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TOP STORIESDecember 19, 1997Eagles volleyballer on All-State 4A 2nd teamBy JON FULBRIGHT Sports Editor Pecos Eagles middle hitter Lori Marquez was named to the second team All-State Class 4A volleyball team on Thursday by the Texas Sports Writers Association, the second year in a row the senior was selected to the squad. The choice was actually a slight step down for Marquez, after she took a step up last month, when the All-District 4-4A team was announced. Marquez earned Most Valuable Player honors there, after missing out a year ago, while earning first team honors from the TSWA last season. She was the Eagles' team leader in both kills and blocks for the past three seasons, with Pecos earning playoff berths each of the past two years. Marquez had 225 kills and 71 blocks in 1997, as the Eagles finished with a 17-12 record. Andrews' Ali Bane and Holly Fields and San Angelo Lake View's Hillary Lee were honorable mentions on the Class 4A squad. Other area picks were Greenwood's Karen Gasch on the first team, teammate Mandy Choate and Alpine's Adrienne Reyes on the second team and Monahans' Tracie Jasso honorable mention in Class 3A, while the Balmorhea Bears' district rivals Wink and Marathon each placed one player on the Class A first team. The Wildcats were represented by Jess Anne Fernandes while the Mustangs put Toni Aguilar on the squad. Another district rival, Grandfalls' Laura Porras, was an honorable mention in Class A, while Fort Davis had Adrana Martinez on the second team and Jessica Whitely as honorable mention.
Drug bust in Ward CountyMONHANS, December 19, 1997 - Four men are being held at the Ward County Jail in Monahans since being caught Tuesday evening with about 115 pounds of what is suspected to be marijuana in their car. The four were stopped by a Permian Basin Task Force Criminal Interdiction/K-9 Unit to be issued a traffic citation when duffle bags in the vehicle were found to contain what officers suspect to be marijuana with a street value of $138,000. Ward County Sheriff's office assisted the Task Force in the arrest of William Dunivan and Steve Cox of Odessa, Tx., and Arnulfo Corales and Hermino Carrasco of Ojinaga, Mexico.
Holidays don't slow down federal courtBY PEGGY McCRACKEN Staff Writer PECOS, December 19, 1997 - Christmas and New Years holidays barely slow down the work in the Pecos Division of federal court, which just celebrated its second year in a new courthouse. District Judge Royal Furgeson handled several guilty pleas and sentencings this week, then set another docket for Monday on pre-trial motions and sentencings. Magistrate Judge Stuart Platt held two preliminary exams, arraignments and detention hearings today in felony cases assigned by Judge Furgeson. Fred Brigman III, assistant U.S. attorney, said the docket is the busiest he has seen in Pecos. He formerly worked with Senior Judge Lucius Bunton, who has handled Pecos cases since his appointment in 1979. "I don't know if this is the most they have ever had or not," Brigman said of the 234 indictments in 1997 that name 311 defendants on felony charges - most drug smuggling and/or possession. Brigman joined the AUSA staff in August to work alongside Jim Blankinship. In the year since Blankinship moved from Austin, he has accepted for prosecution all those defendants arrested by the Border Patrol and DEA. For several years, prosecutors assigned to Pecos out of the Midland office had refused so many cases that indictments fell below 100. In fact, one month not a single indictment was returned in Pecos, while the Midland criminal docket ballooned. Now that trend is reversed. Pecos had more criminal cases filed this year than any other division in the Western District except for Del Rio and El Paso. El Paso reported 99 cases filed in October, while Del Rio had 48 and Pecos had 25. Contrast that with Midland-Odessa, 9; Waco, 10; Austin 19; and San Antonio, 23. At the end of October, Pecos had 129 defendants awaiting trial, while Midland had 81. Deputy Marshal Billy Johnson said that he has to call in help from El Paso to handle prisoner transfers and court security when the judges are in town. "We have all the jails full," he said. "I have 120 pre-trial prisoners. I can't remember when it wasn't busy, now." So busy is the Pecos Division that the probation department is adding two probation officers and a secretary to the staff. At present, Jamie Reed is the sole probation officer in Pecos, and he has one secretary. The pre-trial office is also shorthanded, with one officer and one secretary. Judge Platt said his work was "spotty" in Pecos when he took office 15 months ago. "We were really busier in Midland last fall," he said. "The civil docket takes more time in Midland, but the felony cases take a lot more time in Pecos." Platt accepts indictments from the grand jury, who usually meets one day each month. The past two months, they were in session two days, returning 20-plus indictments and investigating a civil rights case arising out of a shooting along the border with Mexico. Judge Furgeson assigns most pre-trial matters to Platt, who can hold hearings, accept pleas and try jury cases with consent of the parties. His recommendations may be accepted or rejected by Furgeson, who is required to handle sentencings. Half the criminal cases for Pecos are assigned to Judge Bunton, who handles all pre-trial matters as well as trials and sentencing. Both judges also serve Midland and El Paso courts, and Bunton often is invited to try cases in other districts. As a senior judge, he can accept or reject any case he is assigned. With both the magistrate and district courts busy constantly, the large courthouse completed in 1995 has served its purpose well. Prosectors and defense attorneys have private offices to interview witnesses; jurors are kept isolated from all parties; judges and their staffs have adequate quarters; and support staff are all housed in first-floor offices that are convenient for the public. Security staff mans closed-circuit television monitors that scan hallways, courtrooms and other secure areas constantly.
Donated gifts bring happiness to childrenBy ROSIE FLORES Staff Writer PECOS, December 19, 1997 - Children's eyes lit up at the sight that greeted them yesterday afternoon as Christmas for the Kids volunteers made their trek to deliver gifts to the children. Reeves County Sheriff's Deputies and one Department of Public Safety Trooper, Melinda Lowery, volunteered to deliver the "goodies" yesterday afternoon. "We delivered a lot of them yesterday and will be delivering today and Monday," said Christmas for the Kids coordinator Sofia Baeza. About 126 families were originally on the list, but more applications have been turned in since then, according to Baeza. "We're going to do our best to get something for all the families, even though application deadline was Dec. 5," she said. The group also collected an assortment of toys donated by the Reeves County Detention Center crew and employees at the sheriff's department. "These toys we're also handing out, and giving some of them to other children we meet along the way," said Baeza. Along with the volunteers, Santa Claus, was also on hand for the gift-giving. "He attracted a lot of attention and other children, who we greeted and gave some of the extra toys to," said Baeza. About 412 children will benefit from this very important project this year, according to Baeza. Not only does the group provide clothing, shoes and jackets, they also strive to help with school supplies and other necessities the children might not have, according to Baeza. Keeping children warm and in school is the main objective of Christmas for the Kids. "We want to provide a happy holiday for as many children in the community as we can," said Baeza. "The Austin Elementary School principal and counselor just gave us a list yesterday of children they feel can benefit from our program, and right now we're doing our best to fulfill it," said Baeza. "I just want to thank the community for coming through for us," said Baeza. "I'm only the coordinator. We are only as strong as my supporters," she said. "We're just very excited we got the chance to help so many children, and that our goal was met. But again, I want to say that it's thanks to community involvement, they really pulled through." WEATHERPECOS, December 19, 1997 - High Thursday, 78, low this morning, 27. Tonight there is a 50 percent chance of rain with a low in the mid 30s and northeast winds at 10-20 mph and gusty. Saturday there will be rain or freezing rain early, changing to sleet during the day. Temperatures will be falling into the lower 30s with a northeast wind at 10-20 mph.
Pecos Enterprise
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