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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas

Top Stories

March 27, 2001

County agrees to $500,000 equipment loan

By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer

PECOS, March 27, 2001 - Reeves County Commissioners approved an agreement for financing just over $500,000 in new equipment for the county's Road and Bridge Department, and approved acceptance of a land donation to the county during the commissioner's regular meeting on Monday

Security State Bank loan officer Gilbert Abila was on hand to answer any questions the commissioners might have and to explain the terms of the financing on the equipment, which commissioners had approved the purchases of during a previous meeting. They cited the fact that the equipment currently in use by the Road and Bridge Department was outdated and required a lot of maintenance.

"It's getting more expensive to get them fixed than it would to just get something new," said Road and Bridges Administrator Russ Salcido during that meeting.

Commissioners approved the purchase of a trencher, tractor and mower, dump truck, haul truck, water truck and crawer/dozer for the use of the county.

"I think we should approve these purchases, but with the stipulation of a 10-year financing," said Reeves County Judge Jimmy B. Galindo.

Salcido had told the group that the equipment used by the crew was old and was in need of more and more repairs.

"I've discussed this issue at length with Mr. Salcido and we both agreed that we needed new equipment to better serve the county," said Galindo.

"We have gone over the purchases and now we have to go over the financing options," said Galindo.

Abila said the total amount of the purchases were for $496,849, with a $5,000 legal fee that was added in, according to Abila.

"What are those legal fees for?" asked Precinct 1 Commissioner Felipe Arredondo.

"We have to file with the attorney generals office and they charge for documentation and filing fees," said Abila. "This is really pretty low, it's just 1 percent. You're usually looking at $10-$15,000 in fees."

The first payment on the equipment will be made a year from now, at 6.25 percent, according to Abila.

The agreement is for an annual payment of $68,319, on a 10-year term.

In response to a question from Precinct 3 Commissioner Herman Tarin, Salcido said the new equipment would be delivered to Reeves County within 30-60 days, once everything is finalized. "There's some equipment that has to be assembled," he said.

Precinct 2 Commissioner David Castillo abstained from voting, since he is a member of a newly formed board at Security State Bank, separate from the bank's board of directors, that has been formed to help bring in businesses and to help the economy.

"We're trying to get more businesses in here and I'm a member of that board, so I would like to abstain from voting, in case it's a conflict of interest," said Castillo.

The land donation approved by commissioners was from the Brown Family, and totals 80 acres at a site off U.S. 285.

"I've asked and there's never been any development in that area, the attorney has prepared the paperwork," said Galindo.

In other business, an amendment to the Intertel contract to add another phone for Manuel Gomez at the Reeves County Detention Center was approved, along with a payment to DRG Architects in the amount of $2,454 for work on the 1,000-bed expansion of the facility.

Several items stored at the Reeves County Sheriff's Office were declared salvage, at the request of the department. "When that had that power outage there were three televisions that wiped out and it's cheaper to just replace them than get them fixed," said county auditor Lynn Owens.

Owens told the court that the tax assessor-collector's office had the same request on several items that were being stored in the basement of the Reeves County Courthouse.

"They want to throw those items away and make room in the basement," said Owens.

The group decided to declare the items salvage, but to store them in a building that belongs to the county that is located on Balmorhea Highway.

Regular items on the agenda were approved as presented including, reports from various departments, minutes from previous meetings, budget amendments and line-item transfers and semi-monthly bills.

Personnel and salary changes included at the Reeves County Detention Center, Olga Florez, was promoted to administrative assistance at $24,000 per year; Ernest Bustillos, Eric Carrasco, William Cook, Efren Cordova, Frank Garcia, Omar Hinojos, Michael Juarez, Hector Jurado, Lupe Lyles, Andres Machuca, Tito Martinez, Annabel Marquez, Hector B. Matta, Brian McClure, Frank Mendoza, Michael Mondragon, Javier Orona, Jose Rodriguez, Katrina Robertson, Ruben Salcido, Angel Tarin and Lupe Wilkins were all promoted to Correctional Officer III positions at an annual salary of $26,000 per year. Jason Aguilar was hired at as a CO-I at $19,000 per year and Linvel Mosby was promoted to custody shift lieutenant after he satisfies the requirements for a year at a CO-II pay scale.

Passengers get costly lesson from drug intradiction class

By LEIA HOLLAND
Staff Writer

PECOS, March 27, 2001 - The Trans-Pecos Drug Task Force in conjunction with the Reeves County Sheriff's Department and the Pecos Police Department seized over $152,000 and over two pounds of drugs from passengers on Greyhound buses last week, during a bus interdiction school held for area officers.

Henri Cruse, assistant commander for STOP Narcotics Task Force out of Cleburne, instructed the class from March 19 to 23, which consisted of classroom work and field exercises.

"This task force coordinated with our task force in efforts to come down here an train in bus interdiction," Cruse said.

One the first day of class, Cruse said the participants discussed bus interdiction and performed some exercises and started the field exercises the next day at the local bus stations.

Cruse said the teams would enter the Greyhound buses as they stopped at the bus stations and look for possible drug smugglers.

"When we work the buses here at Pecos we target the known drug smugglers," he said. "This is a premiere spot for state of Texas for know drug smugglers and money couriers to travel through."

In one day the task forces were able to confiscate the money and one pound of marijuana and one pound of cocaine from three different individuals.

Cruse said last week that two of the individuals caught with money or drugs were en route to El Paso while the other one was on the way to California.

"I expect after the training period ends on the 23rd (last Friday), this task force will have the chance to seize a million in U.S. currency within a year's period, if applied right," he said.

Trans-Pecos Drug Task Force Commander Gary Richards reported that over the weekend the task force was able to confiscate another 1.2 pounds of marijuana.

Richards said that he believes the class went very well and was very successful.

"All the officers worked hard and put in a lot of hours," he said.

Richards said that he appreciated the cooperation from the STOP Task Force and hopes to have more classes and work with that task force more in the future.

"We look forward to doing more of those with STOP in the future," he said.

Performing periodic checks of the Greyhound buses that come through Pecos is going to be part of the many duties the task force will be doing.

"That's an ongoing thing with the task force," Richards said.

Pair jailed marijuana found after traffic stop near Pyote

By LEIA HOLLAND
Staff Writer

PECOS, March 27, 2001 - The Trans-Pecos Drug Task Force, as a result of a traffic stop near Pyote confiscated over 45 pounds of marijuana from two Lubbock men late Monday afternoon.

Efrain Medrano Delhierro and Jose Angel Mendez, both of Lubbock, were pulled over on a traffic violation at 5:14 p.m. on Monday, which led to the discovery of the drugs and the arrest of both men, according to Task Force Commander Gary Richards.

Task Force Agent Jamie Rodriguez stopped the 2000 GMC pick-up and after approaching the vehicle noticed that both driver and passenger were consuming alcohol.

Rodriguez said that he asked Delhierro, the driver, for consent to search the vehicle, who did give his consent.

Rodriguez said that he noticed a spare tire in the back of the pick-up as well as a new spare tire under the vehicle.

After questioning Delhierro about both spare tires, the driver became nervous.

"He got extremely nervous then," he said.

Rodriguez checked the spare tire in the bed of the pick-up and noticed that it weighed too much.

"I could tell it was way too heavy," he said.

After he and fellow agent Jeffrey Baeza cut open the tire they found 45 bundles of marijuana.

All together the bundles totaled 45.4 pounds of marijuana.

Session on gang problems set for Thursday

PECOS, March 27, 2001 - A special session on how to deal with gangs and the problem associated with gangs will be held in Pecos this Thursday.

The West Region of the Texas Gang Investigators Association (TGIA), in conjunction with the Texas Violent Gang Task Force and the Reeves County Probation Department will be hosting the gang intelligence meeting at 8 a.m. on Thursday at the Reeves County Civic Center and will be free to all registered attendees.

Marylou Carrillo, Juan H. Lozano, Carlos Carrillo, with the El Paso Police Department Criminal Intelligence Unit will provide seven hours of certified training during Thursday's session. Four hours of training will cover the topics of basic gang identifiers, Texas gang overview, and the major outside gang influences in the West Texas region, while the other three hours will include a discussion on techniques used for effective drive-by shooting investigations and a session for gang intelligence sharing between agencies.

The gang intelligence session allows for the various law enforcement agencies to inform and update one another of current gang activity occurring in their respective jurisdictions. It is requested that a representative of each law enforcement agency bring pertinent gang information to share with other attending officers. Of particular interest, is any information on present gang problems being addressed by area agencies.

Texas Gang Investigators Association business will also be discussed. The topics will include the recruitment of new members, possible candidates for a second regional director (dependant on increased membership), and the upcoming TGIA state conference in Austin.

Applications for membership into the Texas Violent Gang Task Force will also be available to interested officers. The Texas Violent Gang Task Force will be working closely with TGIA in their effort to combat gang violence through the promotion of communication, networking and the sharing of information among various law enforcement agencies.

At-risk counselors, school principals and faculty, social workers and any person whose profession requires contact with gangs or individual gang members, are encouraged to attend the first four hours of this training. However, due to the highly sensitive subject matter and the protection of confidentiality afforded to the individual gang member by the state, only law enforcement, probation and parole officers will be allowed to attend the last three hours of training.

Law enforcement badges and/or credentials will be checked at the door after the lunch break.

Reception scheduled for Yerena, Bejarano at Museum April 6

PECOS, March 27, 2001 - The Pecos Area Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a welcome reception for Carlos Yerena, Town of Pecos City Manager and George Bejarano, city comptroller, on Friday, April 6 from 5-7 p.m., at the West of the Pecos Museum courtyard.

The public is invited to attend and meet these two gentlemen and their families.

The Pecos Downtown Lions Club will be cooking hamburgers for the reception.

Call the chamber office if you plan to attend so that they can have an idea of how many hamburgers to cook.

For more information call 445-2406.

Chamber seeking non-profit groups for `Night' event

PECOS, March 27, 2001 - The Pecos Area Chamber of Commerce is extending an invitation to all area non-profit organizations to participate in the upcoming "Night In Old Pecos/Cantaloupe Festival."

There is no charge for any non-profit organization to reserve a space. The spaces are on a first-come, first serve basis.

If interested, call the chamber office at 445-2406, or come by the office at 111 S. Cedar.

Police Report

EDITOR'S NOTE: Information contained in the Police Report is obtained from reports filed by the Pecos Police Department, Reeves County Sheriff's Office, or other officers of those agencies.

The serving of warrants by an officer for outstanding fines of either traffic citations, animal control violations or other court costs are considered arrests and will be printed as such unless indicated that the fines were paid. In such instanced we will indicate payment and release.

Adan Padilla, 52, was arrested at 1:13 a.m., on March 22 in the 1100 block of South Ash Street for assault under the Family Violence Act.

Sabastian Diaz, 40, was arrested at 8:47 a.m., on March 21 in the 700 block of South Cedar Street for disorderly conduct and failure to identify.

Crissy S. Lopez, 31, and Frank G. Hernandez, 33, were arrested at 11:10 p.m., on March 22 in the 1300 block of Cypress Street. Lopez was arrested for public intoxication while Hernandez was arrested for public intoxication and a warrant for motion to revoke probation with original charge of possession of marijuana over four ounces.

Francisco N. Rodriguez, 54, was arrested at 2:07 p.m., on March 22 in the 1300 block of Cedar Street for resisting arrest and assault under the Family Violence Act.

William Bautista, 27, Benito Chabarria, Jr., 26 and Abel Zuniga, 22, were arrested at 9:59 p.m., on March 24 on the Interstate 20 south service road (Palmer Street). Bautista was arrested for driving while intoxicated while Chabarria and Zuniga were arrested for public intoxication.

Fernando Rios, Jr., 20, Isabel Lara, 20, Carlos Ramirez, 23, Randy Ramirez, 21, and Roy Gonzalez, 28, were arrested at 11:39 p.m., on March 24 in the 100 block of Sycamore. Rios was arrested for minor in possession and evading. Lara was arrested for minor in possession and making alcohol available to minors. Both Ramirez' and Gonzalez were arrested for making alcohol available to minors.

Matthew Montanez, 17, was arrested at 9:47 a.m., on March 19 at the police department on a warrant for burglary of a building, a State Jail Felony.

Roberto Rodriguez, 45, and Roberto Maynez Rodriguez, 19, were arrested at 12:31 a.m., on March 24 at Ninth and Cedar streets on charges of public intoxication.

Roberto Valdez, 46, was arrested at 10:15 p.m., on March 11 at Fourth and Elliot streets in Toyah for disorderly conduct, a Class C Misdemeanor.

Margarita Armendariz Munoz, 22, was arrested at 2:08 a.m., on March 16 at Interstate 20 and U.S. Highway 285 for disorderly conduct, a Class C Misdemeanor.

Sylvia Rubio, 36, was arrested at 4:24 p.m., on March 19 in the 2400 block of South Cactus Street on a warrant for deadly conduct, a Class A Misdemeanor.

Miguel Angel Valdez, 39, was arrested at 7:30 p.m., on March 21 at mile marker 199 on the eastbound lane of Interstate 10 in southwestern Reeves County for deadly conduct and evading arrest or detention.

Weather

PECOS, March 27, 2001 - High Monday 48. Low this morning 39. Rainfall last 24 hours at Texas A&M Agriculture Extension Center .07 inch. Forecast for tonight: Cloudy with a 40 percent chance of rain and thunderstorms and areas of fog. Low 40 to 45. East wind 10 to 20 mph. Wednesday: Cloudy with a 40 percent chance of rain and thunderstorms. High in the mid 50s. East wind 10 to 20 mph. Wednesday night: Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of rain. Low around 40.Thursday: Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 40s. Highs in the mid 70s to near 80.



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Pecos Enterprise
York M. "Smokey" Briggs, Publisher
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324 S. Cedar St., Pecos, TX 79772
Phone 915-445-5475, FAX 915-445-4321
e-mail news@pecos.net

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