09 21 14 Roswell Daily Record

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Roswell Daily Record THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY

Vol. 123, No. 228 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday

September 21, 2014

www.rdrnews.com

SUNDAY

Potential push for Obama to expand military effort

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama’s military campaign against the Islamic State group already has extended beyond the limits he first outlined. But military experts inside and outside the administration argue that an even greater expansion may be needed for the mission to succeed, including positioning U.S. ground troops with front-line Iraqi security forces. Doing that could put Obama close to violating his pledge to keep Ameri-

cans out of combat. For Obama, re-engaging in combat in Iraq would mean going back on promises about the current mission and undercutting a pillar of his presidency — ending long wars and avoid new ones. If commanders request ground troops and he turns them down, Obama could be accused of putting his legacy first. Obama has shown a willingness to expand the size and scope of the fight against the Islamic State extremist group.

tles with the Islamic State group. But some of Obama’s current and former military advisers have said that unless American troops also participate, it will be difficult to defeat the militants. “They’re not going to be able to be successful against ISIS strictly from the air, or strictly depending on the Iraqi forces or the peshmerga,” said Robert Gates, Obama’s former defense secretary, using one of the acronyms for the Islamic State group. “So there will be boots on

He first announced a limited airstrike campaign, but the U.S. now is pursuing targets across Iraq and is expected to push the attacks into Syria. About 1,600 U.S. troops have been sent to Iraq to train local security forces and protect U.S. personnel. Soon, the Pentagon will start training and equipping Syrian rebels to fight the militants. Obama has said that Iraqi security forces, the Kurdish peshmerga and the Syrian opposition fighters will wage ground bat-

ments by emphasizing his pledge to keep Americans out of combat missions.

the ground if there’s to be any hope of success in the strategy.” Gen. Martin Dempsey, chair man of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told Congress he would recommend that step if Obama’s initial strategy fails. Dempsey also said that about half the Iraqi army is incapable of partnering effectively with the U.S. to combat the Islamic State group, suggesting a high likelihood that more Americans would be needed on the ground. The president responded swiftly to Dempsey’s com-

“The American forces that have been deployed to Iraq do not and will not have a combat mission,” Obama told troops at U.S. Central Command in Tampa, Florida. “As your commander in chief, I will not commit you and the rest of our armed forces to fighting another ground war in Iraq.” But White House officials See OBAMA, Page A3

Lumberjacks saw away for prizes in Cl oudcro f t ev en t 20th annual Lumberjack Day is the only one of its kind in the state

BY TIMOTHY P. HOWSARE RECORD EDITOR

Timothy P. Howsare Photo

Vince Marsh Jr., of Albuquerque, was the winner in the 0-60cc chain saw race Saturday at the 20th Annual Lumberjack Day in Cloudcroft. Behind Marsh is Joel Dees of Cloudcroft.

CLOUDCROFT — While residents and weekend revelers in the mountain town of Ruidoso were waking up Saturday morning to the revs of motorcycle engines from the annual Golden Aspen Rally, people 45 miles away in the much smaller and quieter alpine village of Cloudcroft were waking up to the revs of chainsaw motors. For 20 years, the village of 768 people, 9,000 feet above sea level in the Lincoln National Forest, has been host to Lumberjack Day, a gutsy competition where lumberjacks and lumberjills test their mettle with big axes and chainsaws.

Contestants compete individually or in teams. There are “Jack and Jill” competitions, where a man and a woman enter as a pair and a few contests for kids.

Events include throwing axes to hit a bullseye on a target, races cutting logs with chainsaws from a cold start and obstacle-choker races in which contestants make saw cuts of various depths on an obstacle pole. Cash prizes are given out at the end of the day to winners in each contest category with additional prizes for the overall winners.

Albuquerque resident Vince Marsh Jr. was the

See LUMBERJACKS, Page A2

Old Farmer’s Almanac: Pastor enjoys teaching during free time The original ‘Google’?

With up to

Some people stand in line for hours or even days awaiting the release of a new movie, gadget, or hot-selling Christmas toy. But something else has recently been released that’s causing fanfare in a whole different circle — “The Old Farmer’s Almanac.” The 2015 edition of the “Old Farmer’s Almanac” was released on Sept. 9. The “Old Farmer’s Almanac” has been around since 1792, making it the longest running continuously published periodical in the United States. The almanac is headquartered in Dublin, N.H. Its founder, Robert B. Thomas, once wrote, “Our main endeavour is to be useful, but with a pleasant degree of humor.” “The Old Farmer’s Almanac” has a high readership and a dedicated fan base. Many people patiently endure the year-

long wait for another compendium of the wit, wisdom and weirdness that is the Old Farmer’s Almanac. In this age of modern technology, almanacs might seem relics of a bygone age. After all, if one wishes to see a weather report, get gardening tips or learn about upcoming meteor showers, it’s easy enough to find that information online. But there’s something special about savoring a publication intended to be enjoyed not in one sitting, but all year long. While a newspaper may come out daily or weekly, and magazines might appear monthly or quarterly, an almanac has to tide its readers over for an entire year, capturing their longterm attention. This bucks the trend of modern media catering to increasingly shorter attention spans. At a time when people can scarcely muster

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See ALMANAC, Page A3

THE FUTURE

BY SHANNON SEYLER SPECIAL TO THE RECORD

BY MARY MORGAN RECORD INTERN

Jim Bignell greets everyone with a smile and a handshake. He is a man who has done a lot for his country and community. Bignell is the pastor at Aldersgate United Methodist Church, the satellite office at Eastern New Mexico University-Roswell and the Dexter United Methodist Church. He joined the Navy after he got out of college and served for 10 years. “My dad was in the Navy; I wanted to fly. So I entered the ROTC,” said Bignell. “The Navy ROTC said, ‘here fill out this test and you’re good to go,’” said Bignell. He spent three years flying in Japan, the Philippines and Vietnam. After Vietnam, he wintered in Maine. Then spent two years on an aircraft carrier where he was the “officer under deck.” “(Of ficer under deck) means you are in charge when the captain is eating

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or sleeping. It was both fun and scary to steer an aircraft carrier across the sea,” he said. Bignell has seen many places thanks to his time in the Navy, from Spain to Italy and places in between. After retiring from the Navy, Bignell went back to school to get a degree in education. “I didn’t know what I wanted to do once I got out so I thought I would go learn teaching,” he said. He taught in Florida for five years. Then he moved and taught at Goddard High School from 1977 to 1997. He also taught for five summers in Claremont. He taught physical science, chemistry, biology and drama. “I love science; to share knowledge is a wonderful

Pastor Jim Bignell

thing. To bring in a class that wants to learn and help them grow beyond that, is absolutely thrilling. There is a joy in sharing your knowledge,” he said. Bignell served on the school board from 2001 to 2005. “Everyone should serve on either the City Council

or the school board, for at least one year. Any more then that and you’re insane,” he said. He received his calling to join the ministry in August of 2005 during a “Walk to a Mass.” “The biggest thrill was when I got to baptize my granddaughter and greatgranddaughter,” he said. “I love weddings. It may sound strange, but I enjoy funerals. Funerals are a sad time for the family, but they’re also part of sending someone home. It’s a sharing time of memories. We keep those memories so there is a joy in that.” Not only is he a pastor, but he also directs plays at the Roswell Community Little Theatre. Bignell has directed 19 plays, acted in 21 plays and worked the light and sounds for 16 shows. He is currently directing a play for The Roswell Refuge, called “Family Secrets,” that will show the third week of October for domestic abuse month.

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