ARCHIVES
|
|
|
Top StoriesMarch 19, 1998Law allows Mexicans to hold dual citizenshipBy ROSIE FLORES Staff Writer MIDLAND, March 19, 1998 - Mexican laws have recently been amended to allow dual citizenship for Mexican nationals who take on the citizenship of other nations, according to information received from the Mexican Consulate in Midland. "This amendment is for the Mexican legislation," said Maria Ruiz, President of the Mexican Consulate in Midland. The amendment's approval process concluded when the majority of Mexican state legislatures approved the proposal and it was published in the Official Gazette of the Federation (Diario Oficial de la Federacion). It will enter into force one year after its publication date. "This will go into effect on March 20," Ruiz said. According to Ruiz and the Mexican Consulate, Mexicans by birth will be able to make arrangements to recover their Mexican nationality if they have taken citizenship of other nations. This amendment takes into account that there are millions of Mexicans currently living abroad. The amendment responds to the demands of many Mexicans who have migrated and, having the opportunity to become naturalized in the country where they now live, do not do so because they do not want to lose their Mexican nationality and wish to keep their ties to their country, their culture and their values and traditions. The amendment was approved, by all the country's political parties in Congress, in support of the demands of Mexicans living abroad. This bill was approved unanimously at the Mexican Senate and Lower Chamber of Congress. "This amendment establishes that no Mexican by birth will lose his or her nationality. This means when a different nationality or citizenship is acquired, the Mexican nationality will always be preserved," said Ruiz. Ruiz explained, that the amendment is a sovereign act by the Mexican State in defining who its nationals are. Therefore it is not an act of recognition of a new nationality in addition to the Mexican nationality, but recognition of those people who have this right by birth. Mexicans by birth who acquire another nationality will always be considered Mexicans both for the exercise of their right and for the fulfillment of their obligations. Consequently, when they are in Mexican territory, they will always have to identify and conduct themselves as Mexicans. One other important goal of this amendment is to ensure that Mexicans are able to preserve their ties to Mexico. To attain this objective, it limits the transmission of Mexican nationality to persons born outside national territory who are children of Mexicans born in national territory or children of Mexicans by naturalization. Thus, transmission of nationality is limited to only one generation. "Beneficiaries of this amendment include all Mexicans by birth living abroad who have the opportunity of naturalizing in the country where they now live," said Ruiz. Additionally, those people of Mexican origin who have been naturalized as citizens of other nations may now benefit by recovering their Mexican nationality. With this amendment, Mexicans who acquire a different nationality will maintain their rights in Mexico and will not be treated as foreigners in the country where they were born. By contrast, as they naturalize in the country where they live, they will no longer be treated as foreigners and will cease to be at a disadvantage as compared with the nationals of that country, according to the Mexican Consulate. Mexicans living abroad will have their rights and interests guaranteed in Mexico where they may return at any time, especially if they encounter difficult conditions. They will be free to travel to and live in Mexico whenever they wish to do so, without complying to complicated formalities or apply for permits required to foreigners. They will be able to buy land in restricted areas under the same conditions of all other fellow Mexicans. In the case where Mexicans have already lost their nationality, there will be a period of five years after the entry into force of the amendment in which persons who lost their Mexican nationality may recover it. The way in which this recovery procedure will be carried out is currently being studied, in order to ensure that is simple, quick and reliable. As a result of this constitutional amendment, a number of federal and state laws containing aspects related to nationality must also be modified. More than 70 laws that need to be adjusted in line with this amendment are being reviewed. Finally, brochures will be prepared explaining in simple terms the scope of this amendment and its consequences. These brochures will be distributed through all Mexican Embassies and Consulates. Filing ends for local electionsBy ROSIE FLORES Staff Writer PECOS, March 19, 1998 - Last minute candidates beat the deadline to throw in their hats for the May elections on the city council, school and hospital boards. Town of Pecos City Mayor Dot Stafford has filed for re-election in the city elections and will have a challenger, Robert Hernandez. Hernandez filed on the last day to become a candidate. Pecos City Council incumbents Ricky Herrera and Danny Rodriguez are both seeking another term on the council. Herrera and Rodriguez are seeking at-large positions and will be unopposed. In the Pecos-Barstow-ISD race, positions up for election include three full-year terms currently held by Linda Gholson, Earl Bates and Frank Perea. In that race, five candidates will be seeking a place, including Frank Perea, Louis Matta, Earl Bates, Brent Shaw and Frank Rodriguez. The candidates drew for a place on the ballot this morning and will appear in that order. The hospital board seats will be open 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. Reeves County Hospital District Board Vice President Greg Luna is unopposed for the at-large position on the board. Precinct 3 incumbent Jesus Prieto will face challenger Mike Stallard. And Chel Flores was the last to file. He is unopposed in Precinct 1. In Barstow, city council incumbents, Robert Ortega and Benny Avila have filed, while Salvador Villalobos has filed for mayor. In Balmorhea, school positions up will be those currently held by Paul Ward and Armando Mondragon. Both Ward and Mondragon have filed and will be challenged by Virgil Ray Gage. In the Balmorhea city elections, positions available will be those of mayor, a position held by Ismael Rodriguez and two council positions, held by Rosendo Carrasco and Rosendo Galindo. In that race, incumbent Ismael Rodriguez will be unopposed in his bid for re-election. Two positions on that council are available with three candidates including Rosendo Galindo, Tami Marmillion and Danny Reynolds. In Toyah, positions open are those of the mayor, a position unoccupied at this time and council positions, held by Howard Dennett and Linda Compton. The mayor's position is being sought by Paul Budlong and Jack Osborn. Four people will be vying for the two Toyah council positions available. Those include Howard Dennett, Jana McHorse, Bart F. Sanchez and Clara McConnell. Early voting will be held from April 15 to April 28 at the Pecos Community Center. Election day is May 2. Civic leaders prepare for up-coming forumBy GREG HARMAN Staff Writer PECOS, March 19, 1998 - Pecos City Councilman Ricky Herrera found out last night that life is not easy when everyone treats you like an `airhead,' and Reeves County Judge Jimmy Galindo discovered that people can be cruel when you're `insecure.' Herrera and Galindo were participants, two of many civic leaders, in last night's University of Texas, Permian Basin, John Ben Shepperd's facilitators training class for the up-coming day-long public leadership forum to be held in Pecos for Reeves County youth. According to Geneva Martinez, city secretary and Pecos Youth Advisory Commission coordinator, each civic leader -voted in by YAC to serve as facilitators for the leadership class -was given a label to wear on his or her forehead. The class leaders were given a fictional $10,000, and told to decide what to do with the money to leave the best legacy. Each participant was told to treat everyone the way they were labeled. "We all had fun," said Martinez, "The kids will really enjoy this." Other labels that people often act on included `nerd,' `class clown,' `Mr. Perfect,' `expert,' `leader,' `new kid in town,' and `wallflower.' Martinez said that this and other exercises would give youth participants first hand experience on how it feels to be labeled and judged by your peers. The facilitators will help to guide the youth through the games and discussions at the up-coming forum. Students from Pecos and surrounding communities will be preparing for their future at the day-long John Ben Sheppard Public Leadership Student Forum on Saturday, March 28, at the new gym of Pecos High School. Topics will include goal setting, communications, leadership and a special presentation by Straightway International, a youth suicide and drug-abuse prevention team. Any student from seventh to the 12th grade may participate in the forum by contacting any Pecos Youth Advisory Commission member or by calling Martinez at (915) 445-2421. Lunch and snacks will be provided to all free of charge. Speakers and panelists include: Mayor Dot Stafford, Councilman Gerald Tellez and his wife Olga Tellez, Councilman Ricky Herrera, Councilman Johnny Terrazas, City Manager Kenneth Neal, Chief of Police Clay McKinney, County Judge Jimmy Galindo, Lamar Middle School Principal Robert Hernandez, Anna Marie Hernandez, Jacklyn Mandujano and Juan Dominguez. Rebates indicate area economy improvingBy RICK L. SMITH Staff Writer PECOS, March 19, 1998 - Economic conditions in Reeves County are on the up swing, if sales tax rebates from the state to Pecos, Balmorhea and the Reeves County Hospital District are an indication. Total sales tax rebates to Pecos for the year-to-date have increased by almost 14 percent from this time last year. Sales tax rebates on January sales delivered to Pecos this month increased almost 10 percent from the same period last year, growing from $52,797 last year to $57,990 this month. Balmorhea experienced the most dramatic percentage increase for the month, more than 226 percent, with $1,421 in sales tax revenues this month compared to $435 for March 1997. Total sales tax rebates for the year to Balmorhea have increased more than 67 percent from this time last year.
Sharp delivered monthly sales tax rebates totaling $147.8
The state's eight transit systems shared $216.1 million,
Zion Ministries offers helping handBy CARA ALLIGOOD Staff writer PECOS, March 19, 1998 - Elder Billy R. Woodard of Zion Ministries read a story in the Pecos Enterprise last week that caught his attention and a young man with leukemia may come home from the hospital today because Woodard decided to get involved. "We want to do something to make a difference in the Pecos community," said Woodard. "When I read the story in the paper last Thursday, it was like a cry for help from the people who are falling through the cracks and we wanted to help." Woodard was talking about a story in last Thursday's paper that discussed people in the community who have life-threatening illnesses but can't afford the medication they need and don't qualify for any program that will supply the drugs for them. Woodard said that Zion Ministries has already held fund raisers and through funds generated by them, as well as personal tithes and free will offerings, will support a program he has set up between the hospital, the ministry and a local pharmacy. Woodard said that before reading the story, he hadn't been aware that there were so many people with a need for medication in the community. He said that he was moved after reading the story and decided to see what he could do about the problem. Woodard went to Reeves County Hospital and talked to Becky Dominguez, who is the hospital's indigent care program director. While at the hospital, Woodard saw "a whole stack of applications that were pending or had been rejected." That was when he realized just how many local people are in the same situation. Woodard was told about a 22-year-old Saragosa man who is being treated for leukemia and is being held in the hospital in Odessa to make sure that he would receive his medication. The young man's medication would cost $143 per month, and his family did not know how they would shoulder the expense. Dominguez put Woodard in touch with the Texas Oncology Center in Odessa, he said, and he made a deal with them. Zion Ministries will be able to purchase an eight month supply of the young man's medication for $204, Woodard said triumphantly. "Hopefully, that will put him in remission," Woodard said. The young man can come home as soon as the West Texas Cancer Center receives the money and approves his medications, which may happen today, according to Woodard. Woodard said that Zion Ministries has an account set up with the Wal-Mart pharmacy. The hospital will refer patients who need medication to the ministry, and when they approve someone for aid, they will call the pharmacy. The pharmacy will fill the prescription and bill the ministry each month, Woodard said. Although Woodard enjoys ministering in the church, he said that he really wanted to "get out in the streets" and make a difference in peoples' lives. Now he has that opportunity, and is jubilant about his chance to help people in need. ObituaryJ.L. LovelaceJ.L. Lovelace, 84, died Wednesday, March 18, 1998, at his residence in Pecos. Services are scheduled for 10 a.m., Friday, March 20, 1998, at Pecos Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Billy Foster officiating. Burial will be in Mount Evergreen Cemetery. Lovelace was born April 21, 1913, in Mercury, Tx. He had lived in Pecos since 1953, was a retired grocery man, a farmer and a Baptist. Survivors include: his wife, Opal Lovelace of Pecos; one brother, Bob Lovelace of Lubbock; one sister, Opal Brooks of Roswell, N.M.; and three grandchildren. Pecos Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. WEATHERPECOS, March 19, 1998 - High Wednesday, 79, low this morning, 44. Hurricane-force winds generated by a fast-moving thunderstorm caused power outages and extensive damage at Sherman in North Texas early today. About 2,000 homes were left without power at Sherman in the wake of a storm that generated winds of 75 mph. Some residents said they saw a funnel cloud, but police spokesman David Woods said the damage resulted from straight-line winds. Strong thunderstorms also moved through the Dallas-Fort Worth area shortly after midnight. Hail was reported in the Dallas suburb of Duncanville and hail nearly 2 inches in diameter pelted Mexia in Limestone County early today. An upper level storm system was moving slowly eastward across the Panhandle before dawn. It will become fair tonight across West Texas and mostly sunny on Friday although it will be very cold tonight. Lows tonight will be in the 20s and 30s in West Texas, highs Friday will be in the 50s and 60s.
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.
|