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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Tuesday, March 30, 1999
PHS students place first in district academics
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, March 30, 1999 -- Pecos High School students claimed most of
the highest honors awarded in University Interscholastic League Academic
Competition this past Saturday at the District 2-4A meet held at Clint
High School.
PHS academic teams placed in almost every event at this year's District
UIL Meet. Pecos received the Sweepstakes trophy, which is given to the
school accumulating the highest total points in academic competition.
"This is the first time we have received this award in a long time,"
said teacher Barbara Scown. "This is quite an honor and we congratulate
our Academic Team on their outstanding success, good luck at regionals."
students compete both individually and as a team in accounting, current
events, science, and math. Individually the top three finishers in each
event advance to regional competition.
In team competition, those with the top three scores for their school
form the team in that event. Only the first place team advances to regional
competition.
The accounting team is sponsored by teacher Charlie Wein. In district
competition, Jonathan Fuentes placed first; Erin Paz, second; Tye Graham,
third and Marissa Salgado, fourth (alternate).
Fuentes, Paz and Graham, make up the first place team.
In current events, with teacher Priss McNutt, Jeff Lam placed first;
Tye Graham, second; Jonathan Fuentes, third and Matt Ivy, fifth. Lam, Graham
and Fuentes make up the first place team in this event.
Science winners, headed by Jerry Workman (chemistry) and assisted by
Barbara Scown (biology) and John Barfield, (physics) included Jeff Lam,
first; Efren Rodriguez, second and Jack Armstrong, third place. Lam, Rodriguez
and Armstrong make up the first place team.
Mathematics winners were Jeff Lam, first and Tye Graham, tied for sixth
with Efren Rodriguez.
Lam, Graham and Rodriguez make up the first place team.
In computer applications, supervised by Jackeline Mandujano Dominguez,
Efren Rodriguez placed second; Juan Angel Ramirez placed third and Luis
Madrid, fifth.
Dominguez is also the coach for spelling, in which Desiree Sanchez,
placed second and Luis Madrid fifth.
Prose winner included Jenny Alvarez, sixth.
In informative, Eric Machuca placed second and Josh Casillas placed
third.
Informative, prose and persuasive are speaking events coached by Ben
Price.
Persuasive speaking winners were Nancy Quezada, second and Myra Fuentes,
fifth.
Journalism events are coached by Peggy Jones, and in that category,
headline writing winners in that event include, Erin Paz, first and Brandi
Harrison, fifth place.
Editorial writing winners are: Erin Paz, second; Brandi Harrison, third
and Efrain Rodriguez, fourth, (alternate).
In Feature writing, Brandi Harrison is an alternate, having placed fourth
in district.
News writing winners are: Brandi Harrison, fourth (alternate) and Juan
Angel Ramirez, sixth.
Thomas Alexander placed first in the Lincoln/Douglas debate with Nancy
Russell as his coach.
"We placed in almost every event that we entered," said Scown. "We really
dominated the event to the point that in some cases we took the top three
individual awards plus the team award, which is unusual," she said.
"We did really well at district and are ready to prepare for regionals,"
said PHS senior Jonathan Fuentes. "It will be a lot tougher competition,
but we hope to be ready for it."
"We owe it all to our coaches, who worked really hard with us," added
student Tye Graham.
"There are nine different ways to make it to regionals and we won them
all," said Efren Rodriguez.
Scown stated that the group has received full support from the administration
for UIL. "We would like to thank principal Danny Rodriguez, superintendent
Don Love and assistant superintendent Gome Olibas and the school board
for their help and encouragement," said Scown.
Three-car accident sends three to RCH
PECOS, March 30, 1999 -- Three people were transported to Reeves County
Hospital this morning following a three-car accident at the intersection
of Seventh and Palm streets.
Police and sheriff's deputies, along with ambulance and emergency personnel
were called out to the site shortly after 8 a.m. today. Investigating officer
Ismael Gamboa said the accident occurred when an Oldsmobile Achievas, driven
by Sherry Hernandez, 22, attempted to cross Seventh Street while northbound
on Palm struck the side of a Buick Skylark, which was eastbound on Seventh
at the time.
"She said she stopped and looked both ways and didn't see a car and
started across and all of a sudden saw the white (Buick) car," Gamboa said.
The force of the crash ripped the front bumper and grill off the Oldsmobile,
though it failed to activate the car's airbag, and spun the Buick sideways,
causing it to strike a Ford Thunderbird, driven by Amilia Lara, 36, which
was westbound in the 800 block of West Seventh Street at the time. The
Thunderbird was hit in the rear quarter panel on the driver's side.
Neither Hernandez or Lara required treatment from ambulance attendants
at the scene, while the driver of the Buick, who was not identified, was
taken to Reeves County Hospital, as was a 9-year-old passenger in the car
and a third person who was in the Thunderbird.
The jaws of life were used to cut open the driver's side door to the
Buick, and both it and the Oldsmobile were then towed from the scene.
Condition reports on the three people taken to the hospital were not
available, and police are continuing their investigation of the accident.
Battery recycling plant's former owner faces suit
By PEGGY McCRACKEN
Staff Writer
PECOS, March 30, 1999 -- William R. Meador, the former owner of Recovery
and Reclamation Inc., committed fraud by accepting payment for recycling
batteries and then not following through, claims a civil engineer in a
143rd District Court lawsuit.
Adriaan Volker Civil Engineering N.V., filed the suit last week against
R&R, Meador and his wife, Betty Meador.
The Meadors lived in Pecos when he operated the battery recycling plant,
but they now live in Midland. They did not answer telephone calls to their
residence regarding the suit.
Volker lives in The Netherlands Antilles. His suit arises out of an
assignment from Ecotechniek B.V.
Background of the allegations include the following:
Ecotechniek and R&R entered into a recycling and return agreement
Sept. 15, 1993 and a recycling agreement July 6, 1994. R&R was to treat
and dispose of industrial and household batteries delivered to it by Ecotechniek.
After disposing of the batteries, R&R was to send Ecotechniek an
invoice for the charges and to certify that the batteries had been treated
and disposed of.
Ecotechniek delivered 9,400 tons of batteries to R&R and paid the
ensuing invoices for most, if not all, of them.
When R&R filed bankruptcy in October, 1995, it still had 7,000 tons
of batteries delivered by Ecotechniek, which had not been treated or disposed
of. They were transferred to R&R's successor, Battery Conservation
Technologies Inc. for disposal, by order entered by the bankruptcy court.
R&R's bankruptcy case subsequently was dismissed.
Ecotechniek entered into a credit agreement with BCTI to process and
dispose of the batteries, hiring a law firm and an environmental consulting
firm who monitored and confirmed the processing and disposal.
Ecotechniek assigned its contract with BCTI to Volker Feb. 28, 1998.
Volker has paid BCTI and others to process and dispose of the batteries
and has paid the two firms for services rendered in that connection.
R&R is responsible for those costs, Volker claims. And he asked
the court to disregard the corporate identity of R&R because "it has
been used as an unfair device to accomplish an inequitable result."
R&R was a wholly-owned subsidiary of Rose Traders Inc., which was
owned or controlled by W.R Meador.
Meador should be held personally liable for R&R's contractual obligations,
breaches and tortious conduct "because W. Meador caused R&R to be used
for the purpose of perpetrating..fraud," the suit claims.
"Through false representations, W. Meador induced Ecotechniek to make
payments for services which were never performed," the suit states..."W.
Meador subsequently denuded R&R of many of its assets by transferring
such assets to family members or entities owned or controlled by them or
him or by using the assets to purchase property for his use, such as a
vehicle and residence purchased in his wife's name shortly before R&R,
Rose, and W. Meador filed bankruptcy."
Ecotechniek made payments to R&R on their promise to purchase pyrolysis
equipment to treat the batteries, the suit alleges, "but R&R and W.
Meador never performed these services."
Volker cites breach of contract by not disposing of batteries, receipt
of payment for batteries not disposed of, fraud for entering into recycling
agreements it did not intend to perform, negligent misrepresentation, indemnity
and fraudulent transfer.
He seeks actual damages, exemplary damages attorney fees and costs.
Company begins repaving on new project
By PEGGY McCRACKEN
Staff Writer
PECOS, March 30, 1999 -- Hollomon Construction Co. began this week
to replace paving from the south side of Third Street (BI-20), where they
have installed sewer pipe and manholes for the city.
Ruben Carrasco, an engineer with Frank X. Spencer & Associates,
said this morning that Holloman will replace paving that was removed during
the excavation for the sewer.
"They are excavating to a certain depth to provide asphaltic surface,"
Carrasco said.
Holloman will remove 2 1/2-inch to 4 inches of the highway surface before
laying the new surface, Carrsco said.
The Texas Department of Transportation plans to resurface the entire
highway this summer.
City Manager Kenneth Neal said that Holloman has completed 85 percent
of the sewer replacement project, which runs 11 blocks, from Ash to Oleander
streets.
Hospital board set to discuss plan
PECOS, March 30, 1999 -- Directors for the Reeves County Hospital District
will consider ratification of the organizational structure, operating policies
and procedures for home health during their regular meeting at 5:30 p.m.
today.
The hospital recently acquired Pecos Home Health to be integrated into
the current home health organization.
Other agenda items include tax abatement for the proposed Immigration
and Naturalization Service building, tax collector's report, financial
reports and budget amendments, bills and medical staff report.
The medical staff will recommend adding several physicians to the consulting
staff and removing others. They will also present amendments to the medical
staff by-laws regarding delinquent records and on-call response time.
Board meetings are held in the hospital classroom and are open to the
public.
Former Pecosite Waggoner new First Christian pastor
PECOS, March 30, 1999 -- First Christian Church has called former Pecos
resident Ernest D. Waggoner as pastor.
Waggoner has been pastor of the First Christian Church in Fort Stockton
since March, 1992. He will continue in that capacity, preaching in Pecos
at 9 a.m. on Sunday, then returning to Fort Stockton for the 11 a.m. service.
He holds funerals and weddings in both cities and spends Tuesdays and
Fridays in Pecos, ministering to his flock.
Waggoner has been in the ministry since 1971. He attended graduate school
at Texas Tech University, Eastern New Mexico University and Southwestern
Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth.
His wife, Sherry, was a reporter for the Enterprise before moving to
Fort Stockton. She is now employed by the Lynaugh Unit of the state prison
system in Fort Stockton.
“I am glad to be back in Pecos,” Waggoner said. “I like Pecos.”
Teen girls found slain in Abilene
ABILENE (AP) — When West Texas law officers were summoned to apartments
by a 911 report about gunshots and one man on the ground, they found a
horrific sight.
Four teen-agers were shot to death and a man wounded Monday.
Law officers are now checking whether the four women's deaths are somehow
related to gunfire Sunday that wounded a teen-ager.
A 19-year-old suspect and his 16-year-old brother who have Tarrant County
addresses were sought in the Fort Worth area for questioning in the latest
attack, according to Dallas television station WFAA.
Police were summoned to the duplex about 5 p.m. Monday.
A wounded man was found in the driveway and the other victims, including
one who might have been pregnant, were inside, detective Jay Hatcher said.
Police had no motive and no suspects by late Monday for what he called
Abilene's first quadruple homicide in recent memory. Repeated telephone
calls from The Associated Press today to Abilene police weren't returned.
Residents of the northside Abilene neighborhood say violence is nothing
new there.
Donna Rhone, who lives just a few houses away from the crime scene,
told the Abilene Reporter-News that the tiny group of duplex apartments
has been a problem ever since she moved to the area 13 years ago.
"If they would knock down those apartments, it would be a better area,"
said Ms. Rhone. "My kids can't even play in their front yard because I'm
afraid they'll get shot."
Hatcher described the scene as "very, very gruesome" and added that
it appeared some of the women might have been trying to escape.
"It's a very, very sad fact to have happened to four people at such
a young age," said Hatcher.
The women were identified as Sandy Witt, Naomi Martinez, Penny Estrada
and Erica Arispe. The fifth victim, Larry Hammond, was in surgery for his
wounds early today.
Police at the scene said they were looking for a light-colored Cadillac
that was seen speeding from the scene.
Hammond might have been shot while investigating the gunshots at the
duplex, according to Abilene television station KRBC-TV.
Officers were investigating whether the deaths were related to the Sunday
night shooting of 16-year-old Jimmy Estrada at his home. They said they
didn't yet know if Penny Estrada is related to Jimmy Estrada.
Sunday's shooting victim told police he didn't know his assailant. Two
other juveniles injured in Sunday's gunfire also told police they didn't
know the shooter.
Lotto
AUSTIN (AP) — Results of the Cash 5 drawing Monday night: Winning numbers
drawn: 4-8-21-34-39. Number matching five of five: 2. Prize per winner:
$43,809. Winning tickets sold in: La Pryor, Stafford. Matching four of
five: 195. Prize: $674.
***
AUSTIN (AP) — The winning Pick 3 numbers drawn Monday by the Texas Lottery,
in order: 9-7-6 (nine, seven, six)
Obituary
Vernon Nichols
Vernon W. "Buzz" Nichols, 70, died Monday, March 29, 1999, at Odessa Medical
Center Hospital.
Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m., Wednesday, March 31, at Elm
Grove Cemetery in Alpine.
He was born May 2, 1928, in Alpine, was a lifelong Pecos resident, and
a member of the First Christian Church.
Survivors include three sons, Bobby Nichols of Colorado, Russell Nichols
of Hale Center, and Joe Nichols of Lubbock; one daughter, Martha Leonard
of Littlefield; one brother, Harold Johnson Nichols of Victoria; one sister,
Ina Bess James of Pecos; two nieces; three nephews and seven grandchildren.
Pecos Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Weather
PECOS, March 30, 1999 -- High Monday 67; low last night 48. Tonight, becoming
cloudy. Low in the lower 50s. South to southeast wind 10-15 mph. Wednesday,
morning clouds, otherwise mostly sunny and breezy. high near 80. South
to southwest 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
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