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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Top Stories
Friday, August 27, 1999
Bond denied to suspects in heroin bust
By PEGGY McCRACKEN
Staff Writer
PECOS, Aug. 27, 1999 -- U.S. Magistrate Judge Stuart Platt on Thursday
ordered two suspects detained without bail and is considering release conditions
for a third suspect involved in the sale of more than one pound of heroin.
Lazaro Pando-Hernandez, 29, of Pecos, was in Reeves County jail when
he conspired with Irene Anita Rodriguez, 40, of Odessa to sell heroin to
an undercover officer, said Jeff Parras, prosecutor for the government.
Parras' motion to detain without bail is based on the fact that Pando
is not a U.S. citizen and may flee the country. He also poses a danger
to the community if released, Parras said.
Furthermore, if convicted, Pando could be sentenced to life in prison,
Parras said.
Rodriguez waived a detention hearing.
Ricky Portillo Aguilar, 21, of Odessa, may be released on bail if Judge
Platt can work out satisfactory terms of release.
Parras sought to have him detained because he believes Aguilar may flee,
is a danger to the community and may attempt to obstruct justice of released.
If convicted, Aguilar could be sentenced to 10 years or more in federal
prison.
Their arrests came Monday after a DPS undercover officer met with Aguilar
in a mobile home in Odessa. Aguilar delivered three packages wrapped in
black tape, containing 562.69 grams of heroin, to Rodriguez. Rodriguez
in turn handed the three packages to the agent for inspection, said U.S.
Customs agent Bill Fort in an affidavit filed with the complaint.
At that time, police officers entered the residence to arrest them.
Aguilar fled but was caught after a foot pursuit, Fort said.
Pando's part in the scheme was to telephone Rodriguez from jail, giving
her instructions on the sale, Fort said. Rodriguez was identified to Customs
agents as Pando's girlfirend and assistant.
Parras said that the charges will be presented to a grand jury in Pecos
for possible indictment.
Also on Thursday, Judge Platt accepted guilty pleas from Rosa Isela
Montoya, 18, of Fort Stockton, for possession of 35.10 pounds of marijuana
with intent to distribute;
And Manuel Jimenez-Guerrero, 20, of Mexico, for possession of a firearm
by an illegal alien. Charges of marijuana possession (one pound) and possession
of a stolen firearm will be dismissed at time of sentencing.
Water found in Monahans meteor
From Staff and Wire Reports
MONAHANS, Aug. 27, 1999 -- A rock that fell from the sky and landed
in a Monahans playground in March of 1998 contained a remarkable surprise
- water from the far reaches of space.
The researchers who opened the meteorite discovered tiny pockets of
briny water, providing the first close look at water not originating on
earth, according to an article in the journal Science.
"The existence of a water-soluble salt in this meteorite is astonishing,"
wrote R. N. Clayton of the University of Chicago, who was not involved
in the research on the meteorite.
While astronomers have long thought that water flowed through asteroids
and other bodies formed at the beginning of the solar system, the meteorite's
liquid cargo offered the first chance to actually study it in a lab.
The meteorite burned through the sky the evening of March 22, 1998,
and landed in a playground in Monahans where a group of seven boys found
it and alerted scientists from NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.
When the NASA team, including asteroid specialist Michael Zolensky,
cracked open part of the meteorite at their lab, they found purple crystals
of halite _ or rock salt _ that contained minuscule pockets of water with
bubbles, which indicated that water flowed on whatever parent body spawned
the meteorite.
Chondrite meteorites, such as the one found in Monahans, are thought
to comprise some of the most primitive ingredients from the early period
of the solar system, and the water in the crystals could date as far back
as 4.5 billion years.
After the rock was sent off to NASA for study, it became the subject
of controversy last year when the city of Monahans attempted to claim ownership
of the meteorite from the seven boys involved. The council later relented
and a second meteorite — found the following day by a Ward County sheriff's
deputy embedded in the pavement on a street on the east side of town —
remains in the city's possession.
At the time, Everett K. Gibson, a space scientist and geochemist with
the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center near Houston, said the meteor fragments
were stony meteorites - not the more common nickel-iron meteorites but
still common.
"The unusual thing about this find was that we don't often recover them
as quickly as this," Gibson told The Monahans News. "There are plenty of
meteorites found but most of them are not found for a long time and are
not as suited for study as these."
After it was returned to the boys, the meteor was auctioned off this
past July via the Internet, and was bought for $23,000 by Big Spring businessman
Mike Craddock.
Cathi Casper, a spokeswoman for the auction company. said Craddock has
no apparent scientific interest in the rock, but was upset with the attempt
by the Monahans City Council to take it from the boys. "He just wanted
to help them out." Casper said.
Auction officials had hoped the rock would bring as much as $60,000.
School board sets Monday meeting on budget
PECOS, Aug. 27, 1999 -- Budget items will top the agenda at a special Pecos-Barstow-Toyah
ISD Board meeting scheduled for 6 p.m., Monday, Aug. 31, at 1304 S. Park,
(school board room).
Dedicating fund balance and amending 1998-99 budget will be some of
the things up for discussion.
Board members will also take public comments on the 1999-2000 budget
and discuss/approve adopting the 1999-2000 budget.
Also for discussion will the 1999-2000 teacher appraisal calendar and
PCAS appraisers.
The group will meet in closed session to discuss personnel or hear complaints
against personnel.
Members of the board will return to open session and take action, if
any, on items discussed in closed session.
Eagle coaches talk to Rotary
By SMOKEY BRIGGS
Staff Writer
PECOS, Aug. 27, 1999 -- Pecos football was the topic at Thursday's weekly
meeting of the Rotary Club.
New head coach Gary Grubbs and offensive coordinator Elias Payan spoke
to members about the changes taking place this season, and their hopes
for the year.
Grubbs said that he was instituting new offensive and defensive systems
this year.
"Both are designed to suit our kids better," he said. "We have great
kids with good speed but not a lot of size. We want to take advantage of
that speed this year and this system is designed to do that."
Grubbs also said that participation was very good this year.
"We have more than 100 kids out playing football this year on the freshman,
junior varsity and varsity teams," he said.
When asked where he saw Pecos in the standings Grubbs replied that he
saw Pecos at the top of the district. The Eagles shared the District 2-4A
title last season with Canutillo, their first district championship in
23 years.
"We have a lot of young kids this year with good senior leadership.
We also have better depth than we did last year and that should help us
as the season progresses. As we get used to this system I think we will
do very well," he said.
Assistant Coach Elias Payan also addressed the group.
Payan, a Pecos native and former player who is in his second year as
an Eagle coach, said that he was glad to be home and looking forward to
the challenge this season holds.
"To be the offensive coordinator in my second year here is a great opportunity
for me," he said.
Payan said that after last weeks scrimmage against Monahans he was upset
but that as he watched the films the next day he saw a lot of positive
things to build on.
"Most of our mistakes were mental and you have to expect that with a
new system. We broke the system down to the very basics this week in practice
and as the players learn the system we will get better," he said.
Payan said that Pecos could expect a more wide-open type of football
this year as the coaches try to capitalize on the team's speed.
"It should be very exciting," he said.
Pecos held their second scrimmage on Thursday evening at Midland Greenwood,
and will open their 1999 season next Thursday at Odessa's Ratliff Stadium
against Denver City.
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.
***
Hector H. Galindo, 38, was arrested at 8:45 p.m., on August 20, in the
400 block of South Oak Street, for public intoxication.
***
Jerry Dominguez, 18, Gilbert Plasencia, 18, and Jerry Olivas, 18, were
arrested at 2:05 a.m., on August 21, near the Christian Home, each for
evading arrest.
***
Arvil Talamentez, 40, was arrested at 4:35 p.m., on August 21, at the
corner of Third and Plum streets, for driving while intoxicated (other
than alcohol).
***
Manuel Rivera, 40, was arrested at 1:55 p.m., on August 23, in the 400
block of Walnut Street, on a parole warrant.
***
Sonia Madrid, 23, was arrested at 4:41 p.m., on August 23, in the 1600
block of Washington Street, on a Sheriff's Office warrant.
***
Pete Boone Liles, 18, was arrested at 6:20 p.m., on August 23, in the
2000 block of South Alamo Street, for assault under the Family Violence
Act.
***
Alonzo Munoz, 27, was arrested at 8:31 p.m., on August 24, on Kerr Street,
for driving while license suspended/possession of marijuana (under 2 ounces).
***
Hal Pratt, 58, was arrested at 10:04 p.m., on August 24, at the corner
of Fifth and Oak streets, for public intoxication.
***
Leopoldo C. Gonzales, 25, was arrested at 11:02 p.m., on August 24,
in the 2200 block of Scott Street, for burglary of a habitation.
***
Celestina Cerna, 45, was arrested at 6:02 p.m., on August 25, in the
400 block of Peach Street, on a DWI refusal.
Lotto
AUSTIN (AP) — Results of the Cash 5 drawing Thursday night: Winning numbers
drawn: 7-13-15-22-27. Number matching five of five: 0. Matching four of
five: 342. Prize: $586.
***
AUSTIN (AP) — The winning Pick 3 numbers drawn Thursday by the Texas
Lottery, in order: 3-7-8 (three, seven, eight)
Weather
PECOS, Aug. 27, 1999 -- High Thursday 101; low last night 69. Tonight,
mostly clear. Low 70-75. Light southeast wind. Saturday, mostly sunny.
High 95-100. South to southeast wind 10 -15 mph. Extended forecast, Saturday
night, mostly clear. Low around 70. Sunday, mostly sunny. High in the mid
90s. Monday and Tuesday, partly cloudy with a slight chance of showers
and thunderstorms. Lows in the mid to upper 60s. Highs around 90.
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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