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TOP STORIESMarch 6, 1998National Geographic to feature RodeoBy ROSIE FLORES Staff Writer PECOS, March 6, 1998 - National Geographic magazine plans to feature the 1998 West of the Pecos Rodeo in its world-wide publication and members of the Pecos Rodeo Committee want to be sure this year's event is a memorable one. Rodeo committee president Ray Owen said he was contacted by National Geographic representatives who told him the magazine plans a series on rodeos that will include the Pecos event. "They will be coming into town and staying throughout the rodeo," said Owen. The magazine will feature rodeos from Cheyenne and Pendleton, along with Pecos. "We will be featured in their world-wide magazine and we feel very honored to have been chosen for this," said Owen. Top cowboys will again be invited to participate in this year's West of the Pecos Rodeo and bands procured to perform after each rodeo performance, according to Owen. Owen stated that last year was a record year with about $225,000 paid out. "All this money doesn't come from Pecos or the committee," said Owen. About $62,000 is supplied by the committee and the rest of the payout funds are procured from the cowboys themselves, from the entry fees. "That's why we try to attract a large number of cowboys, to raise more funds as payout money," said Owen. "We are again expecting a large number of cowboys, many who have competed in the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, which is the Super Bowl of rodeos," said Owen. The rodeo committee has again contracted with Bad Company Rodeo to be the producers of the event. "Their motto is expect the unexpected,' so we are looking forward to a great year," said Owen. The committee started working on this year's rodeo the last of July by contacting major sponsors and trying to procure new sponsorship. "We're really excited about our new sponsors and want to thank them," said Owen. New sponsors include Bealls, Edward Jones Investments, Bull's Eye Barbecue Sauce and Gold Coast Casinos. Crown Royal will be the title sponsor of the rodeo. "We'll also have some representatives from their company fly in from Washington, D.C. and Dallas, who will be spending their time here during the rodeo," said Owen. The rodeo committee is working in contracting special bands for the dances planned for after each rodeo performance and the names of the bands will be released as soon as the contracts are signed, according to Owen. School board opposes bomber trainingBy GREG HARMAN Staff Writer PECOS, March 6, 1998 - Low-flying bombers, and the noise they would inevitably generate, are not in the interest of those working to master the three Rs of reading, 'riting and 'rithmatic. This was the decision of the board of directors of the Balmorhea school district at last night's board meeting. The board was unanimous in its decision to oppose the U.S. Air Force proposal to bring low-altitude flights to the Balmorhea area. Reeves County Commissioner Herman Tarin and Pecos resident Clark Lindley, who had both been present at the Saragosa public meeting regarding U.S. Air Force's proposed Realistic Bomber Training Initiative that may bring as many as 40 low-altitude flights by B-52 and B-1B bombers into much of Reeves County each day, were present at the meeting to answer any questions that board members may have on the issue. Concerns expressed by the board, said Lindley in an interview this morning, included "noise disruption, possible stress to the children, air pollution and breathing difficulties as well as the possibility of a plane crash" similar to the one which happened near Marion, Ky., when an unmanned B-1B bomber went down into an abandoned field two weeks ago. When asked what other governmental bodies had opposed the initiative, the board was told by Lindley and Tarin that Brewster, Jeff Davis and Presidio counties had all passed resolutions in opposition to the proposed low-level flights. Reeves County Judge Jimmy Galindo said that he had spoken with both Tarin and Lindley about the possibility of placing the item on the commissioner's agenda. "In general," said Galindo, "I would like to come up with a formal position on the [initiative]." But, Galindo said, it would not be discussed at the upcoming Monday meeting. Lindley, used as a source of information by the board members, said that he had educated himself on the issue by reading whatever information had been made available on the topic, including materials from the U.S. Air Force, the National Airspace Coalition and from any other groups that may have been faced with similar issues, over the past several weeks. As to the issue of air pollution, Lindley said he quoted figures provided by Anthony Sforza, a medical doctor from Alpine. "He quantified the risk in his study as that of one bomber flying at 300 feet would be the equivalent of 500 trucks driving past the school." School superintendent Carl Lee Hoffmeyer asked that Lindley assist in preparing the school's Statement of Environmental Concern to be submitted to the Air Force by the newly-revised April 3 deadline for public comment on the proposal. The resolution passed by the board states that "the Balmorhea Independent School District is committed to the concept of providing the best learning environment possible, the Board of Trustees therefore resolve to officially oppose the creation of Air Force Realistic Bomber Training Initiative. It is the opinion of the Board that the noise produced from this initiative will disrupt the learning environment of the students of Balmorhea Independent School District." Hoffmeyer said he would pass the initiative along to the proper governmental agencies and begin generating questions concerning the number of possible risk factors addressed by the board. But, according to Lindley, one question asked by board member Paul Matta seemed to hang on the air without an answer. "Would the people of Pecos support them in their decision?" More candidates file for May electionPECOS, March 6, 1998 - Two more individuals have thrown their hat in the ring as candidates in the May elections. Greg Luna has filed for re-election to the Reeves County Hospital Board of Directors. Mike Stallard has filed for a position on the board to represent precinct 3. The hospital board seats open are for Districts 1 and 3, along with the at-large seat for which all Reeves County voters are eligible to cast ballots. These positions are currently held by, respectively, Chel Flores, Jesus Prieto and Greg Luna. Other positions up for election will be on the Town of Pecos City Council, Pecos-Barstow-Toyah and Balmorhea school board and Toyah and Barstow city councils. The last day to file to run in the May elections will be March 18, at 5 p.m. Commissioners meet MondayPECOS, March 6, 1998 - The regular meeting of the Reeves County Commissioners' Court will be held at 9:45 a.m. Monday, March 9 in the third floor courtroom at the Reeves County Courthouse. Agenda items for discussion or action will be modification of RCDC-SOW, application and certificate for payment to Banes General Contractors for RCDC dayroom addition, award bid for RCDC pickup truck, award bid for industrial loader/backhoe, approval of reserve deputy for sheriff's department, approval of bond and oath of deputy for sheriff's department, Catholic War Veterans purchase of property located at Third and Mesquite streets, agreement between Reeves County Golf Course and American Guide Services, Inc., reports from various departments, budget amendments and line-item transfers, personnel and salary changes (RCDC, JDC, Auditor, Sheriff's Dept.) minutes from previous meeting, payment of semi-monthly bills and personnel and salary changes (attorney special). Woman arrested for beating childBy CARA ALLIGOOD Staff Writer PECOS, March 6, 1998 - Diana Marie Ramos, 29, was arrested Feb. 26 on a grand jury indictment Sept. 11 for injury to a child under 15. The indictment was the result of an incident that occurred July 9, 1997, in Saragosa and caused a trip to the hospital for an 11-year-old boy. Her bond was $10,000. Acccording to a report on file at the Reeves County Sheriff's Department, the sheriff's department was called to the Reeves County Hospital at about 4:30 p.m. July 9 by the police department because the boy had been injured in an incident that occurred outside the Pecos Police Department jurisdiction. When a deputy arrived at the hospital, additional investigators were called because of the severity of the incident. Injuries to the boy included bruises on his back, left shoulder, right chest area, face and left forearm; scratches to his left eye area and the left side of his face, a bloody nose, cut lip, swelling on his left forearm and whelp marks on his left side and back that the report said appeared to have been made by a belt type object. The boy's injuries were photographed by the investigating deputy, the report said. The family members who brought the boy to the hospital, his grandfather and uncle, were then removed from the room and the boy was interviewed. According to the boy's statement in the report, the incident started when he had been picking up clothes in his room and went to use the bathroom. The boy's statement said that the bathroom door latch was difficult to operate and he became locked in the bathroom. When he could not open the door, his mother, Ramos, told him to use a butter knife to open it. When he still could not open the door, she became angry. When the door was finally opened Ramos took a belt and began to beat the boy about the upper body, according to his statement. At that point, the boy grabbed the belt, got it away from her and tossed it away, so she hit him with her closed fist in the face and back, knocking him to the ground. Ramos also apparently grabbed the boy's right hand and twisted it behind his back, trying to gain control of the child during the incident, the report said. She also scratched his left face area. According to the report, the boy's uncle arrived at the house during the incident. Witnessing what was happening to the child, the boy's uncle grabbed him in an attempt to remove him from the situation. According to the report, Ramos then hit the boy's uncle with some sort of stick. The boy's uncle took the stick away from Ramos, broke it and threw it out the door. He then ran to the field where the boy's father and grandfather were working. The boy's uncle and grandfather took him to the hospital. Investigators asked the boy asked how often this type of incident took place. He told officers that this had occurred almost daily and that it had been going on since he was eight or nine years old, according to the report. When the boy was asked if his father ever intervened, he said that his father did try to intervene sometimes, but that his mother sometimes would push his father against the wall or push him down, the report said. The boy was also asked if his father hit him in the same way as his mother did. The child said that his father spanked him on his bottom, but didn't hit him like his mother. Investigators also asked the boy if he was afraid to go home. The boy said that he was afraid to return, and wanted to stay with his grandfather. The investigators also determined that there was also a four-year-old child in the home. The boy said that the younger child was also being hit at times, although not as hard. The officers could not contact Ramos after interviewing the boy, and released him into the custody of his grandfather, pending further investigation by the appropriate agencies. Eight new juvenile offenders in FebruaryPECOS, March 6, 1998 - The probation department of the Reeves County Juvenile Court has issued their February report, showing 11 Reeves County juveniles and 16 out-of-county juveniles detained during the month at the Juvenile Detention Facility. Of the eight new referrals, two were by Reeves County Sheriff's Department, four were by Pecos Police Department and two were from other sources. Referrals included: one runaway; one failure to attend school; one violation of juvenile court order; two on charges of criminal mischief resulting in damages more than $500 and less than $1,500; one criminal mischief resulting in damages more than $20 and less than $500; one home-related crisis intervention; and one disorderly conduct. Of the eight new referrals, six were male and two were female. All eight were listed at Hispanic. PBT observes Texas Public Schools WeekPECOS, March 6, 1998 - Pecos-Barstow-Toyah Independent School District will observe Texas Public Schools Week March 16-20. "Education is the key to the future for Texas' young people," said PBT ISD Superintendent Don Love. More than four million young Texans will be celebrating that journey in March as they observe Texas Public Schools Week. This year's theme, "Celebrate Texas Public Schools," emphasizes the array of academic and extracurricular opportunities available to students attending the state's public schools. Schools today face far bigger challenges than ever before in their efforts to provide state-of-the-art learning opportunities for all students. Yet every day in classrooms across Texas, teachers, coaches, sponsors, volunteers and administrators make a commitment to help every student succeed in learning and life, Love said. "Your investment in public schools pays off each day as students grasp a new concept, and again each year as public school graduates carry their success to a college, university or a job in your company," said Love. "Yet few of us ever take the time to step inside our local public schools to see, for ourselves, the daily successes achieved by our children." This year's Texas Public Schools Week is a celebration filled with opportunities for the public to get involved in local schools. "Stop by for a visit during the week of March 16-20. We think you'll be impressed," said Love. WEATHERPECOS, March 6, 1998 - High Thursday, 80, low this morning, 42. Showers and thunderstorms are forecast tonight and Saturday for all of Texas. An upper level storm system moving eastward from the West Coast is expected to produce the precipitation. It will be partly to mostly cloudy across West Texas. The activity will be ending from the west on Saturday. Showers and thunderstorms will develop during the night and continue in most areas on Saturday. Lows tonight will be in the 30s in the Panhandle and in the 40s and 50s elsewhere in West Texas, highs Saturday will be in the 50s in the Panhandle and in the 60s and 70s over the rest of West Texas.
Pecos Enterprise
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