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PECOS, February 14, 1997 - The list of applicants for Food Service
Director for the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah school district has been cut in
half, leaving four local applicants up for the position.
A search for an administrator was launched following the resignation of
former FSD Calvin Howard late last year.
A selection committee was put together by the P-B-T District Educational
Improvement Committee, which is composed of representatives from each
campus, the business sector, parent pool and community.
Superintendent Mario Sotelo said the committee was made up of himself,
Personnel Director Crissy Urias, Business Manager Cookie Canon, William
Keifer of Pecos High School, Crockett Middle School Principal Danny
Rodriguez, PHS Home Economics Teacher Becky Heard, community members
Emily Fernandes and parent Louise Moore.
Sotelo said that there were eight applications submitted and after
cutting the list down four interviews were conducted with the remaining
candidates for the position.
David Castillo, Bea Lopez, Helen Miller and Karen Monroe are the final
four candidates, said the superintendent.
Sotelo said the selection committee drew up a list of 18 desired traits
and/or characteristics for interviewers to consider during the selection
process. It included: prepare nutritious, appealing menus; serve good
quality foods; utilize proper food preparation techniques; follow
federal guidelines and prepare enough food for all students eating.
"We looked at all the applicants and screened them," according the list,
he said.
"We looked at their writing abilities and what their references had to
say about them," added Sotelo. "Then we narrowed the list to four."
"From this list," said Sotelo, a questionnaire of some 25 questions was
devised for the last four applicants.
"When we interviewed them, questions were asked from this list and
interviewers wrote down notes...and rated the applicants," he explained.
The highest ranking hopefuls were then chosen said Sotelo.
During the Feb. 27 school board meeting the members will accept or
reject the selection committee's chosen applicant, which was derived
from a unanimous vote, said Sotelo.
PECOS, February 14, 1997 - Pecos River Livestock directors who
guaranteed to repay a $131,000 low-interest loan made by Reeves County
are liable for that debt, said John Stickels, attorney for the county.
Stickels this week filed an answer to defendant Louis Lively's claim
that the $19,650 guaranty signed by each of 10 directors represents an
over-guaranty on the loan, and is vague and not enforceable.
In any type of lending transaction, the lender will make very effort to
obtain as much security or collateral as possible, Stickels said. In an
ideal situation, the lender would have a much greater value of
collateral than the amount of money loaned.
He said he could not find a single case where an "over guaranty" makes a
transaction void.
"Defendant Lively seems to be complaining that he ultimately may be
forced to pay more than his "proportionate" share of the debt owed to
plaintiff," Stickels said. "This may be true. However, this is exactly
the type of agreement and situation contemplated by all parties to this
loan transaction. If defendant Lively was truly concerned about his
liability, he could have sought judgment against his co-defendants.
Reeves County is not asking the court for actual recovery in excess of
the judgment, Stickels said.
He seeks the principal amount of $131,000 less $9,500 paid by director
Randy Reynolds, $18,450 from the sale of goats and $9,200 from the sale
of real estate. He also seeks attorney fees of $43,230, making the total
$137,080 plus interest.
"In addition, plaintiff requests judgment against each of the guarantor
defendants in the sum of $19,650," Stickels said.
Nine individual defendants are named in the suit: John F. Teague,
Rosemary Wilkie, David Kidd, Mark Wilkie, Wiley B. Kidd, Roger Simmons,
Elvia Reynolds, Louis Lively and Trevor Teague.
If the judgment is granted, their total liability would be $176,850.
Judge Paul McCollum of Odessa heard testimony in the case in August,
then gave attorneys six weeks to submit briefs before rendering
judgment. Those briefs were filed, but when no judgment was rendered,
Lively's attorney, Robert Scogin of Kermit, filed the supplemental brief
in early January.
The guaranty clauses, taken as a whole, over-guaranteed the underlying
obligation by 1½ times, Scogin said in his brief.
"This creates an uncertainty as to enforcement by Reeves County against
the various guarantors of the obligation of Pecos River Livestock Inc.,"
Scogin said.
Stickels then asked for an additional two weeks to file an answer.
Reeves County Commissioners made the loan for a goat dairy, which Pecos
River Livestock established south of Pecos. After buying dairy goats,
bucks and producing numerous kids, the group still had not completed a
milking barn and purchased milking equipment.
When they failed to make payments on the note, Reeves County foreclosed
on the note and sold the dairy.
PECOS, February 14, 1997 - Four area residents were among 17 suspects
indicted Thursday by the federal grand jury, including one from Pecos.
Oscar Muro Valdez, 36, of 1900 Rhodes St., is charged with illegal entry
after deportation. He was arrested Nov. 20, 1996 in Hudspeth County.
If convicted, he could be sentenced to 20 years in prison, plus five
years supervised release and a $250,000 fine, because he had been
convicted of an aggravated felony prior to being deported, according to
court records.
- Luz Maria Urias, 28, of Kermit, is charged with importing and
possessing with intent to distribute marijuana on Jan. 25.
- Rosann Marie Holmberg, 46, of Odessa, is charged with possession with
intent to distribute marijuana on Jan. 24.
- Tammy Lynn Sandoval, 25, of Odessa, is charged with possession with
intent to distribute marijuana on Jan. 17.
Others charged with importing and possessing with intent to distribute
marijuana are:
- Jose Alfredo Avila-Salgado, 27, of Camargo, Mex. (130.8 pounds) on
Jan. 22; and
- Joaquin Olivas Contreras, 41, of Wichita Falls; Petra Garcia Quinones,
36, of Electra; and Silvestre Quinones, 49, of Electra; on Jan. 19.
Charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana are:
- Rodolfo Esparza-Nieto, 38, of Chihuahua, Mex. (68.08 pounds), on Jan.
31;
- Juan Martin Urias, 27, of Presidio, on Feb. 13; and
- Sergio Iban Huitron-Trujillo, 24, of Ojinaga, Jorge Alberto
Esparza-Ramos, 29, of Ojinaga, and Alfredo Olivas-Arenivas, 37, of
Chihuahua, Mex., on Jan. 25;
Charged with illegal entry after deportation are:
- Reyes Velasquez-Alfaro, 33, of El Salvador;
- Leobaldo Mendoza-Gallardo, 32, of Porvenir, Mex,; and
- Francisco Valdez Ochoa, 28, of El Paso.
Thomas Brient Sykes, 28, of Northridge, Calif., is charged with failure
to appear for court on Feb. 3.
PECOS, February 14, 1997 - Donations are still being accepted for a
little Pecos girl who has already met many goals and has made many
accomplishments.
Steps were taken late last year to procure new hearing aids for little
Stephanie Laurence, who has a profound hearing loss and depends on the
use of two hearing aids.
Stephanie is a 6-year-old attending first grade at Austin Elementary
School and the daughter of Paul and Vicki Laurence of Pecos.
The family, along with her school teachers, are seeking to get her a new
hearing aid system that would help her learning abilities.
"We're about halfway there in meeting our goals, as far as raising the
much needed funds," said Karen Pogue, who has had the privilege of
interpreting for and teaching Stephanie since kindergarten.
Pogue is currently the only certified speech interpreter in the
Pecos-Barstow-Toyah school district. She works with Jane Green,
Stephanie's first grade teacher at the school.
"She is doing extremely well, we are very pleased with her," said Pogue.
Stephanie's Audiologist, Lourdez D. Zamora-Fierro of Odessa, has
recommended the ReSound Hearing Aid System. The system, which has an
estimated cost of about $4,400, can be adapted to be used with an
auditory trainer for even greater benefit.
The Pecos Downtown Lions Club has stated that they will meet whatever
other funds are needed to accomplish this goal.
"After all the funds are totaled the Lion's Club will make up the
difference that is needed," said club member Bill Oglesby.
Oglesby stated that the club will utilize funds derived from their
yearly Rose Day Sale to acquire the hearing aids.
"We'll be ordering the hearing aids in a series, different components
will be fitted first," said Pogue.
Donations for the much-needed items will be accepted until the end of
this month.
"On Monday, Stephanie will be going to get the first part of the hearing
aids fitted," said Pogue.
She will initially get the proper fitted ear mold and then be tested
with the new system.
"The new hearing aids will be in by sometime in March," said Pogue.
Pogue said the new system would boost the range of what she's learning
from loud noises to soft whispers.
"She's grown quite a bit and these new hearing aids are adapted to her
size, which is why they will be coming in a series," said Pogue.
"Everything has to be fitted to her size."
The Lion's Club Rose Sale has been set for the first week in March and
Oglesby stated that they will know by then exactly how much more is
needed to purchase the item.
A broom sale will also be held by the club this Spring, but funds from
that will be utilized to fund another worthy cause.
"Right now our main priority is in helping this little girl," said
Oglesby.
Individuals who would like to know more about Stephanie or have any
questions can contact Jane Green or Pogue at Austin Elementary School,
447-7248, or Bill Oglesby at Security State Bank, 445-9000.
PECOS, February 14, 1997 - A Pecos family is mourning the loss of their
young son, who died today in a Lubbock hospital.
Anthony Barrera will be remembered by his classmates at Pecos
Elementary, where he attended school along with his brother, who
Principal Juanita Davila said also attends the 3rd grade campus.
"We were devastated," said Davila, about the news of the Anthony's death.
He is the son of Judy Corralez and Raul Barrera.
Barrera, who had suffered from a stomach virus since last week, was
transported from Reeves County Hospital to University Medical Center in
Lubbock Wednesday, according to a Reeves County Hospital spokesperson.
The school was contacted this morning about the boy's death, according
to Davila.
She said that as of noon today, she has not been contacted by any
physicians about administering any sort of preventive measures for other
students against the virus. She added that Barrera's brother is fine
physically.
The boy was absent for three days last week and was sent home Monday
from school after he continued to throw up, said the principal.
Further information about the exact cause of Barrera's death was
unavailable from University Medical Center personnel early this
afternoon.
Margaret Aldaz, 79, died at her residence on Feb. 13, after a lengthy
illness in San Antonio.
Viewing will be held on Saturday at 5 p.m. at Trevino Funeral Home in
San Antonio.
Rosary will be Sunday at 7 p.m. with services at 9 a.m. on Monday at St.
John Berchmans' Catholic Church in San Antonio, followed by burial at
Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Jesus Aldaz.
Survivors include seven daughters, Rosa Veith, Celia Guzman, Maria Elena
Barroso, Ernestina McCloud of San Antonio, Alicia Quiroga of Madison,
Wisc., Edia Bedell of St. Louis, Miss. and Minerva Gonzales of Dallas;
three brothers, Frank Baca of Pecos, Clovis Baca of Roswell, N.M. and
George Baca of Mercedes, Calif.; 17 grandchildren and 13
great-grandchildren.
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_
Copyright 1997 by Pecos Enterprise
Division of Buckner News Alliance, Inc.
324 S. Cedar St., Pecos, TX 79772
Phone 915-445-5475, FAX 915-445-4321
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