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Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
City eyes grant to fund planned Airport repairs
Town of Pecos City Council members were given a list of proposed improvements for Pecos Municipal Airport during their meeting last Thursday at City Hall, and approved seeking funds for three of the five proposed projects from the Texas Department of Transportation.
City Manager Joseph Torres told the council the project list was drawn up by airport manager Isabel Blanchard, but that after a meeting of regional airport boards in Fort Stockton on June 29, the number of projects for immediate action was scaled back.
“We narrowed it down to $150,000 for three airport improvements,” he said. “The 90-10 match would mean $15,000 would be the city’s total payment.”
The $150,000 grant would fund replacement of the direct burial line from the transformer house to Runway 09 and place the line in conduit; replacing lines for Runway 14-32 and 09-27 and placing the lines in conduit, and rehabilitation and lighting of the airport’s Tetrahedron.
Two other projects on the list, paving the airport entrance and sealing longitudinal cracks on Runway 09-27, would be put off for later, since the deadline to apply for this year’s grants is on Friday.
“Some programs require a 50-50 match, and we felt with our finances, we’re not ready to go with that type of program,” Torres said. He added that there was enough money in the airport budget and through recent payments for oil and gas leases on airport property to fund the $15,000 needed for the TxDOT grant.
Council members also approved seeking a community grant worth $1,000 from Wal-Mart, though the Pecos Police Department. Police Chief Clay McKinney said the grant has been obtained in the past, and would go towards drug awareness and crime prevention efforts, along with funds for the police department’s annual scholarship.
The council also approved closing off Second Street from Cedar to Cypress and Oak Street from First to Third on the evening of July 28 and all day July 29 for the annual Night in Old Pecos event. The downtown street fair normally has been held the final Saturday in June as part of the West of the Pecos Rodeo, but was moved to the last Saturday in July as part of the Pecos Cantaloupe Festival.
“We generally do it late Friday evening to Saturday morning,” said event organizer Debbie Thomas, who said a stage would again be set up at Second and Oak with stands for musical performances.
Councilman Frank Sanchez also asked Thomas about enforcing a midnight deadline for the event this year. “The vendors were taking new customers who were not in line,” he said. “They were trying to get rid of their inventory.”
“I feel that if it’s only one hour, we can help out with that,” said councilman Danny Rodriguez. “We always need the business. Why close it down?”
The event will run from 6 p.m. to midnight. Thomas said the festival tried to extend the event to 1 a.m. two years ago, but had trouble clearing out the downtown area and cut the festival back to midnight last year.
Thomas also asked city crews for help in putting up a Cantaloupe Festival banner on South Cedar Street. The event was started in 1984 in late July, but was moved to the end of June as part of Rodeo Week celebrations. However, harvest of the area’s cantaloupe crop in recent years hasn’t begun until around the Fourth of July holiday.
Chamber of Commerce president Linda Gholson also thanked the city for putting up the “Pecos Heritage” banners in the downtown area, and asked that they remain up until the Cantaloupe Festival is completed at the end of July.
Physician plans for long-term stay in Pecos
A local physician who has completed almost 30 years in practice says he loves Pecos and plans to stay here for a long time.
Dr. Oladele “Dele” Olusanya, came to Pecos in July 2002.
“I have worked as a physician for the past 29 years in various parts of the world, accumulating an extensive experience in clinical practice, medical education, research and administration,” said Dr. Olusanya.
Dr. Olusanya, who is best known to his patients as “Dr. Dele,” was born and raised in Nigeria, went to public school there and at the age of 17 went on to the University to study medicine.
He spent six years there and graduated with a Doctor of Distinction.
“Following my family practice residency training at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, El Paso, I worked as a family physician for four years in Fort Wayne, Indiana before accepting the offer to start a new private practice in Family Practice with Obstetrics in Pecos,” said Dr. Olusanya.
“M y Indiana experience was in a federally qualified clinic that caters to families with financial barriers to accessing the health care system,” he said.
He also held a part-time position in an urgent care center that sees patients of all ages, and did locum tenens work in New Mexico.
“These experiences have enriched my clinical perspective, allowing me to understand the complexity of medical practice in different parts of the United States,” said Dr. Olusanya.
Before his Family Practice training in the United States, he was board certified in England and Wales in Obstetrics and Gynecology, becoming a Fellow of the Royal College in that specialty.
“This double specialization allows me to extend my expertise beyond that of the average family physician,” said Dr. Olusanya.
Apart from English, Dr. Olusanya speaks three international languages: French, Arabic and Spanish. “This multilingual skill allows me to communicate with patients of different cultural backgrounds,” he said.
His extra-curricular activities include: jogging, literature, fine arts (pencil drawing and water colors), and writing (including articles fro the county medical society bulletin).
“I still have many of my drawings in Nigeria and some in my home here in Pecos,” said Dr. Olusanya.
He enjoys community activities, is divorced with two children, a daughter, Yetsy, 21, is finishing her premed studies at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and one son, Laide, 19, a pre-law student at the University of Texas, Austin.
“I currently manage a solo practice, with shared call schedule with other local physicians, and engage in a full range of office procedures and inpatient care, including obstetrics and emergency department coverage,” said Dr. Olusanya.
In obstetrics, he practices prenatal care and deliveries including cesarean sections. From taking care of the newborn at delivery to treating geriatric and terminally ill patients in nursing homes and hospice programs, he sees patients of all ages of both sexes.
“Thus, I can say that I have become a true ‘family’ physician,” said Dr. Olusanya. “With my experience in teaching and research, I still have time to act as preceptor to various health professionals in training, including medical students, physician assistants, and others in various allied health professions,” he said.
Dr. Olusanya said that with his sense of adventure, ability to face challenges and ease of cultural assimilation, he is able to work in any part of the U.S. and to adapt to a variety of practice settings.
“I am confident that I will continue to provide, as I have done in the past eight years since I finished my Family Practice residency, the type of comprehensive, cost-effective and compassionate care that is the hallmark of a good family physician,” said Dr. Olusanya.
The core goal of his practice, now and in the future, is to provide a high standard of health care to individuals and their families with compassion and respect for individual dignity and appreciation of the cultural sensitivities of each person under his care.
“I also love college sports, especially the Longhorns,” said Dr. Olusanya.
“On behalf of me and all the staff we wish Dr. Dele all the luck and our support,” said staff member Diana Rodriguez. “May God Bless him and his practice,” she said.
Staff members include Rodriguez, Cassandra Abila and Dora Bustamante.
County seeks broker to bid on power rate
Reeves County Commissioners discussed hiring a broker to negotiate for electrical services bids during their regular meeting held Monday morning in the third floor courtroom at the Reeves County Courthouse.
“When the electricity was deregulated, we went out for bids,” said county auditor Lynn Owens, who told commissioners that the county’s current agreement would expire on Oct. 1.
“At that time we used a broker, Suez Energy Resources,” he said, and the company has asked if the county would need their services again, since the contract would expire this fall.
“I told them it would be up to the court (commissioners court),” said Owens.
“We got the contract with the new electric provider in 2004, didn’t we?” said county judge Jimmy B. Galindo.
“I need to look that contract up and find the contract with the brokerage,” said Owens. “They get a small commission for finding the electrical provider,” he said.
Owens said that at the time that they hired the Suez Energy Resources, they did not go out for proposals, but just hired them for a professional service.
“Then we received quite a few electric services that put in a bid,” said Owens.
Galindo said that it made sense to involve people that are involved in the industry.
“I’ll take a look at my packet and see where the former broker is,” said Galindo. “We’ll look at it and take it from there.”
Galindo and the group postponed making any decision on hiring the former broker until they can take a look at the paperwork.
The group approved a bid for inmate property boxes for the Reeves County Detention Center from the Norix Group Inc.
“They have to have a certain amount of space and right now they don’t have enough,” said RCDC I&II Warden Ed Gonzales.
He told commissioners that right now what the inmates are doing is purchasing small plastic containers that are sold in the commissary to accommodate their extra items.
“We are required by BOP to provide them with adequate storage space,” said Gonzales. “And these boxes meet BOP standards and can accommodate everything they own,” he said.
Gonzales said that between last year and this year, they had 2,150 inmates last year and 2,160 this year in the RCDC I and II units.
“We keep going up,” he said.
San Antonio area woman dies in I-10 crash
A San Antonio area woman was killed and three other people were injured Friday night in a one-vehicle rollover on Interstate 10 near Balmorhea.
Janelle Rose Brietzke, 44, of Adkins, was pronounced dead by Justice of the Peace Amanario Ramon at 10:41 p.m. on Friday, about 90 minutes after the accident occurred. According to the report filed by Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Davela Maynard, Brietzke was a passenger in a 2002 Chevrolet K-15 that was heading back to San Antonio on I-10 when the accident occurred.
The report said the vehicle was being driving at the time by 15-year-old Alyssa Rose Brietzke, when it left the highway about 4.2 miles northwest of Balmorhea. The Chevy drifted off the left side of the road, before the driver overcorrected to the right, causing the vehicle to go into a skid before rolling over on its left side into a barrow ditch on the right shoulder of the highway.
Janelle Brietzke was the only passenger in the vehicle not wearing a seat belt. She was ejected and was later pronounced dead at the scene. Her husband, Larry Albert Brietzke, 44, suffered a head injury in the rollover and was flown by air ambulance from the accident site to Medical Center Hospital in Odessa, where he was listed in critical condition.
Alyssa Brietzke and the other passenger in the vehicle, 13-year-old Malcolm Brietzke, both only suffered minor laceration in the rollover, according to the DPS report. The two were transported by ambulance to Reeves County Hospital for treatment of their injuries.
Study Club closes year with special activities
Members of The Modern Study Club gathered on Saturday, May 6, in the Fellowship Hall of the First Baptist Church for the program, “Still Waving.” The thought-quote for the meeting was, “I have finished the race, I have run the course…” II Timothy 4:7. The final meeting of the 2005-2006 club year was a covered dish luncheon served at noon to begin the celebration of our club year. The social committee planned the luncheon and décor. Juracy Ray chairs the committee and Iris Reddick, Catherine Travland and Pearl Gustafson assist her.
Vanessa Valeriano, the recipient of the 2006 Modern Study Club Pecos High School Senior Scholarship and Texas Federation of Women’s Clubs/Western District’s Alma Van Sickle Scholarship was unable to join the ladies as a special guest.
Several previous club president’s history scrapbooks were on display along with Mrs. Harpham’s 2004-2006 scrapbooks.
Following the noon luncheon President Lena Harpham presided during the business session.
Nan Cate led the Club Collect and Margie Williamson led the Pledges to the United States of America and Texas Flags.
Secretary Joyce Morton read the minutes of the previous meeting and they were approved as read. Treasurer Betty Lee prepared a printed, detailed treasurer’s report from May 7, 2005 through April 26, 2006 that was distributed to each member.
Kelsey Riley, a former MSC Scholarship recipient, sent a report and graduation invitation from Hardin Simmons University.
A Certificate of Special Award was presented to Nan Cate, The Modern Study Club’s Outstanding Clubwoman/Volunteer for 2005-2006. Mrs. Cate, as the club’s representative, advance to the Western District competition, was selected as Outstanding Clubwoman/Volunteer of WD and then advanced to TFWC competition.
Mrs. Cate was also presented with an ESO Star Certificate in recognition of Mrs. Cate having read four books from 10 different categories, at total of 40 books. Epsilon Sigma Omicron (ESO) is a structured reading program offered to members of The Texas Federation of Woman’s Clubs.
Catherine Travland presented a report on her attendance to the 109th Texas Federation of Women’s Club Convention held at Richardson, April 26-29.
Members voted to give $100 to Reeves County Juvenile Detention Center to help defray expenses for a basketball camp for youngsters eight to 17 years old. Several members of the Boston Celtics Professsional Basketball Team were in Pecos to provide instructions for the camp and encouragement to the young people.
Retiring President Harpham gave a very lovely thank you to each of the retiring officers and members of the club who served her presidency.
Installation of new officers was conducted by Joyce Morton using a Box of Colors (crayons) as her theme. Mrs. Morton said, “You are a compact unit of six people who will color our activities for the next two years.”
For incoming president, Juracy Ray, “the color red symbolizes the power of leadership.” For Margie Williamson as vice president the color “orange symbolizes vibrancy as you assist the president.” As secretary, Catherine Travland was presented with the color blue, “the color of perseverance and vigilance.” Green was the color for treasurer Betty Lee representing “the color of money.” Reporter Jean Olson’s color was yellow, “the color of the sun to keep the eye of the public enlightened as to our activities.” Parliamentarian Lena Harpham’s color was white, “the color of the enlightment.” Members color was brown, “the color of earth and stability, the strength from which all our activities grow.”
Birthday cards were signed for members celebrating during the summer months. Members were excited to learn their 2005-2006 club yearbook had received blue ribbons both on the cover and content. The yearbook is judged and winners are announced at the Spring Convention of TFWC.
As appreciation for her service as 2004-2006 MSC President, Mrs. Harpham was presented with a lovely oil painting of mountains and trees, featuring an old barn and windmill, painted by Joyce Morton. Club members signed the canvas of the painting on the back making the gift even more special.
Police Report
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.
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Miguel Jimenez, 1800 Adams St., was arrested by police on June 28 on a charge of burglary. Police said the arrest occurred when the owner of a residence at 601 S. Cherry St., flagged down officer Julio Quinones and told them that Jimenez was in her storage room and had possession of a grass trimmer. Jimenez was able to get out of the storage room, but was detained by Quinones in the 800 block of South Plum Street. He was then transported to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
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Kenneth Lee Terry, 48, 314 S. Orange St., was arrested by police on June 28 in the 300 block of South Orange Street on charges of driving while intoxicated, a Third Degree Felony, and driving while license suspended, a Class A misdemeanor. Police said the arrest was made after the 1995 Isuzu Terry was driving was seen moving erratically from the 600 block of South Locust to the 300 block of South Orange. Terry was placed under arrest and He was then transported to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
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William A. Eldridge, 47, of Quality Inn Rm. 120 in Pecos, was arrested by police on June 30 on a charge of public intoxication, a Class C misdemeanor. Police said the arrest was made at Eldridge’s motel room, after officers were called there by his former employer. Eldridge was then transported to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
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Manuel Diaz, 44, 306 Putnam St. in Barstow, was arrested by police on June 30 on a warrant out of Ward County charging him with driving under the influence of liquor. Police said the arrest was made at 811 E. Fifth St., and Diaz was then transported to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
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Arturo Hernandez Rayos, 33, 1514 S. Plum St., was arrested by police on warrant charging him with possession of alcoholic beverage-open container, failure to change address on Texas ID and violation of promise to appear. Police said the arrest was made on June 30 at 811 E. Fifth St., and Rayos was then transported to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
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Mark Madrid Renteria, 28, of 1300 E Third St., was arrested by police on June 30 at Motel 6, 2003 South Cedar St., on 12 traffic warrant violations. Police said the arrest was made at 2:58 a.m. at the motel, and Renteria was then transported to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
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Thomas Marquez, 38, 707 S. Alberta St., was arrested by police on July 1 on a charge of driving while intoxicated with one previous conviction, a Class A misdemeanor. Police said the arrest took place on July 1 at 1:50 a.m. at Allsup’s, 708 S. Cedar St., and Marquez was then transported to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
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Jadson Earl Ephriam, 31, 2200 Missouri St., was arrested by police on July 1 on a warrant charging him with an unpaid judgment for public intoxication, a Class C misdemeanor. Police said the arrest took place at 12:43 a.m. at the Town & Country Convenience Store, 800 W. Palmer St., and Ephraim was then transported to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
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Christin Lynn Spivey, 20, of Boyd Ranch in Orla, and Ramon Munoz Hernandez Jr., 21, 1004 E. Second St., were arrested by police on July 1 on charges of disorderly conduct (fighting) a Class C misdemeanor. Police said the arrest took place at 7:15 p.m. after Spivey and Hernandez was seen fighting in the 400 block of South Eddy Street. Hernandez was also charged with possession of marijuana under two ounces, a Class B misdemeanor, and had a warrant charging him with theft by check, also a Class B misdemeanor, filed in Ector County. Both men were then transported to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
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Justin Colby Price, 22, of Aransas Pass, was arrested on July 2 by police at Motel 6, 2003 S. Cedar St., for filing a false alarm. Police said the arrested was made after Price allegedly pulled a fire alarm lever at the motel. Price was then transported to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
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Preston Earl Myles, 18, 1611 S. Alamo St., was arrested by police on July 5 on a charge of public intoxication. Police said the arrest occurred following a report of a disturbance at the intersection of Monroe and Park streets. Myles was then transported to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
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John Natividad Jr., 28, 904 E. Eighth St., was arrested by police on July 4 on charges of assault under the Family Violence Act., and a warrant, also for assault. Police said the arrest took place at Natividad’s home, after he allegedly assaulted his wife, Krista Diaz. Natividad was then transported to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
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Jose Alejandro Martinez, 20, 1237 E. Fourth St., was arrested by police on warrant charging him with motion to revoke probation of possession of marijuana and unlawfully carrying a weapon charges, along with evading arrest-motion to surrender principal. Police said the warrants were issued by the Reeves County Sheriff’s Department, and that Martinez turned himself in to officers on July 4 at the Criminal Justice Center.
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Julian I. Rayos, 201 Clarke St., was arrested by police on warrants charging him with criminal trespass, a Class A misdemeanor, and criminal mischief, a Class B misdemeanor. Police said the arrest took place on July 2 at Rayos’ home, and he was then transported to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
Pecos Enterprise
York M. "Smokey" Briggs, Publisher
324 S. Cedar St., Pecos, TX 79772
Phone 432-445-5475, FAX 432-445-4321
e-mail news@pecos.net
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Copyright 2003-04 by Pecos Enterprise
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