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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Top Stories
Monday, October 29, 2001
Scare causes few changes in local Post Office
By LEIA HOLLAND
Staff Writer
PECOS, Mon., Oct. 29, 2001 -- Even with more cases of anthrax found in mail
in government buildings in Washington today, business is progressing
as usual at the local branch of the U.S. Postal Service.
Interim Postmaster Herman Armendariz said that postal workers in Pecos
have been calm throughout the anthrax scare and procedures have not changed
much since the discovery of the first anthrax case in Florida three weeks
ago.
All of the reported cases of anthrax so far have been reported on the
East Coast, and all of the letters containing anthrax so far have been sent
from areas in the eastern part of the United States. However, U.S. Postal
Service officials last week warned all Americans they could not guarantee
t he safety of all of the mail being handled by the post office.
"The only thing that's changed is that they have the option of wearing
a mask and gloves," he said.
In Pecos, wearing the mask and gloves is not mandatory right now and only
one employee has chosen to wear the protective devices, according to Armendariz.
He said that he does not believe that there would be a time where working
with the mask and gloves would be mandatory across the U.S., however he said
that could change.
"You never know with the way things are going right now," he said.
Since work is proceeding as usual at the local post office, Armendariz
said that they do not have the time to sort through each piece of mail and
determine any possible contaminated letters.
"We can't stop and check every piece," he said. "We're just being careful.
We treat every piece the same."
However, if any residents in this area receives any suspicious mail, Armendariz
said for that person to not open that mail and immediately place the letter
in a plastic bag before calling either him or the Pecos Police Department.
Armendariz or the police would then go to that home and investigate that
piece of mail.
Since the scare has begun, Armendariz said that a few people have called
him with suspicious letters, which he investigated. In all the cases, Armendariz
said that none of them were contaminated.
"I think we have nothing to worry about," he said.
Commissioners to award bids for RCDC project
PECOS, Mon., Oct. 29, 2001 -- The Reeves County Detention Center is the
main topic of a special meeting for the Reeves County Commissioners' Court
today at 3 p.m., in the third floor courtroom.
The commissioners are scheduled to discuss and award bid packages four
through 14 for the RCDC III project, which includes for general works, pre
cast concrete, fencing, pre-engineered buildings, finishes, food services,
laundry, sprinkler, detention, mechanical and electrical work.
The RCDC III project involved the planned expansion of the prison by an
additional 960 beds, bringing the facility's capacity to 2,960 inmates.
Also during the meeting, the commissioners will take action on replacing
an assistant alternate for early voting, a judge and alternate judge for
box five and an alternate judge for box six.
No action taken by City Council on landfill site
PECOS, Mon., Oct. 29, 2001 -- The Town of Pecos City Council took no action
on the acquisition of real property for the Pecos landfill during executive
session of the regular meeting last Thursday evening.
The council met in closed session to discuss the plan, and City Manager
Carlos Yerena said that the council did not vote on the agenda item but agreed
that the city would "move forward."
"We agreed to continue moving forward," he said.
Yerena gave no other details on the matter.
Weather
PECOS, Mon., Oct. 29, 2001 -- High Sun. 84. Low this morning 54. Forecast
for tonight: Mostly clear. Lows 50 to 55. Southeast winds 5 to 15 mph.
Tues.: Partly cloudy. Highs in the lower 80s. SE winds 10 to 20 mph.
Tues. night: Partly cloudy. Lows 50 to 55. Wed.: .Partly cloudy. Highs
80 to 85. Thurs. and Fri.: Partly cloudy. Lows 50 to 55. Highs 75 to
80.
Obituary
Roscoe McAlister
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 newsdesk@nwol.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 2001 by Pecos Enterprise
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