Colored Rock Map of Texas at I-20 in Pecos, Click for Travel Guide

Pecos Enterprise

Home
Site Map
Pecos Gab

ARCHIVE
Pecos Country History
Archive 62
Archive 74
Archive 87
1987 Tornado Photos
Rodeo Photos 88
Archive 95
Archive 96
Archive 97
News Photos 1997
Rodeo Photos 97
Archive 98
News Photos 1998
Rodeo Photos 98
Parade Photos 98
Archive 99
Photos 99
Archive 2000
Archive 2001
Archive 2002
Archive 2002
Photos 2000
Photos 2001
Photos 2002
Photos 2003


Archive 2004

Area Newspapers
Commerce
Classified
Economic Development


|

Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas

Monday, February 16, 2004

Board receives athletic projects update by Love

By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer

Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD board members listened to an update on several athletic projects that are either just completed or in the planning states on Thursday, during their regular monthly meeting.

The group met in the Technology Center and discussed several items including plans for a new gym at Austin Elementary School, the installation of artificial turf and track modifications at Eagle Stadium and the just-completed girls softball field at Pecos High School.

P-B-T ISD Superintendent Don Love told the group that the girls' softball team had played on the new field recently and that it was in great shape. "There are some stains on the stands themselves that need to be fixed," said Love of the field, which was built on the north end of the Pecos High School football practice field at a cost of $298,000.

The football team is scheduled to only use the south end of the practice field in the future for freshman workouts, with the varsity and junior varsity teams working out on the new artificial turf field at Eagle Stadium, which board members approved last month after some heated discussions over the previous two months.

"The field will have a purple end zone with gold letters and an Eagle logo will in mid-field," said Love.

Pecos became the eighth West Texas school to install artificial turf at its football stadium when the board voted 4-3 in favor of the motion in January.

Cost of the turf's installation was estimated at about $550,000, while an additional $43,200 was estimated for track resurfacing at the football stadium. "We hope to bring bids in by March 4 or 18," said Love. "We could meet on March 18, just to approve proposals."

The project won't begin until after graduation, according to Love.

"We still have the Relay for Life and then graduation," he said. Work on the field is expected to take 6-8 weeks once construction gets underway.

Architect Monte Hunter wrote in his report that they were looking to bring in proposals March 18 on both the gym and the turf/track. "Engineers are currently designing systems," he said.

Love said that he and hunter had met with Austin Elementary School principal Cindy Duke and discussed the plans for the new gym. Currently there is no indoor recreational facility for first through third grade students, who either have their athletic classes outside or in the Austin Elementary cafeteria Love said that the gym would also be completed by the time school started again in the fall.

In other action on Thursday, board members approved an interlocal agreement between the Pecos Police Department and the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD regarding the service of court summons.

In the agreement the police department agrees to provide summons service for school generated court summons, up to 130 summonses, for the time period of Jan. 1 until Dec. 31. Cost for the service is $4,000.

Board members approved the Order of Election. Elections for the school will be held May 15 and early voting clerks were approved.

Board approved bids on foreclosed property including: property located on Walthall, a bid of $1,000 from Roque Mata; property at 115 N. Cedar, $600, submitted by David and Lorena Dominguez; property at 223 S. Oak, (the old Carlton Shoe Store), a bid of $1,000, submitted by Joseph Keese; property located at 100 S. Elm (the old Icehouse building), a bid of $1,500, submitted by Stephen Davis and Yeshey Myles and property in Ward County, $1,048, submitted by Pasqual Olibas.

Board members designated Take Our Daughters to Work, on Monday, May 17.

Couple burned In Balmorhea home explosion

By BRENDEN BRIGGS
Staff Writer

Two Balmorhea residents are listed in stable condition in a Lubbock hospital after their trailer house exploded due to a fuel leak Saturday evening. According to the Pecos Police Department's 911 records, the residence of Sylvia Valasco and Manuel "Manny" Rayos, located in the 300 block of El Paso street, exploded at 6:11 p.m. Saturday in Balmorhea.

Reeves County Sheriff's deputies has little available information about the accident, but investigators suspect that a gas leak in the house supplied the fuel, and the lighting of a cigarette provided the spark, for the explosion, which destroyed the couple's trailer home.

Balmorhea emergency personnel were called to the scene. Both Valasco and Rayos were taken first to Reeves County Hospital, before being flown to a burn unit in Lubbock. Valasco, who works as a cook at the Reeves County Detention Center, and Rayos, who is employed by Carrasco Mercantile in Balmorhea, are both currently reported to be in stable condition.

Temperatures were around the freezing mark on Friday night at the time the incident occurred. The exact cause for the leak that led to the explosion has not been determined, and the accident is still under investigation by the sheriff's department.

Benavides, Hung first to file for May 15 elections

Two candidates filed to retain their positions on local elected boards this morning, as the four-week filing period began for area city, school and hospital district elections.

Michael Benavides has filed for reelection to his seat on the Town of Pecos City Council. Benavides has is currently is completing his first two-year term on the council. Along with Benavides, the city council seat currently held by Angelica Valenzuela and the mayor's seat, currently held by Dot Stafford, are up for election this year.

In the Reeves County Hospital District election, Leo Hung has filed for the at-large position on the hospital board. Hung has served in the at-large seat for the past two election cycles. Along with Hung's al-large seat, voters will be casting ballots for the Precinct 1 hospital board seat, currently held by Chel Flores, and the Precinct 3 seat, currently held by Bill Wendt. Wendt was first elected two years ago, while Flores has held his seat for a decade, but is currently running in the Precinct 1 race for Reeves County Commissioner in the March 9 Democratic Party primary.

Candidates have until March 15 to file to run in the May 15 election, while March 16 will be the first day to accept ballot applications by mail.

Along with the city and hospital district elections in Pecos, voters also will be casting ballots on May 15 for three seats on the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD board. Those three-year terms are currently held by Crissy Martinez, Lila Cerna, and Saul "Chip" Florez.

Balmorhea voters will also be casting ballots in their city and school board election on May 15, as will voters in city elections for Barstow and Toyah.

Little League holds meeting to discuss plans

The Pecos Little League will hold a meeting tonight at 6:30 p.m. at the Sunday

House Motel at Interstate 20 and Country Club Drive to try and organize the league for a 2004 season.

Ray Palomino with the Pecos Little League said the league needs to elect a new president for 2004, and set up other duties in preparation for the 2004 season. Regular season play normally begins in April for the Pecos Little League, while tryouts are held in March.

Primary election school rescheduled

Election School for all clerks and judges for the March 9, Democratic Primary will be held at 7 p.m., Thursday, on the second floor of the Reeves County Courthouse. The meeting is rescheduled from the original date two weeks ago.

Those attending the school will be paid $7 per hour, those that don't will be paid $5.15. Reeves County Democratic Chair Bob Dean is urging all the clerks and judges to attend.

Weather

High Sunday 62. Low this morning 26. Forecast for tonight: Mostly clear. Lows near 30. Northwest winds near 10 mph. Tuesday: Mostly sunny. Highs near 65. Light and variable winds becoming southwest near 10 mph in the afternoon. Tuesday night: Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 30s. South winds near 10 mph. Wednesday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid to upper 70s. South winds 10 to 15 mph. Wednesday night: Partly cloudy. Lows near 40. Thursday: Partly cloudy. Highs in the mid 70s to near 80. Thursday night: Mostly clear. Windy. Lows near 40.



Search Entire Site:


Pecos Enterprise
York M. "Smokey" Briggs, Publisher
Division of Buckner News Alliance, Inc.

324 S. Cedar St., Pecos, TX 79772
Phone 432-445-5475, FAX 432-445-4321
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 2003 by Pecos Enterprise