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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas

Top Stories

Tuesday, November 17, 1998

Council to launch economic development entity

By PEGGY McCRACKEN
Staff Writer
Sales tax is the only agenda topic for a special meeting of
the Pecos City Council, set for 7:30 a.m. Wednesday.

After canvassing results of the 4A Sales Tax election held
Nov. 3, the council will consider approving articles of
incorporation of the Pecos Economic Development Corporation.

The corporation will be funded by one-fourth cent of the
city's 1 1/2 cent sales tax, which amounts to about $127,000
per year. Voters approved the measure on Nov. 3 by a nearly
a 4-to-1 margin.

In executive session, the council will consider appointment
of five directors of the corporation. Appointment will be
made in the open session following.

Gari Ward, executive director for the interim corporation
that has been active for several months, said that no
further action can be taken until the new board is appointed.

Proposed articles of incorporation calls for the Town of
Pecos City to act as incorporators of the non-profit
economic development corporation.

The corporation is to be organized exclusively for the
purpose of benefiting and accomplishing public purposes of
the Town of Pecos City, Texas by promoting, assisting and
enhancing economic development activities.

"It is recognized that the Town of Pecos City benefits from
countywide coordination of economic development," the
proposed "purpose" statement reads.

The corporation will operate under authority given by the
state to non-profit corporations, including issuance of
bonds.

Terms of directors are five years, after the initial term.
Initial terms will be five years for two directors; four
years for two directors; and three years for one director.
No member of the board shall serve more than two consecutive
terms.

Directors shall meet at least one of the following
qualifications:

* Serve, or have served, as chief executive officer of a
company;

* Serve, or have served, in a position of executive
management of a company;

* Serve, or have served, in a professional capacity;

* Have experience equivalent to any of the above
qualifications.

The board will govern affairs of the corporation and may
employ a director of economic development to carry out the
board's program.

The board will be accountable to the city council.

Interstate closure hurts Toyah


By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
Drivers will have to add another two days to the time it
will take to reopen the eastbound lanes of Interstate 20
between the I-10 junction and Toyah, and businesses in Toyah
are not very happy.

Texas Department of Transportation officials were forced to
close down the main lanes of the interstate about 1:30 a.m.
Thursday when newly-laid asphalt and rock failed to adhere
to the road correctly and pulled off the highway's roadbed
by passing trucks then thrown into the path of trailing
vehicles.

Traffic was initially rerouted onto the south I-20 service
road, but when that road failed to stand up to the
truck-trailer traffic, TxDOT closed the entire road Friday,
forcing eastbound motorists into a 25-mile detour, along
I-10 and State Highway 17 between the junction and Pecos.

Officials at first hoped to fix the road problem by Monday,
then pushed it back to Wednesday. However, this morning,
TxDOT spokesman Glen Larum said the road now is unlikely to
reopen before Friday.

"It shouldn't affect Pecos and the other towns east that
much. But the people I feel sorry for are the ones in
Toyah," said Larum, since Toyah is the only town along I-20
completely bypassed by the rerouted traffic.

"It's affected us pretty bad. The whole town has been
affected," said Joe Jasso, employee of Toyah Texaco. "With
no eastbound traffic at all, sales have been down
tremendously."

Jasso stated that not just the gas station has been
affected, but everyone in Toyah.

"Reliable Tire and Pete's Garage, who usually have business,
are also feeling it," said Jasso.

"It's been pretty bad, but there's not much we can do," said
Jasso. "We can't just close our doors until Friday, because
the westbound people traveling will think we've closed for
good."

Jasso said that he had been at work since 7 a.m.
and had only had five customers by lunchtime.
"Usually by now, we would have had triple that," said Jasso.
"They come in here and look at our gas prices and even if
they don't get gas, they always buy something else."

Rose's Desert Saloon owner Rose Barnes, however, said
that, "It hasn't been all that bad, I think they're making
more of it than it really is."

Barnes said she thinks her business has not been
affected really badly, since traffic is still coming in from
the other direction. "And if they're really good customers,
they already know where we are and will continue to come
down this way," she said.

Barnes added that this highway closure is for safety reasons
and that comes first. "We can wait a few days for it to open
up again. It won't hurt us," she said.

The main lanes of I-20 were closed eastbound between mile
marker 3 and 10 early Thursday morning, after cold
weather-related problems resurfacing the highway caused
rocks and strips of new asphalt to be picked up by passing
trucks. The rocks and asphalt were carried in the truck
tires for up to 30 miles, before being thrown free and into
the path of any trailing vehicles.

Rain at first delayed construction work, and Larum said
"Technical problems with the hot mix (asphalt) design," have
slowed repairs on of the interstate this week.

"The crews are looking at laying a hot mix field test on the
service road to see if it meets the specs for the
interstate. Under the best-case scenario we hope to have the
interstate reopened by Friday afternoon," Larum said.

Until then, traffic bound from El Paso towards Pecos and
eastward will have to either put up with the 20-mile detour
or take the two-lane `back road' through Guadalupe Pass in
order to get where they're going.

"We sympathize with everyone affected by the closure, and
we're working to get it open as soon as possible," Larum
said.

Christian Home still seeking donations


By PEGGY McCRACKEN
Staff Writer
Turkeys are in the oven day in and day out at the Christian
Home in preparation for next week's free Thanksgiving dinner.

Bruce Dury, director, said there still is a need for five or
six more donated turkeys, plus vegetables and desserts.

"We need about 60 pounds of instant mashed potatoes and 12
gallons each of green beans and sweet potatoes," Dury said.

Jellied cranberry sauce and desserts that can be frozen are
also in short supply.

Donations are being accepted at the Christian Home, 1201 S.
Elm Street.

This year's noon feast is planned for the Reeves County
Civic Center, and everyone is welcome.

OBITUARIES

Beulah Joplin


Services are incomplete for Beulah Joplin, 82, who died
Monday night, Nov., 16, 1998, at the Pecos Nursing Home.

She was born June 30, 1916.

Pecos Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Lonie Johnson


Lonie M. Johnson, 96, of Pecos, died Monday, Nov. 16, 1998
at Reeves County Hospital.

Graveside services are scheduled for 10 a.m., Wednesday,
Nov. 18, at Oakwood Cemetery, in Cisco, with Rev. Greer
Willis officiating. Burial will be in Oakwood Cemetery.

She was born June 1, 1902, in Parker County, Tx., was a
homemaker and a Methodist.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Edgar Johnson;
three sons, Waymon, Joe Dan and Mitford Johnson and one
daughter, Betty Steffey.

Survivors include two sons, Russell Johnson of Pecos, Don
Johnson of Athens; two daughters, Nadine Brown of Anthony,
N.M., Janice Ellenberg of Edom; one sister, Louise Kimmell
of Dallas; 22 grandchildren; 42 great-grandchildren and two
great-great grandchildren.

Kimbrough Funeral Home of Cisco is in charge of arrangements.

WEATHER


High Monday 82, low last night 43. Tonight, fair. Lows in
the upper 40s. Southeast to south winds 10-15 mph.
Wednesday, mostly sunny. Highs near 80. Southwest to west
winds 10-20 mph.



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Pecos Enterprise
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