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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Top Stories
Tuesday, March 19, 2002
Several races uncontested as filing deadline nears
By LEIA HOLLAND
Staff Writer
PECOS, Tues., March 19, 2002 -- With the deadline coming up Wednesday afternoon,
several local elections still have no contested races, though several
new candidates have filed in the city, school and hospital races over
the past few days.
The Town of Pecos City elections have reported no new filings recently,
but remain the only local election that is assured of contested races on
May 4.
The city has two council seats up for election along with the term of
Mayor Ray Ortega. In that race, Ortega has filed for re-election and will
be opposed by the candidate he defeated two years ago, former city mayor
Dot Stafford.
Mayor Pro Tem Danny Rodriguez has filed for re-election however, the other
councilman up for election, Ricky Herrera, has not filed for a new term.
Rodriguez will face at least two other opponents, in Angelica Valenzuela
and Michael Benavides.
Down in Balmorhea, Ruben Fuentez is the only one person to file for election
to the mayor's seat. That position became open last May with the death of
second-term mayor Ismael Vasquez Rodriguez.
Current Balmorhea Councilmen Eddy Roman and Rosendo Galindo both have
filed for re-election to their seats, and as of now have no challengers.
In Toyah, current Toyah Mayor Ann Marsh has filed for re-election to her
seat with no opposition as of today. There are also two council seats open
for the May election, but only one incumbent, Sharon Sanchez, has filed for
re-election.
In the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD School Board election, the seats held by
Billie Sadler and Michelle Galindo will be up for election this year. Sadler
has filed for a new two-year term, while Paul Deishler, who was defeated
last year in his bid for a full-term on the school board, also has filed
to run. There were no other challengers as of this morning, according to
school secretary Jo Allgood.
Deishler was appointed to an unexpired term on the P-B-T ISD board in
2000, but opted to run for a full term last year instead of the one-year
unexpired term. The unexpired seat was won by Galindo in last May's election.
In Balmorhea, there will be a contested school board race this year. The
Balmorhea ISD has three open seats, and incumbents Jimmy Barragan, Jesus
Matta and Javier Lozano have filed for re-election, along with challenger
Regina Lozano.
In Barstow, Mayor Benny Hernandez and two incumbents have filed to retain
their positions.
Council members Robert Ortega and Carol Gonzales will also run in the
May 4 election. Ortega filed for a full-term while Gonzales filed for the
seat she was appointed to last year, following the death of councilman Lucio
Florez in a July train accident.
In the Reeves County Hospital District Board of Directors race, the seats
held by Leo Hung, Chel Florez and Jesus Prieto are currently holding.
Human Resources Director for RCH Nadine Smith said that Hung and Florez
are the only ones who have turned in their packets to file for election.
Hung holds the board's at-large seat, which will be open to all county voters
on May 4, while Florez is the long-time board member representing Precinct
1.
Prieto, who represents Precinct 3 now lives in Precinct 2, therefore cannot
file for re-election unless he files for Hung's at-large seat, according
to Smith.
If no one files for the Precinct 3 seat, the RCH board will appoint a
new member following the May 4 election. Meanwhile, under state law, all
of the non-contested elections on May 4 can be cancelled by the various boards
in order too save money.
The deadline to file for all city, school and hospital seats is tomorrow
at 5 p.m.
PHS Band Booster auction scheduled for Saturday
PECOS, Tues., March 19, 2002 -- Pecos Eagle Band Boosters are planning
their Annual Band Auction which is scheduled for this coming Saturday at
the Pecos High School Band Hall, high school cafeteria and the foyer for
the bake sale.
The event will be televised throughout the day beginning at 10 a.m. and
Classic Cable Channel 11 will also broadcast the event.
Barbecue plates will be for sale for $3.50 and bake sale will be held
in foyer of the cafeteria.
Weather
PECOS, Tues., March 19, 2002 -- High Mon. 76. Low this morning 48. Forecast
for tonight: Mostly cloudy and breezy with a 20 percent chance of showers
and thunderstorms. Cooler with lows 35 to 40. NW winds 15 to 25 mph.
Wed.: Partly cloudy. Highs near 65. North winds 10 to 20 mph. Wed.
night: Mostly clear. Lows 35 to 40. Thurs.: Mostly clear. Highs 65
to 70. Fri.: Partly cloudy. Lows 40 to 45. Highs 65 to 70.
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 2002 by Pecos Enterprise
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