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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Monday, September 22, 2003
Citizens go through gun training as part of academy
By BRENDEN BRIGGS
Staff Writer
PECOS, Mon., Sept. 22, 2003 -- The third class of the Town of Pecos
City's Citizen Police Academy received their handgun instruction this
past Saturday at the firing range north of town.
"Cadets" were given a gun safety lecture for an hour before moving
onto the range for the hands-on experience.
The Citizen's Police Academy is made up of local residents who
receive training in order to assist the police department in their
duties. The current class began last month and will run through Nov. 4.
The academy is also designed to educate area residents on the
workings of a police department from every aspect of criminal
investigations to traffic stops. Participants go through an 11-week
course, which ends up being a very condensed version of what
prospective police officers would go through.
"We are trying to let people in on how a police department works in
the hope that through understanding, residents will be more alert to
the criminal goings-on in their town and hopefully be able to add to
the overall safety by aiding the police where possible," community
involvement officer Mike Balog said.
Police probe stabbing outside Elm St. home
By JON FULBRIGHT
Staff Writer
PECOS, Mon., Sept. 22, 2003 -- A Pecos man was treated for his
injuries and later released from Reeves County Hospital following a
stabbing incident early Saturday morning on South Elm Street.
Pecos police investigator Armando Granado said the stabbing occurred
about 2:20 a.m. Saturday outside a home at 615 S. Elm St. "The victim
said he went outside the house and observed two females walking,"
Granado said. "He told them to leave the house and all of a sudden one
of the girls went up and started hitting him. That's when he realized
he had been stabbed."
Granado said the victim, identified as Jesus Morales, suffered two
stab wounds to his upper chest area, one to his right bicep and a
fourth wound to his rib cage area. He was transported by two friends in
their private vehicle to Reeves County Hospital for treatment of his
injuries.
None of the stab wounds turned out to be serious, and Morales was
treated and later released by the hospital staff.
Granado said there was evidence of a party going on at 615 S. Elm
St. when the stabbing occurred, since beer cans were found in the
street outside the home.
"We do have a suspect in the case, but as this time we have made no
arrests," Granado said. "The complainant has to come in and file
charges."
Granado added that no weapon was found at the crime scene, and that
it's unknown at this time what type of weapon was used in the stabbing
incident.
Commissioners approve RCDC lease payments
By BRENDEN BRIGGS
Staff Writer
PECOS, Mon., Sept. 22, 2003 -- Reeves County Commissioners approved the
payment of $1.18 million in lease and reserve fund payments for the
Reeves County Detention Center, during their regularly scheduled
meeting this morning at the Reeves County Courthouse.
The money designated for such payments will be slightly short
however, and in order to remedy the shortfall the board approved the
coverage of $160,000 to be taken out of the General Fund. Commissioners
plan to replace this money with the check from the U.S. Bureau of
Prisons that is due on October 10. That check should be in the amount
of approximately $3 million.
The county has been juggling funds for the past three months due to
shortage of income at the RCDC, related to the recently completed RCDC
III project. The $40 million facility has not gotten inmates from the
BOP to fill its 960 beds, and other sources of inmates are needed in
order to meet pending bond payments on the facility.
The BOP's $3 million check is for housing inmates at the 2,000 bed
RCDC RCDC II and I units. The county has filled some beds at RCDC III
with prisoners from the U.S. Marshal's Service.
Pecos Mayor Dot Stafford was on hand to question the commissioners
on why the debt owed to the city for the South Worsham water field was
not paid out of the same fund when it was due on August 31.
Commissioners delayed a payment of $422,000 due to the city for
construction work on the water field, saying that the city did not have
to send the money to the Texas Water Development Board until November.
Judge Jimmy Galindo asserted that the city and the county had
reached an agreement and that "the county is doing its best to meet the
October 15 deadline."
"Can the city expect payment on the 15th then?" Stafford asked.
"We agreed to try and pay by October 15, as agreed," Galindo
replied.
The issue was left at that, and the commissioners went on with other
business.
Among those items was a discussion on the lack of funds coming in
from the county's four Justice of the Peace offices from traffic fines.
The judges told commissioners that in the first part of the year the
Department of Public Safety was doing a lot of training of new troopers
and for that purpose troopers were riding two to a car. "Since July
Reeves County has had five troopers patrolling the I-20, I-10 and US
285 stretches of road," said Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace Jim Riley.
"That number is almost double the amount of patrols we had in the
beginning of the year."
The commissioners also asked if the ticketing and collecting process
could be streamlined and made more efficient. Justices suggested that
through the utilization of the technology fund, that gains money from a
$5 court technology fee that is added to court costs in general, then
the processing of violators might be expedited.
Commissioners also suggested the consolidation of the two full-time
clerks and the one part-time clerk into two full-time positions to be
shared between justices from all four districts.
The sale of some areas of land in the Airport addition of Pecos was
approved. The two full sections and two partial sections were
collateral on a defaulted loan. The city will begin advertisement on
the taking of bids for the land.
There was a motion to raise the transportation fees given to
sheriffs and constables after two hours be raised to $30 per hour.
However, the full commissioners court did not approve the measure, as
it was not clear to them where the money would be coming from.
Other fees were left unchanged due to the fact that these would
directly affect Reeves County citizens in particular.
Amendments to the budget were approved to cover the rising costs of
indigent medical and legal expenses. Overall the two areas are costing
the county an extra $17,000 this month alone.
The commissioners approved the payment on four engineering and
architect contracts for the prisons addition of RCDC III.
They did deny the payment of a task force member's legal defense,
when it was brought forward that the situation occurred prior to his
employment with the Trans Pecos Task Force.
Tommy Dominguez was approved as Reeves County as the Extension
Agent-Agriculture. The appointment will be confirmed in October in
Lubbock. Mr. Dominguez had been working in Crane County as an assistant
extension agent, but is now returning to his former home here in Reeves
County.
Pecos cyclist hurt in crash in mountains
PECOS, Mon., Sept. 22, 2003 -- A Pecos man is being treated for broken
bones and other injuries at Midland Memorial Hospital following a
motorcycle accident early Sunday afternoon in the Davis Mountains.
According to Department of Public Safety trooper David Dickey of
Alpine, the accident occurred about 12:15 p.m. Sunday on Texas 118 near
McDonald Observatory, 22 miles north of Fort Davis. Dickey said a
motorcycle driven by Luis Ontiveros of Pecos was southbound on Texas
118 with two other motorcyclists when he lost control of his cycle.
"He was going around a curve and just took it too fast," Dickey
said. "He went off the road and down a small embankment into a bar
ditch."
Dickey said the other two riders called the DPS office in Pecos to
report the accident. Ontiveros, who was wearing a helmet, was
transported by ambulance first to Big Bend Regional Hospital in Alpine,
before being taken to Midland for further treatment of his injuries.
His condition was not known at press time.
N.M. couple jailed, SUV held in arrest
By JON FULBRIGHT
Staff Writer
PECOS, Mon., Sept. 22, 2003 -- A Las Cruces, N.M. couple were
detained and charged with money laundering last week, after over
$11,000 was found hidden in their SUV after it was stopped for a
traffic violation by Pecos Police.
Officer Oscar Machuca said the incident occurred at 1:21 p.m. on
Wednesday when a 1999 GMC Yukon was stopped for having no front license
plate. "It was occupied by a married couple who were coming from Fort
Worth to El Paso," Granado said, and the two gave police consent to
search the vehicle.
During the search, police discovered $11,500 hidden inside a plastic
bag, which itself was hidden in a white tube sock in the Yukon's center
console. Several other items were placed above the tube sock, Granado
said.
The couple, identified as Ernesto and Rosa Roman of Los Cruces,
N.M., were placed under arrest and charged with money laundering, a 3rd
degree felony, and taken to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center. Both
Ernesto Roman, a resident alien, and his wife have since been released
from the CJC on bond; while police continue to hold the Yukon the
couple was driving to El Paso.
"Right now we're working on seizure for that one," Granado said.
"It's a third party vehicle, so we've got to get a hold of the
registered owner and take it from there."
Granado added that while the couple lived in Las Cruces, the Yukon
had a Texas rear license plate and Texas registration.
New RCH tax rate, budget on agenda for board
PECOS, Mon., Sept. 22, 2003 -- Reeves County Hospital Board members
will discuss their 2004 budget and tax rate during their regular
monthly meeting on Tuesday, at 6 p.m. in the hospital classroom.
Hospital officials are working on a new budget for the expanded RCH
facilities, which are due to open early in 2004. Administrator Robert
Vernor said due to declining valuations, the district might need to
raise taxes by two cents in order to bring in the same revenues as a
year ago.
Also on the hospital's agenda are the bioterrorism readiness plan,
possible taxing district exemptions and the sale of property on Adams
Street. The board will also hear from a medical staff report on the
reprocessing of single use devices.
Last on the agenda is an executive session to discuss personnel
matters, however, this item might be put off till next week until all
board members are present.
Weather
PECOS, Mon., Sept. 22, 2003 -- High Sunday 93. Low this morning 64.
Forecast for tonight. Mostly clear, low about 65. Southeast winds 10 to
15 mph. Tuesday: Partly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of showers and
thunderstorms. Highs 85 to 90. Southeast winds 10 to 15 mph. Tuesday
night: Partly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of showers and
thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 60s. Southeast winds 5 to 15 mph.
Wednesday: Partly cloudy with a slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms. Highs near 90. Southwest winds 10 to 15 mph. The chance
of rain is less than 20 percent. Wednesday night: Partly cloudy with a
20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows near 60. Thursday:
Partly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of thunderstorms. Highs near 80.
Thursday night: Partly cloudy with a slight chance of thunderstorms.
Lows near 60. The chance of rain is less than 20 percent.
Obituary
Santiago Sais
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
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Copyright 2003 by Pecos Enterprise
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