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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Top Stories
Wednesday, January 3, 2001
Commissioners OK field lights, anti-dump plans
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, January 3, 2001 - Reeves County Commissioner discussed installation
of new lighting at local baseball fields and plans to increase their efforts
to opposed a planned radioactive waste disposal site 14 miles northwest
of Pecos, during the afternoon session of Tuesday's Commissioners Court
meeting.
"We recently purchased two lighting systems for the baseball fields,"
said Reeves County Judge Jimmy B. Galindo during the special meeting. He
explained that about two weeks ago, Roland Pena, with West Texas Utilities
had recommended someone who could do the installation of the lighting system.
Lighting Solutions, with Tim McMurray, proposed to provide Reeves County
with a lighting system design for the Little League Baseball Field, also
known as Chano Prieto Field, the Maxey Park Senior League Field and Martinez
Field.
"He's a former employee of WTU, designs lighting systems for sports
fields and comes highly recommended," said Galindo.
"Cost for the design for all three fields is $8,280," said Galindo.
In addition, McMurray would also supervise the installation of the systems.
"It would cost us a lot more if we bid it out," said Galindo. "Under these
circumstances, we accomplish it for $20,000 per field for brand new lights,"
he said.
The design package will include drawings that show pole/fixture locations,
pole foundation details, pole and crossarm details, fixture aiming points
and electrical riser diagrams for each of the three fields. The lighting
will also be in compliance with IES and Little lighting requirements/regulations
within the constraints defined by using the existing equipment.
Galindo said that the lighting would be considerably upgraded to where
they can maximize everything that they have.
Lighting Solutions proposes to provide Reeves County with onsite supervision
for the construction and installation of lighting systems for the Little
League baseball field and the Senior League baseball field.
A representative will be onsite during the three weeks allocated for
the installation.
Galindo said priority would be placed on the Little League and Senior
League fields. Officials in San Angelo have banned the local Little League
and Senior League teams from playing night tournament games in Pecos for
the past several years because the light towers do not meet minimum height
requirements.
Funds for the project will be taken from the major repairs to buildings
line-item for the design of the lighting systems and the county will pay
for the installation from recreation, parks and cemetery line-item.
"This gentleman knows how to do this, he's done this for other sports
fields and is very knowledgeable," said Galindo.
On the radioactive waste disposal issue, commissioners agreed to hire
lobbyists to help with the fight against Envirocare of Texas' plan to locate
a low-level waste side eight miles north of Barstow, in western Ward County.
"As we have discussed the last few weeks, there are a number of initiatives
and proposals that will be going to the legislature next week," said Galindo.
"We're in a position where if we don't advocate on our behalf, it will
be difficult to have an impact on this issue."
Commissioners agreed to hire three lobbyists to help in their fight
against the dumping of nuclear waste in West Texas.
"What it will cost based on my conversations with these three people
would be about $5,000-$7,000 per month," said Galindo. "We're looking at
about a five-month period, from January through May, so that the cost will
run from $30,000-$35,000 total."
"Where will we get the money?" asked commissioner precinct 1 Felipe
Arredondo.
Galindo said the funds for this project could come from the ending balance.
"Based on our predictions from last year, we ended up at a greater position,
than we had predicted," he said.
Commissioners approved the hiring of Leo Aguirre Mgt. Of America and
Aldrete Communications for $3,000 per month for a five-month period. It
also includes payment to Leo Aguirre of $2,000 a month for management for
a five-month period and $2,000 a month for Aldrete Communications for a
five-month period. The proposal stated this would be a firm fixed price
for this effort.
The motion was made by Reeves County Commissioner Precinct 2 David Castillo
and seconded by Arredondo.
"Several years ago, we had a sludge opposition that we took on, we owe
it to our future generation to preserve this part of the county safe from
waste disposal," said Galindo.
Envirocare sought out the Ward County site after the state's planned
disposal site near Sierra Blanca was rejected in late 1998 by the Texas
Natural Resources Conservation Commission due to concerns about earthquake
fault lines in the area. An Envirocare site in western Andrews County,
and one owned by Waste Control Industries, were then rejected in early
1999 after a University of Texas geology study showed underground aquifers
in the area.
"What I would suggest is that this be an issue of urgent need and one
that can have grave repercussions for our children and grand-children,"
said Galindo.
Faulty wires seen as cause of house fire
By LEIA HOLLAND
Staff Writer
PECOS, January 3, 2001 - No injuries were reported Monday night, after
Pecos Volunteer Fire units responded to a house fire at First and Locust
streets at about 10 p.m.
All units were called out to the fire at 111 S. Pecan St., which Pecos
Fire Marshall Jack Brookshire said was caused by an electric wiring problem
in the house.
"It started inside the wall in the living room," he said.
Brookshire said the fire went up the wall in the living room to the
attic. He said firemen had problems getting to the fire after it burned
between the old roof of the home and a new roof that had been built on
top of it.
Most of the damage though seemed to be in the living room with more
smoke damage in the attic, according to Assistant Fire Marshall Arturo
Granado.
Granado said at the time of the fire, two people were in the house but
were able to escape injuries by getting out when they noticed the fire.
The volunteer firefighters were able to contain the fire in about 45
minutes after responding.
Brookshire said the owners of the house would have to fix some minor
damage caused by the fire.
"They're going to have to have a lot of electrical wiring replaced,"
he said.
The family was unable to stay in their home after the fire.
"They couldn't stay there because they didn't have electricity," Granado
said.
Mayor Ray Ortega, who was at the scene of the fire, gave the family
a place to stay for the night, according to Granado.
Last nights fire is the ninth fire in a two-week span, according to
Pecos Fire Chief Roy Pena.
On New Year's Eve, fire personnel responded to four calls including
a tractor-trailer rig accident, two dumpster fires and one fire in a 55-gallon
drum.
GED sign-ups scheduled today at high school
PECOS, January 3, 2001 - GED testing is scheduled for this afternoon from
1 to 5:30 p.m. at the Pecos High School counselor's office, with the tests
set for Friday and Saturday, Jan. 12-13 at 5 p.m. at the high school.
Those taking the exam must present a Texas driver's license or Texas
Department of Public Safety ID card when they register. For further information,
call PHS counselors Pat Cobos or Eva Arriola at 447-7229.
Weather
PECOS, January 3, 2001 - High Tuesday 39. Low this morning 27. Forecast
for tonight: Mostly clear. Low in the upper 20s. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday: Mostly sunny. High 60 to 65. Southwest wind 5 to 15 mph. Thursday
night: Partly cloudy. Low in the lower 30s. Friday: Partly cloudy. Highs
55 to 65.
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 2000 by Pecos Enterprise
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