TOP STORIES

December 10, 1997

Inmates benefit from RCDC expansion

PECOS, December 10, 1997 - Reeves County Detention Center
broke ground yesterday on the east side of the complex,
leveling ground and moving pipes for the construction of
day-rooms for the inmates. Minor problems were encountered
when the construction team, Banes Construction out of El
Paso, ran into the sewer line, which then had to be repaired
and moved for construction to continue. "As far as we knew
there were no diagrams for that part of the sewer line,"
said Assistant Warden Tony Perez. A minor water line also
had to be moved. The construction of three new buildings at
the detention center (two on the east end and one on the
west), including covered walkways from the main housing
facility, is scheduled to be finished in about six months
and will cost an estimated $2 million dollars. Perez said
that a variety of purposes will be served by the buildings,
each of which will be sectioned into four rooms. "We'll have
T.V. rooms, and quiet rooms where inmates can read and write
letters," he said, "rooms for table games -like cards and
dominoes -and a room for more active games."

Community asked to name outstanding citizens

By ROSIE FLORES

Staff Writer

PECOS, December 10, 1997 - Community members will be given a
chance to nominate their own candidate to receive an award
during the Annual Chamber of Commerce Banquet.

This year the community can nominate someone for the Hidden
Hero, Ruiz Profile of Courage and the Citizen of the Year
Awards, which will be handed out during the banquet,
scheduled for Jan. 23 at the Reeves County Civic Center.

The decision to open the awards for community input came
during the regular Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors
meeting held yesterday at the Pecos Senior Center.

Anyone wanting to nominate an individual can call the
Chamber of Commerce office at 445-2406 between now and Dec.
19.

"The committee will go through those names, as well as those
submitted by chamber members and committee members and the
committee will make the final decision," said Women's
Division President Brandy Owen.

A guest speaker for the banquet was also discussed during
the meeting and two names were suggested: Elvia Hernandez, a
motivational speaker from El Paso; and Pete Gallegos, a
house representative from Alpine.

Richard Crider told the group that he had heard Hernandez
speak and thought she was a dynamic speaker.

Gerald Tellez spoke about Gallegos and claimed he also was
an excellent speaker.

Chamber members decided to ask either of the two to be guest
speakers for the event, depending on who was available for
the occasion.

The Annual Christmas Parade has been set for tomorrow with
lineup at 5 p.m. at the Pecos High School, judging at 5:30
and the parade starting at 6 p.m. and ending at the West of
the Pecos Museum.

President Paul Hinojos updated members on the Christmas
Lighting Project and told them he had recently received a
donation from Pecos Elementary School students.

"It gave me so much joy, to see these children participating
in a worthy project," he said.

More lights will be set out during the holiday season,
thanks to this project, according to Hinojos.

Bob Curry told the group the Pecos Economic Development
Corporation had met recently and that there is a company
that is definitely going to move into Pecos.

"They'll be starting off with about 12 employees and they
for sure want to move to Pecos, either by private sector or
with the help of the economic development committee," said
Curry. The chamber recently lost $15,000 during a concert
held to raise funds. The group is trying to recuperate that
loss by planning other fund raisers. Pre-sale tickets for
the concert were sold mostly in Carlsbad with a low sale
count noted in Pecos. More community involvement is needed
to support chamber activities, according to chamber
officials.

A hospitality training seminar is set for Jan. 14. "There
are a few businesses I want to personally contact," said
chamber director Tom Rivera.

Rivera told the group he wants to schedule several seminars
for the new year and will begin with this one.

"I would like to see a lot of local businesses send their
employees to this seminar," he said.

Depending on the number of participants, the seminar will be
held at the civic center or a local restaurant.

Locals apply for PBT assistant position

By CARA ALLIGOOD
Staff Writer

PECOS, December 10, 1997 - There are five local candidates
for the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD Administrative Assistant
position, and no out-of-town candidates. The position has
been vacant since early this school year, when Criselda
Urias left the PBT ISD to take a position with the Edinburgh
ISD.

The main areas that the Administrative Assistant will be
responsible for will be recruiting personnel, supervising
PBT ISD personnel and staff development.

All five of the candidates who have applied for the position
are currently school administrators within the school
district. They are Donald Love, Zavala Middle School
Principal; Robert Hernandez, Pecos High School Assistant
Principal; Beau Jack Hendrick, Austin Elementary Principal;
Gome Olibas, Principal of Lamar Middle School and Barstow
Elementary; and Mary Lou Carrasco, Bessie Haynes Elementary
Principal.

Background information on each of the applicants was
submitted by PBT administrators to the Pecos Enterprise.

Love holds a Bachelors of Science degree from Tarleton State
University as well a Masters degree in Education from Sul
Ross State University in the fields of education and
physical education. He also has a Masters in School
Administration and has superintendent certification. Love
has 17 years experience as a teacher/coach, two years
experience as Pecos High School assistant principal and one
and a half years experience as principal at Zavala.

Hernandez holds both a BBA and a Masters in Education from
Sul Ross State University and a Mid-Management Certificate,
also from Sul Ross. He has eight years experience as a
teacher, two years experience as an assistant principal and
16 years experience as a principal.

Hendrick holds a Bachelors and a Masters of Education degree
as well as Mid-Management certification from Sul Ross State
University. He has 14 years of teaching experience, seven
years experience as an assistant principal and nine and a
half years experience as a principal. His experience ranges
from the first through 12th grade levels.

Olibas' education includes a B.M. degree, Masters of
Education and Mid-Management (superintendent certification,
all from Sul Ross State University. He has 11 years
experience as a teacher, three years experience as an
assistant principal and 19 years principal experience. Both
of his campuses were rated "recognized" by the Texas
Education Agency last year.

Carrasco graduated Magna Cum Laude when she received her
Bachelor of Arts degree from Sul Ross. She received her
Masters of Education from the same university, as well as
her Mid-Management training. She has 18 years teaching
experience and four and a half years experience as a
principal. Her campus was a "recognized" campus last year.

After the applicants have been discussed by the school board
in closed session during tomorrow evening's school board
meeting, the salary and Interim Superintendent's
recommendation for the position will be discussed in open
session.

The school board meeting will begin at 6 p.m. tomorrow in
the board room, located at 1304 Park Street, across the
street from Pecos High School.

Council considers customer credits

By GREG HARMAN
Staff Writer

PECOS, December 10, 1997 -Pecos City Council members will
decide tomorrow morning whether Classic Cable should credit
local customers $3 on future billings because of poor
service and reception. Representatives of Classic Cable will
be at the meeting to present their findings on recent
outages.

The council will consider appointing a representative to the
Pecos Economic Development Corporation Board, beginning
advertisements for proposals to retain geotechnical
professional services for the final closure of Trench One,
Area B, at the Pecos landfill, and discuss the purchase of a
new fire truck.

An amendment to city code, section 22-3, which redefines the
probationary period for city employees, will receive its
second reading. Property located at Third and Mesquite
streets will be considered for donation to the Catholic War
Veterans. A leasing agreement between the city and Mr. &
Mrs. James P. Marquez for property located at 1104 S. Cedar
St. will be reviewed.

Also on the agenda is employee recognition, setting dates
for Christmas holidays, switching the next council meeting
date and the approval of monthly reports.

City Manager Kenneth Neal is up for his performance review,
which will take place at the tail-end of the meeting in
executive session. The meeting is to be held at 7:30 a.m. in
the City Council Chambers on Thursday, December 11.

Lamar students prepare for fair

By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer

PECOS, December 10, 1997 - Students at Lamar Middle School
have been having fun learning, while getting ready for their
First Annual County Fair. The group is also expecting to see
themselves on the news.

The fair is set for Friday at the school, with a Career
Assembly scheduled for early in the morning.

"We'll be having guest speakers in the morning beginning at
10:30 a.m. and the fair itself will begin shortly
thereafter," said teacher Marina Underwood.

Underwood has been working diligently with the students,
preparing them for the fair, the assembly and skits
scheduled for that day. Special guests will include members
of the KWES-9 television crew from Odessa.

"I'm hoping for good weather, because KWES-9 will be here
with their camera crew and our fair will be on the news
either at 6 p.m. or 10 p.m.," said Underwood.

Depending on how soon the crew can get the editing done,
that's when the fair from Lamar Middle School will be aired,
according to Underwood.

First, second and third place ribbons will be given to the
winners in the cake, pies, chili-beans and Chile-macho
contest. A quilt contest is also scheduled with chances to
win the quilt being sold by the students.

Guests will be from KGEE-100 radio station and KWES-9 who
will also be judges for the event.

Students have also sold ads for the program. "The students
have sold the ads and have composed them in the computer,"
said Underwood.

"Everything we're doing has been incorporated into some
subject matter," said Underwood. "Our main objective is for
these students to have fun, while they are learning, also,"
she said.

Math was incorporated into the quilt making, with the
students figuring out how much material needed to be used
and how many squares were needed. English was used in skits
and commercials the students had to write. Art was also a
big part of the students learning material. The props were
made by the students, according to Underwood.

"Everything we have done has been approved by the principal
and we have used every subject matter in helping these
students get ready for the fair," said Underwood.

Funds raised during the fair will go towards a special field
trip planned for Monday, Dec. 15. The students will travel
to Odessa and tour KGEE and KWES, for live taping. A trip to
the mall is also scheduled.

The rest of the funds will go towards the school's Toy for
Tots Program. "We have our own Toys for Tots Program that
targets students in our school," said Underwood.

Last year about $365 was used to purchase items for the
students in the program, according to Underwood.

The four top sellers of tickets for the quilts and ads will
be chosen as "Santas" and allowed to shop for the items on
the "wish list" from the students in the Toys for Tots
program.

"We don't necessarily purchase toys, but clothes, or radios,
items like that," said Underwood.

Career guest speakers scheduled in the morning include
PBT-ISD Superintendent Kenn Norris, a representative from
the Juvenile Probation Office, Steve O'Quinn from KGEE, and
guest of honor Charle Scott of Odessa, who is employed with
the Ector County school district.

"She's our guest of honor, because she has been very helpful
and instrumental in helping us get this huge grant in
Barstow and which was also used here at Lamar," said
Underwood. "We bought computers and other necessary items
with this grant, which she helped us get," she said.

Lamar students will present Scott with a quilt made by the
students with hand prints of Barstow students on it and
Lamar student's signatures and a clock.

Events scheduled include the Career Assembly from 10:30 a.m.
until 11:30; lunch for guests and judges from 11:30 a.m
until 12:30 p.m.; judging of fair entries, 12:30 to 1:15
p.m.; a skit with KWES-9 from 2 to 2:30 p.m.; and tasting of
goodies, from 2:30 p.m. until 3 p.m. The fair entries will
be sold for 50 cents a slice during this time.

Del Real guilty in marijuan case

By PEGGY McCRACKEN
Staff Writer

PECOS, December 10, 1997 -Federal court jurors deliberated
three hours Monday, then returned Tuesday to find Refugio
Del Real of Colorado City guilty of possession with intent
to distribute marijuana.

Del Real, 39, was arrested Sept. 4 at the Border Patrol
checkpoint south of Marfa, after agents found 385 pounds of
marijuana in the trunk of his car.

Wearing a Texas Ranger badge, western hat and carrying a
bail-bond company business card, Del Real was nervous as
officers questioned him at the checkpoint.

He agreed to open the trunk of the car, but shut it after
officers caught a glimpse of bundles wrapped in duct tape. A
drug-sniffing dog alerted to the trunk, giving the officers
probable cause to search the vehicle.

Del Real denied knowledge of the marijuana. He claimed to
have been drugged by something in his drink and fell asleep,
suggesting the marijuana may have been put in the trunk
while he was unconscious.

Senior Judge Lucius Bunton will sentence Del Real and
William Ryan Christopher on Feb. 26, 1998.

Christopher, 19, of Crockett, pleaded guilty to possession
of cocaine with intent to distribute.

He was indicted April 10 along with eight other defendants
who allegedly possessed and/or sold cocaine and marijuana
near Sul Ross State University and an elementary school in
Alpine.

OBITUARY

Ylario Ortega

Ylario (Larry) Ortega, Jr., 41, of Pecos, died Tuesday, Dec.
9, 1997, at his residence. He was born on January 14, 1955.
He was a welder on oilfields.

A rosary is scheduled for 7 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 10, at
Martinez Funeral Home Chapel.

Mass will be held at 10 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 11, at Santa
Rosa Catholic Church with Father Antonio Mena officiating.
Burial will be in Mount Evergreen Cemetery.

Ortega was preceded in death by his father, Ylario Ortega,
Sr.

Survivors include: his mother, Rufina Ortega of Pecos; three
daughters, Eleanor Marie, Priscilla Ann and Jacqueline
Nicole Ortega, all of Austin; one brother, Cosme Ortega of
Pecos; and one sister, Virginia Alvarez of Carlsbad, N.M.

Martinez Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

WEATHER

PECOS, December 10, 1997 - High Tuesday, 60, low this
morning, 35. A cold front raced southward across Texas early
today, clearing the way for much colder Arctic air to move
into the state tonight and Thursday. Most areas of the state
will have the chance of some type of freezing precipitation
before any warming trend begins early next week. Some sleet
and snow could fall as far south as the western areas of the
Lower Rio Grande Valley on Friday and Saturday mornings.
Brisk northerly winds dropped the wind chill factor into the
teens across West Texas. It will be partly to mostly cloudy
across West Texas through Thursday with the chance of light
snow or flurries over most areas.

Pecos Enterprise
Mac McKinnon, Publisher
Peggy McCracken, Webmaster
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.