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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Top Stories
Friday, April 26, 2002
Council approves 10th St. reopening
By LEIA HOLLAND
Staff Writer
PECOS, Friday, April 26, 2002 -- Parents dropping off their children at Pecos
Kindergarten should have an easier time once the Town of Pecos City
opens up the portion of 10th Street just west of the school
that has been closed for many years. The City Council approved the
reopening of 10th Street, next to the former Pecos
Elementary campus, during the regular meeting last night at City Hall.
The council has been discussing reopening that portion of the street for
a few months after some inquiries were made to several councilmen.
The one block portion of the street was closed to public traffic numerous
years ago for use as a school bus stop next to Pecos Elementary.
Since the school district closed that school last year, Utilities Director
Octavio Garcia said that Pecos-Barstow-Toyah Superintendent Don Love didn't
have any problems opening the street again.
"He said he didn't have plans to reuse the building," he said.
Garcia also said that in order to reopen the street, the city needs to
remove the gravel on that portion of the street and repair the street.
"We're just going to have to repair the street," he said.
The council also authorized Frank X. Spencer & Associates to increase
the well size on two water well locations in the South Worsham Water Well
Field.
Engineer Ashek Rana reported to the council that eight successful water
wells have been drilled each emitting 170 to 750 gallons of water per minute.
Rana explained that they tested the wells for 36 hours and discovered
that the recovery rate was good.
Rana said that he and Spencer discussed placing larger casing in order
to learn more about the aquifer.
Well plans currently call for 10 inch casings for the wells however Rana
requested the council to authorize for 12-inch casings to be placed in two
wells so they would be able to discover how fast the recovery would be if
a larger pump was used.
"To be more confident and to know more about the aquifer we want to go
with bigger wells," he said.
Several members of the council asked whether or not the change in casing
size for the two wells would cause the city to go over budget.
Rana and City Manager Carlos Yerena assured the council that doing this
now could possibly save money in the future and that two different sized
casings would allow them to stay within budget.
"Whatever we do we can't go over the budget," Yerena said.
In other business the council approved the monthly tax collection report,
the accounts payable and the minutes from the previous meeting.
Crime victims honored in courthouse ceremony
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Friday, April 26, 2002 -- Victims of crime have rights too and need
help coping with their dilemma, which is the main reason a local office
to serve those purposes was set up.
This week, victims of crime, victim advocates, criminal and justice officials,
allied professionals, and community sponsors across the United States are
observing the 22nd Annual National Crime Victims' Rights Week.
In the aftermath of Sept. 11, this year's theme, "Bringing Honor to Victims,"
reflects the country's heightened awareness of the harsh and tragic impact
of crime on its victims, while underscoring the critical importance of helping
all victim of crime rebuild their lives.
"This week is about bringing honor to all crime victims by promoting a
greater understanding of crime victims' needs, by educating victims about
their rights and the resources available to them, and by applauding the countless
volunteers and professionals who have dedicated their lives to seeing that
harmed by crime don't fall through the cracks," said Susie Saenz with victim
services in Pecos.
"I love my job," said Saenz. "Working with the victims has changed my
life in more ways than one."
At the ceremony held on the courthouse steps at noon Thursday, Saenz thanked
everyone for being there and Town of Pecos City Mayor Ray Ortega signed and
read a proclamation in honor of National Crime Victims' Rights Week.
Crime victims had the opportunity to say a few words during the ceremony.
Danny Leos told the crowd that seven years ago he had lost a sister-in-law
during an accident. "It was a drunk driver that hit my brother's car from
behind and my sister-in-law died," said Leos.
Both were ejected from the vehicle, but Leos brother survived. "We think
about her everyday and her kids miss her a lot," he said.
"Thanks to Susie who has been helping my brother cope and finding resources
for him, he's doing alright," said Leos.
Leos said his brother still had some physical problems and missed his
wife terribly.
"I also want to talk about the crimes that go unreported," said Leos,
who is a sheriff's deputy with the Reeves County Sheriff's Department. "There
is a large number of crimes that go unreported and if you know someone who
has been a victim of a crime, please urge them to report and we will get
them some help," he said.
Marie Cardenas told of a horrific accident that occurred behind her home
in a rural area north of Pecos where an accident had occurred and two individuals
had lost their lives.
"We weren't the immediate victims, but seeing that accident and those
two that lost their lives out there," said Cardenas, who wept during her
speech.
"We didn't know them, but they were somebody's brother, sons, and possibly
parents," said Cardenas.
Cardenas told the group that wearing a seatbelt is very important. "You're
chances of surviving an accident are greater if you wear a seatbelt," she
said. "You won't be ejected and there's a greater chance of survival, so
please keep that in mind," she said.
Rev. J.E. McCormick led a prayer in tribute for all those who suffered
as victims and the group released balloons in honor/memory of victims of
crime.
Anchor workers study job offers as closing nears
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Friday, April 26, 2002 -- Anchor West employees were enthusiastic
Thursday afternoon, as they applied for several positions with different
companies and looked at different options with the loss of their jobs
in Pecos looming as early as next Friday.
Anchor parent McCain foods plans to close the plant over a period of three
weeks in May, putting 640 employees out of work. But the workers were offered
a variety of options during a Job Fair, held at the Anchor facility Thursday
afternoon.
"We have 12 employers represented here," said one of the fair coordinator
Nancy Ontiveros, who added that employees were pleased that they were having
the job fair at the facility.
"They're excited and happy that we're having the job fair here on site
and they can come at their own time," she said. "They believe Anchor is doing
a good job of finding a placement for those that will be losing their jobs
on May 3."
The first layoffs are scheduled to begin Friday, May 3. The remaining
workers will be laid off at the end of May, company officials said last month.
Ontiveros said that many employees have started taking GED classes in
anticipation of applying for a job at the Reeves County Detention Center.
"The employers that are here today are companies that the Anchor employees
wanted to see because they were at the first job fair also," she said.
Ontiveros said that Wright Brand Foods, out of Vernon in North Texas,
was already setting up employees that they plan to hire for employee physicals
at the hospital. "We're also setting up a trip for them to see tour the facility
in Vernon," said Ontiveros.
Will Sager, with Human Resources/Recruiting for Wright Brand Foods said
that the company is already scheduling physicals for employees that definitely
want a position with Wright. "We could probably use about 100 employees,
because we are expanding," said Sager.
Sager said that within an hour they had already had six employees on file
that they had talked to at the last job fair. "We're setting them up with
a schedule as to when they can be up there and taking care of the details,"
he said.
"This is for the employees that are definitely interested," said Sager.
"We're giving them a letter and they will give us a window as to when they
can join us, say within two to three weeks."
"We want to know the approximate time to start the orientation procedure,"
said Sager.
Sager said that Vernon is a town much like Pecos with a population of
11,600. "It's a lot like Pecos, so they won't be homesick," he said.
RMS representative Hector Vega said that they really didn't a certain
amount of openings, but they were taking applications for the facility based
in Hobbs, N.M.
"We'll also be helping with relocating," said Vega.
RMS was looking for quality assistance technicians, sanitation, maintenance
employees, machine operators, productions workers and packers. "They don't
have to have a high school diploma or GED," said Vega. "We're a multi-lingual
facility so bilingual is a plus, but not a must," he said.
Vega said that he felt that they needed to go to the employees and the
employees not to them. "We need to approach them and talk to them," he said.
Sam Hausman of Corpus Christi representative Junior Moreno said that the
company had a variety of openings from quality control to laborer. "Today
we're taking applications," said Moreno. "We're opening up another plant
there in Corpus and we'll be needing employees," he said.
"So far we've been doing pretty good, recruiting them today," he said.
Tita Mora and Laura Contreras representing the Reeves County Detention
Center in Pecos were on hand to provide information on the facility and offer
applications to the employees.
"We haven't had that many yet, but we're providing them with information,"
said Mora. "We also have applications, but we heard that some employees are
waiting for their GED's to apply, which is one of the requirements at the
facility."
The two were busy providing information to the job seekers and handing
out applications. "We're still giving them the applications so they can fill
them out later," she said.
McCain Foods, which purchased Anchor's parent company last September,
announced plans to close the Pecos facility in November, opting instead to
expand a smaller facility the company already owned in Grand Island, Neb.
While McCain Foods vice president Bob Thomas said last week that the company
is currently in negotiations with another firm for purchase of the facility.
However, Thomas said he could not disclose the name of that company.
Anchor began operations in Pecos in 1990 expanding over the next 10 years
from one line to four, and from 200 to 700 workers. Of that number 640 people
were still employed at the plant as of the end of March. The 640 employees
represent about 10 percent of Reeves County's workforce.
Rabies clinic set for next Saturday
PECOS, Friday, April 26, 2002 -- A Rabies Clinic will be held from 9 a.m.
until 1 p.m., Saturday, May 4, at the Pecos Animal Clinic Parking Lot.
The event is sponsored by the Pecos Animal Clinic and other rabies prevention
efforts are planned for the area.
Weather
PECOS, Friday, April 26, 2002 -- High Thursday 60. Low this morning 49.
Rainfall last 24 hours at Texas A&M Experiment Station .03 inch.
Forecast for tonight: Mostly cloudy and breezy with a 40 percent chance
of thunderstorms. Some storms may be severe large hail and damaging
winds. Lows in the mid 50s. Winds becoming southwest 15 to 25 mph.
Saturday: Mostly sunny and breezy. Highs 85 to 90. West winds 15 to
25 mph. Saturday night: Partly cloudy. Lows 50 to 55. Sunday: Partly
cloudy. Highs near 90. Monday: Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 50s.
Highs in the lower 90s.
Obituaries
Clovis Baca, Alan Hoefs and Mitchell Hoover
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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
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Copyright 2002 by Pecos Enterprise
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