09 30 14 Roswell Daily Record

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Roswell Daily Record

Vol. 123, No. 235 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday

THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY

September 30, 2014

TUESDAY

www.rdrnews.com

County taxes going up for water right purchases BY JEFF TUCKER RECORD STAFF WRITER

The Chaves County Commission has approved higher property tax rates for 2014, although the commissioners said they had little to do with raising taxes. The commissioners on Sept. 18 approved imposing real property tax rates certified by the New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration. The new rates include a

doubling of the mill levy imposed by the Pecos Valley Artesian Conservancy District. Property owners within the conservancy district, which includes the central regions of Chaves and Eddy counties, will see property tax increases this year, depending on the assessed valuations of their properties within the conservancy district. The commissioners emphasized the tax rates are set by the DFA, not the county, and that the coun-

Pearce accepting military academy applications STAFF REPORT

Congressman Steve Pearce is inviting high school seniors residing in New Mexico’s Second Congressional District to apply for nominations to U.S. military academies. Applications for the U.S. Air Force Academy, the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Military Academy and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy must be submitted or postmarked to Pearce’s Las Cruces Office by Oct. 10. students Interested should send applications to 570 N. Telshor Blvd, Las Cruces, N.M., 88011. Detailed information and downloadable applications are available at pearce.house.gov. Students applying to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy do not need a congressional nomination.

ty had not raised its tax rate. “It appears we can do nothing about it now,” said Commissioner Kim Chesser. Commissioner Greg Nibert said the county has done everything it can to not raise taxes. Nibert said the commissioners could have raised taxes for the $15.1 million jail renovation project underway, but they did not. “We want to hold the line and not to raise taxes,” Nibert said. “At least on our

part, we’ve tried to hold the line.” Nibert said it was other taxing entities that were causing property tax increases. “And I hope the voters understand that,” he said. County Assessor Ron Lethgo told the county commissioners the increase in the county’s tax rates in 2014 is principally due to the doubling of the mill levy imposed by the Pecos Valley Artesian Conservancy District. “I know this was a diffi-

cult decision for them,” Lethgo said. Property tax bills for 2014 will be sent to Chaves County property owners Nov. 1. The tax bills are due in December and May of 2015, unless property owners chose to pay their entire bills in December. The PVACD’s 2 mill increase will cost the owner of a $100,000 home about $67 a year, said Chaves County Chief Deputy Assessor Mark Willard. Residential property own-

ers within the city of Roswell who own a $100,000 home face a total county tax bill of 30.582 mills, or about $1,019, Willard said. PVACD superintendent Aron Balok explained the need for the conservancy district to raise taxes at a meeting last week of the Roswell Chaves County Economic Development Corp. Balok said the conserSee TAXES, Page A3

Paradin’ around town

The application process is open to all interested high school seniors residing in New Mexico’s Second Congressional District.

Pearce will hold Board Academy Reviews, and will then submit his nominations to the military academies. Interested high school juniors are encouraged to contact Pearce’s office for information, and to begin preparing for the process. Students are encouraged to research the specific academies on their respective websites for further information on the nomination and selection process.

Questions may be directed to Mary Morris, Las Cruces director for Pearce, at 575-522-3260.

Timothy P. Howsare Photo

The sun shone brightly Monday morning as a spectacular parade kicked off this year’s Eastern New Mexico State Fair. Schools were closed and it seemed like everyone in town was either in the parade, or standing along the street watching it. The parade lasted for nearly two hours. Warm, sunny weather is expected throughout the week as events continue at the fair grounds on Southeast Main Street. The parade grand champion was Sidney Gutierrez Middle School. For complete results and more pictures, see page A3.

Prosecutors seek prison Longtime community for ex-campaign manager advocate Jane Batson dies

SANTA FE (AP) — Federal prosecutors have recommended that a former campaign manager for Gov. Susana Martinez be sentenced to prison time for stealing the governor’s email and lying about it. Jamie Estrada faces up to a year and one day in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 8 in Albuquerque. In documents filed in federal court on Friday, the U.S. attorney’s office said sentencing Estrada to “the higher end of that range would best reflect the seriousness of his crimes, promote respect for the law, and be a fair and just punishment in this case.” Estrada’s lawyers asked a federal judge earlier this month to place their client on probation rather than send him to prison. Estrada pleaded guilty in June to charges of unlawful interception of electronic communication and lying to FBI agents. He provided the hijacked email to the governor’s political opponents. Messages sent by Martinez, her aides and supporters never went to intended recipients on 2010 gubernatorial campaign email accounts and instead were directed to a computer account controlled by Estrada. Those emails included the governor’s online pur-

chase of underwear and a Martinez staffer’s bank records. Estrada briefly served as campaign manager in 2009 as Martinez was starting her bid for governor. Federal prosecutors said Estrada was “dishonest, devious, spiteful and conniving” during the time he took control over the campaign email system in mid-2011 after Martinez became governor and leaked email to damage or embarrass Martinez. Prosecutors said Estrada also plotted against Martinez allies, including Amy Orlando, who the governor appointed as her successor as Dona Ana County district attorney. Martinez had served as district attorney until becoming governor. Estrada “had joined in the effort to try to defeat” Orlando in the 2012 election, according to prosecutors. Some of Orlando’s emails were intercepted by Estrada. Orlando lost to Democrat Mark D’Antonio, who is the current district attorney in Las Cruces and is among those who have submitted letters in support of Estrada for the federal judge to consider in sentencing him. D’Antonio has described Estrada as a friend and “a good and honest man who made a very serious error.” Martinez plans to ask the

Prosecutors said Estrada attended the 2012 GOP National Convention at which Martinez was a speaker. Estrada received a text “suggesting that he should chant ‘Susana es una Tejana’ before her speech,” to which defendant Estrada replied, “Bwhahahahahaha! I’d love to say it to her pendeja face!”’

HIGH 84 LOW 53

• FLORA C. PEÑA • MICKEY JEANNETTE SHAFTO • JANE ELIZABETH BATSON

TODAY’S FORECAST

federal court to sentence Estrada to prison.

The governor’s spokesman, Enrique Knell, said Monday, “The filing by federal prosecutors sheds shocking new light on the depravity of those involved in this crime and how multiple operatives conspired to break federal laws in an attempt to personally destroy innocent private citizens and corrupt the political process, beginning with the DA’s race in Dona Ana County and continuing with the governor’s race.”

In their court filing, prosecutors included copies of text messages between Estrada and an unidentified “confidant” who also was working to defeat Orlando. They discussed sending Orlando a “flip off photo on election night” and “mused about sending a similar photo to the governor.”

BY RANDAL SEYLER RECORD CITY EDITOR

Jane Batson, longtime community volunteer and advocate, died Saturday morning. “It is a great loss for our community, she worked tirelessly in many areas to make our community better,” said Paula Camp, coordinator of Healthy Kids of Chaves County. “She did a great job for us, and she worked with the homeless, and many other groups. This is just a terrible loss for us as a community.” Batson, 67, was the former interim vice president for External Affairs at Eastern New Mexico Univeristy-Roswell, retiring from the university in 2013. In 2002, Batson was the recipient of the New Mexico Distinguished Public Service Awards for her dedication to public service and to the betterment of life in New Mexico. “She was a great woman and did wonderful things for Roswell,” Jennifer Smith said on Facebook. “I will miss working with her on the Chaves County Health Council.”

TODAY’S OBITUARIES PAGE A6

Batson Batson received numerous awards for her work at ENMU-Roswell and in the community. From ENMU-Roswell, Batson received the Kosa Award for Excellence in Teaching in 1979-80 and in 198182 and the President’s Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching in 1982. She received the United Way Community Service Award in 1988 and was named New Mexico’s Outstanding Volunteer Award for National Philanthropy Day in 1993. In 2001, she

received a Caring Citizen Award from the Chaves County Commission. She received the Sertoma Local and District Service to Mankind Award in 1994 and was named an Outstanding Woman of New Mexico in 1997. “New Mexico just lost a true community champion for children,” said Frances Varela on Facebook. “Jane worked tirelessly to make a difference in the lives of children, youth and families. She will be deeply missed.” Batson was passionate about helping others and improving the lives of those who are less fortunate, and she led efforts to find solutions to numerous problems, such as children without dental care, teens with no parental guidance, residents with inadequate health care, drug and alcohol abuse, and domestic violence. Batson earned a diploma in nursing from Northwest Texas Hospital School of Nursing, a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from ENMU and a master’s degree in counseling and guidance

See BATSON, Page A3

CLASSIFIEDS ..........B6

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

FINANCIAL ..............B4

LOTTERIES .............A2

COMICS .................B4

HOROSCOPES .........A8

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

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

WEATHER ..............A8


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