar Saenz, Anchor West Inc. Plant Manager, was Grand Marshal of the
parade this year.

In addition to providing the parade's Grand Marshal, Anchor West
furnished a posse of about 20 to 25 riders on horseback and the last
vehicle in the parade was an Anchor truck. There was also an Anchor West
float with Anchor employees and their families riding in the parade and
throwing candy.

"We were very proud and happy that Oscar Saenz agreed to be the Grand
Marshal of the parade," said Pecos Chamber of Commerce Executive
Director Tom Rivera.

Lineup for the parade began at 8:30 a.m. on the west side of town for
the parade to start on time at 10 a.m.

Horses and riders lined up on the far end of Business Loop 20. Bicycles
lined up on Washington Street. Antique cars gathered on Adams Street.
Animal-drawn vehicles grouped on Jackson Street. Motorized vehicles
lined up on Jefferson Street. Civic and commercial entries and the
Golden Girl floats gathered on Highway 17.

The parade route went from SH 17 and West Third St., then proceeded east
to Cypress St., then south to Fifth St., then east to Oak St., from
there north to First St., east to Cedar St. and finally, south to Buck Jackson Arena.

Bees attack crew in San Antonio


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SAN ANTONIO (AP) July 2, 1997 - Officials say a lawn-mowing crew
apparently set off thousands of angry, swarming bees that took police
and firefighters two hours to subdue.

Several ambulances and fire trucks were dispatched during the emergency
in a west San Antonio neighborhood Tuesday afternoon, and police
cordoned off four blocks and warned everyone to stay indoors. Command
posts were set up on the side streets.

At least eight people, including a 12-year-old girl, were stung, but all
sting victims were treated by emergency medical technicians at the
scene. There were no serious injuries, officials said.

The bees came from an abandoned lumber yard near an alley on Cecilia and
Calaveras streets, fire department officials said.

Yolanda Alviso, 14, who lives across the street from a house where one
attack took place, told the San Antonio Express-News that three men were
using a lawn mower to cut the grass. She said they suddenly started
swatting themselves and yelling.

"We were looking when all the bees were on the man. He was all freaked
out. He was putting water on him. He looked scared," Alviso said. "I
don't know what happened, but all the bees came out."

The man who seemed to get the most stings was mowing grass, Alviso said.

Angela Castillo Escobar, who lives down the street, said the man pushing
the lawn mower took off his shirt and used it to swat the bees.

"I was outside when the man was stung," Ms. Escobar said. "I won't be
afraid as long as I stay inside, but it's dangerous (outside)."

Julie Trujillo, 14, and several friends were walking on West Martin
Street when they heard a loud buzzing sound, she said.

"We saw a man in a corner hitting himself. He had bees all over," Miss
Trujillo said. "We went to check what was wrong with him. But it was
buzz, buzz, buzz. They were big, huge."

Daniel Esparza said he rushed outside after hearing children yelling. He
said 12-year-old Denise Talamantez ran to him crying for help.

He immediately applied mud to the sting on her forehead, he said.

Miss Talamantez said her harrowing experience began with a casual walk
down the street. Then she "heard a buzz in my ear," she said.

Esparza said a man and woman were frantically running in the
neighborhood.

"The lady collapsed right in front of me," he said. "She kept holding
her throat and face."

As Esparza described the bee attack, an elderly couple was rushed out of
their home by firefighters. As they ran, the man swung a tree branch to
fend off bees.

At least twice, crews sprayed insecticide to control the swarming pests but it didn't seem to work.

Cowboys trade pickups for airplanes to hit rodeos


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By SHANNON BRYER

Staff Writer

PECOS, July 2, 1997 - More than 40 professional cowboys flew into the
Pecos Municipal Airport Monday in nine twin-engine airplanes. The
cowboys came to Pecos with hopes of winning some of the $200,000-plus in
prize money up for grabs at the 115th West of the Pecos Rodeo.

"Yesterday I counted 44 cowboys, all told," Dennis Blanchard, airport
owner, said.

"Since the bulk of our business is military, I was surprised to see so
many cowboys here. This was an unusually large amount of competitors
that flew in. It's big business any more," Blanchard said.

"Eight or ten years ago, cowboys would come to town in ten-year-old
pickups and live out of the camper on the back. They try to make two or
three rodeos in one day now. It just struck me how much things have
changed," Blanchard said.

The week of the Fourth of July is the busiest week for a rodeo cowboy.

"Cowboy Christmas is what they call it," cowboy Britt Bockius said.
Bockius, who comes from Oklahoma, has been competing professionally for
five years.

Traveling with eight other team ropers, Bockius went back to Greeley,
Colorado yesterday, where he is in the finals, but he expects to be back
in Pecos later in the week. He will compete in eleven rodeos before
July 5.

Matt Tyler, another team roper, is in his twelfth professional year. "I
just fly whenever I have to. Whenever time doesn't allow us to drive,
we fly," Tyler said.

Tyler, who is from Corsicana, and the seven cowboys flying with him in a
Super Kingair 200 are off to Greeley today, then to Belfouche, South
Dakota; Cody, Wyoming; and Prescott, Arizona.

In his second year as a professional, Clint Hixson also enjoys rodeoing.
"The money's good. I have a lot of fun, and I'm my own boss," Hixson
said.

Hixson, a steer wrestler from DeRidder, Louisiana doesn't expect to be
back home for a month and a half. After this week, he is off to Utah,
Idaho, and California. He wants to compete professionally for another
ten years.

Tammy Key and her son, Riley, watched her husband's plane take off for
Greeley. She drove in from Giddings and will compete herself tonight
in barrel racing. Her husband is in the Greeley finals in team roping.
Dan Smith, a pilot for Northern Colorado Air Charter, said the flight to
Greeley takes three and a half hours in his Cessna 340. The five cowboys he is flying are headed to Colorado, Montana and then Alberta.

Auction brings $10,000 for schools


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By SHANNON BRYER
Staff Writer

PECOS, July 2, 1997 - A Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD auction held Friday
brought in $10,000 to the district, according to Joe Coody, school
district maintenance director.

The district, which hasn't had an auction since 1990, sold all it had on
the auction block. "The tools and the vehicles were the things the
people were really looking at," Coody said.

Seventy bidders purchased three buses, a pickup and a station wagon at
the auction. Other items sold were table saws, wood lathes, light
fixtures, doors, projectors, musical drums, desks, and computers.
"Most of it has been in storage for several years. We were just trying
to clean out some areas and get rid of some things we couldn't use any
more," Coody said.

Money raised at the auction will go into the general budget.

"We won't earmark it for anything in particular," Coody said. "About
this time next year, we'll look and see what we have and whether there's
enough to have another auction or not," Coody said.

The 1990 auction was a combined effort with the city. Saturday's
auction was the first one since Coody has been the maintenance director.

"Everything went fine. I was really pleased. And a few things went for more than I personally expected," Coody said.

Texas Stock Index rises


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(Austin) - July 2, 1997 - "Just one month after hitting the '300 mark'
for the first time in its history, the Texas Stock Index has left that
landmark far behind, climbing to 356.8," State Comptroller John Sharp
announced.

"After rising 21.8 points in April, the TSI climbed another 46.6 points
in May. The index is 53.4 percent higher than one year ago," Sharp said.

"In comparison, the Standard and Poor's 500, which tracks a nationwide
sampling of stock prices, rose 47 points in May. In percentage terms,
the Standard and Poor's index rose 5.9 percent, while the TSI rose 15
percent," Sharp said.

Texas technology companies' stock values soared an astounding 240.2
points, or 28.7 percent. Overall, technology stock prices are up 143.2
percent compared to one year ago.

All eight technology stocks tracked by the TSI gained value in May.

Texas Instruments, Inc. saw its stock value rise as the company
announced that it has won a $98.3 million contract to produce infrared
imaging technology for the U.S. army. TI also announced plans to pull
out of two semiconductor ventures in Thailand because its partners
cannot obtain necessary financing.

Houston-based Compaq Computer Corporation saw an increase in its stock
value. The company plans to hire 2,000 sales people this year to provide
better customer service. Compaq also plans to expand its sales force
in Japan. Dell Computer Corporation stock climbed as the company
announced first quarter profits of $198 million, up from $82 million one
year ago. Dell also announced a price cut off up to 17 percent on some
of its Pentium Pro servers.

The roller coaster ride continues for Texas energy sector stocks. After
dropping 2.3 percent in April, energy stock prices rose 9.6 points, or
8.6 percent in May. Energy stock prices are up 19.1 percent compared to
one year ago. Valero Energy Corporation stock rose as the company
completed its acquisition of Basis Petroleum, Inc. for $485 million.
Halliburton Company saw its stock price increase as the U.S. Army
extended a contract worth $137.9 million for logistic support services
in the Balkans. Other Texas energy companies whose stock prices rose
include Tenneco, Inc., ENSERCH Corporation, and Mitchell Energy and
Development Corporation.

The TSI's finance, insurance, and real estate sector rose 21.5 points,
or 7.1 percent in May. Companies whose stock gained value include
American General Corporation, Weingarten Realty, Inc., Centex
Corporation, and American National Insurance Company.

Stocks in the TSI's general business sector did well in May, rising 9.9
points, or 4.4 percent overall. Companies whose stock gained value
include Brinker International and Texas Utilities Company. Pier 1
Imports' stock price rose as the company announced that sales are up 16 percent.

Texas Parks department offers discounts


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PECOS, July 2, 1997 - Visitors heading this summer to more than 100
Texas state parks and fisheries centers will have a chance to collect
special keepsakes and earn camping discounts while making memories,
thanks to a new statewide Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD)
promotion.

The Discovery Passport greatly increases the value of a state park and
fisheries center visit by offering 11 different collectible patches and
a free night of off-season camping for every five overnight park stays.

The pocket-sized passports can be purchased at state parks, the Texas
Freshwater Fisheries Center and Sea Center Texas for $1 starting July 1.

"The Discovery Passport is a fun and educational way for visitors to
explore our exciting Texas Parks and Wildlife sites," said Andrew
Sansom, TPWD executive director. "This program represents our latest
effort to make state parks and fishery centers more vital components of
the $25.4 billion Texas travel industry."

The Discovery Passport is easy to use. Each booklet is divided into the
seven tourism regions, with a brief description highlighting the
region's defining cultural and natural characteristics and listing the
sites found in each. State park guests will simply present their
Discovery Passport upon entering the site and have the clerk stamp the
appropriate site box.

After collecting all the stamp cancellations for the destinations within
one of seven tourism regions, the visitor receives the corresponding
patch. The seven regions are: Pineywoods, Gulf Coast, Prairies and
Lakes, Hill Country, Panhandle Plains, Big Bend Country and South Texas
Plains.

In addition, Discovery Passport holders can earn up to four other
specially designed patches for visiting all of the sites in four theme
categories: 1) U.S. Frontier Forts of Texas, 2) Historic Homes and Inns,
3) Shrines of Texas Independence and 4) Native American Sites and Rock
Art.

For example, to earn a U.S. Frontier Forts of Texas patch, a person
would have to have his Discovery Passport stamped at Fort Griffin, Fort
Lancaster, Fort Leaton, Fort McKavett and Fort Richardson.The customized
patches will not be for sale, but can only be earned by visiting the
specific sites. The passbook will be honored through February of the
year 2000.

The promotion also includes camping incentives. Every night spent
camping at a state park campsite or in a screened shelter earns a Happy
Camper Star that will be stamped in the passbook. An overnight guest
earns one star per campsite per night. After accumulating five stars,
the passport holder becomes eligible for a free Discovery Night from
November through February at any state park based on availability.

The Discovery Passport promotion is similar to those conducted by the
National Park Service and several other states. The purpose of the
passport is threefold: 1) to increase general awareness of the diversity
of the natural and cultural heritage entrusted to the TPWD; 2) to
provide incentives for day-use visitation at TPWD sites; and 3) to
reward frequent users of camping facilities by offering a free night
during the off season at state parks.

Park visitation from September 1996 through March 1997 was off 13
percent at many Texas state parks last year compared to the same period
in 1995-1996. Spring rains and cooler-than-normal weather leading into
the summer months this year are expected to bring back much of the park
crowds, but TPWD officials believe the Discovery Passport promotion will
be one more reason for the public to visit TPWD's educational fishery
centers, colorful historic sites and recreation-rich state parks.

"There's an intrinsic value involved with the Discovery Passport that's
tough to put a price tag on," said TPWD promotions manager Rebecca
Childress.


"The passports become a treasured keepsake filled with wonderful
memories of quality time spent with family and friends discovering
Texas."

So, whether you enjoy getting in touch with the past in the adobe ruins
of a frontier fort, beachcombing on a sun drenched Gulf Coast beach,
mountain biking through breathtaking Panhandle canyons or camping in the
shade of East Texas pines, why not get your money's worth, and more, by
recording your journey for posterity in your own Discovery Passport.

To find out more about the Discovery Passport promotion, call the State Park Information Line at 1-800-792-1112, extension 3.

OBITUARY


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Ron B. Stephenson



PECOS, July 2, 1997 - Ron B. Stephenson, 49, died Monday, June 30, 1997,
in Canyon, Texas.

Funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, July 3, at Mescalero
Baptist Church of Amarillo. Rev. Roy Almaroad, pastor, will officiate.

Burial will be in Memory Gardens Cemetery.

Stephenson was born Sept. 7, 1947 in Plainview, Texas.

He is survived by: his wife, Jeanne Stephenson of Amarillo; two sons,
Robert Neal Stephenson, of Round Rock, and Russell Bart Stephenson of
Amarillo; his mother, Louise Stephenson, of Odessa; one brother, Donald
Ray Stephenson, of Odessa; one sister, Patricia Ann Outcalt, of Georgia;
and two grandchildren.
Arrangements by Brooks Funeral Directors.

WEATHER


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PECOS, July 2, 1997 - High Tuesday, 106, low this morning, 71. Skies
were cloudy across Texas this morning, but the National Weather Service
said little rainfall was expected to develop. Mostly sunny skies should
continue throughout the rest of the day, with high daytime temperatures
rising into the 90s. A weak front in the Panhandle was having little
effect on the weather, and skies were mostly clear across West Texas.
Overnight temperatures in West Texas ranged from 63 at Dalhart to 79 at
El Paso. Across West Texas, sunny days and fair nights are expected
through Thursday, with highs in the 90s and lows in the 60s and 70s.
Today's high was expected to be near 108 in the Big Bend valleys.
Pecos Enterprise
Mac McKinnon, 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@bitstreet.com
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. Neither these AP Materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and non-commercial use. The AP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing.

Copyright 1997 by Pecos Enterprise
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