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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas

Top Stories

Monday, June 29, 1998

Dominguez wins Golden Girl title

Golden Girl Erin Dominguez
Little Miss Cantaloupe Kiara Gutierrez

By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
Wooing the audience with her rendition of "Let's Go To
Vegas," a popular country-western song by Faith Hill,
17-year-old Erin Joslyn Dominguez, took the stage and the
title of Golden Girl of the Old West Friday evening.

Dominguez was crowned amidst a flurry of cheers at the end
of the Golden Girl/Little Miss Cantaloupe Pageant.

Kiara Rae Gutierrez, 6-year-old, daughter of Hector and
Leticia Gutierrez was named Little Miss Cantaloupe-1998.

The new "Golden Girl" is the daughter of Tiburcio and
Suzanne Dominguez. Her sponsor is Anchor West. She was a
member of the Pecos High School student council, Eagle band,
and UIL Science team her freshman year. Her sophomore year
she was a member of Mu Alpha Theta, has been a member of the
tennis team, and the PHS Latin club all three years of high
school.

Miss Dominguez was the Junior Duchess for Homecoming and
served as PHS Latin club vice president.

She is a member of the Varsity Eagle Cheerleading team.
After graduation she plans to attend college and study
engineering.

As Golden Girl she will represent Pecos in many activities
throughout the year.

Runner-up for the event was 17-year-old Jennifer Martinez,
daughter of Rudy and Irma Martinez.

Miss Martinez is sponsored by Winkles Trucks, Inc. and
Martinez Funeral Home. She is a member of the PHS swim team,
PHS Mu Alpha Theta, PHS Student Council and the PHS Spanish
Club. She is also the Junior Class Representative.

The Golden Girl runner-up received a standing ovation for
her portrayal of the Christian song, "On My Knees," made
popular by Christian artist, Jackie Velasquez.

She states that she wants to attend Oral Roberts University
in Tulsa, Okla., following graduation, "to enhance her
awareness of God." She also plans to pursue a career in
physical therapy or in dental health.

The girls showed off their western wear and were also on
stage in the 1890's ball gowns.

During the "Little girls say the cutest things," portion of
the Little Miss Cantaloupe program, little Kiara took the
microphone from Master of Ceremonies Johnny Terrazas and
told those in attendance that she loved her parents and
wanted to thank them for everything, because they were so
nice to her and bought her everything.

"What do your parents buy you?" asked Terrazas.

"A bed," said Kiara.

"Wow, I'm going to go stay with you," said Terrazas.

"Okay, but you have to sleep on the floor," said the new
Little Miss Cantaloupe, who was sponsored by the Gutierrez
family.

Five-year-old Allison Lea Mendoza was named runner-up. She
is sponsored by West Texas Financial/Desert Rental and is
the daughter of Harvey and Isa Stamper.

Allison told the audience that she wanted to tell her
parents to buy her the Spice Girls video.

"What do you like to play at school?" Terrazas asked her.

"I play with my friends and we play the Spice girls," said
Mendoza.

So watch out Spice Girls, they may have a new member before
long.

The littlest contestants also entertained the audience with
their dancing talents. The group performed to "I'm From the
Country."

All the girls had a chance to speak out during the "Little
Girls Say the Cutest Things," part of their interview.

Special entertainment was provided by Mark Anthony.

Other Golden Girl nominees and their talent presentations
included, April Ryan, who played the flute from a song in
the movie, "Titanic,"; Linsey Hathorn, sang the
country-western song, "Bye Bye,"; Amy Armstrong played the
flute and the song, "The Yellow Rose of Texas,"; Myra
Fuentes, played a song from the movie, "Top Gun," on her
clarinet; Alva Alvarez did a sign interpretation/ballet
dance to a song from the movie, "Titanic," and Valerie Shaye
Lara played a medley of songs on the piano from the movie,
"Grease."

April Ryan netted the 1998 Miss Congeniality and Advertising
Scholarships.

County bars fireworks on limited basis


By GREG HARMAN
Staff Writer
Reeves County's burn ban may not cover aerial rockets like
near-hydrant-sized "Desert Storm," a gigantic cylinder which
spurts fiery balls into the air, but don't get caught with
any bottle rockets this fourth or you may get slapped with
fine as high as $500.

Due to extremely dry conditions throughout the state, most
Texas counties have enacted fireworks bans that either
restrict or outlaw the colorful devices this holiday season.

As a brief conversation with any fireworks salesperson with
reveal, the ban in Reeves County is a fairly limited one. As
one salesman from New Mexico put it: "No sticks or fins."
That means no bottle rockets (sticks) or rockets with fins.

"They (fireworks dealer Texas Giant) sent Roman candles,"
said local schoolteacher and July Fourth merchant Cecil
Stickels, "that can shoot into the air and shower, but the
sparks won't hit the ground unless one malfunctions."

Fireworks like those and the `Desert Storm' are designed to
fizzle to just cool smoke before meeting the dry brush below.

Just in case of rain, bottle rockets, which were sent down
with the bulk of the other celebratory rockets, are stored
in a nearby shed. "They said to leave them in the box," said
Stickels, referring to Texas Giant officials "so we won't be
tempted to sell them and people don't see them."

If any of the dealers' businesses has been hurt by the ban
(two of three contacted said it had no noticeable effect)
the slack, Stickels said, had been taken up by travelers
from out of state. Residents from California, Arizona and
Oregon, have stopped in on Stickels to buy merchandise they
say they can't get back home.

"Mostly folks have been buying stuff for their kids - little
stuff," said Stickels. Assortment bags, filled with mildly
entertaining, rolling tanks, sparklers and smoke bombs
provide mild entertainment, are selling for $5.

For the enthusiast, there is always the "Desert Storm" and
its like. "This is the closet thing we can sell without
being supervised by a pyrotechnic," said Stickels.

She warned Pecosites not to try buying from any of these
local stands unless you are over 12 years of age. Selling to
anyone younger than that violates state law.

Also, shooting fireworks within city limits is illegal, said
Police Chief Clay McKinney. Those who want to celebrate the
Fourth of July by setting off jumping jacks, firecrackers,
or even the massive "Desert Storm," must do so outside of
city limits.

School districts facing cutbacks


LUBBOCK (AP) -- West Texas school officials are having to
take a long, hard look at their budgets for the coming
school year because of the oil slump.

But they say job cuts are not in the immediate future.

Although jobs are still intact, Levelland Independent School
District said they will be slimming budgets for the next
school year in several counties.

``At this point we're not cutting staff, but if the staff
resigns we look very hard at whether we should replace
them,'' said Ed Marshall, director of personnel services for
Levelland Independent School District.

Oil prices have dropped between $8 and $10 a barrel and
mineral values have soared by as much as 14 percent in some
areas.

``We're praying that it doesn't continue for another year,''
Marshall told the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.

Levelland officials in Hockley County are projecting
lowering budgets to $1.5 million from this year's $16
million.

``It's much more than (cutting back on) utilities,''
Marshall said. ``We're looking at all options. Basically,
we're trying to absorb as many things as we can and find
ways to cut back.''

Denver City district is planning a 14 percent decrease in
their budget, about $2 million down from this year, said
Bill Gravitt, the district's finance manager

The shortages might cause fewer teachers, and fewer students
because of job losses in the oil fields by the 1999-2000
school year, Gravitt said.

``We might even have to go as far as to close one campus and
consolidate one of the facilities,'' Gravitt said.

Reduced work forces in Yoakum County's oil fields have
already caused a drop about 600 students since 1991.

``If the oil prices go up in August, if they'd stay up there
around $17, $18 $19, $20 a barrel, everything would be all
right,'' he said. ``But the chances of that happening right
now, to me, are not very good. I think they'll go up some,
but I don't think they'll get up there around $20.''

A&M looks to straighten out problem


By JOHN MacCORMACK
San Antonio Express-News
SAN ANTONIO -- About to chain-saw that huge old nuisance
mesquite?

Well, hold off adding to the woodpile and think about adding
to your billfold.

The wild and crazy folks at Texas A&M-Kingsville have good
money waiting for owners of the Arnold Schwarzenegger of
Texas mesquite trees.

``''We are having a contest to find the tallest, straightest
mesquite trees to put into a genetic improvement program,''
said Peter Felker, head of the university's Center for
Semi-Arid Forest Resources.

Felker said $100 will be given for the best tree in a
managed landscape and $100 for the best tree from the range.
The winners also will be publicly recognized at the fall
mesquite convention in Corpus Christi.

The long-term goal is to establish, through selective
breeding, trees that yield straight, long boards at the
sawmill.

Mesquite is a dense, beautiful wood, suitable for tabletops
and veneers; but most trunks harvested now are too small or
twisted to be used for flooring or furniture.

''The point is, we want to collect seeds from about 50
parent trees, and we'll plant 20 trees from each of them and
evaluate them for seven to eight years. Then we'll cull
about 95 percent and use the rest,'' Felker said.

''The shape and height of a tree are controlled by
genetics, like a human's eye or hair color. If we use seeds
from only the tallest, straightest trees, their seeds will
produce tall, straight trees,'' he said.

Felker said there is ample evidence that Schwarzenegger-type
mesquites were more common than the gnarly version that
covers 20 million acres of Texas.

``''In Mexico, all the mission and church doors are built
from mesquite. You can go to some places and find stumps
there 3 feet in diameter. You can still find stumps like
that in the Rio Grande Valley,'' he said.

``''With all the bulldozing and root-plowing, I'm afraid
we've lost much of the genetic diversity,'' he said.

The contest rules are:

All entries must be mailed by July 31 to Peter Felker, Texas
A&M-Kingsville, Campus Box 218, Kingsville 78363.

Each entry must contain a photo of the tree showing an
8-foot, two-by-four next to the tree. Each applicant must be
willing to provide 20 viable seed pods and must say if the
tree is cared for or is from the wild.

The winning tree will have the longest straight trunk that
at no point curves more than 8 inches from the 8-foot,
two-by-four board.

For questions about the contest, call Felker at (512)
593-3966.

POLICE REPORT


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.
***
The Department of Public Safety investigate a one vehicle
rollover at 11:08 a.m., on Sunday, June 21, near mile marker
49 on Interstate 20, sent two people to Reeves County
Hospital. The two people, whose names were unavailable, were
treated and released.
***
The Department of Public Safety was called out Wednesday
afternoon to investigate a one vehicle rollover which sent
five people to Reeves County Hospital. The accident was
reported at 4:31, Wednesday, and took place on Interstate 20
near mile marker 24, just east of Toyah. All five people in
the vehicle were transported to Reeves County Hospital,
where they were treated and released. Names of the five were
not available this morning.
***
Ruben Martinez, 18, was arrested at 3:59 a.m., on June 23,
at 420 Mulberry Street, for assault under the Family
Violence Act. He was transported to Reeves County Jail.
***
Kristopher Granado was arrested at 12:34 a.m., on June
25, in the 600 block of Park Street, on DPS warrants. He
paid the fine and was released.
***
Larry Mosby, 36, and Dana Banister, 24, were arrested at
8:56 p.m., on June 26, at the corner of Lincoln and Cedar
streets. Mosby was arrested on a warrant for a theft
probation violation; Banister was arrested on a warrant for
failure to appear in court after committing a theft. They
were transported to Reeves County Jail.
***
Grace Ornelas, 26, was arrested at 8:12 a.m., on June 27, in
the 600 block of Peach Street, on three warrants-one for
theft, one for violation of a promise to appear in court,
and one Capias Pro Fine warrant. She was transported to
Reeves County Jail.
***
Jose Mendoza, 43, was arrested at 1 p.m., on June 27, at
2344 Limpia Road, on a warrant for criminal trespass. He was
transported to Reeves County Jail.
***
Sotero Navarette, 53, was arrested at 8:04 p.m., on June 27,
at 801 Hickory Street, for public intoxication. He was
transported to Reeves County Jail.
***
Edward Sanchez, 26, was arrested at 10:18 p.m., on June 28,
at Sonic Drive-Inn in the 500 block of West Third Street, on
a warrant for making alcohol available to a minor. He was
transported to Reeves County Jail.
***
Emilio Acosta Jr., 17, was arrested at 12:54 a.m., on June
29, at the corner of Ash and `B' streets, on warrants for a
probation violation by failing to appear in court and
driving without a license. He was transported to Reeves
County Jail.

WEATHER


High Sunday 111. Low this morning 78. Forecast for tonight:
Isolated evening thunderstorms over the mountains, Big Bend
and Edwards Plateau areas. Otherwise, mostly clear. Low
around 75. Southeast wind 10-15 mph. Tuesday, partly cloudy
and hot. High 100 105. South to southeast wind 10-20 mph.



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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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