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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Thursday, June 5, 2003
River's flow dries up for second straight year
By JON FULBRIGHT
Staff Writer
PECOS, Thurs., June 5, 2003 -- While the State of New Mexico struggles to
buy up water rights along the Pecos River to meet its obligations to the
State of Texas, farmers along the Pecos River in Texas are going through
their second straight year without any water releases from Red Bluff Lake.
The river itself has slowed to a trickle in most places south of the
lake, and has stopped flowing completely just east of Pecos. And while the
lake did catch some rainwater during the month of May, the water level remains
below 60,000 acre/feet.
Red Bluff Water Power Control Board secretary Robin Prewit said part
of the reason for the lack of river flow right now was the Memorial Day
drowning of Odessan Nathan Mazoch as he attempted to swim back to shore
after the boat he was riding in ran out of gas near the Sandy Beach area
of the lake.
"They shut it off because of the drowning," Prewit said, referring to
the gates at Red Bluff Dam. "Tommy (Mosley) shut it down in case of any
currents. He usually keeps it open a little to keep the flow down the river."
The Sandy Beach area of the lake is just to the northeast of Red Bluff
Dam.
Even with the gates open, the river flow has been well below what's needed
to supply irrigation water to farmers in Loving, Reeves, Ward and Pecos
counties. Prewit said the lake level currently was at 58,5000 acre/feet,
and has remained virtually unchanged since the start of the year.
"We got 11/2 inches of rain one day (in May), so the lake only went down
400 acre/feet," Prewit said. Heat and winds are the main causes of the loss
of water due to evaporation from Red Bluff Lake.
Red Bluff board members normally make their water allotments in the late
winter, in order to begin releases downstream around April 1. This year,
the board decided to put off any decision on water releases, in hopes the
lake level would be increased by spring rains. A discussion on a 2003 water
allotment is scheduled to be part of the board's agenda, when they meet
Tuesday morning at the district's office on West Second Street.
Officials probe gas plant blast in Kermit area
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Thurs., June 5, 2003 -- No injuries have been reported following a
gas plant fire that occurred early this morning in Kermit, which also shut
down the main highway between Kermit and Monahans for about six hours today.
The gas plant fire was reported at 4:30 a.m., this morning at the Northern
National Gas Plant, south of Kermit on State Highway 18, near the intersection
with FM 1238.
"No injuries have been reported yet, but firefighters are still out at
the scene," said Winkler County Sheriff's Department Deputy Jody Heflin.
Heflin said that the highway had been closed, but that they were told
that it would re-open at 10 a.m., today. "They told us they might be able
to open it up by then, but crews from TxDOT are still out there," she said.
"At this point, we do know they did have an explosion, but the cause
has not been determined," she said.
Debris was thrown about 500 yards from the site, Winkler County Sheriff
Robert Roberts said.
"We've had crews out there since early this morning cleaning up debris
and clearing the highway," said Texas Department of Transportation Public
Officer Glen Larum. "They said that they had rocks the size of basketballs
out there," he said.
Larum said that this was a very significant explosion and that TxDOT
crews worked hard to clear up the roadway to open it back up to the public.
"They opened the highway and Farm to Market Road 1238 at 10 this morning,"
said Larum. The farm road connects State Highway 18 with Wink and State
Highway 302, west of Kermit.
Larum said that crews from the Kermit TxDOT with supervisor James Moore
and the Monahans TxDOT and Kermit TxDOT with supervisor Mark Wooldridge
are working to repair the roadway.
"It was a very unusual explosion from what these guys tell me and there
is a lot of debris all over the highway and the farm road," said Larum.
The cause of the explosions was unknown. An official with the Omaha,
Neb.-based company said an investigation would begin once the facility is
safe to enter.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
Taylor says new store's name, clothes selected to fit
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Thurs., June 5, 2003 -- Nothing to wear? Well now there's a new shop
in town that will not only take care of what to wear, but that will help
with all the accessories needed to complete an outfit.
Tumbleweeds, located at 1225 S. Eddy St., features a wide variety of
casual clothes, shoes and accessories.
"I substituted some at the local schools and saw an opportunity for a
moderately priced store where parents could bring their kids to shop and
other people in the community could come and shop," said owner Dawn Taylor.
The name of the clothing store, which has both young girls and women's
clothes, came from Taylor herself. "I wanted something that represented
the area, but not something that said it was a women's clothing store, because
I want to expand and include men's clothes at some point," she said.
"My husband, family and the community has been very supportive," said
Taylor, who added that she spoke to several people about the idea and that
they all agreed it would be a good venture.
"We had a grand opening on May 24 and are planning a ribbon cutting with
the chamber of commerce, around the fourth of July or the end of June,"
said Taylor.
Tumbleweeds also offers a wide variety of purses, some lingerie, Circle
E candles and more.
"I'm still getting shipments in and can order items that are not in stock,
but that a customer would like," said Taylor.
Gift items, picture frames, crosses are also available at the store, which
formerly served as home to the Style Shop.
"This building is actually owned by my mother-in-law and sister-in-law,
both of whom have been very supportive and helpful," said Taylor.
Taylor said that she is trying to beef up her gift collection.
"I have a line of leather and can order leather items if they are not
in stock," said Taylor.
She said she welcomes everyone in the community and the surrounding area
to come in and browse.
"I also want to get some more clothes that women can wear to the office,"
said Taylor. "Casual clothes that women can feel comfortable in, but that
are still appropriate for the work place," she said.
The shop also features two tanning beds, just in time for summer.
Taylor has plenty of help with her stepdaughter, Cheyenne helping out
at the shop.
She moved to Pecos five years ago from Bryan and now she and her husband
make their home in Pecos. The two have four children, Kyle and his wife
Myra who live in Barstow, Stephanie and her husband, Joey Onick, who live
in El Paso; Ryan McNabb is a student at Texas Tech and Cheyenne who works
at the shop.
Taylor offers gift certificates and said that she wants everyone to feel
comfortable in her shop.
Plate sale benefit scheduled Friday at Saragosa Hall
PECOS, Thurs., June 5, 2003 -- A red enchilada fundraiser plate sale
will be held from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., Friday at Saragosa Hall.
Proceeds will benefit Salvador "Rudy" Navarrette to help with medical
expenses.
Plates of $4 and deliveries will be made on four or more orders. For more
information call 445-3004 or 445-5225.
Weather
PECOS, Thurs., June 5, 2003 -- High Wednesday 98. Low this morning 66.
Forecast for tonight: Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of thunderstorms,
some storms possibly severe with large hail, damaging winds and heavy rainfall.
Lows in the mid 60s. East winds 10 to 20 mph. Friday: Partly cloudy with
a 30 percent chance of thunderstorms. Highs in the mid 80s. East winds 5
to 15 mph. Friday night: Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 60s. Saturday:
Partly cloudy with a slight chance of afternoon thunderstorms. Highs near
90. Sunday: Cloudy with a slight chance of thunderstorms. Lows in the lower
60s. Highs in the upper 80s.
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 2003 by Pecos Enterprise
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