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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas

Top Stories

Friday, November 13, 1998

Escapees top long list of indictments


By PEGGY McCRACKEN
Staff Writer
Four prison escapees were among 48 persons indicted Thursday
by the federal grand jury in Pecos. Others are charged with
drug, weapons, vehicle and immigration violations, and
failure to appear.

Charged with escape and conspiracy are Jose
Jaramillo-Hernandez, 22, Aposcinail, Michoacan, Mex.;
Mariano Flores-Benavides, 24, Edinburg; Milton Alarcon, 39,
of New Orleans, La.; and Luis Castillo-Rodriguez, 31,
Dominican Republic.

They allegedly escaped from the Reeves County Detention
Center between 1 and 3 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 1, by crawling
under or through four fences. The group was recaputed three
days later by area law enforcment officials on a ranch near
the Reeves-Jeff Davis County line.

Two persons are charged with possession with intent to
distribute methamphetamine. They are Alberto
Rodriguez-Solis, 26, of Los Angeles, Calif., 15.86 pounds on
Oct. 19; and Juan Garcia-Aceves, 29, of Tepic, Mex., .67
pounds on Nov. 5. He is also charged with illegal entry.

Possession with intent to distribute marijuana is the charge
against:

* Joel Michael Verity, 22, of Miami, Fla., 105.26 pounds on
Aug. 12.

* Mark John Dubray, 29, of Hollywood, Calif., 52.56 pounds
on Oct. 18.

* Jorge Rodriguez, 20, of Cicero, Ill.; 122.78 pounds on
Nov. 9.

* Carlos Samaniego-Sandarte, 32, of Ojinaga, Mex., 279
pounds on Nov. 8.

* Alfred Anthony Reed, 33, of Decatur, Ga., and Robert
Edward Beaton, 330.30 pounds on Oct. 20. They are also
charged with carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking
crime. Beaton is charged with illegal entry after
deportation.

* Reyes Reyna Jr., 30, of Fort Hancock, 80.54 pounds on Oct.
25.

* Alvin Ray King, 32, of Baltimore, Md., 131.14 pounds on
Oct. 4.

* Santiago Gutierrez, 30, of Dallas, 96.84 pounds on Oct. 31.

* Marcelo Bernal, 21, and Luis Felipe Valdez-Mena, 26, both
of Presidio, 1,299.32 pounds on Nov. 4.

* March Anthony Davis, 25, of Macon, Ga., 35.7 pounds on
Oct. 17.

* Roberto Herrera Jr., 19, of Odessa, 59.56 pounds on Oct.
17.

* Alberto Juarez Jr., 32, of Pasadena, Tex., 29.92 pounds on
Oct. 18.

* Jesus Cervando Zubiate-Legarreta, 36, of Odessa, 464.22
pounds, Nov. 11.


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

* Marco Octavio Ramirez, 21, of Midland, 73.5 pounds on Nov.
4.

* Jose Armando Quintana-Armendariz, 22, of Mexico; Omar
Baeza-Islas, 27, of Mexico; Conrado Valles-Soto, Eleazar
Olivas-Mendoza, Anastacio Saenz-Ortega, Armando
Tarango-Holguin and Jesus Armando Tarango-Ortega, 281 pounds
on Nov. 11.

* Victor Solis-Torres, 40, of La Esperanza, Chih., Mex.,
111.24 pounds, Oct. 16.

* Jose Ernesto Molina-Mata, 40, of Paral, Chih., Mex, 21
pounds on Nov. 2.

* Juan Jose Padilla-Reyes, 27, of Chihuahua, Chih., Mex.,
105.4 pounds on Oct. 23.

* Emma Torres-Sandoval, 35, and Guadalupe Ibarra-Sandoval,
29, both of Carlsbad, N.M., 143.8 pounds on Nov. 8.

* Stephanie Ann Carrasco, 32, of Amarillo, 91.84 pounds on
Nov. 2.

James McCann, 21, and Heather McGuire, 18, both of Reading,
Pa., are charged with possession of a stolen vehicle on
Sept. 21.

Three persons are charged with failure to appear for court:

* Jose Gerardo Mendoza-Gonzalez, 26, of Las Cruces, N.M.;

* Eric Steve Rodriguez, 21, of Abilene; and

* Annabel Acosta, 20, of Presidio.

Heriberto Roque of Dallas is charged with three counts of
transportation of illegal aliens on Nov. 9.

Carlos Franco-Rubio, 25, and Ricardo Franco-Rubio, 19, both
of Mexico, are charged with making a false claim to
citizenship on Oct. 19.

Charged with illegal entry after deportation are:

* Herminio Carrasco-Armendariz, 41, of Ojinaga, Mex.

* Manuel Garcia-Ramirez, 24, of Lerdo, Durango, Mex.;

* Angel Ramon Arenivas-Saldana, Mexico City; and

* Martha Aide Saenz-Holguin, 30, of Ojinaga, Mex.

Missile casing lost along interstate


By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
The casing of a missile which fell off a truck traveling
eastbound from Van Horn towards Odessa on Thursday is being
sought by local law enforcment and military officials.

"We don't have any information yet that it's been found, but
we are still trying to locate it," said Department of Public
Safety communications department operator Kathy West.

The casing if four feet high, 24 inches in diameter, gray
and has a missile tube inside valued at $14,000, according
to the DPS report.

The truck carrying the missile took off from Van Horn
enroute to Odessa on Interstate 10 and I-20, when allegedly
the casing fell off. From Odessa, the truck then continued
north on U.S. 385 to Lubbock.

"If it's located we want whoever finds it to contact the DPS
office and we will contact whoever lost it," said West.

P-B-T lauds community involvement


By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
It's community involvement that has made a difference and
spurred youngsters to attain goals that have been lost for
several years.

This statement came from Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD
Superintendent Don Love, as PHS athletes were presented
during the regular board meeting held Thursday evening.

"I felt they did an outstanding job and they deserve
recognition," said Love.

Volleyball players, football players, the tennis team, swim
team and cross-country athletes were on hand for the
meeting. The players later attended the city-wide pep rally
held in the new gym, and board members also recessed at that
time for the 7 p.m. pep rally before resuming their meeting.

Pecos won district titles in volleyball and tennis last
month, and shared the District 2-4A title with Canutillo in
football. Pecos' swim team began its season last month, and
both boys and girls teams are seeking their eighth district
titles during the 1990s this year.

"The coaches are doing a fantastic job, but these guys are
really giving it their all and we're very proud of them,"
said P-B-T athletic director Bubba Williams. "The community
feels that it's easy, but nothing is easy."

"They've really got to go out there and compete," he said.

Board members discussed a donation to the Pecos High School
swim team. The money will be used to purchase a weight bench
that will be placed in the north end of the swimming pool.
"They said the student that achieved the national record
last year trains on this," said board president Earl Bates,
whose son Kevin is a member of the team.

Thursday's parental Involvement Day was called a big hit,
with many parents visiting the schools. Food Services
Director Helen Miller reported that 585 guests ate at the
Pecos schools Thursday.

"We had a lot of people call ahead and let us know that they
were coming, so we prepared as much as we could," she said.

Parents were encouraged to eat with their children and visit
the schools.

"Everybody helped out to make this a success and we even had
one principal helping to serve," said Miller.

An ongoing problem with insurance bills was solved recently.
"We received a letter from the insurance attorneys and all
claims should be paid under the contract," said Love.

Board members granted their approval for several Pecos
schools to apply for a grant. Crockett Middle School
Principal Juanita Davila said local schools are currently
trying to apply for a grant through the Comprehensive School
Reform Demonstration Program.

A key feature of the program is that it encourages schools
to examine successful, externally developed models for
inclusion in their comprehensive school reform efforts. The
models have both well-researched and well documented designs
for school-wide changes and that have been replicated with
proven results.

Improving Teaching and Learning (ITL) is the name of Texas'
Title I Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration Program
grant, according to Davila.

"With this grant we would be eligible to receive $2,000 a
year for three years, divided by four campuses," said Davila.

"It's just been great, people have rolling up their sleeves
and applying for these grants and every little bit helps,"
said Love.

"We're just here asking for your approval to proceed with
this project," said Davila.

Board members approved selling property located on `F'
Street, which consists of 2.760 acres. "This is property
that is no longer of any use to the district," said Love.

Under assignments, board members accepted the resignation of
Conally Cunningham who was band director for Zavala Middle
School.

Luz Alexander was re-assigned to his position. Alexander was
formerly the band director at Crockett Middle School.

Thomas Paul Torres, who holds a Bachelor of Science/Music
Education from Texas A&M University was named the new
Crockett Middle School band director. He brings with him
nine years of experience.

Members discussed re-roofing or replacing the roof on
Building A at the high school. "We've had some roofing
problems in that building and I'd really like to see it
resolved," said Love.

However, Love said he didn't want to replace the roof until
after the audit. "The auditors are currently here and after
that I would like to see the roof replaced," Love said. "At
that time we can open it up for bids and have someone fix
it."

Teachers that were at the meeting who have classrooms in the
A building expressed their concern. One said she walked in
one morning after a rainfall and found that the ceiling had
collapsed. "I'm just lucky that the computers were all
right, thanks to Larry Sloan," said Judy Holland.

"We'll continue patching it for now and eventually fix it
right," said Love. The item was placed on the next agenda.

Still rooting for the purple and gold...


...but ex-Eagles coach Millsaps has to back Burges in
playoffs tonight

By JON FULBRIGHT
Staff Writer
Pecos High School alumni who were members of the Eagles'
last playoff football team 23 years ago showed their support
for the Eagles' 1998 football squad Thursday night, at a pep
rally for this evening's bi-district matchup between the
Eagles and the El Paso Burges Mustangs.

However, the coach of that 1975 team that reached the state
semifinals was a little bit less enthusiastic about Pecos'
playoff success for a good reason -- he's Burges' athletic
director.

"If you ask which team I'm pulling for I definitely have to
say Burges," said Jerry Millsaps, who has been athletic
director for the El Paso Independent School District for the
past eight years. Millsaps, who coached in Pecos from
1967-78, moved up to that job after serving as Burges' head
coach in the late in 1980s.

"I coached a long time in Pecos and I still have a definite
interest," he said. "My wife and I still own a house in
Pecos, and when I leave this job, we're coming back."

As coach and athletic director for the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah
ISD, Millsaps hired the current athletic director, Bubba
Williams, and also coached Danny Rodriguez, currently PHS
principal.

Eight members of the 1975 team that lost to Ennis in the
state semifinals were on hand for Thursday's pep rally in
the PHS gym, and two of them, Robert Abila and Johnny
Terrazas, have players on the 1998 Eagle squad.

"I remember most of the players, but I can't remember
exactly which team they were on," said Millsaps, who coached
at Odessa High and Howard Payne University between his
coaching stints at Pecos and Burges, which he pointed out
also wears purple and gold on their uniforms.

But he did have memories of some players off the '75 squad.

"Of all the players I coached and all the kids I coached,
Johnny Terrazas was probably the best free safety I
coached," he said. "Robert was also a very good player for
me.

"Tony (Dawdy) made one of the biggest plays I had made by
one of my kids. We threw up a ball I didn't think he could
get to, but he stretched out and made the catch for about a
30 yard gain," Millsaps continued. "Randy (Reynolds) didn't
have great speed, but you couldn't knock him down. I
remember against Ennis he got the ball and just bulled his
way through a bunch of players."

The District 2-4A co-championship trophy and a University
Interscholastic League certificate were also presented to
Pecos' players and coaches at Thursday night's pep rally,
though head coach Dan Swaim had to miss the ceremonies to be
in Odessa with his wife, who gave birth to a baby boy
earlier in the afternoon.

Swaim was headed back to Pecos this morning, in time to
leave with the team for the 210-mile trip to El Paso.
Tonight's 8:30 p.m. game will be at Mustang Stadium, located
four blocks behind the Cielo Vista Mall in central El Paso,
with the winner advancing to next week's Class 4A, Division
II area round matchup against either the Borger Bulldogs or
the Canyon Eagles.

PHA gets CIAP funds, eyes day care center


By ROBERT RAMIREZ
Contributing Writer
The Pecos Housing Authority's budget for the 1998
Comprehensive Improvement Assistance Program has been
approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development, board members were told during their Thursday
afternoon meeting.

HUD approved the 1998 CIAP budget on Nov. 4, at a total of
$1.3 million. CIAP funds are used to rehabilitate buildings
under management by the housing authority.

In other action, the board discussed providing day care
services for PHA/FLH residents and approved the transfer of
$5,000 from the Farm Labor Housing reserve fund to the
regular account for long-term maintenance and replacement
expenses.

Pecos' two largest day care facilities have both closed in
recent months, and executive director Nellie Gomez said the
PHA has received a response from state officials on the
day-care service matter. "I got the packet from the
providers (Child Protective Services) today," Gomez told the
board.

The recently-closed Pecos Learning Center on South Eddy
Street is being considered as a day-care center option.
"Thirty (tenants) that are working say they would use the
day-care services (project)," said PHA Chairman Frank Perea.

According to Perea, the Learning Center needs to be
renovated. "What I understand about the Learning Center is
that they will only allow a certain amount of kids per
square feet," said Perea.

The first thing the PHA intends to do is get a license.

PHA board also went over their monthly occupancy report and
FLH's monthly financial statement.

The decision to transfer funds from the FLH reserve fund to
the regular account was made because the FLH ended October
with a general account balance of $6,044, its lowest
balance in the past four years.

According to the FLH monthly financial statement, it began
October with a bank balance of $14,052.67 and ended with
$6,044.78.

According to the PHA monthly occupancy report, dated Nov. 1,
there are 89 occupied units, 41 total vacancies, 35 CIAP
vacancies, and six move outs (non-CIAP) out of 130 total
units.

School investigating arson in PHS gym


By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
Pecos-Barstow-Toyah school officials are continuing to
investigate a small fire that was set in the girls' locker
room in the Pecos High School New Gym earlier this week.

Nobody was hurt and the fire quickly contained following the
incident, which happened Monday afternoon.

"They apparently lit a banner that was placed on top of the
door and it caught fire," said Pecos High School Principal
Danny Rodriguez.

According to Rodriguez, the fire was quickly snuffed by
individuals that were there at the time.

"It melted the door frame a little from the top and the
sides, but nothing else was damaged," said Rodriguez.

He said he didn't know the estimate of how much it would
cost to fix the damage, but stated that it didn't look like
very much.

"However, something like this is considered arson and we
would like to know who's responsible for it," said Rodriguez.

"We don't know if it was just a prank, or they were really
trying to set a fire," he said.

The incident is still under investigation.

The fire was the third case of arson in P-B-T school
buildings in the past year. Firemen were called to the old
PHS gym last year, when someone tried to set a plastic
window in the freshman locker room on fire, and another
arson attempt, in a rear classroom at Lamar Elementary, was
also put out before it could cause any serious damage.

WEATHER


High Thursday 68, low last night 53. Rainfall .18 inch.
November rainfall .40 inch. Year-to-date 5.97 inches.
Tonight, mostly cloudy. A 20 percent chance of showers. Low
around 45. Light wind. Saturday, becoming mostly sunny and
warmer. High 70 75. Northwest wind 5-10 mph.



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Pecos Enterprise
Ned Cantwell, 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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