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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Top Stories
Monday, May 11, 1998
Parents, officials discuss `girl gang' problem
By GREG HARMAN
Staff Writer
When Louis Matta discovered that his daughter had been
beaten up by several of her female peers, it wasn't a unique
or an isolated incident. Neither was his anger and desire
for revenge after seeing his daughters' bruised face.
Several violent encounters, many of them occurring in and
around Pecos High School, and more often involving young
women, have prompted local parents to seek ways to protect
their children from increasingly violent behavior.
Area parents, teenagers and civic officials gathered on
Friday evening in the 143rd District Courtroom at Reeves
County Courthouse to discuss the current situation, share
concerns and begin to fashion a program directed at ending
what is now considered by most a gang-related problem.
Matta, a former Pecos-Barstow-Toyah school board member who
was voted back onto the board earlier this month, who led
the meeting of nearly 50 local parents. He said said before
his daughter, an eighth grader at Crockett Middle School,
was beaten up he had noticed how violent her and her friends
were starting to act. "It was shocking to me."
But it wasn't until after the violence reached his daughter
directly that Matta decided to do something. Instead of
acting on his immediate rage, Matta said he began to visit
with other parents and see if any of them had noticed
similar types of behavior.
"There were a number who were experiencing exactly what I
was experiencing," said Matta. "And they were all feeling
defeated."
That sense of defeat began to ease for many families as
these common worries were given voice at Friday's meeting.
With local leaders, including Sheriff Andy Gomez, Police
Chief Clay McKinney, Mayor Dot Stafford among others, seated
at the front of the room, Matta advised parents, "It's we,
not them," referring to the city officials in attendance,
"that maybe aren't providing enough."
Gangs, Malta continued, apparently offered a better life for
teenagers "than we adults can offer them. It's worth a
beating (to join)."
Hilda Woods has been assigned by Reeves County Sheriff Andy
Gomez as special juvenile enforcement officer. Woods, who
sat on the meeting's panel, said "This is not a law
enforcement problem. It is not a city problem. It is not a
school or county problem -- it's a community problem. If we
don't grab hold of these problems they are going to get
worse."
Woods said that her first action at her new post will be
identifying definite gang members in Pecos and compiling a
list of names, and also monitoring more closely those on
probation.
The group decided to meet again at 7 p.m. this Friday in the
Pecos High School cafeteria. Each parent attending the
meeting was asked to bring two other families. All current
gang members who want to get out without gang reprisal are
invited to attend the meeting.
Matta closed the meeting saying, "The last thing we need to
hear in this town is that nothing can be done."
Councilman Ricky Herrera said that it was time to support a
program for parents. "The city is ready and prepared to work
on this problem."
Pageant field models clothes at style show
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
Eight lovely high school juniors modeled the latest fashions
and were introduced to the community as Golden Girl
nominees, along with younger models who will be vying for
Little Miss Cantaloupe title, at the Annual Style Show held
at the Pecos Valley Country Club.
The winners of both events will be announced at the Golden
Girl/Little Miss Cantaloupe Pageant set for Friday, June 26.
Golden Girl nominees include Alva Alvarez, Amy Armstrong,
Erin Dominguez, Myra Fuentes, Linsey Hathorn, Valerie Shaye
Lara, Jennifer Martinez and April Ryan.
Little Miss Cantaloupe contestants are Arianna Skye
Alligood, Lyndsay Michelle Chowning, Sarah Elizabeth Cross,
Alexa Nicole Estrella, April Herrera, Amber Dawn Hull,
Andrielle Martinez, Allison Lea Mendoza, Amanda Nicole
Renteria, Kiara Rae Reyna and Anastazia Leeann Winkles.
Fashions and door prizes were sponsored by Beall's, City
Cleaners, Desiree's, Gilda's Shear Talent, La Nortena
Tortilla Factory, Needleworks, Norma Jeans, Pecos Emporium,
Security State Bank, The Style Shop, West of the Pecos
Museum and Western Package.
Emcee for the event was Steve Cross and entertainment was
provided by Mark Alvarez.
Style Show committee members decorated the club in a western
theme. Brenda McKinney was chairman for the event, and was
assisted by Suan Cross, Jeanette Smallwood, Brandy Owen, Deb
Armstrong, Randa Thorp, Barbara Castillo, Florine Lam,
Patricia Abila and Linda Jones.
Chairman for the Golden Girl event will be Jeanette
Smallwood and Suan Cross as co-chairman.
Little Miss Cantaloupe Chairman is Brandy Owen and Deb
Armstrong will be helping her out with the younger
contestants.
Models for the style also included 1997 Golden Girl Gail
Taylor. 1997 Golden Girl runner-up Stefanie Pharaoh, 1997
Little Miss Cantaloupe Jordan McNeil and 1997 Little Miss
Cantaloupe runner-up Krisin Ikeler.
Other models were Conner Armstrong, Heath Armstrong, Talia
Castillo, Kylie Owen, Justin Owen, Tye Edwards, Johnny
Terrazas, Shanna Tredaway, Sarah McKinney, Jessica Lam,
Steve Cross and Breann Windham.
Suspected cocaine found, no arrest made
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
A search warrant was executed on a house on the west side of
Pecos Friday morning, and a trace of "suspected" cocaine was
found.
The search of the home, in the 1900 block of Jackson
Boulevard, was a combined effort by the Reeves County Drug
Task Force and the Permian Basin Drug Task Force.
"A substance believed to be cocaine was found inside the
home and will be sent to the laboratory to be tested," said
Town of Pecos City Police Chief Clay McKinney.
No arrests were made following the raid, which took place at
8:30 a.m., and the case is still under investigation.
"We found what was believed to be a `trace' of cocaine,"
said McKinney. However, he added the substance will be sent
to the Department of Public Safety laboratory to be analyzed.
"We'll need to get an analysis from them, to make sure it is
cocaine," the police chief added.
McKinney stated that the department likes to get
confirmation from the DPS lab before making any arrests.
OBITUARY
Booker Fobbs
Booker T. Fobbs, 35, of Pecos, died Friday, May 8, 1998 at
his residence.
Services are scheduled for 2 p.m., Monday, May 11, at Pecos
Funeral Home Chapel with Reverend Billy R. Woodard
officiating. Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery.
He was born Nov. 30, 1962, in Pecos, was a roughneck for
C.B.I. Inc. and was a Baptist.
Survivors include his parents, James and Ella Mae Henderson
of Pecos; his grandmother, Hattie Smith of Pecos; one son,
Booker T. Fobbs, Jr. of Pecos; three daughters, Philonicus,
Clarrisa and Cassandra Fobbs of Pecos; two brothers,
Nathaniel Fobbs of Pecos, John Davis of Pecos and one
sister, Pamela Henderson of Pecos.
Pecos Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
WEATHER
High Sunday 96. Low this morning 58. Forecast for tonight:
Clear with lows in the 50s and 60s in West Texas. Tuesday:
mostly sunny, highs in the 80s and 90s except in the Big
Bend area of Southwest Texas where afternoon temperatures
will climb to near 105.
Pecos Enterprise
Mac McKinnon, Publisher
Division of Buckner News Alliance, Inc.
324 S. Cedar St., Pecos, TX 79772
Phone 915-445-5475, FAX 915-445-4321
e-mail news@pecos.net
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.
Copyright 1998 by Pecos Enterprise
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Pecos Enterprise