Roswell Daily Record
Vol. 123, No. 280 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday
THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
November 21, 2014
Obama spurns GOP with immigration orders
WASHINGTON (AP) — Spurning furious Republicans, President Barack Obama unveiled expansive executive actions on immigration Thursday night to spare nearly 5 million people in the U.S. illegally from deportation and refocus enforcement efforts on “felons, not families.” The moves, af fecting mostly parents and young people, marked the most sweeping changes to the nation’s fractured immigration laws in nearly three decades and set off a
fierce fight with Republicans over the limits of presidential powers. In a televised address to the nation, Obama defended the legality of his actions and challenged GOP lawmakers to focus their energy not on blocking his measures but on approving long-stalled legislation to take their place. “T o those members of Congress who question my authority to make our immigration system work better, or question the wisdom of me acting where
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Congress has failed, I have one answer: Pass a bill,” Obama said, flexing his presidential powers just two weeks after his political standing was challenged in the midter m elections. As Obama spoke from the White House, immigration supporters with American flags draped over their shoulders marched on Pennsylvania Avenue outside carrying signs that read, “Gracias, Presidente Obama.” The address marked the
first step in the White House ef fort to promote the executive actions to the public. On Friday, Obama will speak at a campaign-style rally in Las Vegas. Despite Obama’s challenge to Republicans to pass a broader immigration bill, his actions and the angry GOP response could largely stamp out those prospects for the remainder of his presidency, ensuring that the contentious debate will carry on into the 2016 elections.
Varinia Sandino holds her son Zachary as she watches President Barack Obama’s televised immigration speech at Casa de Maryland in Hyattsville, Md., Thursday.
Kruse recognized for 52 years of service Commission moves forward with tax increases, decreases BY MARY MORGAN RECORD INTERN
Ed Kruse, who alone raised $75,000 for the Salvation Army, was honored for his 52 years of membership and service with the Roswell Rotary Club and Salvation Ar my on Thursday. Kruse worked the red kettles for 52 years, raising money outside of the Roswell Post Office with Robert “Bob” Maples and Berry Stone. Kruse became a Rotary member in September 1962 after a friend, who had perfect attendance, talked him into coming to a meeting. “He had perfect attendance and he wanted me to have perfect attendance so I have not missed a meeting in 52 years,” said Kruse. Kruse has worked with the Salvation Army’s red kettles since 1962 when he became a member. “There was a contest See KRUSE, Page A3
BY JEFF TUCKER RECORD STAFF WRITER
The Chaves County Commissioners on Thursday moved forward with a proposal to lower property taxes to their lowest levels in 20 years, while also raising gross receipts taxes for several years. The commissioners on Thursday also referred back to a committee for further review a proposed ordinance that would regulate sexually oriented businesses, although no one has expressed an interest in establishing an adult business in the county.
Tax proposals
Mary Morgan Photo
Ed Kruse was awarded with the bell ringer extraordinaire award Thursday by Lt. Col. Joe Posillico the commanding officer of the Salvation Army in Arizona, New Mexico and the southern part of Nevada.
Commission on Aging discusses findings on medical care costs
County Manager Stanton Riggs explained the tax proposals are intended to lower operational property tax rates to their lowest levels since 1995 in an effort to assist those in the county living on fixed incomes and to stimulate economic
Seeing how it’s done
growth in the county. The property tax decrease would be coupled with a temporary increase in gross receipts taxes in the county, principally to fund construction and operations at the Chaves County Detention Center, Riggs said. The $15.1 million jail renovation project is expected to be completed in August. Riggs said it seemed more fair to raise GRT than property tax rates. “We put our heads together as a staff and our finance people,” Riggs said. “What can we do to help the community and still meet the needs of the detention center that we have to meet?”
Gross Receipts Taxes
The commissioners on Thursday voted unanimously to publish for a See COMMISSION, Page A3
ENMMC pricing determined most expensive BY RANDAL SEYLER RECORD CITY EDITOR
Members of the Roswell Commission on Aging discussed the high cost of medical care in New Mexico on Wednesday. Commissioner Morgan Nelson discussed a report released by the think tank T h i nk N e w M e x ic o i n wh ic h c os ts a t v a r i ou s hospitals for a variety of ailments were compared across the state. “Think New Mexico is a group of prominent people wh o h av e r el e a s e d t hi s r ep o r t ab o u t m a ki n g health care more affordab l e, ” N el so n t o ld t h e
commissioners, who were gather ed at the Chaves County Historical Museu m fo r t h e ir m o n t h l y m e e ti n g , w hi c h b e g a n without a quorum of commissioners in attendance. According to the group’s website, Think New Mexico is a results-oriented think tank whose mission is to improve the quality of life for all New Mexicans, especially those who lack a strong voice in the political pr ocess. Their r e p o rt , “ M ak i n g H e al th Care More Affordable By Increasing Transparency and Ending Price Discrimination,” includes a chart showing average hospital
charges for six common conditions and the high, low and mid-range prices. E a st e r n N ew M exi co Medical Center made the list twice, under the categories “Heart Failure & Shock” and “Pulmonary Embolism.” In the “Heart Failure & Shock” category, the highe st av er a ge ch arge wa s from ENMMC at $56,396, c om par ed t o t h e low charge of $15,472 recorded at Rehoboth McKinley C h r is tia n H ea lt h C a r e Service in Gallup. Un der “ P ulm on ar y
Timothy P. Howsare Photo
Corinna Martinez, advertising assistant at the Roswell Daily Record, shows Berrendo Middle School journalism students how she creates page layouts, or “dummies.” The students toured the newspaper Thursday with their teacher, Maureen Peden. Stories and photos produced by the students will be featured in Sunday’s newspaper.
City seeking green-thumbed volunteers for spring See HOSPITALS, Page A3
BY RANDAL SEYLER RECORD CITY EDITOR
Above: Submitted Photo Left: Randal Seyler Photo
Resident Larry Connolly asked the Home Garden Club on Thursday to assist in bringing flowers to the city’s flower pots in the spring as part of a beautification effort.
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Even though it’s wintertime, one Roswell man is getting ready for spring. Larry Connolly, founder of the Young Professionals for the Arts Collective, asked the Home Garden Club members on Thursday to join him in bringing flowers to Main Street. Connolly and Mayor Dennis Kintigh visited with the garden club to discuss beautification projects, including planting flowers in
the pots that are along the sidewalks in downtown Roswell. “I am absolutely determined that next Spring every flower pot along Main Street will look as great as this pot does,” Connolly said, holding up a photo of a flower pot covered in petunias. “I think I can recruit enough members of the Young Professionals for the Arts to help plant these pots, but we need some expert gardeners to be the coaches.” “We need this,” the mayor said. “The appearance of a
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community affects the morale of that community. The question is how do we go about this?” Connolly asked if the city’s Community Improvement Commission could serve as an umbrella organization, working to coordinate various beautification projects. Isabel Olsen, a member of the Community Improvement Commission and the Home Garden Club, had invited Connolly to speak to the group, he said. “By the time the 2015 gardening season begins, I want
CLASSIFIEDS ........B10 COMICS .................B9 ENTERTAINMENT .....B8 FINANCIAL ..............B5
to have recruited an army of Roswellites to make our downtown and neighborhoods look like Holland, Michigan, which to me is a gold standard for welcoming visitors,” Connolly said.
“We have so many wellmeaning groups in Roswell that have their own excellent agendas, but we don’t have an umbrella organization. I’m hoping the Community Improvement Commission can become that umbrella.” Connolly said there were
INDEX GENERAL ...............A2
HOROSCOPES .........B8 LOTTERIES .............A2
See GREEN, Page A2 OPINION .................A4
SPORTS .................B1
WEATHER ............A12