PECOS ENTERPRISE

Daily Newspaper for Reeves County, Trans Pecos, Big Bend, Far West Texas

Sports|Opinion|
Main Menu|Archives Menu|Classified|Advertising|Monahans|

TOP STORIES


Monday, December 16, 1996

Winter arrives six days early across Texas

Return to Menu

From Staff and Wire Reports
PECOS, December 16, 1996 - Ideal 78-degree weather Saturday enticed West
Texans out to put up Christmas lights, trim trees, wash cars and just
enjoy the sunshine.

Sleet greeted churchgoers as they headed for buffet lines at noon
Sunday, when temperatures reached a high of 43. Overnight, thermometers
recorded a low of 21 in Pecos, and snow fell in the mountains to the
south.

Alpine attorney Anthony Foster said his car had an accumulation of snow
this morning.

A mixture of sleet and snow was falling in the North Texas area over the
weekend. Just a week ago, the mercury soared to a record-tying 80
degrees in Dallas-Fort Worth.

In parts of Central Texas this morning, snow was falling at the rate of
about a half-inch per hour, but temperatures just above freezing
precluded significant accumulation.

Even colder weather are expected across the state by midweek.

``We'll start seeing the effects Tuesday night, and we'll continue to be
cold through the weekend and the first part of the week,'' said Brian
Kyle, National Weather Service meteorologist at League City, near
Houston.

Winter officially begins Saturday.

The coldest days this week will be Thursday through Saturday, with
temperatures hovering in the 20s in the mornings. The forecast calls for
lows in the low to mid-20s and highs in the upper 30s to near 40 through
Saturday.

Most of Texas got a winter preview Sunday as a Pacific cold front
barreled into the state, dropping temperatures by 10 to 20 degrees,
producing rain, sleet and snow over parts of North and West Texas.

Winter storm warnings and advisories were issued Sunday for portions of
West, Central and Northeast Texas. Strong winds produced wind chills in
the teens and 20s across North Texas.

Farther south, a winter storm warning was issued for the Hill Country
and Edwards Plateau, including Del Rio, Uvalde, Burnet and Kerrville.

A winter weather advisory was in effect for a portion of South Central
Texas generally north and east of a line bounded by Killeen to San
Antonio and northeast to Lexington.

``I guess we're paying our dues,'' said Jeff Raberding, a meteorologist
at the NWS office in Fort Worth. ``Cold outbreaks aren't that uncommon.
It's just that we were very warm the first part of December. We're
getting our first taste of winter, I guess.''

Unseasonably warm weather was reported across Texas last week. But
Raberding said not to expect the warm-up that followed last month's
freezing rain and snow.

``An air mass coming in Tuesday is going to be the coldest air of the
year,'' he said. ``It's going to be significant cold air even in South
Texas, significantly colder than we've been seeing throughout the
state.''

The powerful arctic cold front will drop temperatures in the Texas
Panhandle into the teens Tuesday morning, with wind chill values of 20
to 40 degrees below zero. A chance of light snow tonight through Tuesday
is possible, but no significant accumulations are expected.

In North Texas, lows will drop into the teens, with more wintry
precipitation possible Tuesday and Wednesday, Raberding said.

Dexter Dowling, an assistant manager at a convenience store who came to
Dallas two years ago from Florida, said he doesn't understand the change
in climate.

``It's very weird here,'' said Dowling, who sported a big coat to work.

He's learning the truth of an old adage about weather in Texas: if you
don't like it, just wait awhile.

Planning and Zoning Commission members have rescheduled their decision
on Eddy Street rezoning until after the holidays.

La Tienda Thriftway and Pecos Autoplex/Harris Properties are seeking a
change from C-1 to C-2 zone for a portion of the Parker Heights
Addition. Following a public hearing last month, the board asked for
time to study the matter and set a meeting for Dec. 17 to render their
decision.

City Secretary Geneva Martinez said this morning that the commission
would not be able to convene a quorum Tuesday, so they will wait until
after the holidays to meet. No date has been set.

Copyright 1996 Pecos Enterprise. All rights reserved. AP contributed to
this report.

Jurors in state, federal court

have short morning on job

Return to Menu

PECOS, December 16, 1996 - Prospective jurors in two Pecos courts got a
break this morning when several cases set for trial were settled before
a jury was selected.

In U.S. District Court, Judge Royal Furgeson and Magistrate Judge Stuart
Platt divided up 33 criminal cases and accepted guilty pleas throughout
the morning.

One motion to suppress evidence was set for this afternoon, and one jury
trial was re-set for January.

Across the street, District Judge Bob Parks qualified jurors, but
excused them until Wednesday. Two civil cases set for jury trial before
Parks this morning were settled without a jury.

County court-at-law Judge Lee Green said he has a civil jury trial set
for Wednesday, and he will use some of the jurors from Parks' court.

Feds' old offices remain on market

Return to Menu

By MARI MALDONADO
Staff Writer
Christmas past saw the vacating of the upper levels of Pecos' U.S.
Post Office by the area's longtime tenants, and with Christmas present
nearing, the fate of the the 61-year-old federal building's top two
floors remains unclear..

U.S. Federal Court offices, which were located for six decades on the
second and third floors of the U.S. Post Office «MD120»Column 1: vj
expansion of -0.01 points at lines, -0.01 at par«MDNM»
building in the 100 block of West Fourth Street, were emptied on Dec. 4,
1995, to fill the new, Lucius D. Bunton III Federal Courthouse, just two
blocks to the east.

The U.S. Postal Service had rented the upper floors of its local
building to the U.S. General Services Administration since 1935. But the
upper floors became too small to house all of the local federal agencies
at one site, leading to the construction of the new courthouse.

U.S. postal worker Herman Armendariz stated that the Pecos postal
service has no plans for the second floor at this time, and the officer
in charge for the local post office, Cindy Pon, said the second floor is
still for rent.

She added that no word from the U.S. Postal Service Western District
Headquarters in San Antonio has been received on, "not," renting out the
second floor.

Feds' old offices remain on market

Return to Menu

By MARI MALDONADO
Staff Writer
PECOS, December 16, 1996 - Christmas past saw the vacating of the upper
levels of Pecos' U.S. Post Office by the area's longtime tenants, and
with Christmas present nearing, the fate of the the 61-year-old federal
building's top two floors remains unclear..

U.S. Federal Court offices, which were located for six decades on the
second and third floors of the U.S. Post Office building in the 100
block of West Fourth Street, were emptied on Dec. 4, 1995, to fill the
new, Lucius D. Bunton III Federal Courthouse, just two blocks to the
east.

The U.S. Postal Service had rented the upper floors of its local
building to the U.S. General Services Administration since 1935. But the
upper floors became too small to house all of the local federal agencies
at one site, leading to the construction of the new courthouse.

U.S. postal worker Herman Armendariz stated that the Pecos postal
service has no plans for the second floor at this time, and the officer
in charge for the local post office, Cindy Pon, said the second floor is
still for rent.

She added that no word from the U.S. Postal Service Western District
Headquarters in San Antonio has been received on, "not," renting out the
second floor.

Ex-Pecos resident takes Arizona magistrate post

Return to Menu

PECOS, December 16, 1996 - A former Pecos resident has been sworn in and
accepted the oath of office as the San Luis City Magistrate in San Luis,
Ariz.

James Montgomery, a 34-year-old native of Pecos, was appointed as the
magistrate in San Luis on Oct. 7.

Judge Montgomery, son of Rev. L.J. Montgomery and Mrs. Elnora
Montgomery, graduate from Pecos High School in May 1980 and three years
graduated from Sul Ross State University in Alpine with a bachelor's
degree in social science.

His career began as a jailer at the Reeves County Jail in 1983, after
his graduation from the university.

He was later hired as a probation officer for Reeves County Adult
Probation Department and then served as a probation officer for Taylor
County Adult Probation in Abilene.

Montgomery has lived in Yuma, Ariz. since 1986, where he also worked as
a probation officer for 10 years.

He was selected for the position of judge over some 40 other
candidates. He credits his wife and children, his experience working in
and for the courts, his integrity, and his upbringing for his
accomplishments.

OBITUARIES

Manuel Montanez

Return to Menu

Manuel Martinez Montanez, 73, of Pecos, died Thursday, Dec. 12 at the
Pecos Nursing Home.
Mass was held today at 2 p.m. at Santa Rosa Catholic Church with burial
at Greenwood Cemetery.
He was born March 18, 1923 in Pecos, was a lifetime Pecos resident and a
Catholic.

Survivors include three sons, Tony Montanez of Beaumont, Bobby Montanez
of Pamona, Calif., Roberto Montanez of Bernadillo, N.M.; three
daughters, Gloria Castaneda of Bernadillo, N.M., Angelica Duran of
Plato, N.M., Delbina Gutierrez of Pamona, Calif.; two sisters, Paula
Jaramillo of Pecos, Lily Licon of Visalia, Calif.; 12 grandchildren;
seven great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
Martinez Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Ricardo Ontiveros

Return to Menu

Ricardo Ontiveros, 77, of Pecos, died Sunday, Dec. 15 at Reeves County
Hospital.
Services are scheduled for 2 p.m. Wednesday at Pecos Funeral Home with
burial at Greenwood Cemetery.
He was born Aug. 22, 1919, in Marfa and was a World War II veteran.
Survivors include his wife, Rosa Ontiveros of Pecos; four sons, Domingo,
Richard, Luis and Oscar Ontiveros all of Pecos; two daughters, Grace
Alvarez and Norma Florez of Pecos; one brother, Arnulfo Ontiveros of
Odessa; 14 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Pecos Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

WEATHER

Return to Menu

High Sunday 43, low last night 21. Tonight, becoming windy and colder
after midnight. Low around 25. Northwest wind 10-20 mph, becoming north
20-30 mph after midnight. Tuesday, windy and cold with flurries
possible. High 25-30. Northeast wind 15-25 mph and gusty.
Return to Menu

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. Neither these AP
Materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for
personal and non-commercial use. The AP will not be held liable for
any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the
transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages
arising from any of the foregoing.
_


Copyright 1996 by Pecos Enterprise
Division of Buckner News Alliance, Inc.
324 S. Cedar St., Pecos, TX 79772
Phone 915-445-5475, FAX 915-445-4321
e-mail news@bitstreet.com
Return to Menu

Return to Home Page