|
Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Top Stories
Friday, January 14, 2000
School Board sends out dress code survey
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Jan. 14, 2000 - Letters to the parents of all Pecos-Barstow-Toyah
ISD students have gone out, as the first step in exploring the possibility
of implementing a uniform dress policy, according to assistant superintendent
Gome Olibas, who was on hand for the regular Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD board
meeting.
"We should get the results of that survey by next Friday, Jan. 21,"
said Olibas, at the meeting held last evening. "After that we will bring
the results back to the board," he said.
Although statistics on school uniforms are still developing, school
districts that have adopted a uniform dress policy have reported decreases
in first year suspensions, school crime, violence and vandalism. A national
survey of almost 1,000 principals who have a uniform policy report that
they have experienced improved school image in the community, better student
behavior, increased school safety and enhanced student achievement.
The idea of implementing a school dress policy has been one that the
PBT ISD has been talking about for a while.
The first step in this process is to survey all parents who have students
enrolled in the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD for the 1999-2000 school year in
grades Pre-Kindergarten through 11th grade. All parents will
be given the opportunity to express their opinions or concerns regarding
the uniform policy at this time.
"We ask parents to give the survey some serious thought and consideration
as this represents an opportunity to voice your opinion and be heard,"
said Olibas.
Once surveys are completed and returned and if significant interest
exists to pursue a uniform dress policy, a committee task force consisting
of interested parents, community members, faculty and staff will be formed
to map out specific guidelines. A final decision will be made on a uniform
dress policy for PBT ISD before the end of the 1999-2000 school calendar
year.
The U.S Department of Education published a manual on school uniforms
which indicates that uniforms instill self-esteem in students and sets
a more serious tone of respect in school towards education and learning,
school personnel, fellow students and school property, according to Olibas.
Uniforms hide income disparities in students, lessen the pressure on
parents to buy expensive clothing for their children, decreases student
competition over appearance and can work to counteract the power of gangs.
Church billboards spread the word
By PEGGY McCRACKEN
Staff Writer
PECOS, Jan. 14, 2000 - Pecos will soon be surrounded by God's commandments,
courtesy of local Baptist churches.
Kenneth Winkles, who is coordinating the effort, said that each of five
billboards at entrances to the city will have two commandments.
The first billboard went up this week on the Winkles Truck property
on the Balmorhea Highway. On the side facing south is the first commandment:
"Thou shalt have no other gods before me." On the opposite side is the
second commandment.
Churches sponsoring the signs will add a message, such as "Learn to
Live, Attend Church," that graces the first sign along with the names of
four of the sponsoring churches: First Baptist, West Park Baptist, Calvary
Baptist and North Temple Baptist.
"That's all we had room for," said Winkles, noting that other churches
are cooperating in the effort.
Cooperation is the key word, Winkles believes. He has led in recent
months as Baptist pastors and key church leaders have met to pray for Pecos
and to plan a campaign to spread the good news that Jesus offers salvation
free to all who believe.
Each night this week, a different Baptist pastor has preached to mostly
church members who have gathered at West Park Baptist Church, Sixth and
Eddy.
Ron Garcia, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, said in the introductory
message Sunday morning that he likes Pecos.
"So many people bad-mouth Pecos and say they want to leave," he said.
"But Jesus is here. That makes Pecos a good place to be."
A Pecos native, Garcia returned from California a few years ago to work
at the Reeves County Detention Center and was soon called to pastor the
Calvary church.
Greer Willis, longtime First Baptist pastor; James Henderson, a bi-vocational
pastor of the House of Prayer; Bruce Dury, Christian Home director and
interim pastor for Mt. Zion Baptist; and Mac McCormick, North Temple pastor;
have taken turns preaching.
Carreon will close out the services tonight following special music
by the West Park ensemble, "Heaven's Reign," Patricia Matthews and Kristen
Carreon. Services begin at 7 p.m., with Nancy McAnally directing the music.
Winkles believes the revival meeting is just the beginning of good things
for Pecos.
"Another thing we really want to do is put the 10 commandments back
in school," he said. "I believe that we can change Pecos through prayer."
Youth revivals, dramas like the "Heaven's Gates and Hells Flames" presentation,
and a city-wide crusade are on the drawing board.
"The pastors have all resolved to work together," Winkles said.
Prayer meetings are held at West Park each Saturday at 7 p.m., he said.
All denominations are invited to attend.
P.D., Task Force bust nets drugs and cash
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Jan. 14, 2000 - Pecos Police officers teamed up with the Trans
Pecos Drug Task Force recently to fight the war on drugs.
"We received information that this subject was distributing cocaine
in the Pecos area, we set up a surveillance, between the P.D. and the task
force," said Pecos Police Investigator Paul Deishler.
"They asked us to help out in this effort and we were glad to oblige,"
said task force commander Gary Richards.
One of the officers stopped the vehicle the subject was in during a
routine traffic stop, according to police reports.
During the search of the vehicle, Joel Muniz, 30, was arrested for possession
of a controlled substance. "When he was asked to step out of the vehicle,
a substance, believed to be cocaine, fell out of his pocket," said Deishler.
During the inventory, officers also found a large amount of money, $10,801.
"He was the passenger in the vehicle," said Deishler.
The driver, Benjamin Muniz, 37, was stopped for failure to use a signal
light. "After he was stopped, they found that he had his driver's license
suspended," said Deishler.
Later that evening, officers also executed a search warrant, at 3004
Aggie Street, which Joel Muniz has possession of. During the search, another
half ounce of cocaine was found inside the trailer, according to investigators.
"We were glad we could help the Pecos Police Department out, with manpower,"
said Richards.
Joel Muniz was charged with possession of a controlled substance and
posted a $5,000 bond.
Benjamin Muniz was arrested and charged with driving while license suspended
and assessed a $750 bond on that charge and time served for the failure
to indicate a signal.
Another narcotics search warrant was executed at about 2:08 a.m., Wednesday,
Jan. 12.
"During the search of the residence, at 805 S. Oak, a substance believed
to be marijuana was found in the master bedroom and paraphernalia for packaging,"
said Deishler.
In the closet of the bedroom, the subject was growing marijuana plants.
"Over half a pound of marijuana was confiscated, along with $380 in cash,"
said Deishler.
No arrests have been made in this incident and the investigation is
pending.
The Trans Pecos Drug Task Force was formed in 1998 and covers over a
half dozen counties in West Texas. It is headquartered in Pecos and is
under the direction of Reeves County Sheriff Andy Gomez and commander Gary
Richards.
School board finalizes plans for consolidation
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Jan. 14, 2000 - Final review of plans and specifications for
Crockett Middle School additions were discussed at the regular Pecos-Barstow-Toyah
ISD Board meeting held last evening.
In conjunction, board members approved releasing documents for competitive
sealed proposals and listened to an audit report from school auditor Bob
Card, with Card and Company, the school's auditors.
"This are the same plans that you have seen before, we've fine-tuned
everything," said Monte Hunter, with Hunter Corral Associates. Hunter has
been working with the school district in helping to merge Zavala and Crockett
Middle Schools.
"We have everything ready, with plans and specs, scope of work summary
and cost estimate," said Hunter.
The total cost estimate has been set at $707,593. "I've put in there
a $20,000 contingency, which will help expedite change orders and builds
a little cushion," said Hunter. "If you don't use it, you won't pay it,"
he said.
"The plans haven't changed a lot since the last meeting, we've just
gotten the details and equipment fine-tuned," said Hunter.
Hunter told the board that on Feb. 1, the sealed proposals would be
opened. "You've indicated that this is the way you wanted to handle the
proposals," said Hunter.
A legal ad will be published in today's newspaper and a board meeting
will be scheduled quickly after that so that they can start construction,
according to Hunter. "On the second or third, we'll have a meeting and
then we can cut them loose," he said.
"Can we still count on having school on Aug. 1?" asked Pecos-Barstow-Toyah
ISD Superintendent Don Love.
Hunter assured Love and the board that school will open for the next
school year at the appropriate time. "We feel confidant that, yes, school
will open at that time," said Hunter. "The only problem, that might arise,
will be matching the brick, but school can still resume, while they're
finishing that part of the project," he said.
It takes time to match the brick located on the outside of the building,
according to Hunter.
School auditor Bob Card, assured the board that funds are available
for this particular project.
"We're very, very pleased with the audit report," said Card.
PBT ISD received a "clean opinion," on their recent audit report. "It
was a very good report, a very good year," said Card.
One of the things the district did this year to help keep finances down,
was to cut down on purchase orders, according to Card. "And that's good
for the financial condition of the school," he said.
Revenue almost doubled from last year. "The excess ($825,000), is pretty
close to the construction project costs," said Card. "We told TEA of the
construction project and the gym expansion," he said.
Any portion that is not used, needs to be designated by school board
by Aug. 31, according to Card.
"It's a very good year, we had a downward trend for the past few years,
and this is the first year out of six that we have seen an income at all,"
said Card.
Water sales down, salt sales up
By JON FULBRIGHT
Staff Writer
Red Bluff Water Power Control Board members received a good audit report
Monday, and clarified the procedures for appointing members to the seven
water sub-districts and on voting in one of the districts as part of their
first meeting for the year 2000.
The board met with auditor Randy Graham who said, "You all are pretty
well spending what you take in," while adding the district, "is in great
shape financially."
Water sales for the district were down from $86,000 in 1998 to $58,000
in 1999, but salt sales rose from $15,000 to $19,000, Graham said. The
district's total budget was about $400,000, with 1999's costs coming in
at $14,000 below projections, while expenses were $19,000 above, leaving
a $5,000 gap overall for the year.
No action was taken on the audit Monday. "We'll look it over, and take
action on it at the next meeting," board president Randall Hartman said,
and Graham told the board that had been the procedure the past several
years.
The voting items came up in separate parts of the meeting. General Manager
Jim Ed Miller said the district corrected an error in naming people to
the area's water districts, while board member Manuel Lujan got a clarification
on who could vote in the Ward County Water Improvement District No. 1 elections.
Miller said in the past, the districts have called their own elections,
which apparently was in violation of the Texas Water Code Sec. 49.105.
"We're going to correct it. We were letting the districts call the elections,
now we're going to call them," he explained on Wednesday.
"For vacancies for unexpired terms, where there was a district where
they had enough people to hold an election we should have been doing it
ourselves. Instead, we were letting the (county) commissioners appoint
them. Noe we will appoint them instead," said Miller.
The number of voters in WCWID No. 1 was brought up by Lujan, who argued
with other board members about voting rights for people living inside Barstow.
"According to Liz Corbell and other (WCWID No 1) board members, people
in Barstow did pay taxes," to the water district, Lujan said. A check of
the records by board member Lloyd Goodrich confirmed that Barstow residents
were paying taxes to the water district, making them eligible to vote in
the district's elections.
Board members briefly discussed, but took no action on two items related
to salt alleviation. The board tabled until February an action on seeking
federal assistance with the Malaga Bend Salt Project and took no action
on a letter Pecos River Compact Commissioner J.W. Thrasher wrote to Loving
Salt Co. owner Albert Wagner.
WCWID No. 1 manager Jimmy Galindo talked with the board last month about
a 1954 agreement in which the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers would aid in
the removal of salt from the Pecos River. The Corps built a diversion lake,
but took no other action after that lake filled with salt.
Galindo said under the agreement the Corps should have to continue their
efforts to remove the salt from the river. However, because Galindo was
not at Monday's meeting, the board decide to wait before moving forward
on the issue.
"I think we need to try this," Lujan said. "If Jimmy isn't able to help
us, we need to try it ourselves."
Thrasher's letter was also discussed first at the December meeting.
Board members at the time disapproved of his efforts to obtain further
records from Wagner, whose company has entered into an agreement with Red
Bluff to divert Malaga Bend water to six man-made ponds for reclamation.
Cash disbursements and accounts payable were also approved by the board
at the start of Monday's meeting.
Pecos OC has books available
PECOS, Jan. 14, 2000 - Odessa College Pecos Center will have books available
for those students who registered for college courses last week.
The books will be at the Pecos Center, located at the Executive Building,
320 S. Oak, Suite 4, beginning on Tuesday. The office will be closed on
Monday, Jan. 17, in observance of Martin Luther King's Birthday.
Officer hours are from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.
THOU SHALT - Baptist pastors whose congregations paid to have this
sign erected on the Balmorhea Highway are, from left, Bruce Dury, Mt. Zion
interim pastor; Ron Garcia, Calvary Baptist; Greer Willis, First Baptist;
Mac McCormick, North Temple Baptist; and Rey Carreon, West Park interim
pastor. The pastors have taken turns preaching this week at West Park Baptist
Church.
Lotto
AUSTIN (AP) - Results of the Cash 5 drawing Thursday night: Winning numbers
drawn: 1-6-7-13-30. Number matching five of five: 1. Prize per winner:
$80,149. Winning ticket sold in: Nederland. Matching four of five: 284.
Prize: $423. Matching three of five: 8,487. Prize: $24. Next Cash 5 drawing:
Friday night.
Obituary
Anne Smith
Anne Margaret Smith, 64, of Broken Arrow, Okla, died Saturday, Jan. 8,
2000.
Services were held at 11 a.m., Wednesday, Jan. 12, at the Broken Arrow
Assembly of God with burial in Floral Haven Memorial Gardens.
She was born Sept. 11, 1935, in Honey Grove, Tx., to Harry T. Tyler
and Eva L. "Isaacs" Tyler. She was a devoted Christian and a loving mother,
as well as an active member of the Assembly of God Church. She married
Joe L. Smith on Sept. 8, 1956, and the couple resided in Pecos from 1962-1995.
She retired from Security State Bank as an officer in 1978.
She was preceded in death by three brothers: H.T. Tyler, George H. Tyler
and Homer R. Tyler.
Survivors include her husband, Joe L. Smith of Broken Arrow, Okla.;
one daughter, Lisa Good; one son, James T. Tyler; five sisters, Dorothy
L. Musick, Neta Maston, Kathleen Ashing, JoAnn Ard and Jeannette Pettit;
six grandchildren and 17 nieces and nephews.
Donations may be made to Saint Francis Hospice in honor of Anne's life,
at 6600 South Yale Suite 350, Tulsa, Okla., 74136.
Weather
PECOS, Jan. 14, 2000 - Today mostly sunny. High in the upper 60s. East
to Northeast wind 5-15 MPH. Tonight incrasing clouds. Lowin the upper 30s.
Saturday partly cloudy and warmer. High in the mid 70s.
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 2000 by Pecos Enterprise
|
