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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Top Stories
Friday, June 11, 1999
Dress code bars dark lips, bare midriff
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, June, 11, 1999--Revisions to the student dress code will be added
to the Pecos High School handbook, pending presentation to the District
Educational Improvement Committee.
The revisions were presented to Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD board members
by PHS Principal Danny Rodriguez during their regular meeting Thursday
evening.
"We can't do anything about these revisions until they are presented
to DEIC," said Rodriguez. "But we just wanted the board to be aware of
these revisions," he said.
Rodriguez said the group had attended a seminar in which they were told
that we needed to tighten the dress code.
Revisions for the student dress code for the 1999-2000 school year,
if approved by DEIC, will include:
— Shirts may be worn untucked as long as no part of the shirt extends
past the bend of the wrist when arms are extended down the sides of the
body;
— Shirts may not be worn that allow any or all of the student's midriff
to show when the student's arms are raised above the head.
— Shorts must extend to the middle of the thigh
— No black or dark color finger nail polish, lipstick or lip liner may
be worn.
— Pants/jeans/shorts may not be baggy or exceed three inches of excess
fabric at the thigh.
A dress code check will take place during the first five minutes of
first class period. Students in violation will be sent to the assistant
principal.
"If they are found in violation, we will call their parents or send
them to On Campus Suspension," said Rodriguez.
"Why do you say that no dark color finger nail polish, lipstick?" asked
board member Louis Matta. "From what I see that is what is in vogue and
I've even seen staff members wearing those colors," he said.
"Because they told us that those are some of the things that they have
been using to indicate that they are in a gang," said Rodriguez. "And these
are some of the things that we want to discourage."
"These are some of the things that were brought up at the committee
meeting," said Rodriguez.
Matta asked why jackets and long coats were not on the dress code list.
"I can understand them wearing jackets and long coats during the winter,
but I've seen them wearing them in April and May, when it's already warm,"
said Matta. "I think we should address this in the student dress code also,"
he said.
"We can list it also in the dress code, if the board feels it's an item
that should be on there," said Rodriguez.
Board members agreed to list this item also on the dress code list.
Rodriguez told the group he would set up a DEIC meeting and get it publicized
and approved by the board.
Board members agreed to stay with the current long-distance provider,
Allcomm, of Pecos.
"We received two other bids and the savings would only be about $1,500,
if we go with someone else," said Love.
Love told the group that the current provider is a local business, and
that they are taxpayers. "It's not that much of a savings and if something
goes wrong, the provider is right here in town," he said.
Dick Alligood of Allcomm Long Distance spoke on behalf of his company.
"We have gone through a lot of a changes from when this system was first
put in," said Alligood.
Alligood said that they receive a lot of calls about different problems
and they are addressed promptly. "And this is at no cost to the district,"
said Alligood.
"Sometimes what is cheaper up front is not always best policy. Alligood
is a taxpayer, and we need to look at that," said board president Earl
Bates.
"If you have any problems, call me," said Alligood.
Board members voted to accept a gift of a greenhouse to be placed at
the Crockett Middle School.
"I have spoken to the attorneys and there is no law that says we can't
accept a gift from a board member," said Love.
The greenhouse will be a gift from board member Steve Armstrong.
"It's worth about $12-15,000, has a heater, air conditioner and is all
glass," said Love. "Juanita Davila (Crockett principal) would like to accept
it and move it to her campus, since there is no law that prevents us from
accepting it," he said.
Love said that the district has insurance to cover the move and Armstrong
has homeowners insurance that will cover if anything happens. "As soon
as it is out the gate, it's our responsibility," said Love. "It's a really
nice greenhouse," he said.
Love told the group that Davila wants to use the greenhouse for science
and biology classes and that they are very excited about the prospect.
A report showed that there are currently 236 students enrolled in summer
school.
"We had planned for all these students and I've visited all the campuses
and everything is coming along real well," said personnel director Gome
Olibas. "The kids and teachers have been working really hard," he said.
Appointments made for the 1999-2000 school year include:
* Eliza Acosta, Bachelor of Science/Criminal Justice/Southwest Texas
State College, four years experience, assignment, Crockett Middle School
English teacher/coach;
* Faustino Acosta, Bachelor of Science/Physical Education/History/Sul
Ross State University, eight years experience, assignment, Pecos High School
Special Education teacher/coach;
* Criselda Armenta, Bachelor of Arts/History/University of Texas of
the Permian Basin, no experience, assignment, Lamar Middle School sixth
grade teacher;
* Ronald Arnesen, Bachelor of Science/Physical Education/Tarleton State
University, three years experience, assignment, Pecos High School history
teacher/coach;
* Syed Askari, Bachelor of Science/Mathematics/Tarleton State University,
no experience, assignment, Crockett Middle School math teacher;
* Charles Bunch, Bachelor of Science/Kinesiology/Sul Ross State University,
no experience, assignment, Crockett Middle School Special Education teacher/coach;
* Bethann Davis, Bachelor of Science/Mathematics/University of Texas
of the Permian Basin, two years experience, assignment, Pecos High School
math teacher;
* Timothy Flanagan, Master of Science/Agricultural Education/Texas Tech
University, six years experience, assignment, Pecos High School Vocational
Agriculture teacher;
* Martha Franks, Bachelor of Science/English/University of Texas of
the Permian Basin, no experience, assignment, Crockett Middle School math
teacher/coach;
* Gwendolyn Jenkins, Master of Arts/History/University of Texas of the
Permian Basin, one year experience, assignment, Bessie Haynes Elementary
fifth grade teacher;
* Diane Minjarez, Bachelor of Science/Psychology/Business/Sul Ross State
University, no experience, assignment, Pecos High School Special Education
teacher.
Resignations came from Janie Aguilar, special education teacher for
the visually impaired/Zavala Middle School; Jean Bracy, fourth grade teacher/Bessie
Haynes Elementary School; Rick Bracy, Vocational Agriculture teacher/Pecos
High School; Bobbye Brookes, music teacher/Pecos Elementary School/Bessie
Haynes; Leah Ledbetter, assistant speech therapist for the district; Juanita
Perez, third grade teacher/Pecos Elementary School; Jay Ragland, physical
education teacher/coach/Pecos High School; Melanie Ragland, English teacher/Pecos
High School and Vance Washington, History teacher/G.T./coach/Pecos High
School.
Reassignments will be John Barrett, from Bessie Haynes Elementary School
special education teacher to Lamar Middle School sixth grade teacher; Alicia
Brown, from Austin Elementary School first grade bilingual teacher to Austin
Elementary school second grade bilingual teacher; Allie Jolene Davis, from
Lamar Middle School sixth grade teacher to Pecos High School English teacher;
Irene Lujan, from Pecos Kindergarten bilingual teacher to Austin Elementary
School first grade bilingual teacher; Mary Martha Mondragon, from Austin
Elementary School second grade bilingual teacher to Austin Elementary School
Special Education Inclusion teacher; Jaime Paniagua, from Pecos High School
math teacher to Carver Alternative Education Program academics and Elias
Payan, from Pecos High School Special Educational Inclusion teacher to
Pecos High School Physical Education teacher.
Retirements were Joan Porter, third grade bilingual teacher/Pecos Elementary
School and Bailey Wheeless, Vocational Agriculture teacher/Pecos High School.
County looks to join effort to rehab track
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, June, 11, 1999--Community recreation is the goal of a three-agency
effort to upgrade the Pecos High School track.
Pecos City Council has already agreed to remove the old track surface
after county employees break it up, and Reeves County Commissioners are
considering laying the new asphalt surface.
County Judge Jimmy B. Galindo met with the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD board
Thursday to discuss an interlocal agreement with the county.
At the last board meeting, superintendent Don Love said he had spoken
with the judge. "He assured me that between them and the city they could
tear up the track, clear it out and get it ready to put a new one in,"
said Love.
The item was tabled until next week when a special board meeting will
be held to discuss it in more detail.
Love told the group that it would cost the school district about $60,000,
"to do it right."
"I think the school district has the money up to the $60,000," said
Love.
In the interlocal agreement, the school district shall provide adequate
personnel to control and direct the overall project. The county and city
will sustain no monetary cost, but will provide equipment, personnel and
material.
Galindo told board members that the work outlined is right within their
realms, with what they do. "Our road engineer, Russ Salcido is very familiar
with the material that will be used and it won't be a problem," he said.
"I invite all of you to go take a look at the track at the Pecos Elementary
School," said Galindo.
The track at the elementary school was redone in an interlocal agreement
with the county and the school district. "We're planning on doing the track
at Austin Elementary School next," said Galindo.
Later, the track at Lamar Middle School will also be worked on.
Pecos High School Principal and Town of Pecos City Council member Danny
Rodriguez, said that the city has already approved the interlocal agreement.
"The city has agreed that they would come in and get rid of the old track,"
said Rodriguez.
"Somebody will also come in and measure and take care of the curbs,"
said Rodriguez.
Rodriguez said that utilities director Octavio Garcia had agreed to
have his crew come and take the old track out. "He also plans to reuse
some it, so that it won't go to waste," said Rodriguez.
"I fell this is something that is really needed in the community and
we will discuss it in detail at the special meeting next week, just to
iron out all the details," said Love.
"We still need to get with the city and county and see how long it will
take, because we sure would like it before the first football game," Love
said.
"We won't be able to start until after the rodeo. "This is a really
busy time for the road and bridges department," said Galindo.
Type B Asphalt will be used for repaving and bids for materials will
be solicited.
"This just goes along with the community recreation program the county
has been working on," said Love.
Love said that cost for the surface and striping of the track would
be about $40,000. "This is just a guesstimate of how much the school's
part would be," said Love.
With curbing, drainage and other improvements, the total cost would
be about $60,000, said Love.
"Depending on the wear and tear, the track would require resurfacing
in 4-6 years," he said.
Criminal caseload in Pecos court
By PEGGY McCRACKEN
Staff Writer
PECOS, June, 11, 1999--Federal grand jurors on Thursday indicted 29
defendants, bringing the total this year to 301.
"The caseload is really growing dramatically," said District Judge Royal
Furgeson, who with Senior Judge Lucius Bunton handles the Pecos Division
docket.
If the trend continues, Pecos will handle more criminal cases this year
than the San Antonio Division, he said.
"It appears that we will have to be keeping court open for more trials
and more hearings for the foreseeable future just to keep up," Furgeson
said.
He has another docket Monday, with three jury trials, one status conference,
35 sentencings and one civil forfeiture case.
Judge Furgeson had been working one week each in Pecos, Midland and
El Paso each month, but has been forced to give up the El Paso docket.
"For the next eight months, I have asked other judges to handle my El
Paso docket to make sure we don't fall behind on the Pecos docket," Judge
Furgeson said Wednesday while on a break during one of two jury trials
held here this week.
Noting that the increase in activity would have not been possible in
the old courthouse located on the second and third floors of the Pecos
post Office, Judge Furgeson said he is glad to have the new courthouse,
built in 1995 at 410 S. Cedar St.
Judge Bunton, for whom the courthouse is named, is recovering from cancer
surgery. He is growing stronger every day and spends about two hours each
day in his office, said Furgeson.
With the help of visiting judges and magistrate/judge Stuart Platt,
Judge Furgeson is handling Bunton's criminal docket, which is considerable
with the addition of three assistant U.S. attorneys to the Pecos Division
staff.
Other court support personnel includes four probation officers, two
pre-trial services officers, five deputy clerks and five court security
officers. With their clerical help, that is an increase of 14 from staffing
levels in 1994 before the new courthouse was built.
Prior to 1994, an average of 150 felony criminal defendants were prosecuted
in the Pecos Division each year, and an average of 55 civil cases were
filed and processed.
Felony cases fell to 75 defendants in 1994 and 54 in 1995. The first
year in the new building, 162 defendants were indicted, and the number
continued to grow. In 1997, 328 felony defendants were processed, and the
number reached 421 in 1998.
Also housed in the building are the U.S. Marshal Service and public
defender.
At the time of construction, the new $4 million courthouse received
widespread media attention. Critics claimed the $20 million cost to the
government for a 30-year lease on the building is excessive in a town with
12,000 population.
They failed to consider that the Pecos Division is the largest division,
geographically, in the nation. It has the longest stretch of the Mexican
border and covers 10 West Texas counties: Brewster, Culberson, Jeff Davis,
Hudspeth, Loving, Pecos, Presidio, Reeves, Ward and Winkler.
Federal grand jury charges cocaine suspects
By PEGGY McCRACKEN
Staff Writer
PECOS, June, 11, 1999--Two Hialeah, Fla. residents who were allegedly
caught with 1,007 pounds of marijuana were amoung 29 defendants indicted
Thursday by the federal grand jury in Pecos.
Area residents indicted were Rosa Isela Montoya, 18, of Fort Stockton,
possession of 35.10 pounds of marijuana on June 8; and Sandy Lee Carrasco-Lopez,
27, of Presidio, 276.20 pounds of marijuana.
One superseding indictment not counted in the total names 21 defendants
of an alleged drug smuggling ring charged with importing marijuana from
Mexico into the United States over a period of years.
Several of the defendants have already pleaded guilty, and others are
on the Monday docket of U.S. District Judge Royal Furgeson for a status
conference.
New indictments Thursday include 12 for marijuana possession with intent
to distribute, three for importing and possessing marijuana with intent
to distribute, four for conspiracy to possess and possession of marijuana
with intent to distribute;
One for importing and possessing cocaine with intent to distribute,
one for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, and five on immigration
charges.
Golf concession contract bid
PECOS, June, 11, 1999--Advertising for Reeves County Golf Course concession
contract bids will be one topic of discussion at Monday morning's regular
Reeves County Commissioners Court meeting.
Commissioners will meet beginning at 9:45 a.m., on the third floor of
the courthouse to discuss and take action on the Reeves County Detention
Center 1,000 bed addition "Ramp Up" costs budget amendments.
The court will discuss awarding inmate food and kitchen supply bids
for the RCDC and the Reeves County Jail and declare Juvenile Detention
Center surplus property.
In other business, commissioners will discuss authorizing $100 change
fund for the Northside Swimming Pool; the deputation and oath of Thomas
Lee Acosta; reports from various departments; budget amendments and line-item
transfers; and personnel and salary changes for the RCDC, Sheriff's Office,
Community Sports and Recreation Department, county clerk's office, auditor's
office, road and bridge department and the county library.
Commissioners will discuss and approve minutes from previous minutes
and semi-monthly bills.
The group will meet behind closed doors to discuss possible litigation
in relation to the Charlie Millan Cemetery Plot.
Parade features song on the range
By PEGGY McCRACKEN
Staff Writer
PECOS, June, 11, 1999--Western Songs will float out over the floats
in the West of the Pecos Rodeo Parade this year, as each float entered
for competition must carry out that theme.
Floats will gather on Texas Highway 17 at 8:30 a.m. July 1 for judging
before the parade begins at 10 a.m., traveling east on Third Street (Business
I-20).
In addition to floats, parade entries will include horses, horse-drawn
vehicles, antique cars, commercial vehicles, Pecos High School Eagle band,
specialty groups and individual entries on bicycle or afoot.
The parade will turn south on Cypress Street, east on Fifth, north on
Oak, south on First past the West of the Pecos Museum, and south on Cedar
Street to the rodeo grounds.
Once there, the Reeves County Sheriff's Posse will be hosting a Bar-B-Que
for rodeo participants, where the plaques for first and second place winners
in each category will be handed out.
Anyone is welcome to join the parade, but only the entries that are
based on the theme will be eligible for judging. Applications may be picked
up at the Pecos Chamber of Commerce office, 111 S. Cedar St.
Golden Girls' twin bake sales raise funds
By Smokey Briggs
Staff Writer
PECOS, June, 11, 1999--Participants in this year's Golden Girl pageant
held twin bake sales this morning at Security State Bank and First National
Bank.
Suan Cross, chairman for the pageant, reported that sales were brisk
as the sales opened.
Cross said that the money would be used to cover the expenses of the
pageant, to support the Golden Girl scholarship fund and the West of the
Pecos Museum.
"One of our biggest expenses is for the production number costumes,"
Cross said.
This year's production will be based on the Shania Twain song, "Man,
I Feel Like a Woman," Cross said, but would not be a recreation of the
singer's music video based on the song.
The production will be part of the Golden Girl Revue, Friday, June 25th
in the Pecos High School Auditorium.
Each participating girl will also have her own float for the rodeo parade
on July 1st.
Saturday workday set for 4-H Club
PECOS, June, 11, 1999--A 4-H Workday is scheduled from 8 a.m. until 11
a.m., Saturday, June 12, at the 4-H Complex.
Anyone who has had an animal or 4-H project must attend along with all
4-H members.
LOTTO
AUSTIN (AP) — Results of the Cash 5 drawing Thursday night: Winning numbers
drawn: 1-5-6-10-30. Number matching five of five: 2. Prize per winner:
$43,157. Winning tickets sold in: Harlingen, Wichita Falls. Matching four
of five: 312. Prize: $415. Matching three of five: 9,743. Prize: $22. Next
Cash 5 drawing: Friday night.
WEATHER
PECOS, June, 11, 1999--High Thursday 101; low last night 71. Rainfall,
light sprinkle. Today's records: high 109, 1959; low 49, 1979; precipitation
1.46, 1935. Precipitation last year, .05 inch. Forecast for tonight, partly
cloudy. A 30 percent chance of thunderstorms, a few severe. Low in the
upper 60s. Southeast wind 10-20 mph. Saturday, partly cloudy. A 20 percent
chance of thunderstorms. high in the lower 90s. Southeast to south wind
10-20 mph.
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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