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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Top Stories
Wednesday, June 13, 2001
Tempers flare at chamber meeting
Rodeo, Golden Girl, Hall of Fame on track
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Wed., June 13, 2001 -- This is a busy month for the organizers
of the West of the Pecos Rodeo, with only 20 days to go before the big
event.
"We've been very busy and we're very excited, with just 20 more days
until the 4th of July events," said Brenda McKinney, president of the West
of the Pecos Rodeo Committee.
McKinney spoke to the Pecos Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors
at their monthly meeting held at noon Tuesday.
Reserved tickets are $8 and $10 and the group is going to sponsor two
nights of Family Night this year, according to McKinney.
"We'll have Family Night on Wednesday and Thursday of the rodeo, if
the parents buy reserved tickets, children ages 10 and younger get in free,"
said McKinney. "We had it one night last year and it was a huge success,
so we decided to have two nights of it this year," she said.
"Slack will begin at 7:30 a.m., Monday, July 2 and on Tuesday, we'll
have a special section of Slack," said McKinney. "We hope to have as good
a turnout as last year," she said.
The West of the Pecos Rodeo Parade will be held at 10 a.m., Wednesday,
July 4.
Lineup will be at 8 a.m. and the parade will kick off at 10 a.m., in
front of the Buck Jackson Rodeo Arena.
An Old-Timer's Reunion will be held that morning at the West of the
Pecos Museum.
This year's theme is Western Disney Characters and anyone wishing to
join the parade fun can contact the chamber at 445-2406.
"Also, if anyone has a suggestion for a grand marshal, turn that name
in to the chamber," said Linda Gholson, who was presiding over the meeting
in the absence of president Barbara Creager. "All names will be considered,"
she said.
In conjunction with rodeo events, Women's Division President Laura Briggs
updated the board on the many events the women's group is currently working
on.
"Golden Girl, golden girl, golden girl, we have been very busy," said
Briggs.
"We placed an ad in the rodeo program and are still looking for oldie
goldies and out of town belles for the pageant," she said.
The Golden Girls performed today at the Pecos Senior Center and will
perform at the nursing home as well, according to Briggs.
"I think we're doing really well," said Briggs.
The Golden Girl Revue/Little Miss Cantaloupe Pageant is slated for 8
p.m., Friday, June 29 at the Pecos High School Auditorium.
Briggs reminded the group of the Melodrama that will be performed by
the Windmill Square Playhouse during the rodeo events.
"They will be performing on July 2nd & 3rd
, at 8 p.m. and have a matinee on July 4th ," said Briggs. "Tickets
for the event are $5," she said.
There will be something new added to the Fall Fair Events for this year.
"We're going to have two appraisers come in and have antiques appraised,"
said member Debbie Thomas.
"We wanted to start out small and see how it goes," she said.
The two will have booths set up. "We'll let the public know what they
specialize in, what items they will appraise," said Thomas.
Thomas said the group was just trying to bring something new into Pecos
for the fall fair.
John Rediger told the group that plans for the Texas Rodeo Hall of Fame
are coming along fine.
"We want to thank the sheriff's posse. We made about $1,200, at the
fundraiser barbecue," he said.
The funds will be used for local expenses, according to Rediger. "We're
trying to work with some architects from Odessa," said Rediger. "Another
committee is trying to come up with the criteria for a Texan," he said.
Rediger said they will follow the Hall of Fame criteria. "It will fill
up as soon as we get it going," he said.
Rediger said that the city is also willing to help out.
"They're busy with other things, but said they would help as well,"
he said.
"It's coming along, but it will take about two years to get the money
and get everything together," he said. "It's going to take time and the
continued support of the community," he said.
The Texas Rodeo Hall of Fame committee will be selling bags at the rodeo
for $14. "These are very sturdy and can be used for a lot of purposes,"
said Rediger.
Thomas told the group that during the month of July the museum will
be sponsoring the Pecos Palette Club and the Art Association, to show and
sell their art in the exhibit room of the museum. "There are some wonderful
artists here in town," said Thomas.
Board member Richard Creasy asked the board about the audit the chamber
was to have. "Our by-laws say that we can do it and now we've created a
committee to decide," said Creasy. "Why don't we just go ahead and do it,"
he said.
Rivera told the board that they were going to go through with the audit.
"The city is going to require an audit and maybe it can be paid for
by the bed tax," said Gholson. "There is an audit committee that will look
at it and then we will have a full-fledged audit," she said.
Gholson said that the executive committee chose to do it this way (with
a committee).
Creasy said that regardless, the audit had been approved at an earlier
meeting and still nothing has come of it.
"We're going to do it," said Rivera.
"Well, when?" said Creasy.
"It's not up to me to decide, it's up to the committee," said Rivera.
"I want to state my case on this, that I think Rivera is an ineffective
part of the chamber," said Creasy.
"Let's not jump the gun and do something that will get us sued," said
member Jesse Stephens, who asked that the issue be dropped and that the
meeting continue.
Creasy read a letter to the group, addressed to Chamber Director Tom
Rivera from the Windmill Square Playhouse. The group was upset that the
Windmill Square Playhouse production was left out of the schedule of events
for July in the Chamber Billboard.
"Tom, the melodrama has been going on for 12 years now. The only year
we missed was the one when you unceremoniously dumped us from the civic
center, which we had reserved, so that you could have a reception for the
Catholic Bishop that was coming to town," said Roy Prewit, with the Windmill
Square Playhouse, in his letter to Tom.
"While I am not aware of your having attended a production, approximately
500 people in this town do come. It has become very much a tradition and
part of the rodeo celebration for them and their families," said Prewit.
"We call and plead and cajole each and every year to be placed on the
schedule and are always assured that the oversight won't happen again and
we will definitely be on the schedule for next year, but it never happens,"
said Prewit. "Your office was contacted again this year, well in advance
of preparation of the schedule, but with the same end result, we are not
listed," he said.
Following the meeting, tempers flared, when Rivera approached Creasy.
"When is this going to end?" said Rivera.
"How long are you staying?" asked Creasy.
Rivera and Creasy exchanged words, with Creasy asking Rivera if he was
threatening him. "It's not a threat," Rivera said.
Rivera and Prewit declined to comment today on the incident.
"I'm for Pecos," Creasy said when asked about the incident. "I see a
lot of opportunities in Pecos going by the wayside for lack of interest.
Pecos has a lot to offer, and we all need to stand up and do the right
thing even when that thing is not popular."
61mph winds bring dust but no damage
PECOS, Wed., June 13, 2001 --The residents of Pecos got to glimpse a few
raindrops in the following the dust storm Tuesday evening.
A dust storm coming in at about 7:30 in the evening to the Pecos area
and caused no damage to crops according to Mike Murphy of the Texas A&M
Experiment Station.
"Not out here," Murphy said. "Everything was normal."
Department of Public Transportation Communications Officer, Linda Chavez
said that yesterday's visibility was zero at the height of the short storm
but that there were no reports of roads being closed. Chavez also said
that there were no accidents reported.
The Pecos Municipal Airport reported that the wind gusts of 61miles
per hour were recorded during the storm. They also said that at the time
of the storm there were no planes trying to land.
In the community of Barstow, residents saw little to no damage in the
area.
"Just one car port was damaged," Deputy Ben Deishler of Barstow said.
"The storm tore the tin off of it."
The National Weather Service said that other dust storms were seen in
other counties but that he would not classify the Pecos dust storm as a
dust storm but rather blowing wind.
Boy Scouts establish endowment fund
PECOS, Wed., June 13, 2001 --The Buffalo Trail Council of the Boy Scouts
of America has established an endowment fund with the Permian Basin Area
Foundation. The Buffalo Trail Council Endowment Fund is a permanent fund
of the Foundation that will serve to provide resources for youth service
programs offered by the Council to the West Texas region.
"The work of the Boy Scouts has made a tremendous difference to the
lives of many young men, and we are pleased to have this opportunity to
partner with the Buffalo Trail Council in helping to build for a solid
future for this program," said Jack Swallow, President and Chief Executive
Officer of the Permian Basin Area Foundation, which administers approximately
20 agency endowments on behalf of non-profit organizations throughout the
region.
For more information about the Permian Basin Area Foundation, call Jack
Swallow or Guy McCrary at 915-682-4704, or visit our website at www.pbaf.org.
State Theatre opening Tomb Raider on the break
By LEIA HOLLAND
Staff Writer
PECOS, Wed., June 13, 2001 --For the first time since its re-opening
the State Theatre will be featuring a movie on the day it opens nationwide
this Friday when Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, hits the silver screen.
"This is the first time that we have gotten a movie "on the break,"
State Theatre owner Richard Creasy said.
Tomb Raider is one of this summer's biggest action adventure
movies and was inspired by the most successful interactive video game character
from the successful game series Tomb Raider, he said.
With the support of Paramount and Pepsi, the State is able to get the
movie on opening day Creasy said.
"The ads say, `in your theater on June 15'," Creasy said.
After being closed for 11 years, Creasy and his wife, Lillian purchased
the theater and after renovating it they reopened the theater on July 22,
2000.
The Creasys are planning lots of events for the opening on Friday that
include contests and a live remote by Cody West for local radio station,
98X.
"We're hoping it's going to be a big deal," Creasy said.
West will be at the theater from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday night giving
away prizes and doing live remotes and interviews.
Prizes to be given away include caps, t-shirts, posters and buttons.
West said that he would also be playing various songs from the movie's
soundtrack, which is one of the prizes that he would be giving away.
West said that prizes would be given to anyone that shows up dressed
as Lara Croft.
The State and the Pecos Enterprise is also co-sponsoring a Lara Croft
Look-a-like contest with prizes including $50 and four passes to the State
Theatre as first prize.
To enter that contest call the Pecos Enterprise at 445-5475 to get your
picture taken in your best Lara Croft costume, Creasy said.
"The winner (of the look-a-like contest) will be notified prior to the
last showing," Creasy said.
Creasy said that Walmart is donating a Sony Playstation system to be
used on Friday night so customers would be able to play the Tomb Raider
game before seeing the film.
He also said that he plans to have a contest tied to the game as well.
The game will be set up outside the theater at 5 p.m., and anyone would
be able to join in.
The game contest would be timed and the high scores listed the last
day the movie is shown.
Both Creasy and West stated that getting a movie "on break" took a lot
of work on Creasy's part and needed the support of Paramount Pictures.
"It took a big effort to get it here," West said.
Creasy said that if the opening of this movie goes well there could
be more "on break" movies to come.
Lillian Creasy said that she hopes this movie would be successful and
bring in the crowds.
"This is sort of an experiment," she said. "So we need the community's
support."
"We're very happy that we're able to show this on the break when we've
only been open not quite a year," she said.
Tomb Raider is unrated.
Show times are 6:45 p.m. and 9:15 p.m., Friday through Sunday with admission
being $4 per person.
Obituary
Retta Bishop
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
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