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Flash in El Paso:
A skyward disturbance in West Texas early last month -- described by witnesses as
a bright golf-ball size chunk of the sun, a mid-air plane collision, and a
missile misfire -- was most likely a meteor that fell to earth near the Texas/New
Mexico border. The effects, which were reportedly seen from Anthony, Texas (on
the western border) to Horizon City in east El Paso county, included flashes of
light, bursts of smoke, hissing noises and, in some areas, ground tremors that
might have caused mild damage to homes. Fire and police
departments were flooded with concerned calls about the commotion, but couldn't
get confirmation of any dangerous activity, so most agencies just remained on the
alert. Although a police helicopter reported seeing an acre of scorched land
where the meteor is believed to have hit, no fragments have yet been collected.
Bolide (daytime meteor) collide or not, the explosions left a cloud of smoke
hovering 3,000 feet above the ground between Clint and Socorro, TX.
 Rare birds not cheep: In south Texas, the bark of the auctioneer could barely be heard over the calls of the geese, the roar of the cougar, and the grunt of the rhinoceros awaiting their turns on the bidding block. Richard and Lois Burns, the retiring owners of Noah's Land, a 500-acre wildlife park in Harwood, sold their collection of four-legged and fine-feathered friends last month to the highest bidders, from parks and private zoos nationwide to Texas ranchers in the mood for something more exotic to graze among their cattle. Alligators, giraffes, baboons, wildebeests and a wallaby were among the critters garnering a pretty penny before heading home with their new owners. Zebras were some of the top sellers, going for over $4000 each, while a llama could be had cheap -- only $1500. And the park land, 70 miles east of San Antonio, where the bizarre bazaar was held? It was sold too; the new owner is planning to open another wildlife park in Noah's place. |
Read previous installments of "The Big Beat." |
Mad Texas lane:
The tenth annual
report on national roadway congestion released by Texas A&M's Texas
Transportation Institute -- which categorizes cities in order of worst and best
managed traffic -- found that Texas cities seem to be steering their growth quite
well. In fact, three Texas cities were on the least-congested list, with Corpus
Christi named the most driver-friendly urban area in the country (El Paso ranked
second and San Antonio came in seventh). Even cities we might consider the bane
of our cruising existence fared well: Although Houston, for example, still ranks
higher than the Big Apple, its congestion index actually declined from 1988-1994.
Overall, Texas cities' congestion index grew by less than one percent, while most
other municipalities around the country grew by two percent during this time
period. The roadway congestion index is based on the number of miles of travel
per lane mile of freeway and principle streets; data from 1994 was used for the
most recent evaluation. No surprise: most-congested city status, for the tenth
year in a row, was awarded to Los Angeles.
Talking cents: Hard to notice until you're met with silence on the line, but these days it takes more dough to hear the dial tone. Southwestern Bell has implemented the first rate increase in a local public telephone call since bell bottoms were in fashion, requiring pay phone customers to drop an extra dime on top of their formerly-confident quarters. If you think carrying 35 cents is inconvenient, wait'll you hear this: directory assistance calls, previously gratis when made from pay phones, are now being charged the same fee. Before you slam down the receiver though, recall that the 1979 increase cost 15 cents more, and cast to history the wisecrack, "Here's a dime, call somebody who cares." Hopefully we'll have at least another 18 years to get used to the two-coin call. (10/30/97) |
