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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Monday, May 12, 2003
Pecos girls place 2nd at state golf
PECOS, Mon., May 12, 2003 -- Overcoming a 10-shot deficit wasn't in the cards
for the Pecos Eagles girls golf team on Friday, at the Class 3A state tournament
in Austin, but the Eagles did come home with a second place team trophy
and a second place individual trophy, while their coach came home with a
new last name following the girls' first-ever trip to the state finals.
"We got married on the steps of the state capitol at 8:30 Friday night,"
said coach Tina Hendrick, now Tina Doan after marrying Pecos Eagles assistant
football coach Gaylon Doan following the final round of play.
"My mom showed up for me and the girls were the bridesmaids," she said.
"Really the deal was we would get married if they got first, but I said it
was close enough."
Snyder, which had advance to the Class 4A state tournament the previous
four years, finished five strokes behind Pecos at the Region I-3A Tournament,
and needed a playoff to beat out Breckenridge for the second state berth
out of the region. But the Tigers used a round of 325 on Thursday to take
a 10-stroke lead on Pecos, and that was enough to win despite shooting 10
strokes higher over the final 18 holes of play.
The Eagles, meanwhile, were able to survive a disqualification on Friday
by senior Brandi North to cut two shots off their opening round score and
finish with a 668, eight shots in back of Snyder and seven shots in front
of Yoakum, which had the day's low round at 331 and placed third, with a
675 score.
Lauren Martinez fired a 76 on Saturday to tie Camille Blackerby of Breckenridge
for best score of the day and finished second in the medallist standings
to Blackerby with a 157 score, to 148 for the Breckenridge golfer. Martinez
passed a pair of Snyder golfers; Hailey Putnam and Kellie Dodson, who shot
76 and 78 during the first round of the tournament, which helped the Tigers
grab their big lead.
"They're their No. 4 and 5 players, so I don't know where those 70s came
from," said Doan, who added that under the UIL tournament set-up, the Eagles
and Tigers played in separate groups on Thursday.
"All the No. 1 teams and the No. 2 teams played together," Doan said.
"I think the scores would have been different if we had played together the
first day.
"We just got behind too far and couldn't come back. Ten strokes is a lot
to make up," she added."
The Eagles were able to make up two despite the problem North and her
group ran into on Friday. "She played an illegal ball. Instead of getting
a ruling from the (tournament) officers, they decided among themselves to
play it from that position, and that's an automatic disqualification. But
it didn't hurt us, because we would have dropped her score anyway," Doan
said.
North shot an 89 on Thursday, and her score was replaced on Friday by
Dena Dutchover's 84, which was 10 strokes better than her opening round total.
"Dena came through like a champ. She played hard and had good course management
that put her in position to play her shots," Doan said. "She was key for
us on that second day."
Sarah McKinney, meanwhile, shot an 86 after an opening round of 85, while
freshman Shelly Martinez shot an 87, after tying for the fifth best score
of the opening round with an 80, but still placed 10th overall in the final
medallist standings.
"Lauren had a better day on the second day. She had a lot of good shots
to make up ground," Doan said. "It's quite an honor to finish second out
of all the girls at the tournament. That's a good way to finish up your
senior year.
"Shelly wasn't in trouble. She was just trying too hard to help us catch
up and put a little bit of pressure on herself," she added. "Sarah had two
good rounds for us."
After Yoakum, the next best score on the girls' side was Waco Robinson,
with a 745 total.
Snyder also took the Class 3A boys title with a strong opening round.
The Tigers shot a 306 on Thursday and finished with a 621 score. Monahans
had a chance to finish second, tying Madisonville through 36 holes with
a 643 after a round of 317 on Friday, but lost a playoff for the No. 2 spot
in the final standings.
Pecos' girls will lose three golfers off this year's team, but Doan is
hopeful the team can return to Austin in 2004. "We had a wonderful year.
Coming home with the silver is nothing to be ashamed off and we've got two
of our girls coming back next year and we've got three coming up in Bianca
Mendoza, Jennie Canon and Eleanor Flores, and then we'll see who comes up
from eighth grade."
Commissioners agree to include items in auction
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Mon., May 12, 2003 -- Several county-owned items, including used vehicles,
were declared as surplus/salvage by Reeves County Commissioners this morning,
and will be sold during the Pecos Peddler's Flea Market and Auction, scheduled
for this coming Saturday on the grounds of the Reeves County Civic Center.
Commissioners approved the action during their regular meeting held this
morning in the third floor courtroom of the Reeves County Courthouse.
"We had agreed to participate in the annual event and now we have more
items to declare surplus," said Reeves County Judge Jimmy B. Galindo, who
asked Pecos Area Chamber of Commerce Director Linda Gholson to give the
court an update on the event.
Gholson said that things were coming along great and that now the city
had decided to participate as well, along with both Security State and West
Texas National Banks.
"We're just very excited and are happy to have all these people participate,"
said Gholson.
"We're going to learn a lot and hopefully the next one will be even bigger
and better," said Debbie Thomas.
Thomas said that they had advertised in the Thrifty Nickel, in New Mexico,
San Angelo and the Odessa/Midland area. "We're also doing a lot of local
advertising and have made up fliers," said Thomas.
Thomas said that they have also hired a registered auctioneer that would
really help sales. "I think the prices will be higher, with his help, and
everyone will be pleased," she said.
"Mr. (Reeves County Auditor Lynn) Owens, the vehicles from the task force,
they don't have to be declared surplus, do they?" asked Galindo.
Owens said that those vehicles did not belong to the county and did not
have to be declared surplus. "As long as we advertise them."
Galindo told the group that one of the vehicles Sheriff Andy Gomez had
listed as surplus could be used by another county official. "I think the
best of those vehicles that the sheriff listed would be good for the emergency
management individual," he said.
"The court does have the right to re-assign vehicles, if they wish to
do so," said Owens. "As long as you tell me which one, so that I can file
it with the insurance."
Galindo said he would speak with Gomez and decide which one would be
best for the county employee.
In other action, commissioners approved a payment to Banes General Contractors
in the amount of $92,617 during their regular meeting.
Banes was the contractors for the 1,000-bed RCDC-II addition, which was
completed two years ago.
Owens told the group that everything was in order and that the architect
had approved the bill.
"This is basically for paying off the work on the laundry and suppliers,"
said Banes General Contractor employee Mark Schumacher.
Schumacher said that a balance of $32,600 would still be owed. "Lorraine
(Dailey, RCDC architect) and I will do another walk-through and it might
be less," he said. "We'll make any adjustments at that time."
School board debates store's beer sales bid
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Mon., May 12, 2003 -- Pecos-Barstow-Toyah school board members approved
a report from Bob Card on agreed upon procedures for students moving out
of the district, received an update of Summary of Finance for 2002-03 and
2003-04 and also discussed permitting of a store on the north side of town
for beer sales during the regular Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD Board meeting
on Thursday.
The discussion on alcohol sales began after board members reviewed a
letter from a couple who are planning to open Herrera's Groceries, located
at 410 N. Cedar St.
Mary Ann and Eloy Herrera wrote a letter to the board to let them know
that they would be opening the grocery store, which is within 1,000 feet
of Lamar AEP. "Before our wine and beer retailer's off-premise permit can
be submitted we need a letter from the school stating that it will be fine
to sell beer at this location," they wrote.
The store has been open periodically in recent years. Beer and wine were
sold there in 2000 and a few years before that with no problems, the Herrera's
letter said, "So we would like to open and mainly concentrate on groceries,"
they wrote.
P-B-T Superintendent Don Love told the group that he had spoken to city
attorney Scott Johnson, and said that the board did not have to take any
action on this.
"I think they just mainly wrote the letter out of courtesy," said Love.
"The ordinance (for beer sales) is for 300 feet," said Love.
"They thought they were supposed to do this," said board president Billie
Sadler.
"I think we should try to prevent the sale of alcoholic beverages at this
location, because what kind of a message are we sending the students by
allowing it," said new board member Amy Miller.
Miller read out a section of the alcohol beverage code. "Does this mean
we can write to the city officials to prevent the sale of alcohol at this
location," said Miller. "I think we need to do everything within our power
to keep schools drug free."
Love said that if the school board wanted to do that, they could and he
would deliver the letter.
"But if we do that, we're going to have to involve everyone, we're looking
at a whole lot of other vendors," said Chip Flores. "What about La Tienda,
they were approved to sell alcohol," he said.
"How did La Tienda get to sell alcohol?" said board member Crissy Martinez.
The supermarket is located three blocks from Pecos High School and one block
from West Park Baptist Church. City law also bars alcohol sales in stores
near churches.
"I think they got a zoning change or something," said Flores.
"If they're close to a church, then this letter is moot and void," said
finance director Cookie Canon. "Because it's located right across the street
from a church."
Board members opted to not take any action on the matter.
Accountant Bob Card, with Card and Company, talked to the board about
a special report on agreed upon procedures for "leavers," on Thursday.
"This gives an explanation of procedure on student leavers," he said,
adding that the information needs to be turned in to the state to make sure
the district is doing it correctly.
"We performed certain procedures, which were agreed to by the district
and the Texas Education Agency (TEA), solely to assist the district in evaluating
its internal controls and compliance with reporting of student records for
the 2001-2002 school year as reported in the fall resubmission report submitted
in January as required by the Texas Education Code," said Card.
For the student who left the district, accountants reported documentation
and coding exceptions. "We tested 128 students files from a population of
371 and found four exceptions," said Card. "Given these results, we are
95 percent confident that the population exception rate is 3.13," he said.
Card said that the staff in the schools is doing an excellent job. "We
do have one recommendation, that when you have a change in personnel, continue
training," said Card. "But they're doing a very good job."
During the update on Summary of Finance, Love told the group that the
district is in good financial shape. "Things can change, this is just a
preliminary report," he said. "It depends on what the state does."
Love said that the district might lose more state funding, but that they
would fight hard to keep it.
"This school district has a lot of money in the bank and that will help
us weather another year and hopefully the one after that," said Love. "But
through attrition we've saved some money."
Love said that when school personnel leave the district right now, they
are not replacing them. "We are just reassigning people, and then if we
need to hire a teacher we do," he said.
Board members also approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with
the Texas Department of Health (TDH) concerning smallpox response plans.
"If they have to give smallpox vaccinations, we will give them a place
to do it," said Love. "We're just agreeing that they can use our facilities,"
he said.
Van's illegal load up front takes El Paso man off road
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Mon., May 12, 2003 -- There was more in the dashboard of a 1994 Dodge
Grand Caravan than a cassette or CD player, officers with the Trans Pecos
Drug Task Force found out, after they stopped the vehicle in Reeves County
late Friday morning just west of Pecos.
The incident occurred at 11:05 a.m., Friday, when Trans Pecos Drug Task
Force Officer Kevin Roberts stopped the van for a traffic violation, at
mile marker 37, eastbound on I-20. Roberts said he then obtained verbal
consent from the driver to search the van.
"During the search, Officer Joe Gonzales and I discovered 41 bricks of
marijuana," said Roberts.
Robert said that the bricks contained approximately 46 pounds of marijuana,
and were tightly wrapped with black tape. "Street value for the drugs is
about $20,700," he added.
Arrested was Gerardo Silva, 42, of El Paso. He was transported to Reeves
County Jail and charged with possession of marijuana over five and under
50 pounds, a third degree felony.
"We're very proud of the work these officers are doing," said task force
commander Gary Richards. "They do an outstanding job of locating these drugs
before they come into our community."
Between June 2002 through April 2003, Trans Pecos Drug Task Force Officers
have seized 16 vehicles and $108,145 in currency being used for illegal
activities, Richards said.
Narcotics seized during this time included 398,279 grams (889 pounds)
of marijuana; 36,032 grams (80.4 pounds) of cocaine; 20.96 grams of crack
cocaine; 9.02 grams of methamphetamine and 8.81 grams of heroin.
"They have also assisted in several cases," said Richards of the task
force officers.
In the assisted cases the group has taken 39,638 grams of marijuana off
the streets; 5,012 grams of cocaine; one gram of crack cocaine and 16.94
grams of methamphetamine. Street value of the combination of drugs seized
was approximately $5.01 million.
Weather
PECOS, Mon., May 12, 2003 -- High Sun. 91. Low this morning 66. Forecast
for tonight: Partly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of thunderstorms, some
storms may be severe with damaging winds and large hail. Lows in the mid
60s. Southeast winds 10 to 20 mph.
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.
***
Yolanda Vela, 40, and Fernando Vela, 43 were arrested at 7:23 p.m.,
on May 1, for possession of a controlled substance (marijuana) within 1,000
feet of a school zone. The location was not given in the police report.
***
Brian Shierling, 28, was arrested at 8:45 p.m., on May 1, on a warrant
service out of Baldwin County Sheriff's Office in Alabama for attempted
rape. The exact location of the incident was not given.
***
Carlos Pena, 39, was arrested at 12:53 a.m., on May 2, at the corner
of Second and Mesquite streets on warrants for failed to signal right turn
and violation written promise to appear.
***
Marty Howard, 44, and Paula Howard, 48, were arrested at 6:46 p.m.,
on May 2, in the 1800 block of Scott Street on warrants for abandoning or
endangering a child and for possession of a controlled substance under 20
ounces - class B.
***
Alfonso Marquez Jr., 23, was arrested at 7:16 p.m., on May 2, in the
2100 block of South Alamo Street on a warrant out of the Ward County Sheriff's
Department for theft by check over $20 under $500 - class B; possession
of alcoholic beverages in a moving vehicle - class C; evading arrest - class
B; and furnishing alcohol to a minor.
***
Jose Bustamante, 47, was arrested at 2:08 a.m., on May 3, at Club Suavicito
in the 900 block of South Cedar Street for public intoxication.
***
Erika Mendoza, 17, and Daniel Valenzuela, 29, were arrested at 12:32
a.m., on May 4, in the 100 block of North Alamo Street. Mendoza was arrested
for leaving the scene of an accident and Valenzuela was arrested for giving
a false statement to a peace officer.
***
Ruben Villegas, 24, was arrested at 2:09 p.m., on May 6, in the 2100
block of Hackberry Street on a warrant for failure to identify, a capias
warrant for default payment on no proof of insurance and a capias warrant
for default payment on violation of a promise to appear.
***
Noe Ornelas, 17, was arrested at 5:13 p.m., on May 6, in the 400 block
of Cypress Street on a warrant for failure to stop and render aid - 3rd
degree felony.
***
Ector Galindo, 42, was arrested at 9:05 p.m., on May 7, on the corner
of 14th and Ash streets on a warrant for disorderly conduct - urinating in
public.
***
Rodolfo N. Lujan, 33, was arrested at 2:43 p.m., on May 9 at the Criminal
Justice Center for family violence.
***
Joe Daniel Wright, 24, was arrested at 10:24 p.m., on May 9 on the
corner of Eddy and Normandy streets on a capias warrant for leaving the
scene of an accident.
***
Daniel Rivera, 24, was arrested at 12:26 a.m., on May 11, in the 1800
block of West Adams Street for assault family violence act.
***
Alberto Franco Prieto, 42, was arrested at 9:19 p.m., on May 7, in
the 600 block of Mesquite Street for possession of drug paraphernalia.
***
Francisco Salcido Menchaca, 30, was arrested at 7:52 p.m., on May 7,
in the 200 block of West 14th Street for possession of drug paraphernalia.
Obituaries
Rafael Acosta and George F. Hook
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 2003 by Pecos Enterprise
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