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Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Friday, October 22, 2010
‘Christmas’ program gets new sponsor
Applications are again being accepted for the annual “Christmas for Kids” project, after a new volunteer stepped forward to supervise the program that provides items to need families in Reeves County during the holiday season.
Reeves County Attorney Alva Alvarez will be in charge of the program for 2010, after the longtime founders and volunteers of “Christmas for Kids” said earlier this month that they would no longer be hosting the annual event.
“Christmas for Kids has done so much good for so many children for so many years and I didn’t want the program to fall on the ground,” said Alvarez, who is accepting applications from those wishing to participate in the program at her office, located at 120 W. Fifth St. “It is a true privilege for me to be taking over the program. I have very big shoes to fill,” said Alvarez.
“We’re keeping the same mission, which is to provide clothing and shoes at Christmas to those children who most need it and the criteria for determining need will be the same as in years past based on U.S. poverty guidelines,” she said.
The program provides the needed essentials for those children and families in the community that would otherwise not receive gifts during the Christmas holidays. “It’s all about making it a merrier Christmas for the underprivileged kids of Pecos and their families. That’s my only goal,” said Alvarez.
Applications will continue to be accepted until Wednesday, Nov. 10th at Alvarez’s office, which is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Christmas for Kids is made possible through the help of many volunteers and generous donors who provide funding for the gifts of clothing and shoes given to the children.
Last year, the group served 126 families and provided gifts for 372 boys and girls, with items delivered in mid-December.
“Each applicant must fill out the application and attach a copy of a check stub for the month of October in order to be eligible to participate in the program, since eligibility is based on need,” said Alvarez.
Children who are eligible for the program must be registered in the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD, with the exception of babies and toddlers, according to Alvarez.
“We want to thank all of those individuals, businesses, and clubs who have made this program a success in the past, and with your continued support, we are confident that we will succeed in touching children’s lives in the future,” said Alvarez. “I’m excited to continue the tradition of Christmas for Kids, which will be celebrating its 15th year this year.”
Volunteers and donations are still needed and everyone is urged to help make this a successful project. Donations are also being accepted at the Alvarez Law Firm on Fifth Street, or can be mailed to P.O. Box 984, Pecos, Tx., 79772. Anyone interested can call 445-5480 for more information.
“Volunteers and donors are what make this program a success. They are always needed and greatly appreciated,” said Alvarez.
Police investigating alleged PHS drug overdose incident
A 15-year-old Pecos High School student is reportedly recovering in a Lubbock hospital today, after being flown there following what police are investigating as a drug overdose Wednesday morning while on campus.
The female freshman student reportedly collapsed shortly after 8 a.m. on Wednesday at the high school’s new gym. She was unresponsive when Pecos EMS workers arrived, and was taken first to Reeves County Hospital, before being flown to Lubbock for further treatment.
“I know the police responded to the high school and to the ER, and I believe we have some people lined up to interview, but as of today I have not received an update on that investigation,” police chief Clay McKinney said.
McKinney said police did not know what type of drug the girl took prior to her collapse at the high school gym, and could not say right now if someone else had provided the drugs to the teen.
New assistant district attoney beginning work in Monahans
A new face will be seen at the 143rd District Attorney’s office, with the addition of a new assistant district attorney who was sworn in on Wednesday.
The 143rd Judicial District Attorney’s office announced that Alan J. Nicholas of Monahans has been hired as an Assistant District Attorney, beginning Oct. 20. He was given the oath of office by District Judge Bob Parks on Wednesday morning, with friends and associates in attendance.
He is a 2004 graduate magna cum laude of Texas A&M University and a 2007 graduate of Texas Tech University School of Law. Since graduation he has worked in the criminal justice field and moved to Monahans and set up a law practice in April of this year. He is a member of the Monahans Lions Club.
His wife, Christin and daughter have enjoyed their time in Monahans and are looking forward to the future here. His mother-in-law, Lynda Linton, is a local educator.
Nicholas will assist District Attorney Randy Reynolds in performing the duties of the office throughout the district. He will also devote a good part of his time to work in the District Attorney’s Border Prosecution Unit.
This unit is devoted to preparing and prosecuting border crimes, was formed among the border counties in Texas in the fall of 2009 and provides funding for staff and training in investigating and prosecuting border crimes.
Currently, the 143rd Judicial District Attorney’s office has also assigned an investigator and an administrative assistant to work part of their time on border crime offenses.
He will be primarily assigned to Monahans and joins Investigator (and retired Texas Ranger) Gerry Villalobos and administrative assistant Judy Greer who are also officed in Monahans.
Nicholas’ position is being funded by both a border prosecution grant and asset forfeiture funds awarded regarding assets seized in the district as a result of the District Attorney’s asset forfeiture prosecution.
Council keeping billing firm, OKs Trans-Pecos suit
Town of Pecos City Council members agreed to retain the company they’re currently using for ambulance service bill collections, during their regular meeting on Thursday at City Hall, and also agreed to enter into litigation against a local food processing company over a dispute over clean-up efforts on the city’s sewer lines.
Council members voted to retain Intermedics as its billing service, after hearing proposals last month from the company and Certified Ambulance Group (CAG) to handle billing for Pecos EMS. Intermedics agreed to drop their percentage of the collection total they retain from 15 to 9 percent. That was still a half-percent higher than CAG’s offer, but the companies’ handling of the notebook computers and the software to be used by EMS workers convinced the council to remain with Intermedics.
Pecos EMS Chief Joe Tollett said the company would provide the Panasonic ToughBook laptops for its crews, while GAC’s offer would have the city buying refurbished ToughBooks, at a cost of about $2,000 apiece. “The difference is if something happens to them, it’s their computers, and they have to replace them,” Tollett said.
He added that the Intermedics software is fully computerized, and information can be sent directly from EMS crews to Reeves County Hospital. CAG’s system requires a hard copy be faxed to the hospital, which slows down the process of getting the information into the system.
“I’m glad to come back to this, because after the (Sept. 23) presentation, I was closing to look at going with Certified Ambulance, because they made a really good presentation,” councilman Cody West said.
Tollett added that the collection rate of around 40 percent for Intermedics would be about what CAG would get, when all factors are the same. CAG had said they could get up to 75-80 percent collections, but Tollett said with the percentage of Medicare, Medicaid and self-paid clients in the area that use Pecos EMS, “There’s no way you’re going to get to a 75 percent collection rate.
Tollett also told councilman Joe Keese they have begun charging customers for calls where they is treatment on-site without transport to the hospital, at a cost of $175 per call. That cost applies even if a third party calls Pecos EMS.
“If there’s treatment involved, then they’re responsible for the bill,” he said. “If an officer calls and we don’t do anything and they refuse treatment, we can’t legally charge.”
The council also agreed, following an executive session, to enter into litigation against Trans-Pecos Foods over the costs to clean up sewer lines on the southeast side of town, which the city claims were damaged by cooking waste products dumped into the sewer by the company over a five-year period.
City manager Joseph Torres said the company refused to pay a bill of $13,000 presented by the city for the clean-up costs. Trans-Pecos foods has made modifications to the collection traps at its plant since two major sewer line backups in October of 2009 and March of this year that the city blamed on waste batter and oil getting into the sewer lines.
City officials faced a possible fine from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality if the changes weren’t made, and the city in turn threatened to cut Trans-Pecos Foods off of the sewer line if waste materials continued to end up in the lines.
In other action, the council agreed to re-plat the area on the east side of Highway 17 next to Pecos Municipal Airport, removing the unpaved Arizona Street to allow for lots along the highway to extend further back to the airport perimeter. The city will retain a water and sewer line easement along Arizona Street, for the line that connects to the Reeves County Detention Center.
The undeveloped cross streets connecting with Highway 17 will remain in place. Keese said the 8-to-10.7 acre tracts would be more attractive to oil companies and other firms looking to locate yards along the highway.
The council also set Halloween Trick-or-Treating in Pecos for Saturday, Oct. 30. “I think most of the parents support that position, because Sunday (Oct. 31) is a school night,” councilman Frank Sanchez said.
Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Linda Gholson said the annual Mother Goose Parade was set for 3:30 p.m. on Oct. 30, with a Halloween Carnival to follow at 4 p.m. at the West of the Pecos Museum.
School transportation facility relocation approved by board
Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD board members approved relocation of the district’s transportation department to the former Zavala Middle School campus, during their Sept. 14 regular meeting.
The group had discussed whether relocating the department of refurbishing the current facilities on West Fourth Street would be in the best interest of the district to house the transportation department.
P-B-T ISD Interim Superintendent Maxie Watts said that during an April board meeting he had asked for a review of the transportation facility as part of discussions of moving it to Zavala with the other student service programs, after sixth grade classes there were relocated to Crockett Middle School last year.
“We decided to postpone the decision until the fall when we would soon take action on getting the facility built. I recommend that we make the change to Zavala for several reasons,” he said.
The move to Zavala would be more cost effective; secretaries can cover for one another; one campus would save on electrical costs over two campuses; potential for better quality and more room at a smaller price; lighting and fencing can alleviate safety concerns; this might allow funding in the budget for the alternative bus canopy and it stays within the budget to help cover the current spending, according to Watts.
The group agreed to move the transportation department to the Zavala Campus where the food services administration is housed along with the maintenance department.
The move is expected to save the district several hundred thousand dollars in renovation costs over renovating the West Fourth Street facilities.
In other action, the board received an update on other facilities, including work done as part of the district’s bond projects; held a public hearing on Schools FIRST (Financial Integrity Rating System for Texas); and tabled a decision on purchasing a drug dog for the district.
“There are some issues that need to be worked out,” said Watts.
Watts said that the sheriff’s department was going to provide the vehicle, but the school would be in charge of the upkeep.
“There will be an additional expense for Jerry Matta (school truancy officer) to work during the summer, but we believe that the expense will be offset by working the dog with local businesses and companies for fee or donation,” said Watts.
The school district will have access to the dog everyday, but the Police Department can request service at any time, day or night.
“We will allow the dog to assist other government agencies at their request,” said Watts.
Watts also said on Thursday that the superintendent search is continuing, with a total of 17 applications received so far.
“I think it’s going really well, but I also think we’ll have more applications in as we go into the last week,” said Watts. “We still have two more weeks to go.”
The search is being conducted by the P-B-T ISD Board of Trustees and Maxie Watts.
Applications are being accepted through Monday, Nov. 1. After that, the district has set Nov. 8-9 for initial interviews; Nov. 15-16 to visit home district of finalist candidates; Nov. 29-Dec. 3 to conduct follow-up interviews; Dec. 6 to announce lone finalist; Jan. 3 to vote to hire superintendent-CEO and Jan. 24-28 for the new superintendent assumes duties.
Watts has served as interim superintendent since March. He replaced Santos Lujan Jr., who resigned amid a controversy over personnel reassignments after just two months on the job. He replaced interim superintendent Wayne Mitchell, who took over following the resignation of Manny Espino in July of 2009.
In concert with the staff and community, the board of trustees has identified characteristics desirable in a CEO.
“We have come up with a pretty good idea of what this district needs and wants,” said Watts, who said he also expects the district to receive recognition for this year’s state accountability test results.
“We expect the District to be recognized for the 2009-2010 TAKS scores, pending an appeal to the TEA of completer information,” said Watts.
The student body is 89 percent Hispanic; eight percent white and three percent other. The district enrollment for 2009-2010 was 2,198. The staff for the same year was 375. The district has five campuses and five principals. The campuses are K, grades 1-3, grades 4-5, grades 6-8 and grades 9-12.
The 2009-2010 budget has 57 percent spent for instruction, 18 percent for student services and 23 percent for other areas.
First days of early voting see 75 cast ballots
A total of 75 individuals have cast their ballots early during the first three days of early voting for the Nov. 2 general election, with 15 ballots mailed in, according to Reeves County election officials.
Early voting began Monday morning and will continue through next Friday, with one local race and two local bond propositions among the decisions on this year’s ballot.
Early voting will be held from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., Monday, Oct. 18, through Monday, Oct. 29, at the Pecos Community Center, 505 S. Oak St.
“Tuesday, Oct. 26, is the last day for us to receive an application requesting a ballot by mail, at 5 p.m.,” said Reeves County Clerk Dianne Florez.
Florez reported on Wedneday that a total of 57 individuals had cast their ballots by personal appearance with 31 ballots mailed out and and 15 received by mail; on Wednesday, the total by personal appearance was 70 with eight mailed in.
“It’s coming along slowly, but we’re hoping for more voters,” said Florez.
Mail out applications can be requested by calling 432-445-5467 or by coming to Room 101 at the Reeves County Courthouse, 100 E. Fourth St.
Only one county race will be contested on the Nov. 2 ballot, Republican nominee Robert Hanks is facing Democrat Won J. Bang for the right to replace Sam Contreras as Reeves County Judge.
Two local propositions are also listed on the ballot, Special Election: authorizing Reeves County, Texas to plan, establish, develop, construct or renovate Reeves County Civic Center and related infrastructure and to impose a hotel occupancy tax at the rate of up to two percent of the price paid for a room in a hotel in the county for the purpose of financing the venue project.
Proposition 2: authorizing Reeves County, Texas, to plan, establish, develop, construct or renovate Buck Jackson Rodeo Arena and related infrastructure and to impose a hotel occupancy tax at the rate of up to two percent of the price paid for a room in a hotel in the county for the purpose of financing the venue project.
The other major area race is for the 23rd Congressional District, where Democrat Ciro Rodriguez is seeking a third term representing Reeves County and is being challenged by Republican nominee Francisco “Quico” Canseco. Other candidates in that race are Libertarian (Lib) Martin Nitschke (Lib); Green Party (Grn) candidate Ed Scharf and Craig T. Stephens, who is running as an independent (Ind).
The other area races are for State Senator, District 19, where incumbent Democrat Carlos Uresti faces Republican Dick Bowen and Libertarian Mette A. Baker; and the 74th State Representative race, where incumbent Democrat Pete P. Gallego faces Republican Thomas (T.C.) Kincaid, Jr.
State races include: Governor: Rick Perry (Rep); Bill White (Dem); Kathie Glass (Lib) and Deb Shafto (Grn).
Lieutenant Governor: David Dewhurst (Rep); Linda Chavez-Thompson (Dem); Scott Jameson (Lib) and Herb Gonzales, Jr. (Grn).
Attorney General: Greg Abbott (Rep); Barbara Ann Radnofsky (Dem) and Jon Roland (Lib).
Comptroller of Public Accounts: Susan Combs (Rep); Mary J. Ruwart (Lib) and Edward Lindsay (Grn).
Commissioner of the General Land Office: Jerry Patterson (Rep); Hector Uribe (Dem) and James L. Holder (Lib).
Commissioner of Agriculture: Todd Staples (Rep); Hank Gilbert (Dem) and Rick Donaldson (Lib).
Railroad Commissioner: David Porter (Rep); Jeff Weems (Dem; Roger Gary (Lib) and Art Browning (Grn).
Justice, Supreme Court, Place 3: Debra Lehmann (Rep); Jim Sharp (Dem) and William Bryan Strange, III (Lib).
Justice, Supreme Court, Place 5: Paul Green (Rep); Bill Moody (Dem) and Tom Oxford (Lib).
Justice, Supreme Court, Place 9: Eva Guzman (Rep); Blakey Bailey, (Dem) and Jack Armstrong (Lib).
Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 2: Lawrence “Larry” Meyers (Rep) and J. Randell Stevens (Lib).
Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 5: Cheryl Johnson (Rep) and Dave Howard (Lib).
Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 6: Michael E. Keasler (Rep); Keith Hampton (Dem) and Robert Ravee Virasin (Lib).
Member, State Board of Education, District 1: Carolos “Charlie” Garza (Rep) and Rene Nunez (Dem).
Police Report
Editor’s Note: Marriage and divorce records are public record and may be accessed by anyone. All marriage records are kept in the Reeves County Clerk’s office, while divorce records can be located in the District Clerk’s Office located on the second floor of the courthouse.
Marriages for July 2010, as filed with the Reeves County Clerk’s Office.
Cody Ismael Alvarado and Monica Mendoza.
Ricardo Contreras Barreno and Adrienne Marie Natividad.
Brandon Casey Fisher and Rebecca Lynn Tollett.
Ariel L. Guerrero and Nidia L. Beltran.
Marriages for August 2010, as filed with the Reeves County Clerk’s Office.
Antonio Carrasco Ramirez and Velma Jean Dominguez.
David E. Terry and Pamala Sue McKay.
Margarito Eliseo Vargas and Leidy Rocio Soto.
Adolfo Lujan Garcia and Abigail Mendoza Valenzuela.
Gerardo Montoya and Shelly Campos.
Marriages for September 2010, as filed with the Reeves County Clerk’s Office.
Luis Carlos Sanchez and Esmerelda Villescas.
Humberto Marquez Jr. and Rachel Ann Ornelas.
Nicholas Williamson and Mary Ann Tarin.
Clyde Lee Ward Jr. and Hortencia Rodriguez.
Divorces for August 2010, as filed with the Reeves County District Clerk’s Office.
Brian Scott Rangel and Micki Lynn Rangel.
Carla Winsor-Rivas and Arnulfo A. Rivas.
Mother Goose, Halloween Carnival set
The Annual Mother Goose Parade has been set for Saturday, Oct. 30, at the West Texas National Bank.
Judging begins at 3:30 p.m., sharp and the parade will start at 4 p.m.
The parade will end at the West of the Pecos Museum.
Costume judging will be held by age groups: group 1, 0-2 years of age; group 2, 3-5 years of age; group 3, 6-9 years of age; group 4, 10-12 years of age and group 5 – group category (must have a theme and three or more in this category).
Dress up and come join the fun on Saturday, Oct. 30, in Downtown Pecos.
Everyone is invited to attend the West of the Pecos Museum Halloween Carnival, immediately after the parade.
PBT-ISD plans Thanksgiving meals at schools
The Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD Thanksgiving Meal will be held Wednesday, Nov. 10, at the different campuses.
Tickets are now on available at all cafeterias and at the food service office.
For more information contact the food service office at 447-7566.
Local Tea Party sets meeting in October
The Pecos Tea Party will meet at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 26, at Rancho Viejo.
Everyone is invited to attend.
Gordita, enchilada plates for sale
Gordita and enchilada plates will be for sale from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., Friday, Oct. 22, at the Santa Rosa Catholic Hall.
Gordita plates will consist of three gorditas (with rice, beans and salad), for $7.00 and enchilada plates will have red/green enchiladas (homemade tortillas, with rice, beans and salad), for $6.00 a plate.
Dine in, take out or have the plates delivered, call 445-2302 on Friday.
Bicycle safety rodeo set for Halloween
Wal-Mart and the Pecos Police Department will be conducting a Halloween Bicycle Safety Rodeo, on Saturday, Oct. 30, at Wal-Mart.
All participants are asked to wear their Halloween costumes to the event and everything will be held from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
Wal-Mart employees will be the judges for the best costumes and Wal-Mart will be providing the prizes for the best costumes. The Police Department will be teaching a bicycle safety course and finger printing children.
There will be events for all ages so everyone is invited to join the fun. To participate in this event individuals must be at least three years of age and no older than 12 years of age.
Come join the fun and take home a prize courtesy of the local Wal-Mart Store.
This will be a great event so join the fun and children are encouraged to wear their Halloween costumes.
For more information on this event contact Wal-Mart Store Manager Jon Coffey at 445-4231 or Paul Deishler at 445-1677.
Library needs wildlife magazines
The Reeves County Library is in need of Wildlife Illustrated Magazine.
The magazines are to be used for public school wildlife projects.
For more information contact the library at 445-5340.
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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