- MONAHANS, Texas (Reuters) - Seven young Texas boys who were almost hit
by a meteorite that crashed to Earth as they played basketball won their
battle against local officials on Tuesday to keep the small but valuable
space rock.
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- Officials in the west Texas town of Monahans
had claimed the black meteorite was city property because it landed on
a public right of way but the city council voted on Tuesday to give it
back after the boys threatened to sue. Calling themselves the ``Meteorite
Seven'', the boys cheered and applauded as six council members bowed to
public pressure and voted unanimously to return the 2 pound, 11 ounce rock.
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- The seven pals have already been offered
up to $31,000 for the meteorite and they plan to sell it to the highest
bidder and split the proceeds.
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- ``I feel happy and excited. Why, I don't
know,'' said 9-year-old Javier Juarez. ``I'm saving the money for college.''
The seven were playing basketball in a driveway on March 22 when they heard
a shrill noise and a crash as the meteorite fell to Earth in the front
yard of a nearby home belonging to the parents of one boy. It left a crater
about one foot wide and 4 inches deep.
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- The boys then began receiving money offers
from university science departments but local police took the rock away
to check that it wasn't dangerous and city officials later said the rock
actually landed on public land so was city property. The dispute consumed
this town of 8,100 residents but city officials soon found themselves facing
a public relations nightmare.
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- Another chunk of the meteorite fell on
public land three blocks away but there is no dispute over ownership of
that chunk: It belongs to the town and officials plan to put it in a display
case in City Hall.
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