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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas

Top Stories

Friday, November 17, 2000

County, city jobless rates continue downward trend

By JON FULBRIGHT
Staff Writer

PECOS, Nov. 17, 2000 - Reeves County's unemployment rate continued its recent downward trend in October, though the drop for last month reported by the Texas Workforce Commission was less than that during the previous three months.

Local unemployment dropped from 8.4 to 8.3 percent in October, as the county's workforce also declined with the end of the summer harvest season in the area. The number of jobs in Reeves County fell by over 1,000, from 7,745 to 6,691, while unemployment dropped from 653 in September to 554 last month.

The county's workforce is at its lowest level since last January, when there were just over 6,500 people in the county's labor pool. But the number of jobs is up by 350 since then, when unemployment was at its high for the year, at 12.2 percent.

Unemployment remained slightly higher in Pecos, but the jobless rate was down to 9.5 percent, its low for the year after starting off at 13.8 percent in January.

The TWC said there were 5,231 people in the city's workforce last month, down from 6,057 in September, but the number of unemployed also fell, from 585 to 496, which lowered the jobless rate from 9.7 percent.

Other cities in the Permian Basin and Trans-Pecos region reported sharper drops in their jobless rate, with the overall rate for the area falling from 5.5 to 4.7 percent.

Ector County saw its workforce decline while the number of jobs grew, resulting in a 1.1 percent drop in unemployment. Midland County fell from 4.9 to 4.2 percent, while Andrews and Ward counties also saw unemployment fall by seven-tenths of a percent.

Brewster County had the area's lowest unemployment rate, at 2.3 percent, as the increase in the number of jobs matched a rise in the county's labor force. Meanwhile, neighboring Presidio County continued to have the region's highest unemployment rate, but the TWC said unemployment in the county dropped by almost 250 in October, lowering the rate from 30.3 to 23.5 percent.

Statewide, Texas' unemployment rate dipped slightly in October to a seasonally adjusted 4.3 percent from September's revised rate of 4.4 percent, according to the TWC.

Before adjusting for seasonal variations in the job market, the number of unemployed Texans actually fell 40,200 to 412,800, and the number of working Texans increased by 63,100 to about 10 million, the commission said.

"Not only is the unemployment rate down from the previous month, the rate is three-tenths of a percent lower than it was last October," said commission chairwoman Diane Rath.

Without adjusting for seasonal patterns, Texas unemployment would have fallen from 4.3 percent in September to 3.9 percent in October, the commission said. Economists generally adjust unemployment figures to account for seasonal ups and downs, believing that this gives a more accurate picture of the underlying economy.

Total government employment grew by 7,700 jobs in October, with Austin-San Marcos and Bryan-College Station leading the way as universities continued to add staff for the fall semester, the commission reported.

Collections set Saturday for `Christmas for Kids'

By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer

PECOS, Nov. 17, 2000 - Little elves will be going door-to-door seeking donations for a very worthy cause on Saturday.

The group will be collecting for the Christmas for the Kids fund, an organization designed to bring warmth and happiness to as many children in the area as possible.

"We want to provide the essentials for as many children as possible, this Christmas season," said Christmas for the Kids organizer Sofia Baeza. "We want to help as many families as we can."

Baeza said the group began accepting applications on Oct. 29 and will continue to accept them until Dec. 6.

"We already have families that have filled out the applications and returned them," said Baeza. So far 69 families and close to 200 kids have been put on the Christmas for Kids list, according to Baeza.

Last year, Christmas for Kids helped out 521 children, with 181 families benefiting from the special project.

This year's goal is to raise $6,000. "We raised about $5,200 last year, but we feel we'll have more children and more families on the list," said Baeza.

Baeza said that last year they had a lot more families and children on the list than the year before. "The number just keeps growing and this year proves to be the same," said Baeza. "I have a lot of new names on the list and combined with the ones we usually help the number is going to be really high."

About this time last year, the number of applicants was at 42 with 102, according to Baeza.

A barbecue lunch was held on Nov. 4 at the Reeves County Sheriff's Posse Barn to help raise funds for the project. "We raised over $1,200 during that event," said Baeza.

Lucio Florez took the group $238, while Joel Martinez with the Barstow Fire Department donated $150 from that organization. "We really appreciate their help and want to thank them for their efforts," said Baeza.

There are about 8-10 families from Barstow that benefit from the Christmas for the Kids Program each year.

"The businesses have been really helpful, also, they always come through for us," said Baeza.

Volunteers that will be helping out during the door-to-door drive on Saturday include, the Town of Pecos City Youth Advisory Group, Pecos High School tennis players and Spanish Club members, and Baeza said that she had contacted all the coaches to get their students to help with the drive.

"We always need a lot of volunteers and I encourage any group or organization that wants to, to come out and help us raise funds for these kids," she said.

Baeza said that the main goal of the group was to provide the best Christmas ever for the kids in our community.

"Since 1996, when we started this program, our community has always been there for us, I know it will be here again this year," she said.

"We provide the essential items such as shoes, clothes, jackets and we want to help every child that is on our list every year," said Baeza. "We want to make it a `Happy Holiday,' for these less fortunate children in our community."

For more information on the program call the Reeves County Sheriff's Office at 445-4901.

TWC honors Pineda's work in Pecos area

By LEIA HOLLAND
Staff Writer

PECOS, Nov. 17, 2000 - The Texas Workforce Commission honored a dedicated employee of 25 years with the Star Award this week.

Retired Workforce Development Specialist Dora Pineda was the guest of honor at an award ceremony at the Pecos office of the Texas Workforce Commission on Wednesday where she received recognition from the state and her co-workers.

Pineda started working for the workforce commission in 1969 after showing up one day looking for employment.

"I just came in looking for a job," she said.

Pineda said the original Texas Employment Commission office manager for Pecos, Joe Carpenter needed an employee who was a veteran and bilingual.

"I fit all of those," she said.

Pineda served in the Army during the Korean War and was stationed in Korea and Japan.

After interviewing with Carpenter, Pineda said she had to take a written exam, which she passed but then had to wait a month and a half before the position was available.

Since Pineda and her husband Mac Arthur were raising two sons and a daughter, she worked part-time for the first five years and then became a full-time employee.

"It was good because I could work nine to two and be home when the children came home from school," she said.

Pineda did just about every job in the office during her 25 years there, including 18 years in iterant service where she would work with the migrant workers.

She also worked with a program called Project Rio, which helped people coming out of prison to find jobs and get associated with society again.

Pineda retired from her career in the workforce commission On July 31, 1999. "I didn't want to but I couldn't work anymore because I am legally blind," she said.

She said she misses going to work everyday but enjoys being at home and is taking Braille lessons with the help of the Texas Commission for the Blind.

Pineda said she misses helping the people the most.

"It's always been in my nature to help people," she said. "I always do the best I can to help them."

That is the dedication that made the Permian Basin Local Program Coordinator Landre Doan nominate her for the quarterly award.

Doan said a committee of workforce employees meet to look over the nominations and chooses who they feel deserves the award the most.Pineda said she was surprised when she found out she won the award.

"Landre is the one who called me," she said.

Pineda said she has done and seen it all when it comes to the workforce commission and was hard to replace.

"Five people were hired to do my job," she said.

After all the work covering eight counties and all the over-time hours spent on helping people Pineda said she loved what she did.

"I didn't mind it as long as somebody was happy," she said.

Obituaries

Ignacia Tarango

Ignacia Tarango, 74, of Pecos, died Thursday, Nov. 16, 2000, at her residence.

A prayer service will be held at 7 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 18, at the Pecos Funeral Home Chapel.

Services are scheduled for 3 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 19, at the Pecos Funeral Home Chapel with Ismael Lujan officiating. Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery.

She was born July 18, 1926, in Saragosa, was a homemaker and a lifelong area resident.

She was preceded in death by two sons and a daughter.

Survivors include her husband, Bernabe Tarango of Pecos; three sons, Mario, Alvino and Adan Tarango of Pecos; four daughters, Imelda Reyes of San Angelo, Gloria Valeriano of Pecos, Eva Ramirez of Utica, Mi. and Sonia Uribe of Houston; 21 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Pecos Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Marana Osborn Humphrey, 100, died Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2000.

Graveside services will be held at 2:15 p.m., Monday, Nov. 20, at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery. She will be buried with her beloved husband, Joseph Robert Humphrey.

She was born June 28, 1900, in Emory, Tx. She and Joseph Robert Humphrey were married in 1923, and they came to Pecos, where he had graduated from high school in 1916. He was superintendent of schools, and she was a teacher.

Through the years, Marana was a strong, positive influence on the students that she taught, and won many teaching accolades.

She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Her grandsons will cherish the memories of living with her in Austin at various times during their college years, and memorable visits.

She was preceded in death by her husband, "Joe Bob" in 1972.

Survivors include two daughters, Martha Muirhead of Plattsburg, Mo. and Lillian Creasy of Pecos; four grandsons, Joseph R. Muirhead, John Muirhead, Robert Rhea, and Scott Rhea, and two great-grandchildren.

Her loving touch will remain with all those who loved her, and she will be very missed.

The family requests that memorials be made to the Alzheimer's Association or their favorite charity.

Ronald Tate

Ronald Bruce Tate, 58, of Hobbs, N.M., died on Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2000, in Intercoastal, La.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. MST (11 a.m. CST), Monday, Nov. 20, at Chapel of Hope Funeral Home Chapel in Hobbs with Rev. LaVoid Ford of Temple Baptist Church officiating.

Burial services will be at 3 p.m. CST, at Mount Evergreen Cemetary in Pecos with graveside services conducted by the Pecos Masonic Lodge.

He was born on July 4, 1942 in Edna and married Erie Bolden on Dec. 6, 1963 in Franklin, LA.

He was a 32nd Mason and a member of the Pecos Masonic Lodge.

Survivors include his wife Erie Bolden of Hobbs; one son Ron Tate of Lafayette, La.; his step-father Horatio, Ak.; and one grandson.

Weather

PECOS, Nov. 17, 2000 - High Thursday 60. Low this morning 42. Forecast for tonight: Cloudy with a chance of rain: May be mixed with sleet or snow late. Low in the lower 30s. East wind 10 to 20 mph. The chance of precipitation is 30 percent. Saturday: Cloudy and cold with rain likely. Rain changing to sleet or snow during the morning. High in the mid 30s. Northeast wind 10 to 20 mph. The chance of precipitation is 60 percent. Saturday night: Cloudy and cold with a 20 percent chance of snow. Low in the mid 20s. Total accumulations 1 to 3 inches. Sunday: Decreasing cloudiness. High in the mid 30s to near 40.



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