ARCHIVES
|
|
|
TOP STORIESMarch 13, 1998Federal courthouse proves its worthBy PEGGY McCRACKEN Staff Writer PECOS, March 13, 1998 - Two years ago this month, at the ribbon cutting of the new $4 million federal courthouse at 410 S. Cedar St., pundits were joking that the new courthouse would be an expensive hay barn because criminal case filings had dropped to near zero. That situation has been reversed with the assigment of two full-time prosecutors to the Pecos Division and additional support staff in all areas. Federal indictments of 20 or more criminal cases each month keeps the courts busy, and has stimulated the local economy in the process. Criminal indictments number 53 through the first two months of this year, with 80 defendants charged by the grand jury. Last year the number of defendants rose over 400 on 234 felony indictments. In the year before the court moved into new quarters in December 1995, indictments dropped to zero one month. Most drug smuggling cases were rejected by government prosecutors based in Midland and were filed in state courts over the 10-county Pecos Division. District Judge Royal Furgeson and Senior Judge Lucius Bunton each hold court here at least one week out of the month, and sometimes have to return for additional trials. Magistrate Judge Stuart Platt hears misdemeanor cases and handles much of Furgeson's docket, as well. Judge Platt now has a full-time courtroom deputy stationed in Pecos, which brings the clerk's office staff to three. Other support staff has been added during the past year, giving the probation office a staff of four; pre-trial services two; marshal's office three; court security four; and prosecutors two. Additions are expected in each of those areas this year. In addition, a full-time public defender serves the Pecos court, as does an interpreter. When court is in session, jurors, witnesses, attorneys and families of defendants eat in local restaurants, stay in motels, buy gasoline and shop at local stores. Sam Patel, manager of Quality Inn, said the increased court activity has impacted his motel, restaurant and lounge business positively. Karen White, deputy district clerk, said her office pays for meals, donuts, soft drinks and coffee for the jurors. And jurors may stay overnight at a motel if a trial lasts more than one day. All drive vehicles, and they require repairs, fuel and tires, much of which is purchased in Pecos. Housed in a $4 million building that is privately owned, the courts generate thousands of dollars each year in property taxes for local entities, besides utilities, supplies and repairs to the building. A second maintenance man was recently added to the staff due to the increase in court activity. Jails in the area also are impacted, because they house federal prisoners awaiting trial and sentencing. U.S. Marshals contract with the city and county jails on a per diem basis to house federal prisoners. "I have all the jails in the are full of prisoners," said Deputy Marshal Billy Johnson. "We have more than 100 awaiting trial and another 300 out on bond." Johnson summons help from other marshal's offices and hires area law enforcement officers to help with court security during trials. Defense attorneys also benefit from the increased traffic through the courts, as they are hired or appointed to represent defendants. With most felony cases entering the system through the magistrate's office in Alpine, that city now has 18 lawyers. Three of those frequent the Pecos courtroom regularly. Besides criminal cases, the Pecos Division had 112 civil cases filed last year. Several high-profile civil cases have been held in the new courthouse, where attorneys have private rooms to consult with their clients and witnesses. Always a strong force in the local economy, the federal court continues to make an important contribution to the community. Council discusses beautification master planBy GREG HARMAN Staff Writer PECOS, March 13, 1998 - With the whirr of a projector in the background, Pecos Mayor Pro-Tem Danny Rodriguez called yesterday's city council meeting, where relaxed collars were the order of the day, into order. Mayor Dot Stafford is still recuperating from surgery last week. She was released from Medical Center Hospital in Odessa on Friday, March 6. City Manager Kenneth Neal said that Stafford was already "feeling so much better." With a grateful nod to the council for putting him on the agenda, Doug Eichorst II, Pecos area engineer for Texas Department of Transportation TxDOT, dimmed the lights and gave a presentation on the need for the development of a "master plan" to make the city more attractive to travelers and businesses. Since being approached by Reeves County Judge Jimmy Galindo this past summer, Eichorst said he has become increasingly interested in developing a cooperative effort between the "state, county, city and any other interested parties like the tree board" in putting together a landscaping scheme to use throughout the city. Eichorst projected photos of various landscaping and zeriscaping examples that he has encountered around the state. "This would be an over-all improvement to the town," he said. His purpose at the meeting, he said, was to approach the council about committing a member to represent the city for the project. When questioned by councilman Ricky Herrera, Eichorst said the position would last for about six months. And under the questioning of county surveyor Frank Spencer, Eichorst said that while the Texas Department of Transportation was limited to actually performing the work in state-owned and adjoining property, such as highway right-of-ways, they would be able to help in the design work for areas of the city not within state property. Rodriguez said it sounded like a "real good idea" that he was glad was happening. Gerald Tellez and Johnny Terrazas volunteered to represent the city on the board. The council received copies of engineer Frank Spencer's letter of recommendation and list of bids received for proposed water transmission line improvements for a section of 24-inch water line leading to the Ward County Well Field. He said that out of the six bids received he recommended one from M&M Excavating, Inc., from Carlsbad, New Mexico, who bid the project at $200,588. "One of my major concerns is the structure bridging the Pecos River," said Spencer. The structure has lead paint that would need to be sandblasted and refurbished or totally replaced. M&M, Spencer said, had figured their figures to do it either way, but recommended sandblasting and refurbishment. The council voted to accept Spencer's recommendation to hire M&M Excavating, Inc. for the bid of $200,588 -about four thousand more than would be covered by the water grant. The council also ordered that early voting elections for school and hospital boards and city offices be held from April 15-April 28, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays at the Pecos Community Center. The voting day is set for May 2. The juvenile court report and municipal accounts payable were also approved by the council. Proposals heard to improve rodeo eventBy ROSIE FLORES Staff Writer PECOS, March 13, 1998 - Pecos High School student and Youth Advisory President Jonathan Fuentes was on hand during the recent Chamber of Commerce Director's meeting and made a special presentation. Fuentes is an outstanding junior at Pecos High School who is involved in many different activities. His speech to the chamber included asking for their help in an upcoming event the Youth Advisory Committee will be sponsoring. The group is hoping to sponsor an all-day seminar. The John Ben Sheppard Leadership Institute of the University of Texas of the Permian Basin will conduct the all-day seminar in Pecos for area youth in grades 7-12. In addition, Straight Way, a drug and suicide prevention team that advocates total abstinence would also participate. The event has been tentatively set for Saturday, March 28. The Youth Advisory Committee also has other plans in mind to better the community and give it a brighter look. "We plan to purchase welcome signs and post at all the entrances into Pecos, hopefully before the rodeo," said Fuentes. Fuentes stated that he had seen the article in the newspaper about National Geographic coming into Pecos during the July event and he and his group were hoping to make Pecos look better. "We need to have more pride in our community and we're willing to work, with the help of others to make it look better," he said. A Day at the Park is another plan the group has in mind for a fundraiser. "We also plan to paint trash bins, have a cleanup among other things," he said. Brandy Owen, spoke on behalf of Women's Division President, Suan Cross. Owen told the group that the Women's Division is currently taking applications from girls who are juniors in high school who would like to participate in the Golden Girl Pageant. A style show is planned as part of the fundraiser for the pageant. Applications for the Little Miss Cantaloupe portion of the pageant will be taken on April 1. Girls who exiting kindergarten through second grade will have a chance to participate in the yearly event. Chris Metler, manager of Beall's Department Store, made a proposal to the chamber. Metler displayed two flags that could be used during the rodeo events and which could be purchased at an economical price. "We usually rent them from a company in Fort Stockton and for the amount that we rent them for each year, we could purchase one of these," said Metler. Metler also stated that if local businesses wanted to purchase the flags, she could store them at her facility. "They would make a nice new look, since these would be brand new," she said. Metler asked the board for permission to ask all local businesses to obtain their input and see if they wanted to purchase these flags instead of renting them. "Well, you need to go ahead and do that now, so that Tom can let the other company know that we won't be needing the others," said chamber president Richard Crider. PBT board meets TuesdayPECOS, March 13, 1998 - The Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD board of education will hold its regular monthly meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 17 in the board room at 1304 South Park Street. After approval of the minutes of its Feb. 12 meeting, the board will handle two items of correspondence, a Pecos swim team booster club donation and the Region 18 Education Service Center board of directors election. Under old business, the board will discuss/approve the sale of foreclosed property at Third and Mesquite streets and changes to an interlocal agreement between PBT ISD and Reeves County on Martinez Field for girls softball and they will discuss the 1998-99 school calendar and teaching Spanish to all elementary students. There are 19 items of new business up for discussion by the school board. The board will discuss/approve changing FB (Local) and DAA (Local) policy Title IX Coordinator and 504 Coordinator to Gome Olibas, Policy BBB (Local) board member elections and terms, textbook committee recommendations, consideration of intent to terminate probationary contract of professional employee(s) at the end of the contract period, contract renewals and proposed non-renewals for administrators and professional personnel, professional personnel assignments, resignations retirements and transfers, professional personnel attendance incentive pay for 1998-99, request by Pecos Youth Advisory Commission to waive fee for use of Pecos High School facilities, a resolution celebrating Texas Public Schools Week, 1997-98 budget amendments, sale of old school buses and payment of current bills and financial report. The school board will also hear the National School Lunch and Child Nutrition monitoring report, a Title-I program update, the tax report, depository securities report, cafeteria report and commodities report. Also, the board will hold a closed session during the new business portion of its meeting, as authorized by the Texas Open Meetings Act, for the purpose of discussing personnel or hearing complaints against personnel. During the closed session, they board will consider evaluations of administrators and consider evaluations of professional personnel. The board of education will also set a date for the canvass of election returns, set the date for its next regular meeting, review a calendar of events and request items for the next agenda before adjourning. Walker headed into third termPECOS, March 13, 1998 - State Rep. Gary Walker will likely be headed back to Austin next Janaury for his third two-year term in the Texas Legislature, after easily defeating his Republican primary opponent on Tuesday. Walker's race for the District 80 State House seat against challenger Skeet Workman was the only area race for which more Reeves County voters could not cast ballots, since voters here cast their ballots for local races in the Democratic primary. But outside the county, Walker won easily, collecting 2,068 votes (79 percent) to 534 votes for Workman, a Hockley County rancher who challenged Walker, claiming he was too close to Democratic leaders in the House. "It's always hard to say what to expect," Walker said of his easy win. "Voter turnout is always a real concern, especially in a Republican primary. You don't have to get many of your folks to get it to turn one way or another." Workman cited property taxes and Walker's closeness to some Democrats, such as House Speaker Pete Laney, as her reasons for entering the campaign. Walker said with Democrats controlling the Texas House, no Republican has run for speaker, and "to be truthful, I thought that having a rural West Texan as speaker (Laney is from Hale Center) is better for our area than having someone from the metropolitan areas, because they understand our concerns better." "I feel like I represent both Republicans and Democrats, because issues affecting us like water rights are not just Republican or Democrat issues, but people issues," he said. Walker will have no Democratic challenger in the November general election. He was also unopposed in 1996 after winning the District 80 seat in 1994. "I look forward to serving the people in 1999 and possibly for a couple of terms beyond that," he said. Three positions open in BarstowBARSTOW, March 13, 1998 - There are three positions up for grabs in Barstow's May 2 election. Barstow residents will be able to vote for two councilmen and the mayor. So far, only the two incumbent councilmen, Robert Ortega and Benny Avila, have placed their names on the ballot for the city council election, according to city secretary Jo Allgood. In the mayoral race, the incumbent, Abram Flores, has decided not to run, Allgood said, and the only person to enter that race so far is Salvador Villalobos.
POLICE REPORTPECOS, March 13, 1998 - EDITOR'S NOTE: Information contained in the Police Report is obtained from reports filed by the Pecos Police Department, Reeves County Sheriff's Office, or other officers of those agencies. The serving of warrants by an officer for outstanding fines of either traffic citations, animal control violations or other court costs are considered arrests and will be printed as such unless indicated that the fines were paid. In such instances we will indicate payment and release. ***A 1998 Chevrolet Lumina was damaged the night of Feb. 28 in the parking lot at the Riverside Ballroom. *** Carlos A. Barron, 22, San Angelo, was arrested at 4:30 p.m. March 4 at the Tom Green County Jail on a warrant service. *** Ruben Mendoza, 27, 807 S. Oak St., was arrested at 11:55 a.m. March 3 during a traffic stop for possession of marijuana under two ounces, a Class B misdemeanor. *** There was an accidental shooting reported at 8:52 p.m. March 3 in Balmorhea. The victim's gun went off while he was cleaning it. *** Jose Luis Rodriguez, 32, Fort Hancock, was arrested at 2 p.m. March 5 at the El Paso County Jail on a warrant service. *** Sheryl Lynn Rayos, 26, 811 S. Almond St., was arrested at 1:15 a.m. March 6 on outstanding warrants from Ward County. *** On March 4 at 12:45 p.m., a truck driver left $7 with a clerk at the I-10 Fina station to buy lunch for a deputy for an unknown reason. The money was donated to the Balmorhea Benevolent Fund. *** A white, 1974 Cadillac El Dorado was reported stolen from near Red Bluff Lake on March 3. *** On March 1 at about 7:15 a.m., $30.03 worth of diesel fuel was stolen in a drive-off from the I-10 Fina station. *** A car fire at mile marker 186 on I-10 at 12:30 a.m. March 8 resulted in the loss of an El Paso man's car and the personal belongings that were in it. *** Roger Matta, 35, 502 N. Hickory, was arrested at 7 a.m. March 10 for outstanding DPS warrants out of Ward County. *** Joaquin Gonzales, 17, 1634 Cowan St., was arrested at 4:41 a.m. March 8 in the 800 block of S. Willow on charges of minor in possession of alcohol and no driver's license. *** Georgiana Kay Lambrano, 23, Andrews, was arrested at 11:23 p.m. March 8 in the 400 block of E. 2nd St. for public intoxication, failure to identify and outstanding DPS warrants from Andrews County. *** Gonzalo Sandoval was arrested at 12:34 a.m. March 5 in the 1600 block of W. F St. for public intoxication. *** Jesus Hernandez was arrested at 4:33 p.m. March 5 for public intoxication. *** Mark Renteria was arrested at 7:02 p.m. March 5 during a traffic stop at 12th and Oak on a warrant for terroristic threat. *** Steven Ray Natividad was arrested at 11:17 a.m. March 6 on a warrant service. *** Carlos Armendariz was arrested at 2:33 a.m. March 7 for assault under the family violence act. *** Ronald Alligood was arrested at 7:25 a.m. March 7 for public intoxication. *** Mary Ramirez was arrested at 10:44 p.m. March 10 at the Circle M Bar for public intoxication. *** Marcus Galindo was arrested at 1:09 p.m. March 11 after an accident on Eddy St. for driving while intoxicated. AREA NEWS ROUNDUPThe Fort Stockton PioneerFORT STOCKTON, Thursday, March 12, 1998 -Leaders of the Fort Stockton Chamber of Commerce are preparing their forces and reviewing their tactics to implement a strategic plan for the economic development of Fort Stockton and Pecos County. The Fort Stockton City Council voted unanimously to approve funding for a plan drafted and presented by a chamber committee chaired by Chamber President Choya Young. The proposal calls for a three-year economic development plan focusing upon job creation, business development and business retention. The Alpine AvalancheALPINE, March 12, 1998 -Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson and Immigration and Naturalization Service Commissioner Doris Meissner announced the deployment of an additional 670 agents to police the Texas Border Patrol sectors. "The message is simple: The United States no longer will allow drugs to come across our border, spreading violence and death to American communities," Hutchinson said. "Steadily and surely, we are building a Border Patrol force of adequate strength to get the job done." The Sanderson TimesSANDERSON, March 12, 1998 -All of the members of the Terrell County Commissioners were on hand for their regular meeting, which included 20 items on the agenda. During the meeting the group approved $1,000 for repairs and Economic Development Co-ordinator Terry Tolar volunteered team leader to oversee the improvements and repairs. The McCamey NewsSANDERSON, March 5, 1998 The annual Chamber of Commerce banquet celebrated the announcement of a new wind generation facility planned for construction on "M" Mountain. The theme for the banquet was "Wind: Resource of Our Future" and was attended by about 130 people. Mayor Jim McClure presented a key to the city to Paul Bower, President and General Manager of WTCU, and representatives from FORAS, the Palms Springs, California based firm that will build, operate and maintain the facility' from EPL Energy, a subsidiary of FPL Group, to be owner of the wind generation facility; and from Texas Wind Power, which assisted in land acquisition. Iraan NewsIRAAN, March 12, 1998 The Iraan Sheffield Chamber of Commerce Banquet will be held Thursday, March 26, at 6:30 p.m. in the Iraan School Cafeteria. Zach Hutchison from Iraan Elementary School has reached his advanced reading goal of 90 points. The Monahans NewsMONAHANS, March 5, 1998 -Incumbent Ward County Judge Sam G. Massey fought off a determined challenge from businesswoman Pam Treadaway to win the Democratic nomination, Tuesday, March 10. In a county where the Democratic nomination is tantamount to election, Massey, a rancher from Wickett, faces Republican nominee candidate Candido Gutierrez of Monahans in the November general elections. WEATHERPECOS, March 13, 1998 - High Thursday, 55, low this morning, 32. Texans are expected to get a reprieve this weekend from several days of unseasonably cold weather, as temperatures are forecast to be in the upper 60s. In West Texas, a large area of low clouds extended from the south plains and but clear skies prevailed over the rest of the region. Temperatures were in the 30s and 40s today with a few 20s in the panhandles. The forecast for West Texas calls for partly cloudy skies through Saturday. There is a chance of showers and temperatures will be in the 30s and 40s.
Pecos Enterprise
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.
|