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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Top Stories
Friday, May 18, 2001
Cancer relay starts tonight at PHS field
PECOS, Friday, May 18, 2001 -- The annual American Cancer Society "Relay
for Life," will be held tonight, beginning at 6 p.m. at Eagle Stadium.
The event celebrates the courage of cancer survivors and honors those
who lost their battle with cancer. It starts this evening with Opening Ceremonies,
including the first lap by local cancer survivors.
Teams consisting of 10 to 30 people, with each member raising a minimum
of $50, will have one walker on the track at all times from 6 p.m. until
10 a.m. on Saturday.
The relay is being sponsored by American Home Health, Anchor, Capital
Aggregates, Dr. Orville Cerna, the Marshall Family, Pecos Nursing Home, Reeves
County Detention Center Employee's Club, Security State Bank, and West Texas
National Bank.
The relay committee consists of Tracy Shaw, Sherry Marshall, Terri Spence,
Brent Shaw, Cindy Velez, and Maxine Wickson. "The committee has worked hard
to provide entertainment with an all-night DJ, games, and food, while raising
money to find a cure for cancer," Shaw said
"We are really excited this year to have 13 teams consisting of about
275 walkers," said Shaw. "Teams will set up a campsite for some or all team
members to campout and enjoy all the entertainment and games we have planned
throughout the night."
At 9 p.m., luminaries will be lit to honor cancer survivors and remember
those who have lost the battle to cancer. "We encourage the community to
buy luminaries and come out and hear the names read at the Luminary Ceremony,"
said Shaw.
Anyone wanting to purchase a luminary may come by the stadium.
The Pecos Lions Club will be serving hamburgers at 6 p.m., and all donations
will be given to relay. They will also serve breakfast to the walkers on
Saturday morning.
"We have several activities planned for our teams including a scavenger
hunt, Road to Recovery Relay, and Cancer Fact Bingo," said Shaw. "West
Texas National Bank is suppose to have their Llama Kissing event at the
relay."
The Luminary Ceremony is sponsored by Family Practice Clinic, Dr. Joseph
Darpolor, the Cancer Survivor Lap Ceremony by the Exum Family; Rickey, Jodi,
JJ, and Lindsey. Other sponsors include Pecos Insurance, Pecos Automotive,
Bonnie Green, Don & Judy Love, David Castillo, Western Abstract, Martinez
Funeral Home, and Pecos Funeral Home.
"The money raised at this event not only goes to cancer research and program
awareness, but to local patient services, such as transportation to and from
treatment, walkers, wheelchairs, and hospital beds," said Shaw. "It's about
a community that takes up the fight... make plans to join us today at 6 p.m.,"
she said.
Father, son clean-up PHA's Airbase site
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Friday, May 18, 2001 -- The south side of Pecos is looking a lot better
recently, thanks to a couple of men who cleared off lots at the former
Pecos Airbase Apartment lots, located just off of Raul Florez Boulevard.
"We're very blessed that these two men came and took it upon themselves
to clear off those lots," said Pecos Housing Authority Executive Director
Nellie Gomez.
Eduardo Martinez and his son, 24-year-old Juan Daniel Martinez, worked
diligently from October until January of this year, clearing off the lots
located on the north side of Florez Boulevard, the former Interstate 20 north
service road.
"And they did all this manually," said Gomez.
The lots, which had been empty since the apartments were torn down a decade
ago, were full of shrubs, weeds and trash.
"It was hard work, but we finally got it all cleaned up," said Martinez.
Gomez said that the Pecos Rotary Club has been talking to her about developing
a little roadside park in that area, for motorists passing through Pecos.
"Now that the lots are cleared, they want to do something," said Gomez.
The part would be located at the southwest edge of the Airbase site, at the
Country Club Drive exit off I-20.
Gomez said Reeves County also wants to team up with PHA to work on landscaping.
As part of its beautification program, the county is seeking to improve
the landscaping on Airbase land north of I-20, while Galindo told the board
the land on the south side of the Interstate is being sought for expansion
of the Reeves County Golf Course.
"Over the last couple of year or so, Miss Gomez and I have discussed developing
the land where the Airbase used to be," Galindo said. "Even if we no longer
use it for public housing, it's still a public asset to be used, even if
it's only with trees, plants and flowers."
Galindo told the board at their past two meetings about the recently-begun
landscaping work at the I-20/U.S. 285 interchange, and said the county would
like to do the same thing in the Airbase area, which could include creation
of a hike and bike trail and possibly a man-made pond for fishing.
Gomez said she would welcome the county's help in maintaining the property.
The Airbase Apartments, which were built for the Pecos Army Airfield during
World War II, were torn down on the north side of Interstate 20 back in 1989
and 1990, while the land on the south side of I-20 was cleared of its apartments
in 1984.
"After these two men cleared off the lots we didn't know what to do with
the debris, but the city came and told us we could take it to the old landfill,"
said Gomez.
The older Martinez is still employed at PHA, doing landscaping at the
PHA apartments, Farm Labor Housing and keeping the lots clean.
He is also a tennant at the housing authority apartments located on Second
Street. "It's really an asset to have him as a tenant and to work for us,"
said Gomez. "He's an A-plus because he has been a real help to us and we
really appreciate it," she said.
Martinez said he had moved into the PHA apartments and noticed that the
lots in the area around the administration building and the empty lot off
of Florez Boulevard looked really bad. "I just decided to clean it up and
my son helped me," he said.
"They just kept going and going, until they had it all cleared up," said
Martinez.
Martinez lives alone in his apartment and said that he feels very comfortable
living there. "I want it to be nice and clean where we live at and Nellie
has been so kind I want to help her," he said. "I'm more comfortable here
than anywhere else I've ever lived," said Martinez.
Martinez plans to keep helping with the landscaping and living in the
PHA apartments, which he now calls "home."
The PHA board took no action during their April meeting on Galindo's proposal,
but are expected to discuss it once again during their May meeting, scheduled
for next week.
PHS Baccalaureate set for Sunday
PECOS, Friday, May 18, 2001 -- Baccalaureate for the Pecos High School
graduating seniors is scheduled for Sunday night.
The ceremony is set to begin at 8 p.m., that night at the Pecos High School
Auditorium. Graduation for the PHS Class of 2001 is scheduled for next Friday,
Sept. 25, at Eagle Stadium.
Weather
High Thursday 105. Low this morning 70. Forecast for tonight: Partly
cloudy with a 20 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms. Low near
65. Light southeast wind. Saturday: Partly cloudy with a 20 percent
chance of showers or thunderstorms. High near 95. Southwest wind 10
to 20 mph. Saturday night: Partly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of
showers or thunderstorms. Sunday: Partly cloudy with a slight chance
of showers or thunderstorms. Highs from the upper 80s to the lower
90s. Monday: Partly cloudy and cooler. A chance of thunderstorms. Lows
in the 50s. Highs 75 to 85.
Obituaries
Hector Chavez and Amelia Mora
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
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Copyright 2000 by Pecos Enterprise
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