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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Top Stories
Thursday, September 23, 1999
Council weighs sports complex land donation
By PEGGY McCRACKEN
Staff Writer
PECOS, Sept. 23, 1999 -- Land once earmarked for a Furr's supermarket
could soon be turned into a sports complex for youth of the community if
all taxing entities agree with this morning's Pecos City Council consensus.
Councilors agreed informally that they would support a move to convey
the 7.5 acres near Pecos High School to the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD for
taxes.
City Manager Kenneth Neal said that Furr's bought the property years
ago for a supermarket, but didn't build and didn't pay taxes on it.
"The company filed for bankruptcy," he said. "They tried to sell the
property and nobody would buy it, and they tried to donate it. They still
want us to take it."
Neal said he talked with the city's tax lawyer, Russell McInturff, and
he said that if all taxing entities were willing to convey their interest
to the school district for the sports complex, he would handle the paperwork.
The land, lying along Washington and Texas Streets, is known as the
Dean cotton patch because it was owned by Bob Dean and has never been developed.
City park development through grants from Texas Parks and Wildlife may
be possible with a basic site plan, said Neal.
A TPWL representative will be in Pecos this week to survey the existing
parks and outline improvements that could be made through grants.
"They do a wonderful plan we can use as a wish list," Neal said. "It
gives you something to work toward."
Emergency Management Coordinator Armando Gil said he would look into
new federal grants for Texas that may pay for improvements to the communications
system.
During a mock disaster drill Saturday, law enforcement, fire and ambulance
service staff had problems communicating because all the radios are on
one frequency, he said. And repeaters are needed to allow hand-held radios
to work over long distances.
"We attended a workshop last week in Midland, where we learned that
90 percent of Texas will get quite a few federal funds this year for assistance,"
he said. "We may get a building to establish a permanent emergency operations
center."
He said that everyone worked as a team in Saturday's drill, and he was
pleased with the result.
Frank Spencer has offered to prepare a grant application for $1.5 to
$2 million for development of the South Worsham water field, Neal said.
The council directed that the application not specify which water field
the money would be applied to.
Mayor Dot Stafford said that a former Pecos resident now living in Austin
has offered to apply for grant funds for the city, and will send a resume
showing her track record in obtaining funds.
Utilities director Octavio Garcia reported that the broken water main
on Fifth Street has been repaired.
Backflow preventers will be installed at Reeves County Hospital and
the two funeral homes to guard against contamination of the water supply
in the event of a leak, he said.
Following an inspection, the Texas Natural Resources Conservation Commission
ordered the preventers installed, he said.
"If we ever have a water leak, it might start taking something they
do into the water system," he said.
The council passed on second reading ordinances adopting a budget for
1999-2000 and setting the 1999 tax rate at 69.67 cents per $100 valuation.
For the next agenda, Gil asked that the council consider closing one
block of Toliver Street through the Maxey Park Zoo to prevent people from
driving through and harassing the animals.
His proposal would close the street from the I-20 south service road
where the buffalo pens are located south to the longhorn pens.
"We are getting a lot of vandalism; throwing beer bottles into the animal
pens, and people who walk to look at the animals have to watch for traffic,"
he said.
Councilman Ricky Herrera asked about the zoo hours, which have been
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
"People have asked me why we close it down so early. People are getting
off work at 5 p.m. and trying to go out there," he said.
Gil cited a lack of personnel and the fact that animals start bedding
down around 6:30 or 7 p.m.
He said the hours could be changed to 9 a.m.-6 p.m., and the council
agreed. The zoo is closed on Mondays for cleaning, he said.
Film helps Ramon add clerk to staff
By PEGGY McCRACKEN
Staff Writer
PECOS, Sept. 23, 1999 -- Municipal Court Judge Amonario Ramon may add
a part-time clerk to the court's staff, the Pecos City Council decided
this morning.
Ramon showed the council a video titled "The Role of the Municipal Court
in City Government" during executive session.
He said the full-time clerk needs help in handling paperwork generated
in the court, which handles traffic violations, Class C misdemeanors such
as public intoxication, juvenile matters, warrants and initial appearance
for felony cases, and animal control violations.
In August, the court had 102 cases filed in and 134 filed out, with
a total fines and court costs of $10,609.
Ramon was appointed last month to replace Judge Phyllis Salyer, who
retired.
In other business, the council heard from tax assessor-collector Lydia
Prieto that delinquent collections for August totaled $22,568.71. The outstanding
balance is $859,841.
Pecos Ambulance Service reported 72 calls during August, with $21,553
invoiced and $6,229 collected. The outstanding balance is $388,348.
Bill Hubbs was re-appointed to the Permian Basin Airport Board.
Funds sought to help Reyes replace van
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Sept. 23, 1999 -- A fundraiser is planned for a Pecos man who
lost his specially equipped handicapped van last week, when it was stolen
and then involved in an accident.
A benefit barbecue brisket plate sale will be held Friday, Sept. 24,
starting at 11 a.m. at Saragosa Hall, corner of 6th and Peach streets.
Plates will sell for $3.50 each.
This is an effort to raise funds for David Reyes, whose van was stolen
and involved in a rollover about 6:30 a.m. Saturday on Interstate 20, near
mile marker 53 in Ward County. The van went off the right side of the road
while eastbound and rolled over uphill onto the south I-20 service road,
coming to rest facing west in the westbound lane.
The suspect in the theft was transported by ambulance to Reeves County
Hospital, before being formally charged with the theft by the Ward County
Sheriff's Department. A full report was not available at presstime.
Reyes is handicapped and in a wheelchair and depends very much on his
van. Family and friends are hoping to raise enough money to go towards
the purchase of another van.
Reyes is well known in the community, a teacher who has taught G.E.D.
classes for many years and U.S. citizenship classes for the public.
Anyone wanting to donate a brisket or to volunteer in serving or delivering
plates contact Manuel Galindo, Steve Reyes at 445-7110, or Danny Reyes
at 445-3012.
For deliveries on Friday, call the Saragosa Hall at 445-5225.
All donations and support are appreciated.
Lotto
AUSTIN (AP) — Two tickets correctly matched all six numbers drawn Wednesday
night for the twice-weekly Lotto Texas game, state lottery officials said.
The tickets were worth an estimated $10 million. The tickets were sold
in: Palacios and New Boston. The numbers drawn Wednesday night from a field
of 50 were: 6-22-24-44-49-50.
***
AUSTIN (AP) — The winning Pick 3 numbers drawn Wednesday by the Texas
Lottery, in order: 1-6-9 (one, six, nine)
Obituary
Maria Sauceda
Maria Sauceda, 54, died Tuesday, Sept. 21, 1999 at Medical Center Hospital
in Odessa.
Mass was held at 2 p.m., today at Santa Rosa Catholic Church with burial
in Greenwood Cemetery.
She was born July 2, 1945, in San Antonio Del Bravo, Chih., Mexico,
was a housewife, a lifelong Pecos resident and a Catholic.
Survivors include her husband, Tomas Carmona of Pecos; four sons, Jesus
Armando S. Martinez, Jesus Manuel S. Martinez and Rosalio S. Carmona of
Pecos and Roberto Martin S. Martinez of Odessa; two daughters, Denette
S. Carmona Aguilera and Diana S. Carmona of Pecos; four brothers, Manuel,
Trinidad and Jose Angel Sauceda of Pecos and Eladio Sauceda of Ojinaga,
Mexico; three sisters, Vicenta S. Carrasco of Ojinaga, Mexico, Rosa S.
Madrid of Odessa and Elia S. Lujan of Pecos, and six grandchildren.
Martinez Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Weather
PECOS, Sept. 23, 1999 -- High Wednesday 85; low last night 52. Tonight,
fair. Low in the upper 50s. Southeast wind 5-10 mph. Friday, partly cloudy.
High in the upper 80s. South wind 5-15 mph. Extended forecast, Friday night,
partly cloudy. Low in the upper 50s.
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 1999 by Pecos Enterprise
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