Roswell Daily Record THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
Vol. 123, No. 216 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday
September 7, 2014
www.rdrnews.com
SUNDAY
Obama defends decision to delay immigration action
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama said Saturday that the surge of immigrant children entering the U.S. illegally changed the politics surrounding the issue of immigration and led him to put off a pledge to use executive action that could shield millions of people from deportation.
Immigration reform advocates criticized Obama after White House officials said that the president would not act at summer’s end as he promised in June but would take up the matter after the midterm elections in November. In an interview taped for NBC’s “Meet
the Press,” Obama rejected the charge that the delay was meant to protect Democratic candidates worried that his actions would hurt their prospects in tough Senate races.
By Obama’s own calculations, politics did play a role in his decision. In his remarks to NBC, which were to be aired on Sunday, he said a partisan fight in July over how to address an influx of unaccompanied minors at the border had created the impression that there was an immigration crisis and thus a volatile climate for taking the measures he had promised to take.
“The truth of the matter is — is that the politics did shift midsummer because of that problem,” he said. “I want to spend some time, even as we’re getting all our ducks in a row for the executive action, I also want to make sure that the public understands why we’re doing this, why it’s the right thing for the American people, why it’s the right thing for the American economy.” Reflecting the passion behind the threat of deportations, immigration advocacy groups that have criticized Republicans for not passing an immigration overhaul instantly turned
Walkers weather wet weather
their anger on Obama. Cristina Jimenez, managing director of United We Dream, said the decision was “another slap to the face of the Latino and immigrant community.” “Where we have demanded leadership and courage from both Democrats and the president, we’ve received nothing but broken promises and a lack of political backbone,” she said. “We are bitterly disappointed in the president and we are bitterly disappointed in the Senate Democrats,” said Frank Sharry, executive director of America’s Voice.
Randal Seyler Photo
Hundreds of people braved wet and chilly weather Saturday morning to take part in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, which began at the Chaves County Courthouse. The Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Held annually in more than 600 communities nationwide, the walk involves participants of all ages and abilities to reclaim the future for millions, according to the event website. The goal of the local walk is to raise $33, 672.
AP Photo
In this June 30 file photo, President Barack Obama, accompanied by Vice President Joe Biden, pauses while making an announcement about immigration reform in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington.
Most Santa Fe marriage licenses go to gay couples
SANTA FE (AP) — More than half of the marriage licenses issued by Santa Fe County in the past year have gone to same-sex couples. The number of licenses issued has doubled, and 55 percent went to same-sex couples, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported Friday, citing data compiled by the county clerk’s office. More than 2,500 licenses were handed out since becoming available to same-sex couples on Aug. 23, 2013, the figures show. Of those, nearly 1,400 were requested by gay couples, with at least 600 of those couples coming from Texas and Oklahoma, officials said. The rise in licenses has also led to an increase in revenue for Santa Fe area
caterers, photographers and other wedding-related businesses.
Babak Dowlatshahi, owner of Insight Foto, said he’s gone from doing four weddings a year to about 30 in the past year.
“Obviously, there is a bottleneck of people that have been waiting,” he said. “I think it will last for a couple of years and then settle down to find a rhythm.”
Taos County has seen a similar increase in marriage licenses. County data shows 498 licenses have been issued since Aug. 28, 2013, with 48 percent going to same-sex couples. More than 180 of the couples came from Texas, Oklahoma and Colorado.
Attorneys question Roswell businessman Andy Daniels dies APD phone search ALBUQUERQUE (AP) — Some attorneys on Friday questioned whether Albuquerque police acted improperly when they searched a cell phone to find a woman who was later shot and killed by an officer.
A search-warrant affidavit shows police looked through 19-year-old Mary Hawkes’ cell phone without a warrant in order to identify her, the Albuquerque Journal reported.
According to the documents, Officer Sonny Molina ran a check of the license plate of the truck
Hawkes was driving April 21. When it did not turn up in the state vehicle database, Molina followed the truck and found it empty. Molina found a cell phone in the vehicle console. After determining it didn’t belong to the stolen truck’s owner, Molina looked at the cell phone data and saw Hawkes’ Facebook account. Police downloaded information from the phone to help locate an address for Hawke. Hours later, Officer Jeremy Dear was pursuing
STAFF REPORT
Roswell business leader Andy Daniels died in Albuquerque on Thursday. Daniels, 64, was president and CEO of Barnett Fine Flooring in Roswell. According to friends, Daniels had lived in Roswell for 40 years. He was remembered by many for his happy nature and his fondness for visiting friends and neighbors at Starbucks. Daniels was bor n on July 6, 1950, in Albany, N.Y., the son of the late James and Isabelle
Daniels.
Daniels
He graduated from Palo Duro High School in 1969
in Amarillo, Texas, and attended Texas Tech University. He married Karma Barnett in Lubbock, Texas, on Feb. 18, 1972, and the couple moved to Roswell in 1974 to work at Barnett’s Fine Flooring, the family business which was established in 1947. He eventually became the owner, president and CEO of the company and continued to expand the business. Daniels is survived by his wife, Kar ma; his daughter, Jennifer, and her husband, Dan, and their children Christian and Caleb; and his son,
Blodgett continues serving, volunteering in community BY RANDAL SEYLER RECORD CITY EDITOR
Joan Blodgett is like the Energizer Bunny — not only does she keep on going, today she’s wearing all pink, including a T-shirt she picked up during a trip to Paris, France. “My daughter Dina took me to the United Kingdom, England, and Scotland, and then to Paris,” she says. “I’ve also been to Israel three times. I never really ever thought I would go there once.” Blodgett jokes that she is only 37 and not to be fooled by the gray hair. She certainly has the energy of
See APD, Page A3
someone much younger, even if she isn’t really still a 30-something. Blodgett is the executive secretary at Tobosa Developmental Services for the second time. She joined Tobosa in 1982, not long after Tobosa opened where University High School is now located. Tobosa’s mission is to assist and support individuals and families challenged by developmental disabilities, and Blodgett came to the organization after a career as an elementary school secretary back in Michigan. She moved to Roswell in the early ’80s because her
HIGH 76 LOW 63
TODAY’S FORECAST
former husband, Bill, needed work. “The auto industry had tanked in Michigan and he was in the construction trade,” she said. “We had a friend who had moved to Roswell and things were booming here.” Besides her daughter, Dina, who lives in Maine, Blodgett also has a son, Greg, and three grandchildren who live in Maryland. They have all done well both educationally and career-wise, she said. After 30 years at Tobosa, Blodgett decided to call it quits, but that didn’t last for long. “I retired last June, but
• ROBERTA JEAN “BOBBI” MCKNIGHT • JO ANN MAREK MALONEY
they asked me in October to come back part time,” Blodgett said. “It’s mostly what I did anyway.”
At 73, Blodgett stays active with a variety of organizations, but her first membership upon moving to New Mexico from her native Michigan was with the Roswell Runners Club, a group she is still active with. “I wanted to run in the Turtle half-marathon, but I had a doctor’s appointment.”
• ANDY DANIELS • JULIA ANN SEALY
TODAY’S OBITUARIES PAGE B6
Brian. He is also survived by numerous other family members. A celebration of life service will be held at 2 p.m. on Monday at Grace Community Church, with Pastor Rick Hale officiating. Burial will follow at South Park Cemetery with Robert Barnett, Daniels’ brother-in-law, officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, 1111 S. Pennsylvania Ave., Roswell, NM 88203. Arrangements have been entrusted to Ballard Funeral Home and Crematory.
Besides the runners club, Blodgett is also a former president of Roswell’s Altrusa Club, or “Dusty Gavel” as they are called, and she also volunteers at the Reflections and Recovery Ministry Refuge, where she works with women who have addiction problems.
“I have been involved in Altrusa for 22 years,” Blodgett said. “Altrusa has done so much for the communiSee BLODGETT, Page A3
CLASSIFIEDS ..........D1
COMICS .................C4
ENTERTAINMENT .....B8
INDEX GENERAL ...............A2
HOROSCOPES .........B8 LOTTERIES .............A2
Blodgett OPINION .................A4
SPORTS .................B1
WEATHER ..............A8