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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas

Top Stories

Friday, June 19, 1998

One dies, three sent to hospital


An accident which happened Thursday evening claimed the life
of one Pecos man and sent three others to the hospital.

Andrew Bond Bradford, 89, was driving a 1989 Beige Mercury
Grand Marquis when it collided with a 1984 maroon Buick
Riviera, driven by Joel Macario Ramirez, Sr., 57.

Details of how the accident occured were unavailable as of
press time.

Bradford was pronounced dead at 10:30 p.m., following the
accident.

Passengers traveling with Ramirez, included Emma Ramirez,
52; Marisa Mariscal, age 10 and Megan Mariscal,
six-years-old.

Joel Macario Ramirez was transported to Reeves County
Hospital where he was treated and released.

Information on the passengers who were with Ramirez was
unavailable as requested by the family.

The accident was investigated by Pecos Police officer
Armando Garcia.

Horse disease confirmed in Balmorhea


By GREG HARMAN
Staff Writer
A confirmed case of blistering horse disease, known as
Vesicular Stomatitis, discovered in Balmorhea two weeks ago
has landed four horses in quarantine by state health
officials and has cattle- and dairy-men on edge.

The viral infection reveals itself in affected animals by
painful blisters and lesions in the animal's mouth, around
the hooves and teats.

New Mexico currently has two confirmed cases and Arizona
livestock health officials are investigating equine in that
state.

"This year, Kentucky has already embargoed livestock from
New Mexico," said Dr. Max Coats, assistant state
veterinarian for the Texas Animal Health Commission.

"Undoubtedly, Kentucky livestock officials will also
prohibit Texas livestock from entering their state for a
specific period of time."

Scientists are still uncertain how the disease is spread,
but speculate that insect, or insect and plant interaction,
may spark the VS outbreaks. Horses, cattle, and swine are
primarily affected by VS, but it can also affect sheep,
goats, deer and many species of wild animals.

The relatively rare disease occurs in the Southwestern
United States during dry, hot summers.

Balmorhea expands local calling are


By GREG HARMAN
Staff Writer
Expanded Local Calling. The words alone sound nice to the
isolated ears of Pecos telephone customers.

When it comes to bringing Trans-Pecos residents closer
together, it is Balmorhea that has taken the lead by working
to bring Pecos and Balmorhea into local calling range.

Expanded Local Calling is a service that, passed by the
Texas Legislature and implemented by the Public Utility
Commission in 1993, can open up as many as 5 neighboring
towns to one local calling range. The only requirement is
that the petitioning town have less than 10,000 phone lines
and the neighboring towns all be within a 22 (and in special
cases up to 50) mile radius.

All 375 prefix customers from Balmorhea to Verhalen were
issued a ballot, which passed with the approval of 96
percent. Come the end of next month, Pecos, Verhalen and
Balmorhea will be able to enjoy calls at local rates day or
night.

"The way I understood this when I first started this," said
Balmorhea City Secretary Jeannie Clark, "was that we
couldn't get towns like Fort Stockton because they are not
under the same phone company."

But according to GTE spokesperson Charles Watkins, location
is the key.

All towns within 22 miles are inside the possible local
calling range. Those inside 50 miles that represent either a
major employer, government agency, hospital, or other
"community of interest," in the legislation's language, are
also possibilities.

"It does require an individual or organization to make a
request of towns and send them to the Public Utility
Commission (PUC)," said Watkins.

If approved, the PUC informs the service provider company
and issues every phone customer in the requesting area a
ballot. Seventy percent of the return ballots must be in
favor of the change to pass.

After passing a public vote, the PUC advises the service
provider to make the switch within 260 days. In the case of
GTE, the charge may charge as much as $3.50 a month for
residential customers and $7.00 for businesses.

Members of a petitioned town pay .73 per month to have the
reciprocal service.

Monahans is also in the process of working to expand their
local calling range. Hoping to absorb Fort Stockton, Pecos,
Kermit and "Terminal" (including the airport and hospital in
Odessa).

Meanwhile, GTE is working to improve its image and reduce
the number of customer complaints about third-party
carriers. Since starting customer satisfaction campaign in
February, 1997, the telecommunications company, one of the
largest in the world, has severed its relationship with
three companies and has brought fines against 11 others.

Food, fun planned for Night In Old Pecos


By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
Cantaloupes, funnel cakes, burritos, hamburgers and plenty
of entertainment will be part of the Annual Night in Old
Pecos scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 27.

Downtown Pecos will be filled with a flurry of activities
and plenty of food, during the annual event.

"All the booths have been sold out," said Pecos Chamber of
Commerce Director Tom Rivera. "We're very excited that that
many people want to participate in the Night in Old Pecos
this year," he said.

"We're willing to expand and make room for any other people
that want to participate," said chamber secretary Rachel
Orona.

"It's true that the booths we had are sold out, but we will
make room and accept more entries," she said.

Music will be provided throughout the evening by Cat the
D.J. That evening, two separate street dances will be hosted
by Black Gold performing the latest in country-western music
on Windmill Square and Imprezzion providing the best of
Tejano on the Oak Street Stage.

The festivities are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m., Saturday,
June 27 in downtown Pecos.

Other activities planned for the evening include a dunking
booth, a car bash, Sarsaparilla in the Old #11 Saloon, a
talent show, arts and crafts booths, great food and ice cold
sodas.

Anyone interested in participating in the talent show for a
chance at $50 first prize can contact the Pecos Chamber of
Commerce.

A 40' Kiddie Train will be providing rides to the younger
group, a Tae-Kwon-Do exhibition will be held, and the Golden
Girl of the Old West and her court will be on hand to
entertain the audience with their production number.

There is no admission to any of the events and the public is
encouraged to help Pecos kick off the 1998 Rodeo
Festivities, according to chamber director Tom Rivera.

For more information contact the Pecos Chamber of Commerce.

In conjunction with the Night in Old Pecos activities,
entries are still being sought for the Annual Fourth of July
Parade.

The parade will be held at 10 a.m., July 1.

"We would appreciate entries as soon as possible, but we
will accept late entries the day of the parade at the
junction of Highway 80 (Business Loop 20) and Highway 17,"
said Orona.

Grand Marshal for the parade will be Judge Lucius Bunton and
the Federal Courthouse employees will be riding in the
parade.

Other riders include the West Texas Trailriders and the Eddy
County Sheriff's Posse.

"We always get a lot of other riders that come into Pecos at
the last minute and we welcome them all," said Rivera.

Congressman Henry Bonilla will be participating in the
parade and the Pecos Post Office will have a float.

"We welcome all entries, we want to make this the biggest
parade ever," said Rivera.

Unemployment rate down from last year


BY PEGGY McCRACKEN
Staff Writer
Reeves County's civilian labor force increased by 75 over
the past year, dropping the unemployment rate from 9.1
percent in May 1997 to 8 percent last month.

The Texas Workforce Commission reports that 6,255 of the
6,797 persons in the labor force were employed in May,
leaving 542 without jobs.

That is up from the April total of 513 and a 7.8 percent
unemployment rate.

In Pecos County, the unemployment rate dropped to 4.9
percent, down from 5.1 percent in April and 5.4 percent in
May, 1997. The civilian labor force stood at 6,756, with 334
unemployed last month.

Ward County's civilian labor force also increased, from
4,602 in 1997 to 4,621 last month. With 281 unemployed, the
percentage rate is 6.1, down from 6.4 percent the same month
last year.

Presidio County continues to have one of the highest
unemployment rates in the state, with 29.2 percent - down
from 31.9 percent in May 1997.

County to discuss extending Anchor


The Reeves County Commissioners will meet to consider
extending Anchor West's tax abatement at 9:30 Monday
morning, June 22.

Pecos City has already approved an extension and Reeves
County Hospital Board tabled the item until actual numbers
could be provided by Anchor West's consultant John Wojtkun.

Also on the agenda are: appointment of election judge and
clerk for November 1998 General Election; reinstituting
seniority for RCDC employees; award inmate food and supply
bids; discuss Meals on Wheels program; hear departmental
reports; discuss personnel and salary changes; and pay
semi-monthly bills.

POLICE REPORT


EDITOR'S NOTE: Information contained in the Police Report is
obtained from reports filed by the Pecos Police Department,
Reeves County Sheriff's Office, or other officers of those
agencies.
The serving of warrants by an officer for outstanding fines
of either traffic citations, animal control violations or
other court costs are considered arrests and will be printed
as such unless indicated that the fines were paid. In such
instances we will indicate payment and release.
***

Joel Rubio, 23, was arrested at 3 p.m., on June 17, at the
2000 block of Alamo Street, on an MTR warrant for assault
causing bodily injury. He was transported to Reeves County
Jail.
***

Ruben Garcia, 19, was arrested at 1:43 a.m., on June 18, at
the 100 block of Sixth Street, on D.P.S. warrants. He was
transported to Reeves County Jail.

WEATHER


While South Texas residents are finding the nights a
little too warm and muggy for their liking, Pecos residents
found themselves lulled by a 68 degree low yesterday. The
high was 104. Hot temperatures coupled with high humidities
were expected to produce heat indices today of 105 to 115
degrees. Mostly clear over West Texas.



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Pecos Enterprise
Mac McKinnon, Publisher
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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 1998 by Pecos Enterprise