By Steve Patterson
Publisher/editor of the News
Even to the most casual reader this column will appear to be very
self-serving. In all honesty, I must admit that it is self-serving in
that want to touch on a subject which directly affects this business and
is community.
There is a company which has contracted with our local cable television
provider to come into this region and sell advertising at prices I
consider to be predatory.
I am not going to deny that I find it disturbing to see some of our
local advertisers spend their money with an outside company for the
privilege of having their ads shown in, Monahans between the CNN stories
on- Bosnia and Western Africa.
Since this is a free enterprise system which not only allows, but
encourages competition in the marketplace, there is not much I can do
except remind this community about the importance of having - local
newspaper.
You are not going to find any news about Monahans on the cable
television. There will be no city council meetings reported, no local
sports, no senior citizens menus, no kids' photos shown on the cable
station. They will simply take your money, run your ad and - in essence
- contribute nothing back into the community.
This newspaper employs seven full-time people and numerous parttimers.
As far as I can tell, the cable advertising company employs one person
locally. This paper makes a sincere effort to keep as much of its
business within the community as possible. The cable advertising company
has offices in Odessa and I don't know where its headquarters is located.
But enough about how this situation affects the newspaper. I would like
to ask the cable television viewers of this community to think back a
few months to this past year and try to remember
A NICE, BIG RATE HIKE!
That's right, try to remember the howling and gnashing of teeth when the
cable company hiked its rates and - due to the way the law written -
there was absolutely nothing local consumers or city government could do.
I have a modest proposal.
Since the cable company is generating revenues for itself through the
sale of advertising, would it be too much to expect for the rates to
drop back to their old pre-hike levels, or lower?
Time is running out to get your entries in for the Monahans News "Great
Motto Contest". If you think you have a good motto for this newspaper,
it could be worth a $50 meal at the Spotlight Restaurant.
You are welcome to drop your entries by the newspaper office or mail
them in before Dec. 1. Last week, someone told me the motto for the
now-deceased Wink newspaper was "The Only Newspaper in the Whole Wide
World which Cares Anything About Wink."
I am looking for columnists and correspondents from Barstow, Pyote,
Wickett, Thorntonville and Grandfalls-Royalty.
If you have a neighbor who likes to keep up with what is going on your
community, ask them to all me to see if they would like to write a
weekly column. Believe it or not, the Monahans News does are about our
readers outside the city limits.
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Letters to the editor:
The West Texas State School (WTSS) wishes to thank all those in Monahans
and the surrounding communities for their support of the recent 6th
Annual Benefit Golf Classic.
This year, the benefit tournament raised over $2,400 for the WTSS
Community Advisory Council Fund, which helps finances WTSS Youth needs
not met by the State of Texas. We particularly appreciate the following
entities and individuals for their generous help in making the
tournament a success: Ward County Commissioners for waiving the golf
course use fee; the Monahans News, United Video Cablevision and KLBO
Radio for media notices, Doug Ward and his staff at the Ward County Golf
Course for their help with the tournament; the more than thirty area
businesses, individuals and all the WTSS staff and community folks who
helped in so many individuals ways.
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Letters to the editor:
Monahans Senior Health Center would like to say a special "Thank You" to
the following people and businesses that have helped our residents
remain an active part of the community: The First National Bank for
making donations to the Steering Committee Activity Fund. Memorial
Donations, or donations of any kind may be given to Joy Fletcher at
First National Bank or to Dr. Fred Cullens at Monahans Senior Health
Center. These funds are managed by the local community members of the
Steering Committee and used to purchase activities equipment and special
needs for the residents.
To each church whose members minister to our residents; they look
forward to each visit. The Ferguson's for entertaining at our Family
Nights and the groups from the Senior Center for coming each month to
play and sing. The Monahans School System for making it possible for
many of our residents to attend the football games. Also, the success of
our Halloween Carnival was in large part-due to the help to the school
administration and Mr. McClanahan at Tatum Elementary for helping us
distribute tickets for the free drawings. Many children came and had a
lot of fun much to the delight of the residents.
The Ward County 4-H for letting us use their cotton candy machine and
Thresa for showing us how to operate it. The residents enjoyed the show
and taste-testing each batch. The Monahans High School Pals program for
helping set up and operate our Halloween Carnival Booths and for their
many visits. Furr's Lowe's, Tommie Langford, Grace Greenwood, Carlo
Madrid, Pat Keese, Ophelia Evans, Antonia Tavarez, Blanca Armendariz,
Everett Hewett, Vedora Young, Teresa Burnett, Joy Fletcher, Maria &
Richard Sais, Mrs Cleola Helm, Lori Dissmore, Harvey Summers, Licha
Bustamantes and Meli Hammill for donating cakes for the Halloween
cakewalk. The nurse aides, dietary workers, laundry workers, and
housekeepers who do a tough job and often hear more about the few things
that go wrong than all the things that go right each day. And all the
people who have given, helped, and visited that we haven't mentioned.
All the people have greatly contributed to the happiness and well-being
of our residents and are greatly appreciated.
Administrative Staff and Steering Committee
of Monahans Senior Health Center
By Jerry Curry
I'm new in Monahan's Well which is the proper name, I'm told, of this
Chihuahuan Desert community in the edge of the Permian Basin just west
of The Great Comanche War Trail in the western marches of the Great
State of Texas (Stand up and Take Off Your Hat!) and it is only right
you know what I am and what I am about. I call my weekly essay here
Monahan's Well, which shall be a continuing font of the famous and
infamous, the good and the evil and sometimes downright strange things
which I observe or have observed in my helter-skelter meanderings
through life.
Physically I am nearly blind and mostly bald. I am of normal stature -
six feet or so, 255 pounds. My mustache, once red, is now grey.
It is only fair you know my prejudices and my biases so you may better
understand what I write and whether, given the context of the tale, you
may believe any of it.
It is true I am half-horse, half-alligator, kin to a snapping turtle and
second cousin to a typhoon. But I am not an Anglo.
Like the honored Monahans around whose well of crystal, clear sweet
water this desert village grew, I am, though a naturalized Texan, of
Irish descent. I am not now, nor have I ever been Anglo. The little guy
in the funny hat sitting in the sand dunes of this column's logo is not
a member of the British Royal Family. He is a leprechaun. Leprechauns
also are not Anglos. The leprechaun and I share a Celtic heritage and
tradition which does not allow for even a taint of Anglo genes.
This does not mean I am biased against Anglos. Some of my best friends
are Anglos. I also eat rattlesnakes, preferably deep-fried.
Politically, I was born a Democrat and, most likely, will die a Democrat
but I have strayed. Don't tell my mother but I have favored a Republican
in a presidential election because the Democrat who was running made me
want to vomit. My mother, I am sure, voted for this Democrat but knowing
she is a moral woman, I hope she held her nose when she did so. I also
resent governments as a group although I feel some individual
governments have their place and do good things for the people. In this
area of government, I long have held the best thing that could happen to
the citizens of the United States, a nation which has my complete
allegiance, would be construction of a large fence around Washington so
no one entering could ever leave. This would have two positive results -
1. No one in Washington would notice. 2. The rest of the nation could
then go on about its business unhampered by the actions of those
Washingtonians who consider themselves our social and political betters.
It has been said I sometimes am stubborn, probably a correct statement.
I have never hurt anyone in my life that didn't need hurting. I have a
sense of outrage against those who believe they have the right to tell
the rest of us what to do and how to think. The price of freedom, as
many have said, is eternal vigilance.
Still I do not hit - unless it is necessary.
I believe in plain:speaking. and saying what is on your mind. I like to
think I obfuscate only when I am attempting to spare a fellow human
being's feelings.
Monahans, nee Monahans Well, has a great and significant heritage built
on crystal clear water, the wisdom of its residents and the oil below
its sands.
We will prevail.
Musings from
Frances Deck
The next morning Red Dog was only too willing to leap into the truck and
go for a ride. I noticed when I went outside that morning Taltos seemed
to be relieved that Red [DOg had left. He wasn't happy about him having
left his master but he would wait and see. I.hoped that Red Dog would
find a good home. He was a likable dog and deserved a good home.
Larry called me later that day to report that after Red Dog seemed to
have made a quite an impression on Bobby. He said you could tell Bobby
was impressed when Red Dog reared up on his hind legs, draped a paw over
each shoulder and looked him straight in the eye. He went on to tell me
that Red Dog was now being considered as a watch dog candidate.
Larry also told me that while was driving into work that morning he
caused quite a stir with some Pride hands. It seems one or two Pride
trucks usually pass Larry going into work. This morning though, after
that guy in the first truck got over the shock of seeing Red Dog riding
happily in the back of that little red truck, he must have radioed some
of his coworkers because pretty soon one big truck alter another got
behind Larry and stayed there for a few miles to see the sight. He
would.then go around so his buddy behind him could get a look. Larry
said he was afraid he was going to go blind from all those headlights in
his mirror before everybody finally got a good look. Larry said the
situation wasn't helped any by the fact that every time Red Dog ran to
one side of the truck the, whole truck would tilt to that side.
Just before I left the office that day Larry called to tell.me Red Dog
had been officially adopted. When Larry and I got home I got the full
story.
Next door to their yard is another yard. And that yard has two watch
dogs. These two dogs are constantly barking at Ace hands through the
fence. Shortly after Red Dog's arrival those two dogs ran over to the
fence barking and carrying on. Red DOg trotted up to the fence and gave
one of his rumbling woofs. The two dogs looked at each other, looked at
Red Dog, put their. tails between their legs and left. They have not
been seen or heard by any Ace hands since.
That seemed to cinch things for the boss. Red Dog was staying. Large
quantities of dog food were acquired, as well as the biggest rawhide
bone that could be found.
I was glad that Red Dog had found a home and vocation. Ace Testers now
has the biggest guard dog this blond has ever seen. He would be well
looked after there. He would also have all kinds of trucks to jump in. I
also had a feeling it would only be a matter of time before he would be
happily riding in one of those trucks. If he had died and gone to heaven
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Copyright 1996 by Ward Newspapers, Inc.
107 W. Second St., Monahans TX 79756
Phone 915-943-4313, FAX 915-943-4314
e-mail news@bitstreet.com