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

TOP STORIES

March 6, 1998

National Geographic to feature Rodeo


By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, March 6, 1998 - National Geographic magazine plans to
feature the 1998 West of the Pecos Rodeo in its world-wide
publication and members of the Pecos Rodeo Committee want to
be sure this year's event is a memorable one.

Rodeo committee president Ray Owen said he was contacted by
National Geographic representatives who told him the
magazine plans a series on rodeos that will include the
Pecos event.

"They will be coming into town and staying throughout the
rodeo," said Owen.

The magazine will feature rodeos from Cheyenne and
Pendleton, along with Pecos.

"We will be featured in their world-wide magazine and we
feel very honored to have been chosen for this," said Owen.

Top cowboys will again be invited to participate in this
year's West of the Pecos Rodeo and bands procured to perform
after each rodeo performance, according to Owen.

Owen stated that last year was a record year with about
$225,000 paid out.

"All this money doesn't come from Pecos or the committee,"
said Owen.

About $62,000 is supplied by the committee and the rest of
the payout funds are procured from the cowboys themselves,
from the entry fees. "That's why we try to attract a large
number of cowboys, to raise more funds as payout money,"
said Owen.

"We are again expecting a large number of cowboys, many who
have competed in the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas,
which is the Super Bowl of rodeos," said Owen.

The rodeo committee has again contracted with Bad Company
Rodeo to be the producers of the event.

"Their motto is expect the unexpected,' so we are looking
forward to a great year," said Owen.

The committee started working on this year's rodeo the last
of July by contacting major sponsors and trying to procure
new sponsorship.

"We're really excited about our new sponsors and want to
thank them," said Owen.

New sponsors include Bealls, Edward Jones Investments,
Bull's Eye Barbecue Sauce and Gold Coast Casinos.

Crown Royal will be the title sponsor of the rodeo.

"We'll also have some representatives from their company fly
in from Washington, D.C. and Dallas, who will be spending
their time here during the rodeo," said Owen.

The rodeo committee is working in contracting special bands
for the dances planned for after each rodeo performance and
the names of the bands will be released as soon as the
contracts are signed, according to Owen.

School board opposes bomber training


By GREG HARMAN
Staff Writer
PECOS, March 6, 1998 - Low-flying bombers, and the noise
they would inevitably generate, are not in the interest of
those working to master the three Rs of reading, 'riting and
'rithmatic.

This was the decision of the board of directors of the
Balmorhea school district at last night's board meeting. The
board was unanimous in its decision to oppose the U.S. Air
Force proposal to bring low-altitude flights to the
Balmorhea area.

Reeves County Commissioner Herman Tarin and Pecos resident
Clark Lindley, who had both been present at the Saragosa
public meeting regarding U.S. Air Force's proposed Realistic
Bomber Training Initiative that may bring as many as 40
low-altitude flights by B-52 and B-1B bombers into much of
Reeves County each day, were present at the meeting to
answer any questions that board members may have on the
issue.

Concerns expressed by the board, said Lindley in an
interview this morning, included "noise disruption, possible
stress to the children, air pollution and breathing
difficulties as well as the possibility of a plane crash"
similar to the one which happened near Marion, Ky., when an
unmanned B-1B bomber went down into an abandoned field two
weeks ago.

When asked what other governmental bodies had opposed the
initiative, the board was told by Lindley and Tarin that
Brewster, Jeff Davis and Presidio counties had all passed
resolutions in opposition to the proposed low-level flights.
Reeves County Judge Jimmy Galindo said that he had spoken
with both Tarin and Lindley about the possibility of placing
the item on the commissioner's agenda. "In general," said
Galindo, "I would like to come up with a formal position on
the [initiative]." But, Galindo said, it would not be
discussed at the upcoming Monday meeting.

Lindley, used as a source of information by the board
members, said that he had educated himself on the issue by
reading whatever information had been made available on the
topic, including materials from the U.S. Air Force, the
National Airspace Coalition and from any other groups that
may have been faced with similar issues, over the past
several weeks.

As to the issue of air pollution, Lindley said he quoted
figures provided by Anthony Sforza, a medical doctor from
Alpine. "He quantified the risk in his study as that of one
bomber flying at 300 feet would be the equivalent of 500
trucks driving past the school."

School superintendent Carl Lee Hoffmeyer asked that Lindley
assist in preparing the school's Statement of Environmental
Concern to be submitted to the Air Force by the
newly-revised April 3 deadline for public comment on the
proposal.

The resolution passed by the board states that "the
Balmorhea Independent School District is committed to the
concept of providing the best learning environment possible,
the Board of Trustees therefore resolve to officially oppose
the creation of Air Force Realistic Bomber Training
Initiative. It is the opinion of the Board that the noise
produced from this initiative will disrupt the learning
environment of the students of Balmorhea Independent School
District."

Hoffmeyer said he would pass the initiative along to the
proper governmental agencies and begin generating questions
concerning the number of possible risk factors addressed by
the board.

But, according to Lindley, one question asked by board
member Paul Matta seemed to hang on the air without an
answer. "Would the people of Pecos support them in their
decision?"

More candidates file for May election


PECOS, March 6, 1998 - Two more individuals have thrown
their hat in the ring as candidates in the May elections.

Greg Luna has filed for re-election to the Reeves County
Hospital Board of Directors. Mike Stallard has filed for a
position on the board to represent precinct 3.

The hospital board seats open are for Districts 1 and 3,
along with the at-large seat for which all Reeves County
voters are eligible to cast ballots. These positions are
currently held by, respectively, Chel Flores, Jesus Prieto
and Greg Luna.

Other positions up for election will be on the Town of Pecos
City Council, Pecos-Barstow-Toyah and Balmorhea school board
and Toyah and Barstow city councils.

The last day to file to run in the May elections will be
March 18, at 5 p.m.

Commissioners meet Monday


PECOS, March 6, 1998 - The regular meeting of the Reeves
County Commissioners' Court will be held at 9:45 a.m.
Monday, March 9 in the third floor courtroom at the Reeves
County Courthouse.

Agenda items for discussion or action will be modification
of RCDC-SOW, application and certificate for payment to
Banes General Contractors for RCDC dayroom addition, award
bid for RCDC pickup truck, award bid for industrial
loader/backhoe, approval of reserve deputy for sheriff's
department, approval of bond and oath of deputy for
sheriff's department, Catholic War Veterans purchase of
property located at Third and Mesquite streets, agreement
between Reeves County Golf Course and American Guide
Services, Inc., reports from various departments, budget
amendments and line-item transfers, personnel and salary
changes (RCDC, JDC, Auditor, Sheriff's Dept.) minutes from
previous meeting, payment of semi-monthly bills and
personnel and salary changes (attorney special).

Woman arrested for beating child


By CARA ALLIGOOD
Staff Writer
PECOS, March 6, 1998 - Diana Marie Ramos, 29, was arrested
Feb. 26 on a grand jury indictment Sept. 11 for injury to a
child under 15. The indictment was the result of an incident
that occurred July 9, 1997, in Saragosa and caused a trip to
the hospital for an 11-year-old boy. Her bond was $10,000.

Acccording to a report on file at the Reeves County
Sheriff's Department, the sheriff's department was called to
the Reeves County Hospital at about 4:30 p.m. July 9 by the
police department because the boy had been injured in an
incident that occurred outside the Pecos Police Department
jurisdiction.

When a deputy arrived at the hospital, additional
investigators were called because of the severity of the
incident.

Injuries to the boy included bruises on his back, left
shoulder, right chest area, face and left forearm; scratches
to his left eye area and the left side of his face, a bloody
nose, cut lip, swelling on his left forearm and whelp marks
on his left side and back that the report said appeared to
have been made by a belt type object.

The boy's injuries were photographed by the investigating
deputy, the report said. The family members who brought the
boy to the hospital, his grandfather and uncle, were then
removed from the room and the boy was interviewed.

According to the boy's statement in the report, the incident
started when he had been picking up clothes in his room and
went to use the bathroom.

The boy's statement said that the bathroom door latch was
difficult to operate and he became locked in the bathroom.
When he could not open the door, his mother, Ramos, told him
to use a butter knife to open it. When he still could not
open the door, she became angry.

When the door was finally opened Ramos took a belt and began
to beat the boy about the upper body, according to his
statement. At that point, the boy grabbed the belt, got it
away from her and tossed it away, so she hit him with her
closed fist in the face and back, knocking him to the ground.

Ramos also apparently grabbed the boy's right hand and
twisted it behind his back, trying to gain control of the
child during the incident, the report said. She also
scratched his left face area.

According to the report, the boy's uncle arrived at the
house during the incident. Witnessing what was happening to
the child, the boy's uncle grabbed him in an attempt to
remove him from the situation. According to the report,
Ramos then hit the boy's uncle with some sort of stick.

The boy's uncle took the stick away from Ramos, broke it and
threw it out the door. He then ran to the field where the
boy's father and grandfather were working. The boy's uncle
and grandfather took him to the hospital.

Investigators asked the boy asked how often this type of
incident took place. He told officers that this had occurred
almost daily and that it had been going on since he was
eight or nine years old, according to the report.

When the boy was asked if his father ever intervened, he
said that his father did try to intervene sometimes, but
that his mother sometimes would push his father against the
wall or push him down, the report said.

The boy was also asked if his father hit him in the same way
as his mother did. The child said that his father spanked
him on his bottom, but didn't hit him like his mother.

Investigators also asked the boy if he was afraid to go
home. The boy said that he was afraid to return, and wanted
to stay with his grandfather.

The investigators also determined that there was also a
four-year-old child in the home. The boy said that the
younger child was also being hit at times, although not as
hard.

The officers could not contact Ramos after interviewing the
boy, and released him into the custody of his grandfather,
pending further investigation by the appropriate agencies.

Eight new juvenile offenders in February


PECOS, March 6, 1998 - The probation department of the
Reeves County Juvenile Court has issued their February
report, showing 11 Reeves County juveniles and 16
out-of-county juveniles detained during the month at the
Juvenile Detention Facility.

Of the eight new referrals, two were by Reeves County
Sheriff's Department, four were by Pecos Police Department
and two were from other sources.

Referrals included: one runaway; one failure to attend
school; one violation of juvenile court order; two on
charges of criminal mischief resulting in damages more than
$500 and less than $1,500; one criminal mischief resulting
in damages more than $20 and less than $500; one
home-related crisis intervention; and one disorderly conduct.

Of the eight new referrals, six were male and two were
female. All eight were listed at Hispanic.

PBT observes Texas Public Schools Week


PECOS, March 6, 1998 - Pecos-Barstow-Toyah Independent
School District will observe Texas Public Schools Week March
16-20.

"Education is the key to the future for Texas' young
people," said PBT ISD Superintendent Don Love. More than
four million young Texans will be celebrating that journey
in March as they observe Texas Public Schools Week.

This year's theme, "Celebrate Texas Public Schools,"
emphasizes the array of academic and extracurricular
opportunities available to students attending the state's
public schools.

Schools today face far bigger challenges than ever before in
their efforts to provide state-of-the-art learning
opportunities for all students. Yet every day in classrooms
across Texas, teachers, coaches, sponsors, volunteers and
administrators make a commitment to help every student
succeed in learning and life, Love said.

"Your investment in public schools pays off each day as
students grasp a new concept, and again each year as public
school graduates carry their success to a college,
university or a job in your company," said Love. "Yet few of
us ever take the time to step inside our local public
schools to see, for ourselves, the daily successes achieved
by our children."

This year's Texas Public Schools Week is a celebration
filled with opportunities for the public to get involved in
local schools.

"Stop by for a visit during the week of March 16-20. We
think you'll be impressed," said Love.

WEATHER


PECOS, March 6, 1998 - High Thursday, 80, low this morning,
42. Showers and thunderstorms are forecast tonight and
Saturday for all of Texas. An upper level storm system
moving eastward from the West Coast is expected to produce
the precipitation. It will be partly to mostly cloudy across
West Texas. The activity will be ending from the west on
Saturday. Showers and thunderstorms will develop during the
night and continue in most areas on Saturday. Lows tonight
will be in the 30s in the Panhandle and in the 40s and 50s
elsewhere in West Texas, highs Saturday will be in the 50s
in the Panhandle and in the 60s and 70s over the rest of
West Texas.



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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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Copyright 1998 by Pecos Enterprise