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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Wednesday, September 10, 2003
Fair booth space fills up, Chamber members told
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Wed., Sept. 10, 2003 -- With four weeks remaining before the start
of the Annual Reeves County Fall Fair, only two booth spaces remain available
at the Reeves County Civic Center, Pecos Chamber of Commerce members were
told on Tuesday.
"Things are just coming along great, we're getting a lot of participation,"
said Pecos Area Chamber of Commerce Director Linda Gholson, during the regular
chamber directors' meeting, held at noon Tuesday.
Gholson updated the group on plans for the Fair, which will take place
on Oct. 2-4, and said that they were pleased to announce that there were
only two booths to be filled.
Barbara Creager, Fall Fair Committee member, said that the theme for
this year was "Patriotic."
"The kids are really excited and are busy working on their scarecrows,"
said Creager. "With the ranch rodeo and the Clay Allison re-enactment, we'll
have plenty of events."
Creager encouraged everyone to participate. "We're looking forward to
a good Fall Fair," she said.
Chamber president Al Gomez talked about the success of the recent "Hawaiian
Beach Party" held throughout Pecos on Aug. 29.
"It was great and we had a lot of participation," said Gomez.
Judges for the event were Mary Ann Gomez, Mike Balog and Connie Carrasco.
"And they were all over town, they did a great job," said Gomez. "We had
a lot of enthusiasm, everyone really got into it."
Winners for the event were for: Best Theme and Overall, the Pecos Nursing
Home; Best Entry, West Texas National Bank and Overall Campus, Austin Elementary
School, grades 1-3.
"The party held afterwards at West Texas National Bank was well attended
and the whole event was even better than last year," said Gomez.
Gomez said that a big "Beach Party" was held that day at Dairy Queen,
with a lot of town guests. "The local Dairy Queen even received an award
and the out-of-town guests commented that they wanted to do something like
this," he said.
He said that customers were receiving free sundaes.
Gomez urged everyone to help out with the Shrine Circus scheduled for
next Monday, in Pecos. "I'd like to see everyone go out and help," said Gomez.
"They raise funds for worthy causes."
Under committee reports, Gholson gave an update on the Women's Division.
"Michelle Workman is now the president and the group has gone through
a lot of transitions," said Gholson. "We'll be meeting several times, but
things are coming along great."
A Mother Goose Parade will be held, but the date has not been set yet.
"It used to be held at the beginning of the Fall Fair and then it was changed
to Halloween," she said.
Gholson told the group that there was also a change in the Little Miss
Cantaloupe. "The winner has moved to Odessa, so the runner-up Bryce Salcido
will take over her duties," said Gholson. "That's one of the rules to being
Little Miss Cantaloupe is that they be enrolled in a Pecos-Barstow-Toyah
schools."
Brenda McKinney gave the group and update on plans for next year's West
of the Pecos Rodeo.
"We're right in the middle of finalizing the contract and a new barrel
man will be here," said McKinney.
Terry Walls will once again be in Pecos as the stock contractor.
McKinney said that the group had been approached about doing another
AJRA rodeo this year.
"We did that about two weeks before ours and we did really well," said
McKinney. "It's a lot of hard work, but it was a great success," she said.
McKinney said that the AJRA rodeo was good for Pecos, because it brought
a lot of people into town. "They stayed at our motels, ate in our restaurants
and shopped here. That's really good for the community," she said.
The poster for the rodeo was distributed Tuesday, according to McKinney.
Night in Old Pecos was a big success and organizers for the event are
thinking of making it a two-day event next year. "The vendors are the ones
asking us to make it a two day event," said Debbie Thomas. "We spent a little
bit more this year for entertainment, but it worked out."
Thomas said that the talent competition was a big success and that the
prizes were awarded in "Pecos Bucks." "So they spent the money right here
in Pecos," said Thomas. "Which is good news for the local vendors," she said.
Shrine Circus to perform in Pecos next week
PECOS, Wed., Sept. 10, 2003 -- The George Carden El Maida Shrine Circus
will be stopping in Pecos for the second September in a row, with a 7 p.m.
performance set for Monday at the Buck Jackson Rodeo Arena.
Tickets are $8 for children and $10 for adults for the show, which will
feature elephant and tiger acts, along with dogs, a crossbow act and a motorcycle
act in the circus' steel globe.
Carden is the fifth generation in show business and has been in the circus
business all of his life. He has acquired knowledge of all aspects of the
operation from front to back and is one of the largest producers of the
circus in North America.
His father, Larry Carden, owned a Circus and George was able to acquire
first hand knowledge of all aspects of the operation. He has worked a cat
act and presented camels and elephants in the actual circus show, along
with running the circus' behind-the scenes operations.
Carden started his own circus in 1981 and then purchased his father's
circus and integrated the two into an extremely successful business. To
accommodate all of his business, three units were created.
The circus travels over 40,000 miles each year in the United States and
Canada during the 42-week season, while its winter home is located in southwestern
Missouri. During part of the season the circus has two units on the road.
Carden also owns and maintains 27 pieces of rolling equipment including
tractors, trucks and trailers, to go along with the 11 elephants, which
Carden called his pride and joy.
The circus' winter home is located on a 20-acre farm, with large shops
for building, painting and maintaining equipment. It also houses the many
performing animals owned by the circus.
Amendment election gets 219 early ballots
PECOS, Wed., Sept. 10, 2003 -- Final early voting totals by personal appearance
for this Saturday's constitutional amendment election in Reeves County totaled
207, according to figures released by the Reeves County Clerk's office.
Overall, there have been 219 votes cast so far, as County Clerk Dianne
O. Florez also said that 12 of the 13 mail ballots sent out have been returned
for the election.
Texas voters will cast ballots on 22 proposed amendments to the Texas
Constitution. Voters on Saturday can cast ballots in the election from 7
a.m. until 7 p.m.
Water levels at Red Bluff still dropping
By JON FULBRIGHT
Staff Writer
PECOS, Wed., Sept. 10, 2003 -- Red Bluff Water Power Control Board members
had only routine items of business to take care of Tuesday, during their
monthly meeting at the Red Bluff District Office in Pecos.
Board members were again told that water levels at Red Bluff Lake fell
during August, despite the absence of any water releases downstream for
the second year in a row. The ongoing drought in the Trans Pecos region
of Texas and further to the north in the Pecos River Basin of New Mexico
has kept the district from authorizing any water releases to farmers downstream
since 2001, and the latest lake report shows levels fell last month from
54,376 acre/feet at the start of the month to 52,189 acre/feet by the end
of August.
The lake needs a minimum of 20,000 acre/feet to maintain the dam's structural
integrity, while two acre/feet of water is released for every one that makes
it downstream to farmers. Red Bluff's water levels hovered around 40,000
acre/feet for most of 2002, and increased only to about 60,000 acre/feet
earlier this year before declining due to summer heat and wind evaporation.
"It rained a little bit, but basically we have no water coming down from
Carlsbad," said Red Bluff Managing Director Randal Hartman. "I could lie
down in the river and dam it up."
"They got a little rain at Santa Rosa (N.M.) and they were so excited
about it, they went out and took pictures," Hartman added.
Board members did say recent storms east of Pecos dropped between two
and three inches in the Imperial area, and up to five inches around Grandfalls.
"But it's just little bitty spots, it's not a wide area," said Jay Lee,
who represents the Imperial area on the Red Bluff board.
The board also was told that salt water is still being pumped away from
the Pecos River at Malaga Bend by Loving Salt Co., though work stopped for
a couple of days last month after a submersable pump burned up. Hartman
also said that so far, the removal of the salt water from entering the river
has not lowered salt levels in Red Bluff Lake.
The board was also told a $200 payment by Loving Salt to the district
for the salt collections would be put on next month's cash receipts, while
the district had to send t check for $2,375 to the Internal Revenue Service
for taxes on a royalty payment involving land underneath Red Bluff Lake.
"They don't have to send out a notice. It's up to us to pay it," said
Hartman.
Board members also went over the monthly financial statement, which showed
the district had $213,861 in its account as of Aug. 31.
Council to eye budget, possible tax increase
PECOS, Wed., Sept. 10, 2003 -- The Town of Pecos City Council will discuss
the city's proposed budget and tax rates for the upcoming fiscal year, during
their regularly scheduled meeting Thursday morning at City Hall.
The possible deferment of Reese County's $422,000 payment to the city
for its contribution to the construction of the South Worsham water well
field, has the city's leaders looking at other possible revenue sources
to cover the shortfall. County Commissioners voted on Monday to pay the
city by Oct. 15, but the city's budget and tax rates by law must be set
before Sept. 30.
Declining property values and increasing health insurance costs for city
workers also have affected Pecos' budget, and due to the falling property
values the city already knows it must raise taxes by 51/2 cents, from last
year's rate of .6967 cents per $100 in valuation to .7519 cents, just to
bring in as much revenue as it did during the 2002-03 fiscal year.
The increase is well short of the roll back rate, but does not include
the possible $422,320 gap in funds if Reeves County is unable to meet it's
payment. Council members said last week a 36-cent tax increase would be
needed to make up for that lost revenue.
Also on Thursday's 7 a.m. agenda, the Council will: discuss an appointment
to the Permian Dasin Airport Board, consider a contract with National Reimbursement
to cover the costs of ambulance services, and look at two possible matters
concerning the water management system.
The Council will discuss a change order to the pumps and motors section
on the South Worsham well field, and second, the possible advertisement
of bids for the replacement/refurbishment of existing tanks for the Ward
County well field.
Weather
PECOS, Wed., Sept. 10, 2003 -- High Tuesday 102. Low this morning 67.
Rainfall last 24 hours at KIUN Radio .10 inch. Forecast for tonight: Partly
cloudy with a 30 percent chance of thunderstorms, some with damaging winds
and large hail. Lows in the mid 60s. Southwest winds near 10 mph. Thursday:
Partly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of thunderstorms. Highs in the mid
80s. North winds 5 to 15 mph. Thursday night: Partly cloudy with isolated
thunderstorms. Lows in the mid 50s. Northeast winds 5 to 15 mph. Friday:
Partly cloudy. Highs in the mid 80s. Northeast winds 5 to 15 mph. Friday
night: Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 50s.
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.
***
Ernesto Baca, 20, and Ian Sebastian Dominguez, 21, were arrested for
possession of a controlled substance (marijuana) within a drug free zone,
unlawful carrying of a weapon, and possession of a prohibited weapon, at
2:36 p.m., Sept. 8, in the 800 block of South Mesquite Street.
***
Raul Garcia,30, and Richard Maldonado, 21, were arrested for fighting,
a Class C Misdemeanor, at 9:46 p.m., Sept. 7, in the 1000 block of Jackson
Street.
***
Ana Saenz, 28, was arrested on a warrant for a seatbelt violation and
a warrant for a violation of a promise to appear, also at 9:46 p.m., Sept.
7, in the 1000 block of Jackson Street.
***
Crystal Abila, 17, was arrested on three warrants: failure to produce
ID to a peace officer, violation of a promise to appear, and a Capias no
drivers license, at 2:05 a.m., Sept. 7, at Saragosa Hall.
***
Geronimo Manchaca, 59, was arrested for urinating in public at 9:20
p.m., Sept. 6, in the 600 block of Sycamore Street.
***
Ignacio Suarez, 61, was arrested for public intoxication at 7:22 a.m.,
Sept. 6, in the 600 block of N. Hackberry Street.
***
Oscar Rubio, 38, was arrested on two warrants: Capias theft under $50
and Capias no drivers license at 8:19 p.m., Sept. 5, in the 200 block of
N. Cedar Street.
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 2003 by Pecos Enterprise
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