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| Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide for Pecos Country of West Texas Top Stories Monday, June 29, 1998 Dominguez wins Golden Girl title Golden Girl Erin Dominguez Little Miss Cantaloupe Kiara Gutierrez By ROSIE FLORES Staff Writer Wooing the audience with her rendition of "Let's Go To Vegas," a popular country-western song by Faith Hill, 17-year-old Erin Joslyn Dominguez, took the stage and the title of Golden Girl of the Old West Friday evening. Dominguez was crowned amidst a flurry of cheers at the end of the Golden Girl/Little Miss Cantaloupe Pageant. Kiara Rae Gutierrez, 6-year-old, daughter of Hector and Leticia Gutierrez was named Little Miss Cantaloupe-1998. The new "Golden Girl" is the daughter of Tiburcio and Suzanne Dominguez. Her sponsor is Anchor West. She was a member of the Pecos High School student council, Eagle band, and UIL Science team her freshman year. Her sophomore year she was a member of Mu Alpha Theta, has been a member of the tennis team, and the PHS Latin club all three years of high school. Miss Dominguez was the Junior Duchess for Homecoming and served as PHS Latin club vice president. She is a member of the Varsity Eagle Cheerleading team. After graduation she plans to attend college and study engineering. As Golden Girl she will represent Pecos in many activities throughout the year. Runner-up for the event was 17-year-old Jennifer Martinez, daughter of Rudy and Irma Martinez. Miss Martinez is sponsored by Winkles Trucks, Inc. and Martinez Funeral Home. She is a member of the PHS swim team, PHS Mu Alpha Theta, PHS Student Council and the PHS Spanish Club. She is also the Junior Class Representative. The Golden Girl runner-up received a standing ovation for her portrayal of the Christian song, "On My Knees," made popular by Christian artist, Jackie Velasquez. She states that she wants to attend Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Okla., following graduation, "to enhance her awareness of God." She also plans to pursue a career in physical therapy or in dental health. The girls showed off their western wear and were also on stage in the 1890's ball gowns. During the "Little girls say the cutest things," portion of the Little Miss Cantaloupe program, little Kiara took the microphone from Master of Ceremonies Johnny Terrazas and told those in attendance that she loved her parents and wanted to thank them for everything, because they were so nice to her and bought her everything. "What do your parents buy you?" asked Terrazas. "A bed," said Kiara. "Wow, I'm going to go stay with you," said Terrazas. "Okay, but you have to sleep on the floor," said the new Little Miss Cantaloupe, who was sponsored by the Gutierrez family. Five-year-old Allison Lea Mendoza was named runner-up. She is sponsored by West Texas Financial/Desert Rental and is the daughter of Harvey and Isa Stamper. Allison told the audience that she wanted to tell her parents to buy her the Spice Girls video. "What do you like to play at school?" Terrazas asked her. "I play with my friends and we play the Spice girls," said Mendoza. So watch out Spice Girls, they may have a new member before long. The littlest contestants also entertained the audience with their dancing talents. The group performed to "I'm From the Country." All the girls had a chance to speak out during the "Little Girls Say the Cutest Things," part of their interview. Special entertainment was provided by Mark Anthony. Other Golden Girl nominees and their talent presentations included, April Ryan, who played the flute from a song in the movie, "Titanic,"; Linsey Hathorn, sang the country-western song, "Bye Bye,"; Amy Armstrong played the flute and the song, "The Yellow Rose of Texas,"; Myra Fuentes, played a song from the movie, "Top Gun," on her clarinet; Alva Alvarez did a sign interpretation/ballet dance to a song from the movie, "Titanic," and Valerie Shaye Lara played a medley of songs on the piano from the movie, "Grease." April Ryan netted the 1998 Miss Congeniality and Advertising Scholarships. County bars fireworks on limited basis By GREG HARMAN Staff Writer Reeves County's burn ban may not cover aerial rockets like near-hydrant-sized "Desert Storm," a gigantic cylinder which spurts fiery balls into the air, but don't get caught with any bottle rockets this fourth or you may get slapped with fine as high as $500. Due to extremely dry conditions throughout the state, most Texas counties have enacted fireworks bans that either restrict or outlaw the colorful devices this holiday season. As a brief conversation with any fireworks salesperson with reveal, the ban in Reeves County is a fairly limited one. As one salesman from New Mexico put it: "No sticks or fins." That means no bottle rockets (sticks) or rockets with fins. "They (fireworks dealer Texas Giant) sent Roman candles," said local schoolteacher and July Fourth merchant Cecil Stickels, "that can shoot into the air and shower, but the sparks won't hit the ground unless one malfunctions." Fireworks like those and the `Desert Storm' are designed to fizzle to just cool smoke before meeting the dry brush below. Just in case of rain, bottle rockets, which were sent down with the bulk of the other celebratory rockets, are stored in a nearby shed. "They said to leave them in the box," said Stickels, referring to Texas Giant officials "so we won't be tempted to sell them and people don't see them." If any of the dealers' businesses has been hurt by the ban (two of three contacted said it had no noticeable effect) the slack, Stickels said, had been taken up by travelers from out of state. Residents from California, Arizona and Oregon, have stopped in on Stickels to buy merchandise they say they can't get back home. "Mostly folks have been buying stuff for their kids - little stuff," said Stickels. Assortment bags, filled with mildly entertaining, rolling tanks, sparklers and smoke bombs provide mild entertainment, are selling for $5. For the enthusiast, there is always the "Desert Storm" and its like. "This is the closet thing we can sell without being supervised by a pyrotechnic," said Stickels. She warned Pecosites not to try buying from any of these local stands unless you are over 12 years of age. Selling to anyone younger than that violates state law. Also, shooting fireworks within city limits is illegal, said Police Chief Clay McKinney. Those who want to celebrate the Fourth of July by setting off jumping jacks, firecrackers, or even the massive "Desert Storm," must do so outside of city limits. School districts facing cutbacks LUBBOCK (AP) -- West Texas school officials are having to take a long, hard look at their budgets for the coming school year because of the oil slump. But they say job cuts are not in the immediate future. Although jobs are still intact, Levelland Independent School District said they will be slimming budgets for the next school year in several counties. ``At this point we're not cutting staff, but if the staff resigns we look very hard at whether we should replace them,'' said Ed Marshall, director of personnel services for Levelland Independent School District. Oil prices have dropped between $8 and $10 a barrel and mineral values have soared by as much as 14 percent in some areas. ``We're praying that it doesn't continue for another year,'' Marshall told the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Levelland officials in Hockley County are projecting lowering budgets to $1.5 million from this year's $16 million. ``It's much more than (cutting back on) utilities,'' Marshall said. ``We're looking at all options. Basically, we're trying to absorb as many things as we can and find ways to cut back.'' Denver City district is planning a 14 percent decrease in their budget, about $2 million down from this year, said Bill Gravitt, the district's finance manager The shortages might cause fewer teachers, and fewer students because of job losses in the oil fields by the 1999-2000 school year, Gravitt said. ``We might even have to go as far as to close one campus and consolidate one of the facilities,'' Gravitt said. Reduced work forces in Yoakum County's oil fields have already caused a drop about 600 students since 1991. ``If the oil prices go up in August, if they'd stay up there around $17, $18 $19, $20 a barrel, everything would be all right,'' he said. ``But the chances of that happening right now, to me, are not very good. I think they'll go up some, but I don't think they'll get up there around $20.'' A&M looks to straighten out problem By JOHN MacCORMACK San Antonio Express-News SAN ANTONIO -- About to chain-saw that huge old nuisance mesquite? Well, hold off adding to the woodpile and think about adding to your billfold. The wild and crazy folks at Texas A&M-Kingsville have good money waiting for owners of the Arnold Schwarzenegger of Texas mesquite trees. ``''We are having a contest to find the tallest, straightest mesquite trees to put into a genetic improvement program,'' said Peter Felker, head of the university's Center for Semi-Arid Forest Resources. Felker said $100 will be given for the best tree in a managed landscape and $100 for the best tree from the range. The winners also will be publicly recognized at the fall mesquite convention in Corpus Christi. The long-term goal is to establish, through selective breeding, trees that yield straight, long boards at the sawmill. Mesquite is a dense, beautiful wood, suitable for tabletops and veneers; but most trunks harvested now are too small or twisted to be used for flooring or furniture. ''The point is, we want to collect seeds from about 50 parent trees, and we'll plant 20 trees from each of them and evaluate them for seven to eight years. Then we'll cull about 95 percent and use the rest,'' Felker said. ''The shape and height of a tree are controlled by genetics, like a human's eye or hair color. If we use seeds from only the tallest, straightest trees, their seeds will produce tall, straight trees,'' he said. Felker said there is ample evidence that Schwarzenegger-type mesquites were more common than the gnarly version that covers 20 million acres of Texas. ``''In Mexico, all the mission and church doors are built from mesquite. You can go to some places and find stumps there 3 feet in diameter. You can still find stumps like that in the Rio Grande Valley,'' he said. ``''With all the bulldozing and root-plowing, I'm afraid we've lost much of the genetic diversity,'' he said. The contest rules are: All entries must be mailed by July 31 to Peter Felker, Texas A&M-Kingsville, Campus Box 218, Kingsville 78363. Each entry must contain a photo of the tree showing an 8-foot, two-by-four next to the tree. Each applicant must be willing to provide 20 viable seed pods and must say if the tree is cared for or is from the wild. The winning tree will have the longest straight trunk that at no point curves more than 8 inches from the 8-foot, two-by-four board. For questions about the contest, call Felker at (512) 593-3966. POLICE REPORT EDITOR'S NOTE: Information contained in the Police Report is obtained from reports filed by the Pecos Police Department, Reeves County Sheriff's Office, or other officers of those agencies. The serving of warrants by an officer for outstanding fines of either traffic citations, animal control violations or other court costs are considered arrests and will be printed as such unless indicated that the fines were paid. In such instances we will indicate payment and release. *** The Department of Public Safety investigate a one vehicle rollover at 11:08 a.m., on Sunday, June 21, near mile marker 49 on Interstate 20, sent two people to Reeves County Hospital. The two people, whose names were unavailable, were treated and released. *** The Department of Public Safety was called out Wednesday afternoon to investigate a one vehicle rollover which sent five people to Reeves County Hospital. The accident was reported at 4:31, Wednesday, and took place on Interstate 20 near mile marker 24, just east of Toyah. All five people in the vehicle were transported to Reeves County Hospital, where they were treated and released. Names of the five were not available this morning. *** Ruben Martinez, 18, was arrested at 3:59 a.m., on June 23, at 420 Mulberry Street, for assault under the Family Violence Act. He was transported to Reeves County Jail. *** Kristopher Granado was arrested at 12:34 a.m., on June 25, in the 600 block of Park Street, on DPS warrants. He paid the fine and was released. *** Larry Mosby, 36, and Dana Banister, 24, were arrested at 8:56 p.m., on June 26, at the corner of Lincoln and Cedar streets. Mosby was arrested on a warrant for a theft probation violation; Banister was arrested on a warrant for failure to appear in court after committing a theft. They were transported to Reeves County Jail. *** Grace Ornelas, 26, was arrested at 8:12 a.m., on June 27, in the 600 block of Peach Street, on three warrants-one for theft, one for violation of a promise to appear in court, and one Capias Pro Fine warrant. She was transported to Reeves County Jail. *** Jose Mendoza, 43, was arrested at 1 p.m., on June 27, at 2344 Limpia Road, on a warrant for criminal trespass. He was transported to Reeves County Jail. *** Sotero Navarette, 53, was arrested at 8:04 p.m., on June 27, at 801 Hickory Street, for public intoxication. He was transported to Reeves County Jail. *** Edward Sanchez, 26, was arrested at 10:18 p.m., on June 28, at Sonic Drive-Inn in the 500 block of West Third Street, on a warrant for making alcohol available to a minor. He was transported to Reeves County Jail. *** Emilio Acosta Jr., 17, was arrested at 12:54 a.m., on June 29, at the corner of Ash and `B' streets, on warrants for a probation violation by failing to appear in court and driving without a license. He was transported to Reeves County Jail. WEATHER High Sunday 111. Low this morning 78. Forecast for tonight: Isolated evening thunderstorms over the mountains, Big Bend and Edwards Plateau areas. Otherwise, mostly clear. Low around 75. Southeast wind 10-15 mph. Tuesday, partly cloudy and hot. High 100 105. South to southeast wind 10-20 mph. Search Entire Site: 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@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 1998 by Pecos Enterprise