01-13-12 PAPER

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Roswell Daily Record

INSIDE NEWS

VANESSA KAHIN RECORD STAFF WRITER

BIG SNOW COMES TO MIDWEST

MILWAUKEE (AP) — An unusually mild winter finally gave way to the Midwest’s first big snowstorm of the season Thursday, blanketing a region unfazed by a white Thanksgiving in a layer of powder and pack that forced all-too-happy snow plow drivers off their couches and into the streets. - PAGE A5

THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY

Voters to decide on additional tax

Vol. 121, No. 11 50¢ Daily / $1 Sunday

The possibility of a Municipal Infrastructure Gross Receipts Tax was the topic of much heated discussion between concerned Roswell residents and members of the City Council during a regular City Council meeting, Thursday. The new tax received a unanimous thumbs-up from the council. “We’re going to Tebow

January 13, 2012

FRIDAY

www.rdrnews.com

this into existence,” said City Councilor Bob Maples of the tax. He alluded to the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos, T im Tebow, to demonstrate how strongly he is in favor of the tax. The tax, which would amount to an additional .125 percent on taxable purchases, will generate funds that will go toward economic development as it is defined by the city’s Local Economic Develop-

The tax would only go into effect if approved by referendum in the March municipal election. Its effective date would be July 1.

ment Act Ordinance No. 11-05. Revenue generated by this tax is estimated to be more than $1.2 million a year. Maples said the tax would make Roswell “the

community it should’ve been 30 years ago.” He suggested that perhaps it is perceived so negatively because of its name. “I wish we could pick another name but ‘tax,’”

Flipped auto

TOP 5

Maples said. The word ‘tax,’ he said, “causes certain muscles in the body to restrict.” Several residents expressed their opposition to it. “We shouldn’t be in the landlord business,” said resident O.L. Adcock. He noted that the tax has been brought forth to Roswell residents in the past, with

Wooten to head County Board

See TAX, Page A3

JESSICAL PALMER RECORD STAFF WRITER

WEB

For The Past 24 Hours

• Incumbents, plus, file for election • Fresquez to run for new term seat ... • Dexter Elementary, 4-H join in festivities • Corps gives NMMI edge in home win • Roswell presses way to win over Lovington

INSIDE SPORTS

Mark Wilson Photo

Police arrest a suspect following a wreck that flipped a vehicle onto a fence at a residence on the corner of Poe and Virginia, Thursday afternoon.

The Chaves County Commission elected Kyle D. “Smiley“ Wooton, 3rd District, its chairman, during its regular meeting, Thursday. Wooten replaces Greg Nibert. Three public hearings were held, including the proposed rezoning of Area 1, Zone A. The area will be used for a dairy byproduct digester facility. Speaking for the question, Gerald Greathouse, president of Natures Dairy, estimated

Project to link power Pentagon does damage control grids lines up partners NMMI DOWNS LAKE ARTHUR

The New Mexico Military Institute and Lake Arthur girls basketball teams returned to action for the first time after winter break on Thursday. Both teams struggled shooting the ball, but both played solid defense during the Institute’s 32-16 win over the Panthers at the Godfrey Athletic Center. “(We) played really good and I’m happy that everyone got to play,” said Colt coach Marisha Olesinski about the way her team played. - PAGE B1

TODAY’S

ALBUQUERQUE (AP) — A $1.5 billion effort to link the nation’s three major electricity grids is getting a boost from Japanese investors and a European company well versed in integrating power markets. The partnerships with Mitsui and Co. and the European Power Exchange will ensure access to a large talent pool and funding for the next three phases of development for the Tres Amigas SuperStation in eastern New Mexico, said Tres Amigas president and chief executive Phillip Harris. Harris has spent the past week meeting in Santa Fe with Mitsui officials about details of the project. Con-

struction is set to begin this summer, and officials expect the transmission hub to be operational in 2015. “There’s massive excitement about it,” Harris said Wednesday, following one of his meetings. More meetings were planned Thursday and again next month. Harris said there is international interest in the success of a U.S. hub that would allow electricity to flow more freely between grids, and in the development of a trading system that could work seamlessly in a global market. “With the technology that we have today, the commuSee GRID, Page A3

WASHINGTON (AP) — Pentagon leaders scrambled Thursday to contain damage from an Internet video purporting to show four Marines urinating on Taliban corpses — an act that appears to violate international laws of warfare and further strains U.S.-Afghan relations. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta called Afghan President Hamid Karzai to offer assurances of a full investigation and the top Marine general promised an internal probe as well as a criminal one. Investigators moved quickly to identify and interview at least two of the four Marines. They were members of a battalion that fought for seven months in former Taliban strong-

Arrest after standoff

OBITUARIES

• Helen Louise Lanier • Michael Payne • Bobby Dean Fitt - PAGE A6

HIGH ...54˚ LOW ....21˚

TODAY’S FORECAST

CLASSIFIEDS..........B5 COMICS.................B3 ENTERTAINMENT.....B5 FINANCIAL .............B4 GENERAL ..............A2 HOROSCOPES ........A8 LOTTERIES ............A2 OPINION ................A4 SPORTS ................B1 WEATHER ..............A8 WORLD .................A7

INDEX

Mark Wilson Photo

Police arrest a man following a standoff at a residence on Lea Avenue just south of Second Street, late Thursday afternoon.

See COUNTY, Page A3

AP Photo

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton expresses her dismay, Thursday, at emerging reports of U.S. Marines allegedly desecrating the bodies of Taliban fighters killed in Afghanistan, during a news conference with Algerian Foreign Minister Mourad Medelci, at the State Department.

holds in souther n Afghanistan. Their unit, the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines,

returned from Helmand province to its home base at Camp Lejeune, N.C.,

Republicans rally ’round Romney

GREER, S.C. (AP) — An array of Republicans and conservatives — including some of Mitt Romney’s sharpest critics — rushed to the GOP presidential front-runner’s defense Thursday to counter efforts to paint the former venture capitalist as a job-killer. Under fire, Romney rival Newt Gingrich tempered his attacks on Romney’s tenure at the helm of Bain Capital, but Rick Perry defended his approach. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who ran against Romney four years ago, wrote in an online letter, “It’s surprising to see so many Republicans embrace that left-wing argument against capitalism.” And another 2008 foe, former New York mayor

See MARINES, Page A3

Rudy Giuliani, told Fox News Channel, “I’m shocked at what they are doing. I’m going to say it’s ignorant. Dumb. It’s building something we should be fighting — ignorance of the American economic system.” Romney’s new defenders — many of whom have long histories of disagreeing with the former Massachusetts governor — argued that the attacks on his business record undermined the GOP’s identity and weakened the party’s chief argument against Democratic President Barack Obama, that federal intrusion has stymied the economy’s recovery. And while the latest comSee ROMNEY, Page A3


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