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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas

Top Stories

April 23, 1998


Gang, drug-related problems increasing


By GREG HARMAN
Staff Writer
PECOS, April 23, 1998 - Gang and drug-related problems
continue to plague local teens, Chief Juvenile Officer
Alberto Alvarez told the Pecos City Council this morning.
The number of delinquent referrals have increased
tremendously, he said, especially among young women.

"What we are seeing in common is that these young people are
getting little to no supervision in the home," said Alvarez.

One major problem was "ranking," he said. "Ranking" is a
process where prospective gang members choose to undergo
severe beatings by several gang members to be initiated as a
member. Alvarez cited two recent instances where the
prospective member had to be treated by a doctor after the
initiation.

To gain permission to leave the gang the member must endure
an even more severe "ranking" by fellow members. Alvarez
said he knew of teens who wanted out of their gangs but were
afraid to go through this final "ranking" procedure.

Of the youth being sent to the detention facility, about 98
percent are testing positive for drug use -cocaine and
marijuana being the most prevalent -with users recently
being found among fifth and six graders, said Alvarez.

Council member Danny Rodriguez offered that the city had
$10,000 set aside for a juvenile enforcement officer and
that maybe the county or sheriff's department would match
the sum to bring in an officer to focus on these problems.

Alvarez said that County Court-at-law Judge Lee Green and
himself have long maintained that a juvenile law enforcement
officer is critical for Pecos, especially when the Pecos
Police Department in getting "bogged down" with juvenile
cases.

Clay McKinney, Pecos Chief of Police, citing a recent
meeting concerning delinquent youth that was attended by
Reeves County Judge Jimmy Galindo, Pecos High School
Principal Danny Rodriguez, Reeves County Sheriff Andy Gomez,
Alvarez and himself, said he felt that hiring a juvenile
officer was a great idea.

Gangs, he said, are a sign of the times. "It's not just here
but everywhere."

Councilman Randy Graham said that the issue should be put on
the agenda quickly.

Alvarez said there is plenty of grant money available in the
state for gang suppression initiatives and that, as far as
he knew, Pecos had never applied for any of them.

"We've had to focus on these water improvements," said Mayor
Dot Stafford.

Rodriguez recommended bringing El Paso Court-at-law Judge
Saldivar, recognized nationally for work he has done in gang
suppression, to Pecos for a day-long workshop to be open to
the public.

The council voted to put the issue on its next agenda to
consider the matter at the March 14 meeting

There are currently about 30 juveniles under supervision in
Pecos, said Alvarez, with 13 cases pending.

The council had planned to discuss with members of Duncan
Disposal the additional fees being charged by the company
for the disposal of animal carcasses at the landfill.
However, no representative was present at the meeting.

"They are using some of our facilities without
compensation," said Health Department Director Armando Gil,
"Maybe we can work out a deal."

No action was taken on this item.

The council approved a lease agreement with Nelson Aero, a
kit airplane producer that may employ upwards of 10 people.
City Manager Kenneth Neal pointed out that the company's
owner, Bud Nelson, was serious about the proposal and had
already bought a house in Pecos.

According to the lease the city agrees to fix up the office
and hanger, located at Pecos Municipal Airport, to the
tenant's satisfaction. Neal estimated it would take about
$1,700 to make the neccessary repairs.

Before going into airplane kit production, Nelson had been a
chief engineer at Boeing in Seattle, Wash., said Neal.

The council accepted an agreement with Raba-Kistner
Consultants Inc., for the closure of city landfill Trench
One, Area B, for a proposed total fee of $39,765.

The city will continue to send out informative notices on
municipal activities with Pecos residents' water bills, but
also approved this morning posting the city information and
events on cable television channel six. Neal was put in
charge of the channel news. As one council member said,
"He's the guy who runs the city."

The council approved the monthly municipal court report,
which showed the total court fees and fines collected listed
at $11,970.50. Tax collections for the city was approved
with March collections listed at $32,474.90 and outstanding
balance of $963,965.72.

The city's accounts payable was also approved at $192,275.66.

In closed session, the council approved Raymond Ortiz Jr. as
a Police Reserve Officer, a voluntary position that receives
no salary.

Also, both Gil and Water Superintendent Octavio Garcia
received a 1.5 percent raise.

According to City Secretary Geneva Martinez, municipal
employees will now be evaluated every six months instead of
every year.

Therapeutic riding center planned


By CARA ALLIGOOD
Staff Writer
PECOS, April 23, 1998 - A resident of southern Reeves County
was in Pecos Wednesday morning volunteering to cook lunch
for children at the Pecos Learning Center while she is on a
break from her studies at Southeastern Louisiana University,
where she is working on a masters degree in education.

Kate Vigneron was born in Louisiana and spent 29 years
living in and around Paris, France with her husband,
Jean-Maurice. She also operated the Greasewood Cafe in
Balmorhea and still owns the building, she said, although it
is now leased to another couple. Vigneron also owns the
4,000 acre Madera Hills Ranch near Toyahvale.

She is currently completing a M.Ed degree and plans to
graduate in December. She then plans to become a certified
therapeutic riding instructor and open a therapeutic riding
center on her ranch, where people with various handicaps
will be able to come for horse-riding therapy.

Vigneron plans to receive her therapeutic riding instructor
certification from the North American Handicapped Riding
Association (NAHRA). While beginning the riding center, she
also plans to work under a supervisor to obtain her license
as a mental health counselor. To acquire the counselor
license will take a minimum of two years and 3,000 hours of
on-hand counseling under her supervisor's watchful eye, she
said.

The therapeutic riding center will be non-profit, Vigneron
said, so she will be looking for volunteers when the time
comes to open it. Her goal is to help physically and
mentally challenged children and adults.

Vigneron plans to create a comprehensive presentation that
she will take to schools and hospitals to explain her
therapeutic riding program, she said.

The center will offer day programs so the participants will
not have to stay at the ranch for an extended period of time.

"Since it is a non-profit organization, I plan to have
cookouts and trail rides to raise funds. The money will go
into a kitty to keep the program going," Vigneron said.

Vigneron said she began this path in her life when her own
health was poor in 1985. From her own search for wellness
came her education and interest in this field, and a desire
"to give it all back."

Country club to repair pool


PECOS, April 23, 1998 - A number of improvements are
underway at the Pecos Valley Country Club, mostly in the
swimming pool area, stockholders were told at their annual
meeting Tuesday night.

There was a large crowd on hand for the meeting.

Bill Oglesby was elected president, succeeding Ken Winkles
Jr., who had served for two years in that office. Other
officers elected were Starkey Warren, vice president, and
Marina Weinacht, secretary.

New board members are Terry Burkholder, Mike Murphy and
Louise Cassell. Outgoing board members are Winkles, Ray Owen
and Leslie McNeil. Holdover directors are Cindy Duke, Becky
Spencer and Ronnie Daniel.

The board has voted to assess members $150 to be paid at
once or over a three month period to do $10,000 work on the
pool, pay $11,000 to retire debt and have $3,000 to $4,000
for cash flow.

Changes in the pool area included reworking plumbing for the
pool and changing the set-up for the snack bar area. A
number of other changes are also being made. A number of
maintenance problems at the pool are also being dealt with.

New members for the club are also being sought.

Marybell Estrello took over as manager of the club Jan. 1.

POLICE REPORT


PECOS, April 23, 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.

If police are unable to fully identify a person who is
arrested, the incomplete information will not be published.

***

Sammy Valeriano, 26, 2401 Cactus, was arrested at 7:30 p.m.
April 8 for assault under the family violence act.

***

Javier Castillo Navarette, 18, 115 W. 10th, was arrested at
8:20 a.m. April 14 on a grand jury indictment.

***

On April 18, all four tires on a vehicle belonging to a
Balmorhea man were punctured. Damage was estimated at $232.

***

Between 10 p.m. April 14 and 11 a.m. April 15, a Motorola
cellular phone was stolen from inside a 1998 Dodge vehicle.

***

At around 4:30 a.m. April 19, the rear window of a 1983
Chevrolet was broken with an unknown object.

***

On April 16, $40.31 worth of gas was stolen by the driver of
a Ryder truck in a drive-off from the I-10 Fina station in
Balmorhea.

***

Gloria Menchaca, 20, 901 Locust, was arrested April 20 on an
outstanding warrant for assault.

***

Criminal damage was done to a car in Balmorhea between 3 and
8 a.m. April 19. The hood, driver's side door and back panel
had been spray painted.

***

Richard Haggard, 33, CO, was arrested at 1:42 p.m. April 20
for assault causing bodily injury.

***

Diesel fuel worth $339 was stolen from Cravey Brothers Inc.
at a job site about five miles north of Orla sometime prior
to April 21.

***

Steven Pineda, 31, Tra Park #53, was arrested April 21 on a
warrant for assault.

***

A Murray 10-speed bicycle was stolen from a residence in the
1100 block of S. Pecan between midnight and 12:25 p.m. April
18.

***

Maria Guadalupe Valenzuela, 33, Ft. Stockton, was arrested
at 11:15 a.m. April 18 at Gibson's for theft over $50 and on
a warrant for forgery.

***

The rear window of a 1993 Pontiac Grand Am was broken with a
beer bottle between 3 and 4 a.m. April 19 at a residence in
the 2000 block of S. Park St.

***

Jose Gomez, 1027 Martinez St., was arrested at 5:40 p.m.
April 15 at Wal-Mart for criminal trespass.

***

Ariel Lopez Guerrero, 1002 S. Elm St., was arrested at 10:51
p.m. April 16 at 4th and Cedar for driving under the
influence of alcohol.

***

Benjamin V. Valeriano, Jr., 2327 Cactus St., was arrested at
10:51 p.m. April 16 at 4th and Cedar for minor in possession
of alcohol.

***

Juan Reynaldo Parada, 1401 W. 5th St., was arrested at 10:51
p.m. April 16 at 4th and Cedar for minor in possession of
alcohol.

***

Victor Samuel Romo, Jr., 2327 Cactus St., was arrested at
10:51 p.m. April 16 for minor in possession of alcohol.

***

Ismael Menchaca, 1110 S. Orange St., was arrested at 10:26
p.m. April on a warrant for harassment.

***

Sonia Sanchez Olivas, 1110 S. Orange St., was arrested at
10:16 p.m. April 16 on warrant service.

***

David M. Florez, Odessa, was arrested April 18 on a warrant
service.

***

Jose Luis Rodriguez, 112 N. Pecan St., was arrested at 11:58
p.m. in the 100 block of N. Walnut for public intoxication.

CRIME OF THE WEEK


PECOS, April 23, 1998 - Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000
in reward for information leading to the arrest and Grand
Jury indictment of person(s) responsible for the incident
described below. Anyone having any information on this crime
or any other crime including narcotics can call "Crime
Stoppers" at 445-9898 and you will remain anonymous.

On March 31, 1997, a Wal-Mart official advised local law
enforcement authorities that during the Easter holiday,
while the store was closed, a person or persons had taken
several trees and a bail of peat moss from the garden area
in front of the store. It was reported that an orange pickup
was seen in the area loading items up.

Obituary

April 23, 1998


Frederick Stewart


Frederick C. Stewart, 81, of Roswell, N.M., died Monday,
April 20, 1998, at Eastern New Mexico Medical Center.

Services are scheduled for 10 a.m., Friday, April 24, at St.
Andrew's Episcopal Church with Father Bob Williams
officiating. Burial will be at 3 p.m., in Forest Lawn
Cemetery in Ruidoso N.M. with Father John Penn officiating.

Stewart was born Dec. 8, 1916, in Canyon, Tx. He lived in
various West Texas towns, graduated as valedictorian from
Vernon High School in Vernon and graduated from Southwestern
University in 1960, where he was salutatorian of his college
class. He attended the University of Texas Law School and
went into the U.S. Army where he served in World War II as a
Captain in the Headquarters Speical Troops of the 3rd and
4th Infantry. Later, he served as Major and aide to the
Commanding General.

After the war, Stewart worked in Pecos, as Supervisor of the
West Texas Region of Sweetwater Cotton Oil Company. He ws
president of the Pecos Valley Country Club, the Pecos Rotary
Club and a member of St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Pecos.

Survivors include his wife, Betsy Stewart of Ruidoso, N.M.;
one son, George Sessions Morrison, Jr. of Alamogordo, N.M.;
one daughter, Carol Weicker of San Rafael, Calif.; seven
grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

WEATHER


PECOS, April 23, 1998 - High Wednesday, 83, low this
morning, 45. More sunshine and warm temperatures are in
store for Texas today. West Texans enjoyed a clear morning,
thanks to a continuing high pressure system. Temperatures at
5 a.m. were in the 40s and 50s. Winds ranged from 5 to 15
mph. This afternoon should be sunny and hot, with high
temperatures ranging from the 70s to the 90s. Lows should
dip into the 40s tonight.



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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