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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Top Stories
Monday, July 10, 2000
Commissioners briefed on hike in food permits
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, July 10, 2000 - Food vendors will be paying a little bit more
for their permit fees, following a brief presentation made this morning
by Health and Sanitation Inspector Armando Gil at the regular Reeves County
Commissioners Court Meeting.
Commissioners also approved payment to Banes General Contractors in
the amount of $1.5 million for construction on the 1,000 bed addition at
the Reeves County Detention Center during their brief morning meeting.
"Everything is coming along on schedule, the drywalling is behind a
little bit, but we're working on that," said Banes General Contractor foreman
Mark Shumacher. "We do have temporary lighting and are making sure we do
catch up and are still on target."
Commissioners agreed to tour the construction work at the facility during
the next commissioners court meeting.
Gil spoke to the court about the cost of the licenses and the new rules
on Food Establishments, which were mandated by the state.
"The Texas Department of Health Bureau of Food Drug Safety has established
new rules on Food Establishments which became effective Oct. 6, 1998,"
said Gil. "The purpose of these new rules is to safeguard public health
and to provide to consumers food that is safe and unadulterated."
"Also, I would like some changes in the permit fees for Food Service
Establishments," said Gil. "These fees haven't changed in years."
The new permits will cost: for one or two people employed, $25; two
and not more than five, $40; five and not more than 10, $50; mobile/commissary
concessions, $40; temporary permits, $30; seasonal permits, $40 and snow
cone stands will pay $40 for a permit.
Under the new laws, a person may not operate a food establishment without
a permit issued by the regulatory authority. Permits are not transferable
from one person to another or from one location to another location, except
as otherwise permitted by this order. A valid permit must be posted in
or on every food establishment regulated by this order.
A food establishment operated solely by a non-profit organization is
exempt from the permitting requirements of this order, but is not exempt
from compliance with state laws and rules. The regulatory authority may
require any information necessary to determine whether an organization
is non-profit for purposes of this exemption.
A bed and breakfast establishment with seven or fewer rooms for rent
that serves only breakfast to its overnight guests is not a food establishment
for purposes of this order. Any other bed and breakfast is a food establishment
and shall follow the applicable state rules and must obtain a permit under
this order.
Gil said any person desiring to operate a food establishment must make
a written application for a permit on forms provided by the regulatory
authority. The applications must contain the name and address of each applicant,
the location and type of the proposed food establishment and the applicable
fee. An incomplete application will not be accepted. Failure to provide
all required information, or falsifying information required may result
in denial or revocation of the permit. Renewals of permits are required
on an annual basis and the same information is required for a renewal permit
as for an initial permit.
Prior to the approval of an initial permit or the renewal of an existing
permit, the regulatory authority shall inspect the proposed food establishment
to determine compliance with state laws and rules. A food establishment
that does not comply with state laws and rules may be denied a permit or
the renewal of a permit.
Gil told the court that courses will also be offered on food temperature.
"It's very important to know how to store food properly, because it can
contain bacteria," he said.
A certification program is also available and Gil told the court that
as part of his job, he also inspects motels and hotels.
The court requested that Gil provide them with a report each month.
"I don't mind getting you a report, I submit one to the city, so we can
submit one to this court as well," said Gil.
Allen wins rodeo title, gets rare night at home
By JON FULBRIGHT
Staff Writer
PECOS, July 10, 2000 - Not only did Guy Allen get another roping title
and an All-Around Cowboy championship at the West of the Pecos Rodeo on
Saturday, he also got a rare chance to sleep in his own bed before heading
off to his next rodeo performance.
The 14-time National Finals Rodeo champion in steer roping won his fourth
title in that event at the West of the Pecos Rodeo and second all-around
title Saturday, before heading home to Lovington N.M. for a night's sleep,
before heading out to Casper, Wyo., on Sunday.
"I went to Prescott, Window Rock, Cody, Greely, Colo., and Wolf Point,
Mont., and just got back here at 8:30," said Allen, who added to his lead
in the race for a 10th straight NFR steer roping title and 15th
overall. "I'm leaving in the morning to go to Casper, Wyo. I'll go by my
home for a couple of hours and lay down and then I'll also be going to
Vernal, Utah and Sheridan, Wyo."
Allen had a chance to win his fourth steer roping title in Pecos last
year, but missed on his fourth and final attempt. This time, he came into
the final round having gone 38.2 on his first three attempts and holding
a 6½ second lead over Trevor Brazile, who had won two All-Around
titles in Pecos in his first five years of competition.
"I had a big lead, so pretty much all I had to do was get him down,"
said Allen. "I just had to use my head and get him roped and tied up.
"The (Buck Jackson) arena is a good size. They run them out there and
you have to catch them. It's just a good arena," Allen said.
Allen ended up roping his steer in 13.2 seconds, fourth on the night,
but still good enough to earn the victory by just under six seconds over
rookie roper Bryce Davis of Abilene. Allen also set an arena-record of
51.6 seconds on his four attempts and combined with his results in the
team roping competition, took home $7,337 in earnings from this year's
rodeo.
Davis won the short go with an 11.5 second time and finished at 57.5
seconds overall, good for $4,581. Dan Fisher of Andrews was second in the
short go at 12.5 seconds and third overall with a 58.5 second total. He
took home $2,550.
Newscast stages first live show from Pecos
By LEIA HOLLAND
Staff Writer
PECOS, July 10, 2000 - NewsWest 9 kicked off their annual Tour Under
West Texas Skies in Pecos on Friday, during the third night of the 2000
West of the Pecos Rodeo.
KWES broadcasted live from the Buck Jackson Rodeo Arena during their
five and six o'clock news.
This is the first time a news station has reported live from Pecos.
The station had to use two live trucks and the station's broadcast tower
northwest of Kermit to be able to go live, because Pecos' elevation is
about 400 feet lower than both the antenna and KWES' studio in the Midland-Odessa
area, making a line-of-sight signal impossible to create.
"This is kind of a trial," evening anchor Jay Hendricks said.
He said this is not the first time News West 9 has been here. The station
has done stories involving Pecos but has never been able to have live shots.
"The problem is the distance," Hendricks said, adding the crew enjoys
coming to Pecos.
"We like Pecos," Hendricks said. "It's a shame we didn't come earlier."
NewsWest 9 has been a sponsor of the West of the Pecos Rodeo for many
years and Hendricks said it's time for them to cover the rodeo live.
"We want to give people some idea of why everybody is so proud of this
rodeo," Hendricks said.
The rodeo was the first stop for the KWES news crew on their tour of
West Texas. Hendricks said his co-anchor Melissa Hendrix would not be able
to participate in the longer trips this year.
"Melissa is not traveling with us because she is pregnant," Hendricks
said. "She will be with us when we are closer to home."
The entire news crew travels each Friday to a new location in West Texas
and broadcasts live. This Friday the KWES team will be in Fort Stockton
for the Water Carnival.
Hendricks said that originally the tour lasted one week with the crew
at a new location everyday. He said by the end of the week the whole crew
was tired and worn out.
Now by having the tour one day a week over the entire month of July,
the crew is well rested and able to enjoy each trip more.
"This gives you something to look forward too at the end of the week,"
Hendricks said.
Hendricks also said the crew loves to visit the towns because of the
people.
"We always like coming out to Pecos and these West Texas towns because
they are so nice," he said. "They always make us feel at home."
KWES' first live broadcast from Pecos came after a very emotional week
for the staff.
They had to endure the painful loss of one of their own. Jennifer Gutierrez,
28, was a reporter for channel 9 and was killed in a vehicle accident on
Loop 250 in Midland on July 4.
Hendricks said the loss has effected everyone but work had to continue.
"It's been very tough," he said. "It effected us each deeply."
"You just think it's never going to happen to you," Hendricks said.
KWES invited community members to come out to the rodeo grounds to visit
and see how news is produced.
Several citizens were able to experience news broadcasting and enjoyed
music played by Noel Olivas and Borderline, who were among those interviewed
during the 6 p.m. newscast.
Lack of security blamed for fireworks show fizzle
By JON FULBRIGHT
Staff Writer
PECOS, July 10, 2000 - A miscommunication between West of the Pecos
Rodeo officials and the man in charge of Saturday night's post-rodeo fireworks
show cut the event short just after it started.
David Evaro, who was scheduled to stage a 15-minute fireworks display
at the conclusion of the final performance of the 2000 rodeo, said he was
only able to launch a couple of fireworks before having to shut the display
down due to the lack of security at the east end of the Buck Jackson Rodeo
Arena.
"No one showed up," said Evaro, who had talked with West of the Pecos
Rodeo Committee President Starkey Warren and Reeves County Fire Marshal
Jack Brookshire earlier in the day to make sure all the permits were in
order to put on the shot.
"Early in the morning when we went to set up we went out there with
Jack Brookshire and he said everything was all right," Evaro said. Fireworks
use in Reeves County has been limited due to the ongoing drought, so the
fire marshal's approval was needed for any display.
But while the permits were Oked, permission was given by the Marcos
Martinez family, whose land the display was set up on, and the cowboys
were told to keep their animals away from the area by rodeo announcer Curt
Robinson, Evaro said that didn't keep the public out of the area.
"After I started firing them up we had some kids and a couple of cars
go past the security area," he said. "I can't shoot the fireworks off and
keep people away at the same time, so when the kids showed up I had to
shut it down."
"I was shooting up to 16 mm shells and they were coming out of the tubes
at 3,000 feet a second, so I had to stop when the kids came around," said
Evaro, who added he's been putting on fireworks displays for 14 years.
"I talked to Starkey Warren and he gave me the go-ahead, but later I
couldn't get ahold of him or anybody from the sheriff's department. I was
out there in the middle of nowhere."
Warren said he didn't know until this morning what had happened Saturday,
as he and other rodeo committee members were busy preparing to hand out
buckles and saddle bags to the rodeo winners at the opposite end of the
arena when the fireworks display fizzled out.
"I just talked to Jack about it," Warren said today. "David told me
to just make sure Jack knew we were doing it."
"I know a lot of people were disappointed, and people were coming up
to me on Sunday and asking what happened," Evaro said. "I was born and
raised in Pecos, but no matter where I am, I don't want to see anyone get
hurt or blown up."
Sweep of Third St. car wash nets brothers on drug charge
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, July 10, 2000 - A local car wash has been seized and two brothers
arrested in a narcotics drug search which happened Friday and involved
local law enforcement agencies.
The Trans Pecos Drug Task Force combined forces, along with the Pecos
Police Department and the Reeves County Sheriff's Department, executed
a narcotics search warrant at about 3 p.m. Friday, at the Circle M Wash
and Lube, 702 E. Third St.
Two brothers, Antonio Lujan Muniz, 39 and Benjamin Lujan Muniz, 38,
were arrested for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and possession
of drug paraphernalia.
"The charges are a felony two, over one gram and less than four grams,"
said Trans Pecos Drug Task Force Commander Gary Richards.
The local business had been under surveillance for some time, according
to Richards. "We had received information that drugs were being sold out
of the business and that illegal activity was transpiring," said Richards.
During the search officers found some cocaine, an empty plastic bag,
which had previously been used for the storage of cocaine in one of the
suspect's pockets. "Antonio had an empty baggie that had been used for
cocaine."
Also seized was over $1,700, which Antonio had in his possession, along
with about $325 found in another bag and $200 in the cash register.
Officers credit "Leo" and "Rocky" two very vital employees with the
task force. "They're the ones who alerted us to the cocaine," said Richards.
Leo, is the K-9 drug dog handled by local interdiction officer Billy
Hull and Rocky is the dog handled by Andrews County Deputy Mark Greenhill.
Also seized during the narcotics search was a 1990 Chevrolet Extended
Cab pickup. "This is also the pickup that their other brother was using
when he was arrested," said Richards.
"We had plenty of information on these individuals, we just hadn't been
able to get close to them," said Richards. "We've known about them for
a long time."
The investigation continues and more arrests are pending, according
to Richards.
"It's great teamwork, we did really good," he said. "It's a pleasure
working with all the agencies.".
Arson ruled in house fire on 7th Street
By LEIA HOLLAND
Staff Writer
PECOS, July 10, 2000 - Pecos volunteer firemen were called out at 1:30
a.m. today to battle a fire inside an abandoned house at the corner of
Seventh and Willow Streets.
Pecos police discovered the house on fire, and crews were called to
the site a short time later. It took about 50 minutes for firemen to completely
extinguish the blaze.
Pecos Fire Marshall Jack Brookshire investigated the scene this morning
and ruled the fire as arson. He said the fire started on the back porch
with some old boxes of newspaper.
"It looks like someone just came in and set those boxes on fire," Brookshire
said. The fire spread through the rear of the structure and up into the
attic area, which forced firemen to break down the front door of the house
to get to hot spots inside the building.
The house has been abandoned for about 30 years and was destroyed by
the fire.
"It's a total loss on the house," said. Brookshire, who added that the
house was already on a list to be demolished.
He said there has not been any witnesses come forward but if anyone
has any information contact him, the police department or Crime Stoppers.
Altizer's neck placed in `halo' by Midland docs
PECOS, July 10, 2000 - West of the Pecos Rodeo producer Mack Altizer has
been fitted for a halo, but is still very much alive and expected recover
from his neck fracture suffered last week as the result of a swimming pool
accident.
Altizer, whose Bad Company Rodeo has been producing the West of the
Pecos Rodeo for the past 19 years, was taken to Midland Memorial Hospital
after fracturing three vertebrae in his neck as the result of the accident.
The Sonora resident was able to move around in the hospital the next day,
Bad Company Rodeo officials said, but doctors placed Altizer in the `halo,'
which is a brace decided to immobilize the fractured bones in order to
allow them to heal properly.
Altizer's accident occurred in the swimming pool at the Best Western
Swiss Clock Inn, not at the Quality Inn as incorrectly reported in Friday's
Enterprise.
Weather
PECOS, July 10, 2000 - High Sunday 100. Low this morning 76. Forecast for
tonight: A slight chance of isolated thunderstorms. Low in the mid 70s.
Tuesday: Partly cloudy and hot, with temerpatured 100-105. Tuesday night:
A slight percent chance of isolated thunderstorms. Low in the mid 70s.
Pecos Enterprise
York M. "Smokey" Briggs, Publisher
Division of Buckner News Alliance, Inc.
324 S. Cedar St., Pecos, TX 79772
Phone 915-445-5475, FAX 915-445-4321
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 2000 by Pecos Enterprise
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