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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas

Top Stories

Monday, August 10, 1998

Recent showers not enough to stop drought


By GREG HARMAN
Staff Writer
Showers continue to toy with drought conditions that blanket
area ranches, teasing dry fields and thirsty cattle with
their quickly dissipating rains.

Brief showers that have crossed parts of the Trans-Pecos
during the last few weeks have brought some grasses back to
life but have done little for the ever worsening situation.

"It's been nice to have showers," said Anderson Ranch
Foreman Gary Loftin "but we need a lot more . . . this is
drier than I've seen it in my lifetime."

Loftin, who ranches northeast of Pecos, said the area could
use several inches quickly to help build up the soil's sub
moisture.

Typically, said Barney Lee of the Natural Resource
Conservation Service in Pecos, one inch of rain will
saturate the top three inches of soil, while most grass
plants have roots as deep as six inches to three feet. "So,
it's a start, but we need a lot more," he said. Recent rains
did little to nothing to ease the overall situation faced by
area ranchers.

John M. Moore, who runs cattle from west of Toyah into the
Balmorhea/Verhalen area, was more demanding on the fickle
skies.

"We're going to need about 10 to 12 inches to turn this
country around. We can't go into winter like this (or) the
cattle will die."

Recent scattered showers did little for his land, he said,
much of it didn't even get touched, he said. "It didn't
cover much country," said Moore.

Pecos received over a third of its rainfall total for the
year early last week, but that amounted to just .55 inch,
bringing the overall amount to 1.63 inches for the year.
Other areas to the north, near Orla, and to the south, near
Saragosa, reportedly received slightly more rain from last
week's clouds.

Trip to study sales tax use rescheduled


Last week's scheduled bus trip to Wharton to study that
town's use of sales taxes for economic development has been
rescheduled at a later time, according to Pecos Economic
Development Director Gari Ward.

Ward stated that several conflicts led to the rescheduling
of the bus trip, which was designed to allow local officials
a chance to study the benefits of 4A and 4B sales tax.

The Pecos Economic Development Corporation had offered a
mid-week bus trip to Wharton, Texas, to generate dialogue
about, and answer questions concerning, the 4A and 4B sales
tax. But Ward said "There were several things going on last
week that led us to put off the trip and reschedule it for
another day."

Ward stated that the school and city were having special
meetings and budget workshops and the chamber was having a
seminar in Pecos. "We'll reschedule it and see when the
committee wants to try it again," said Ward. "It will be an
agenda item."

Wharton was one of the first cities to take advantage of the
sales tax rollback, which diverts a portion of tax generated
by city and hospital taxes to economic development projects.
Palestine and Kooney are two other cities about Pecos' size
which have allowed a portion of their sales taxes to be used
in the same way.

The cost of the two-day tour had been set at $75 for the bus
ride, plus lodging and meals.

Rollovers sent two to area hospitals


One man was flown to Lubbock Methodist Hospital and a
juvenile was transported to Reeves County Hospital on
Sunday, as the result of two accidents about 12 hours apart
and just southwest of Pecos.

The first accident occurred at 2:30 a.m. about four miles
south of Pecos on Highway 17, when a pickup traveling
northbound ran off the right side of the road, overcorrected
and overturned, crossing the highway and landing in the bar
ditch on the west side of Highway 17.

According to the Department of Public Safety, the driver of
the pickup, who was not identified, was not wearing a seat
belt and was ejected from the vehicle, suffering head
injuries. He was taken by ambulance first to Reeves County
Hospital before being flown to the critical care unit at
Lubbock Methodist Hospital.

The second accident occurred about 2:30 p.m. on County Road
204 (Locker Road), just west of the Reeves County Detention
Center. According to DPS trooper Richard Jacobs, a 1980
Dodge van driven by a 14-year-old juvenile went off the
right side of the road while westbound, overcorrected and
overturned one-quarter time, coming to rest in a field on
the north side of the road.

Jacobs said the juvenile was not ejected from the vehicle,
but the accident "knocked the wind out of him." He was out
of the van by the time ambulance attendants arrived, and
Jacobs said the teen did not remember if he had been wearing
a seat belt.

He was taken to Reeves County Hospital following the
rollover. No condition report was available.

DOE hosting forum to study cleanup


The Carlsbad, N.M., area office of the Department of Energy
(DOE) will be holding a two-day technology forum on
environmental monitoring and cleanup technologies along the
United States - Mexican border on Wednesday and Thursday,
with a reception set for Tuesday night at the Pecos River
Village Conference Center in Carlsbad.
Keynote speakers include Congressman Joe Skeen of New
Mexico, Congressman Silvestre Reyes of Texas, and Barbara
Greenfield, an EPA regional compliance director.
Officials hope to determine how existing DOE technologies,
such as waste minimization/prevention, contaminant detection
and mapping methods, and use of mobile laboratories and
transportation systems, could better be used for border-area
environmental cleanup.
The public is invited to attend this event. For more
information, the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant information
center at 1-800-336-9477(WIPP).

State seeks to corral marauding minnow


By GREG HARMAN
Staff Writer
Who would have ever thought that one little minnow could
cause such problems? Especially a tiny coastal bait fish
probably introduced to West Texas as an afterthought.

But, when it comes to causing problems, the sheepshead
minnow doesn't seem to know its own size.

Imported from the Gulf and Atlantic coasts and introduced in
Pecos area waters between 1980 and 1984, the sheepshead
minnow has been interbreeding with several other nondescript
native minnows ever since.

Both the endangered Comanche Springs Pupfish and Pecos
gambusia, along with the Pecos Pupfish, a candidate to
join the endangered list, and the Leon Springs Pupfish have
all been interbreeding with the imported minnow and creating a headache for state and federal conservation groups.

Striking back, state officials performed one fish kill last week at Diamond Y Springs, north of Fort Stockton, to save the Leon Springs Pupfish by eliminating the sheepshead minnow, and are planning another at Balmorhea Lake to retake habitat for the native minnows later this month.

Officials hope to begin piscicide application with rotenone
by August 24 to rid the lake of the sheepshead minnow before
restocking it with catfish and other native species.

"Any time you get two species in the same genus together, if
they're not historically occurring together, they don't know
how to tell each other apart," explains Dick Luebke, Texas
Parks and Wildlife (TPWD) research program director.

The sheepshead minnow, generally more aggressive than the
native fishes, quickly spread up and down river after being
imported to the area -- the males outmaneuvering the slower,
more docile pupfish.

"West Texas is a harsh environment to begin with," said
Luebke, "Reproduction is serious business."

According to a study by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
interbreeding by the sheepshead minnow with the Pecos
Pupfish reduced the range of the Pupfish by 60 percent by
the late 1980s.

Red Bluff Water Power Control Board members have already
paid for a study to determine the Pecos River pupfish's
natural habitat, in hopes of avoiding an endangered species
designation. Such a designation would allow federal
officials to control time and amounts of water releases
along the river by Red Bluff officials and those sending
water downriver from New Mexico.

Feds report single moms' poverty higher


WASHINGTON (AP) -- Three in 10 Americans lived below the
poverty line for at least two months during a three-year
period, but few remained poor for longer stretches, the
Census Bureau reports.

A new study released today takes an unusually deep look at
poverty in the United States, using seven measures to paint
a picture more complex than any one statistic might suggest.

From 1993 through 1995, 30.3 percent of the population lived
below the poverty line for at least two months. But just 5.3
percent of them stayed poor for two full years.

``These statistics portray poverty as a trap door for a few
and a revolving door for many,'' explained the report, which
examined data from those three years.

The government considers a three-person family poor if its
income is below $13,650; for a four-person family, it's
$16,450.

In 1994, on average, 15.4 percent of Americans were poor
each month, and about 22 percent -- or 55 million people --
were poor for at least two months in 1994.

Nearly half of them stayed poor for just two to four months.
About 13 percent were poor for more than two years.

On average, people were poor for four and a half months.

But the rates differ dramatically by race and family
structure.

Blacks, Hispanics and children are among the poorest groups
in the nation.

But the most likely to be poor were families headed by
single mothers: In 1994, nearly half of the female-headed
households lived in poverty for at least two months in a
row, more than three times the poverty rate of married
couples.

The difference was even more dramatic among the chronically
poor. Single moms were eight times as likely to live in
poverty for two years than married couples were to be poor
for at least two years.

``You can't understate the role of family structure,'' said
Robert I. Lerman, an economist at the Urban Institute who
studies poverty issues.

Children are most likely to be poor, no matter what the
measure. And the elderly, once the poorest Americans, are
now the least likely to live in poverty, thanks to Social
Security and Medicare.

But while senior citizens are least likely to fall into
poverty, once there, they are as likely as children to
remain poor. That's because they rely on fixed incomes,
which are unlikely to go up, Lerman said.

``Where are they going to get an increased income?'' he
asked.

The report also notes that while blacks and Hispanics have
similar poverty rates, blacks were slightly less likely to
fall into poverty but slightly more likely to stay there.

July called hottest month in U.S. history


By DOUGLAS KIKER
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON -- Last month was the hottest month on record --
almost half a degree hotter than July 1997, the previous
record-holder -- according to government statistics released
today.

Vice President Al Gore called a White House briefing to
release the new statistics. He said July was the seventh
month in a row which was hotter than the previous year.

``You don't have to be a scientist to know it's been hot
this summer,'' Gore said. ``It was the hottest month on
record. Period.''

The administration has been focusing on the hot weather as a
way of supporting its push for approval of the Kyoto
Agreement signed last year. Under that agreement countries
seek to reduce their emissions of carbon dioxide and other
so-called greenhouse gases.

Many climate experts fear that these gasses, which have been
increasing in the atmosphere, will trap the sun's heat sort
of like a greenhouse, causing the Earth to increase its
temperature.

Not all scientists agree some contending that the hot
weather is part of the normal cycles in climate. There is
also considerable skepticism in the Senate about the Kyoto
agreement.

The Earth's average temperature for July was 61.7 degrees
Fahrenheit, 1.26 degrees hotter than typical, according to
the figures compiled by the government's National Climactic
Data Center in Asheville, N.C.

Gore also announced the establishment of eight new federally
funded research centers to study the effects of
environmental hazards on children's health. Children,
particularly those with pulmonary illnesses such as asthma,
are even more adversely affected by the smog and poor air
quality that rising temperatures produce. Asthma in children
increased 160 percent since 1980, and is now the top reason
for childhood hospitalizations, according to Gore.

Tax rate items on agenda for Balmorhea


Balmorhea ISD board members will discuss the presentation of
an effective tax rate, rollback tax rate and set a date to
adopt a tax rate during the regular meeting of the school
board, scheduled for 7 p.m., Tuesday.

Region 18 personnel services cooperative, board policy FL
(exhibit) and substitute and custodian salary schedules will
be discussed and acted upon.

Board members will discuss and take action on Texas
Association of School Board Health Insurance and discuss
schedule of classes/enrollment, electrical upgrade update,
gas line repairs and listen to board and superintendent
dialogue.

In closed meeting they will discuss personnel employment,
resignations, assignments, evaluation, reassignment, duties
and discipline.

The group will reconvene in open session and take any action
based upon discussion in closed meeting.

AREA NEWS ROUNDUP

The Big Bend Sentinel


MARFA, Aug. 6, 1998 -- The Marfa Border Patrol Sector is
growing with new security systems, facilities and housing in
order to meet an unprecedented deployment of agents and
other resources moving into the area to tighten control of
the border. The expansion of the sector over the next three
to four years has become a question of not or how many new
agents will be added to the current contingent of 160, but a
question of where the new agents will work and live.

The International


PRESIDIO, Aug. 6, 1998 -- Mexican consular officials say
they'll look into a complaint that a truckload of
heavily-armed Mexican troops recently crossed into the
United States. The Border Patrol said that a lone agent
responding to a sensor alarm last week discovered a dozen
Mexican soldiers with automatic weapons in the desert near
Columbus, N.M. "They took off and headed south when they saw
the patrol vehicle," a Border Patrol official said.

The McCamey News


McCAMEY, Aug. 6, 1998 -- The West Texas Area American Red
Cross is assisting residents throughout West Texas seeking
relief from the extreme heat. For detailed information
regarding whom to contact in each county, call the West
Texas Area American Red Cross at 684-6161 or 1-800-378-6614.
Various agencies including the Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) are cooperating in this effort.

Sanderson Times


SANDERSON, Aug. 6, 1998 -- The Texas Natural Resource
Conservation Commission (TNRCC) will begin sophisticated
airplane monitoring as part of an ongoing effort to better
define the causes of haze in Big Bend National Park and the
surrounding region. The TNRCC will amend an existing
contract with Baylor University, which flies a specially
equipped twin-engine airplane that has been used to monitor
ozone formation in Texas metropolitan areas.

Iraan News


IRAAN, Aug. 6, 1998 -- Applications for emergency farm
loans for damages and losses caused by drought that occurred
from May 1, 1997, through April 29, 1998, and continuing are
being accepted at the Farm service Agency (FSA) office
located in Fort Stockton, William H. McAnally said. Terrell,
Brewster, Pecos Counties are three of five in Texas recently
named by Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman eligible for
loans to cover part of actual production losses resulting
from the drought that occurred from May 1, 1997, through
April 29, 1998 and continuing.

Monahans News


MONAHANS, Aug. 6, 1998 -- County sheriffs and police chiefs
in the Trans-Pecos and Permian Basin want to be part of a
new regional task force attack on illicit narcotics by Sept.
1. If it happens, as the command law officers want and the
criminal justice division of the governor's office promises,
several procedural and organization problems must be
resolved. The major issues are agreement by the sheriff's
and chiefs, determining jurisdictional liability for task
force actions and reaching agreement on whose badge task
force officers might wear.

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.
***
Ronald Leigh, 42, was arrested at 9:09 p.m., on August 6, in
the 800 block of West Third Street, for public intoxication.
He was transported to Reeves County Jail.
***
Robert Bridgeman, 45, was arrested at 10:40 p.m., on August
6, in the 1300 block of South Cypress Street, for public
intoxication. He was transported to Reeves County Jail. He
was arrested again at 5:28 p.m., on August 7, in the 100
block of East Pinehurst Street (Flying J), for public
intoxication. He was transported to Reeves County Jail.
***
Cristy Jasso, 22, was arrested at 2:20 p.m., on August 8, at
the corner of Third and Eddy Streets (Dairy Mart), on an
outstanding warrant out of Midland County for bond
forfeiture on a misdemeanor theft. She was transported to
Reeves County Jail.
***
A male juvenile was arrested at 1:33 a.m., on August 9, at
Meadowbrook and Country Club drives, on a probation
violation. He was transported to Reeves County Detention
Center.

OBITUARY

The Rev. Glen Edwards


Services for The Rev. Glen Edwards, 74, were held Saturday
at First Baptist Church in San Angelo. He died Aug. 5, 1998
at his home in Atascosa.

Rev. Edwards held many positions, among them pastor of First
Baptist Church in Pecos. He was former president of Paisano
Baptist Assembly in Alpine. Bill Hopper and Bill Hubbs of
Pecos were among the honorary pallbearers.

Survivors include his wife, Helen Edwards of San Angelo; one
son, Tim Edwards of San Angelo; two daughters, Dianne Brown
of Malvern, Ark. and Jane Wiggins of Abilene; three
brothers, Dr. Preston Edwards of Belton, Truett Edwards of
Lytle and Travis Edwards of Houston, and 10 grandchildren;

The family requests memorials be made to Paisano Baptist
Encampment in Alpine.

WEATHER


Weekend temperatures in Pecos topped off at 100 degrees on
Saturday and Sunday, while only reaching 95 on Friday. Lows
were 66 on Saturday, 71 on Sunday and 74 this morning.
Forecast for tonight: Fair. Southeast wind 5 10 mph. Low 65
70. Tuesday, partly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of
thunderstorms. high in the mid 90s. Southeast wind 5-15 mph
becoming northeast late.



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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