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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas

Top Stories

Friday, August 7, 1998

City deciding on priorities for `99


By GREG HARMAN
Staff Writer
City officials have been busy these past weeks, hammering out the specifics of the proposed 1999 budget.

In a five hour meeting Wednesday night and at two other
meetings held over previous weeks, the council met with
department heads, working on separating city "needs" from
budget "wants."

Speaking of the late night meeting, City Manager Kenneth
Neal said that they went through the city's "wish list,"
culling unnecessary items.

So far, the proposed budget provides funds for the drilling
of a new water well at the Worsham Field, but strikes
$32,000 for a new dump truck and $6,000 for carpeting the
hallways at City Hall.

Of the well field development, Neal said, "We put it off as
long as we could, but some day you have to make repairs."

The 1999 budget, as proposed, allows $95,000 for drilling a
new water well and $130,000 for construction of a new
storage tank, with repairs to another.

The city hopes to maintain its yearly $65,000 seal coating
budget, but won't be installing the flashing school zone
lights approved at a council meeting months ago. Instead the
$2,500 will be rerouted to other more immediate needs, said
Neal, and new signs that state the school zone hours will be
installed on Washington Street by the Pecos High School.

Neal said the ambulance funding will probably remain at
$5,000, and the Fire Department's budget should stand at
$35,000.

The city has secured $4,000 from the Texas Department of
Health for the purchase of $8,000 worth of EMS rescue
equipment. The city will split the remaining $4,000 with the
Reeves County Hospital District, Neal said. The rescue
equipment includes manifold blocks and a lifting system to
help secure and save the victims of automobile accidents.

The city went $1 million over budget last year, with a
proposed revenue of $6,879,206 for '97-'98 being topped by
proposed expenses of $8,009,124.58, said Neal. But the
chances of operating under budget are better this year, he
said. "We've cut here and there and hopefully we will (come
under budget)."

City Finance Director Steve McCormick said that he puts the
budgets together to make them look worse than they are. "I
keep revenues conservative and expenditures high," he
explained.

While the city will deficit spend this year, said McCormick,
there is money in the bank to fall back on. Pecos currently
has about $1.3 million in savings, he said.

"It looks bad on paper," McCormick continued, "but the
council has trusted the department heads not to abuse the
budget and the department heads have come through."

The next city budget workshop will be held at 5:30 p.m.,
August 19, in the City Council Chambers.

Local calling area's expansion adds Coyanosa


By GREG HARMAN
Staff Writer
That 73-cent per month charge that bumped up Pecos phone
customers' bills last month is about to be repeated.

Area towns are enjoying the benefit of Expanded Local
Calling, a service made possible by the Texas Legislature in
1993 that opens as many as six neighboring towns to one
local calling area, and petitioning their phone companies to
bring more phone users into local range.

A petition launched by Balmorhea, following a vote by 375
prefix customers, brought Balmorhea/Verhalen residents into
local calling range with Pecos on July 23 this year. Another
similar petition filed in Coyanosa is bringing more into the
fold.

Beginning August 12, Coyanosa residents will be able to call
Fort Stockton, Grandfalls, Monahans and Pecos without
long-distance charges. Pecos phone customers, as well as
those from the other requested towns, will now be able to
call Coyanosa as easily as ringing up their next door
neighbor.

GTE representatives advise customers that implementation of
this service may require modification to some
telecommunications equipment such as fax machines, speed
calling, PABXs, key systems, automatic dialers and other
equipment that may restrict or automatically dial
long-distance numbers.

Coyanosa residents will be charged $3.50 per home and $7.00
per business every month for the requested service. The
towns petitioned by Coyanosa, including Pecos, will be
charged 73-cents each month.

The charges will be listed as "Expanded Local
Calling/Surcharge" in the tax portion of the telephone bill.
More information will be provided by GTE in their monthly
phone bill.

Marijuana seizures top fed indictments


BY PEGGY McCRACKEN
Staff Writer
Two of 24 defendants named in federal indictments Thursday
are charged with possession with intent to distribute more
than 1,000 pounds of marijuana.

Willie Ben Lara Jr., 30, of Alpine, was arrested July 25
with 1,745 pounds of marijuana in his possession, the grand
jury alleges.

Robert Lorin Furrow, 45, of Albuquerque, N.M., is charged
with possession of 1,046.32 pounds of marijuana on July 21.

Charged with importing and possessing with intent to
distribute marijuana are:

* Jesus Manuel Hernandez, Miguel Hernandez, 28, Donny Ray
Rodriguez, 18, Raul Aguirre Jr., 20, and Carlos Bueno Jr.,
23, all of Andrews, 35.4 pounds on July 25.

* Juan Ubaldo Reyes-Gonzalez, 34, of Hobbs, N.M., 62.5
pounds on June 28.

* Jesus Manuel Serrano-Garcia, 30, of Guadalupe, Chih.,
Mex., 45.6 pounds on July 22.

* Martin Romo-Torres, 35, of Chih., Mex., 29.6 pounds on
July 27.

* Marcos Noyola, 28, of Austin, 44.4 pounds on Aug. 3.

Marijuana possession with intent to distribute is the charge
against:

* Blanca Mirella Delarosa, 22, of Fort Stockton, July 12.

* Cecilia Chavira-Rodriguez, 57, of Del Rio, 126.70 pounds
on July 12.

* Rigoberto Hernandez-Vizcaino, 33, of Midland, 115.45
pounds on Aug. 4.

* Humberto Reza Jr., 40, of El Paso, 87.7 pounds on July 17;
and

* Aurelio Mendoza, 43, of Tucson, Ariz., 62.94 pounds on
July 14.

Robert Freeman Jackson, 35, and Elvieria Brito, 39, both of
Big Spring, are charged with possession of cocaine with
intent to distribute on July 17.

Eduardo Aguilar Leos, 41, of Marfa, Bobby Joes Leos, 20, of
Alpine, and Richard Gary Garcia, 23, of Alpine, are charged
with importation and possession with intent to distribute
cocaine on July 17.

Charged with illegal entry after deportation are:

* Henry Joel Sierra-Padilla, 21, of Honduras; and

* Alejalndro Santos-Morantes, 22, of Mexico.

Baltazar Pascual-Juan, 46, of Monterey, Tenn., is charged
with transporting illegal aliens on July 20.

Actions to speed hay on its way to Texas


By GREG HARMAN
Staff Writer
Make way for hay.

It feeds a wide variety of livestock, it revitalizes soil
for better crops and Texas Governor George W. Bush and
Kansas farmers are working to steer more bales to Texas
producers.

Bush ordered the temporary suspension of a Texas law the
requires a commercial license for anyone hauling hay beyond
150 miles of their home. Effective as of this past
Wednesday, the order will be effective for 90 days.
"The drought has been devastating for many Texas farmers and
ranchers," said Bush, "I hope this action will help farmers
and ranchers weather this crisis and get feed to their
livestock."

According to C.W. Roberts, Reeves County agriculture
extension agent, the order probably won't hurt or help
growers and ranchers in West Texas. Growers in East Texas --
where more hay is shipped by private growers in smaller
capacities -- will be affected more, said Roberts.
Of the drought conditions in West Texas there's not much a
government can do.

"The only thing they can do is make it rain or send money,"
said Roberts. But legislative bureaucracy slows the money
enough to render it of little help, he said.
Field crops don't qualify because of irrigation in the area,
said Roberts, and ranchers, stripped of any emergency feed
assistance by the Freedom to Farm Act, are left to their own
devices.

Meanwhile, Kansas ranchers have also come to the aid of
their neighbors in East Texas.

Ranchers Jack and Leslie Hale, who have benefited from good
rain and green pastures for their own herds this year felt
moved to donate hay to Texas farmers struck by drought.
The couple has headed a relief effort for Texas producers
and have received donations from throughout the state,
involving even the Kansas National Guard, who will use the
supply trip to Texas as a training mission.

The hay is bound for Rusk, south of Tyler in East Texas,
where applicants will be screened to ensure that only those
growers who cannot afford hay will receive the bales.

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.
***
Juana Machuca, 52, was arrested at 10:20 a.m., on Aug. 5, at
the Pecos Municipal Court, on a warrant for stalking. She
was transported to Reeves County Jail.
***
Jose Luis Rodriguez, 44, was arrested at 1:11 p.m., on Aug.
5, in the 200 block of North Pecan Street, for public
intoxication and resisting arrest. He was transported to
Reeves County Jail.
***
Keith Perry, 31, was arrested at 11:34 p.m., on Aug. 5, in
the 1200 block of Martinez Street, for public intoxication.
He was transported to Reeves County Jail.
***
Sergio Saenz, 21, was arrested at 1:23 p.m., on Aug. 5, on a
motion to revoke probation warrant. He was transported to Reeves County Jail.
***
Eric Garay, 21, was arrested at 6:40 p.m., on Aug. 5, in the
1900 block of West Fourth Street, for assault, resisting
arrest, and on DPS warrants for public intoxication,
disorderly conduct, and failure to appear in court.
***
Ronald Leigh, 42, was arrested at 9:09 p.m., on Aug. 6, in
the 800 block of West Third Street, for public intoxication.
He was transported to Reeves County Jail.
***
Robert Bridgeman, 46, was arrested at 10:40 p.m., on Aug. 6,
in the 1300 block of South Cypress Street, for public
intoxication. He was transported to Reeves County Jail.

Police investigating series of vehicle thefts


Pecos police are continuing to investigate a recent series
of car thefts in the area, while two teen suspects were
arrested in connection with one of the early July incidents.

The thefts began when two vehicles were taken from the
parking lot of the Buck Jackson Rodeo Arena during last
month's West of the Pecos Rodeo. They continues earlier this
week, with the latest occurring this past Sunday, at 12:50
a.m. outside the U.S. Post Office in the 100 block of West
Fourth Street.

According to police, a 1987 blue Cadillac 4-door car owned
by Joe Barton of Pecos was stolen while he was inside the
Post Office building. The vehicle was discovered later that
morning after if was driven to a site on the Duval Road (FM
2119) west of Pecos and apparently set on fire.

No arrests have been made in the case.

Police did arrest a Florida teen and a juvenile living at
the Farm Labor Housing in connection with the theft of a
1994 dark blue/tan G.M.C. truck. The vehicle was taken from
the Riverside Ballroom lot on July 11 at 11:55 p.m.

Still unsolved are the two vehicle thefts from the West of
the Pecos Rodeo Grounds, one of which was also discovered
parked and burned outside town, while the investigation also
continues into the theft of a 1985 brown Cadillac Eldorado,
which was taken from the Arrow Motors parking lot, at Third
and Alberta streets, on July 20.

OBITUARY

W.H. Poitevint


William Harrison Poitevint, 81, died July 30, 1998 in Pecos
County Memorial Hospital. Graveside services were held
Monday in Cedar Grove Cemetery.

Mr. Poitevint was born Nov. 11, 1916 in Balmorhea and had
lived in Sanderson since 1970. He was a veteran of the U.S.
Army in World War II, a long-time member of the American
Legion, and a retired maintenance supervisor for the Texas
Department of Transportation.

Survivors include two sons, Eddie B. Poitevint and Richard
W. Poitevint, both of Odessa; three daughters, Barbara K.
Hiatt of Odessa, Jean Partee of Sterling, Alaska, and Deana
Black of Crane; three sisters, Joyce Bingham of Gilmer,
Darlene Contrell of Lampasas, and Gay Camt of Temple; two
brothers, Ellis Poitevint of Big Spring and Duane Poitevint
of Pecos; 14 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

WEATHER


High Thursday 89. Low this morning 64. Forecast for
tonight: Mostly clear. Low in the upper 60s. Southeast wind
5-10 mph. Saturday, partly cloudy. High in the upper 90s.
South to southeast wind 10-15 mph.



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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

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Copyright 1998 by Pecos Enterprise