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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Monday, October 20, 2003
City, county job rates unchanged in September
By JON FULBRIGHT
Staff Writer
PECOS, Mon., Oct. 20, 2003 -- The unemployment rate, labor force
and total number of employed in Reeves County and the Town of Pecos
City were virtually unchanged from August to September, according to
figures released last week by the Texas Workforce Commission.
Both the city and county had one less job and four fewer people in
their workforces, according to the TWC figures. That kept the county's
jobless rate at 10.6 percent, while the city's rate was down from 12.1
to 12 percent.
The city had 4,393 workers last month, down from 4,397 in August,
and had 3,864 employed, down from 3,865 the previous month. For the
county, the September numbers had 5,599 people in the workforce and
5,008 with jobs.
The numbers are all down sharply from a year ago, just following the
closing of the Anchor Foods plant, which left 700 people without jobs.
Unemployment in Reeves County was 21.2 percent in September of 2002,
with 6,922 people in the workforce and 5,456 employed. For the Town of
Pecos City, the jobless rate last year stood at 23.8 percent, with
5,522 people in the labor force and 4,210 with jobs.
Jobless rates were lower in neighboring counties. Pecos County's job
rate was 4.7 percent in September, down from 5.5 percent in August. The
drop was due to a lower labor force, as the county lost 122 workers,
along with 66 jobs.
Ward County gained jobs and lost workers, which caused their
unemployment rate to fall by 11/2 percent, from 9.2 to 7.7 percent. The
county had 3,558 workers and 3,285 jobs last month, which was down from
3,583 workers and 3,253 with jobs in August.
Winker County saw its rate fall from 8.4 to 8.1 percent, and
Presidio County, which again had the state's highest jobless rate, fell
from 27.2 to 24.6 percent, thanks to a 100 person drop in that county's
workforce.
Ector County saw its jobless rate fall from 7.5 to 6.8 percent last
month, and Midland County's rate remained steady at 4.4 percent, as the
county added both workers and jobs to its labor force in September.
Statewide, the TWC said joblessness fell from 6.8 to 6.6 percent in
September.
Teen killed, three injured after rollover
By BRENDEN BRIGGS
Staff Writer
PECOS, Mon., Oct. 20, 2003 -- A teenager from Mexico was killed and
three other people were injured Sunday afternoon following an accident
on U.S. 285 north of Pecos.
According to the Department of Public Safety, the accident occurred
13.5 miles north of town on U.S. 285 at 2:30 p.m. when a Chrysler PT
Cruiser traveling northbound experienced tread loss on the left rear
tire. The driver lost control of the vehicle, which entered the bar
ditch on the side of the road and rolled twice.
Mauricio Salido Fourcade, 19, of Herimosillo, Mexico was ejected
from the car and sustained fatal injuries in the crash. Seth Wilfon,
19, of Belen, N.M. sustained severe injuries and was transported to
Reeves County Hospital where he is listed in serious condition. John
White, 19, of Houston sustained minor bruising and was also taken to
Reeves County Hospital.
The fourth passenger, Rachael Kingrey, 20, of Ruidoso, N.M.
sustained severe head injuries and was life-flighted to Medical Center
Hospital in Odessa where she is also listed in serious condition.
Justice of the Peace Jim Riley at Reeves County Hospital pronounced
Fourcade dead at 3:40 p.m.; the body was transported to Pecos Funeral
Home. Neither Fourcade nor Kingrey were wearing seatbelts at the time
of the crash, according to the DPS report.
Conditions at the time of the wreck were listed as dry, clear and
cloudy. The posted speed limit for that section of road is 75 mph.
Eagle Band gets II rating at UIL event
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Mon., Oct. 20, 2003 -- Pecos High School Eagle Band directors
are proud of their group's outcome after their performance Saturday in
the UIL Region 6 Marching Competition at Ratliff Stadium in Odessa.
Pecos earned a Division II rating, with the highest rating being a
first and the lowest a five. Fort Stockton and Greenwood had the
highest ratings among Class 3A schools at the competition, as both
earned Division I rankings.
"I think the most important opinion is the one the kids have of
themselves," said Eagle Band Director Merle Lenfest. "Although it's the
not the first division we were going for, it's a building process."
Lenfest said that this year the judging process was very hard. "They
were giving out a lot of Division III's," he said.
"We worked really hard to get here and the kids did a super job,
we're all very proud of them," said Lenfest.
Lenfest said that a big crowd from Pecos was on hand to cheer the
students and that the band members were appreciative to all those who
showed up on Saturday.
"The support from the fans was great, there was a big crowd in
Odessa and there was a big crowd at the stadium when we performed here
Friday," he said. "It's important to the kids that they hear and see
people cheering for them in the stands."
None of the bands from Class 3A advanced past Saturday's Region 6
competition. Class A, 2A and 4A schools advanced to area competition
this year, while Class 3A and 5A schools will have a chance to compete
for area and state berths next October.
The Eagle Band is through with competition for this year, but will
be performing during the Christmas holidays. "Our Christmas program
will be held the first Monday in December and we welcome everyone,"
said Lenfest.
The band members will also not have to show up on Mondays for
rehearsals. "We're giving them a break from Monday rehearsals, but we
still have three more football games we'll be performing in," said
Lenfest. "We've been pushing them pretty hard and now it's time to
relax a little."
KOL group holds 'Customer Service' events
PECOS, Mon., Oct. 20, 2003 -- The Pecos Key Opinion Leaders group
will host two Customer Service Workshops are on Tuesday at the
Community Center, 508 S. Oak St.
The first workshop will be held at 2 p.m. and the second at 5:30
p.m.
Refreshments will be served.
The events are sponsored by the Pecos Workforce Network, Pecos Area
Chamber of Commerce, Pecos Main Street and Odessa College-Pecos.
Weather
PECOS, Mon., Oct. 20, 2003 -- High Sun. 92. Low this morning 50.
Forecast for tonight: Mostly clear. Lows 50 to 55. SE winds near 10
mph. Tues.: Mostly sunny. Highs 85 to 90. Light and variable winds
becoming NE near 10 mph in the afternoon. Tues. night: Mostly clear.
Lows in the mid 50s. SE winds near 10 mph. Wed.: Partly cloudy. Highs
in the mid 80s to the lower 90s. East winds near 10 mph. Wed. night:
Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 50s. Thurs.: Partly cloudy. Highs in the
mid 80s to the lower 90s. Thurs. night: Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid
50s to the lower 60s.
Marriages
Marriages for September 2003, as filed with the Reeves County
Clerk's Office.
Hector Campos and Petra Lopez Buentello.
Wesley Herschell McCree and Sylvia Shirk Dannelly.
Jason Earl Ephriam and Katrina Deann Bell.
Freddie Warren Barton and Shirley Ann Smith.
Jesus Daniel Ortega and Tomasita Rodriguez Orona.
George Aguilar Ortega and Catherine Garcia.
Sergio Robles and Santana N. Hinojos.
Marriages for October 2003, as filed with the Reeves County
Clerk's Office.
Jason Rene Guerra and Marina Mendoza.
Michael Nichols Baca and Vanessa Olivas.
Jeffrey Eugene Ephriam and Tamara Brooke Burkhalter.
Divorces
Divorces for September 2003, as filed with the Reeves County
District Clerk's Office.
Maria Elena Munoz and Uvaldo D. Munoz.
Joel H. Lopez and Tanya Valdez Lopez.
David Lara Ortega, Jr. and Modesta Navarrette Rayos Ortega.
Leslie Anne Solis and Jesus Solis.
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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