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Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Juarez says board addressed letter’s concerns
Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD school board president Louis Juarez said concerns he voiced in an eight-page letter submitted to the Enterprise have been dealt with by the board and school officials in a closed door session, and he does not know who sent the letter to a local television station.
Juarez’s eight-page letter had been submitted to the Pecos Enterprise in July. The Enterprise asked the board president to resubmit the letter in a more condensed form, but Juarez said he did not resubmit the letter because some of his concerns were dealt with in private meetings.
However, a copy of the letter was obtained by KOSA-TV, and a story on it and Juarez’s problems with the process in which the school’s new AVID program was created, was broadcast on Thursday.
“I didn’t submit it to Channel 7 and don’t know who did,” said Juarez. “When I submitted it to the newspaper, they told me to shorten it a little bit or revise it.”
The Enterprise requested the original letter be shortened, after it’s length came out at 108 column inches, or roughly 90 percent of the total space on a single page of the paper.
Juarez said that before he could condense it to be re-submitted he talked to P-B-T ISD Interim Superintendent Maxie Watts about the letter.
“He felt and so did I, that we could handle those concerns internally,” said Juarez. “We even met in executive session to discuss my concerns outlined in the letter,” he said.
Juarez said that since then, he, Watts and the board as a whole have been working diligently to correct those concerns.
“We had a meeting in closed session about it and decided not to submit it to the newspaper, but rather to address all those concerns internally,” he said.
“The district has confirmed that the comments in the letter addressed by CBS 7 last night were made by the board president in his individual capacity and not those of the district as a whole,” said PBT-ISD Interim Superintendent Maxie Watts.
“The board president’s comments in the letter were a personal opinion over a series of events that happened over the past year and a half,” he said.
Since then, the board, along with the administrators and the interim superintendent have been working on the concerns outlined in Juarez’ letter.
“We have been working together and have come up with some excellent solutions,” said Juarez.
Juarez was named president of the P-B-T ISD in May, following board elections. The elections came following a nine month period in which superintendent Manny Espino resigned in July of 2009, and was replaced in December by former Kermit ISD Superintendent Santos Lujan Jr., following a three-month interim period as superintendent by Wayne Mitchell.
However, Lujan resigned after only two months on the job, over protests related to reassignments of school administrative personnel, including athletic director Chris Henson and Crockett Middle School principal Steve Lucas. Watts was hired in March as interim superintendent, but was almost removed from his position in May, at the same meeting in which Juarez was named board president. He remained on the job after a motion to terminate him ended in a 3-3 deadlock.
Juarez replaced Lila Cerna as P-B-T ISD president. Cerna, who was elected to a three-year term in May along with Gail Box and Louis Matta, resigned her position at the end of August, and was replaced by Bill Oglesby, who had stepped down from his position a year earlier due to the district’s personnel hiring rules.
Juarez and other board members also attended board training this summer.
Homecoming events begin at high school
Homecoming week activities have already begun at the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD campuses.
Theme for this year’s homecoming is “Get in the Game!” and everyone is urged to participate.
Monday kicked off events with Madden Monday, urging everyone to wear their favorite team’s sports jersey.
Tuesday will be “Connect Four” (quadruplet day), with Wednesday designated as “Cowboys and Indians”, everyone encouraged to wear their western wear.
On Thursday, the theme will be, “Hide and Seek” – two people dress in a common theme (example: salt and pepper; peanut butter and jelly; a zoo keeper and a monkey….).
Friday will be “Eagle Chess!” (purple and gold kings and queens).
The Pecos High School will be sponsoring the Annual Homecoming Parade at 5 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 23.
Any business interested in participating in the 2010 PHS Parade can contact Mrs. Hill at 447-7400, ext. 8010.
Lineup will be at the baseball field and will continue through Eddy and turn on West Third Street (Business I-20).
County facing $400,000 hike in health insurance
Health insurance and a possible $400,000 increase in costs for the 2010 fiscal year were the topic of discussion at a special Reeves County Commissioner’s Court meeting held Monday morning.
The court was presented several options by the current providers, Assured Benefits, which has handled the county’s insurance for the past three years, and were also told that a number of insurance firms declined to bid on the new health insurance contract.
Commissioners agreed in 2007 at the recommendation of Reeves County Judge Sam Contreras, to change the county’s health insurance provider from Blue Cross/Blue Shield to Assured Benefits Administrators.
At the time, commissioners also approved an agreement with Rogers and Belding Insurance Agency, which in turn recommended that Reeves County purchase insurance through Lloyd’s of London, a stop-loss carrier.
However, county health insurance agent, Debra Faulkner, with Wells Fargo told commissioners on Monday, “This time Lloyd’s of London didn’t bid.”
Health Smart Network pays the claims under the current contract with Assured Benefits. But Faulkner said that health insurance had risen sharply once more and that Reeves County was seen as very, very high risk.
“We had aggregate claims in the past few years, the thing is that our claims have exceeded our expectations, we are exceeding our plan design,” she said.
“Can you tell us about some of the companies that declined?” said Contreras.
Faulkner said that Aetna, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Principal and other major insurance companies.
“The carriers declined because level of risk,” said Faulkner.
Faulkner said that the claims have been exceeding what the county is funding. “We’ve exhausted the funds that were there,” she said.
Faulkner said that they needed to help employees make better decisions about their health.
“We will discuss the plan design and agree on a plan design and then go into the funding,” said Faulkner.
Faukner said that the idea was to get control of the claims.
“Until the claims are totally stable, if we can stabilize these claims, the insurance will be high until then,” said Faulkner.
“It wasn’t easy, again we’re looking at how much employees and the county can afford,” said Contreras.
Faulkner told the group that they had multiple decisions to make including the funding and contribution.
“That way we’ll have additional numbers and the numbers won’t vary very much, but the plan design will,” said Faulkner.
After a lengthy discussion the commissioners opted to go with the Dual Option Number two, which called for an 80/60 plan outlined by Faulkner.
“The difference between dual option 1 and 2 is about $150,000,” she said.
“The insurance last year was over $1 million and this year it will be $1.4 million in order to have employee insurance,” said county auditor Lynn Owens. “We need to look at how much employees put in and trying to lower claims, we don’t want to be faced with nobody gives us a claim.”
County employee Sam Urias told the group that another problem was that the insurance wasn’t paying the claims.
“Not just me, but a lot of us are being sent to collections, because they don’t pay the claims,” said Urias.
Faulkner said that in cases of accidents the insurance will check to see if there is a third party that should be taking care of the claim.
“In a lot of these cases, the insurance will first check to see if there is another third party that is responsible,” she said.
Under the Dual 80/60 plan, American United Life Insurance Company, will be the stop-loss company,
County treasurer Linda Clark said that the commissioners were going to meet again to discuss the budget.
“They will look at how much the county can put on the dependant coverage on the employees plus two,” said Clark.
Under the plan, the employee with a plus two, would have to pay $1,277.76 per month for health insurance coverage.
“It will be less for the employee plus one,” said Clark. “But the employee plus two is still too high.”
County’s unemployment decreased during August
A rise in the number of available jobs in Reeves County that outpaced a rise in the local labor force allowed the county to cut its unemployment rate by over half a percent, according to figures released Monday by the Texas Workforce Commission.
The TWC’s August jobless figures show Reeves County had an 11.2 percent unemployment rate, down from 11.8 percent in July and from 13.1 percent a year ago. The county had 4,778 workers last month, up by 16 from July, and 4,244 people with jobs, an increase of 42 from the previous month.
The number of workers is down from August of 2009, while the total number of jobs in the county is up, according to the TWC’s numbers. Reeves County had 4,820 workers a year ago, 42 more than this year, and 4,188 jobs, 56 fewer than the latest reporting period.
Midland, the area’s largest county, saw its rate drop from 5.7 to 5.6 percent. The county lost 194 workers and 118 jobs in August. Midland had a 6.4 percent jobless rate last year, and during that time has added 732 workers and added 1,303 jobs, according to the TWC. Ector County’s July rate of 8.1 percent was down by .2 percent, while the county is down from 9.8 percent last year. Ector County added 158 workers and 324 jobs last month, and is up by 541 workers and 634 jobs from a year ago.
Andrews County had a jobless rate in August of 6.3 percent, unchanged from July and down from 8 percent a year ago. The county added 24 workers and 26 jobs last month, while it’s down 151 workers and 23 jobs from a year ago. Brewster County’s rate of 5.9 percent was up from 5.7 percent July and from 5.1 percent in August of 2009. The county added 169 workers and 141 jobs last month, and is down 29 workers and 67 jobs from August of 2009. Crane County’s rate of 7.7 percent was down by a tenth of a percent from the previous month and from 9.5 percent a year ago. The county added 30 workers and 29 jobs last month, and is down 36 workers and one job from a year ago.
Culberson County was also down a tenth of a percent, going from 4.6 to 4.5 percent in August, while it’s up from 4.3 percent in August of a year ago. The county saw an increase of 23 workers and 24 jobs from July, and has five more workers and two more jobs from a year ago. Dawson County had an 8.4 percent rate in August, after an 8.8 percent rate in July and a 8.3 percent rate a year ago. The county lost 53 workers and 20 jobs last month, and is down 37 workers and 38 jobs from the previous July’s totals. Howard County’s 7.4 percent rate for August was down .2 percent from July, with the county losing 88 workers and 59 jobs. Its rate was 7.7 percent a year ago, with seven fewer workers and 51 fewer jobs.
Pecos County’s rate for June was 7.7 percent, up from 7.5 percent in July but down from 9.9 percent a year ago. The county added 54 workers and 33 jobs last month, while it’s up 96 workers and up 273 jobs from a year earlier. Presidio County’s August numbers showed an 18.1 percent jobless rate, highest in the region, down from 18.2 percent in July but up from 18 percent a year ago. The county lost eight workers last month while the number of jobs was unchanged, and is up 49 workers and 36 jobs from a year ago. Ward County had an unemployment rate of 8.3 percent in August after an 8.4 percent rate in July and a 10 percent rate a year ago. The county had 69 more workers and 69 more jobs from July’s totals, and is down 82 workers and up 14 jobs compared to August of 2009. Winkler County saw its rate drop from 7.7 to 7.6 percent last month, after unemployment was at 10 percent a year ago. The county added 23 workers and gained 27 jobs from July, while the numbers are down by 67 workers and up by 21 jobs from August of 2009.
Loving County’s numbers are also unchanged for the fourth month in a row, and down 4.5 percent from 2009. The TWC said the nation’s least-populated county has 41 people in its labor force and 37 with jobs, for a 9.8 percent unemployment rate. A year ago, the rate was 14.3 percent, with one more worker and one fewer job.
New AVID program seeks guest speakers
Guest speakers are being sought for the new program at Crockett Middle School and Pecos High School that is designed to encourage students to continue their education in college.
Cynthia Fields, elective teacher for the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program, is seeking volunteers willing to speak with eighth and ninth grade students in the AVID classes. The program was implemented at the start of the current school year, and P-B-T ISD teacher and coach Oscar Luna was the first guest speaker for the program on Friday.
“Mr. Luna was a former student of mine,” Fields said. “I had him for the Eagles Class, the advanced placement class, in second grade, and I thought he’d make a great speaker for us.”
Luna, who serves as teacher and an assistant football and baseball coach, is a 1999 Pecos High School graduate and was a member of the high school baseball, football and basketball teams. He spoke to the AVID students about his journey through school, and what motivated him and helped him to become a college graduate. Luna also encouraged students to overcome obstacles in planning for a better future.
Anyone interested in speaking to the AVID classes is asked to contact Fields at Pecos High School, 447-7400, ext. 8164, or via e-mail, at cfield@pbtisd.esc18.net.
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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Enrique Lujan, 55, 1502 Cowan St., was arrested by police on Sept. 10 on a charge of public intoxication, a Class C misdemeanor. Police said the arrest took place at 12:21 a.m. in the 400 block of West Walthall Street, and Lujan was then transported to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
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Richard Beltran, 24, of 618 S. El Paso St. in Balmorhea, was arrested on Sept. 9 by police on three warrants, two for assault causing bodily injury and one for criminal trespass, all Class A misdemeanors. Police said Beltran was arrested at Highway 17 and Locker Road, and he was then transported to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
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Angelica Garcia, 27, of Portales, N.M., was arrested by police on Sept. 5 on a charge of possession of marijuana under two ounces, a Class B misdemeanor. Police said the arrest was made at 10:11 p.m. in the 600 block of South Orange Street, and Garcia was then transported to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
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Guadalupe Salgado, 17, 623 S. Walnut St., was arrested by police on Sept. 6 on a charge of public intoxication. Police said the arrest was made at 2:33 a.m. while Salgado was at the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
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Hugo Rodriguez, 53, 2365 W. Sandia Rd., was arrested by police on Sept. 5 on a charge of public intoxication. Police said the arrest was made at 3 a.m. in the 400 block of Magnolia Street, and Rodriguez was then transported to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
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Amber Baiza, 19, 1733 Adams St., was arrested by police on Sept. 4 on a warrant for public intoxication, a Class C misdemeanor. Police said the arrest took place at 10:02 p.m. in the 1000 block of South Cedar Street, and Baiza was then transported to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
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Colt Duane Munson, 27, of Midland, was arrested by police on Aug. 29 on a charge of public intoxication, a Class C misdemeanor. Police said the arrest was made at the Cotton Club, 2207 W. Third St., and Munson was then transported to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
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Alberto Perez, 29, 1222 E. Second St., was arrested by police on Aug. 29 on charges of evading arrest or detention, a state jail felony, and furnishing alcohol to minors, a Class A misdemeanor. Police said the arrest occurred following an incident in the 300 block of South Orange Street, and Perez was then transported to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
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Manuel Carrera, 18, 1104 E. Seventh St., and Omar Daniel Levario, 18, 620 S. Orange St., were arrested by police on Aug. 29 on charges of minor in possession of alcoholic beverage, a Class C misdemeanor. Police said the arrests occurred after an incident in the 300 block of South Orange Street, and Carrera and Levario were then transported to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
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Francisco Molina, 36, 422 S. Mesquite St., was arrested by police on Aug. 28 on a charge of assault under the Family Violence Act, a Class A misdemeanor. Police said the arrest was made following an incident at Molina’s home, and he was then transported to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
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Eric Medrano Mata, 23, 618 S. Pecan St., was arrested by police on Sept. 1 on a charge of public intoxication, a Class C misdemeanor. Police said the arrest was made at Allsup’s, 708 S. Cedar St., and Mata was then transported to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
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Nelson Lee McGrew, 46, 811 E. 11th St., was arrested by police on Aug. 20 on charges of assault, a Class C misdemeanor, and resisting arrest, a Class A misdemeanor. Police said the arrest occurred after officers were called to McGrew’s home on a report of a disturbance, and he was then transported to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
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Bryant Cole Allen, 113 S. Cypress St., was arrested by police on Aug. 27 on a charge of criminal trespass. Police said the arrest was made at 906 S. Walnut St., and Allen was then transported to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
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Jacob Leos, 19, 520 S. Park St., was arrested by police on Aug. 25 on a warrant for assault, a Class C misdemeanor. Police said the arrest was made at 501 S. Eddy St., and Leos was then transported to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center.
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Magdalena Lewis, 49, 2411 Country Club Dr., was arrested by police on Aug. 23 on warrants for failure to pay fines on previous charges of disregarding a stop sign and allowing an unauthorized person to use a motor vehicle, both Class C misdemeanors. Police said the arrest was made at 8:42 p.m. in the 700 block of South Cedar Street, and Lewis 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
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 2003-04 by Pecos Enterprise
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