Roswell Daily Record THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
Spaceport sets sights on new customers
Vol. 123, No. 282 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday
ALBUQUERQUE (AP) — The scramble to get everything ready for the launch of the world’s first commercial flights from Spaceport America came to a screeching halt nearly a month ago when Virgin Galactic’s spaceship broke up over the California desert during a test flight. There was heartbreak, but now the New Mexico Spaceport Authority is scrambling again. This time, the focus is on drawing more tenants to the
nearly quarter-billion-dollar spaceport and maintaining support among state lawmakers. Christine Anderson, the authority’s executive director, learned this week she might have to do that one legislator at a time. Anderson was called out by Rep. Patricia Lundstrom, D-Gallup, for handing members of an interim legislative finance committee a presentation filled mostly with photographs. Lundstrom and other law-
November 23, 2014
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makers wanted hard numbers and more details about what plan the authority has to get past the Virgin Galactic mishap and get the taxpayer financed spaceport off the ground. “It just made all of us look like idiots, like we don’t do our homework,” Anderson said. “That’s not the case whatsoever.” Anderson pointed to a meeting just a month earlier with the same committee in which she testified for
six hours about what the spaceport authority has done, how much money it has spent and on what projects, how much revenue it’s likely to bring and what needs to be done going forward. The testimony covered everything from the salaries and benefits of spaceport employees to how much is spent to keep the lights on at the futuristic building in southern New Mexico. “It was all in there,” Anderson said.
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Lundstrom didn’t hear any of it. She wasn’t at that meeting and neither were dozens of other legislators. Anderson acknowledged Friday that the spaceport authority needs to do a better job of getting its message across to each lawmaker, and one of the important parts will be fostering more cooperation with business leaders to “beat the bushes” as the search continues for tenants.
Local filmmakers compete to ‘Crash the Super Bowl’ BY REY BERRONES VISION EDITOR
Rey Berrones Photo
“Crazy Stallion,” a local film made for the Doritos Crash the Super Bowl competition, is the story of a horse that gets into a bag of Doritos, and then takes a Mustang out for a spin. The other two films from local filmmakers are “Doritos is Like!” by Rodney Austin and “Doritos Fairy” by Zane Rader. The films will compete against a field of 3,500 entries.
The authority’s board of directors is planning another meeting before the year’s end to discuss updates to its business plan, and Anderson has called for meetings with state economic development of ficials to enlist their help in drawing in more business. Spaceport America’s anchor tenant is Virgin Galactic. With flights delayed indefinitely, the state stands to lose about $1.7 million a year.
Three local filmmakers have thrown in their hat on the Doritos Crash the Super Bowl competition. If any of them win, they get tickets to the Super Bowl, $1 million and a job at Universal Studios. To get a chance, they had to create a 30-second commercial, which, if it won, would be aired during the Super Bowl. The three films coming from local filmmakers are “Doritos is Like!” by Rodney Austin, “Doritos Fairy” by Zane Rader and “Crazy Stallion” by Keith Jones. “Doritos is Like!” features a soccer player taking an impossible shot at the goal. “Doritos Fairy” features a guy that is down on his luck that has found a Doritos Fairy. Finally, “Crazy
Stallion” is the story of a horse that gets into a bag of Doritos, and then takes a Mustang out for a spin. While they are just 30second spots, all of the filmmakers tried to put in an entire story, with quality fit and finish, mainly because this competition has been going on for years. The standard has been raised higher every year. Austin said that his entry was a group effort, and that it involved the help of the Eastern New Mexico University-Roswell Media Arts Department, the City of Roswell, Business Notions, and Affordable Signs. Keith Jones, who plays the part of the horse in “Crazy Stallion,” was director of photography for “Doritos is Like!” See FILMS, Page A2
APD officer stripped Deep-rooted flower shop honored by mayor of badge after shooting
ALBUQUERQUE (AP) — An Albuquerque officer who fatally shot a 19-year -old woman and did not record the encounter as required has been placed on administrative leave. Officer Jeremy Dear recently was stripped of his badge and gun but officials aren’t saying why, KOB-TV reports. Dear shot and killed suspected truck thief Mary Hawkes following an April 21 chase, authorities said. Hawkes pulled a weapon on Dear, prompting the officer to fire his gun, police said. An autopsy showed Hawkes died from three gunshot wounds to the head, neck and chest. A toxicology report later showed Hawkes had a high concentration of methamphetamine in her system.
The shooting evoked outcry because of the lack of video from Dear’s lapel camera. Taser International officials said in June that they don’t know if Dear failed to record the incident or if a power connector on the lapel camera failed.
Dear’s attorney, Thomas Grover, said the department said his client violated orders concerning cameras and citizen contacts.
“APD has been painfully vague not only in explaining why Officer Dear was put on administrative assignment but also why he was put on administrative leave,” Grover said in a statement. “However, the Department has yet to produce those orders to me, his attorney, either directly or through outstanding IPRA requests from my office.”
BY JEFF TUCKER RECORD STAFF WRITER
A Roswell business whose scents and sights have brightened Roswell for 100 years was honored Saturday for its longstanding contribution to the community and to Roswell’s historic downtown district. Roswell Mayor Dennis Kintigh proclaimed Saturday “House of Flowers Day” in recognition of the business that has blossomed in Roswell through three different ownerships over a 100-year period, becoming one of Roswell’s oldest continuing businesses. “This is neat. This is special. This really is,” Kintigh said of the brightly decorated business at 405 W. Alameda St. “I’ve
Randal Seyler Photo
Donald W. Price of Roswell, a retired municipal judge from Eddy County, has written an autobiographical book, “They Still Call Me Judge,” which was released in July.
Judge Donald W. Price will be holding a book signing for “They Still Call Me Judge” on Dec. 6 at Inspirations Unlimited at 2814 N. Main St. in Roswell from 1 to 3 p.m. Copies of the book can also be purchased online at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
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Roswell Mayor Dennis Kintigh reads a proclamation Saturday morning outside House of Flowers honoring the 100year-old establishment in Roswell’s historic district. Kintigh declared Saturday “House of Flowers Day.” Also pictured, from left, are Madlyn Wafful and Andrea Moore of the Redcoats.
been on this street thousands of times. And candidly, I’ve not been in here except maybe once or twice. This is an opportunity for me to learn more
about this community.”
Kintigh read a proclamation Saturday morning outside House of Flowers honoring the 100-year-old establishment in Roswell’s
See FLOWERS, Page A3
Former judge writes book about faith, career
BY SHANNON SEYLER SPECIAL TO THE RECORD
GO AND DO
Jeff Tucker Photo
historic district. The flower shop was established at its current location in 1914 by Howard and Helen Glover, who operated it for 61 years. In 1975, the Glovers sold the shop to Mike and Dolly Lawson, who renamed it House of Flowers. Dee Dyess and Janet Libby purchased the business in 2001 and have operated it since, while also uncovering relics from the Glover -era and placing them on display in the quaint flower shop. A framed Glover’s Flowers calendar from December 1953 featuring a beautiful bride hangs prominently in an upper level of the shop. At that
Donald W. Price no longer serves as a judge, but that doesn’t stop people from addressing him as one. His autobiographical book, aptly entitled, “They Still Call Me Judge,” was released in July of this year. The 108-page book offers a colorful blend of faith, law, hope and personal reminiscence. Judge Price, now a Roswell resident, is a Texas • EMMA JEAN HOOSER (BRADY) • DURRELL “LEE” SEYLER
native and former longtime Artesia resident. He served as a municipal judge in Artesia for 12 years, and a short while after taking that position, was sworn in as the magistrate of Eddy County. He was a judge for over 20 years. A deeply religious man, Price is quite open about his evangelical Christian faith. In addition to being a former magistrate, he’s an ordained minister. Price and his wife hosted a Christian television program that formerly aired on a Roswell TV station. “We’d
TODAY’S OBITUARIES PAGE B7
• EARLISS DOYLE GLEATON • BIANCA NAYELI SANDOVAL • DAVID BRADLEY DUER
drive up from Artesia to Roswell to do the show,” he recalls. Eventually, as a result of that broadcast, complete strangers would occasionally approach him, regarding him as their preacher despite the fact that they’d never actually met in person. “People in Roswell still remember that show, even though it’s no longer on the air,” he said. In his book, Price recalls several pivotal events in his life, including his marriage to Nelda Miller Price, his wife of 63 years. He also recounts the tragic death of
• ALLEN C. MATOON • BO JEAN (POLING) ALLEN
his son, Tommy, his lifechanging religious experiences, and his tenure as a judge.
Price had a tough time recovering after being nearly overwhelmed by grief following his son’s untimely death from cancer. He and his wife were deeply affected by this tragedy, to the extent that their lives seemed to be falling apart. But after attending a series of religious meetings, everything changed. With a See PRICE, Page A3
INDEX CLASSIFIEDS ..........D1 LOTTERIES .............A2 COMICS .................B8 OPINION .................A4 ENTERTAINMENT .....C4 SPORTS .................B1 HOROSCOPES .......A10 WEATHER ............A10