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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Top Stories
Wednesday, September 18, 2002
Police on guard to stop vandals at PHS bonfire
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Wed., Sept. 18, 2002 -- Extra precautions will be taken today and
tomorrow for the annual Homecoming Bonfire, held in conjunction with
homecoming activities for the Pecos Eagles.
The bonfire is scheduled for 7 p.m., Thursday, at the old landfill. But
for the past two years, vandals have burned the bonfire the day before the
actual event, forcing workers to scramble to rebuild the pile each time so
that the bonfire would go off as scheduled.
"We'll have extra security both today and tomorrow for the bonfire," said
Pecos Police Chief Clay McKinney.
He said that due to the events that occurred last year, extra officers
will be on duty this evening and tomorrow, during the big event.
"We always have officers at the bonfire and this year, we'll have extra
patrol out at the sight tonight as well," said McKinney.
McKinney said that there has been no indication that any trouble will
arise tomorrow evening, but that the department will be taking extra precautions
anyway. "We haven't received anything or heard of anything that will occur
tomorrow night, but we'll be prepared," he said.
Last year, the homecoming bonfire pile was set on fire about 1:30 a.m.,
the day before the scheduled bonfire last year. The Pecos Volunteer Fire
Department were called to the bonfire site, south of the Reeves County Golf
Course, at 1:45 a.m., were they found the fire going strong.
Fire Marshall Jack Brookshire said that the fire was started by someone
lighting up debris surrounding the bonfire.
"They just set the debris that was out there and it just kept spreading
until the whole thing was on fire," he said.
Two years ago, that bonfire was also set on fire before it was time and
the students rebuilt that one as well.
The Homecoming Parade is scheduled for 5:30 p.m., Thursday, along Eddy
Street in Pecos and the bonfire is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
Carden Circus sets Pecos show for Rodeo Arena
PECOS, Wed., Sept. 18, 2002 -- Elephants, leopards, flying trapeze and
many other attractions will be seen at the circus scheduled for this coming
Monday at the Buck Jackson Rodeo Arena.
Showtime for the George Carden Circus International has been set for 7
p.m. and tickets are $8 for children and $10 for adults.
Carden is the fifth generation in show business and has been in the circus
business all of his life. He has acquired knowledge of all aspects of the
operation from front to back and is one of the largest producers of the circus
in North America.
His father, Larry Carden, owned a Circus and George was able to acquire
first hand knowledge of all aspects of the operation. He has worked a cat
act and presented camels and elephants in the actual circus show, along with
running the circus' behind-the scenes operations.
Carden started his own circus in 1981 and then purchased his father's
circus and integrated the two into an extremely successful business. To accommodate
all of his business, three units were created.
The circus travels over 40,000 miles each year in the United States and
Canada. The season lasts 42 weeks, during which part of the time the circus
has two units on the road. They also own and maintain 27 pieces of rolling
equipment including tractors, trucks and trailers. However, Carden's pride
and joy will always be his elephants. He currently owns 11 elephants.
The circus' Winter Quarters are located in southwestern Missouri, where
he houses his entire operation. A 20-acre farm, with large shops for building,
painting and maintaining equipment, houses the many performing animals owned
by the circus.
Reeves/Loving FSA seeking committee election nominees
PECOS, Wed., Sept. 18, 2002 -- The Reeves/Loving County Farm Service Agency
Committee elections for LAA 1 (Loving County) will be held on December 2,
2002. Eligible voters have the right to nominate the candidate of their choice
by petition.
Nomination forms may be obtained at the County FSA Office 1417 W. Third
St. in Pecos. Nominations should be submitted to the County FSA Office no
later than October 28, 2002.
Persons nominated should be currently engaged in the operation of a farm
or ranch and be well qualified for committee work. A farmer or rancher is
eligible to be a county FSA Committee member if the producer lives in the
LAA and is an eligible voter. County FSA Committee members may not hold positions
in certain farm and commodity organization, if these positions pose as a
conflict of interest with FSA duties. These positions include functional
offices such as president, vice-president, secretary, and positions on boards
or executive committees. Additional information on eligibility to hold office
may be obtained at the County FSA Office, at 1417 W. Third St, Pecos, TX.
The duties of county FSA Committee member include:
· Informing producers of the purpose and provisions of the
FSA programs
· Keeping the State FSA Committee informed of LAA Conditions
· Recommending needed changes in farm programs
· Participating in county meetings as necessary
· Performing other duties as assigned by the State FSA Committee
The county committee person you elect will make decisions on the local
level that affect the benefits received by all persons engaged in farming
and ranching in the county. This system of locally elected representatives
frequently receives criticism from persons wanting to keep all decisions
at the national level. If you wish to retain the locally elected system of
county committee members, please show your support by voting in this election!
Hospital board, Vernor agree to 3-year CEO contract
By JENNIFER GALVAN
Staff Writer
PECOS, Wed., Sept. 18, 2002 -- Reeves County Hospital District board members
voted to offer hospital administrator Richard Vernor a new three-year
contract under which he will be responsible directly to the hospital
board, members unanimously decided on Tuesday.
The board also received an update on the proposed emergency room expansion
project, and was given details by Vernor on how the new arrangement will
look once completed.
The board took the action on retaining Vernor following an executive session,
which dealt with making a decision on the contract of CEO.
"A motion was made to approve the three-year negotiated contract with
myself as the CEO," Vernor said.
The motion passed in a 5-0 vote with Chel Flores making the motion and
Hugh Box seconding it.
Board members voted 3-2 on Sept. 4 not to renew an agreement with the
hospital's management contractor Richard Murphy, and to buy it out before
the contract expires next year.
The contract, which expires after January 15, 2003, provided the board
with Vernor's service as administrator, but through the services of Murphy.
Board members voted against the contract with CRM Management they said, because
it gave control over hiring and firing of the hospital's administrator to
Murphy, not to the board.
Earlier in the meeting the board received an update on the expansion project.
According to Vernor, HGA architects were in Pecos two weeks ago and met
with some people at the hospital in connection with the project. At that
time the architects made some significant changes to the layout of the expansion
project, Vernor said.
"We went back to the emergency room area," Vernor said. "The ambulance
entrance is a little bit more patient friendly."
Sliding doors will be used for the entrance, creating a straight shot
into the trauma area, Vernor said.
"We will have a waiting area for visitors," Vernor said. "There will also
be a family waiting area making it more private."
According to Vernor an X-ray machine that comes down from the ceiling
would also be accessible in the emergency room so that patients would not
have to be taken to a room outside of the ER.
However, the biggest change would be the location of some of its rooms.
The specialist room is now adjacent to the emergency room, while the physical
therapy will be two doors down. The rooms will be divided by the procedure
room, which Vernor said would be accessible from both the specialist and
the physical therapy rooms.
Because there will only be one procedure room, those needing to use it
will have to schedule times and dates the room will be used by them, Vernor
said.
With the other changes, the kidney dialysis area will also need some reconfigurations,
Vernor said.
At that point board member Leo Hung said he would like to see some more
visible studies.
"I would like to look at the numbers," Hung said.
In looking at the numbers for the kidney dialysis, Hung hopes that it
will keep the hospital from suffering a loss on the project if it can be
avoided.
"I would like to at least see an estimate," Hung said.
After that, Vernor passed out a letter from HGA that said even with the
changes the amount for the project would be the same. HGA said all the board
would have to do is approve the expenses and then send in a revised letter
back to the architects.
Box asked Vernor if they were anywhere near the end of approving the changes
of the expansion.
"We should be done by the middle of next month," Vernor said. "The architects
will be coming next week."
With all the details finished, Vernor said that they hope the plans would
be ready to go out for bids by the end of December or the first of January.
In other action, the sale of four properties up for foreclosure were approved
with a motion being made by Box and seconded by board member George Wendt.
Joe Keese of Security State Banks also advised board members on investing
the hospital's certificates of deposit. Keese told the board that in the
time since the last discussions, the stock market has gone down.
Keese asked the board to place $4 million into insured CDs based on a
six, 12 or 24 months.
Though it would require more paperwork on the part of the bank, Keese
said it was not a concern for the board. He went on to tell the board that
he would continue to watch the stock market for them and keep them informed.
Keese informed the board that $4 million would be enough of its money
that it would make some revenue for the hospital.
"It is a timing issue," Keese said.
Now is not the time to invest in Security Bonds, Keese said.
Box made the motion to invest in the CDs with Hung seconding it.
In reviewing the monthly tax report, Chief Financial Officer, Bill Conder
told the board that he receives a report every Monday explaining the events
of the accounts receivable.
As of now the receivables are down, and Hung asked if there was some kind
of problem with it. "We need to be able to break even." Hung said.
Conder also discussed documentations of the hospital bills to Medicare,
Medicaid, and Blue Cross. He assured the board that they would get it all
worked out soon and if there were a loss they would have an explanation of
why.
With that said, Box made the motion to accept the monthly tax report with
Hung seconding it.
Lawyers report settlement for 5-12 persons killed
CARLSBAD, N.M. (AP) - Settlements have been reached in the cases of five
victims of a pipeline explosion that killed 12 extended family members camping
on the Pecos River near Malaga, N.M. two years ago, an attorney said Tuesday.
Dick Blenden, who represented the relatives of the five victims, said
now that the confidential settlements have been reached, no cases stemming
from the explosion will be going to trial.
He said the final settlements were reached the last week in August, but
some paperwork is still pending.
The family members had filed negligence lawsuits against El Paso Natural
Gas and its parent company Houston-based El Paso Energy.
A message left at El Paso Energy on Tuesday afternoon was not immediately
returned.
The victims were camping near a fishing hole in southern Eddy County on
Aug. 19, 2000, when a natural gas pipeline ruptured in the early morning
hours.
Martha Chapman and Jerry Rackley represented the estates of Amy Heady,
18; Terry Smith, 23; his wife, Amanda Smith, 25; their 3-year-old son, Dusten;
and Rackley's mother, Glenda Sumler, 47, Blenden said.
Blenden said he could not disclose the amount of compensation the victims'
families received.
"Hopefully the compensation was enough to get the company's attention
so that these kinds of things don't happen," Blenden said.
The other seven victims' cases were settled earlier. The others killed
were: 5-year-old Kirsten Sumler Smith; Don Sumler of Loving; RoyLe Heady,
20; his three daughters 22-month-old Kelsey and 6-month-old twins, Timber
and Tamber; and Bobby Smith, 43.
The amounts of other settlements were not disclosed, except for a $14
million settlement reached between the company and the wife and son of Bobby
Smith.
The trial of the final lawsuit had been set for Sept. 30 in Roswell.
Clerk's office taking ballot applications for voting
PECOS, Wed., Sept. 18, 2002 -- The Reeves County Clerk's office is currently
accepting applications for ballots by mail for the November elections.
Deadline to get a ballot by mail application has been set for 5 p.m.,
Oct. 29.
For more information contact the clerk's office at 445-5467.
Police Report
EDITOR'S NOTE: Information contained in the Police Report
is obtained from reports filed by the Pecos Police Department, Reeves
County Sheriff's Office, or other officers of those agencies.
The serving of warrants by an officer for outstanding fines of
either traffic citations, animal control violations or other court costs
are considered arrests and will be printed as such unless indicated
that the fines were paid. In such instances we will indicate
payment and release.
***
Thomas Marquez, 34, was arrested at 12:17 p.m., on September 16, in
the 1200 block of Willow Street, for a warrant for default payment.
***
Lauro Villalobos, 30, was arrested at 1:31 p.m., on September 16 in
the 2300 block of Sage Street, on a warrant for default payment.
***
Jo Anna Arredondo, 31, was arrested at 7:66 p.m., on September 16,
in the 1900 block of Plum Street, for a Reeves County Sheriff's warrant
of theft by check and a Ector County warrant for theft by check.
***
Romelia Herrera, 55, was arrested at 8:23 a.m. on September 17, in
the 1500 block of Johnson Street, on a capias warrant for default payment.
***
Jose Morales, 20, was arrested at 10:22 a.m., on September 17, in the
2200 block of Cactus Street, for capias warrant default payment.
***
Adriana Orona, 25, was arrested at 3:27 p.m., on September 17, in the
1400 block of Normandy Street.
***
Xochitl Armendariaz, 23, was arrested at 10:56 p.m., on September 17,
in the 400 block of `D' street for a warrant for theft by check over $20
/ under $500.
***
Javier Herrera, 39, was arrested at 5:54 p.m., on September 17, in the
1700 block of South Alamo Street for a warrant for theft by check over
$20/under $500. And a Reeves County Sheriff's warrant for theft by
check over $20/ under $500.
***
Belinda Dominguez, 35, was arrested at 10:06 p.m., on September 17,
in the 900 block of Fourth Street, for a warrant for theft by check
over $20/under $500.
***
Debra Lara, 42, was arrested at 1:20 a.m., on September 18, in the 400
block of South Mesquite Street, for a warrant for theft by check over
$20/under $500.
Obituary
Jovita Ramirez
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 news@pecos.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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