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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Top Stories
Friday, October 22, 1999
Fire burns church parsonage den
By PEGGY McCRACKEN
Staff Writer
PECOS, Oct. 22, 1999 - A scorched divan still smoldered this morning
on the front lawn of the West Park Baptist Church parsonage at 1407 S.
Plum, following a midnight fire.
Jim Cook and his family were getting ready for bed Thursday night when
his wife, Donna, checked the door to the den and smelled smoke.
She discovered that fire had started in clothing and books stored in
boxes that the family had not yet unpacked since their move to the parsonage
at 1407 S. Plum St. on Oct. 1.
Cook is the church's new pastor.
Firemen who converged on the scene were able to contain the fire to
the den, but smoke and heat heavily damaged all the interior and contents,
said Jack Brookshire, fire marshal.
Intense heat burst the picture window in the front of the den, and some
sheetrock from the ceiling fell, but fire did not get into the attic, he
said.
Brookshire was attempting to determine this morning what caused the
fire, which appeared to have started in the northwest corner of the den.
Cook said that no electrical appliances were plugged in at the time, although
a box fan and a broken crock pot lay on the lawn, along with luggage, sparse
furnishings and two charred bowling balls.
Church members put the family up in the Swiss Clock Inn for the night
and began looking this morning for an apartment or house to rent.
Donna Cook said that some of the clothing could be salvaged. Emily,
the youngest daughter, rescued two of her favorite dolls from the debris
this morning, their pink bodies and clothing turned brown by the smoke.
Her room caught most of the smoke damage, Donna said.
Deacon Weldon Brookshire said that the church has insurance on the parsonage
and contents owned by the church, but not on the pastor's possessions.
Anyone who wants to donate clothing or other items may telephone the
church office at 445-2126 and leave a message with the address where members
may pick them up.
Emily's size is 8-10, shoe size 3½. Sarah wears 14-16, shoe size
8 ½. Stephen's pant size is 10 regular, shirt size 10, and shoe
size 5.
Donna wears an 18 petite, and Jim's pant size is 34 waist, 32 length.
He wears a medium shirt with long sleeves.
Eagle band hoping to earn trip to state
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Oct. 22, 1999 - The Pecos Eagle Band has been practicing diligently
in preparation for Regional Competition, scheduled for Saturday night at
Ratliff Stadium in Odessa.
"We'll be playing some new selections," said Eagle Band Director Bill
Goff.
Goff said the band has been practicing extra hard for their performance
on Saturday and hopes for the best.
"We just need to stay within ourselves," said Goff. "We need to keep
in mind what we're doing and just stick to that," he said.
The Eagles will perform at 9 p.m., on Saturday, but competition for
other bands will be held throughout the day.
"The 4A bands will start performing at 6 p.m., with the last band scheduled
for competition at 9:15, after the Pecos Eagles," Goff said.
The regional competition is made up of 10 bands, two from each of the
five Class 4A districts in West Texas. Competing in the division are El
Paso Riverside, Pampa, Plainview, Frenship, Amarillo Palo Duro, Fort Stockton,
Canutillo, Dumas, Andrews, Canyon, Canyon Randall, El Paso Parkland, Pecos
and Borger.
The two top finishers in Saturday's competition will advance to the
Class 4A state finals, scheduled this year for Floyd Casey Stadium in Waco.
Not guilty plea entered by Natividad
By PEGGY McCRACKEN
Staff Writer
PECOS, Oct. 22, 1999 - Braulia Natividad has pleaded not guilty to
theft of currency from her former employer, Madera Valley Water Supply
Corporation, and filed a motion to suppress evidence.
In the motion, filed in 143rd District Court, Natividad claims
that law enforcement officers seized evidence from her desk and briefcase
in the Madera Valley office after she was placed on administrative leave.
Natividad said she was interrogated on March 8 by County Attorney Walter
Holcombe, was placed on administrative leave later that day, and was prevented
from collecting her personal property from the office.
On May 11, Natividad said she was interrogated by a law enforcement
officer who used information obtained from her personal property left in
the office. The evidence was not seized in connection with an arrest, and
the officer had no warrant, the petition alleges.
Natividad is charged by indictment with theft of between $1,500 and
$20,000 on Nov. 9, 1998 from Madera Valley while she was employed in the
office.
Grand jury indicts three in aid scams
By PEGGY McCRACKEN
Staff Writer
PECOS, Oct. 22, 1999 - Three of eight indictments returned Thursday
by the Reeves County grand jury are for tampering with government records
to obtain greater AFDC and food stamp benefits through the Texas Department
of Human Services.
Tracie Fuentez, 25, is charged with failure to report owning a 1997
Chevrolet automobile on her application for assistance made March 18.
Elizabeth Medrano allegedly failed to report earned income by Ramon
Medrano, a member of the household, on Feb. 2.
Pilar Ornelas, 54, failed to report on July 22, 1998 that she owned
a 1996 Ford pickup, the indictment alleges. She did report owning a 1991
Ford Escort and a 1981 Chevrolet Chevette.
Bail on each of the charges is set at $5,000.
Driving while intoxicated is the charge against Omar Rodriguez Garcia,
35, Omar Rojelio Salgado, 28, and Manuel Gomez Florez, 57. Bail on Florez
is $1,000. Garcia and Salgado must put up $5,000 each to be released.
Hector Lopez was indicted for alleged attempted burglary of a residence
owned by Frank Martinez. His bail is $15,000.
Jesus Manuel Candia Jr., 27, is charged with possession of cocaine on
August 10. His bail is $10,000.
Commissioners to discuss Envirocare dump
PECOS, Oct. 22, 1999 - Opposing a proposed low level radioactive waste
disposal facility in northwestern Ward County will once again be discussed
at the regular meeting of the Reeves County Commissioners Court scheduled
for 9:45 a.m., Monday.
Commissioners have discussed plans by Envoirocare of Texas to build
an above-ground storage facility for low level radioactive waste during
their past two regular meetings. The site would be located eight miles
northeast of Barstow and 14 miles northeast of Pecos in Ward County.
In other action, commissioners will meet in closed session to discuss
the City of Pecos Water Rate Analysis and the Charlie N. Millian burial
and plot resolution.
In open session the group will discuss and take action on the State
of Texas Contract Airline Fares for official county business; FY 1999 Independent
Audi Report and a resolution for the reduction and reapportionment of Reeves
County Judge of the Peace and Constable Precinct boundaries.
The court will discuss and take action on Justice of the Peace Precinct
#2 J.T. Marsh budget request and the deputation and oath for Jaime Rodriguez.
Regular items for discussion and consideration include:
· Reports from various departments.
· Budget amendments and line-item transfers.
· Personnel and salary changes (RCDC, Texas Agricultural Extension
and the Juvenile Detention Center).
· Minutes from previous meetings.
· Semi-Monthly bills.
Gabaldon captures Power Points prize
PECOS, Oct. 22, 1999 - Angie Urias Gabladon won this past week's Pecos
Enterprise Power Points competition, by virtue of a tiebreaker over Harvey
Gonzales.
Gabaldon, of 608 Ross Blvd., won the Week 6 title with 97 points in
the contest. She receives tickets to Odessa Jackalopes hockey at the Ector
County Civic Center.
Statewide, the winner of the $1,000 first prize was Janis Hampton of
College Station, who scored 133 out of 136 points this past week.
Power Points entry forms are printed every Monday in the Enterprise,
and are available at local sponsoring businesses.
Lotto
AUSTIN (AP) — Results of the Cash 5 drawing Thursday night: Winning numbers
drawn: 8-17-23-29-34. Number matching five of five: 2. Prize per winner:
$38,943. Winning tickets sold in: Fort Worth, Laredo. Matching four of
five: 252. Prize: $464.
***
AUSTIN (AP) — The winning Pick 3 numbers drawn Thursday by the Texas
Lottery, in order: 5-9-9 (five, nine, nine)
Weather
PECOS, Oct. 22, 1999 - High Thursday 85; low last night 43. Winds should
increase and turn to the north at 15 to 20 mph. Afternoon high temperatures
will still reach into the 80s in the Rio Grande valley, with overnight
lows dropping to near 50 degrees. A frontal boundary should push across
South Texas early Saturday, bringing cooler and drier air. No rain was
expected throughout the period. On Saturday, some highs should reach the
90s in the Big Bend.
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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