09 12 14 Roswell Daily Record

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Roswell Daily Record THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY

Vol. 123, No. 220 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday

September 12, 2014

FRIDAY

www.rdrnews.com

Council votes to overturn zoning commission decision BY RANDAL SEYLER RECORD CITY EDITOR

The City Council voted unanimously on Thursday to overturn a Planning and Zoning Commission decision that denied a zoning change from Commercial-2 to Industrial-1. The council was acting as a quasi-judicial body, holding an appeal hearing. The property owners were originally seeking the change in zoning to allow a water truck hauling dispatch facility and storage of oil field equipment at the site. However, the process of getting the zoning approved proved to be too long for the original property buyer, and the water hauling business originally planned for

that site has been replaced with a different, oil industry related business, according to property owner Bill Shepard. Ken Wilson, an attorney representing a family of property owners who were against the zoning change, stated in his closing arguments that Shepard had retained an attorney. “I don’t have an attorney, I hate attorneys,” Shepard said, taking time to look back at Wilson and eliciting laughter from the audience. Wilson also told the City Council that Shepard no longer had a buyer for the property, which Shepard also refuted. “This new person we are talking to is a company called Crossfire, and they haul high-tech equipment

Honoring patriots

for the oil industry,” Shepard said. Shepard and his wife, Mary, who own the property at 1602 East Second St. on which the business is to be located, took the commissioners’ decision to the full City Council for an appeal after the Planning and Zoning Commission denied their zoning change request twice — first during a July 31 commission meeting, then again on Aug. 27 during a second commission meeting. The City Council heard testimony from neighbors who wanted the change to be denied, and heard testimony from the Shepards. Then the councilors voted unanimously to overturn See COUNCIL, Page A3

Randal Seyler Photo

White House pledges action on immigration

Mary Shepard testifies during her appeal hearing on Thursday during the City Council meeting in Roswell.

Dylanne Petros Photo

Children from the Assumption Catholic Church sing a song to thank members of the Army for serving for the U.S. during a Patriot Day Tribute Thursday night.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama will act on his own by year’s end to remake the nation’s fractured immigration system, and he will go as far as he can under the law, the White House chief of staff told frustrated Latino lawmakers Thursday. Chief of staf f Denis McDonough made the commitments in a closed-door meeting at the Capitol with members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Like other Latinos and immigrants rights’ activists the lawmakers were fuming over Obama’s decision Saturday, made under pressure from endangered Senate Democrats, to put off promised executive action on immigration until after November’s midterm elections. In Thursday’s meeting, according to lawmakers

who attended, McDonough heard out their concerns and renewed the president’s commitment to act — pledging under lawmakers’ questions that it would happen even if Democrats lose the Senate, the political environment tur ns worse and Obama once again faces calls to put off his decision. “We told him we were mad, we thought for sure he was going to act because he said he would, we’re very upset about that,” said Rep. Juan Vargas, D-Calif. “At the same time we got the promise that he’s going to act as generously as he possibly can before the end of the holiday season.” McDonough told reporters, “It was good to catch up with the caucus and underscore to them

Local vets asked to Kirksey recommended for judgeship respond to VA request Nomination now STAFF REPORT

The Veterans Affairs is beginning a pilot program in Roswell and Artesia and is attempting to determine the need for primary care and mental health care in this area. Specialty car e of any kind will not be part of this program — only primary car e and mental health care. Collectively, veterans in the area need to respond to this program and let the VA know how important it

is to have care in this area without veterans having to travel. At your earliest convenience, call the Albuquerque Veteran’s Administration at 1-800-4658262, ext. 13240. You may enter the extension immediately; it is not necessary to wait for the prompts.

Leave your name, phone number and last four digits of your Social Security number, and they will contact you with further information.

goes to governor for confirmation

STAFF REPORT

Hobbs attorney Lee Kirksey was recommended on Thursday to fill the new judgeship in the 5th Judicial District Court. The District Judicial Nominating Commission met in Lovington to evaluate Kirksey, an attorney with the Hobbs firm Maddox, Holloman & Kirksey, who was the only applicant for the new judgeship. The vacancy is due to the creation

of a new judgeship by the Legislature in May 2014. Kirksey is a shareholder and director of Maddox, Holloman & Kirksey, and has an active litigation practice that includes work in the areas of family law, commercial litigation, oil and gas litigation, guardianships and conservatorships and general civil practice. Kirksey also has experience in the appellate courts of New Mexico. Kirksey was admitted to practice in Texas in 1999 and in New Mexico in 2000. She is also admitted to practice in the Federal District Court of New Mexico and the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. It will be up to Gov. Susana Martinez to appoint Kirksey to the bench.

See IMMIGRATION, Page A3

Athlete: Senior Olympics offer exercise, fun Kirksey

Annual state competition returns to Roswell in 2015 BY RANDAL SEYLER RECORD CITY EDITOR

Randal Seyler Photo

Bonnie Bitzer, right, discusses her 19 years as a Senior Olympian while Dina Jenks, left, events coordinator for the New Mexico Senior Olympics, listens. Bitzer was the guest speaker for Thursday’s Continuity of Care meeting.

HIGH 71 LOW 50

TODAY’S FORECAST

Being a Senior Olympian is fun, and participating in the games can be life changing. “The Senior Olympics saved my life, literally,” said Bonnie Bitzer, 72, of Roswell. “If I hadn’t gone to that Fun Day event, I probably wouldn’t be here today.” Bitzer, who has been participating in the Senior

• JONITA O. GREEN • ALBERTA ROMERO • ANGEL GONZALES

Olympics for 19 years, was talking about her experiences as an athlete at Thursday’s Continuity of Care meeting. The Senior Olympics was sponsoring a Fun Day event nearly 20 years ago, and Bitzer went to see what it was all about. “I like playing games, and I had been an athlete when I was younger,” she said. Part of the Fun Day included a health fair, and during her visit through the

TODAY’S OBITUARIES PAGE A8

health fair, Bitzer came upon the nurse at the blood pressure booth. “Her face just went white,” Bitzer said, “and she asked me, ‘when was the last time you had a medical exam?’” Bitzer went to the doctor and discovered she was having heart issues, as well as facing an impending diagnosis of emphysema. “My heart was going bada-bing-da-ding,” Bitzer said, “and I was not thrilled

CLASSIFIEDS ..........B8 COMICS .................B7 ENTERTAINMENT .....B6 FINANCIAL ..............B4

by the emphysema.” She quit smoking the next week, and started exercising regularly and participating in the Senior Olympics. “They got my heart issues under control, and I ended up not having emphysema.” But she did get hooked on the Senior Olympics. The New Mexico Senior Olympics are headquarSee OLYMPICS, Page A3

INDEX GENERAL ...............A2

HOROSCOPES .........B6 LOTTERIES .............A2

OPINION .................A4

SPORTS .................B1

WEATHER ............A10


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