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Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Board members deny advance knowledge of Henson’s firing
Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD board members say they did not discuss the removal of Chris Henson as athletic director and head football coach during a Feb. 8 closed-door session of the board, even though the first reports that Henson would be fired from his positions by new superintendent Santos Lujan were received by the Enterprise eight days prior to his reassignment.
Lujan reassigned Henson and three other P-B-T staff members in administrative positions last Wednesday, nine days after the board’s executive session meeting and eight days after the Enterprise was told of the decision the following day by a person not in attendance at the meeting.
“This rumor has been around since the regional track meet last year,” Henson said Thursday morning. “We had coaches tell Derek (Price, head track and assistant football coach) exactly what was going to happen. They told him the board was getting ready to get rid of Manny Espino and hire Santos Lujan, that then they would get rid of us and Gary Grubbs would be coming over. I don’t know if that’s going to happen, but so far three of the four things have happened.”
Similar rumors were heard by the Enterprise, along with other news organizations, school personnel and other residents across West Texas in the months leading up to Wednesday’s action. However, Kermit ISD board members met on Thursday night and no other personnel changes were reported following their closed-door session.
Kermit Superintendent Winfred Dodds said that the Kermit board had renewed all the contracts. “Basically, we just renewed all the contracts, extended them, including the athletics department,” said Dodds.
Some P-B-T board members said that as of the regional track meet, held in mid-May, there were no plans that they knew of to replace Henson and the P-B-T athletic staff with Kermit ISD members. However, they also said they were surprised by Lujan’s action and did not know how someone outside of the board would have been told about Henson’s dismissal eight days before any action was taken.
“I can tell you we never talked about getting rid of Mr. Espino at that time,” said board member Paul Deishler of the time when the regional track meet took place, though he has heard the rumors that Henson and his staff would be replaced by the Kermit staff headed by Grubbs, who was head football coach from 1999-2001 before leaving for the head coach and athletic director’s job at Eldorado ISD.
Espino resigned suddenly at the end of July after just over four years on the job.
He previously had been assistant superintendent for the Fort Stockton ISD during the time Henson was an assistant there. Henson was hired after serving as head coach and AD in Marfa, and was recommended for the position by Jerry Milsapps, the former Pecos head coach who served as interim AD in 2006, after the board relieved Patrick Willis of his duties.
Board member Luis Juarez said that the board knew there were going to be some changes, and added that the superintendent has full authority to reassign administrators.
“We, as the board, needed a tougher superintendent, who would be on top of everything, including the administrators, and then keep us informed,” said Juarez.
Lujan was hired by the board in December, after he was one of six applicants interviewed by board members, out of 22 who applied for the superintendent’s position.
“His interview went good,” Deishler said. “He said he wanted to move forward academically to get our school going in that direction.”
Juarez said that any decision he made in hiring Lujan as the new superintendent was based solely on his application and interviews.
“The consultant looked at 22 and weeded it down to the top six and he was one of those top six,” said Juarez.
“I didn’t know in which direction he was going, but we knew we needed a change,” he added.
Juarez said that he didn’t know anything about the rumors circulating about the true motive for hiring Mr. Lujan.
“My only decision in hiring him was because we needed a tougher superintendent who would give us a full evaluation of all the administrators,” said Juarez. “That’s something that we had been asking of the former superintendent and we never got.”
“We wanted someone that was fair and strong.”
Juarez said that the leadership was the problem. “We need a good leader that will take us in the right direction,” he said.
However, board member Randy Graham said Lujan did not fulfill the assurances he made to the board during the hiring process.
“I have been 100 percent supportive of Chris Henson and his coaching staff and have been so for the whole time I have been on the school board,” he said Monday. “I was assured by the new administration that all P-B-T ISD administrators, including Henson, would be properly evaluated and given the opportunity to adopt the policies of the new administration before any changes were made.
“I feel extremely disappointed on the course the new superintendent has chosen to take regarding these matters,” Graham said. “I also do not approve or support the manner in which coach Henson was terminated, and I will try to get this decision changed and then review all other personnel changes.”
Juarez said that they knew there would be changes when they hired Lujan, but didn’t know what.
“If there were ulterior motives, I didn’t know about it and that was not our intent,” said Juarez. “Our intent was to hire a strong superintendent to lead the district.”
Juarez added that Henson’s reassignment wasn’t discussed by the board in the Feb. 8 meeting.
“That was not part of the executive session,” he said.
Board members interviewed by the Enterprise said they believed they could not talk about what went on in executive session with the public. However, according to the Texas Attorney General’s office, “The (Open Records) Act does not prohibit a member from discussing or making statements about what occurred in an executive session. However, as noted above, the act does prohibit a person from disclosing to the public a copy of the actual certified agenda or tape of an executive session.”
Board member Clay McKinney, who was appointed last year to fill the unexpired term of Bill Oglesby, said he had been out of town this weekend, and had not received any calls about Lujan’s decision, but he added “I did talk to Randy Graham twice over the weekend.”
McKinney also said he didn’t know how someone not at the meeting would have been told on Feb. 9 that the decision on Henson’s reassignment already had been made.
“There was nothing spoken about that in the meeting,” he said.
The action led to a protest Friday by about 250 Pecos High School students voicing their support for Henson and the other P-B-T coaches who also are expected to leave their jobs due to the action by Lujan.
Students stood in front of the P-B-T ISD administration building between 7:45 and 8:45 a.m., then moved their protest across the street before staging a march around the high school campus and continuing their protest at the corner of Park and Washington streets.
Lujan was not in town to see the protest on Friday, and was also not in town on Monday when the Enterprise attempted to contact him.
But KOSA-TV reported on Friday, when asked what he would tell the protesting students, "You know kids, there's other ways to express yourselves. I'd be more than happy to listen to you, I'd be more than happy to see your results, your presentations.”
Deishler, who also works as an investigator for the Pecos Police Department, received a call on Friday a short time after the protestors had circled the school that a vehicle belonging to P-B-T ISD board member Lawrence ‘Bubba’ Williams had been vandalized while outside his home at Park and Jackson streets. He said early Monday afternoon that Williams’ SUV apparently had been ‘keyed’ by individuals during the morning student protest in support of Henson.
A report has been filed with the police department and officers have begun close patrols of Williams’ home following the Friday morning vandalism report.
Passenger caught, driver sought in seizure of cocaine, weapons
A traffic stop on Thursday night by Pecos police led to the seizure of drugs and guns and the arrest of one woman, while a second person remains sought on multiple charges.
Police investigator Paul S. Deishler said the arrest occurred after Sgt. Armando Garcia attempted to stop a vehicle in the central part of town on a traffic violation at 9:07 p.m. “The vehicle and passengers fled from officers and pulled into an alley in the 1100 block of South Cherry. Officers were able to detain the passenger, but the driver got away.”
Police said the passenger was identified as Vivica Rae Orona, 27, 1605 Washington St. Deishler said after the stop, police found a baggie containing a substance which later tested positive for cocaine, along with two handguns under the driver's front seat, digital scales and a packaging machine. He added that while the exact street value of the drug had not been determined, the baggie contained enough cocaine to put the estimated worth at around $10,000.
Orona was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, failure to identify, and manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance (cocaine). She was transported to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center, while a warrant was issued for the arrest of the driver, who police said is a resident of Pecos.
Chambers shines light on Winkles ‘hidden’ heroics
A true “hero” was honored last Thursday for his efforts in helping others in the community, without expecting a reward or recognition.
Kenneth Winkles, Sr. , who has lived in Pecos for over 37 years and therefore raised a family here, was honored with the Ruiz Profile of Courage/Hidden Hero Award during the Annual Chamber of Commerce Banquet held Thursday at the Reeves County Civic Center.
The award was one of several given out by the Chamber during Thursday’s event. Elsa Palomino was honored as the 2009 Citzen of the Year, Elias Alvarado received the Student of the Year honor, James Brownlee was chosen as Business Person of the Year, Kevin Duke was named Chamber Director of the Year, and a special award was given to La Tienda clerk Frances Bryan, for her over 50 years of work for supermarkets in Pecos.
The Ruiz Profile of Courage/Hidden Hero Award is given each year to, “a person who tirelessly and consistently gives of themselves, helping others, often going unnoticed.”
“They owned and operated a business in Pecos for over 25 years and he has volunteered countless hours doing good deeds,” said Emily Fernandes, the 2004 recipient of the award.
“First, they have been married for over 55 years – to the same person – which might be considered a profile of courage in itself!” said Fernandes.
Before moving to Pecos from Brownfield, they had a fleet of 13 trucks and on the back of the trailers were signs that said, ‘we feed cattle in Pecos, Texas,’ according to Fernandes.
“With as many trips as they were making to Pecos it is no wonder that in 1973 they finally just moved here,” she said.
In 1983, Winkles, Sr., founded M&W Hot Oil and there he stayed until he decided to retire in 2003.
“For many, retirement means slowing down and putting your feet up. Evidently, Mr. Winkles didn’t get that memo. Even before his retirement he was already setting an excellent example of what it means to be a volunteer and to help others in our community,” said Fernandes.
Winkles efforts include: being a deacon at North Temple Baptist Church for 20 years and leading the way a decade ago establishing the North Temple Food Bank.
For the past seven years he has served on the board of the West Texas Regional Food Bank and goes every other Monday to Odessa to the food bank on 2nd Street to pick up boxes of food and bring them back to Pecos.
Also in 2000, in addition to the North Temple Food Bank, Winkles was instrumental in establishing the Christian Home that today serves as a refuge for women and children in their time of need.
“Guess who the ‘head volunteer’ for the local Salvation Army is? Remember 2005 and Hurricane Katrina? He arranged for a trailer to be parked on Eddy Street for donations and spent a good amount of time helping to man the trailer. When the trailer was full he arranged for its transportation to devastated areas,” said Fernandes.
“Some people may think Mr. Winkles must really like pizza! Because every day around 3 o’clock, you will see him going to Pizza Hut where he indeed picks up pizza- the leftover pizza – and distributes it to families in our area who otherwise might go hungry,” she said.
He also frequents La Tienda – where he picks up out of date milk, juices, bread, etc., and takes it to the food bank to be used there or distributed.
Winkles helps deliver 75 boxes of food every other week to home-bound people in the community, and for five or six years he spearheaded the Thanksgiving and Christmas Community Dinners at the Civic Center until another nice volunteer, Sulema Ulate volunteered to take over.
For the past year or so he and “Prissy,” his four-legged volunteer, have been visiting the nursing home and bringing about many smiles from the residents there.
“I met Mr. Winkles at the hospital where he often comes by to visit those who are sick. Our emergency room staff knows him well and considers him ‘a real angel’ as when we have a male patient who may be homeless or has been involved in an accident and doesn’t have the financial means for a hotel room, he responds to the call – day or night – and picks them up and through the Salvation Army will assist with a night’s stay to help them in their time of need,” said Fernandes.
Fernandes said that she had mentioned earlier that Winkles had been married for over 55 years.
“Kenneth and his wife, Carolyn, have actually been married for about 56 years. Someone happened to share with me that there is a picture of Kenneth and Carolyn on their wedding day – she in her wedding dress and he in his suit, standing in front of one of his trucks. Kenneth, being a real romantic, had suggested taking his bride to Houston for their honeymoon. I’m not sure Carolyn realized the trip to Houston would be in one of his trucks so he could deliver his load on time!” said Fernandes.
“Carolyn has been by his side all the way – in life, at the food bank, and even in the truck,” she said.
Fernandes said that Winkles is a modest person who says he doesn’t do all that much and that it is “other people” who really do all the work. “Isn’t that what you would expect a true hidden hero to say?” she said.
Winkles thanked everyone upon receiving his award.
“My wife runs the food bank and tells me what to do, and the Salvation Army, it’s real easy to do something when you have someone to help you,” said Winkles.
Winkles said that the things he does is because that is what God put us on this earth to do.
“We need to help each other and I have a lot of help,” he said.
Campaign stops at banquet made by Uresti, Rodriguez
Pecos’ two elected representatives from the San Antonio area were both in town on Thursday night, meeting with local residents during the Pecos Chamber of Commerce Awards Banquet.
U.S. Rep. Ciro Rodriguez and State Senator Carlos Uresti were at the banquet at the Reeves County Civic Center, in the run-up to next Tuesday’s Democratic Primary election.
Rodriguez is facing San Antonio attorney Miguel Ortiz in the March 2 primary, while Uresti is opposed by Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD board member Luis Juarez for the Democratic nomination.
Uresti was presented with an award by Town of Pecos City Council members following the banquet, which Mayor Dick Alligood said the council had been waiting some time to give to the senator.
“We’re giving this award to Sen. Uresti for all the help he’s provided us for economic development,” Alligood said.
Council members Gerald Tellez, Frank Sanchez, Bernadette Lopez and Cody West, who served as MC for the banquet, were also in attendance for the presentation.
Uresti said he’s making a swing through West Texas as part of his campaign for re-election.
“This is the biggest (state senate) district in the U.S., which is always a challenge for us to visit everyone. But Senate District 19 is also the second-poorest district in Texas, with only a $12,500 per capita income,” he said.
He said his positions on the Senate Natural Resources Committee and the Senate Health and Human Services Committee have helped him get faster action on water and health care issues that affect rural West Texas.
“I jut got endorsed by the Texas Farm Bureau because of my representation on the Natural Resources Committee and what I’ve been able to do.”
Yow receives Yow receives law degree from SMU
Mr. and Mrs. D. Field Yow, Jr., of Fort Worth, are proud to announce that their daughter, Rebecca Kendall Yow, granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. A.B. Foster, Jr. of Pecos, received her juris doctorate degree from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law on May 16, 2009.
Yow passed the July 2009 Texas bar exam and is working in Dallas for Brice, Vander Linden and Wernick, P.C., a law firm that specializes in bankruptcy and foreclosure.
Yow received a BBA in Finance from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas in Austin.
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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Jesse Ortega, 18, 511 S. Mesquite St., was arrested by police on Feb. 18 at his home on a warrant charging him with failure to pay a fine on a previous charge of disorderly conduct-vulgar language. Ortega was then transported to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
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Ernesto Salvador Perea, 41, 1116 W. Fifth St., was arrested by police on Feb. 18 on a warrant for failure to pay a fine on a previous charge of possession of drug paraphernalia. Police said the arrest was made at 1:32 p.m. at Perea's home, and he was then transported to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
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Angelica L. Gutierrez, 39, 1208 S. Cherry St., was arrested by police on Feb. 17 on a warrant for theft, a Class B misdemeanor. Police said the arrest was made at Gutierrez's home at 6:53 p.m., and she was then transported to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
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A male juvenile was arrested by police on Feb. 5 on charges of burglary of a motor vehicle. Police said the arrest was made after they received called between 6 and 8:30 p.m. that their vehicles had been broken into overnight, while parked at 706 Maple St., 602 Alberta St., 605 Alberta St., and 621 Alberta St. Police said an investigation led officers to a residence on South Eddy Street, where the juvenile was located along with most of the items reported missing from the vehicle. The juvenile was then transported to the Reeves County Juvenile Detention Center, and turned over to authorities.
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Terry J. Duarte, 28, of Albuquerque, N.M., was arrested on Feb. 7 on a charge of public intoxication. Police said the arrest took place at 9:06 p.m. at 1626 Cowan St., and Duarte was then transported to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
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Pecos police arrested a male juvenile on Feb. 4 on a charge of possession of marijuana under two ounces in a drug-free zone, a Class A misdemeanor. Police said the arrest was made after they were called to Pecos High School, 1201 S. Park St., where they met with the principal and the truancy officer who had discovered the marijuana in the student's possession. He was then taken by police to the Reeves County juvenile probation office.
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Brian Dominguez, 20, 1501 Johnson St., was arrested by police on Feb. 14 on a warrant on an unspecified Class C misdemeanor. Police said the arrest was made at 616 W. Eighth St., and Dominguez was then transported to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
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Ruben Anthony Martinez, 30, 2000˝ Scott St., was arrested by police on Feb. 13 on a charge of theft under $50 a Class C misdemeanor. Police said the arrest was made after Martinez ran from Allsup's, 708 S. Cedar St., without paying for an 18-pack of Bud Light. He was located a short time later and then transported to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
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Alonzo Mendoza, 54, 124 N. Walnut St., was arrested by police on Feb. 14 on a charge of public intoxication, a Class C misdemeanor. Police said the arrest was made at 2:41 a.m. in the 100 block of South Elm Street, and Mendoza was then transported to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
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JoeRichard Almendarez Hinojos, 22, 1509 S. Iowa St., was arrested by police on Feb. 14 on charges of public intoxication, a Class C misdemeanor, and resisting arrest, a Class A misdemeanor. Police said the arrest was made at 1:14 a.m. in the 1300 block of East Third Street, and Hinojos was then transported to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
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Jesus R. Ortega Jr., 31, 805 E. 10th St., was arrested by police on Feb. 14 on a charge of theft over $50 and under $500, a Class B misdemeanor. Police said the arrest was made after they were called to Beall's, 910 S. Eddy St., on a report the suspect had left the store without paying for merchandise. Ortega was located and arrested, and was then transported to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
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Andrea Millan, 17, 211 S. Plum St., was arrested on Feb. 13 on a charge of manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance (cocaine) and no driver's license, a Class C misdemeanor. Police said Millan was driving a Ford Mustang that ran a stop sign in the 100 block of East Third Street, and that a substance believed to be cocaine was found in her possession during a search of the vehicle. Millan was placed under arrest and was then transported to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
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Victor Jaramillo, 56, 411 N. Hickory St., was arrested by police on Feb. 16 on a warrant out of the Reeves County Sheriff's Department for theft by check a Class B misdemeanor. Police said the arrest was made at 10:41 p.m. in the 700 block of South Cedar Street, and Jaramillo was then transported to the Reeves County Jail.
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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