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TOP STORIESJanuary 9, 1998Commissioners approve funds for fire safetyBy RICK L. SMITH Staff Writer PECOS, January 9, 1998 - In a special session yesterday Reeves County Commissioners approved spending $325,000 to add smoke and fire walls to a main hall in the Reeves County Detention Center. Banes General Contractors, Inc., the contractor currently building a $2 million day-room addition at the RCDC, was awarded the project. Banes' original bid of $367,400 for the project last October was turned down by the commissioners and resubmitted at its current level. While Banes was not the lowest bid for the project, company representatives said it could be completed within 10 days compared to 30 days required by other bidders. Commissioners felt that since Banes would already be on sight with the day-room project it would be easy for the company to complete the smoke/fire wall project in the 10 days. "They lowered their price by $40,000," said Commissioner Bernardo Martinez. "They could do that because they are already there. The other companies would have to come in and we felt like there would be a lot of wasted time." The $325,000 for the project is counted as a change order added to the original $2 million-plus day-room addition. County Auditor Lynn Owens said the smoke/firewall change order amounts to 15 percent of the total project. Change orders can amount to 25 percent on the project, Owens said, leaving 10 percent of the original cost available for further change orders. "The firewall project can be done with most of the inmates still in the facility," said Judge Jimmy Galindo. Keeping most of the inmates in the facility avoids loss of revenue for the RCDC, he explained. The smoke/fire wall project is needed to meet National Life Safety Codes for correctional institutions, Galindo explained. Banes, an El Paso contractor, was selected for the day-room addition project because of its strong past record of completed construction projects. The average cost of construction projects completed by Banes in the last five years comes to almost $1.8 million. In the same time period Banes has completed 12 projects costing $2 million or more. The largest project completed by Banes in the past five years totaled more than $14 million. Banes has completed 53 construction projects in the last five years at a total cost of almost $94 million. Banes also committed to completing the day-room addition two months earlier than the shortest time estimate of other companies that bid on the project. The shorter construction time by Banes will save the county as much as $963,600 in potential lost revenues if the project had been awarded to Cooper Construction of Odessa that needed 294 days to complete the project compared to 210 days bid by Banes. (See graph.) Rain has caused Banes to fall 10 days behind schedule on the day-room addition project, Galindo said. "The contractor said they can make up the 10 days in the next four weeks by working later and working weekends," Galindo said. The RCDC day-room addition project is expected to be completed by the end of May this year, according to Galindo. The completion of the project will make room for 300 additional inmates at the facility. New staff members to handle the additional inmate load are expected by April and the additional inmates are expected by June or July, Galindo said.
State searches for Head Start agencyBy GREG HARMAN Staff Writer PECOS, January 9, 1998 - State officials have appointed Greater Opportunities of the Permian Basin as the interim overseer of the much-troubled Head Start programs in Reeves and Ward counties. The Community Council of Reeves County gave up control of area Head Start programs at the beginning of this year. Meanwhile, the regional office of the Department of Health and Human Services in Dallas, Tex. is seeking applicants to permanently take over the Head Start programs in Reeves and Ward counties. As of yet no applications to head up Reeves and Ward counties' programs have been received by the Dallas office. Area Head Start programs were plagued with problems that the community council could not overcome. Caprice Cox was hired as executive director for the council in March of last year. When she was questioned recently about the removal of Head Start from the duties of the council she seemed relieved, despite that the loss of the program cut the council's operating budget by about two-thirds. "We still provide Meals on Wheels, weatherization, family services and day care," she said. "We're also looking into starting up other programs." One program being considered by the council is the creation of a domestic violence center. Cox is in the process of evaluating buildings to house the program and is creating a needs assessment to determine the need for such a program in the area. Greater Opportunities is a privately run, not-for-profit organization that oversees the Head Start programs of Ector and Howard counties. Director of Greater Opportunities, Betty Carter, said she came to Pecos Dec. 29 to prepare for the transition of oversight of the local programs and to "let the staff know what was happening and relieve some fears." Carter said Greater Opportunities wanted to make sure that Pecos, Saragosa and Monahans continue to have Head Start programs. She said that while there have been no applications from organizations seeking to supervise the local Head Start programs there will be because the process is a competitive one. "There will probably be several who apply and these will be reviewed by a panel," she said, "Then after a bidders conference the regional office will pick one." Carter anticipated that Greater Opportunities would be the interim administrator until August, 1998. At that point, she said, there should be an agency ready to step in and take over. Next week Carter and several Pecos Head Start employees will travel to Dallas for a mid-winter administrative conference. Head Start is a national program providing comprehensive developmental services (such as health, nutritional, education, and other services) primarily to low-income, pre-school children between three years of age and the age of compulsory school attendance, and their families. About 130 children benefit from Head Start programs in
Brother stabs brotherPECOS, January 9, 1998 - A 16-year-old male juvenile was stabbed yesterday afternoon during an argument with his younger brother. At 4:14 p.m. Jan. 8, Pecos police were called to a residence in the 700 block of Cherry St. by a female who reported that one brother had stabbed another brother. The two brothers had been having an argument, according to a police department report. The 16-year-old was taken to Reeves County Hospital, where he was treated for stab wounds to his right abdomen and left buttocks. He was still in the hospital when police investigators left, but had been released as of this morning, according to Nadine Smith, assistant hospital administrator. The 14-year-old who allegedly stabbed his older brother was taken to the Reeves County Juvenile Detention Center and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. No leads in woman's disappearanceBy CARA ALLIGOOD Staff Writer PECOS, January 9, 1998 - No new leads have surfaced to help investigators locate a woman whose parents claim has been missing since Nov. 30. Jack and Marilyn Bridges came to Pecos during the recent holidays to look for their daughter, Lora Brooks Gabbert. When the couple ran out of money and leads to their daughter's location they had to return to their home in Washington state. "The only thing we can do now is wait and see," said Mr. Bridges. "I'm just on edge, waiting to see if they find anything. It's not good. It's been 35 days so far, and our daughter has never gone more than two weeks without calling us before," he said. Bridges said that Lora's boyfriend, Chris Bigham, had told him and his wife that Lora left Pecos Dec. 2 on a bus for Dallas to visit a friend. Lora never arrived. Elva Flores at the Pecos Greyhound terminal said that they didn't sell Lora a bus ticket that day, or the day before. "We've searched on horseback, on foot and by air, and haven't found evidence of anything," said Reeves County Sheriff Andy Gomez about the investigation into Lora Gabbert's disappearance. According to Mr. Bridges, the Pacific County Sheriff's Department in Washington state is planning to interview both Bigham and Lora's oldest daughter. Attempts to contact the county's undersheriff for a comment have been unsuccessful. SWCD offers windbreak treesPECOS, January 9, 1998 - The Upper Pecos Soil and Water
Grand jury hears civil rights case on shootingBy PEGGY McCRACKEN
CORRECTIONSPECOS, January 9, 1998 - Yesterday's report on the City Council meeting incorrectly stated that Councilman Johny Terrazas voted against hiring Clay McKinney as police chief. Terrazas voted for hiring McKinney, Gerald Tellez and Ricky Herrera voted against hiring McKinney. McKinney will be sworn in today in the classroom of the Pecos Police Department at 3:15 p.m. and said that he understood he is to assume the duties of chief of police immediately. Troy Moore will remain at the Police Department, said McKinney, until January 31st on a consultant-type basis. Moore said that he would be turning over his equipment to McKinney on Monday, January 12, remaining on until the the end of the month to assist in the transition. "There are a lot of little things I can help with," said Moore. "I'm expecting a smooth transition." *** PECOS, January 9, 1998 - Other races of local interest left
Man killed in accident identifiedBy CARA ALLIGOOD Staff Writer PECOS, January 9, 1998 - A man killed in a one-vehicle rollover Wednesday morning north of Pecos has been identified as 83-year-old Almouth Jordan of Carlsbad, N.M. Jordan was travelling southbound on U.S. Highway 285 about three and a half miles north of Pecos when he drifted off the west side of the road, hit his brakes, over corrected, came across both lanes of traffic, and ended up in the east side bar ditch, where the pickup he was driving overturned one and one quarter times and came to rest facing southwest, according to the DPS report. Jordan died shortly after the jaws of life were used to remove him from his vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene by Justice of the Peace Amanario Ramon at 9:37 a.m. Jan. 7. His next of kin have been notified. Commissioners to meet MondayPECOS, January 9, 1998 - Reeves County Commissioners will meet in regular session Monday morning. PECOS, January 9, 1998 - A regular meeting of the Reeves County Commissioners' Court will be held on Monday, Jan. 12, at 10:30 a.m. in the third-floor courtroom of Reeves County Courthouse. On the agenda to be discussed is an interlocal agreement between the Town of Pecos City and Reeves County over the Pecos Volunteer Fire Department; an application from Banes General Contractors on the RCDC dayroom addition; a contract between Winkler and Reeves Counties for the detention of juvenile offenders; and selection of the 1998 Salary Grievance Committee members. Also to be discussed is the possible approval of La Tienda Thriftway as a branch polling location for early voting; bond and oath for Reeves County sheriff's deputy; award bids on TCDP housing rehabilitation contract #714-160; hear various departmental reports; budget amendments and line-item transfers; personnel and salary changes at the Juvenile Detention Center; and Saragosa's water well. In a spread on minutes, notice of over-axle over-gross weight tolerance permit will be given, and Commissioner #3 Herman Tarin will be awarded a certificate of continuing education. PBT board approves personnel changesPECOS, January 9, 1998 - Hiring and resignations of professional personnel were unanimously approved at Tuesday night's special school board meeting in which Don Love was officially hired as the new Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD superintendent and Gome Olibas became the new administrative assistant to the superintendent and personnel director. Love had been principal of Zavala Middle School and Olibas had been principal of Lamar Middle school as well as Barstow Elementary.
New hires for the district are:Audio Licon Cobos, who will teach seventh grade English at Zavala on an emergency permit, Juan Dominguez, who will coach and teach Spanish at Pecos High School on an emergency permit, Joann (Smith) Porter, who will teach third grade at Pecos Elementary, Heather Scheier, who will teach third grade at Pecos Elementary, and Rebecca (Woods) Wein, who will teach sixth grade at Lamar. There were two resignations approved also. They are from Brenda Evins, who taught English at Zavala, and Nancy Twining, who was a counselor at both Zavala and Crockett Middle School.
AREA NEWS ROUNDUPJanuary 9, 1998The Fort Stockton PioneerFORT STOCKTON, Jan. 8, 1998 - A longtime Fort Stockton oil and gas landman has announced his candidacy for the office of County Judge of Pecos County. Delmon Hodges filed for the post. Former Fort Stockton mayor Joe Shuster has announced that he too, will seek the position of Pecos County Judge. Municipal Court Judge Lali Minjarez has officially filed with the Democratic Party for the Pecos County Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace office. That office is currently occupied by Robert Gonzales. The Big Bend SentinelMARFA, Jan. 8, 1998 - An Alpine man is seeking a statewide office, while state Rep. Pete Gallego, D-Alpine, cruises to a fifth term. Sul Ross State University Professor Dr. Jimmy T. LaBaume wants to be Texas Agriculture Commissioner as a Libertarian Party member. Also seeking that post are Republicans Susan Combs of Austin, whose family owns a ranch near Marathon; and Hamp Hodges, a Paris businessman. Democrats running for ag commissioner are Ernesto De Leon of Brownsville and Pete Patterson of Brookston. The Alpine AvalancheALPINE, Jan. 8, 1998 - Don Green, 39, is the new administrator of Big Bend Regional Medical Center. Green came to Alpine from a hospital in Rusk to take over the reins at the BBRMC and get the facility and its reputation back in shape. "I don't want to wait until the new facility is built before addressing any of the issues," he said. The International, Presidio PaperPRESIDIO, Jan. 8, 1997 - Two Presidio High School students, one barely 17 and the other 15, were taken into custody Thursday morning, Jan. 1, after U.S. Customs inspectors at the Port of Entry found what was reported as over 16 pounds of marijuana in their vehicle. Robert Guadalupe Bustamante, who turned 17, on Dec. 10, and the 15-year-old, identified as the driver of the automobile, were taken before Justice of the Peace Daniel Bodine and charged with felony drug possession. Bustamante was assessed a $15,000 bond and the 15-year-old, by law, was ordered released to his mother. The Sanderson TimesSANDERSON, Jan. 8, 1997 - "Cordial, but productive" is how Alpine City Manager Doug Lively described a recent meeting with representatives from Union Pacific Railroad and the Federal Railroad Administration. According to Lively, "there has been a lot of focus recently on Union Pacific operations in general, but the subjects of our meeting were safety issues, excessive noise, and increased blockage of our north-south thoroughfares caused by the crew-switching operations in our downtown area." The Monahans NewsMONAHANS, Jan. 8, 1998 - Grandfalls (population 588) and Monahans (population 8,101), the two largest communities in Ward County, finally will be linked by local telephone service on March 18. Guy Andrews of Southwestern Bell says March 18 is the scheduled date when telephone subscribers in the two towns, only about 15 miles apart, can start calling each other without a long distance service charge. OBITUARYMichael WoodMichael Randolph Wood, 29, died Wednesday, Jan. 7, 1998 at Abilene State School. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m., Friday, Jan. 9, at Toyah Cemetery with Rev. J.R. Wooten officiating. Wood was born in Van Horn and attended Abilene State School, moving to Abilene in 1980. He was a member of the Assembly of God Church. Wood was preceded in death by his grandfather, Clyde Wright and an uncle, Jim Wright. Survivors include: his father, Robert Charles Wood of Dallas; his mother, Brenda Archer of Mineola; a grandmother, Juanita Wright of Toyah; one brother, Marcus Beasley of Mineola; and one aunt. Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home of Abilene is in charge of arrangements.
WEATHERPECOS, January 9, 1998 - High Thursday, 64, low this morning, 42. It will be warmer and drier across most of Texas tonight and Saturday. West Texas will have partly to mostly cloudy skies with a chance of drizzle or freezing drizzle in the low rolling plains on Saturday. Lows tonight will be in the 20s and 30s in West Texas. Highs Saturday will be in the 30s and 40s in the Panhandle and in the 50s and 60s elsewhere in West Texas.
Pecos Enterprise
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