Roswell Daily Record
INSIDE NEWS
WASHINGTON (AP) — For the first time in days, President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner spoke by phone Wednesday about the “fiscal cliff” that threatens to knock the economy into recession, raising the prospect of fresh negotiations to prevent tax increases and spending cuts set to kick in with the new year.
DAVE BRUBECK DEAD AT 91
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Jazz composer and pianist Dave Brubeck, whose pioneering style in pieces such as “Take Five” caught listeners’ ears with exotic, challenging rhythms, has died. He was 91. Brubeck had a career that spanned almost all American jazz since World War II. He formed The Dave Brubeck Quartet in 1951 ... - PAGE A7
THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
Obama won’t play GOP’s ‘game’
Vol. 121, No. 292 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday
Of ficials provided no details of the conversation, which came on the same day the president, hewing to a hard line, publicly war ned congressional
December 6, 2012
THURSDAY
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Republicans not to inject the threat of a government default into the already complex issue. “It’s not a game I will play,” Obama told a group of business leaders as Republicans struggled to find their footing in talks with a recently re-elected president and unified congressional Democrats.
Among the Republicans, Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma became the latest to break ranks and say he could support Obama’s demand for an increase in tax rates at upper incomes as part of a comprehensive
plan to cut federal deficits. Officials said after the talk between Obama and Boehner, R-Ohio, there was no immediate plan for a resumption of negotiations to avert the clif f. At the same time, they said that for the first time in a few days, at least one top presidential aide had been in touch with Republicans by email on the subject. Each side has been declaring that the crisis can be averted if the other will give ground. “We can probably solve this in about a week, it’s not that tough,” Obama
said in lunchtime remarks to the Business Roundtable. It has been several days since either the president or congressional Democrats signaled any interest in negotiations that both sides say are essential to a compromise. Presidential aides have even encouraged speculation that Obama is willing to let the economy go over the “fiscal cliff” if necessary and gamble that the public blames Republicans for any fallout. Eventually, Democrats See CLIFF, Page A3
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INSIDE SPORTS Mark Wilson Photo
Anna Belt celebrates her centennial Anna Belt, celebrating her 100th birthday at Sunset Villa, Wednesday, speaks with her son, John, who is currently in Germany, while grandaughter Sheila Patzkie holds the phone.
ILISSA GILMORE RECORD STAFF WRITER
DENVEROAKLAND GAP WIDENS
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Just a year ago, Denver and Oakland went to the end of the season in the race for the AFC West title, with the Broncos edging the Raiders for first place on the final day by winning a three-team tiebreaker with San Diego. Now the teams couldn’t be further apart. The Broncos (9-3) are riding a seven-game winning streak into tonight’s game in Oakland having already wrapped up the division title. They are spending the last month worried about playoff positioning and staying healthy for the postseason. - PAGE B1
TODAY’S OBITUARIES
• Dennis Ray Howell • Jimmy Derrell Dean - PAGE A7
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As New Mexico celebrates 100 years of statehood, Sunset Villa Care Center commemorated
Wednesday the 100 years of one of its residents. Anna Belt sat surrounded by five generations of family, friends and other facility residents who came to honor her and wish her well. The facility
provided the group with refreshments, including cake, as well as balloons and a bag of goodies for the birthday girl. Nancy Perez, Sunset Villa’s activity director, said the center hosts cele-
brations for all its residents and to recognize someone 100 years old was especially special “because they’ve lived a century, seen a lot of
AP Photo
Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, during a press conference following a closed GOP strategy session at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday.
Egypt crisis grows
CAIRO (AP) — Egypt descended into political turmoil on Wednesday over the constitution drafted by Islamist allies of President Mohammed Morsi, and at least 211 people were wounded as supporters and opponents battled each other with firebombs, rocks and sticks outside the presidential palace. Four more presidential aides resigned in protest over Morsi’s handling of the crisis, and a key opponent of the Islamist president likened Morsi’s rule to that of ousted authoritarian leader Hosni Mubarak. Both sides were digging in for a long struggle, with the opposition vowing more protests and rejecting any dialogue unless the charter is rescinded, and Morsi pressing relentlessly forward with plans for a Dec. 15 constitutional referendum. The clashes outside the presidential palace in Cairo’s Heliopolis district marked an escalation in the deepening crisis. It was the first time supporters of
Salvation Army bell- 40 area kids waiting for ‘Bigs’ ringer needs pledges ILISSA GILMORE RECORD STAFF WRITER
The Salvation Ar my of Roswell seeks sponsorship and donation pledges in support of its bell-ringing world record attempt, scheduled to start 11 a.m., Tuesday, at Walgreens, 1835 N. Main St. Capt. Beau Perez said the organization decided to participate after the post office’s recent refusal to allow Salvation Army bell-
ringers to collect donations in front of its buildings, following regulation that says “soliciting alms and contributions ... or impeding access to or departure from Post Offices are prohibited on Postal Service property.”
The regulation stipulates that organizations would be allowed to do so if they had a contract with the post office. The local Salvation Army has since created an
ILISSA GILMORE RECORD STAFF WRITER
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southeaster n New Mexico is in “extreme need” of adult volunteers to work with children, said Chief Operating Officer Amanda Ware. Throughout southeaster n New Mexico, more than 100 children are waiting to be matched with a big brother or sister. In Roswell, there are at least 40 children wait-
Syrian civil war spills into Lebanon See RINGER, Page A3
INDEX
AP Photo
Lebanese army soldiers patrol in armored vehicles after clashes erupted between pro and anti-Syrian regime gunmen in Tripoli, Lebanon, Wednesday.
TRIPOLI, Lebanon (AP) — The families of Lebanese men killed in Syria last week say their relatives were more interested in nice clothes and vacations than fighting a civil war. Yet Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime branded them foreign jihadists — and their deaths set off three days of new spillover violence. Gunmen loyal to opposite sides in Syria’s civil war battled Wednesday in the streets of the Lebanese city of Tripoli. The fighting has killed six people and wounded nearly 60 since Monday, security officials said. The bloodshed is a sign of just how vulnerable Lebanon is to getting sucked into the Syrian crisis. The countries share a porous border and a complex web of political and sectarian ties that is easily enflamed. See SYRIA, Page A3
See ANNA, Page A3
ing. The organization matches children with adults, based on common interest and personalities, in an effort to develop a relationship that can provide a child with healthy life experiences. Volunteers can be from all walks of life and do not need a specific set of skills. “They just need to have the willingness to have a positive impact on a child’s life,” Ware said.
Spare parts
See EGYPT, Page A3
Ware said the majority of children are young, Hispanic males and the organization is looking to match them with older, Hispanic males, as statistics have shown matches with the same gender and ethnic group are more successful. The organization has a bilingual staff that can help the volunteer connect with parents if language is a barrier, she said.
See BBBS, Page A3
Mark Wilson Photo
Tom Bennington of Max Power out of Smyrna, Tenn., which provides services to the aviation industry, approaches the fuselage of a McDonnell Douglas 83 at the Roswell International Air Center as he and his crew prepare it for over-the-road transport to a buyer in Pensacola, Fla., Wednesday. The buyer, Fossco Inc., will be using the fuselage for parts.