The Big Lake Wildcat (Big Lake, Tex.), Vol. SEVENTIETH YEAR, No. 51, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 21, 1995 Page: 1 of 22
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I*
Column 1
December 21,1995
50tf
20 Pages
Notes
Digital switch
GTE has announced acceler-
ated plans to provide digital tele
phone service to all of its Texas
customers by the end of 1997,
two years ahead of original plans
at an estimated cost of $376 mil-
lion. Kathy Harlcss.rcgional vice
president for GTE said, "To pro-
vide the on-ramp for the informa-
tion superhighway for this large
number of customers through of-
fice replacements is high priority
at this time under the legislation
passed this year to make Texas a
leader in telecommunications in-
frastructure. The modernization
plan wasoriginally fiveycarsand
has been accelerated to three
years. Big Lake is in line to go
digital in 1996. GTE had Big
Lake in its 1997 plan, but meet-
ings with the City of Big Lake
and GTE officials has been pro-
ductive and Big Lake was moved
up along with other smaller cit-
ies. Big Lake is among 61 loca-
tions going digital in 1996.
Help Sophs!
The Sophomore class desper-
ately needs some help from their
parents/guardians to work in the
Reagan County Basketball Tour-
nament concession stand. The
days are Dec. 27-29. Help is
especially needed all three days
from 11-1 and from 7-9p.m. The
Soph's are trying to raise money
for next year's Jr. Sr. prom.
Special donations
An alert local resident
cci ved a call asking for dona-
tions for the Special Olympics-
Big Lake and called the school
to check it out. According to a
school official, Reagan County
will not field an active Special
Olympics group this spring. If
you receive a call from someone
from ...Arkansas... .solic iting do-
nations, be advised it has noth-
ing to do with Reagan County
Special Olympians.
Christmas Eve
There will be a Christmas Eve
worship service at First Baptist
Church from 5-6 P.M. Every-
one is invited to attend.
West Texas' oldest tournament to be played on December 27, 28, 29 this year
19 teams to play in 65th tournament
19 teams in two divisions will hit
the hardboards starting next
Wednesday in one of Texas' oldest
basketball tournaments. The 65th
annual Reagan County Invitational
was started in 1929 by F.F. Tannery
and has continued every year since
except the years during World War
II.
There will be two divisions fea-
turing ten boys teams and nine girls
teams. Boys teams include host
Reagan County, Crane, Robert Lee,
Eden, Ballinger, Sonora, Pecos,
Rankin, and Stanton.
Girls teams playing this year in-
clude Crane, Robert Lee, Eden,
Greenwood, Sonora, Fort Worth
Trimble Tech, Rankin, and Fort
Worth Northside.
The first games of the tourna-
ment will be played by Crane and
Robert Lee girls teams starting at
9:00 a.m. Wednesday. The Reagan
County girls will face Rankin's girls
at 6:00 p.m. Wednesday evening
followed by the RCHS boys against
Rankin at 7:30.
Girls varsity team members in-
clude Heather Moon, Ycsscnia
Ramirez, Sha Bloxom, Brittani
Flow, Ashley Tarvin, Tammy
Goodloc, Michelle Quinncy, Nicole
Acosta, Brandi Christian, and
Sonya Flores.
Boys varsity team members in-
clude John Elizondo, Scrvando
Carrasco, Junior Orosco, Josh
McDonald, Brandon Allen, Jarrod
Morrison, T.J. Pcfla, Sammy
Goodloc, Clay Thorp, and Macy
Thompson.
1996 tournament players will be
playing inihe 65th annual tourna-
ment, one of Texas' oldest basket-
ball tournaments. This will be
RCHS Coach Ken Campbell's first
tournament as head basketball
coach.
The tournament was started in
1929 and the first games were
played in the now demolished base-
ment of the high school building.
Big Lake High School had one of
the only indoor bascklball courts in
West Texas at the time.
The tournament has had a color-
ful history and literally thousands of
players over the past 65 years have
played in the Reagan Tournament.
THURSDAY DECEMBER 1935
5^
3k 2%
Wittcat
"Reagan County - Birthplace of the fabulous Permian Basin "
(USPS 055-860)
Sheriff Efrain Gonzales files for re-election-other candidates may file at any time
Sheriff is first candidate to file
■
m
Efrain 'Frank' Gonzales
...Reagan County Sheriff
Reagan County Sheriff Efrain
'Frank' Gonzales is the first local
candidate to file for a place in the
coming primary elections with
other local candidates expected to
start doing so very soon. Politicians
who want to put their names in con-
tention for the 1996 Rcpubl ican and
Democratic primary elections may
do so from now until January 2,
19%. The primary elections will
take on a lot of national, state, and
local interest this presidential elec-
tion year.
Sheriff Gonzales filed for a place
in the republican primary, the ap-
parent party of choice for the major-
ity of local candidates. Sheriff
Gonzales said,"/ have worked hard
for the citizens of Reagan County
and I intend to run on my record.
The department as a whole is pro-
fessional and we work hard at pro-
tecting citizens, educating young
people, and helping wherever and
whenever we can. I ask for your
continued support for myself and
the professional job the department
as a whole is doing for all the citi-
zens of Reagan County."
Reagan County Attorney
Russell Ash said he will be filing for
office "sometime this week." Ash
said he will also be filing as a candi-
date in the republican primary.
Locally, offices open for consid-
eration include Reagan County
Sheriff, Reagan County Tax Asscs-
sor/Collector. County Commis-
sioner precinct 1, County Commis-
sioner precinct 3, and County Attor-
ney.
Filing for a place in the primary
elections ends January 2.
Currently, Reagan County Sher-
iff Efrain Gonzales is expected to
file for rc-clcction as is County Tax
Asscssor/Collector Vcnitia Tcrral.
Jim O’Bryan serves as County Com-
missioner precinct 1, and Bill
Schnccmann is County Commis-
sioner precinct 3. Russell Ash
serves as Reagan County Attorney.
Early voting in the primary elec-
tions will begin February 21, 1996
and early voting ends March 8.
Election day is March 12, 19%.
Man killed in drilling
rig accident Monday
Weather
This Year
Date
Hi
Low
Rais
Dec.
14
76
42
.00
Dec.
15
68
38
.00
Dec.
16
60
26
.00
Dec.
17
60
30
.00
Dec.
18
55
36
.12
Dec
19
38
26
.20
Dec.
20
47
23
.00
(Readings taken a 8:00 ajn.
dally).
Rainfall for January
.57
Rainfal for February
1.05
Rainfall for March
.33
Rainfall for April
1.80
Rainfall for May
3.01
Rainfall for June
1.03
Rainfall for July
.18
Rainfall for August
1,23
Rainfall for Sept.
343
Rainfall for Oct.
.28
Rainfall for Nov.
.50
Rainfall fin Dec.
.32
Rainfall for 1993
14.86
Last Year
Total rainfall for1994 ... 11.49"
(Jan. 2.42; Feb. .05; Mar .09; Apr.
1.19; May 2.82; June .15; July .72;
Aug. .00; Sept. 1.08; Oct. 1.55; Nov.
.52; Dec. .97; total for 1994,11.49.)
(Official records maintained by the
Natural Resources Conservation
Service.)
A drilling rig accident claimed
the life of a man in North Reagan
County Monday, December 18.
Officers responded to the scene of
the accident which occurred shortly
after 12 noon on an FWA drilling
rig. DavidC. Young was killed after
sustaining massive head injuries.
According to a Sheriffs Depart-
ment incident report, Mr. Young
and crew were attempting to hand
screw a tool into the drill stem. The
tool was about six and a half feel
long and six inches in diameter
weighing about 400 pounds.
The crew apparently lost balance
of the tool and all crew members
moved to safety to let the tool fall to
the floor. Young apparently lost his
footing and fell, striking his head on
the chain guard and the tool being
used fell and struck Young on the
head, pinning his head between the
tool and the chain guard.
Midland F.MS responded to the
North Reagan County location.
Reports at the scene indicated
Young had a faint pulse' at the time
he was transported. The accident
was also investigated by Glasscock
County Sheriff s office. Mr. Young
apparently died enroute to Midland.
A West Texas Christmas means a lot to us all..
A West Texas Christmas means a lot to us all
the muchachos and nifias all speak with a drawl.
There's a mixture of Tex-Mex in all that we say
and at this time of year we might holler old.
In West Texas we're special each and every one
in the way that we act when the work day is done.
When we leave we say "bye” or some "adios"
and you can be sure of a friendly greeting from us.
As that holiday time gels some closer each day
we start thinking of reindeer and maybe a sleigh.
And the food mommacita is going to fix
we'll sure clean our plates out here in the sticks.
Guajolotc's all gone, that's the turkey to you
wc ale that dam bird 'till we just couldn't chew.
Our language is mixed, wc just know what wc say
wc just talk and the words come out all sorts of ways.
But now Thanksgiving's gone and Christmas is near
and the cowboys have gathered in all of their gear
for a few days of rest and a lot of good cheer.
It's Fcliz Navidad, Merry Christmas to you.
But out here in the West those arc some of the few
of the words that wc know wc can say at this time,
as those holiday bells arc beginning to chime.
For it's nearly Christmas, just a few more days left
till the boys and the girls get their special wish.
And a visit from Santa that jolly old elf
who will bring us the gifts to pul on the shelf.
A Christmas is special any where that you arc
but a Christmas out here is the best sort by far.
Out here in West Texas, with our neighbors and friends
wc celebrate the season and best wishes wc send.
The future is bright at this time of year
wc visit with friends that wc hold so dear.
The gifts wc exchange arc not always from stores,
it's the things that wc do for each other all year.
So Fcliz Navidad to you one and you'all
in a West Texas accent and West Texas drawl.
Wc wish you the best that the season can bring.
We wish you saltid y prospero and everything.
Feliz Navidad -Merry Christmas we say
with a lip of our hat in a West Texas way.
H.F. and June Ritchie win
Best Overall Lighting Award
The home of H.F. and June
Ritchie at 1009 Sixth Street was
selected to receive the Best Overall
Award Monday night in the annual
Big Lake Christmas Lighting Con-
test which is sponsored annually by
the Reagan Garden Club.
Big Lake residents have deco-
rated for Christmas this year as
never before, and the judges had a
really tough time picking the win-
ners, the Reagan Garden Club
Lighting Committee reported.
Honorable Mention for the
Overall Award went to John and
LaRuc Agceat 1205 Oak Drive,and
luthoma Jacobs at 908 Ohio.
Best Mobile Home Award went
to Lewis and Katherine Parker at
1101 Pennsylvania. Honorable
Mention for the Mobile Home
Award went to the Longoria fami-
lies on the comer of Ninth and Mis-
sissippi.
Best Use of Lights Award was
won by Hope and Donald
Robertson at 803 Maryland. Honor-
able Mention in this category went
to Nita Schubert at 408 Pennsylva-
nia. There arc marvelous light dis-
plays in the five and six hundred
blocks on Utah as well as on South
California and all over town.
Best Window Award went to
Mrs. Florcntina Escobedo at 710
California. The Pete Sandcl home
on Ninth Street gets Honorable
Mention.
The home of Terry and Lori
Jones at 807 Maryland won the Best
Door Award. Jimmy and Jane Mar-
tin at 1003 Plaza have a beautiful
door, as well as Bette and Ralph
Ducsing at 702 Maryland.
The Weldon Kings at 310 Cali-
fornia won the Best Religious Scene
Award. Honorable Mention went to
Natalio and Rose Mary Pena at 112
First Street and the Mauro Martinez
family at 211 South Texas.
Best Christmas Scene Award
went to the Bobby Gunnels home at
1106 Virginia Circle. If you haven’t
seen the scene behind the Fire Sta-
tion, it is really wonderful and quite
original. The scene at 403 Califor-
nia with Santa on the roof is great
too. the judges reported.
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Werst, David. The Big Lake Wildcat (Big Lake, Tex.), Vol. SEVENTIETH YEAR, No. 51, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 21, 1995, newspaper, December 21, 1995; Big Lake, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth739492/m1/1/?q=mission+rosario: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Reagan County Library.