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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas

Top Stories

Monday, March 3, 2003

Police jail teen in fatal beating of elderly man

By JENNIFER GALVAN
Staff Writer

PECOS, Mon., March 3, 2003 -- Pecos police have arrested a second suspect in connection  with the beating death of an  81-year old man in an east side building back  in September. 

Police arrested a 15- year old male juvenile in the 1200 block of East Fourth Street on Sunday morning, following a warrant service in connection with the September 28, 2002 beating of Anastacio Acosta, who died in a Lubbock hospital following the attack.

According to Pecos Police Lt. Kelly Davis, a search warrant of the juvenile's home was also made, in which police collected evidence they said was connected to the beating death.

"We were just very fortunate," Davis said. "Excellent police work led to the arrest."

Acosta, who lived between the Del Rio Bar and a storage area, was beaten in the early morning hours of September 28. When police arrived they found Acosta unconscious following a severe beating to the head.

He was transported first to Reeves County Hospital, then airlifted to Covenant Medical Center in Lubbock that same night. He died on Oct. 8 at the hospital.

The day after Acosta's death, police announced that had charged Juan Gonzales, 20, in connection with the murder. Gonzales had been arrested in Muleshoe, located 240 miles northeast of Pecos, originally on unrelated charges, but was connected by investigators here in Pecos to the Acosta beating.

"We issued a warrant, and we have a confession, " Davis said at the time.

Since then Gonzales has pled guilty in 143rd District Court, and has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for the murder of Acosta.

"We always know there were two people involved," Davis said about Sunday's arrest.

The male juvenile in currently being held at the Reeves County Juvenile Detention Center here in Pecos, but Davis said that after his hearing he would probably be sent back to Fort Stockton, which houses long-term juvenile offenders under an agreement with Reeves County and the Town of Pecos City.

Pecos faces hole in schedule after Presidio drops football

By JON FULBRIGHT
Staff Writer

PECOS, Mon., March 3, 2003 -- Mark another open date in the Pecos Eagles' 2003 football  schedule for now, after the Presidio ISD school board voted last week to  eliminate football from district's athletic program.

Presidio canceled its 2002 varsity football schedule because of a lack of junior and senior players, but continued to play a sub-varsity and junior high schedule. However, last Tuesday, the school board voted unanimously to end all football programs as part of an effort to cut the district's budget deficit, which was estimated as high as $1.9 million.

"It was extremely tough `cause I love football. It's my favorite sport. I love it more than basketball," board member John Bull told The (Presidio) International for its edition last Thursday. "I'm sure some people will be upset, but it's what we had to do."

Presidio had struggled in football since moving up from Class 2A to Class 3A in the early 1990s. The Blue Devils had a relatively successful season in 2000, winning four games, but went winless during District 4-3A play, and in 2001 dropped their final nine games after an opening victory over Class A Marfa. That included a 62-8 home loss to Pecos, in a game where the Blue Devils finished with only 14 available players.

Last season, the school district decided just before the start of the season not to field a varsity team, which left their five district rivals, including Pecos, with open dates to fill in their schedules. Fort Stockton, which was to have faced Presidio in both teams' 4-3A opener, was able to replace that game with a contest against Odessa Permian's junior varsity on their early October open date, but the Eagles and the other three teams, Monahans, Greenwood and Kermit, were left with only nine game schedules.

This fall, Pecos was scheduled to travel to Presidio for their game on Oct. 17. As of now, that will be an open date for the Eagles, unless they can find another team with an open date that weekend who they can schedule.

The only other date to schedule a game would be during the `Zero Week' on Aug. 29-30. The Eagles are off that weekend, while Fort Stockton, Monahans Greenwood and Kermit play their regular season openers. Pecos was also off that weekend last year, playing scrimmage games against El Paso Riverside and Fabens the previous two weekends, while opening their regular season against Alpine on the first weekend in September.

"I don't know what we're going to do right now," said Eagles' head coach and athletic director Bubba Williams. "We'll look and see if we can find someone, but it will probably be a hole right now. We're going to have some problems filling it."

The Presidio ISD board said dropping the football program would save the school district $100,000 this year, though the move came after coaches had attempted to re-start the varsity program and also reportedly upset students at the school, the International said.

"This is no reflection on Coach (Federico) Lujan and his coaching staff," Presidio Superintendent Ernesto Martinez told the paper. "I think they've done a tremendous job trying to motivate the students. However, it just didn't come along."

Pecos was faced with a similar problem 20 years ago, when Ector County ISD officials closed Odessa Ector High School to fulfill a federal court-ordered desegregation plan. However, in that case, all of the remaining District 2-4A schools had their open dates on the same weekend, and were able to play a non-district game against another district school to make up the missing game with Ector. The Eagles played Fort Stockton twice during the 1982 season, and played Sweetwater two times in 1983 in order to have a 10-game regular season schedule.

Balmorhea candidates file for city, school races

By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer

PECOS, Mon., March 3, 2003 -- Two Balmorhea residents have filed for positions in the city's May 3  school district and council elections.

Ike Ward filed to retain his seat on the Balmorhea City Council, one of three seats up for election this year. Sammy Baeza currently holds the other seat and there is one other seat vacant.

The other candidate, Sharon Oates has filed for a seat on the Balmorhea ISD school board. Two places on the board are up for election this May, those currently held by Tommy Rey Dominguez and Paul Matta.

There were no new filings reported Friday afternoon or this morning in any Pecos election races. Candidates have 2 ½ more weeks to enter their names in all of the area city, school or hospital district races.

Four candidates currently are entered in the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD board race, where two seats are up for election.

Amy Montgomery Miller was the latest candidate to add her name to list of those seeking a position on the local school board. Randy Baeza is the other challenger, while incumbents David Flores and Steve Valenzuela are seeking new three-year terms on the board.

The school board election is the only contested race so far in the May 3 voting. Three candidates have filed for the three available seats in the Town of Pecos City election, and three also have filed for full terms in Barstow, along with a fourth candidate who is seeking an unexpired term.

In Barstow, incumbents Olga Abila, Dora Villanueva and Ted Porras have filed for new two-year terms on the city council and Angel Abila has filed for the one-year unexpired term.

In Pecos, Mayor Pro-tem Gerald Tellez and councilman Frank Sanchez have filed to retain their seats, while Danny Rodriguez is seeking to return to the council after a one-year absence. The other council member whose term is up in May is Johnny Terrazas.

In the Reeves County Hospital District board election, Precinct 2 incumbent and current RCH Board president Linda Gholson filed for a new two-year term on the board. Gholson's seat is one of two up for election this May, the other being the seat in Precinct 4, currently held by Hugh Box, who cannot run for re-election after redistricting moved his residence into a different precinct.

Deadline to file an application for a place on the ballot in all local elections is 5 p.m., Wednesday, March 19.

Tuesday, March 4, will be the first day to accept applications to vote by mail. Early voting by personal appearance for Pecos voters will be held at the Pecos Community Center, 508 S. Oak St., from April 16-29.

The last day a person may register to vote in the elections is April 3, and the last day to receive applications for early voting ballots to be voted by mail is April 25.

Santa Rosa selling Enchilada plates

PECOS, Mon., March 3, 2003 -- An Ash Wednesday enchilada plate sale is set for 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. this Wednesday at the Santa Rosa Hall, 600 E. Third St.

Plates will be $4 and deliveries will be made on three or more orders.

Proceeds will benefit the Lady of Refuge Catholic Church in Barstow.

To order call 445-2302.

Weather

PECOS, Mon., March 3, 2003 -- High Sunday 54. Low this morning 43. Forecast for tonight:   Mostly cloudy. Lows near 40. South winds 5 to 15 mph. Tuesday:  Partly cloudy.  Highs in the mid 70s. West winds 20 to 30 mph. Tuesday night:  Partly  cloudy. Lows in the lower 40s. Wednesday:  Partly cloudy. Highs in the lower  70s. Thursday:  Mostly cloudy. Lows in the lower 40s. Highs in the mid 70s.

Marriages

Marriages for December 2002, as filed with the Reeves County  Clerk's Office.

Steven C. Perez and Kristi Ann Rodriguez

Edward Gerrit Grootenboer and Renee Armistead Blackmen

Mark A. Bragg and Sherry Arlene Bragg

David Lee Davila and Easter Rose Gomez

Leroy Muniz Baeza and Vanessa Enriquez

Carlos Robels Duenas and Rebecca Roses Rios

Marriages for January and February 2003, as filed with the Reeves County Clerk's Office.

Jerry T. Orona and Rebecca Rodriguez Ortiz

Jaime Jurado Marrufo and Monica Carrasco Martinez

Manuel Ramirez Adame, Jr. and Maricella B. Acosta

Mario Elias Marguez Miranda and Maria Teresa Soto

Wilson Soko and Christable Banda

Benito Hernandez Juarez Jr. and Jeanne Morales Ortega

Julian Guzman and Dolores M. Martinez

Divorces

Divorces for December 2002, as filed with the Reeves County District Clerk's Office.

Luis Carlos Hernandez and Maria Teresa Soto

Jose Raul Ramirez and Juana Navarro Ramirez

Leslie Ann Valles and Jesus Socorro Valles III

Graciela G. Saenz and Javier A. Saenz

Divorces for January 2003, as filed with the Reeves County District Clerk's Office.

Bill Weinacht and Luz Marina Weinacht

Marcos Pacheco and Martha Pacheco

Teresa Lyles and Mark Lyles

Tammy Lozano and Jeremiah Lozano

Obituariy

Steve Lerma



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Pecos Enterprise
York M. "Smokey" Briggs, Publisher
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