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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Thursday, June 12, 2003
Downtown Lions Club set to celebrate 75th anniversary
By KRISTEN CARREON
Staff Writer
PECOS, Thurs., June 12, 2003 -- The Pecos Downtown Lions club will be celebrating
their 75th anniversary this Saturday, June 15th, beginning at 6:00 p.m.
and continuing through midnight. The celebration will be held at the Reeves
County Civic Center with Dr. James M. Fowler, former president of The International
Association of Lions Clubs, as the guest speaker for the evening.
"We're honored to have Mr. Fowler coming and speaking to us. He will
be speaking on what Lionism is all about," said outgoing Lions president,
Michael Benavides.
The celebration will begin with a social hour, which invited local dignitaries
and area lions clubs in the district will be able to catch up with each
other. There will be a catered dinner followed by a presentation of awards
and the changing of officers. The night will be topped off with a live
band and casino night, Benavides said.
Melvin Jones was the man responsible for organizing the first Lions Club.
Awards are given in his honor annually to members world-wide. Local Lions
member Fred Dominguez is the only Pecos member in the history of the Pecos
Downtown Lions Club to have received this award.
"Fred was given the award last year. This award is the highest honor
a member can be given as a Lion," said Lions member Cody West.
The Pecos Downtown Lions Club got started on June 25, 1928. The motto
for the Lions Club was and still is "We Serve," and that is exactly what
this organization has done throughout the years, said Benavides.
The Lions Club has always been involved in doing charitable work. "Our
main charity is vision for the blind," said Benavides.
"We seek funds for individuals who need eye care. I am not sure of the
exact amount of people who have benefited from this, but I do know that
the numbers are high," Benavides said.
Another charitable foundation that the club contributes to is the American
Cancer Society. They also provide services to the community through contribution
or by working services.
"We help with fund raisers. We also sponsor many fund raisers throughout
the year," Benavides said.
The Lions Club has a rose sale two times a year. They also have a mop
and broom sale once a year. The club recently held its first annual health
day event.
"The health day consisted of a run, bike, walk marathon. We also held
other activities, such as beach volleyball and jumping balloons for kids
at Maxey Park," said Benavides.
The club will also be hosting their 2nd annual Lions Poker Run soon.
"The Poker Run is a motor cycle game. Players ride to five different
stops and pick up a card at each of the stops. At the last stop the players
show their cards, and whoever has the best poker hand wins," West said.
This year the event will be held earlier so that it will not conflict
with other poker rallies.
All of the money raised by the Lions Club goes to local and other charities.
"We have really grown. Sometimes we have standing room only. People
want to get involved and do charitable work," said Benavides.
This Saturday will mark the end of Benavides' term as president. Mark
Zuniga will fill the position.
"I have really enjoyed myself, and I wish I could have done more," Benavides
said.
Air National Guard Band groups will attend 4th of July activities
PECOS, Thurs., June 12, 2003 -- Three groups from the Air National Guard
Band of the Gulf Coast will be on hand during the Fourth of July and Rodeo
activities in Pecos.
"We perform everywhere for occasions such as this," said Staff Sergeant
Karl Kemm.
Kemm said that the groups perform at patriotic occasions and are extremely
busy during the Fourth of July.
"This is fairly typical for this time of the year," said Kemm. "We also
perform at holiday events, such as Veteran's Day and Armed Services' Day,"
he said.
The groups also perform at Festivals.
"The Jazz Band just performed in a festival in Victoria," said Kemm.
"And the concert band was at a band directors' conference," he said.
The Brass Quintet, the Concert Band and the Popular Music Ensemble Group
will all be in Pecos during Rodeo week.
T Brass Quintet will perform at 9 a.m., during the Old Timer's Reunion
at the West of the Pecos Museum, Wednesday, July 2. The Concert Band will
be at the Reeves County Sheriff's Posse Barn at 11:30 a.m.on Wednesday following
the parade and the Popular Music Ensemble will be performing at the hospitality
booth for the rodeo at the Reeves County Civic Center.
The 531st Air Force Band is a musical organization with an outstanding
record of achievement, Kemm said.
On July 1st 1955, after an extended tour overseas as an active duty band,
the 531st United States Air Force Band was redesignated the 531st Air Force
Band. The group was then immediately attached to the 136th Wing Headquarters
at Love Field in Dallas, Texas. This was the official beginning of the
531st as a National Guard unit. In June of 1960, the entire unit was transferred
to Hensley Field in Grand Prairie, Texas. The band relocated to Carswell
Field in Fort Worth where it has operated from May of 1999 to present.
Pecos EMT's show off new wheels
By JENNIFER GALVAN
Staff Writer
PECOS, Thurs., June 12, 2003 -- Thirteen Pecos Volunteer EMS members proudly
displayed their new form of transportation to the community Tuesday afternoon
at the Fire Hall.
The new 2002 model ambulance arrived May 23 in Pecos. The outer portion
of the ambulance displays America's stars and stripes along both sides and
on the back doors EMS shows it's school pride by promoting an eagle.
That same day, the ambulance made its first run to a shooting out on
Country Club Drive and has been kept busy ever since.
"Since then it has gone to motor vehicle accidents two to three times
a day," Chief EMT John Cravey said.
Cravey said that the new ambulance came from San Antonio Ambulance Sales
Company in San Antonio, Texas.
"The ambulance has a 6-foot one-inch clearance," Cravey said in comparing
the new ambulance with their previous ambulance. "It is also 13-inches longer."
"The new ambulance has twice the storage and has a full air suspension,"
Cravey said. It also has a heavy duty cooling system for the engine for
our type of environment, he said.
That extra storage space is located both inside and the outside of the
ambulance.
"It was too crowded in the old ambulance," Cravey said.
He added that the ambulance was a basic life support ambulance with a
mobile intensive care unit.
The ambulance also contains a camera on the upper back portion, which
allows the driver to see what is behind him through a monitor located in
the front.
Cravey also joked about not having as many flats due to the fact that
the new ambulance had twice the tires as the previous ambulance.
"I am very impressed. I think it is wonderful," Town of Pecos City Mayor
Dot Stafford said of the new ambulance. "They are very deserving of it."
Councilman Michael Benavides agreed with Stafford.
"It is beautiful," Benavides said. "I have never seen one like it."
However, Cravey said that Marfa has an ambulance just like this one
only that Marfa's ambulance is a 2000 models.
Mayor Pro-Tem Tellez re-elected by council members
By JENNIFER GALVAN
Staff Writer
PECOS, Thurs., June 12, 2003 -- During this morning's Town of Pecos City
Council Meeting, Mayor Pro-Tem Gerald Tellez was re-elected by his fellow
council members for his second one-year term as Pro-Tem.
Tellez was first elected as Mayor Pro-Tem after Councilman Danny Rodriguez
lost his seat on the council last year.
According to the City Charter, a Mayor Pro-Tem is the person who shall
act as mayor in the absence or disability of the elected mayor.
The charter requires the council to elect the Pro-Tem for a term of one
year, however there is no limit on the number of one-year terms a council
member may serve.
"There is no limit," City Secretary Connie Levario said. "They can remain
Pro-Tem as long as they are members of the council and continue to be re-elected
by the council."
In other business, Pecos Police Community Officer Mike Balog presented
the council with a name for the skateboard park.
"First of all I would like to thank the council for their support," Balog
said. "We had a raffle to raise money for the park and we were about $5
short of $2,300."
He added that they were still short of their goal and still needed some
help.
"We have met several times and the kids were talking about naming the
park," Balog said. "They talked about making it a memorial park for our
armed forces and law enforcement. They thought about naming it after Johnny
Mata and Jaime Rodriguez and they asked me how to go about it."
Balog told the skateboarders that they would have to first ask the Mata
and Rodriguez family for their permission and then go before the council
for approval.
"We have the support of the two families," Balog said. "We now come before
the council for your approval."
With little discussion, the council agreed to name the park the 'Mata-Rodriguez
Memorial Park,' with Councilman Frank Sanchez making the motion and Benavides
seconding it.
"I think it is a wonderful idea," Town of Pecos City Mayor Dot Stafford
said.
Stafford then went on to ask Pecos Chief of Police Clay McKinney if he
had an update about the Trans Pecos Drug Task Force.
McKinney said that he had been out of town but that he had kept in touch
by phone and had heard that the Task Force had received a second letter
stating that the first one was premature and that Pecos' Task Force would
not be closing.
"It looks better now than it did last week," McKinney said.
When asked if the Town of Pecos City would be able to support the Task
Force without the funding, McKinney said that it would be tough.
The council agreed that the drug task force program was needed and that
it did not make any sense to get rid of it. They also agreed that they would
do some lobbying in order to support the program.
As Night in Old Pecos nears, the council was asked to approve the closure
of 2nd Street and Cedar on June 28 from 9 a.m., till 9 a.m., the following
morning, June 29.
Tellez made the motion to accept the closure of the two streets with
Benavides seconding it.
Due to the absence of a representative from Frank Spencer and Associates,
City Manager Carlos Yerena asked the council to table the change order for
the Housing Infrastructure Project.
As the council looked over the accounts payable report for May, Finance
Director Sam Contreras informed the council that several bond payments had
been made to two banks, Bank of York and Wells Fargo.
Other payments have been made to the South Warsham Field project, to
Tejas Partners out of Odessa and repairs have been made to several water
pumps.
Benavides made the motion to accept the account payable report of $1,502,970.05
with Sanchez seconding it.
Benavides also made a motion to accept the minutes for the meeting held
on May 22, with Tellez seconding it.
Sanchez made the motion to accept the monthly juvenile report for the
month of May. Tellez second the motion.
All three were passed by the council.
AD's job description and salary on agenda
PECOS, Thurs., June 12, 2003 -- Athletic director's job description and salary
range will be one of the items up for discussion at the regular Pecos-Barstow-Toyah
ISD Board meeting.
The group will meet at 6 p.m., Thursday, June 12, at the Technology Center,
1301 S. Eddy and the public is invited to attend.
Items on the agenda include:
* an agreement with Greater Opportunities of the Southwest (Head Start)
for use of the Zavala Elementary School facility;
* choosing a candidate for representative on TASB's Board of Trustees
from TASB District 18;
* the new Paraprofessional Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (PAKS)
to be used in the assessment of paraprofessionals;
* bids for milk and milk products;
* bids for bread and bread products;
* bids for fuel;
* competitive sealed proposals for a special needs bus;
* 2002-2003 budget amendments;
* stipends for diagnostician, speech therapist, visually impaired teacher,
special education autism teacher, counselors and cheerleader sponsor.
The board will recognize the girls' golf district and regional champions
and state qualifiers and district tennis champions.
Old business will consist of an update on the girls' softball field, mold
remediation and HVAC at Austin Elementary School and a report on progress
of committee working on establishing an employee sick leave pool, bank or
extended leave policy to be considered by the board.
The group will consider and take possible action on Title IV Part A -
Co-op shared services arrangement and Co-op for professional development
curriculum and instruction.
The Board also has a closed session planned.
The group will return to open session and take action, if any, on items
discussed in closed session.
Little League All Stars announced this evening
PECOS, Thurs., June 12, 2003 -- The 2003 Little League All-Stars, players
ages 9-10, will be announced this evening following the second game.
The All-Stars will be named between 9:30 p.m. and 10 p.m., at the Little
League Field.
Weather
PECOS, Thurs., June 12, 2003 -- Wednesday's high 104, lows last night
73. Today mostly sunny. Highs near 104. Southwest winds 10 to 20
mph. Tonight partly cloudy. Lows in the upper 60s. South winds 10 to
20 mph. Friday partly cloudy. Highs near 105. South winds 10 to 20 mph.
Friday night partlycloudy with 20 percent chance of thunderstorms. Lows
in the upper 60s.
Obituary
Neddie Molinar
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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