Roswell Daily Record THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
Vol. 123, No. 46 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday
February 21, 2014
New Mexico Legislature adjourns 30-day session
SANTA FE (AP) — The Legislature crossed the finish line Thursday of a 30day session after agreeing on a plan to temporarily shore up a lottery-funded college scholarship program. Shortly before adjourning, the House and Senate approved a proposal to use liquor tax money to help finance the scholarship program for two years starting in 2015. Until that starts to flow, a state budget bill provides extra money to keep the program solvent. Cutbacks in scholarships have been looming because the program is running
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short of cash. Lottery proceeds aren’t keeping pace with college tuition increases. If cuts become necessary, the legislation calls for students to receive a percentage of average tuition. Republican Gov. Susana Martinez expressed support for the scholarship fix. “It’s a solution that protects the core of the scholarship and is fair to all students,” Martinez said at a news conference. Lawmakers expressed hope that students won’t have their scholarships reduced for the next several years because of the extra funding. That gives the Leg-
islature time to continue looking for a per manent solution to the program’s financial problems. Democrats and Republicans alike described the session as a success because lawmakers completed their most important assignment — a $6.2 billion state budget to finance public education and government services next year. “Not everybody got what they wanted, but for the most part we got our business accomplished. We got a budget up to the governor that I think the governor can sign,” said House GOP Leader Donald Bratton of Hobbs.
Lawmakers passed a flurry of bills in the closing hours of the session, including proposals to finance $400 million in capital improvement and water projects and to prevent graduation requirements from changing for students once they enter the ninth grade. The session played out against the backdrop of a looming election in which Martinez is seeking another four-year term and Democrats are trying to hang on to their majority in the 70member House. Two of the gover nor’s Democratic challengers are state senators.
FRIDAY
Session highlights:
BUDGET-FINANCES Passed: $6.2 billion budget with a 5 percent increase in spending on public education and gover nment services next year; $233 million for state and local capital improvements, including $86 million for water systems; $167 million for capital improvements at and other colleges schools, senior citizen centers and libraries; constitutional amendment to provide more flexibility for
City candidates spend big to win JILL MCLAUGHLIN RECORD STAFF WRITER
Mark Wilson Photo Former State Representative Dennis Kintigh, left, and Mayor Del Jurney shake hands prior to Wednesday evening's Meet the Mayoral Candidates forum held at the Salvation Army headquarters.
Jurney, Kintigh debate leadership JILL MCLAUGHLIN RECORD STAFF WRITER
Mayor Del Jurney and mayoral candidate Dennis Kintigh debated jobs, leadership styles, taxes and
other hot topics Thursday night at the Salvation Army. The event, moderated by KBIM’s Tom Ruiz, was well-attended by several residents who were first
treated with a free spaghetti dinner. “We pray for the city, pray for the state. I thought, ‘What else could we possibly do to help our city be at peace?’ I thought
Meeting discusses raising awareness of child abuse JESSICA PALMER RECORD STAFF WRITER
A planning meeting to raise awareness about child abuse was held at Aldersgate United Methodist Church, Thursday evening. People attending included: Shelley Currier from Wings of Life, Mary Colby of CASA, and Virginia Villarreal and Renee Fitts of the New Mexico Child, Family and Youth Department. President of the Clovis
United Methodist Women Sherrie Goff, who served as the meeting’s chairwoman, said that often people believe that things “like this” don’t happen to “people like us,” but abuse is no respecter of class, territory or gender boundaries. She described an incident that happened in her family where her father was stabbed and killed during a home invasion. “It was a middle class home … and all this guy got away with was a bank card, a few
Tumbleweeds take flight
Tumbleweeds propelled by high winds fly through the air along Capitan Road northeast of Roswell, Wednesday.
HIGH 74 LOW 39
TODAY’S FORECAST
See DEBATE, Page A3
Several candidates seeking to overturn the mayor and sitting councilors have spent substantial sums of cash in the past month, according to financial reports filed Thursday. Mayoral candidate Dennis Kintigh has spent $33,722 since January — more than four times that of Mayor Del Jurney. Jurney has shelled out $7,692 in his bid for a second term, while only raising $6,385. Information contained in the campaign finance reports was not yet certified, as City Clerk Sharon Coll was on leave Thursday, according to City Manager Larry Fry. The reports contained a listing of all contributors to each candidate and a listing of expenditures. All candidates filed a report on time. The mayoral candidates spent most of their money on advertising and signage. Kintigh spent most of his money on radio and news advertisements, mailings
See HIGHLIGHTS, Page A2
and printing. Jurney reported he spent his biggest checks on radio and newspaper advertisements, but purchased signs, billboards and bus ads. In Ward 5, candidate Tabitha Denny far outpaced her opponent by raising $2,210 and spent nearly the entire sum on signs and flyers. Incumbent Councilor Barry Foster only raised $60 from one contributor and loaned his own campaign $505 to pay for signs and copies. In Ward 1, incumbent Councilor Dusty Huckabee reportedly raised $2,450 and spent $1,824 on signage. The statement of his opponent, Natasha Mackey, showed she raised $3,075 from several contributors and spent $3,432. Two Ward 2 candidates reported spending thousands on signage and advertising. The third candidate raised a decent amount of contributions, but only reported a small sum of spending. Candidate Jerry Heck See SPEND, Page A3
RPD searching for missing man
Roswell Police are actively searching for a missing Roswell man. Michael Bejarano, 20, has been missing since Feb. 13, and police are looking for Bejarano. “He’s 20, and he’s an adult, but his father hasn’t seen him since last Thursday and he is worried,” said Sabrina Morales, public information liaison for the Roswell Police Department. Detectives have been following up on leads as they come in, but nothing as panned out as of yet, Morales said. Police do not believe Bejarano is in any danger. If anyone has seen Michael Bejarano, or know of his whereabouts, please contact the police at 6246770.
credit cards and $60, and it cost my father his life.” She also discussed the concept of anger and its place in the stages of grief. “At first I was mad at God. Then, I was mad at the police.” Gof f has decided that now that her family has relocated to Roswell and the anger has passed, it is time to do something about some of the ills that afflict society.
Film Foundation to hold mixer in Roswell See ABUSE, Page A3
RANDAL SEYLER RECORD STAFF WRITER
Mark Wilson Photo
… ‘Let’s host this thing,’” said Capt. Beau Perez. Kintigh started the evening by talking about his experience beyond his
international investments by a state per manent fund. Failed: Increase yearly payout from permanent fund to provide more than $100 million a year for early childhood education programs. TAXES Passed: Remove the gross receipts tax from parts and labor for maintaining aircraft; lift the
Members of the New Mexico Film Foundation will be in Roswell tonight for a filmmaker mixer, which will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Holiday Inn/Oasis Bar and Grill. The mixer, sponsored by the Film Foundation, the Eastern New Mexico University-Roswell Media Arts Department, the City of
THERE
Roswell and the Roswell Filmfest and Cosmicon, kicks off the Sci-Fi/Fantasy Screenplay and Film Submissions and Competition, said Renee Roach, city marketing director and New Mexico Film Office liaison. “The event is also a fundraiser for the Film Foundation,” Roach said. “The foundation is an nonprofit that helps independent filmmakers with financing in New Mexico.” Filmmakers come to New
ARE NO OBITUARIES FOR TODAY. FOR INFORMATION ON SCHEDULED FUNERAL SERVICES, SEE PAGE A7.
TODAY’S OBITUARIES
Mexico to take advantage of the state’s film industry incentives along with New Mexico’s natural beauty and great weather, she said.
ENMU-Roswell and the City of Roswell will be showcasing the ENMURoswell Media Arts Program and local film projects at the event, Roach said. ENMU-Roswell students will be there with equipment and highlights of their work.
CLASSIFIEDS ..........B7 COMICS .................B6 ENTERTAINMENT .....A9 FINANCIAL ..............B5
“The work of the foundation brings job opportunities to the state, and this also gives the ENMURoswell students a chance to showcase their work and perhaps get to work in the industry.” There will be multiple screens displaying ENMU student film projects, as well as print media samples, and tables with information about local Roswell
INDEX GENERAL ...............A2 HOROSCOPES .........A9 LOTTERIES .............A2 OPINION .................A4
See MIXER, Page A3 SPORTS .................B1
WEATHER ............A10
WORLD ..................A7