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Archive 2002

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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas

Top Stories

Thursday, March 28, 2002

FLH to keep apartments for migrants

By LEIA HOLLAND
Staff Writer
PECOS, Thurs., March 28, 2002 -- Plans for converting the Pecos Farm Labor Housing (FLH) to Multi-Family Housing have been postponed for the time being in order to provide housing for migrant workers during this year's harvest season, the FLH Board of Commissioners decided at the regular meeting on Tuesday.

"We are going to have the apartments available to migrant workers this season," Executive Director Nellie Gomez said today, following Tuesday evening's vote.

The commissioners have been discussing the possibility of converting the current FLH to Multi-Family Housing because there is a demand for housing throughout the year, not just the harvest season.

"That housing is in demand but not by farm workers," Gomez said.

However, Gomez and the commissioners discussed the need of housing for farm laborers this season after many farmers called explaining that they did not have their own housing anymore because they were not up to code.

The commissioners decided to go ahead and postpone the conversion for now.

"We'll continue the conversion after this season," Gomez said.

During the Pecos Housing Authority (PHA) portion of the meeting, the commissioners approved the first payment to Master Builders, out of Midland, for construction of new sidewalks and additional parking on 10th and 11th Streets, at the PHA's East Side apartment complex.

Gomez said that the Master Builders crew started construction of the sidewalks and parking on March 11.

"They're doing a good job," she said.

The construction should be completed by June 11 if not sooner, according to Gomez.

Gomez also gave the commissioners a report on the progress of the new fencing being constructed on Orange Street.

Gomez said that a PHA crew has been working on constructing the fence for some time and should be finished by the end of July.

"It's already looking nice," she said.

Gomez passed out applications to the commissioners for the Texas NAHRO 26th Annual Conference that would be held on April 21-25 in San Antonio.

In other business, the commissioners approved the monthly reports for both PHA and FLH along with the minutes of the previous meeting.

Area pioneer family head Joplin dies

PECOS, Thurs., March 28, 2002 -- Funeral services were scheduled today for a longtime Pecos resident, who had been honored along with his family as the Reeves County Pioneer Family in 2000, who died this past Sunday just 2½ months shy of his 100th birthday.

Curtis Frank Joplin, 99, died Sunday, March 24, at Odessa Medical Center. Joplin had been a resident of Pecos for the past 92 years, and his family was honored as the Reeves County Pioneer Family during a reception held in July 2000 at the West of the Pecos Museum.

Frank's father, Frank Joplin and his wife, Anna, moved to Pecos in March 1909. They brought with them four children: Margaret Elizabeth, Raymond Ellis, Curtis Frank and Anna Loraine.

The Joplin family was a part of the construction of the First Baptist Church and has their name on the corner stone.

Joplin's father was responsible for sprinkling the dirt streets everyday for the downtown merchants. His sprinkling truck is now on display at the museum.

Frank Joplin was married for 60 years to Beulah Joplin, who died in 1998. The couple eloped on June 1, 1938, while Frank owned the Conoco Station on the corner of U.S 80 and Carlsbad Highway (Third and Cedar streets). Later he worked at the Leader Hardware and Brownlee Hardware.

Beaulah was a homemaker and a talented seamstress and artist.

Joplin was honored in 1997 with a huge party in honor of his 95th birthday given to him by his daughter, Loyce Brown, of Rochester, Minn. The happy event was held at the West of the Pecos Museum. Guests signed a special notebook, put together by his daughter and filled with many memories. The tables in the courtyard were decorated with windmills, Joplin's profession of many years.

Murder indictments returned against Ramon by grand jury

By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Thurs., March 28, 2002 -- A man involved in a shoot-out with police after killing his wife in Odessa in January has been indicted on two counts, one for first degree and one attempted capital murder.

Joe Albert Ramon, 41, was formally charged with first-degree murder and attempted capital murder, according to Ector County District Attorney John Smith.

Bond was set at $250,000 on each count and Ramon is facing from 5-99 years or life and up to a $10,000 fine, according to Smith.

"I expect that at the arraignment, which will take place in 2-3 weeks, he will plead not guilty," said Smith. "That's what most defendants usually plead."

At the time of the arraignment, the judge will set a schedule for a trial, according to Smith.

The January 17 shootout involved three former Pecos residents, all of whom were living in Odessa. Ramon shot and killed his estranged wife, Estela Cadena Ramon, 36, before trading gunfire with Cpl. Greg Travland, an officer with the Odessa Police Department.

Estela Cadena Ramon was shot and killed by Joe Albert Ramon at her place of employment in downtown Odessa. Joe Ramon then wounded Travland in the leg, but the officer was able to shoot Ramon several times in the chest, according to a report released by the Odessa Police Department.

Ramon used a .375-caliber revolver in the shooting and reports indicate Travland returned fire with a 9mm semi-automatic pistol.

At the time of the incident, Travland was taking a report from Estela Ramon, office manager for Drug Screen Compliance and Consortium of the Southwest, at that office in regards to a domestic problem. He was at the office for about 30 minutes when Joe Albert Ramon, entered the building and began firing at Estela Ramon.

Ramon spent over a month at Medical Center Hospital in Odessa undergoing treatment for his wounds before being transferred to the Ector County Jail. Travland remains off duty right now while recovering from his gunshot wound to the leg.

Schools, local government offices planning to close

PECOS, Thurs., March 28, 2002 -- With many offices and businesses closed tomorrow in observance of Good Friday, some will continue to work.

The Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD schools will be closed along with the Town of Pecos City and Reeves County offices. Both the Security State and West Texas National Bank plan to close early on Friday for the holdiay

However, the U.S. Post Office will be open during their regular hours, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and the U.S. District Courthouse and other federal offices in Pecos also are scheduled to remain open.

The Pecos Enterprise will also be open and will be publishing a paper.
 

Weather

PECOS, Thurs., March 28, 2002 -- High Wed. 85. Low this morning 54. Forecast for tonight: Mostly cloudy. Lows around 55. South winds 5 to 15 mph. Fri.: Mostly cloudy. A slight chance of afternoon showers and thunderstorms. Highs 75 to 80. South winds 10 to 20 mph. The chance of rain is 20 percent. Fri. night: Mostly cloudy with a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows around 50. Sat.: Mostly cloudy and cooler with a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs 55 to 60. Sun.: Mostly cloudy. A slight chance of showers early. Lows 40 to 45. Highs around 65.

Obituaries

Frank Joplin and Ynez Patino



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Pecos Enterprise
York M. "Smokey" Briggs, Publisher
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