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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Top Stories
Tuesday, June 8, 1999
World's First Rodeo draws top cowboys
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, June 8, 1999--Get your jeans and boots out, because it's rodeo
time.
Tickets are already on sale for the West of the Pecos Rodeo, scheduled
for Thursday through Sunday, July 1-4, at the Buck Jackson Rodeo Arena.
Once again, top cowboys will be on hand including Dan Mortenson, reigning
world champion saddle bronc rider. Others will be Rod Hay, Tom Reeves,
Rance Bray, Todd Fike, Glen O'Neill, Rod Warren, Billy Etbauer, Ty Murray
and Bret Franks.
To purchase tickets for the yearly event call 1-800-588-2855 or go to
Airlawn Furniture, 1310 S. Eddy or call 447-9035. Reserved seats are $8
and $10 and general admission will be $5. Each performance will begin at
8:30 p.m.
Entries are open for the wild cow milking and wild horse race and June
26 is the last day to register, according to rodeo committee member Sharlene
Martinez.
Sign-up entry fee is $50 per team in this event.
About 775 contestants will be coming to Pecos, the number up from last
year.
Total payout at last year's West of the Pecos Rodeo was $204,000, and
this year the estimated total payout is $247,000.
West of the Pecos Rodeo was listed as number 17, in the top 50 PRCA
Rodeos of 1998. "This is really great, because all these other rodeos are
in big cities and we're just happy that we're listed up there," said Martinez.
World Champion Steer Roper Guy Allen will be in town along with World
Champion Team Ropers Allen Bach, Jack Barns and Clay O'Brien Cooper. These
are all former World Champions.
Slack will begin on Monday at 7:30 p.m. in the rodeo arena, and on Tuesday
there will be two go-rounds of steer roping. Tuesday evening will be the
first go-round of the calf roping, steer wrestling and team roping.
On Wednesday morning the team roping, calf roping and steer wrestling
events will resume and on Wednesday evening will be the special bull riding.
"In this event the top scorer will net a $1,000 bonus," said Martinez.
Buckles will be awarded in local events and spurs will be given out
in other events this year, according to Martinez.
Saturday night the West of the Pecos Rodeo will feature the Team Roping
Classic.
Rodeo dances will follow each nightly performance at the Reeves County
Civic Center and the Sheriff's Posse Barn.
Tejano/country western singer Bobby Pulido will be performing on Friday
night at the Reeves County Civic Center, and other bands will be booked
for the other rodeo nights.
Drug cases keep federal judges hopping
By PEGGY McCRACKEN
Staff Writer
PECOS, June 8, 1999--U.S. District Judge Royal Furgeson this morning
instructed one jury on deliberations in a drug smuggling case and seated
a second to begin hearing testimony.
He accepted pleas in three cases on Monday, while Magistrate/Judge Stuart
Platt accepted eight.
Three of those were charged in an ongoing drug smuggling operation that
had 21 defendants indicted.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom McHugh of San Antonio is lead prosecutor
for the group who allegedly smuggled tons of marijuana from Mexico through
Texas and into Mississippi, Georgia and Louisiana.
Charges in the multi-count indictment include conspiracy to import and
possess marijuana for distribution, importing and possessing marijuana
for distribution, money laundering and aiding and abetting.
Pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess marijuana for distribution
was Susan Delgado-Ortega, 37, of Odessa.
Letitia Bretz, 36, of Odessa, pleaded guilty to possession with intent
to distribute 110 pounds of marijuana.
Casey Clepper, 29, of Midland, pleaded guilty to possession with intent
to distribute marijuana.
In the jury trial, Alfonso Bueno Urias is charged with conspiracy to
possess and possession with intent to distribute marijuana in an unrelated
case. His co-defendant, Luis Javier Juarez, pleaded guilty Monday.
Juarez was driving the vehicle that contained marijuana, while Urias
was driving an escort vehicle, officers testified.
Defense Attorney Mimi Smith argued that the officers failed to link
Urias to the load vehicle, even though a form with Urias' name and a photo
of him, both dated in February, were found in the vehicle driven by Juarez.
Prosecutor J. Miller said that Urias' actions in driving through Big
Bend National Park at night, sightseeing, being stopped twice for traffic
violations on the same road where the load vehicle was traveling, and the
form and photo found in the load vehicle are evidence enough.
"His actions speak louder than his words. He says he doesn't know Juarez.
He was trying to get the load vehicle up north. When these officers looked
at his actions, they realized `something isn't right.' They uncovered a
conspiracy.
"Urias was in the lead vehicle. That's why this road is notorious for
drug smuggling," he said.
Jurors began deliberating at 9:45 a.m., and the trial for Daniel Morales
Flores began.
Prison job set to start
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, June 8, 1999--Plans for the 1,000-bed addition at the Reeves
County Detention Center are coming together and several bids were awarded
Monday for the construction.
Reeves County Commissioners approved bids for security building concrete
and site concrete during the emergency meeting held on the third floor
of the courthouse.
R&R Construction Company of El Paso was awarded bids for both the
building and site concrete.
"R&R was also the most aggressive bidder. We feel they have everything
covered, and we also have a job with them in El Paso," said Banes Contractor
employee Mark Schumacher. "We've worked with them before," he said.
Banes Construction is general contractor for construction, which is
to begin soon.
The security fencing package was awarded to Villareal Construction.
Added personnel will be hired at the prison during construction to strengthen
security, said Schumacher.
"This will enable the workers to be able to come and go during the construction
phase, without any security problems," said Schumacher.
Barry Friedman, president of Carlyle Capital Investments, who financed
the original detention center in 1986, spoke to the group about the financial
end of the construction.
In other business, the court approved new hires Gary Richards, Trans
Pecos Drug Task Force commander, at an annual salary of $40,590; and Ernest
Lazcano, who will be transferring from the Reeves County Sheriff's Department
to the drug task force at an annual salary of $26,000.
Pageant hopefuls hosting bake sale
PECOS, June 8, 1999--Golden Girl nominees will hold a bake sale
Friday, beginning at 9 a.m., at both First National and Security State
Banks.
The annual event is sponsored by the girls who will be participating
in the Golden Girl Pageant on June 25.
This year's nominees include Kristen Evans, Sara Matta, Stephanie Passmore,
Erin Paz, Amanda Stickels, Leslie Valeriano and Dana Warren.
LOTTO
PECOS, June 8, 1999--AUSTIN (AP) — Results of the Cash 5 drawing Monday
night: Winning numbers drawn: 9-12-14-32-39. Number matching five of five:
1. Prize per winner: $83,953. Winning ticket sold in: Texarkana. Matching
four of five: 235. Prize: $536. Matching three of five: 8,024. Prize: $27.
Next Cash 5 drawing: Tuesday night.
WEATHER
PECOS, June 8, 1999--High Monday 98; low last night 64. Tonight, partly
cloudy. A 20 percent chance of evening thunderstorms. Low in the upper
60s. Southeast wind 10-20 mph. Wednesday, partly cloudy. A 20 percent chance
of afternoon thunderstorms. High 90 95. Southeast to south 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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