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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Top Stories
Friday, October 19, 2001
Three indicted for fatal stabbing at bar
By LEIA HOLLAND
Staff Writer
PECOS, Fri., Oct. 19, 2001 -- A 143rd District Court grand
jury indicted three Pecos men Thursday for a September murder, during their
meeting Thursday afternoon in District Court at the Reeves County Courthouse.
Esquiel Olguin Ornelas, 45, Manuel Martinez Salcido, 51, and Raul Fuentez
Martinez, 48, were indicted for intentionally and knowingly causing the
death of Albino Levario Tarango by stabbing him with a knife or knives.
Tarango, 44, of Pecos died at Reeves County Hospital after being stabbed
during a fight at La Oficina Bar on Sept. 29.
Pecos Police Investigator Kelly Davis said at the time of the stabbing
that police officers were called to the bar at 1:33 a.m.
"Upon arrival, officers found a stabbing victim," he said and the three
men were then arrested
Davis said that police believe that the stabbing was the result of a
fight started inside the bar.
Tarango was taken to Reeves County Hospital, where he was pronounced
dead by Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace J.T. Marsh.
The three men were arrested in connection to the fight and charged with
murder-a first degree felony, according to the Pecos Police blotter.
All three are being held at Reeves County Jail with Ornelas and Salcido
under a $75,000 bond and Martinez under a $35,000 bond.
Building changes on commissioners Monday agenda
PECOS, Fri., Oct. 19, 2001 -- Support services building finish-out change
orders for the Reeves County Detention Center will be among the topics
of discussion at the regular Reeves County Commissioners Court meeting.
The group will meet at 9:30 a.m., Monday, in the third floor courtroom
and the public is invited to attend.
Commissioners will discuss and take action on Reeves County Support
Building Finish Out change order 1-3; a resolution declaring November,
National Alzheimer's Disease Month; Texas Association of Counties request
for re-appraisal of RCDC insurance valuation; Reeves County Sheriff Office
lease contract on two stalker units and Reeves County Sheriff Office lease
contract with Ford Municipal Leasing on two patrol cars.
The group will discuss and take action on space savers for Reeves County
Sheriff's Office, a contract agreement between Reeves County and Midland
County and deputation and oath for Jonathan Bradley Rider.
Regular agenda items include:
Reports from various departments.
Budget amendments and line-item transfers.
Personnel and salary change (RCDC, task force, sheriff's office).
Minutes from previous meetings.
Semi-monthly bills.
Spread on the minutes: Notice of over-axle/over gross weight permits.
Eagle Band preparing for Ratliff competition
By LEIA HOLLAND
Staff Writer
PECOS, Fri., Oct. 19, 2001 -- The Pecos High School Mighty Eagle Band
spent their last morning before the Region 6 UIL Marching Contest working
out kinks in their performance today at Eagle Stadium.
Head Band Director Merle Lenfest said that the band would meet at 1
p.m., Saturday afternoon to practice one last time for approximately two
hours before loading up and heading to Odessa, where they will perform
at 7:30 p.m., at Ratliff Stadium.
Bands from all over the area are scheduled to perform tomorrow, however,
only two other Class 4A schools, Big Spring and Andrews, will be performing
along with Pecos.
About six years ago UIL changed rules for contest where schools would
only be able to advance to area every other year.
Lenfest said that Pecos is eligible for advance this year and possibly
next year as well.
"Next year we would be able to because we're going to drop to 3A," he
said.
If the Eagle Band advances to Area Marching Contest, they would perform
once again in Ratliff Stadium on Oct. 27.
Lenfest said that the kids do have their work cut out for them but he
knows that they will do their best.
"What the kids do is really hard," he said. "It's got to be perfect
and that's a hard thing to get to."
"I've never preached a rating at the kids," he said. "As long as they
do their best."
Lenfest said that he chose to come to Pecos because he saw so much potential
in the students here.
"I wouldn't have come here if I didn't see a lot of potential," he said.
Lenfest said that since being here he has been under a lot of pressure
to bring the band back up to the level that it was when Bill Carrico directed
it.
However, he said that it would take time and a lot more learning before
the band would reach that level but he is confident that it will happen.
"We've got work to do," he said. "We can bring that back. We just can't
learn to play a horn overnight."
Pecos did advance to regional competition two years ago after competing
at Area competition at Socorro Stadium in El Paso, but failed to score
a Division I rating last fall at El Paso, where they marched against 11
other Class 4A bands.
Lenfest said that he is proud of how the students have handled his arrival
and how hard they are working.
"I'm real proud of them," he said. "Change is hard. But for the most
part they've tried real hard for me."
However, Lenfest said that sometimes he thinks the students get frustrated
with him because he does push them so hard but that in his experience that
is what gets results.
"I think the reason I've always gotten a lot out of kids is because
I expect a lot," he said. "If you expect a little, you get a little."
The band has spent the last few weeks adjusting to the loss of 60 students
due to ineligibility, leaving approximately 120 students to perform tomorrow.
Lenfest said that he was prepared to lose a few students due to failing
grades but was surprised at the number he did lose.
"I never dreamed it would be a third of the band," he said.
One student that will be performing tomorrow with the band is Jessica
Thomasson.
Thomasson was not able to perform in contest last year because she is
blind, but Lenfest said that he believes that people with handicaps should
be able to perform.
Thomasson will march with the other band members with guidance from
Heather Abila.
"She is a remarkable person," Lenfest said, speaking of Thomasson.
He said he just needs to make sure the judges understand that Abila
is down on the field with the intent of helping Thomasson.
Lenfest said that unlike many athletics, who prepare to compete numerous
times, the band has been preparing all season for five minutes of competition
and he expects that the students will be nervous once they are on the field
tomorrow.
"I don't think you're normal if you don't get nervous," he said.
However, he is trying to not be nervous for them until after the competition
is over so the students will be able to concentrate.
"I try to not be nervous so they can concentrate on what they have to
do," he said.
Admission to the UIL Area Marching Contest at Ratliff Stadium is $2
for adults and $1 for students.
School district eyes changing power provider
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Fri., Oct. 19, 2001 -- Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD board voted to
seek Requests for Proposals (RFP) for an electricity contract for P-B-T
schools, during a special meeting held Thursday evening in the board room.
Superintendent Don Love presented the board with information on energy
for school districts, in connection with the upcoming deregulation of electricity
rates in Texas. Under the new system, schools, along with other government
bodies and local citizens can select their power provider from companies
around Texas. The plan is scheduled to go into effect at the end of the
year.
Love told the group that the school district currently spends about
$480,000 on electricity.
"I've spoken to Energy for Schools as well as neighboring school districts
to see what they are doing about this," said Love. "Energy for Schools
have asked us to make a decision tonight."
Energy for Schools is made up of a number of school districts across
Texas that are pooling together to seek the lowest price for electricity.
Love said that he has also been talking to First Choice, which provides
the energy portion for local-based Texas-New Mexico Power Company. T-NMP
currently supplies electricity to the schools, but could lose that contract
under deregulation.
"I don't know how this will affect the local office," said Love.
"They have one power plant and provide 30 percent of the electricity,"
said Love. "It's the RFP's that have to be really compatible and they have
four employees downtown that may possibly be affected by this decision."
Love said job cuts could be made if the school district switches companies,
because P-B-T provides the utility with 20 percent of its local business.
"But again, nothing's set in stone," he said.
Love provided a comparison from First Choice and Energy for Schools
that showed a $45,549 difference in pricing, with Energy for Schools being
more economical.
"There's a lot of unanswered questions, that's why we choose a procurement
method for the school," said Love.
Love said that there was no doubt in his mind that the school would
get at least one proposal.
Love provided the board with an example of an RFP. "We can put in things
that we find important and you can write in there the effect on the community,"
said Love.
Love said that if the board decided to go out for RFP's, it would need
to make a decision by Nov. 8.
"We could get the ad in on Tuesday and then open the bids the following
week, on Nov. 6 and make a decision at the regular board meeting scheduled
for Nov. 8," he said.
Love said that Energy for Schools has about 130 school districts signed
up already. "They'll probably have some that back out at the last minute,
or want to join in at the last minute," he said.
School finance director Cookie Canon said that the school has $488,000
budgeted for electricity.
In other action Thursday, board members agreed to go with Competitive
Sealed Proposals for construction work planned at different schools.
Construction will include Bessie Haynes Elementary asbestos removal,
Bessie Haynes Elementary HVAC replacement; Pecos Kindergarten carpet replacement;
Pecos High School auditorium asbestos removal, Pecos High School asbestos
removal; Pecos High School renovations and tennis court renovations.
"With competitive sealed proposals it gives us more leeway," said Love.
Jobless rate for county falls below 5 percent
By JON FULBRIGHT
Staff Writer
PECOS, Fri., Oct. 19, 2001 -- Reeves County's unemployment rate dropped
to its lowest level since the oil boom years of the 1980s last month, according
to figures released Thursday by the Texas Workforce Commission.
However, declining oil prices cause by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks
on the United States could lead to a drop in oil production in the Permian
Basin, which has seen higher oil and gas prices translate into increased
drilling activity and more jobs over the last two years.
Reeves County's jobless rate, which was as high at 13½ percent
a little over two years ago, came in at 4.9 percent in September, the TWC
said. The rate was down .8 percent from the 5.7 percent jobless rate in
August.
A drop of 155 workers in the local labor force was more than the decline
of 82 jobs in the county between August and September, the TWC said. There
were 7,248 people in the workforce and 371 unemployed, while a year ago,
the TWC said the county's jobless rate was 7.9 percent, with 7,130 people
in the labor force and 608 unemployed.
The rise in oil and natural gas prices since January of 1999 has fueled
a drop in unemployment during that same period of time. But despite a sharp
one-day spike in energy prices as the result of the Sept. 11 attacks, the
overall decline in the U.S. and world economy since the has caused a drop
in oil prices over the past month.
West Texas Intermediate oil prices hovered around the $21.50 mark today
on commodities markets, down about $9 a barrel from earlier this year,
while the price of unleaded regular gasoline in some parts of South Texas
has dropped below $1 a barrel for the first time in two years. The lower
prices could lead to a decline in drilling activity in the Permian Basin
over the upcoming months.
The Town of Pecos City's unemployment rate dropped a full percentage
point in September, from 6.6 to 5.6 percent, and is down from 9 percent
in Septmber of 2000. Pecos had 5,592 people with jobs and 332 without last
month, while in August there were 5,655 people working and 397 unemployed.
A year ago, the city had fewer jobs, but a larger workforce, leaving 544
people unemployed and 5,501 with jobs.
Reeves County's jobless rate is still above the level of the Permian
Basin overall, but has dropped below the state's jobless rate for the first
time since the early 1980s. The TWC said Permian Basin unemployment was
at 4.1 percent in September, down from 4.4 percent in August and 5.2 percent
last September, while Texas' unemployment rate was 5.1 percent last month,
which was unchanged from August and up from 4.2 percent in September of
2000, as the slowing economy cause job losses in high-tech and other business
sectors in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and Austin areas.
Parks holding events for Lone Star Legacy weekend
PECOS, Fri., Oct. 19, 2001 -- Area state parks will celebrate Stone Star
Legacy this weekend, with a variety of events for the entire family.
Balmorhea State Park will host a seminar on gardening with native plants
on Saturday from 9 a.m. until noon, and guided tours of the San Solomon
Cienega and Phantom Cave Springs will be conducted on Saturday and Sunday
from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. each day.
Indian Lodge west of Fort Davis will again host the Trans-Pecos Art
Fair and Open House on Saturday, Oct. 20, with area artists displaying
arts and crafts for sale from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Refreshments, door prizes,
and special entertainment will be featured throughout the day, and a specially
priced Mexican buffet will be served in the Black Bear Restaurant from
5 p.m. until 8 p.m. Visitors will also have the opportunity to participate
in a silent auction for several unique and decorative items.
Also on Saturday, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., Davis Mountains State Park
will present, "Camping 101," an introduction to the skills and equipment
needed for a fund and successful camping trip. The course will include
selecting equipment, outdoor cooking and hands-on activities. Children
will be able to participate in "Outdoor Adventures for Kids" from 10 a.m.
until 4 p.m., with fun, conservation-based activities designed to teach
an understanding of the natural world.
Lone Star Legacy Weekend is designed to raise public awareness of and
financial support for all sites operated by Texas Parks and Wildlife. Although
no entrance fees will be charged, tax-deductible donations may be made
to a specific parks' endowment fund, or may be mailed to the Parks and
Wildlife Foundation of Texas, Box 191207, Dalls, Tx. 75219.
For more information on any of the Lone Star Legacy Weekend events,
call Balmorhea State Park at 915-375-2370; Indian Lodge at 915-426-3254,
or Davis Mountains State Park at 915-426-3337.
Weather
PECOS, Fri., Oct. 19, 2001 -- High Thursday 95. Low this morning 53. Forecast
for tonight: Clear. Lows 45 to 50. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph. Saturday:
Sunny. Highs near 85. Southeast winds 10 to 15 mph. Saturday night: Mostly
clear. Lows 50 to 55. Sunday: Mostly sunny. Highs 85 to 90. Monday: Partly
cloudy. Lows 50 to 55. Highs 80 to 85.
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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