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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Top Stories
Thursday, December 30, 1999
TNMP and City working New Year's Eve
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Dec. 30, 1999 -- Most businesses and utility companies will
be taking the day off tomorrow, but for some it will be a working evening
getting ready for the new millennium.
Texas-New Mexico Power Company will close the office during the day.
But, employees will be back at work at 10 p.m., to make sure everything
is running smoothly. Employees will be on call at all the offices and substations.
Town of Pecos City will also close its doors during the day. Department
heads will gather at city hall at 11:30 p.m. "We have one generator at
the warehouse and another one here at city hall," said Town of Pecos City
Utilities Director Octavio Garcia.
Garcia stated that both generators have been tested and are working
well. "We just tested them and both are working great," he said.
All department heads, including Town of Pecos City Mayor Dot Stafford,
city manager Kenneth Neal, Pecos Police Chief Clay McKinney and other city
employees will be on hand at city hall. "We'll have other employees on
call," said Garcia.
All Pecos Police Officers will be on duty that evening.
"We've been trying to make sure all generators and backup systems are
in working order," said Pecos Police Chief Clay McKinney.
McKinney said that all the office systems have been tested including
the 911 system and the computers.
About 20 officers from the Pecos Police Department will be out patrolling
the community and the SWAT team will be on standby with all their equipment,
according to McKinney. "We're also beefing up our communications department
with three individuals on call manning the phone lines," he said.
McKinney stated that they are asking the communities cooperation in
several areas. "We want to keep the 911 open for emergencies only," said
McKinney. "For any other problems the community has, we are asking that
they use the straight line," he said.
McKinney is asking that the community keep the 911 line open for life-threatening
emergencies, but officers will respond to other incidents. "We'll get the
officers out there as soon as we can," he said.
Portable generators will also be kept on hand. "We'll be using these
for emergencies that might arise, for lighting the scenes at accidents
or for any other problems," said McKinney.
McKinney said that the police department is correlating their efforts
with the Reeves County Sheriff's Department.
All officers from that department will also be on call.
Reeves County offices will be open tomorrow, however, they will close
on Monday, in celebration of the new year. "As a courtesy, I'll be here
for those prospective candidates that want to file," said Reeves County
Clerk Dianne Florez.
Florez stated that since Monday is the last day to file for the March
Primary Elections, she will be on hand to assist those that want to file.
"This is only for the candidates that want to file, we won't be conducting
other business that day," said Florez. "If someone needs another document
that day they can contact me," she said.
Florez said that for more information to call the county clerk's office
at 445-5467. "The county tax-assessor will also be at her office to help
check the petitions, in case someone files with Bobby Dean," she said.
Both county employees will be in their offices from 9 a.m. until noon
and from 2-5 p.m. on Monday.
First National Bank will open its doors to customers from 9 a.m. until
noon only, while Security State Bank will open from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.,
but will not re-open as they usually do from 5-6 p.m.
The Pecos Post Office front office will be open until noon only, on
Friday. However, mail will be delivered to homes and post office boxes.
Trans Pecos cotton - good yields and terrible prices
By JON FULBRIGHT
Staff Writer
PECOS, Dec. 30, 1999 -- Trans-Pecos cotton farmers already have seen
benefits from the boll weevil eradication program passed earlier this year,
according to Bob Bickley, president of the Trans Pecos Cotton Growers Association.
The Upland cotton harvest has been going on for a little over a month
now, and area growers have reported some of the best yields in recent years.
"It seems to me the way the crops have been cared for we're going to
have a pretty significant high yield," said Bickley, who said a couple
of new things this year have helped.
"One of the things that has helped us is the Texas Boll Weevil Eradication
Foundation. For the Pecos and El Paso areas we've had the eradication of
the pink bollworm."
Farmers in the El Paso and Trans-Pecos areas approved the boll weevil
eradication program earlier this year, and Bickley said, "There's not doubt
in my mind we've done a better job of controlling insects."
He said the three-county area of Reeves, Pecos and Ward counties has
about 20,000 acres of cotton in cultivation this year, that's a little
less than last year, and while the yield is good, Bickely said "Prices
are terrible, but in general you can say that for all agriculture," and
added he expects prices to remain low in the year 2000.
Most of the area cotton is being ginned either in Coyanosa or at the
Alamo-Kerley Gin in Reeves County. A roller gin also has been is use in
previous years, but Bickely said, "It hasn't been used because there's
virtually no Pima cotton here this year."
Burglars leave behind clues
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Dec. 30, 1999 -- They came in through the ceiling on Christmas
Day, but no, it wasn't Santa Claus and now the Pecos Police Department
is seeking the community's help in finding the perpetrators.
On Christmas Day, at about 5:05 a.m., individual or individuals climbed
through the ceiling at the Pecos Emporium and attempted to take several
items.
"As far as we know, we've recovered everything they were attempting
to take," said Pecos Police Investigator Kelly Davis.
The perpetrators tried to steal over $1,000 in clothing from the western
wear clothing store, located 800 W. Third Street.
However, the suspects left behind some items that can be used to locate
them. "They left behind a black trench coat, a cap and two pairs of pliers,"
said Davis.
Police officers are asking the community to look at the items and see
if they know who might own them, or possibly who they have seen wearing
them.
A reward is being offered by the Pecos Valley Crime Stoppers and anyone
who calls them will remain anonymous.
The suspects possibly were scared off when the alarm went off, leaving
behind their own items, along with the clothing they were attempting to
steal, according to Davis.
Anyone with information on this burglary is urged to call crime stoppers
at 445-9898.
Enterprise goes up to 50 cents
PECOS, Dec. 30, 1999 -- The Pecos Enterprise is raising its news-stand
price from 35 cents to 50 cents next week.
The new price goes into effect on January 3, 2000 - the first publishing
day of the new year.
The change is the first hike in the news-stand price since 1987.
Home delivery subscription rates will also go up- rising from $7/month
to $7.50/ month.
New Year's church services scheduled
PECOS, Dec. 30, 1999 -- Area churches will be having special services in
celebration of the new millennium.
On Friday, Dec. 30, Our Lady of Refuge Catholic Church in Barstow will
have Holy Hour from 6-7 p.m., while St. Catherine Catholic Church in Pecos
will celebrate the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament from 3-6 p.m., with
a special Mass scheduled for 6 p.m.
Santa Rosa Catholic Church in Pecos will celebrate the new millennium
with a noon Mass and at midnight will hold the midnight exposition of the
Blessed Sacrament.
Special services scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 1, 2000, include a Mass
at 9 a.m., at Our Lady of Refuge Catholic Church in Barstow; at 10 a.m.,
a Mass will be held at Christ the King in Balmorhea; at noon, a mass at
Our Lady of Guadalupe in Saragosa; at 10:30 a.m., Masses will be held at
both Santa Rosa Catholic Church and St. Catherine Catholic Church, both
in Pecos.
Lotto
AUSTIN (AP) _ Results of the Lotto Texas drawing Thursday night: Winning
numbers drawn: 1-14-16-21-26-44. Estimated jackpot: $7 million. Number
matching six of six: 0. Matching five of six: 76. Prize: $1,545. Matching
four of six: 4,088. Prize: $104. Matching three of six: 76,826. Prize:
$3. Next Lotto Texas game: Saturday night. Estimated jackpot: $10 million.
Weather
PECOS, Dec. 30, 1999 -- High Wednesday 73. Low this morning 50. Forecast
for tonight: Partly cloudy skies with lows in the 30s and 40s. West wind
gusting to 25 mph. Friday: More unusually warm temperatures. Mostly sunny.
High in the lower 70s. Friday night: Clear. Low around 35. Saturday: High
in the 60s. Low Saturday night in the 30s.
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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