October 2022

Fort Stockton’s Ali Jackson and Fabian Perez are headed back to the state cross country meet.

They’ll be joined by Juan Vela after the trio qualified for state at the 4A Region 1 Championship on Tuesday in Lubbock at Mae Simmons Park.

Perez, a senior, improved his finish at regionals from a season ago from 17th place in 2021 to 13th place this past Tuesday. Perez cut his 5K time by four seconds, crossing the finish line in 16 minutes 49 seconds.

Fort Stockton High School’s Blue Wave swim team continues to improve its times as the season moves along. At last Saturday’s Monahans Invitational, the Blue Wave had several swimmers place in the Top 10, individually.

Pecos County Memorial made a request to the Pecos County Commissioner’s court on Monday morning, asking the county for $450,000 to be added to the operating budget.

Chief Financial Officer Rebecca Ureta said two items have affected the hospital’s cash, including an expected transfer of half-a-million dollars that did not come.

When Buena Vista Independent School District voters approved a $60 million bond last May, they were counting on a new building for classrooms and a cafeteria, improvements to the current facilities, drainage, a new playground, additional parking with new driveways and traffic patterns, more teacher housing and upgraded ag areas, among other things. The Pecos County Commissioner’s Court on Oct. 24 approved a critical step in the process.

Fort Stockton residents will soon have a new reason to go to the Fort Stockton Convention Center. The Fort Stockton City Council on Monday night approved going out for bids for a new “Hodges Pavilion” adjacent to the convention center near the entrance to Panther Pictures. The park will include a stage for outdoor performances, an area for vendors, a dance floor, a gazebo, picnic tables and restrooms. The venue will hold up to 1,000 people.  

Prowlers vs Loboes; Photos by Shawn Yorks

One person was killed and three people were injured in a two-vehicle accident on Saturday morning on FM 1053, 16 miles west of Crane.

Fort Stockton resident Chelsea Sanchez, 29, was driving southbound on FM 1053 at 7:02 a.m. when she veered across the center line in a Nissan Rogue and crashed into a Dodge Ram that was heading northbound with three individuals inside according to a crash report provided by the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Betty Roberts Hargus passed away Oct. 18, 2022. She was born in Alpine, Texas, on June 12, 1939, to James Travis Roberts, Sr., and Annie Pauline Roberts. Betty was raised in Marathon, Texas, and grew up on the family ranch. She graduated from Sul Ross State University in Alpine. After college, she was an elementary teacher for Fort Stockton ISD, followed by bookkeeper and office manager for Hargus Aviation, Inc. She owned and managed cattle ranches until her death.

Early voting in this year’s midterm elections began Monday and continues through Friday, Nov. 4. Election Day is Nov. 8. Voters will pick the state’s next governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, land commissioner, agriculture commissioner and comptroller in statewide races.