Roswell Daily Record THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
Historic legislative session begins today Vol. 124, No. 17 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday
BY JEFF TUCKER RECORD STAFF WRITER
A new political dynamic takes shape in Santa Fe today as Republicans assume control of the New Mexico House of Representatives for the first time in 60 years. The 37 GOP members of the House, and the 33 Democrat members, will learn their committee and office assignments today as state lawmakers convene for their 60-day long ses-
January 20, 2015
TUESDAY
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sion, held every other year. At least one local Republican is hopeful of obtaining a committee chairmanship under the leadership of presumptive-Speaker Don Tripp of Socorro, who was unanimously nominated in November by his fellow Republicans to become House Speaker, the first Republican Speaker of the House since 1954. The speakership is the most powerful position in the House, largely responsible for controlling the leg-
Bob Wooley
islative agenda, appointing chairmen and members of committees and leading negotiations with Senate leaders.
Candy Spence Ezzell
Republicans won a 37-33 majority in the House in November’s general election. Democrats retain a 25-17 majority in the Sen-
Blll Moffit Photos Right: Just under 400 people marched from Fourth and Main streets to Alameda Street and back in support of equality following a rally at Pioneer Plaza for Martin Luther King Jr. Day Monday. Rev. Troy Smothermon, pastor of Church on the Move, said that this was the fourth year that the church has sponsored the event. Below: Rev. Landjur Abukusumo, founder of Blackdom Memorial Gardens Inc., addresses the crowd of nearly 400 people gathered at Pioneer Plaza for a Martin Luther King Day celebration Monday. The event marks the fourth year that it has been sponsored by Church on the Move.
Nora Espinoza
ate since none of its members were up for election in 2014. House Republicans and Democrats, as well as Sen-
ate
Cliff R. Pirtle
Republicans
and
Democrats, will officially
Rally at Pioneer Plaza honors MLK’s legacy
BY BILL MOFFITT RECORD CORRESPONDENT
Just under 400 people turned out for the Martin Luther King Day rally at Pioneer Plaza, across the street from the old courthouse, Monday. Sponsored by Church on the Move, 901 W. Brasher Road, the group heard several speakers before marching to Alameda Street and back again. The Rev. Troy Smothermon of the church presided over the festivities which started shortly after noon. Roswell Fire Chief Devin Graham gave the opening prayer which was followed by the national anthem. Six other speakers reminded the crowd of King’s fight against racism before the march began. “Love will defeat hate,” Smothermon said. “We are going to overcome the racism that is still here in our community. We need to come together.
See SESSION, Page A3
“We’re not going to stay quiet. I believe that there are more good people than there are bad, but, we let the voice of the bad have a greater voice than we have. Martin Luther King Jr. said: ‘The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience but where he stands in times of challenge and controversy.’” Roswell Police Chief Phil Smith called the current trend of police shootings “scary” and vowed that Roswell would not follow the national trend.
Rev. Landjur Abukusumo praised the people for attending the rally adding: “We do this not for us. We do this for you. When you act in a racist manner, the person that you act against is not hurt. You are the one that is hurt. You reap what you sow.”
Hospital auxiliary group Museum plans program awards college scholarships for children with autism SUBMITTED
Easter n New Mexico Medical Center Auxiliary awarded scholarships totaling $20,000 to the following students for the spring 2015 semester: Cara Alsafi, Merysa Avitia, Jeanette Baker, Lauren Bullock, Leann Bullock, Casey Carroll, Sandra Deter man, R yan DeFranco, Adilene Diaz, Scott Early, Chelsea Getchell, Truman Haeny, Elizabeth Hervey, Kim Hestand, Ariana Jauregui,
Amanda Jerge, Myrna Martinez, Lucia Meraz, Danielle Tur ner and Latricia Velasquez.
Students pursuing careers in the health care field and attending an accredited university may apply. Applicants must have a minimum accumulative GPA of 3.0 and have completed at least one semester of college. These scholarships are available for applicants from Roswell and the immediate sur-
rounding communities. Scholarship applications for the summer 2015 semester will be available by April 1, in the Volunteer Services Department at ENMMC, 405 W. Country Club Road.
Through sales in the Auxiliary's Hospitality Shop located in the hospital and Thrift Shop located at 221 E. Wildy St., membership dues, memorials and See GROUP, Page A3
Eastern NM Medical Center included on Medicare list STAFF REPORT
Medicare is penalizing 11 New Mexico hospitals, including Eastern New Mexico Medical Center, for allegedly having high rates of potentially avoidable mistakes that can harm patients, known as “hospital-acquired conditions.” Medicare is penalizing a total of 721 hospitals across the country, according to a report published on the website, Kaiser Health News. Eastern New Mexico Medical Center of ficials were unable to respond to a request for information
about the action by Medicare prior to press time. The penalized hospitals will have their Medicare payments reduced by 1 percent over the fiscal year that runs from October 2014 through September 2015, according to the website. To determine penalties, Medicare evaluated three types of hospital-acquired conditions. One is central-line associated bloodstream infections, while the second is catheter associated urinary tract infections. The final condition, called “serious complica-
tions,” is based on eight types of injuries, including blood clots, bed sores and falls. Other hospitals in New Mexico on the Medicare list are: Artesia General Hospital; Gila Regional Medical Center in Silver City; Holy Cross Hospital, (a division of Taos Health Systems) in Taos; Los Alamos Medical Center; Memorial Medical Center, Inc. in Las Cruces; Northern Navajo Medical Center in Shiprock; Presbyterian Hospital in Albuquerque; Roosevelt General Hospital in Portales;
HIGH 63 LOW 31
• HUGH WILEY PUCKETT • WAYNE PETERSON • PATRICIA DIANE WOOLDRIDGE
TODAY’S FORECAST
See ENMMC, Page A3
BY RANDAL SEYLER RECORD CITY EDITOR
The Roswell Museum and Art Center will offer art classes for families of children with autism the RMAC Board of Trustees learned on Monday. “I had a very successful program working with autistic children in Miami,” museum director Michael Hall told the board. “I want to do something here with children with autism.” Hall said the class was a cooperative ef fort between the RMAC and the New Mexico Autism Society. “This is a pilot program, and we will have to get our feet wet,” he said. “But I think it is important that we offer services to all facets of the community, and this is a good way for us to provide a needed service.” The museum is also offering a mentoring program for high school students seeking a career in the art world for the first time, Hall said. To keep programs coming, Hall said the museum and city leaders need to also reconsider the
• RONNIE GRAVES
TODAY’S OBITUARIES PAGE A6
current arrangement that has planetarium director Marcus de Thouars working for both the city and the Roswell Independent School District. “That first agreement was hobbled together quickly, and now we need to look at coming up with a long-ter m arrangement,” Hall said. Due to his obligation to RISD, Hall said de Thouars spends much of his time serving as a substitute teacher. “When Marcus comes to the museum to run the movies, he is doing that on his own time.” Hall said he had been unable to get in touch with Superintendent Tom Burris to discuss restructuring de Thouars’ employment so he works for the city only. “The planetarium director should report to the museum director, not to two different organizations,” Hall said. Mayor Dennis Kintigh said he would try and get Burris in touch with City Manager Steve Polasek to discuss the situation. “I’ll make this an action item,” the mayor said.
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Kintigh updated the trustees on Friday’s meeting at the site of the proposed museum annex. The plan for a Roswell Museum and Art Center annex downtown on Third Street, in a building being renovated by Developer T rey Nesselrodt, was unveiled at an informal meeting on Friday where businessmen, residents and museum staff met to look at the potential site where the mayor hopes to see a 15,000-square-foot children’s museum. The city will lease the building from Nesselrodt, using Lodger’s Tax funds, and Nesselrodt plans to develop a market and restaurant in the adjacent building. “This is a bold move, don’t get me wrong,” Kintigh said. “But I am a swing-for-the-fences kind of guy.” The RMAC trustees first discussed the plan in November, when Nesselrodt came to the board with architect’s drawings and discussed the development. “We see this as the See RMAC, Page A3
CLASSIFIEDS ..........B5
INDEX GENERAL ...............A2
FINANCIAL ..............B3
LOTTERIES .............A2
COMICS .................B4
HOROSCOPES .........A8
OPINION .................A4
SPORTS .................B1
WEATHER ..............A8