|
Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Top Stories
February 26, 1999
Pecos County set to decide water district option
By PEGGY McCRACKEN
Staff Writer
PECOS, Feb. 26, 1999 -- Temporary directors for the proposed Trans
Pecos Underground Water Conservation District plan to meet Tuesday in Fort
Stockton with Pecos County Commissioners and Fort Stockton city council
to determine if they want to have Pecos County participate in the district.
Clark Lindley, secretary, said that if they do wish to participate,
a fourth representative will be appointed to the board to match the number
of representatives from Reeves County.
Loving County is also participating in the three-county district.
Lindley is also working to increase West Texas representation on the
regional water board.
"I am presently working with (Pecos) County Judge Delmon Hodges to obtain
additional representation on the board of Region F Regional Water Planning
Group," said Lindley.
"As it stands, there are 32 counties in Region F, ranging from Reeves
and Pecos counties to Brown County (Brownwood). The seven western counties
only have one representative on the board, and one county has five," he
said.
That issue was raised last week in a Region F meeting in Fort Stockton.
The chairman, John Grant, agreed that additional representation for
the western counties would be reasonable, said Lindley.
"Our concern partly came out of their decision on how to distribute
the administrative cost of Region F," said Lindley.
For the $160,000 cost, four alternative means of payment were proposed.
The one settled upon was: 50 percent based on distribution of population,
and 50 percent on distribution of water usage.
"On that formula, Reeves County and Pecos County were faced with the
highest costs related to irrigation," Lindley said. "That's why we felt
we needed additional representation on the regional board, and that's something
we are working to correct at this time."
Pecos County rancher D. A. Harral is a likely candidate for that board
position, Lindley said. He is past president of the Texas Sheep and Goat
Raisers Association; director of the Pecos County Farm Bureau; and past
president and past director of the Trans Pecos Soil and Water Conservation
District.
A.B. Foster of Pecos is president of the Trans Pecos Underground Water
District board, and Dennis Braden of Coyanosa is vice president.
Cotton farmers to discuss eradication zone
PECOS, Feb. 26, 1999 -- Cotton farmers are encouraged to attend a boll
weevil eradication meeting Wednesday in the Reeves County Civic Center.
Representatives of the Texas Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation, the
Texas Agricultural Extension Service and Texas Department of Agriculture
are scheduled to provide information about boll weevil eradication and
pink bollworm suppression.
In preparation for the upcoming Texas Department of Agriculture referendum
on March 26, the El Paso/Trans Pecos Grower Committee has scheduled a series
of informational meetings to give cotton growers and crop-sharing landowners
an opportunity to discuss the proposed boll weevil eradication / pink bollworm
suppression program.
The vote is being held to determine if cotton producers and crop-sharing
landowners want to implement this program in the proposed El Paso/Trans
Pecos Eradication Zone.
All cotton producers and landowners, as well as others interested in
the cotton industry, are encouraged to attend either the Pecos meeting
or another in Fabens on Thursday. Both meeting times are scheduled for
5 p.m.
The Fabens meeting will be in the Cattleman's Restaurant.
Meals will be provided by the El Paso Pest Management Association and
friends of the cotton industry. For more information, contact the foundation
at Abilene, 800-687-1212 or 915-672-2800.
The proposed EP/TP eradication zone consists of 60,000 acres in 15 counties:
Brewster, Crane, Crockett, Culberson, El Paso, Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, Loving,
Pecos, Presidio, Reeves, Terrell, Val Verde, Ward and Winkler.
In the March 26 referendum, cotton growers and crop-sharing landowners
in the 15-county area will vote on the establishment of the area as an
official eradication and suppression program and the approval of a maximum
assessment necessary to fund a program.
Voters will also elect a representative from the proposed zone to serve
on the board of directors who administer the eradication program in Texas.
Successful boll weevil eradication has already been completed in Alabama,
Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina and Virginia.
The states of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma
and Tennessee are also involved in boll weevil eradication efforts.
Man jailed following raid for pot, heroin possession
PECOS, Feb. 26, 1999 -- An east side man is in jail on heroin and marijuana
possession charges following a drug raid Thursday evening by Pecos police
and Reeves County sheriff's deputies.
On Thursday, at about 10:15 p.m., officers from the Pecos Police Department
and the Reeves County Sheriff's Department executed a narcotics search
warrant on the home of Armando Armendariz and his family, located at 406
S. Mesquite St.
After executing the search warrant officers proceeded to search the
residence and during the search they located one syringe commonly used
in the injecting of heroin.
"Inside and about the syringe was a substance believed to be heroin,"
said Police Investigator Ernest Lazcano.
Also during the search a substance believed to be marijuana was found
inside the residence.
Armendariz, 40, was placed under arrest for the offenses of possession
of a controlled substance, heroin and possession of marijuana.
"Armendariz was also served with three outstanding traffic warrants
issued by the Judge Phyllis Salyer," said Lazcano.
He is currently in the Reeves County Jail awaiting arraignment, police
said.
Filings going slow for Balmorhea races
By PEGGY McCRACKEN
Staff Writer
PECOS, Feb. 26, 1999 -- Braulia Natividad is the only candidate to
file for re-election in Balmorhea for the city and school elections.
Natividad's three-year term on the Balmorhea ISD board of trustees is
expiring, as are those of Dora Machuca and Javier Lozano.
No one has filed at city hall for the three council positions. Council
members whose terms are expiring are Olga Mendoza, Sammy Baeza and Dick
Hoef.
In Pecos, filings remain static. Johnny Terrazas seeks re-election to
the city council; Marcella Lovett to the hospital district board from Precinct
2; and Billie Sadler seeks to return to the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD board.
Terms expiring are those of Terrazas, Randy Graham and Gerald Tellez
Jr., city; Lovett and Jeannette Alligood, hospital; and Alberto Alvarez
and Daisy Roquemore, school board.
In the Barstow City Council election, all three incumbents Olga Abila,
Lucio Florez and Dora Villanueva have filed to retain their positions.
The election is set for May 1. March 17 is the deadline for filing.
PHA apartment remodeling job almost finished
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Feb. 26, 1999 -- Apartments have taken on a totally new look
on the exterior and are almost completed for some residents of the Pecos
Housing Authority, according to director Nellie Gomez.
Gomez updated the PHA board during their monthly meeting Thursday on
the CIAP 96 grant which allowed her to make major renovations to several
apartments including painting the apartments on the outside.
"The outside painting has almost been completed and the final exterior
items taken care of," said Gomez. "We're almost ready to close out CIAP
96," she said.
Gomez said that PHA apartments located on the east side of Pecos look
really nice and final repair work is almost completed on those apartments
which were targeted for renovation through CIAP 96.
Under the CIAP 98 grant, a new maintenance truck can be purchased, according
to Gomez. "Under this grant we're allowed to buy a new pickup and we were
thinking of waiting until later this year, when prices will go down a bit,"
said Gomez.
"We'll be needing the new maintenance truck when the new grant gets
rolling and we really start with the renovations," said Gomez.
Board members discussed the issue and opted to go ahead and advertise
for bids and purchase the pickup. "I'll go ahead and advertise for bids
and get it earlier in the year then," said Gomez.
A resolution for the budget for FY 1999 was approved, along with a resolution
for the Public Housng Management Assesment Program (PHMAP) FY 1999.
Gomez told the board that employees had attended training in Odessa
and have been updated on pertinent information concerning public housing.
"We've learned a lot and have new information if the board wants to review
it," said Gomez.
Employees will also attend a public housing funding seminar in Lubbock
on March 9.
Board members also approved a resolution to write off to collection
losses several individuals. "These tenants were at the Farm Labor Housing,"
said Gomez.
Individuals on the list include Gonzalo Madrid, $90; Rachel Medellin,
$278; Rona Roberts, $154; Carla Villegas, $124; Donald Johnson, $223; Ryedesel
Luna, $140 and James Meininger, $282.
One of the tenants destroyed the apartment, which had to be fixed up
by PHA, according to Gomez. "He broke furniture, trashed it and literally
broke other items in the apartment," said Gomez.
There was also a plant growing station located in one of the closets,
according to Gomez.
"Did this individual just move out or did he give notice? asked board
member Debbie Flores.
"He just moved out and we didn't know he had trashed the apartment until
after he had been gone and we went in to look at it," said Gomez.
"We need to go ahead and send all of these to collections and try to
recoup some of the money," said Ray Golden.
"We've been doing a little bit better at collecting some of these funds,"
said Gomez.
Gomez told board members that there has also been a lot of money spent
on fixing up some of the vacant apartments. "We've had a lot of vacancies
and have been going in there and fixing items such as gas leaks, water
leaks, towel racks and other bathroom items," said Gomez. "Which accounts
for our big bill at Gibson's," she said.
Gomez said that the apartments should be rented out by next month, however,
and most of the waiting list wiped out.
Board members also approved the monthly financial statement, accounts
payable, occupancy status and rent roll and cash journal for both the Farm
Labor Housing and Pecos Housing Authority.
WTO's hearing on rural transit set for April 19
PECOS, Feb. 26, 1999 -- A hearing will be held on at 4 p.m. April 19 in
Lamesa by West Texas Opportunities on the continuation of its rural public
transportation services in the Permian Basin.
Lamesa-based WTO provides public transportation vans in Pecos and Reeves
County, along with other area cities and counties. It is seeking almost
$230,000 in financial assistance from the Texas Department of Transportation,
along with additional state funds, to continue operation.
Other areas served by WTO include Lamesa and Dawson County; Stanton
and Martin County; McCamey/Rankin and Upton County; Seminole/Seagraves
and Gaines County; Andrews and Andrews County; and Glasscock County; Monahans
and Ward County; Fort Stockton and Pecos County; Kermit and Winkler County;
Sanderson and Terrell County; Mentone and Loving County; and Gail and Borden
County.
Obituaries
Juana Chabarria
Services are incomplete for Juana Chabarria, 85, who died today at Medical
Center Hospital in Odessa.
Pecos Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Elodia Orona
Elodia Orona, 73, died Wednesday, Feb. 24, 1999, at Memorial Hospital in
Midland.
A rosary is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. today at the Pecos Funeral Home
Chapel.
Mass will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 27, at Santa Rosa Catholic
Church with burial in Greenwood Cemetery.
She was born Dec. 18, 1925, in Grandfalls, was a lifelong Pecos resident,
a homemaker and a Catholic.
Survivors include her husband, Benito Orona of Pecos; two sons, Manuel
Orona of Odessa, Benito Orona of Austin; four daughters, Lilly Villanueva
and Irma Rodriguez of Pecos, Elva Sanches and Debbie Galindo of Midland;
one brother, Manuel Jimenez of Odessa; one sister, Alvin Jimenez of Odessa;
10 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Pecos Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Jean Rowe
Jean Rowe, 78, of San Angelo, died Wednesday, Feb. 24, 1999, in a local
hospital.
Graveside services will be at 10 a.m., Saturday in Mount Evergreen Cemetery
in Pecos.
She was born Oct. 27, 1920, in Pecos, was a homemaker and a member of
the First Baptist Church in Balmorhea.
Survivors include two sons, Gary Rowe and Ronnie Rowe, both of San Angelo;
a sister, Elizabeth Stewart of Colorado and one grandson.
Pecos Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Weather
PECOS, Feb. 26, 1999 -- High Thursday 85; low last night 58. Tonight, partly
cloudy. Low 40-45. West to northwest wind 10-20 mph and gusty. Saturday,
mostly sunny, breezy and cooler. High in the mid to upper 60s. North wind
15-25 mph and gusty.
Pecos Enterprise
York M. "Smokey" Briggs, 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 1999 by Pecos Enterprise
|
