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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Photos
Carol and Arnulfo Rivas, Relay for Life
Granny D, cross-country walk
Top Stories
Monday, May 17, 1999
Senate restrains plans to create water districts
By PEGGY McCRACKEN
Staff Writer
PECOS, May 17, 1999 -- Texas Senators want to study the water district
question for two more years before allowing individual counties to hold
elections and control movement of water across district lines.
Rep. Gary Walker (D-Plains) said this morning that the Senate has grouped
together all the individual water district bills and proposes to give an
intermediate set of powers until September, 2001.
"It has not been voted out of the Senate," Walker said. "We are not
sure whether it will or won't. If it does, it essentially says you can
have your water district, but no election for tax or directors for two
years."
County commissioners would appoint directors in the meantime, and they
would have limited powers to make rules.
"The Senate wants to study the effects of single county districts prohibiting
transfer of water out of the district," Walker said. "Once it gets to the
floor, it could be changed a number of times and has to pass over there
before it gets here."
Walker introduced a bill in the House creating the Trans-Pecos Water
Conservation District for Reeves and Loving counties. Numerous other bills
for single-county districts were also passed in the House, but the Senate
chose to lump them all together.
"I don't like the way it is being done, but I don't have much to fight
with them about and still keep the water district together for Reeves and
Loving," he said. "They are not going to transport water out because they
don't have enough as it is."
Under Senate Bill 1, passed in 1997, areas were told to create water
districts by 2001 or face the prospect of underground water rights being
controlled by state officials. The move led a group of local farmers and
ranchers to form the Trans-Pecos Underground Water District last year,
pending legislative approval.
Walker expects to know more about the Senate bill on Thursday or Friday.
"We just have a week from Tuesday to pass bills," he said.
If it passes both the Senate and House, Reeves and Loving counties don't
have to formulate a district under the bill, Walker said.
Weekend's cancer relay raises $7,100
By PEGGY McCRACKEN
Staff Writer
PECOS, May 17, 1999 -- Luminarios lined the walking track inside the
Buck Jackson Rodeo Arena Friday night in memory of cancer victims and honoring
cancer survivors.
Volunteers circled the track throughout the night and Saturday morning
in the Second Annual Relay for Life, an American Cancer Society fundraiser.
Committee chairman Nancy Ontiveros said that 18 individuals and teams
entered the competition, and the total donations were $7,100.
"The committee would like to thank everyone involved who gave their
time, money and energy to help make the relay a success," she said.
Mayor Dot Stafford gave the welcoming speech before the cancer survivor's
lap began at 6 p.m. Friday, followed by a branding demonstration by Austin
Elementary.
Doris Haddock, an 89-year-old New Hampshire resident who is walking
across the country to promote public awareness for campaign finance reform,
spoke at 9 p.m.
A luminary-lighting ceremony at 9:30 highlighted the evening.
Midnight found volunteers parading in a "Silly Pajama Contest, and line
dances kept participants moving in the early-morning hours.
Groups turned in money they had collected by 10 a.m. Saturday to be
eligible for awards and picked up relay evaluations.
After relay evaluations and team registration forms were turned in,
awards were given for most money earned by individual, most money earned
by a team, and best decorated campsite.
Austin Elementary School's campsite honored one of their teachers, the
late Mary Evans. Each participant wore a stick-on patch with Evans' photo,
and numerous luminarious bore her name.
They not only won best campsite, but received a special presentation
during today's 9 a.m. awards ceremony, "because they exemplified the spirit
of teamwork," said Ontiveros.
"They were in it not just for competition. Their purpose was much more
personal because of the loss of one of their teachers," she said.
Terri Spence said the Austin staff sold cookies during February, March
and April. They had raised $1,415 when the walk began Friday.
Reeves County Hospital decorated their campsite for a backyard birthday
party, honoring Carla Rivas on her birthday. Tents provided sleeping space
for overnight campers.
American home Health took pledges for the American Cancer Society, as
did the First National Bank team. FNB used a Woodstock theme, with an antique
car parked near a travel trailer.
Their team turned in $1,902 for most donations raised by a team, and
a teller, Melonie Ikeler, won for most money turned in by an individual.
She raised almost $500.
Pecos Nursing Home used an underwater theme and cooked supper on a grill.
Pecos Youth Advisory Commission played volleyball on their "beach," and
the Reeves County Sheriff's Explorers used a travel trailer provided by
the sheriff's office.
Relay T-shirts are still available at $10 each from Reeves County Hospital
or from Marie Cardenas at the Reeves-Loving County Extension Office.
Other committee members are Larry Levario, Paul Hinojos, Linda Gholson
and Dot Stafford.
"Granny D' takes long walk to push campaign reforms
By PEGGY McCRACKEN
Staff Writer
PECOS, May 17, 1999 -- Watching TV and eating chocolates for the rest
of her life didn't interest Doris Haddock after her husband and her dearest
friend died. So she set out to memorialize them by doing something useful.
And set out is what she did. Starting in Pasadena, Calif., "Granny D"
has walked 10 miles a day since December 31, 1998, on a trek to Washington,
D.C. Her mission is to raise public awareness of the need for campaign
finance reform.
"I feel the country is in peril," Haddock said. "Democracy is in peril.
Corporations have taken over our elections. I have 11 great grandchildren
and want them to be brought up in a democracy; not where, if a poor man
tries to run for office, he sells his soul to a corporation.
"They have to be the tool of a corporation or a millionaire, and if
all are millionaires, you end up with elitist government," she said.
Granny D hopes to celebrate her 90th birthday by walking into the nation's
capital next January.
She and her support team spent Thursday and Friday nights in Toyah as
guests of Steve and Berta Begay and spoke at a Town Hall meeting. Friday
night at the Relay for Life she encouraged cancer survivors and families
who have lost loved ones to find something useful to do to memorialize
them.
Pecos Chamber of Commerce provided free motel rooms for the team Saturday
and Sunday nights, and they will stop over at the John Wilson ranch near
Pyote tonight.
Granny D is not soliciting donations; just overnight lodging and support
for her cause.
Common Cause has joined the effort, providing a van to follow as she
treks 10 miles every day. Her son accompanied the great-grandmother part
of the way, and others have taken turns driving the van and walking with
her.
If publicity was what she was after, Granny D has been rewarded many
times over. The nation's top publications, including the New York Times,
People Magazine and CNN, have done extensive coverage of her walk. She
has been a regular guest on former Texas Agriculture Secretary Jim Hightower's
radio programs across the country and speaks in every town she visits.
Her web site, www.grannyd.com, details her daily journey and offers
a petition for visitors to sign. Comments on the page come from all over
the country where her talks on radio are heard.
Granny's plan was to leave Interstate 10 at El Paso and cross New Mexico,
continuing along U.S. 180 through Lamesa and points east to Dallas. However,
high winds and other factors forced her south, so she is tramping the shoulder
of I-10. She was reported at the 45-mile marker at mid-morning Saturday.
Haddock has completed about 1,200 miles of the 3,055-mile trek, one
step at a time.
If her feet give her trouble, it won't be because she doesn't know how
to choose good walking shoes. Haddock worked for Beebee Shoe Company "for
many years," and costed the line. She was also a shoe designer and a secretary.
"I smoked for 50 years and have emphysema," Haddock said. "It has greatly
improved since I started walking."
She normally walks two miles a day at home, but trained for nine months
by walking 10 miles a day carrying a 25-pound pack.
The only physical problem she has had so far is dehydration, which occurred
in the Mojave Desert as she crossed Arizona.
"I was hospitalized four days and spent four more days recuperating,"
she said.
"Mentally, I have had to lose people on the way because they didn't
have the stamina or for other reasons, and that's been hard. The hardest
thing of all is to get acquainted with someone hosting you and have to
say goodbye and start all over again," she said.
Haddock said she had worked for campaign finance reform two years without
much success before starting her walk. When the McCain-Feingold bill failed
to pass Congress because "They said the man in the street didn't care,
and the fact that corporations had taken over didn't bother them," she
decided more was needed to wake up the country and show that people do
care.
With the "outrageous" cost of television advertising, Haddock believes
that candidates have little choice but to accept large donations that obligate
them to the donor.
"Their own websites might be a big help," she said. "I think a lot of
people will try it this time to see."
It's "soft money" that corporations hand out "under the table" to influence
elected officials to vote for bills favoring them that is ruining the country,
Haddock said.
"They pay those who will keep the status quo so all the goodies they
have got built up for themselves will stay there," she said. "They give
thousands to candidates and get millions from the government of our tax
dollars."
Local firemen kept busy by Saturday trailer blaze
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, May 17, 1999 -- Volunteer firemen were busy Saturday fighting
a trailer fire on Stanford Street in southwest Pecos.
The first call in about 11 a.m. and firefighters were unable to keep
most of the mobile home from being destroyed.
They were later called back to the same site at about 1:15 p.m. and
again at 7:20 p.m., according to Town of Pecos City Fire Chief Roy Pena.
The fire is still under investigation by city fire marshal Jack Brookshire.
Nobody was hurt in the fire and nobody was home at the time it broke
out. "Apparently the owners were in El Paso or enroute to El Paso so nobody
was home," said Pena.
Pena said that they were told about some little puppies inside the trailer,
however, firefighters were unable to locate them.
"Another dog that was in his pen outside the trailer survived and is
doing fine, but I'm sorry that we don't know if there were actually puppies
inside," said Pena. "The fire spread so quickly and the trailer went up
in flames fast."
All the fire trucks responded as is common in a fire inside the city
limits. There are currently six fire trucks and one emergency truck which
carries special equipment such as air packs.
"We usually have all of them on the scene in the case that a fire is
within the city limits and when the fire is outside the city limits, we
dispatch two and keep the others on standby," said Pena. "Then, if the
others are needed, they also respond."
Firefighters have been doing an excellent job recently and have responded
to numerous fires, including last month's major fire that destroyed the
West Pecos Gym.
"We have a good crew working right now," said Pena.
Balmorhea may add maquiladora jobs
By PEGGY McCRACKEN
Staff Writer
PECOS, May 17, 1999 -- Balmorhea is on the move. Upward and onward.
So say restaurant manager Ellen Weinacht and city councilman Danny Reynolds,
a sheriff's deputy.
They point to expansion of the bicycle warehouse that is half of a maquiladora
operation. The other half is an assembly plant in Mexico. A similar wheelchair
operation may be the next industry to provide jobs for area residents.
Two rural health clinics provide routine care for physical ailments.
Reeves County operates one clinic two days a week, and Covenant Health
Systems of Lubbock operates the other.
Work is expected to begin soon on a new city park, half of which will
be funded by Texas Parks and Wildlife.
A recent downtown cleanup has made a more pleasant atmosphere for the
hundreds of bird watchers and other tourists seeking respite from Interstate
10.
Sheriff Arnulfo Gomez has assigned a new deputy, Tommy Acosta, to work
with Reynolds. And the Texas Department of Public Safety has assigned Trooper
Matthew Kasmerski to patrol the highways in the south end of Reeves County.
"Calls have dropped in half from what they were when I came here two
years ago," Reynolds said. "Our little community is just blowing and going."
A $375,000 housing grant for repair and improvement of low-income housing
will help single Moms and the elderly, he said.
To keep the momentum going, Reynolds has developed a questionnaire for
Balmorhea residents to share their hopes and dreams, and to commit themselves
to make the dreams come true.
He suggests that Balmorhea residents send answers to the questions below
to him at P.O. Box 285, Balmorhea TX 79718.
Be specific! he says.
What would you like to see Balmorhea have -
- that costs less than $1,000.
- that costs less than $10,000?
- that costs less than $100,000?
- if cost was no object?
- that cost no money?
What would it take to get you to donate -
- one hour of your time?
- ten hours of your time?
- 100 hours of your time?
How would you get someone else involved in one of your projects?
What talents do you have?
What is your favorite TV show?
What is your age group?
Tourists join local residents at fundraiser
by SMOKEY BRIGGS
Staff Writer
PECOS, May 17, 1999 -- William and Madge Mayer of McComb, Mississippi
were among the guests eating barbecue and drinking ice tea at the West
of the Pecos Museum fund-raiser on Friday.
"We were on our way to Carlsbad, just passing through, and thought we
would stop at the museum," William said.
"We thought we were going to drive all the way across Texas without
getting to eat any Texas barbecue," Madge said. "So when we saw they were
serving barbecue here at the museum we were thrilled."
"The barbecue was excellent and the hospitality just as good," William
said.
The Mayers are on a one-month tour of the West. After lunch they toured
the museum before heading on to Carlsbad, N.M.
"We're just traveling across the nation and enjoying the trip," William
said.
The barbecue lunch fund-raiser is an annual event for the museum.
According to Debbie Thomas, director of the museum, more than 150 people
dropped by on Friday for lunch.
"It was a great turnout," she said. "We sold out of barbecue just before
one o'clock."
Thomas said that Bob's Thriftway donated cooking services for the barbecue
and the Sheriffs Department cooked the beans and potato salad.
"First National Bank sponsored the entire event so that most of the
money we raised can go directly to the museum's needs," Thomas said.
Thomas also said that the money will help a lot as the museum faces
extended hours and expenses as it starts the busy summer season.
Jury selection starts
in pot delivery trial
Jury selection began this morning in a marijuana delivery case before
143rd District Judge Bob Parks.
Eva Lozano is charged with delivering 1 1/2 pounds of marijuana to an
undercover narcotics officer. Her defense attorney is John Elder.
District Attorney Randy Reynolds is prosecuting for the state.
Judge Parks' criminal jury docket for the week lists 10 cases. He also
has four civil cases on the docket.
Lotto
AUSTIN (AP) — No tickets correctly matched all six numbers drawn Saturday
night for the twice-weekly Lotto Texas game, state lottery officials said.
The jackpot was worth an estimated $7 million. The numbers drawn Saturday
night from a field of 50 were: 4-7-27-30-41-48. Wednesday night's drawing
will be worth an estimated $10 million.
***
AUSTIN (AP) — esults of the Cash 5 drawing Friday night: Winning numbers
drawn: 1-2-3-19-37. Number matching five of five: None. Matching four of
five: 226. Prize: $1.025.
***
AUSTIN (AP) — Results of the Texas Million drawing Friday night: Winning
numbers drawn: 0-34-82-97. Number matching four of four in Group One: None.
Number matching four of four in Group Two: One. Prize: $25,000. Number
matching four of four in Group Three: None. Number matching three of four
in any group: 445. Prize: $300.
***
AUSTIN (AP) — The winning Pick 3 numbers drawn Friday by the Texas Lottery,
in order: -2-3 (zero, two, three)
***
AUSTIN (AP) — The winning Pick 3 numbers drawn Saturday by the Texas
Lottery, in order: 1-9-9 (one, nine, nine).
Obituary
Alicia Galindo
Services are incomplete for Alicia H. Galindo, 64, who died Sunday, May
16, 1999, at Medical Center Hospital in Odessa.
Pecos Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
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.
***
A male juvenile was arrested at 10:45 p.m., on April 30, at 1410 S.
Eddy St., as a minor in possession and resisting arrest. He was taken to
Reeves County Juvenile Detention Center.
***
Severo Natividad, 65, was arrested at 11:48 p.m., on May 2, at the corner
of 12th and Walnut streets, for driving while license suspended/public
intoxication. He was taken to Reeves County Jail.
***
Anna Barreno, 38, was arrested at 6:27 p.m., on May 3, in the 400 block
of South Orange Street, on warrants for theft over $50, under $500. She
was taken to Reeves County Jail.
***
Lorenzo Carrasco, 26, Alonso Munoz, 27, and a female juvenile were arrested
at 2:17 a.m., on May 4, in the 1400 block of West Second Street. Carrasco
and Munoz were chanrged with making alcohol available to a minor; the female
juvenile on a probation and curfew violation.
***
Guillermo Gabaldon, 50, was arrested at 10:10 a.m., on May 4, in the
1900 block of Iowa Street, for assault under the Family Violence Act. He
was taken to Reeves County Jail.
***
Gilbert Juarez, 30, was arrested at 1:29 p.m., on May 4, on a warrant
for deadly conduct. He was taken to Reeves County Jail.
***
Allen Warsh Oxford, 46, and Theresa Jean Meininger, 24, were each served
with a warrant at 9:15 a.m., on May 5, at the Reeves County Jail. Oxford
was charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, Meininger for theft.
***
Rolando Hernandez, 22, was arrested at 7:14 p.m., on May 5, in the 600
block of South Sycamore Street, for driving while suspended. He was taken
to Reeves County Jail.
***
Hector Castaneda, 45, and Pam Castaneda, 39, were arrested at 11 a.m.,
on May 6, each on a warrant for theft over $1,500, under $20,000. They
were taken to Reeves County Jail.
***
Leif Burkhalter, 19, was arrested at 6:24 p.m., on May 6, at the corner
of Seventh and Alamo streets, on Capias Pro Fine warrants. He was taken
to Reeves County Jail.
***
Angela Dawn Leigh, 21, was arrested at 2:10 a.m., on May 7, on First
Street in Toyah, on a warrant for a motion to revoke-forgery. She was taken
to Reeves County Jail.
Francisco Rodriguez, 51, was arrested at 2:27 p.m., on May 8, in the
1300 block of South Cedar Street, on a Capias Pro Fine warrant. He was
taken to Reeves County Jail.
***
Joel Rubio, 24, was arrested at 5:49 p.m., on May 8, in the 600 block
of Walnut Street, for assault under the Family Violence Act. He was taken
to Reeves County Jail.
***
Ciro Baltierra Ortiz, 50, was arrested at 10:37 p.m., on May 8, in the
800 block of East Third Street, for public intoxication. He was taken to
Reeves County Jail.
***
Jesus Manuel Martinez, 21, was arrested at 4:06 a.m., on May 9, in the
900 block of Cherry Street, for evading arrest/public intoxication. He
was taken to Reeves County Jail.
***
Benjamin Valeriano, 18, Victor S. Romo, 19, Ariel L. Guerrero, 21, and
Rodolfo V. Magana, 23, were arrested at 9:56 p.m., on May 9, in the 300
block of Oleander Street. Valeriano and Romo were charged as minors in
possession of alcoholic beverages; Guerrero and Magana for making alcohol
available to a minor. They were taken to Reeves County Jail.
***
Berta Moreno, 47, was arrested at 10:28 p.m., on May 9, at the corner
of Third and Cedar streets, on a warrant out of Artesia, New Mexico, for
two counts of forgery. She was taken to Reeves County Jail.
***
Jacobo Fierro Jasso, 32, was arrested at 11:15 p.m., on May 9, in the
1700 block of Adams Street, for assault under the Family Violence Act.
He was taken to Reeves County Jail.
***
T.J. Williams, 20, was arrested at 6:25 p.m., on May 10, in the 500
block of South Cedar Street, on a warrant (theft over $20, under $500).
He was taken to Reeves County Jail.
***
Clifton Ikeler, 18, was arrested at 2:34 a.m., on May 14, in the 400
block of Locust Street, for driving under the influence/possession of cocaine.
He was taken to Reeves County Jail.
***
Juan Tarango, 17, and Ricardo Gonzalez, 19, were arrested at 2:49 a.m.,
on May 14, at the corner of Third and Cedar streets—Tarango as a minor
in possession; Gonzalez for failure to identify himself. They were taken
to Reeves County Jail.
***
Erica Tarin, 18, was arrested at 5:18 a.m., on May 14, in the 200 block
of Locust Street, for driving while license suspended. She was taken to
Reeves County Jail.
***
David R. Reyes, 17, was arrested at 1:08 a.m., on May 15, at the corner
of Third and Cedar streets, for driving while intoxicated. He was taken
to Reeves County Jail.
***
Dennis Wilkins, 40, was arrested at 3:22 p.m., on May 15, in the 400
block of East 13th Street, on an out-of-town warrant. He was taken to Reeves
County Jail.
Weather
PECOS, May 17, 1999 - High Sunday 96; low last night 57. Tonight, clear. Low around 50. Northeast
wind 10-20 mph. Tuesday, mostly sunny. High in the mid 80s. Southeast wind
10 20 mph.
Pecos Enterprise
York M. "Smokey" Briggs, 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 1999 by Pecos Enterprise
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