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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Top Stories
Thursday, January 25, 2001
Lions kings of new Maxey Park Zoo exhibit
LION AROUND IN NEW HOME
- Boomer, the new 6-year-old male African lion at the Maxey Park Zoo, casts
a wary eye on visitors as he sits in front of Brigit, his 5-year-old female
companion, shortly before noon today. The lions arrived at the zoo
from Ackerly on Wednesday, and City Parks and Recreation Director Armando
Gil said they plan on bringing in a camel from the same site sometime next
week.
By JON FULBRIGHT
Staff Writer
PECOS, January 25, 2001 - There's a new attraction at the Maxey Park
Zoo that's pretty hard to miss _ either with eyes or ears - and zoo officials
are hoping enough people will come to see it this summer to help pay for
the upkeep of the exotic animals at the expanded facility.
Boomer and Brigit, a pair of African lions arrived in Pecos on Tuesday,
and have made a home in their new cages in the central section of the zoo.
Boomer was in full roar while protecting Brigit during a photo session
this morning, which will definitely provide the park with a different sound
than the normal ones from picnickers or softball players in the nearby
area.
While the lions' native habitat is Africa, Town of Pecos City Parks
Superintendent Armando Gil said the two already are West Texas veterans.
"They're on loan from Jim and Linda Perry of Ackerly, Tex.," Gil said.
Ackerly is located near Big Spring, and the Perrys dropped off Boomer and
Brigit at the zoo on Wednesday.
"Both Jim and Linda were amazed at the quarters we had built when they
brought them down," Gil said. The cage features double fencing, along with
an interior shed for the lions.
Gil said Boomer is a 6-year-old male, while Brigit is a 5-year-old female
who had been living with the Perrys. "Where they had them, their cage was
way, way smaller than this one," Gil said. "But at night they used to turn
them loose to sleep on the front porch to kind of guard the house."
While it's unlikely anyone is going to try and climb in the cage with
Brigit and Boomer, the zoo has had some problems with animal abuse in the
past, and Gil said special security lighting would be put up beginning
today to protect against any problems.
"One thing about it, if anyone is caught in here after hours they will
be prosecuted _ no ifs, ands or buts," he said. "Or if anyone is caught
feeding the animals or molesting them."
He said the no feeding rule is there "because every one of the animals
is on a special diet with specially prepared foods."
With Boomer and Brigit settling into their new home, Gil said another
native African animal _ though from a different part of the continent _
would be the zoo's next acquisition.
"Next week, weather permitting, we're going to go to the same location
and pick up a camel," he said. "The camel's pen will be were the wallaby
is," on the south side of the zoo.
The new animals will be on permanent exhibit at the Maxey Park Zoo,
Gil said, and the facilities are in compliance with rules for zoos by the
U.S. Department of Agriculture. But he added their arrival would also mean
another change for the zoo.
"With the expansion of the zoo, we're hoping when the crowds pick up
by the first part of the summer and the groups start to come out here we'll
start charging (admission) at the front gate," he said. "We'll set up a
concession area and charge $1 per person which will provide the funds for
the animals' feed and care."
Gil said he also plans to promote the new additions to the zoo though
TV stations in the Midland-Odessa area.
Hospital board approves pact with Murphy
By LEIA HOLLAND
Staff Writer
PECOS, January 25, 2001 - The Reeves County Hospital Board of Directors
approved an extended contract with Hospital Administrator Richard Murphy
during the regular meeting on Tuesday in the hospital classroom.
Board President Marcella Lovett said the management contract with Murphy
would allow him to continue on as an employee as well as manage his company.
"We approved a contract so we can retain him for the next few months,"
she said.
Murphy, who arrived in Pecos to take the place of former administrator
Charles Butts this past fall, originally had a contract with Covenant where
he would come to Pecos for 90 days.
His contract recently expired with Covenant and the hospital's contract
with Covenant also expired allowing them to negotiate a new contract with
each other, according to Lovett.
Since he has been here, Lovett said that Murphy has really gotten to
know the hospital and employees making business run smoothly.
"Mr. Murphy is real good and he's well liked by the employees," she
said.
Lovett said that Murphy is unable to move to Pecos on a full-time basis
because of his management company he owns.
"At this point in time he is not able to do that," she said.
She said that he and the Board agreed that the hospital administrator
needs to live in the community in order for the hospital to continue running
smoothly.
Lovett explained that the hospital would interview some of Murphy's
employees for a full-time "assistant" administrator position.
"He will send a couple of his employees for us to interview," she said.
Once hired that "assistant" administrator would live in Pecos and run
the hospital under the direct supervision of Murphy, Lovett said.
As part of the contract, Murphy would make a trip to Pecos at least
once a month for a visit.
Lovett said that the Board and staff is pleased with the contract because
they believe Murphy has done a good job and is able to keep the hospital
is good shape.
"He will be a direct employee of Reeves County," she said. "We found
that a plus since we like Mr. Murphy."
During the meeting, the Board also presented a contract of service to
Dr. William Bone of Indiana.
Lovett said they are trying to attract Bone to work in Pecos because
they believe he would make a "good mix for this community, just like Dr.
Jiffy."
Bone has made two trips to Pecos to "check us over," according to Lovett.
He has not agreed to move to Pecos but is expected to go over the contract
and then decide, she added.
"I'm just hoping Dr. Bone really likes the community," she said.
The Board also approved purchasing a new Telerad unit for the Radiology
department.
The Telerad unit gives the radiology department the capabilities to
review X-rays via a computer and modem.
In a memorandum from Murphy to the Board, he explained that the current
telerad unit is old and hard to find parts for.
"The current `telerad' unit was purchased in the early 90's and has
been used extensively over time," he said in the memo.
Because the current unit is no longer manufactured, replacement parts
have to be sought out in "bone yards" of other units, according to the
memo.
The Board approved the purchase of a new unit for $47,600 with Intelemed
out of Oklahoma.
In other business the Board approved the bid of $1,500 for the sale
of property located at 409 E. Fifth St., to Edubigen Ocon.
They also approved the purchase of software for the hospital and approved
the monthly tax collection report, the financial statement and the payment
of bills.
The request from Lodging Enterprises for tax abatement was tabled until
the Board has received more information. The company is in the process
of building a 40-room motel on Interstate 20, mainly to house Union Pacific
Railroad workers.
The Board had not approved this request late last year because legally
they needed to wait for a report from the city that they had approved the
tax abatement, according to Lovett.
She said they had only recently received word from the city that they
approved the abatement and still need more information.
Traffic stop nets police 150-pound pot bust
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, January 25, 2001 - Over 150 pounds of marijuana was confiscated
and two women were arrested Wednesday evening following a routine traffic
stop west of Pecos.
At about 9 p.m., last evening Investigator Sgt. Arnulfo Rivas, with
the Trans Pecos Drug Task Force conducted a traffic stop on a 1998 Ford
F-150 Pickup which was eastbound at the 30 mile-marker on Interstate 20
in Reeves County.
Upon inspection of the pickup, Rivas found 105 pounds of marijuana in
the driver's side and passenger side panels and the spare tire. The marijuana
was wrapped in brown packaging material and fabric softener, according
to Task Force Commander Gary Richards. "They use the fabric softener to
mask the smell of the illegal drug," he said.
Rivas was accompanied by his trusty companion "Leo," the Task Force's
drug-sniffing dog, who alerted to the marijuana bundles.
Street value of the marijuana has been set at $53,130.
Arrested during the search were the driver of the vehicle, Clara Navarro
Trevino, 33, Fort and Paula N. Trevino, 28, both of Fort Worth. The two
were charged with possession of marijuana over 50 pounds and less than
2,000, a second-degree felony.
Traveling with the adults were two girls, ages 8 and 10, who were then
turned over to the Child Protective Services following the Trevinos' arrest.
"They took very good care of the little girls at the police department,"
said Richards. "They gave them toys and everything."
The Trans Pecos Task Force was assisted by Reeves County Sheriff's Department,
the Pecos Police Department and the 143rd District Attorney's
office in making the arrest. The task force is in its third year of operation
and includes the counties of Reeves, Ward, Winkler, Jeff Davis, Culberson,
Andrews, Midland, Loving and Reagan Counties.
"Drug interdiction is part of the service the task force provides to
the community and surrounding counties in our efforts to stop the flow
of drugs in West Texas, besides our ongoing undercover investigations,"
said Richards. "That's just part of what we do to stop the flow of drugs
coming into this area."
"We currently have four interdiction officers," said Richards.
"We're very proud of all our officers and the work that they do," said
Reeves County Sheriff Andy Gomez. "They are highly trained and very professional."
Gomez said the officers work extremely hard, and have been a very good
job of keeping West Texas safe.
Both women remained in Reeves County Jail as of press time.
Tickets remain for Chamber's awards banquet
PECOS, January 25, 2001 - Tickets are still available for the Annual Chamber
of Commerce Awards Banquet and Dinner scheduled for 7 p.m., Saturday, Feb.
3.
The annual event will be held at the Reeves County Civic Center.
About 203 tickets have already been sold.
Tickets are $20 per person and can be purchased at the chamber office
or by calling 445-2406.
Guest speaker will be the Honorable Gary Walker, Texas House of Representatives
for District 80, which includes Pecos and Reeves County.
Weather
PECOS, January 25, 2001 - High Wednesday 57. Low this morning 42. Forecast
for tonight: Mostly clear. Low around 30. Southwest to west wind 5 to 15
mph. Friday: Partly cloudy and warmer. High in the mid 60s. Northwest wind
5 to 15 mph. Friday night: Partly cloudy. Low around 30. Saturday: Mostly
cloudy with a chance of showers. High in the 50s. Sunday: Partly cloudy
with a chance of showers or thunderstorms. Low 35 to 40. High in the 60s.
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
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Copyright 2000 by Pecos Enterprise
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