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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Top Stories
Wednesday, October 17, 2001
Public given tour of RCDC additions
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Wed., Oct. 17, 2001 -- Community members had the opportunity
to view the newest addition to the Reeves County Detention Center Tuesday
afternoon, during an Open House that had been rescheduled following last
month's terrorist attacks on the United States.
About 60 individuals were on hand during the morning session of the
Open House at the facility with another big crowd touring the grounds in
the afternoon.
"This new addition is more efficient and safer for both the employees
and the inmates," said RCDC Warden Rudy Franco of the 1,000-bed addition,
which doubled the capacity of the facility.
Work on the facility was completed in late 2000 and the early part of
this year. Four units of D-Wing in RCDC-I were selected to house United
States Marshal inmates in March of 2001 and in May, the facility achieved
its goal of 2,000 inmates.
"This facility will generate $29 million this year," said Reeves County
Judge Jimmy B. Galindo. "Our plans are to expand the facility, which will
create more jobs in Reeves County and more opportunities."
Reeves County Commissioners have already authorized another addition
to the facility, which will be called RCDC-III. The new addition is expected
to increase the prison's capacity to 2,960 inmates.
The current RCDC will contribute almost $1.8 million toward the Reeves
County General Fund in 2001.
The present inmate population at the facility consists primarily of
deportable aliens, most of which are from Mexico, according to Franco.
"These inmates have been convicted of various federal offenses and the
majority are drug and immigration law violators," he said.
Franco said that the tour was an effort to give the community a better
insight on the facility and provide them with answers to any questions
they might have.
Construction began in Sept. 1999 on the RCDC-II project, which was designed
to meet the needs for enhanced security, efficient inmate management and
program requirements. Along with beds for 1,000 inmates, the RCDC-II work
included construction of an administrative complex, education building,
recreation building, and outside recreation yard.
With the increased population, a Support Services building was situated
in the center of the complex to support both RCDC-I and II. This building
contains a central laundry, warehouse, loading dock, mechanical shop, and
office space.
In Oct. 2000, the Education Department and Library relocated to their
new building. Available classes are in electrical repair, typing, basic
computer, basic home wiring, GED classes, and "English as a Second Language"
classes. There are also Vocational Training Programs such as auto mechanics
and horticulture. These programs are designed to keep the inmates busy
and productive, as well as provide skills for their release.
In December 2000, A, E and B-Unit opened for occupancy. Each unit holds
a total of 192 inmates. The first meal at that facility was served in the
RCDC-II Mess Hall on Thanksgiving of that year.
In November 2000, Reeves County purchased a state of the art transportation
bus, and in the same month it made it's first run to Grants, New Mexico.
In January, the recreation yard was opened to accommodate the inmate population
in the new units, the segregation unit was expanded to house an additional
55 inmates.
Church schedules fair to replace 16th of Sept. fiestas
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Wed., Oct. 17, 2001 -- Plenty of food, games and dancing will
be a part of the activities planned for this weekend by Santa Rosa Catholic
Church, to replace a similar event canceled in September.
Santa Rosa will be hosting a Family Fall Festival on Saturday, with
festivities are set to begin at 11 a.m. and conclude at 11 p.m.
The event is being held this weekend due to the Sept. 11 attacks on
the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, which led the church to cancel
their annual 16th of September Fiestas.
At that time, Father Ben Flores said that they wanted to focus on the
national event and wanted to reach out to those affected through prayers
and other events. Canceling the yearly fiestas was the right thing to do
at that time, Flores said, adding that something else would be planned
for a later date.
"Now they have re-scheduled some events for this weekend," said church
secretary Hilda Vasquez. "It won't be as big as the 16th of
September Fiestas, but it will bring some entertainment and fun for the
whole family," she said.
Games for the children, loteria (Mexican Bingo), and a gordita sale
will be held inside the Santa Rosa Hall.
Church booths outside the hall will offer tripitas, hamburgers, burritos,
barbecue, asado, brisket and asadero and long green chilies burritos, all
made with homemade tortillas.
All kinds of drinks will also be available and D. J. music will be provided
on the stage for dancing and easy listening.
A religious store will be housed inside the hall and will offer a number
of items.
Other activities will also be planned for Saturday's festival and the
winners of the raffle originally scheduled to be announced the night of
Sept. 15 will be announced this Saturday at 9 p.m.
Pecos woman wins big before football game
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Wed., Oct. 17, 2001 -- The Pecos Eagles football team wasn't
the only big winner Friday night in Clint. One lucky Pecos woman is still
"in shock" after she purchased a scratch-off ticket their prior to the
game and ended up with one of the Texas Lottery's top scratch-off prizes.
Inez Hinojos bought a Jumbo Bucks scratch-off ticket at an Exxon convenience
store in Clint while on her way to Friday's football game, which Pecos
won by a 36-0 final score.
"I've been an Eagles fan since 1970 and enjoy watching them play," said
Hinojos. "I love baseball and football and we have been following them
for a few years."
Hinojos said that as soon as she bought the ticket, she went outside
the store she scratched it off, and discovered the ticket was a $25,000
winner.
"I didn't know what I was feeling when I found it was a winner," she
said.
"I was in shock and just hugged the ticket to me quietly," said Hinojos.
Even though Hinojos has won several times on scratch-off tickets, this
is the first big payoff she's had. "I've always won like $1 or more, but
never this much," said Hinojos.
Her luck was extended just a little bit more, when she won $10 on another
scratch off ticket Tuesday, and she said prior to Friday's big win, "The
most I have ever won on a scratch-off ticket is $80."
Hinojos' family consists of her husband, David Hinojos, her son, Salvador
Hinojos, of Nolanville, his wife, April Faulkner and granddaughter, Magdalena
Cosette Hinojos.
She said she's not a gambler, but always buys a scratch-off ticket everywhere
they go. "Whenever we go out of town, I always like to buy one," she said.
Hinojos said she plans to pay bills with her "loot."
Early voting for elections starts Monday
PECOS, Wed., Oct. 17, 2001 -- Early voting on the 19 proposition amendments
to the Texas Constitution will begin Monday at the Reeves County Courthouse
Lobby and will continue until Friday, Nov. 2.
Copies of the 19 propositions are available at the Reeves County Clerk's
office.
Requests for ballots by mail can be obtained at the clerk's office.
All incoming boxes in Pecos will be consolidated on Election Day, Tuesday,
Nov. 6, at the Reeves County Civic Center. All out-of-town boxes will be
at their usual locations in Toyah, Saragosa, Balmorhea and at Red Bluff
Lake north of Orla.
To request a copy for a ballot by mail, individuals can call the Reeves
County Clerk's office at 445-5467.
TAAS workshop planned Thursday at PHS auditorium
PECOS, Wed., Oct. 17, 2001 -- A Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS)
Workshop will be held at the Pecos High School Auditorium at 7 p.m. Thursday
to provide families and students with information on the TAAS.
To receive a high school diploma, a student must successfully complete
all course work and pass the TAAS exit level test. Parents of sophomore
students and students who have taken the TAAS and have not passed a section
of the TAAS are encouraged to attend to receive information on TAAS.
Juniors and seniors who have not passed a section of the TAAS will be
tested on Oct. 23- writing; Oct. 24- mathematics and Oct. 25- reading.
Bake sale benefit for Pecos Museum to be held Friday
PECOS, Wed., Oct. 17, 2001 -- Homemade cakes, cookies and more will be
for sale at the annual Friends of the Museum Bake Sale scheduled for Friday.
The bake sale will begin at 9:30 a.m., at the West of the Pecos Museum,
First and Cedar Streets.
The Pecos Bill Park, name brick project will end Nov. 1. For more information
contact the museum at 445-5076.
Weather
PECOS, Wed., Oct. 17, 2001 -- High Tues. 68. Low this morning 39. Forecast
for tonight: Clear. Lows near 50. South winds 5 to 15 mph. Thurs.: Sunny.
Highs near 90. SW winds 10 to 20 mph. Thurs. night: Mostly clear. Lows
45 to 50. Friday: Mostly sunny. Highs near 80. Sat. through Tues.: Partly
cloudy. Lows from the mid 40s to near 50. Highs from the upper 70s to the
mid 80s.
Obituaries
Senaido Pargas and Guillermo Rubio
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 newsdesk@nwol.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 2001 by Pecos Enterprise
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