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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas

Top Stories

Friday, October 6, 2000

Prison expansion again fails to hit completion date

By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer

PECOS, October 6, 2000 - The latest completion date for the 1,000-bed addition at the Reeves County Detention Center will again be missed, and commissioners will discuss the delays and the circumstances surrounding the change in the completion date, during their meeting on Monday.

Completion date on the 1,000-bed addition at the Reeves County Detention Center had been set for Saturday by the Reeves County Commissioners Court, a month behind the original completion date.

"We'll be meeting with the architects, the head of Banes General Contractors and prison management, to discuss completion date and the circumstances," said Reeves County Judge Jimmy B. Galindo.

However, before the current deadline was set, the contractors for the project questioned last month whether the work could be done by that time and the financial consequences they will be facing if they fail to meet that date.

"This has been an ongoing discussion, the completion date for the 1,000 bed addition," said Galindo during the Sept. 25, commissioner's court meeting, two days after the second scheduled completion date for the facility was missed.

Galindo recommended to the court that the final completion date be set for Oct. 7, barring no unexpected weather problems, which would put the completion date at this weekend.

But Chuck Smith, vice-president of Banes General Contractors, the contractors who have been working at the facility, called that "aggressive" and stated, "It's not a realistic goal, because it's only two weeks from now."

The Texas Commission on Jail Standards was at the facility on Sept. 25-26, inspecting the four buildings that have been completed and turned over to the prison staff.

At that time, both the TCJS and the U.S. Bureau of Prisons approved buildings, C-Pod and D-Pod dormitories and authorized to utilize the holding cell and two cells for violent inmates, which are included within the new administration building.

"We're dealing with liquidation damages, in terms of maximum price and guaranteed completion date," said Galindo.

"This might mean them paying money back, or us deducting money from what we pay them," he said.

Smith told the group that modifications and additions to the plans, have taken more time.

The work will double the capacity of the prison to 2,000 inmates, almost all of whom come there under contract with U.S. Bureau of Prisons.

"The goal was Sept. 1, you were here all year and you knew that was the deadline," said Galindo. "There were a number of actions taken by Banes that worried us, but we trusted you."

He said by not meeting the Sept. 1 completion date, the county is looking at a loss of $7,980 a day for over a 30-day period, in which inmates cannot be housed at the facility."

"That means over $200,000, that is the ramification that the project was not finished on time," said Galindo.

The new addition which has been approved can house up to 192 inmates. A total of 144 have already moved in there, and Assistant Warden Tony Perez said, "We'll be getting another 44 today."

Perez stated that inmates are gradually being moved in to the new addition and that more are expected.

Banes' request for more time tops agenda

PECOS, October 6, 2000 - A change order request by Banes General Contractors, Inc., along with a time extension request will be topics of discussion at Monday's regular Reeves County Commissioners Court meeting.

Commissioners will meet at 10 a.m. Monday, on the third floor of the Reeves County Courthouse. The public is welcome to attend.

In conjunction with Banes' requests, commissioners will discuss and take action on a Sept. 19 letter from Dailey, Rabke and Gondeck Architects in regards to certificates of payments and contract date of completion for the 1,000-bed addition of the Reeves County Detention Center.

Commissioners will discuss and take action on county purchasing, competitive bidding requirements (local government Code Section 262) and local vendor requirements.

On the agenda for discussion and action are professional services contract for Geotechnical Engineering Services for the Balmorhea Community Center Project; tax abatement request by Lodging Enterprises, Inc. for Oak Tree Inn Hotel; DRG architects request for payment No. 204 and 205; property bids and a contract agreement between Reeves County and Midland County for Juvenile Detention Services.

The group will also discuss and take action on redistricting 2000, based on a pre-census analysis; resolution for Nov. 7, General Election; Security Alarm System for county clerk's office and official bond and oath-Lynn Owens.

Regular items for discussion and action include:

· Reports from various departments.

· Budget amendments and line item transfers.

· Personnel and salary changes (RCDC, sheriff's office, county clerk's office).

· Minutes from previous meetings.

· Semi-monthly bills.

· Spread on minutes: appoint county auditor for Reeves County; County and District Clerk Association of Texas Certification for Dianne O Florez.

Cemeteries are for the living, although some are forgotten

By THE GHOST WRITER

PECOS, October 6, 2000 - What type of person is interested in graveyards? I suppose that the knuckle walkers had no interest in burying their dead, however, the Neanderthals some 200,000 to 300,000 years ago had some kind of ceremony for their departed dead. The Egyptians really got into elaborate burials.

It seems that as intelligence increased, burials became more important. A trip to the library would show that prehistorians, folklorists, anthropologist, and sociologists all study graves but with different interest.

If you have read this far and accept the notion that intelligent people appreciate different cemeteries, then you would not dare not read the rest of this series.

Graveyards are not for the dead but for the living who wish to make a statement about their social structure, beliefs, their crafts and, I fear, their financial standings in the community. In Pecos cemeteries it is easy to recognize from a distance an Anglo from a Texas Hispanic cemetery. In central Texas you can recognize a German cemetery and near Thurber you will find an Italian graveyard.

Pecos has six or seven graveyards if you count the one east of the old Crow Packing plant on A Street that is no longer used. There is the Santa Rosa Catholic cemetery between East Seventh and Eighth streets east of Mesquite; Fairview is north of Pecos High School; Mt. Evergreen and Greenwood both north of the prison; Clay Allison's grave by the Judge Roy Bean saloon; and the Cowboy or Pioneer cemetery. If you can tell us where the Cowboy cemetery is located and who maintains it, you win a free cup of coffee at one of the banks. (Cream and sugar are extra).

Santa Rosa Catholic Church owns only a portion of the two-block area comprising the Catholic cemetery with the county owning the rest. Reeves County helps maintain the cemetery and there was some question if it was legal for a taxing entity to maintain what did not belong to them. It was found that if a cemetery had a marker 50 years old or older it was legal. There have been times when people were buried on land not owned by the people who claimed possession. A story in itself.

Editor's note: In the first issue of this series, a free one-month subscription was offered to anyone who could name six graveyards in Pecos. Ernesta Flores and Maxine Wickson both submitted winning entries and will receive the Pecos Enterprise for a month free of charge.

`Replacements' details life during 1987 football strike

By LEIA HOLLAND
Staff Writer

PECOS, October 6, 2000 - Since the Pecos varsity football team is open this weekend, the State Theater is showing Warner Brother's 'The Replacements' to give local football fans their fix.

And what a fix it is.

'The Replacements' is a movie inspired by the 1987 strike of the National Football League and tells the story of a team of replacement players for the Washington Sentinels, who fight the odds, and sometimes each other, to try and make it to the play-offs.

Directed by Howard Deutch ('The Great Outdoors') this movie is inspirational to all athletes and shows that you should never give up when things are tough.

The movie stars Keanu Reeves ('The Matrix') and Gene Hackman ('Enemy of the State') as the replacement quarterback and a dedicated coach.

Reeves, despite what most people think does not seem like his usual air-headed self. He gives a very smart and sincere performance as replacement quarterback and former All-American Shane Falco.

He portrays his role in such a way that you can see that one person can truly carry a team. He is the true the leader of the team.

This role is probably his best performance because he didn't fall into his usual Ted-like performances.

Hackman shows his experience in his portrayal of Jimmy McGinty and gives a performance that makes you wish he would be your coach.

Hackman has got to be one of the most talented actors of his generation and proves that he can be something more than a bad guy.

Most of the "comic relief" came from Jon Favreau ('Swingers'), Rhys Ifans ('Notting Hill') and Orlando Jones (Fox's 'Mad TV').

Favreau plays Daniel Bateman, a very deranged ex-military man, SWAT team member and replacement linebacker who loves to get the hit.

Ifans plays Nigel Gruff, a gambling, chain smoking and somewhat gross Welsh soccer player who has the ability kick like no other.

Jones plays Clifford Franklin a very fast wide receiver that always sticks his foot in his mouth but helps pull the team together with his rendition of that 70s hit "I Will Survive."

Although the camera work and lighting is good it is not as good as the story itself that is enhanced by a great soundtrack.

It is a joy to watch the underdogs try to come together and make the playoffs.

The best scene in the movie has got to be when the team finally comes together and becomes a team while in jail, of all places.

All in all 'The Replacements' is worth seeing if only to get that weekly football fix.

And here is a line that Reeves inspires his team with to help our Pecos Eagles go for that winning season, "pain heals, girls dig scars, glory lasts forever."

'The Replacements' is rated PG-13.

Barstow meeting on Enivorcare site set for Saturday

PECOS, October 6, 2000 - State Representative Bob Turner and Isidro Garza, Democratic candidate for U.S. Representative, are scheduled to speak to community members about Envirocare's plans to place a radioactive nuclear waste facility in Ward County at a meeting in Barstow Saturday afternoon.

The public meeting will be at 2 p.m., Saturday at the Barstow Community Center. Everybody is welcome to join and give his or her opinions.

Envirocare is seeking a permit from the Texas Department of Health to build an above ground storage site at a location eight miles northeast of Barstow in Ward County.

Enchilada dinner scheduled today during Fall Fair

PECOS, October 6, 2000 - An Enchilada Plate will be held during the Reeves County Fall Fair.

The enchilada supper is scheduled for 4-10 p.m., today at the Reeves County Civic Center.

The annual event is sponsored by the Pecos Eagle Band Boosters.

Obituary

Mildred Wilson

Mildred "Marcie" Wilson, 68, of Hico, died Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2000 in a Temple hospital.

Services will be held at 2 p.m., today at the First Baptist Church in Lipan. Burial will be in Bishop Cemetery in Lipan.

She was born June 6, 1932, in Erath County and she married Billy Don Wilson, Sept. 18, 1948, in Lipan.

Survivors include her husband, Billy Don Wilson of Hico; two sons, Steve Randall Wilson of Austin and Glenn D. Wilson of Hico; one daughter, Melissa Dawn Davis of Weatherford; three brothers, Darrell Wheeler of Mulberry, Ark., David Wheeler of Lipan and Timothy Wheeler of Mansfield; four grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers memorials be made to the American Cancer Society.

Wiley Funeral Home of Lipan is in charge of arrangements.

Weather

PECOS, October 6, 2000 - High Thursday 97. Low this morning 56. Forecast for tonight: Cloudy and cold. Low near 40. Northeast wind 10-20 mph. Saturday: Cloudy and continued cool. High 55-60. East wind 10-20 mph. Saturday night: Cloudy and cold with a chance of rain. Low in the mid 30s. Sunday: Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain. High 55-60.



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Pecos Enterprise
York M. "Smokey" Briggs, Publisher
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