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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide for Reeves County, Trans-Pecos, Big Bend of West Texas

TOP STORIES

March 3, 1998

Large crowd turns out for dinner


By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, March 3, 1998 - About 400 people enjoyed dishes made
with corn, along with beans, desserts and more at the Pecos
Senior Center last evening.

Zavala Middle School students decorated the facility with
little flags on all the tables and colorful decorations on
the walls in honor of Texas Independence Day.

The students, along with their teacher, Cindy Duke, were
present during the regular Town of Pecos City Council
meeting last week when a proclamation in honor of Texas
Independence Day, March 2, was signed by the mayor and the
week of March 2-6, was proclaimed as Texas Independence Week
in Pecos.

A "Box Dessert Auction," will also took place during the
dinner.

"The auction went really well, we were very pleased," said
Duke. "I still have some that I need to deliver," she said.

Bids went up to $30 on some of the boxed desserts, but the
total raised had not yet been calculated, according to Duke.

Students had also been working diligently on a special
cookbook titled, "Lone Star Eaters Digest." The cookbook was
compiled, illustrated, and colored by Zavala Middle School
Taz students. Old family recipes are included in the book,
which was on sale for $4 during the dinner.

Along with old family recipes the cookbook also includes
recipes for tortillas, beans and cornbread and many more.

"We've sold about 270 cookbooks and still have some left,"
said Duke.

Cookbooks can be purchased from the students or by calling
Zavala Middle School.

"This is a fun way to get the students to learn more about
Texas history," said Duke.

"We had a great turnout and we are very excited about
everything," said Duke.

Duke stated that she wanted to thank all the volunteers who
helped her organize and serve during the dinner.

"Everything went really well," she said.

Early voting remains high during last week


By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, March 3, 1998 - Voting numbers remain high in the
last week of early voting that ends Friday. More than 100
people have cast their votes daily in early voting for the
Democratic Primary election, according to early voting clerk
Debbie Thomas.

A booth was set up at La Tienda Saturday offering voters one
more chance to cast their vote early at their own
convenience.

"We do this to try to get more people to vote, that don't
have the chance to do so during the week," said Thomas.

A total of 111 voters cast their vote on Saturday, according
to Thomas.

By personal appearance 1,165 people have voted, with 315
mail-in ballots.

Thomas stated that she hopes the high number of voters
continues.

Early voting will continue until until March 6, for the
Democratic Primary Elections.

Voting day will be Tuesday, March 10, with different
locations set up in Reeves County.

Polling places will be: box 1, located at the Pecos
Community Center, 505 South Willow; box 2 will be at the
Pecos Elementary School, 901 S. Willow; box 3, Pecos High
School Gym, 1300 Iowa Street; box 4, Toyah City Hall in
Toyah; box 5, Senior Citizen Hall in Balmorhea; box 6,
Saragosa Multi-Purpose Center in Saragosa; box 7, Reeves
County Library, 505 S. Park; box 8, Lamar Elementary School,
Room #1, corner of Oak and "F" streets; box 9, Orla Red
Bluff Office in Orla; box 10, Reeves County Annex/N. Side,
700 Daggett Street; box 11, Bessie Haynes Elementary School,
800 E. 11th Street and box 12, Texas-New Mexico Power Co.,
1126 Stafford Blvd.

Those voting in Precinct 1 will vote at boxes 2 & 11;
Precinct 2, will vote at boxes 3, 4, and 12; Precinct 3,
will cast their ballots at boxes, 5, 6 and 10; and Precinct
4, at boxes 1, 7, 8 and 9.

Tumbleweed Smith performs at the Linebery


By GREG HARMAN
Staff Writer
PECOS, March 3, 1998 - To a large degree cowboy humorist and
entertainer Tumbleweed Smith is preaching to the converted
during his original, multi-media performances about the
richness and flavor of various Texas traits and bizarre
personalities.

As Smith observed an obviously knowledgeable couple admiring
an antique saddle decorating the stage prior to last night's
8 p.m. show, he commented in his easy, jocular manner,
"That's why I enjoy this, because people really live it.
They know what they're doing here."

And this bright-eyed, newly-greying, Big Spring resident
knows his part too, playing the quintessential Texan for the
primarilly adult crowd, while wearing a bright yellow camise
and worn leather vest. Smith made himself available to
everyone before and after the performance, shaking hands
around the room.

When referring to the large number of those attending the
performance who are on a first-name basis with the
performer, Smith said, "I seldom pass by Pecos without
stopping. I have a large number of friends here."

Perhaps it was one of Smith's friends who persuaded him to
speak at Zavala Middle School earlier yesterday. This
represented a first for the cowboy performer -he had never
before performed to a school audience.

"I was scared because I knew the kids had been studying
Texas history," said Smith. But it turned out to be a
breakthrough performance. "I'd like to do a lot more of it,"
he said. "Everybody had a great time."

The floor at the Linebery Building, owned by the West of the
Pecos Museum, was covered in several inches of gravel, and
large, brittle tumbleweeds encircled the performance area.
Even an authentic chuck wagon had been set as a backdrop
(with a recreated firepit, to boot) in an attempt to
generate a western camp-out experience, and everyone seemed
to be having a fine time chatting and waiting for the show
to begin.

Then Smith rose to address the room saying, "I can't think
of a better place to be on Texas Independence Day than
Pecos."

Smith opened his "Mountain Voices" act -a blend of slides,
recorded voices and live narration, premiered for the first
time last summer -with some Texas statistics (Texas has more
than 100 mountains over a mile high) and quickly moved into
humorous character sketches of some far-out West Texas
personalities, many of which suspiciously owned the same
surname as Smith.

"Snake" Smith of Terlingua once served mountain lion to his
guests. Out of 20 people, he said, about three knew what
they were eating. One woman, described as "particularly
picky" said it didn't make any difference what it was, "it
tasted good."

Where else but Terlingua, Smith continued, could one find
groups like the Terlingua Tassle Tossers (an elderly belly
dancers group) and the Study Butte Hookers (a crocheting
society).

Then there is "H. Alan" Smith, an adamant bag-pipe hater,
who complained that the sound of a bag pipe was "worse than
10,000 hogs grunting at the same time."

Moving west, Smith found time to comment on the mysterious
Marfa lights. People have claimed that these
still-unexplained lights were everything from fireflies to
automobile headlights. "But the latest theory," said Smith,
"is that they are giant ancient termites passing gas."

Smith even gave a nose flute demonstration, blowing out the
tune of "The Yellow Rose of Texas" through his nasal
passage, to the appreciative crowd.

He closed his hour-long performance with a colorful
slide-show of the Big Bend with the sentimental narration of
Big Bend area residents. Before wrapping up the evening,
Smith recommended that legislators pursue getting the
cantaloupe, famous particularly in Pecos, named as the state
melon. If Texas can have things like a state insect (Monarch
Butterfly) and pepper (Jalapeno), then it can afford to add
a state melon, he said.

Tumbleweed's own children have settled into careers not so
foreign from their father's. One son, Beasey, runs a
recording studio in San Francisco, the other, Kevin, is
involved in on-line editing in Dallas. Smith's wife of 35
years, Susan, (referred to by him as his `managing
director') is also involved in the show -running things from
the technical angle backstage.

Smith is in the middle of what he calls his "speaking
season," which generally runs, he said, from Memorial Day to
Labor Day, and is on his way to perform in Anahuac on
Thursday, then to a chamber banquet in Glenn Rose. Smith
will return to West Texas to perform in Ft. Davis towards
the end of May.

Motion to surpress evidence granted Chavez


By PEGGY McCRACKEN
Staff Writer
PECOS, March 3, 1998 - Senior Judge Lucius Bunton's
velvet-gloved iron hand was evident Monday when he granted
one defendant's motion to suppress evidence on a marijuana
possession charge, but sentenced another to eight years in
prison and fined him $2,000.

Odessa attorney Tony Chavez won his motion to suppress
evidence against Roberto Rodriguez-Jaquez, who was accused
of possessing nine pounds of marijuana with intent to
distribute.

In an unrelated case, Judge Bunton sentenced Refugio del
Real to 96 months in prison, with five years supervised
release, a $2,000 fine and $200 to the crime victim's fund.

Del Real, 39, of Colorado City, was arrested Sept. 4 at the
U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint south of Marfa. Agents became
suspicious because the defendant was wearing what appeared
to be a Texas Ranger badge and wore a Western hat like law
enforcement officers wear.

Upon searching the trunk of his vehicle, they found several
bundles of marijuana.

Others sentenced during the court session that lasted into
the night were:

* Aaron Vega, 21 months, importing cocaine;

* Sergio Olivas-Alire, six months, illegal entry;

* Hector Rodriguez-Pineda, 21 months, marijuana possession;

* Raul Andrade, 33 months, marijuana possession;

* Filiberto Lopez-Lira, six months, illegal entry;

* Erin Martinez, 15 months, import marijuana;

* Maria Medlock, 24 months, import marijuana;

* Mariza Enriquez-Ramirez, three years probation, import
cocaine;

* Daniel Marquez, 24 months,$500 fine, marijuana possession;

* Miguel Corona-Gonzalez, 24 months, illegal entry;

* Gabriel Gomez, 24 months, $1,100 fine, marijuana
possession;

* Cody Wayne Richards, 30 months, $1,300 fine, marijuana
possession;

Found guilty after motion to suppress denied were:

* Pedro Garcia-Quintana, marijuana possession;

* Jose Arriaga-Cabrera, marijuana possession;

* Alberto Samaguey, marijuana possession;

* Angel Anchando-Nunez, marijuana possession;

Entering guilty pleas were:

* Eduardo Quezada Ocon, marijuana possession;

* Humberto Hinojosa-Rodriguez, marijuana possession;

* Sergio Perez-Estrada, import and possess marijuana;

* Raul Bueno-Ortega, marijuana possession;

* Robert Holley, marijuana possession;

* Guadalupe Belmares, marijuana possession;

* Juan Parada, marijuana possession;

* Juan Granado, marijuana possession;

Jurors heard testimony this morning against Marcelina
Gonzales de Orona on a marijuana possession charge.

A second trial was to begin at 1 p.m. Aida Dominguez of
Mexico is also charged with marijuana possession with intent
to distribute.

Judge Bunton presided for selection of four juries on
Monday, and all the trials are expected to be competed this
week.

Application forms available for college aid


PECOS, March 3, 1998 - All colleges, whether public or
private, require prospective students to fill out the
Federal Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to be
eligible for federal aid.

FAFSA applications are available at the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah
ISD Career and Technology office, located at 1304 South Park
Street or at the Pecos High School counselor's office.
Applications received between January and March receive the
highest consideration.

The following items are needed to complete the application:

*Driver's license and social security number;

*W-2 forms or other records of income earned in 1997;

*1997 Federal Income Tax Return (IRS Form 1040, 1040A or
1040EZ);

*Parents' (if the student is a dependent) 1997 Federal
Income Tax Return;

*Records of untaxed income such as welfare, social security,
AFDC or ADC, TANF, veterans benefits;

*Business and farm records;

*Records of stocks, bonds and other investments;

*Savings account balances; and

*Alien registration card (if the student is not an American
citizen).

With the FAFSA Express that is now available, the career and
technology office can submit the applications electronically.

After the application is submitted, the processor will
determine the student's level of financial need. Within two
to three weeks, students should receive a student aid report
(SAR), that will list the student's expected family
contribution (EFC), which is the amount of money the
government expects the student and their parents to
contribute toward the student's education.

When the SAR is received, it should be checked for accuracy,
then submitted to the financial aid office of the college
the student plans to attend. That school's financial aid
officer will subtract the EFC from the total cost of
education at that school for one year, then send the student
an award letter that tells how much aid they are eligible to
receive from that school.

For assistance, contact Michelle Workman at 1304 South Park
Street or call 447-7262.

Texas Stock Index sets new high


AUSTIN March 3, 1998 - Strong performances by technology and
general business stocks offset a weak showing by finance and
energy stocks last month as the Texas Stock Index rose to
its highest level ever, according to State Comptroller John
Sharp.

"The TSI rose 39.8 points to 512.7. That is 79.3 percent
higher than one year ago," Sharp said.

"By comparison, the Standard and Poor's 500, which tracks a
nationwide sampling of stock prices, rose 9.9 points in
January, posting a new record as well. In percentage terms,
the Standard and Poor's index rose 1.0 percent, while the
TSI rose 8.4 percent."

Rebounding from a lackluster December, Texas technology
stock prices rose 238 points, or 15.8 percent, in January.
Technology stock values are up 144.5 percent compared to one
year ago.

Compaq Computer Corporation stock gained value in January as
the company announced the purchase of Digital Equipment
Corporation for $9.6 billion the largest acquisition in
computer history. Other news that helped boost Compaq's
stock price includes a 2-for-1 stock split effective Jan. 20
and the announcement that Compaq is the exclusive supplier
of personal computers in Tandy Corporation's Radio Shack
stores. Tandy Corporation stock gained value as the company
announced that December sales rose 3 percent compared to one
year earlier.

Dell Computer Corporation stock gained value as Dell
officials reported that fourth-quarter global shipments of
its personal computers were up 65 percent compared to one
year ago.

Other technology companies whose stock prices rose include
Texas Instruments, Inc., Carrington Labs, Inc., and Tech Sym
Corporation.

Prices for general business stocks are up 34.7 percent,
compared to one year ago. Prices rose 11.5 points, or 4.1
percent, in January. ]

Pier 1 Imports, Inc. stock gained value as the company
announced that December sales increased 13.8 percent
compared to one year earlier.

La Quinta Motor Inns, Inc. has agreed to be purchased by a
Massachusetts real estate investment trust, sending La
Quinta's stock price upward.

Two Texas-based airlines, Continental and Southwest, both
saw their stock prices rise in January. Southwest Airlines
recently put the new-generation Boeing 737 into service.

Other general business stocks that increased in value
include Ennis Business Forms, Inc. and Pancho's Mexican
Buffet, Inc.

The TSI's finance, insurance, and real estate sector began
the new year on a somewhat sour note, dropping 23.9 points,
or 5.3 percent.

Centex Corporation stock fell, despite news that the
Dallas-based home builder saw a 36 percent increase in third
quarter net income.

Other finance sector stocks that lost value include
Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc. and American National Insurance
Company.

The nation's mild winter has reduced the demand for oil and
natural gas. As a result, energy sector stock prices fell
11.2 points in January, though prices remain 44.8 percent
higher than one year ago.

Valero Energy Corporation saw a slight increase in its stock
value. Companies whose stock values declined include
Mitchell Energy and Development Corporation and Dresser
Industries, Inc.

The Comptroller's office produces the monthly Texas Stock
Index to help gauge investors' confidence in Texas based
companies and the Texas business climate. The TSI is one of
10 components of the Index of Leading Texas Economic
Indicators.

Exemptions, deferrals help property owners


By GREG HARMAN
Staff Writer
PECOS, March 3, 1998 - Various property tax exemptions and
deferrals that may provide Texas homeowners with help they
may need in the coming year are available by doing the
proper research.

One such exemption is the homestead exemption that reduces
the appraised value of the home. The applications for a
homestead exemption may only be made once but require no
filing fee.

Property owners who have never received the general
homestead exemption on their homes in which they were living
on Jan. 1, and those who became disabled during 1997, must
apply this year to receive exemptions for 1998.

"A property owner can still qualify for the homestead
exemption if part of the residence is rented out or used for
other purposes, such as a home business," Carol King
Markham, chief appraiser of the Reeves County Appraisal
District. "The home will not lose its exemption if the owner
moves away temporarily, so long as he or she intends to
return and doesn't claim another homestead exemption
elsewhere."

Also, veterans with a service-connected disability may
qualify for an exemption by filling out a simple form at the
appraisal office. The exemption may range from $5,000 to
$12,000, depending on the percentage of service-connected
disability.

Those who may be eligible include: disabled veterans; the
surviving spouse of deceased, disabled veteran (as long as
they remain unmarried); the surviving minor child of a
deceased disabled veteran (if veteran's spouse does not
survive the veteran and the child is under 18 and
unmarried); the surviving spouse of a person killed while on
active duty (whether re-married or not); and the surviving
child of person killed while on active duty (if child is
under 18 and unmarried).

The appraisal district may require proof of the disability,
such as documentation from the Veterans Administration or
the branch of the armed service the veteran served in.
Applicants may also need proof to verify their age, marital
status, or death of spouse or parent.

A tax option known as "over-65 deferral" is available to
Texans aged 65 and over by signing an affidavit at the
appraisal office. The deferral would postpone the payment of
delinquent and current property taxes. It may also halt a
lawsuit filed to collect delinquent property taxes on an
older Texan's home, said Markham.

"To stop a delinquent tax suit the over-65 homeowner files
the deferral affidavit with the court in which the suit is
pending. It the affidavit is on file, an older homeowner
cannot lose a homestead because of delinquent taxes."

Another strategy for saving money this tax season that
applies to farmers and ranchers is the "productivity
appraisal," which bases the property value on what the land
will produce rather than what it would sell for in the open
market.

Landowners must apply for productivity appraisal with each
appraisal district in which they have land. Failure to do so
could result in the landowners paying taxes on the land's
full market value.

A taxpayer information booklet, "Texas Property Taxes:
Taxpayers' Rights, Remedies & Responsibilities," is
available from the appraisal office to help property owners
save money.

Published by the State Comptroller's office, the booklet
explains how the property tax system works in Texas and
informs property owners about possible tax savings.

All applications are due by April 30. For more information,
homeowners should contact the Reeves County Appraisal
District at 403 S. Cypress or call (915) 445-5122.

OBITUARY

Virginia Proctor


Virginia Lee "Ginger" Proctor, 70, of Robert Lee, died
Sunday, Feb. 28, 1998, at Memorial Hospital in San Angelo.

Services were held at 2 p.m., Tuesday, at Hubbard-Kelly
Chapel with J.E. McCormick officiating. Burial was in Sunset
Memorial Gardens in Odessa.

Proctor was born Nov. 29, 1927 in Greenwood, Okla. She was a
homemaker and a Baptist.

Survivors include: her husband, R.D. Proctor of Robert Lee;
three sons, Steve Sandefur of Odessa, Larry Sandefur of
Amarillo and David Proctor of Ruidoso, N.M.; three
daughters, Marcia McCormick of Pecos, Rebecca Hopson of
Robert Lee and Ronnie Dennis of Carlsbad, N.M.; three
brothers, Vernon Bowen of Tenn., Roy Bowen of Gig Harbor,
Wash. and Bob Mixon of Amarillo; five sisters, Joy Pogue of
Phoenix City, Ala., Dorothy Bowen of Chamblee, Ga., Wilma
Walker of Texarkana, Tx., Peggy Bowen of Gig Harbor, Wash.
and Frances Wilkson of Trent, Tx.; 16 grandchildren; and
three great-grandchildren.

Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home of Odessa is in charge of
arrangements.

WEATHER


PECOS, March 3, 1998 - High Monday, 61, low this morning,
30. A few isolated showers and thunderstorms may dampen
portions of North Texas and South Texas tonight. Showers and
thunderstorms are also forecast across central and eastern
sections of North Texas on Wednesday. The precipitation,
likely to be triggered by an approaching storm system, could
spread into South Texas. Some clouds are expected over the
Concho Valley and in the Big Country, but the rest of West
Texas will have fair skies at night and mostly sunny skies
during the day. It will be windy in western and central
areas tonight and across the entire area on Wednesday. Lows
tonight will be in the 30s and 40s in West Texas, highs will
be in the 60s and 70s except in the Big Bend area where some
readings will likely climb into the 80s.



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Pecos Enterprise
Mac McKinnon, Publisher
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324 S. Cedar St., Pecos, TX 79772
Phone 915-445-5475, FAX 915-445-4321
e-mail news@pecos.net

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