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Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Friday, May 2, 2008
Reeves County in rabies epidemic
By DR. RONALD BOX, DVM
Special to the Enterprise
Rabies is the most deadly zoonotic disease on earth.
A zoonotic disease is a disease of animals that my secondarily be transmitted to man.
Here are a few facts about rabies:
Rabies exists worldwide except for a few isolated areas;
Rabies has been around since the beginning of time and is believed to be mentioned in the Old Testament;
Rabies is able to infect more species of animals than any other disease known to man. Any warm-blooded animal is susceptible.;
Over 50,000 human deaths occur worldwide each year. These deaths mostly occur in Africa and Asia, but each year several deaths are reported in the United States.
An animal or human that contracts rabies will die.
Reeves County is currently in a rabies epidemic. Rabies started showing up in our area in mid-2007 and during 2008, we have had confirmed cases in many coyotes, three dogs, a horse and a calf. When it comes to finding a confirmed case or rabies, we are only finding the tip of the iceberg. Prior to 2007, we have had only one confirmed case of rabies in Reeves County in the past 20 years.
The rabies virus is present in the saliva of an infected animal. It is usually transmitted by an infected animal biting another animal. Once an animal is bitten it has the virus in its body, but will not be visibly sick or able to spread the virus until the virus reaches the brain.
This can take weeks or even months.
The virus is unique in that it travels in the nerves to reach the brain. It will travel about one millimeter each day. It is because of this slow rate of travel that an exposed human will have time to take treatments to prevent the disease – otherwise thousands will die in the United States each year.
So it would be better to be bitten on your big toe than your nose.
Once the virus reaches the brain, the animal will become sick. The virus is not replicating in the brain and the animal is now able to infect other animals.
The infected animal will not be alive longer than 10 days after symptoms develop. Because the virus attacks the neurological system, the symptoms of rabies are varied. At first the animal may be easily agitated. It may bite inanimate objects, like a rock or a stick. It might have seizure-like episodes. It might drool a little, but the picture of an animal foaming at the mouth is rare.
It will want water, but may be unable to swallow. The symptoms will worsen each day and the animal will die.
The state of Texas is doing all it can to stop the advance of rabies. The state has dropped thousands of vaccine baits and has tried to depopulate the coyote.
Board allocates $125,000 to fix pool problems
Steps have been taken to fix a 13-foot deep hole that has caused cracks to the Pecos High School Swimming Pool, with up to $125,000 set aside to take care of the problem following a vote on Monday during a special Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD Board.
The eroded ground beneath the 25-year-old pool and gym building was discovered in early March, and board members have been meeting with the school district’s consulting architect since then to devise a plan to shore up the foundation on the southwest side of the building.
After a discussion by the board and listening to several scenarios provided by architect, Monte Hunter, the board agreed to set a ceiling on the amount designated for the repairs. Board members approved $125,000 to be taken out of the fund balance and if the amount does not reach the $125,000 the leftover amount will go back in to the fund balance.
In addition, the board agreed to let Hunter and Superintendent Manny Espino contact a company in Austin that does radar detection, to determine what exactly will be needed to repair the pool in time for the summer swimming lessons.
Hunter told the group that the company they wanted to contact about the radar detection is a company that deals with swimming pools only.
“They are experts at this, and the company that we received a quote from is not,” said Hunter.
The quote the group received for the repairs was in the amount of $86,900, from Mid-Tex of Midland and Frank Lam and Associates, Inc.
“Frank said that he could talk to that company out of Austin to the do the radar, which will cost about $1,000-$,1,500, no more than $3,000,” said Hunter. “It would be worth it to see, because they might find that we can do this a little cheaper.”
Board members agreed to let Espino, Hunter and Lam contact the company.
Hunter said that if the board members agreed to go with this company they were ready to start on the repairs and that it would take about 2-3 weeks.
“But even if we go with the $87,000, there’s no guarantee that it will work?” asked board member Bubba Williams.
“You probably won’t get anybody to say 100 percent that it will work,” said Hunter.
The board agreed that they wanted to get the pool repaired by the end of this school year. Summer swimming lessons at the PHS pool are scheduled to start on June 2.
PHA names interim director, approves FLH name change
The former Farm Labor Housing site will be getting a new name and the Pecos Housing Authority will be getting a new top official at least temporarily, following action taken Monday by the PHA/FLH board of directors.
The board held its first meeting since last summer, and named Joann Cranfill as the interim executive director, replacing Nellie Gomez, who was allowed to take medical leave for three months, effective on Sept. 21.”
PHA board president Frank Perea said most of the leave would be under the federal Family Medical Leave Act, and would be paired with Gomez’s vacation time to allow her to take off until mid-summer. “At that time she’ll either stay or retire,” Perea said. He added that the board could also decide to extend Gomez’s leave at that time.
The board voted 4-1 for the change, though Cranfill, who has worked for PHA for over 20 years as administrative assistant, requested that another PHA employee, Michelle Acosta, be given the job.
“I spoke to Irma (Harris), Joann and Michelle and they think that Michelle would be the one to take over temporarily,” Perea said. Acosta told board members she’s been working for the past six years as the PHA occupancy specialist.
“Hopefully she (Gomez) can come back better in 12 weeks time,” said board member Jim Workman, “But at this time I feel we need to go with somebody who has the experience and the time.”
Perea said he was also in favor of Cranfill taking on the interim position because of her seniority. “She knows all the program,” he said.
“I’d like to rely on her experience,” said board member Olga Lopez. “At housing, we need someone who’s experienced in the program to help us out.”
“I think if I take on more stress in my life, I’d be right behind Nellie,” Cranfill said before the 4-1 vote, with Maribel Alvarez casting the only vote against the change.
“There have been times in my superior’s absence I’ve been given things when my plate is full,” Alvarez said. “Plus, she doesn’t want it.”
“I don’t mind working, but when it comes down to it, I don’t know if I could handle it,” Cranfill said.
Perea said if it turns out that Gomez cannot return to the job, the PHA will post the position statewide in search of a permanent replacement.
Workman chaired the remainder of the PHA side of the meeting and the entire FLH meeting, which mostly dealt with correspondence sent out and received over the past six months. That included the sale of 34.27 acres of land along Interstate 20 to the Pecos Economic Development Corp. for $230,000, and the sale of 9.02 acres of land on the other side of I-20 to Reeves County for $62,238.
The board also approved hiring Mike Estes to conduct the 2007 audit, at a cost of $6,500.
Cranfill said sewer work at the PHA apartments is almost complete, and the housing authority still has a waiting list for its apartments.
The FLH portion of the meeting opened with acknowledgment by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that the PHA has paid off the $230,000 sought by the agency for the 56-unit FLH apartments with funds from the sale of the 34.27 acres of land to the PEDC. Cranfill said the complex on West County Road will be renamed the West of the Pecos Apartments.
A lack of migrant workers in recent years caused the FLH to fall short of funds to maintain the apartments, and a deal was worked out last year to sell the apartments to the PHA, which can now rent them out without government income or employment restrictions.
Cranfill said water and sewer line design work for the FLH site was done by Town of Pecos City Public Works Director Edgardo Madrid and his assistant, Chuy Silvas, and that the actual work would be supervised by Rigo Ramirez and Benny Mora with the PHA maintenance department.
Workman asked Cranfill to make sure that Madrid and Silvas checked the work as it went along, and Lopez said, “To avoid expensive repairs later on, it would probably be a good thing to check his work before they cover it up.”
PEDC board OKs land bid for clinic site
Pecos Economic Development Corp. board members agreed to the sale of 3.9 acres of land near Reeves County Hospital to fellow board member Leo Hung, who is planning to bid on constructing a 20,000-square/foot medical clinic being sought by the hospital to house new physicians and dentists in Pecos.
The board voted unanimously, with Hung abstaining to accept his offer of $10,000 during the meeting of the 4B PEDC board at noon on Thursday at City Hall. Total cost of the bid is expected to come out to about $39,000 for a 90-day option with intent to purchase the property, with 10 percent of that total being non-refundable ‘earnest’ money, which would also go towards purchase of the land, if Hung is awarded the bid to build the clinic.
“I think for the historical data we have $10,000 (an acre) is a fair value,” said PEDC president Robert Tobias.
Reeves County Hospital CEO Al LaRochelle sought bids last month for the clinic, which he said is needed to house the four new physicians recruited by the hospital. LaRochelle is also looking to attract new dentists to the community, and said the clinic would allow the hospital to collect increased Medicare reimbursements for services.
The land is located to the west of the hospital along Stafford Boulevard. Land located just to the south, owned by Dimension Enterprises LLC, has been designed by the company as the site of its own 20,000 square foot medical clinic, but LaRochelle said delays in getting that project started forced the hospital to solicit bids from other sources.
“My understanding is that the hospital had at the time other individuals who were supposed to be building, but they haven’t built in two years,” said board chairman Danny Rodriguez.
Hung, who is also a member of the Reeves County Hospital District board, said he made the bid in order to get an option to buy the property if he wins the bid, which should be awarded in the next 90 days.
“My interest is to get a chance to fulfill the proposal to secure some land. I’m acting on my own as a (board) member,” Hung said.
“In my discussions with Mr. Hung, he said 90 days would be sufficient,” said Tobias.
Most of the discussion was taken up with the value of the land, and the percentage of funds on this and future land buys that should be non-refundable, in order to avoid selling property to land speculators.
“On the appraisal value it’s up to the board,” Hung said. “But If I can get some commitment, because I need to put a floor plan and site plan together.”
Board member Jimmy Dutchover brought up the ‘earnest’ money issue, and discussed making it one sixth of the total purchase bid. The 16.6 percent level was questioned by board member and West Texas Nation Bank president Paul Hinojos, who said the rate was usually 1 percent on housing sales.
“I think for this property we need to look at a higher value than a house,” Dutchover said.
“That’s very high and one-sided,” said Hinojos.
“Then their intent is not to bid,” Dutchover said.
“When you set your ‘earnest’ money so high, you eliminate a lot of people,” said Hinojos, who recommended either a minimum amount of non-refundable funds or a 10 percent share of the total payment.
“If you do one-sixth or whatever, you discourage people from coming in and having a competitive bidding process on some project like the hospital,” said board member and TransPecos Bank president Bill Oglesby.
The board eventually voted for the 10 percent rate, with Hung again abstaining. Hinojos said the board would have to discuss whether or not the 10 percent would be a fixed rate for ‘earnest’ money on land sales at a future PEDC meeting.
Kerrville man jailed by police after crash kills brother-in -law
A Kerrville man was killed and his brother-in-law was arrested by Pecos Police early Thursday morning on a charge of intoxication manslaughter, following a one-vehicle rollover on the south side of town.
Police Chief Clay McKinney said Michael Thomas Duran, 23, of Kerrville was charged following the accident, which occurred about 1:40 a.m. Thursday at the intersection of West County Road and Raul Florez Boulevard, the north Interstate 20 access road. McKinney identified the deceased as Anthony Trinidad Martinez, 25, also of Kerrville. He was pronounced dead at 2:40 a.m. by Reeves County Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace Jim Riley, and his body was taken to Peaceful Garden Funeral Home.
McKinney said police were called to the scene on a report of a one-vehicle accident, and upon arrival discovered Duran apparently had attempted to turn right onto West County Road while westbound on Raul Florez Boulevard and failed to negotiate the curve. The pickup Duran was driving rolled two times before coming to rest on its right side.
Martinez was ejected from the vehicle during the rollover. Pecos EMS personnel were called to the scene, but no transport was made and JP Riley was called after medics determined Martinez had died.
“Our preliminary investigation shows alcohol was a factor,” McKinney said. He added that Duran was married to Martinez’s sister, and he believed both men were staying in Pecos while working on a construction crew.
Duran was transported to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center, where he was being held Thursday morning pending arraignment.
DPS troopers were also called out to the site of the accident, but the incident was turned over to police when it was determined the accident occurred within the Pecos city limits.
Gallegos make downtown site both home, business
It was love at first sight when Alan Gallego of Balmorhea saw his wife, Blanca, at a rodeo in Chihuahua City, Mexico. ?His family on his Dad’s side are pioneers of the rodeo there,” Blanca said. “Everybody knows everybody there, so that’s how I met him.”
They married six months later and moved to Pecos 12 years ago.
“My husband gave me a ride around Pecos, and I said, ‘What happened here? One of these days I am going to do something,’ and here I am.”
Coming from a family who manufactures furniture and sells antiques, Blanca and Alan soon purchased the old J.C. Penney building on Oak Street to sell furniture on the first floor and to live on the balcony.
Her mother, also named Blanca, and two daughters now share with the happy couple the open space that is shielded from the showroom only by curtains and partitioned with shelves.
Blanca carefully descends the stairway using a crutch to protect a knee that she recently injured in a fall while holding 7-month-old Hadassah. Blanca, 6, is her big sister, born shortly after the store purchase.
“We sell rustic furniture,” said Gallego. “It is mostly custom-made Western furniture. My family and friends in Mexico do the work and ship it here.”
Having the ability to customize the furniture pleases the customers, she said.
“Most of the time people have the idea, but their space may be limited. We try to help them with their idea,” she said.
Her store, Rancho Viejo, also has antique metal accessories that she calls her junk. It is for people who love to decorate or make crafts, she said.
She has noticed recently that customers have more buying power, and that new people are moving in.
“It is good for my business,” she said. “You can feel the movement. I believe something good can happen in Pecos. We need people with hope and faith.”
This is a good time to invest in a business, Gallego said. “They need to be up with the wave.”
With her business and property that Alan is buying, Gallego has little time for hobbies. She keeps busy with ministry through her church, Immanuel Assembly of God, and her children.
“Now I am not bored anymore,” said Gallego, who at first found life without her family and friends pretty desolate.
Living in the heart of Pecos is no sacrifice for her children, she said.
“The whole house is a playground. There are no borders.”
She and Alan do have plans to one day build an adobe house. And no doubt they will furnish it with custom pieces “Hecho en Mexico.”
Kerrville man jailed by police after crash kills brother-in -law
A Kerrville man was killed and his brother-in-law was arrested by Pecos Police early Thursday morning on a charge of intoxication manslaughter, following a one-vehicle rollover on the south side of town.
Police Chief Clay McKinney said Michael Thomas Duran, 23, of Kerrville was charged following the accident, which occurred about 1:40 a.m. Thursday at the intersection of West County Road and Raul Florez Boulevard, the north Interstate 20 access road. McKinney identified the deceased as Anthony Trinidad Martinez, 25, also of Kerrville. He was pronounced dead at 2:40 a.m. by Reeves County Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace Jim Riley, and his body was taken to Peaceful Garden Funeral Home.
McKinney said police were called to the scene on a report of a one-vehicle accident, and upon arrival discovered Duran apparently had attempted to turn right onto West County Road while westbound on Raul Florez Boulevard and failed to negotiate the curve. The pickup Duran was driving rolled two times before coming to rest on its right side.
Martinez was ejected from the vehicle during the rollover. Pecos EMS personnel were called to the scene, but no transport was made and JP Riley was called after medics determined Martinez had died.
“Our preliminary investigation shows alcohol was a factor,” McKinney said. He added that Duran was married to Martinez’s sister, and he believed both men were staying in Pecos while working on a construction crew.
Duran was transported to the Pecos Criminal Justice Center, where he was being held Thursday morning pending arraignment.
DPS troopers were also called out to the site of the accident, but the incident was turned over to police when it was determined the accident occurred within the Pecos city limits.
Jaquez, Inostroza announce May wedding plans
Becky and Sebero Jaquez Jr. are pleased to announce the engagement and approaching marriage of their daughter, Corina Jaquez to Rene Inostroza.
The future groom is the son of Connie Vasquez of Austin and the late Rudy Inostroza.
Grandparents of the bride are Becenta and the late Sebero Jaquez Sr. of Pecos; Maria Jasso and the late Hilario Jasso of Pecos.
Grandparents of the groom is Concepcion Vasquez of Pecos.
Maid of honor is sister of the bride, Dorisa Talamantez.
Best man will be Ramon Armendariz.
The wedding is planned for 2 p.m., May 24 at Santa Rosa Catholic Church.
Pecos Enterprise
York M. "Smokey" Briggs, Publisher
324 S. Cedar St., Pecos, TX 79772
Phone 432-445-5475, FAX 432-445-4321
e-mail news@pecos.net
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Copyright 2003-04 by Pecos Enterprise
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