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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas

Top Stories

Friday, July 10, 1998

Schools open search for band directors


By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
Finding new high school and middle school band directors is
something Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD Superintendent Don Love is
diligently working on, school board members were told
Thursday, after the current band directors submitted their
resignations.

"This is something we will be working really hard to
obtain," said Love. "We want to hire someone that will be
good for the students."

The effort began following the resignation of band director
Steven Clary and middle school band directors Richard Felts
and Mark Scott, and board members approved a both contract
and salaries for the positions during their regular monthly
meeting.

Board members agreed to contracts for the positions with a
salary set at state base or local base. They will also
include a stipend or increment with a minimum of $6,000 and
maximum of $8,000 for the head band director's position. A
contract for middle school band directors will have a
stipend of $3,600.

"In addition we will add that the duties include that they
have the band at the Fourth of July (West of the Pecos
Rodeo) Parade," said Love.

During the audience portion of the meeting, one teacher
stood up and voiced her opinion on the matter. "I was
shocked to find out that the band directors had resigned and
I'm just very disappointed that these very talented
individuals will be leaving Pecos," said Etta Bradley.

"We had a very good band director and I'm just upset that
they might be leaving because of salaries, I think the
school will be hurt, it's hard to replace someone like
that," she said.

"We have posted the positions on the West Texas Music
Association's web page and are looking forward to hearing
from some good candidates," said Love.

The positions have also been advertised in several West
Texas newspapers, according to Love.

The band directors were not the only resignations received.

Others came from June Blackwell, sixth grade physical
education/health teacher/Lamar Middle School, assistant high
school and junior high tennis coach; April Blackwell, sixth
grade teacher/assistant swim coach; Kimberly Burner, fifth
grade teacher/Bessie Haynes Elementary School; Sam Campo,
physical education teacher/coach Zavala Middle School;
Richard Chafey, second grade teacher/Austin Elementary
School; Deborah Clary, special education teacher/Crockett
Middle School; Monique Dominguez, fourth grade
teacher/Bessie Haynes Elementary School; Robert Franco,
reading teacher/Zavala Middle School; Rhonda Gallagher,
sixth grade teacher/Lamar Middle School; Richard Hamilton,
sixth grade teacher/Lamar Middle School; D'Andra Hendricks,
third grade teacher/Pecos Elementary School; Jill Linder,
reading teacher/Crockett Middle School and Laurie Lopez,
math teacher/Zavala Middle School.

Also resigning were Michelle Marquez, special education
teacher/Lamar Middle School; Joey Martinez, computer
literacy teacher/Crockett Middle School; Sam Martinez, math
teacher/Crockett Middle School; Valerie Martinez, fourth
grade teacher/Bessie Haynes Elementary School; Kim McBride,
English teacher/Zavala Middle School; Jessica Molinar,
special education teacher/Pecos High School; Sebrenia
Rangel, fifth grade teacher/Bessie Haynes Elementary School;
Priscilla Rodriguez, fourth grade teacher/Bessie Haynes
Elementary School; Nancy Scott, teacher/Pecos Kindergarten;
James Shank, history teacher/Crockett Middle School; Barbara
Tarango, Spanish teacher/Pecos High School; Eloy Tarin,
Bilingual teacher/Bessie Haynes Elementary School; Ernest
Torres, Special Education teacher/Crockett Middle School;
Marina Underwood, sixth grade teacher/Lamar Middle School;
Nathan Waldrip, Alternative Education teacher/Carver Center;
Tara Workman, Special Education teacher/Pecos High School
and Patsy Wheeless, Bessie Haynes Elementary School fourth
grade teacher.

Reassignments have been made. Eliza Acosta will go from
science teacher at Crockett Middle School to English teacher
at Crockett Middle School; Ruben Cervantes, from fifth grade
teacher at Bessie Haynes Elementary School to physical
education teacher at Bessie Haynes Elementary School;
Rebecca Mora Chabarria, from special education teacher at
Carver Center to Computer Literacy teacher at Crockett
Middle School; Cindy Duke from history teacher at Zavala
Middle School to history teacher at Crockett Middle School;
Marlene Glenn, from English teacher at Crockett Middle
School to reading teacher at Crockett Middle School; Anna
Hernandez, from directing counseling/parental involvement
program/bilingual/ESL/Migrant to principal at Pecos
Kindergarten; Tammie Hewitt, from elementary school teacher
to fifth grade teacher at Bessie Haynes Elementary School;
Wade Horne, from fourth to fifth grade teacher at Barstow
Elementary School to Alternative Education teacher at Carver
Center; Stephen Johnson, from special education teacher at
Bessie Haynes Elementary School to special education teacher
at Crockett Middle School; Francisco Ornelas, from science
teacher at Zavala Middle School to science teacher at
Crockett Middle School and Patricia Peacock, from Lamar
Middle School part time special education teacher to Pecos
High School part-time special education teacher.

Other reassignments included, Lanette Portillo, from first
grade teacher at Austin Elementary School to third grade
teacher at Pecos Elementary School; Rene Rodriguez, from
physical education teacher/swim coach to physical education
teacher at Pecos Kindergarten/assistant swim coach at Pecos
High School; Cecil Stickels, from Bessie Haynes Elementary
School part time special education teacher to Pecos High
School part time special education teacher; Gaston Tarango,
from third grade teacher at Barstow Elementary School to
science teacher at Zavala Middle School; Tina Tresselt, from
physical education teacher at Austin Elementary School to
physical education teacher/head coach for volleyball,
basketball and track at Zavala Middle School and Lucila
Valenzuela from principal at Pecos Kindergarten to principal
at Zavala Middle School.

Appointments were Brenilda Rodriguez Bauer, Pecos High
School Spanish teacher; Alicia Porras Brown, Bessie Haynes
Elementary School fourth grade bilingual teacher; Amy
Martinez Lechuga, Bessie Haynes Elementary School fourth
grade teacher; Belinda Navarro, Bessie Haynes Elementary
School fourth and fifth grade special education teacher;
Robert Ortega, Zavala Middle School physical education
teacher/assistant football, basketball, track coach; Cleta
Sneed Pike, Lamar Middle School sixth grade teacher; Norma
Jean Natividad Redwine, Pecos Kindergarten teacher; Maria
Suchil, Lamar Middle School sixth grade special education
teacher; Melanie Turner, Bessie Haynes Elementary School
special education teacher; Karen Williams, Pecos
Kindergarten teacher and Nan Wyly Zeman, Bessie Haynes
Elementary School fourth grade teacher.

In an effort to curb spending, due to a financial emergency,
64 para-professionals were eliminated during last month's
regular school board meeting. Of the 64, 19 were re-hired
back.

"The district is experiencing some financial difficulties,"
said Love at last month's board meeting.

Para-professionals who were re-hired for the 1998-1999
school year, included Erlinda Barrera, Rachel Barrera,
Martha Capers, Rosie Carrasco, Barbara Castillo, Joy
Chappell, Anna Chavez, Miriam Evans, Angie Fuentes, Criselda
Licon, Vivan Lindsey, Rosario Lopez, Erlinda Martinez, Rosie
Mata, Virginia Navarrete, Luzema Olivas, Julia Rayos, Diana
Rivas, Terri Spence, David Vejil, Pat Wade and Zane Windham.

P-B-T's bans drug use, `moon-shine'


By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD's dress code will remain the same,
for the 1998-99 school year, while two other items were
added to the high school and middle school handbooks and
Student Code of Conduct, according to superintendent Don
Love.

The items were part of the discussion held at the regular
Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD board meeting held Thursday evening.

Board members approved the handbooks and the Student Code of
Conduct, which will be handed out to students in August when
school resumes.

"Mooning and drug paraphernelia were added to the handbooks,
our lawyers recommended that we add these two items," said
Love. "The dress code will remain the same as last years."

Students who display this type of behavior will be sent to
the Alternative Education Center, according to Love.

"The middle school handbook is similar to the high school,
except for curriculum and times," said Love.

Other additions to the handbook are a set of rules for those
students participating in the cooperative education program.

"In the past we have had students who are placed in a job
site and then decide they don't like it and just quit," said
Larry Sloan. "We needed to get something about this in the
handbook."

"Other rules are discipline rules at the Alternative
Education Center at Carver," said Love. "Jimmy (Dutchover)
is doing an excellent job with those students out there."

In other action, board members approved the demolotion of a
warehouse building located at Second and Ash Streets. Board
members said that because the property being stored in the
warehouse is no longer necessary for district operations,
the district should enter into a contract to demolish and
dispose of this building provided the contract negotiated by
the superintendent does not exceed $25,000.

"I have talked to city fire marshal Jack Brookshire, who has
agreed to work with us and give us some time to find someone
to do this job," said Love.

Love stated that he has contacted one local contractor, Roy
Lindsey, concerning the demolition and disposal of this
building for $10,000.

"I hear he does really good work and we might just have to
go with him," said Love.

The building has been properly boarded up to keep vandals
and children out and away from danger. "We just don't want
anyone getting hurt in there, because it is dangerous," said
Love.

The elmination of life insurance covered by New Era was
tabled until further information can be obtained. "We'll be
meeting with them again and are trying to work something out
with them," said Love. "I should know something by the
middle of this month."

Lydia Prieto was appointed as officer to calculate the
effective tax and rollback tax rate and Love was approved as
records management officer for the district.

Other items included fuel bids, which went to West Texas
Fuel, the only bidder; milk bid went to Bell Dairy Products
and the bread bid was awarded to El Paso Baking, with the
stipulation that food services director Helen Miller would
look into the cost of baking more items at the cafeterias,
instead of purchasing ready-made products.

A grant in the amount of $3,000 from TASB (TASB Risk
Management Fund Loss Control Grant), was given to the food
services department. "It is my understanding that Helen will
use the funds to purchase shoes for the cafeteria
employees," said Love.

"I'm just very happy that we received this money and I know
my employees will be thrilled to hear about it," said Miller.

Other items approved included the investment transaction
report, reconciled bank balance report, depository
securities report and tax report.

Jurors hand up series of indictments


BY PEGGY McCRACKEN
Staff Writer
Two one-ton loads of marijuana, a third totalling 1,602
pounds, and an unusual scheme to sell merchandise stolen
from a duty-free store in Presidio to customers in Mexico
are among 23 indictments returned Thursday in federal court.

In a second superseding indictment, government prosecutors
added defendants and details of alleged violations in the
Gardea-Carrasco drug ring case that involves an Odessa
attorney and his investigator.

The Gardea-Carrasco case now includes 23 defendants:
Gracielo Gardea-Carrasco, Homero Alvarado-Luna, Hugo
Alvarado-Luna, Juan Manuel Bugarin, Johnny Tony Calderon,
Soztenes Calderon, Raul Roberto Carbajal-Galindo, Jose
Antonio Chavez, Stephanie Ann Cordova, Leticia Jo Esparza,
Felipe Mata Espericueta, Consuelo Gardea-Luna, Dominga
Gardea, Josie Ann Gardea, Jose Gardea-Carrasco, Raul
Gardea-Luna, Moises Hernandez Jr., Hector Holguin, Delma
Leyva-Contreras, Blas Lopez-Jurado, Norma Ocon-Gardea, Luiza
Orozco, Floyd Lynn Pate, Reynaldo Ruiz and Don Tonio.

They allegedly operated a drug-smuggling ring from 1985 to
1998 in which tons of marijuana, cocaine and heroin were
imported from Mexico into the United States.

In the merchandise case, Arturo Ontiveros Olivas, 39, of
Ojinaga, Mex., and Jose Jaime Cruz, 41, of Presidio
allegedly stole items from the UETA duty free store in
Presidio and transported it to Mexico in order to hinder and
impede the Customs Service in collection of duties on
exported merchandise.

They are charged with conspiracy, interstate/foreign
transport of stolen goods and removing goods from a U.S.
Customs bonded warehouse.

Olivas allegedly submitted a false inventory to UETA in
1994, 1995 and 1998.

Cruz allegedly removed cigarettes from the duty-free store
in April, and the defendants allegedly delivered liquor to a
resident of Mexico twice in April and twice in May.

Value of the items is more than $5,000, the indictment
alleges.

In the first marijuana indictment, Joseph Kendall Oester,
48, and Emily Ann Hines, 22, are charged with possession of
over 1,000 kilograms of marijuana on June 25.

Cipirano Galindo-Villa of Midland, Elmer Ray Smith, 60, of
Alpine, Carla Ann Warrne, 27, of Alpine, and Barbara Ann
Portillo, 30, of Fort Stockton, are charged with possession
with intent to distribute over 1,000 kilograms of marijuana
on June 23.

Ricardo Adrian Dorado, 27, of Fort Worth, allegedly
possessed 1,602.30 pounds of marijuana with intent to
distribute on June 25;

Indicted for allegedly importing and possessing with intent
to distribute marijuana are:

David Gamboa-Salazar, 34, of Midland, 122.6 pounds on Jan.
12.

Lorenzo Gonzalez-Lorta, 26, of Fort Worth, 52.8 pounds of
Nov. 21, 1996;

Sylvia Molina, 33, and Salome Quesada, 28, both of Hobbs,
N.M., 62.5 pounds on June 26;

Joel Arenivas Medrano, 39, of Odessa, 38.6 pounds on June
20; and

Jose Orona-Castillo, 25, of Dennison; George J. Thomas, 43,
of Phoenix, Ariz.; Jorge Zubia-Dominguez, 19, of Ojnaga,
Mex.,; and Leonard Olen Shackelford, 63, of Mesa, Ariz.,
32.8 pounds.

Charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana
are:

Carlos Lorenzo Renteria, 36, of El Paso, 225.24 pounds on
June 10;

Antonio Medrano-Gandara, 23, of Ojinaga, Mex., 292.48 pounds
on June 24;

Ricardo Alvarez, 36, of Midlothian, 85 pounds on June 13;

Victor Manuel Ochoa, 46, of El Paso, 52.70 pounds on June 14;

Jose Antonio Sanchez-Jaurequi, 50, of Delicias, Chih., Mex.,
60.92 pounds on June 13;

Wendy Sue Butler, 26, of Georgetown, 211.12 pounds on June
20; and

Robert Granado, 31, and Sandra Renteria, 24, both of Odessa,
354.10 pounds on July 6;

Armando Medrano-Rodriguez, 23, of Mesquite, Chih., Mex., is
charged with three counts of receiving and possessing
unregistered short-barrel firearms.

Immigration violations include:

Celestino Ortiz-Barrera, 49, of Colonia Campensina, Chih.,
Mex., false claim to citizenship and possession of
identification documents with intent to defraud the United
States;

Eric Escarcega Galdean, 23, of Mexico, illegal entry after
deportation;

Jose Antonio Lara-Flores, 24, of Camargo, Mex., illegal
entry after deportation;

and Jose Carlos Moreno-Najera, 34, of Chihuahua, Mex.,
illegal entry after deportation.

Charges include in indictments


BY PEGGY McCRACKEN
Staff Writer
Two indictments for indecency with a child were among the 15
returned Thursday by the Reeves County grand jury. Three
other indictments were returned for injury to a child, and
four people are charged tampering with government records.

None of the 15 indictments were drug related.

William Kyle Watson, 54, is charged with sexual contact with
a child under 17 years of age on June 1.

Isaac Porras Jasso, 33, is charged with sexual contact with
a child under 17 on June 1.

In the tampering with government records charges,the
indictments allege that applicants for benefits through the
Texas Department of Human Services allegedly made false
statements regarding income earned by a member of their
household in order to obtain increased benefits.

Norma B. Avila, 32, allegedly failed to report income of Joe
Garcia.

Melinda R. Orona, 33, is charged with failing to report
earned income of Adan Minjarez.

Sylvia Hernandez, 34, is charged with failing to report
earned income by Jesus Gonzales, thus receiving benefits she
was not entitled to.

Dolores Alvarez, 32, is charged with failing to report
earned income of Richard Alvarez.

Jerry R. Dominguez, 20, Tomas Machuca Natividad, 23, and
Ricardo Pena, 19, are charged with injury to a child, Daniel
Angel Terrazas, on April 26 by striking him in the face and
body with their fists.

Gilbert Salazar Chavez, 26, is charged with four counts of
attempted aggravated assault by attempting to strike the
following victims with his motor vehicle on May 10: Richard
Rodriguez, Hector Chavez, Daisy H. Rodriguez and Eloy Salas.
The four victims were together in another vehicle, said
District Attorney Randy Reynolds.

Joel Bravo Rubio, 23, is charged with burglary of a building
owned by Robert Cory on July 7.

Thomas Hinojos Marquez, 30, is charged with burglary of a
building owned by Greer Willis on April 17.

Appraisal valuations for area declines


By GREG HARMAN
Staff Writer
Reeves County Appraisal District board members voted to
approve the estimated appraisal totals for 1998 during their
quarterly meeting on Wednesday,

Following the late-June Appraisal Review Board hearings, the
district's board members were told most of the appraisal
totals for 1998 show slight decreases from the supplemental
totals set earlier in the year, and all but the Balmorhea
Independent School District reflected a drop from the
appraised totals of eight years ago.

Since 1990, Reeves County has decreased in appraised value
by over 20 percent, from $456,237,722 to $353,357,800. Pecos
City has dropped about 12 percent, from $130,850,470 to
$114,920,840 and Toyah City (with the least appraised value)
decreased from $1,517,310 in 1990 to $1,358,700 (11 percent).

Balmorhea City's appraised value has decreased slightly
since 1990, from $3,830,640 to $3,352,590 (12.5 percent).
However, the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah Independent School District
has dropped 33 percent in that time, from $530,896,430 to
$360,191,120, and Reeves County's Water Irrigation District
#2 fell by over 60 percent, from $12,547,830 to $4,678,960.

The Reeves County Hospital District decreased in value from
$452,195,050 to $356,097,340, roughly the same decline as
for the county as a whole.

The Balmorhea Independent School District was the only
entity to increase in value, from $22,127,370 in 1990 to
$26,540,990 in 1998.

Since last year, the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah Independent School
District has decreased in its appraised value more than any
of the other entities. The 1998 estimated appraisal total
for the district show a decrease of over $20 million - over
$17 million of which is in mineral values.

Chief Appraiser Carol King Markham explained the decrease as
a reaction to the Aug. 12, 1997, election that increased the
number of homestead exemptions for schools. An overwhelming
majority of Texas voters, 94 percent, approved the $1
billion property tax cut that increased the minimum
homestead property tax exemption from $5,000 to $15,000.

Board members also voted on the proposed 1999 budget during
Wednesday's meeting and listened to the district's progress
report and a report on the expenses and balances for the
past three months.

The proposed 1999 budget, down $54 from last year, benefits
from a 1997 surplus of $25,000. Making the 1998 total budget
$221,630. The majority of the budget ($104,498) is for
payroll costs, which include several increases, and for the
cost of contract appraisals ($70,390).

According to the proposed 1999 budget, the Chief Appraiser's
salary is estimated to increase by $2,916; Appraiser III
Ermininia H. Hernandez's salary is estimated to increase by
$490; Appraiser II Agueda Gabaldon's salary is estimated to
increase $462; the janitor's salary is expected to increase
by $30; though the payroll for the entire appraisal review
board is estimated to decrease by $300.

Valley growers happy with local harvest


By CLAUDE W. PORTER
Contributing Writer
"Twelve per cent is about as good as they get, and that is
pretty good." So says George Barrera, Manager of the Sun-Up
Produce cantaloupe shed in Pecos.

With the cantaloupe harvest in the Pecos area is in full
swing, melons at the Sun-Up Produce are testing 10 to 12
percent sugar -- making for a good product and a tasty dish.

Migrant farm workers from the Lower Rio Grande Valley are
combing the fields for melons ready to process and ship, and
will continue throughout the month.

This year's harvesting season started the last week in June,
bringing field-fresh melons to consumers well into August
this year.

Sun-Up Produce, Inc., of Donna, operates a small shed in
Pecos on Western Avenue. The melons are graded and packed
locally and shipped to markets primarily in Texas.

"The Pecos crop comes off a little later than the crop in
the Valley, and this helps us continue to supply our
customers with a really good product," says Barrera.

Sun-Up Produce buys their cantaloupes basically from three
farmers: Dale Toone, of Saragosa, and Pecos' Roger Jones and
Rod Stringer. Other growers may also supply a smaller
proportion of the harvest.

Sun-Up is one of two packing sheds in Pecos, joining the
long-established Pecos Cantaloupe Co., operation, located
nearby on the Balmorhea highway.

"This is Sun-Up's second year in Pecos," observes Barrera,
"and we are glad to be here. Cantaloupes are our only
interest here at this time. We have not been disappointed at
all in the crop yields or the quality."

Two main varieties of cantaloupes are handled by Sun-Up. The
Marco Polo variety is an earlier maturing melon, which gives
the produce company a slight edge into market entry. The
Mission variety comes off a little later than the Marco
Polo, but extends the season with good quality produce.

Barrera makes the trip to Pecos during the cantaloupe
harvest season to manage the shed on Western Avenue. He,
along with most of the harvest field hands make their home
in the Lower Rio Grande Valley during the off-season.

Five face sex assault charges


Pecos Police are continuing to investigate an incident last
weekend in which five rodeo-goers were arrested on charges
of sexual assault following the final night of the West of
the Pecos Rodeo.

The men were arrested at 2:49 a.m., on Sunday, July 5, in
the 4000 block of South Cedar Street, near the Interstate 20
interchange, following a complaint filed by a Pecos woman.

Stacy Dodson, 26, W.O. Gabriel, 30, James Long, 32, Michael
Phillips, 31, John Shelton, 30, were all arrested and
transported to Reeves County Jail.

All five were booked into Reeves County Jail at 4 a.m. on
Sunday. All were released that afternoon after on a $5,000
bond.

Police said no other information was available until Monday,
when the two investigating officers return to Pecos.

CORRECTION


Yesterday's city council story incorrectly stated that
prison wastes, including blankets and uniforms from Reeves
County Detention Center, were showing up in the city's water
wells. These articles are, in fact, surfacing in the sewer
lines outside of RCDC at the city's lift station.

CLARIFICATION


In a story in Thursday's Enterprise, it was reported that
Classic Cable's basic rates for customers in Pecos would
rise by $3 per month.

Classic's regional manager Gil Nichols said today that while
the new monthly rate quoted was correct, the information
provided by the company on the current basic cable
television rate was incorrect and the rate increase would
only be $1 a month. Classic's rates will rise beginning next
month from $26.95 to $27.95, not from $24.95 to $27.95 as
reported on Wednesday.

Nichols also said information in a letter sent out to
customers did not clearly state that there would be an
installation fee for any new cable outlets in homes, though
the new outlets themselves would not include an additional
monthly charge.

Classic's rate hike coincides with the addition of three new
channels to the Pecos system, which Nichols said would be on
by Aug. 1.

OBITUARY

Alfred Huelster


Services are incomplete for Alfred Huelster, 63, who died
Wednesday, July 8, 1998 at Medical Center Hospital in Odessa.

Pecos Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

WEATHER


High Thursday 101. Low this morning 74. Forecast for
tonight: Fair. Low in the mid 70s. Southeast wind 5-15 mph.
Saturday, fair. High near 103. South wind 10-20 mph.



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Pecos Enterprise
Mac McKinnon, Publisher
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324 S. Cedar St., Pecos, TX 79772
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Copyright 1998 by Pecos Enterprise