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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Wednesday, March 13, 2002
Galindo wins judge's race; Hill surprises Castillo
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, March 13, 2002 - Reeves County voters returned several incumbents
to office on Tuesday in voting in the Democratic primary election, but
voters in Precinct 2 elected a new county commissioner and constable, and
put the incumbent Justice of the Peace into an April runoff.
Reeves County Judge Jimmy B. Galindo was re-nominated for a third term
as county judge, colleting 2,052 to 1,313 for challenger Louis Matta. Galindo
currently is unopposed in the November general election.
"I would like to thank the voters of Reeves for the opportunity to continue
serving as your county judge," said Galindo. "It has been a great honor
to represent Reeves County.
"I sincerely appreciate the help of all my supporters who know, that
without their help, this would not be possible," said Galindo. "I would
like to congratulate my opponent on a hard fought race."
"I realize that we all want to work to make Reeves County a better place
to live and raise a family and I will work with everyone in our community
to achieve this goal," said Galindo.
But while voters went for the incumbent in the county judge's race,
Precinct 2 voters gave challenger Norman Hill a surprise win over incumbent
Reeves County Commissioner Precinct 2 David Castillo.
Castillo who received 361 votes to Hill's 450 votes, had been commissioner
for the past four years. He had replaced Dr. W.J. Bang who had held that
position for eight years and chose not to run for re-election in 1998.
"I wish you luck," said Castillo, who visited Hill at his home following
the election results last evening and offered his services and help to
the new commissioner.
"I'm overwhelmed, it still hasn't sunk in," said Hill, who added that
this is the first time he has run for office.
Hill was a U.S. Postal Service employee for over 30 years and had retired
recently.
"I want to thank everyone, I appreciated it very, very much," said Hill.
"I want to thank David (Castillo) for being such a gentleman and running
a clean campaign."
Hill said he plans to work hard and do the best job he can for everyone
in Precinct 2.
"I'm still in shock, I didn't expect all this," said Hill.
Precinct 2 voters will also have one runoff election to decide on April
9, between two of the three candidates in the Justice of the Peace election.
Incumbent J.T. Marsh received 244 votes finishing second to challenger
Jim Riley, while a third candidate, Jaime Salgado received 233 votes. Since
Riley did not get 50 percent of the votes, he and the incumbent, Marsh
will face each other once again in April.
Voters in the other three precincts will also be eligible to go to the
polls on April 9, to cast ballots in the runoff election for U.S. Senate.
In other local elections, Reeves County Clerk Dianne Florez defeated
her opponent Sofia Abila. Florez had 2,354 votes and Abila received 882
votes.
"I would like to first thank God, for giving me the strength and inspiration
that allows me to continue my life in politics," said Florez. "I would
like to thank all the people who went out to vote in early voting and the
elections."
"I want to thank my family and volunteers who helped me get re-elected,"
said Florez. "I want to thank you all for the confidence you had in re-electing
me."
Florez said that she also wanted to thank her opponent for a good race.
Three other candidates, County Court-at-law judge Walter M. Holcombe
district clerk Pat Tarin and county treasurer Linda Clark, were unopposed
in their bids for new four year terms, as was county commissioner for Precinct
4, Gilberto "Hivi" Rayos, who like Castillo was seeking he second four-year
term on the commissioner's court.
Justice of the Peace Precinct #1 Amonario Ramon, JP #3 Rosendo L. Carrasco
and JP 4 Lamberto T. Herrera were also unopposed in their bids for re-nomination
to new terms, as was county Democratic Party chairman Bobby Dean.
No local candidates filed to run in the Republican primary election
for Reeves County.
Massey gets easy win in Ward judge's race
By BILL MODISETT
Monahans News
MONAHANS, March 13, 2002 - Ward County Judge Sam Massey handily won
re-election to another term during Tuesday's Democratic primary election,
polling 2,247 votes to his opponent, Jo Ann Widdess' 742
Following his win by a 3-to-1 margin, Massey was remarkably low-key,
saying, "I'm humbled and I appreciate all the help I got from my supporters."
He went on to note, "I think the community has spoken and I will do
my best to make them a good hand for the next four-plus years."
Massey, who is in his 11th year as county judge, has been involved this
year in the first major challenge since he took office in 1990. His opponent,
Mrs. Widdess, is a former district clerk who retired at the end of 2000.
Her husband, Ron Widdess, currently serves as county commissioner in Precinct
3. Massey has no Republican opponent for the November General Election.
Also winning the Democratic nomination Tuesday was Precinct 2 Commissioner
Kathy Fausett who fought off a challenge from newcomer Liz Martinez. Ms.
Fausett received 625 votes to Martinez's 309. Ms. Fausett will now face
Republican Coy Wall in the November General Election.
"I am pleased that the people of Precinct 2 are happy with the job I've
done as county commissioner," said Ms. Fausett following her win. "I hope
to have their support for the November election."
First term Precinct 4 Commissioner Rick McCurdy lost his bid for the
Democratic nomination, running fourth in a four-way race. McCurdy received
102 votes. That nomination will be determined in a runoff election April
9 between Eddie Nelms, who drew 201 votes, and Glenn Garland, who polled
195 votes. The fourth person in that race, Norman Luckie, received 133
votes. Winner of the Democratic nomination will face Republican candidate
David Cutbirth in November.
Other runoffs to be decided in the April election include District Clerk
and Justice of the Peace in Precincts 2 and 3.
In the four-way race for District Clerk, Patricia Oyerbides and Pam
Bingham will be in a runoff. Ms. Oyerbides, an employee in the County Clerk's
office, drew the most votes, 1,200. The current District Clerk, Ms. Bingham,
who was appointed to the position, drew 1,164 votes;
Irma Tejada received 335; and Jane Moreland Martin received 273. The
Democratic winner will face Republican Ann Gandy Parker in November.
Another four-way race, that for Justice of the Peace in Precincts 2
and 3, ended in a runoff pitting current Justice of the Peace Ronold Ray
against Elizabeth Polanco. Ray received 618 votes to Ms. Polanco's 485.
David Watts received 467 votes and Bill Hare polled 146 votes.
The three-way race for County Treasurer was won by Teresa Perry, who
received 1,456 votes to Melissa Taylor's 875 votes and Miki Mitchell's
541 votes.
To avoid a runoff a candidate must receive at least 50.1 percent of
the total vote in that race. Ms. Perry's total accounted for 50.6 percent.
The only other contested race locally was for County Clerk and was won
by current County Clerk Natrell Cain. Ms. Cain drew 2,348 votes to challenger
Phelitha Schmidt's 545 votes.
The only uncontested race in Ward County's Democratic primary was for
Justice of the Peace in Precincts 1 and 4, where incumbent Pascual Olibas
received 836 votes.
A total of 3,065 ballots were cast in Ward County for this election.
Ward County's votes in the statewide races are listed below:
DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY
U.S. Senator - Victor Morales, 921; Ken Bentsen, 752; Ron Kirk, 374;
Gene Kelly, 248; Ed
Cunningham, 154.
Governor - Tony Sanchez, 1,392; Dan Morales, 815; Bill Lyon, 309; John
Worldpeace, 111.
Lieutenant Governor - John Sharp, 2,030.
Attorney General - Kirk Watson, 1,886.
Comptroller of Public Accounts - Marty Akins, 1,851.
Commissioner of General Land Office - David Bernsen, 1,531; Ray Madrigal,
664.
Commissioner of Agriculture - Tom Ramsay, 1,475; Ernesto De Leon, 821.
Railroad Commissioner - Paul C. Looney, 1,115; Sherry Boyles, 1,077.
Supreme Court Chief Justice - Richard C. Baker, 1,817.
Supreme Court Justice Place 1 - Linda Yanez, 1,828.
Supreme Court Justice Place 2 - Jim Parsons, 1,782.
Supreme Court Justice Place 3 (unexpired term) - William E. Moody, 1,769.
Supreme Court Justice Place 4 (unexpired term) - Margaret Mirabal, 1,732.
Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Place 1 - John W. Bull, 1,735.
Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Place 2 - Pat Montgomery, 1,478; Julius
Whittier, 551.
Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Place 3 - J. R. Molina, 1,788.
State Board of Education District 1 - Rene Nunez, 1,834; Said Abakoui,
285.
Local voters back Sanchez, Morales in top races
By JON FULBRIGHT
Staff Writer
PECOS, March 13, 2002 -Reeves County Democratic voters went along with
the rest of the state in supporting Tony Sanchez over Dan Morales in the
race for the party's gubernatorial nomination, but local and statewide
voters were split on several other down-ballot races in Tuesday's primary
election.
Many voters in Reeves County who cast ballots in the local races failed
to fill out their card for the regional and state primary races. A total
of 3,495 votes were cast in Reeves County, but no uncontested candidate
received more than 2,300 votes, less than Reeves County Clerk Dianne Florez
got in her contested election against Sofia Abila.
Sanchez received about 60 percent of the vote in defeating Morales and
two other candidates on Tuesday for the right to oppose Republican Gov.
Rick Perry in the November general election. In Reeves County, the Laredo
businessman picked up 1,981 votes to 839 for Morales, the former Texas
Attorney General.
In the primary election for U.S. Senate, Victor Morales was the choice
of most local voters, and wound up in an April 9 runoff against Ron Kirk,
who finished fourth out of the five candidates in that race among Reeves
County voters. Morales, who lost to Phil Gramm in 1996 after winning the
Democratic nomination for Senate, picked up 1,662 votes to 406 for Ken
Bentsen, 229 for Gene Kelly, 160 for Kirk and 114 for Ed Cunningham.
Morales and Kirk, the former Dallas mayor, finished in a virtual dead
heat in the primary race, both with about 33 percent of the vote, while
Bentsen placed third, with 28 percent and missed the runoff election.
In the other contested races, David Bernsen won nomination as Land Office
Commissioner, though voters in Reeves County favored Ray Madrigal by a
1,113-936 margin; Tom Ramsey was nominated for Texas Agriculture Commissioner,
though he lost in Reeves County by nearly a 2-1 margin to Ernesto DeLeon,
1,471 to 763; while Sherry Boyles did win both locally and statewide in
the race for nomination for the Texas Railroad Commission. Boyles received
1,333 votes in the county to 641 for Paul G. Looney.
County voters also went with the rest of the state and regional Democratic
voters in two other races, for Place 2 on the State Criminal Court of Appeals
and for Place 1 on the State Board of Education. Pat Montgomery defeated
Julius Whittier in the Court of Appeals race and won in Reeves County by
a 1,308 to 482 margin, and incumbent Rene Nunez defeated challenger Said
Abakqui for the board of education post by a 2,010 to 175 margin.
Other candidates running unopposed included incumbent State Rep. Pete
Gallego and incumbent State Sen. Frank Madla, and Henry Cuellar, who'll
face incumbent U.S. Rep Henry Bonilla in the November general election.
Senate hopefuls Kirk, Morales in April 9 runoff
By MATT CURRY
Associated Press Writer
March 13, 2002 - Laredo millionaire Tony Sanchez outspent rival Dan
Morales, then outpolled him in a surprisingly lopsided contest that gave
the Democrats their first Hispanic nominee for Texas governor.
Meanwhile, schoolteacher Victor Morales and former Dallas mayor Ron
Kirk slipped into a runoff ahead of Houston congressman Ken Bentsen in
a neck-and-neck race for the Democratic U.S. Senate nomination,
With 98 percent of precincts reporting early Wednesday morning, Sanchez
had 60 percent of the vote compared with Dan Morales' 33 percent.
"If my boys wouldn't tease me, I might start crying," Sanchez, referring
to his grown sons, told jubilant supporters in Austin.
The historic win brought national attention for Texas Democrats.
"The Democrats are very happy about it, because there's been some small
worry about the Hispanic vote being nibbled away by the Republican Party,"
said Allan Saxe, a political science professor at the University of Texas
at Arlington. "This spells good news for the Democratic Party."
The intensity between the two front-running candidates increased in
the campaign's final weeks as the two fought for the right to challenge
incumbent Republican Rick Perry.
The race took a strange twist on election day when a judge granted Morales'
request for three additional hours of voting at some stations that didn't
open on time in his hometown of San Antonio.
In Harris County, voters in at least nine precincts were unable to vote
because of unstaffed polling places.
The gubernatorial battle began when Morales, a former Texas attorney
general, made a surprise entry into the contest and frustrated Sanchez's
plans to sew up the Democratic nomination without major opposition.
That turned out to be not a bad thing for Sanchez, said Cal Jillson,
professor of political science at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.
"It also forced him to drive his name recognition through the roof.
He's now set to run a substantive campaign against Governor Perry," he
said.
The two traded barbs about their heritage and campaigns, as well as
affirmative action.
The men held what was believed to be the first debate in Spanish for
a U.S. gubernatorial race, although Morales translated his answers into
English - calling it the state's "principal language."
Sanchez ran strongly among Hispanics, Jillson said.
Morales accused Sanchez, a banker, of trying to buy a victory with his
vast personal wealth, while Sanchez said he was fighting to distinguish
himself from the "professional politician" in the race.
With the hotly contested governor's race absorbing most of the spotlight,
less attention was paid to the race to replace longtime Republican Sen.
Phil Gramm. The front-running Senate Democratic hopefuls were Kirk, Bentsen
and Victor Morales, who may have been better known because of his unsuccessful
race six years ago.
With 98 percent reporting, Kirk and Morales were tied with 33 percent
of the vote while Bentsen had 27 percent.
There was no drama in the race to replace Cornyn as attorney general.
Unchallenged Democrat Kirk Watson, a former Austin mayor, will face former
Supreme Court Justice Greg Abbott, a Republican, in the fall general election.
Land Commissioner David Dewhurst, a Republican, defeated little-known
Galveston executive Tom Kelly for the lieutenant governor post. Former
Comptroller John Sharp ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.
In the Republican race to replace Dewhurst, former state senator Jerry
Patterson beat state Rep. Kenn George.
On the Democratic side, state Sen. David Bernsen of Beaumont defeated
Corpus Christi businessman Ray Madrigal.
Two of Perry's appointees to the Texas Supreme Court faced challenges
from within their own party in the crowded statewide judicial races. Only
one was successful.
Republican Supreme Court Justice Wallace Jefferson, the first black
to serve on the panel, beat Lake Jackson lawyer Sam Lee. Xavier Rodriguez,
another Perry appointee, lost to Austin lawyer Steven Wayne Smith.
In U.S. House races, Denton County Judge Scott Armey advanced to a runoff
from a six-candidate field in the GOP primary for the District 26 seat.
Armey is the son of Republican Majority Leader Dick Armey, who is retiring.
The winner faces Democrat Paul LeBon.
Peter Wareing and John Carter advanced to a runoff for a new U.S. House
seat, District 31. The race also included Brad Barton, son of Rep. Joe
Barton, R-Ennis.
Three candidates file for Barstow council positions
BARSTOW, March 13, 2002 - With city, school and hospital elections
just around the corner, Barstow Mayor Benny Hernandez and two incumbents
have filed to retain his position on the council.
Council members Robert Ortega and Carol Gonzales joined Hernandez in
seeking to run in the May 4 election. Ortega filed for a full-term while
Gonzales filed for the one-year unexplired term seat she was appointed
to last year, following the death of councilman Lucio Florez.
One full term position on the council is still open and nobody has filed
for that position yet.
Swimming pool repairs, Rifle range on city's agenda
March 13, 2002 - The Pecos City Council is scheduled to meet in council
chambers at City Hall Thursday morning at 7 a.m.
Certified Public Accountant Dan Painter will be on hand to present the
2000-2001 audit report.
A resolution to approve the central counting station for the upcoming
city elections is on the agenda.
The council is scheduled to discuss a grant application for a regional
solid waste grant and will consider granting an easement to Pure Resources,
L.P.
Bids for repairing the city swimming pool is also on the agenda as is
a proposal to refund the city's Outstanding Combination Tax and Revenue
Certificates of Obligation, series 1992.
The council has also scheduled an executive session to discuss the "Status
of Title to Real Property _ Rifle Range."
Weather
PECOS, March13, 2002 - High Tuesday 86. Low this morning 48. Forecast for
tonight: Partly cloudy. Lows near 55. Southwest winds 10 to 20 mph. Thursday:
Partly cloudy and breezy. Highs in the upper 80s. Southwest winds 15 to
25 mph. Thursday night: Partly cloudy. Lows near 50. Friday: Partly cloudy
and not as warm. Highs 70 to 75. Saturday: Partly cloudy. Lows 40 to 45.
Highs around 75.
Dionisia Villanueva
Dionisia Villanueva, 76, of Pecos died Tuesday, March 12, 2002 at Medical
Center Hospital in Odessa.
Pecos Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
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
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Copyright 2002 by Pecos Enterprise
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