Building Relationships Is Our Most Important Business. 101 W 6th St • Iraan • (432) 639-2543 • www.fnbfst.com/brave/home • NMLS #410651 THE FORT STOCKTON PIONEER Serving Pecos County Since 1908 • Home of Historic Fort Stockton • www.fortstocktonpioneer.com Volume 112, No. 50 Thursday, December 17, 2020 $1.00 Total virus FSISD full-time staff receive COVID-19 relief By NATHAN HEUER FSISD RECEIVES SUPERIOR positives PIONEER EDITOR RATING ON FIRST REPORT Two fiscal years ago the Fort The Fort Stockton Indepen- Stockton Independent School dent School District School in county District received 98 points out of Board passed a COVID-19 100 on the FIRST Report to clas- reimbursement resolution for sify their rating as superior. surpass 700 full-time employees at Mon- The school once again earned a day’s regular school board The $1,200 amount was incurred such as: utility costs, superior rating the past fiscal year, By NATHAN HEUER meeting on Dec. 14. derived from the fact of the COVID-19 related supplies receiving 96 points out of 100. PIONEER EDITOR Full-time employees in the district wanting their full- such as masks, hand sanitizers, The report was revelated at district will be paid a one-time time employees to take home usage of personal cell phones, Monday’s school board meeting The number of COVID-19 amount of $1,200 for extra ex- around $1,000 after taxes. vehicle costs from home visits on Dec. 14. active cases has maintained penses incurred due to impact “We wanted the employees to help students and explain FIRST is the state’s school in the 70’s and 80’s in Pecos of COVID-19 on their work to at least hopefully clear right lessons to parents, classroom financial accountability rating County the past six days situations by the end of the at a $1,000 so that the $200 supplies to aid in delivery of system and stands for Financial after the largest spike in the week. extra will help make up the remote learning, modifica- Integrity Rating System of Texas. county since the start of the “The resolution was put difference in taxes,” Traynham tions of employee’s homes to FIRST ensures that Texas public pandemic. together based on the need for added. allow for remote instruction, schools are held accountable Pecos County saw its great- the district to consider reim- Before taking action on the upgrades to internet service to for the quality of their financial est increase in a single day bursing our employees for extra resolution, a public hearing accommodate remote learn- management practices. The in terms of reporting since expenses that they’ve incurred was held addressing the specif- ing, additional attire for more system is designed to encourage the start of the pandemic on because of COVID and we’ve ics of the resolution. protection while cleaning Texas Public schools to better Wednesday, Dec. 8. dealt with COVID now since The resolution document facilities. manage their financial resources Active case numbers March,” FSISD Superintendent in the meeting’s packet stated The resolution was passed to provide the maximum alloca- for Pecos County residents Ralph Traynham said at Mon- a variety of extra expenses unanimously by the board fol- tion possible for direct instruc- jumped from 47 people to 73 day’s meeting. full-time employees have lowing the hearing. tional purposes. people from Dec. 8 to Dec. 9. The 73 active cases sur- passed the previous high for active cases since the start of the pandemic by six people Recycling as the previous high was 67, reported on Nov. 2. center bid Pecos County active case numbers peaked at 87 on Friday, Dec. 11 and of those accepted cases, only six were hospital- ized at PCMH. Currently, active cases in Project to be Pecos county are at 79 as of Tuesday, Dec. 15. complete in Previously, recoveries were keeping pace with new cases 1st half of 2021 but over the past week that By NATHAN HEUER has not been the case, and as PIONEER EDITOR a result the active case num- bers are nearing triple digits. The City of Fort Stockton COVID-19 A3 took another step forward in See page the process of building a new recycling center on Tuesday, INSIDE Dec. 15 at Fort Stockton City Council meeting. Royal Beauty Studio held its ribbon cutting on Thursday, Dec. 10 at its new location 237 W. 21st St. The business owned by City council accepted LETTERS TO SANTA Eunice Page moved from its previous location on Pecos St. to its new location on 21st St. on July 17. The location offers Botox a bid from Redneck Metal INSIDE THIS EDITION! and Juvéderm, which was not offered at its previous location. Royal Beauty Studio/ Medical Spa, also offers Microblading, BB Glow, Botox, Lip fillers, Permanent Makeup, lip color, eyeliner, and more. (Photo by Nathan Heuer) Buildings for a price of $407,875 to complete the job, which is set to be complete in approximately 120 days according to Fort Coyote Off Road Club Toy Drive Stockton City Manager Frank Rodriguez. The Coyote Off Road Club held That puts the potential a toy drive at the opening date of the new Fort Stockton facility anywhere between Insurance the end of April to the end Agency on Saturday, Dec. of May next year barring un- OBITUARIES 12 in partnership foreseen circumstances that with the Fort A5 may arise during the project. Andy Villalba/ Stockton Rotary A total of two companies Patricia L. Ramirez/A5 Club. “When we bid on the job as Onyx Gen- Herlinda C. Bafidis/A5 found out that eral Contractors, LLC. also Lucas Celaya/A5 the Rotary Club had over 250 kids bid on the project. Their bid Jose A. Maldonado/A5 to deliver toys came in $420,000, a little over Eutimio (Timio) Luis to, we wanted Rodriguez/A5 to help out by $12,000 more than Redneck Ramon Hernandez Leyva/A5 encouraging Metal Buildings bid. Lucio Z. Espinoza/A6 others to help The previous recycling as well,” Coyote facility at 604. N Valentine Off Road Club Member Efrain St. was demolished approxi- Villarreal said. mately two week ago by city (Contributed workers. Photo) See CITY page A3 HOME OF THE 1ST PAYMENT FREE $0 1303 W. Dickinson Blvd. Come vist your neighbor at your ONLY locally owned and operated Rent to own store Down Payment (432) 336-5551 www.rent-buy.net 432-336-7800 Furniture • Appliances • Electronics • Computers Fort Stockton Branch Campus 1303 W. Dickinson Blvd. Work Force Housing Available Fort Stockton TX, 79735 YOUR College in Pecos County! • Furnished • All bills paid 432-290-3349 & 432-290-4237 • Including TV • Plus free WiFi Experts in buying and selling residential, Fall Registration Is Open For Rent - 1204 N Pecos St. commercial property & land! Call 432-336-7882 for information 3 bedroom, 2 bath Ask us about rental properties too! Se habla Español Se habla Espanol • Advising: Andres Madrid • Financial Aid: Diana Mesa 1303 W. Dickinson Blvd. • (432) 336-3800 www.SovyRealty.com Summer Hours: Monday through Thursday: 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. amistadpropertiesonline.com A2 The Fort Stockton Pioneer | Thursday, December 17, 2020 Pecos County People DO SOMETHING! YOUR GUIDE TO LOCAL PLACES Ponce donates body in selfless act to help others TO GO AND THINGS TO DO If you have an event DEC. 21, 29 By NATHAN HEUER plant. Eli was aware of for our Do Something! The Fort Stockton PIONEER EDITOR how difficult it was. He listings, please e-mail boys basketball team was so weak. He told me nathan.heuer@ will host a pair of games of Christmas Break. The In one of the darker “I don’t think my body fortstocktonpioneer. times of his life, Eli Panthers will play Tornillo will make it for trans- com at home on Dec. 21 at 2:30 Carrasco Ponce did not plant,”’ Chopra said. p.m. and Sweetwater at think of himself and his Just a few weeks later DEC. 18 home on Dec. 29 at 2:30 terminal diagnosis. Ponce called his mother The Fort Stockton p.m. Freshman and JV start The 39-year-old, who boys and girls high school times for both matchups in the morning, inform- will be at 1 p.m. was going to turn 40 on ing that he wanted to basketball teams will both Dec. 4, thought of others play at home at the Special donate his body for Events Center on Friday, DEC. 31 and how he would never research so those with Dec. 18. The event marks The City of Fort Stockton want them to suffer the the disease did not have the first time this season is holding its New Year’s way he did over half of to suffer like him and the Panthers and Prowlers Eve Firework Show at 10 his life. have a chance to live a will play at home on the p.m. at Rooney Park in Ponce’s mother, complete life. same evening. The Prowlers Fort Stockton. Those in varsity tip-off is scheduled attendance are asked to stay Nettie Chopra, shared “He called me one for 6 p.m. against Snyder in their vehicles. The show his story with the Fort morning. He said, “this while the Panthers tip-off will be approximately 20 Stockton Pioneer and is very important.” He is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. minutes according to CVB why he decided to told me he wanted against Big Spring. Director Crystal Lopez. donate his body for re- them to learn from him search after his passing because he didn’t want from Wilson’s Disease anyone to go through on Oct.