Roswell Daily Record THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
Vol. 123, No. 300 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday
December 14, 2014
SUNDAY
www.rdrnews.com
New McDonald’s to open Tuesday, bringing 70 jobs BY RANDAL SEYLER RECORD CITY EDITOR
If you’re craving a Big Mac, you’ll have a new state-of-the-art McDonald’s to eat one in as of Tuesday. John and Robyn Snowberger, owners and operators of two of the three McDonald’s restaurants in Roswell, will open their newest store this week. But opening the new restaurant, which sits on North Main Street just south of Sam’s Club, does not mean the McDonald’s in Walmart will be closing. “That was incorrectly reported,” John Snowberger said on Thursday. “The restaurant inside Walmart will stay open. I want to be sure everyone knows that.”
In fact, the manager of the Walmart McDonald’s has been promoted to manager of the new restaurant, and the manager of the downtown McDonald’s, Danny Kemp, has been promoted to area supervisor, Snowberger said. “People don’t go to Walmart to eat, they go there to shop and then eat,” Snowberger said. The location of the new store was determined by the McDonald’s home office and Google Earth, which helped locate a potential site for a new store. “Because we were in good standing with McDonald’s we were offered the location,” Snowberger said. “When I looked at the map for north Roswell, I saw
potential for customers and employees.” McDonald’s will hold grand opening celebrations from Dec. 18-20, including a noontime “meet and greet” with Ronald McDonald at the new restaurant on Dec. 20. On Dec. 20, the restaurant will also give away a bicycle and a year’s supply of McDonald’s at the noon event, Snowberger said, and the public is invited to meet Ronald McDonald and celebrate the new store. There will also be special deals Thursday, Friday and Saturday, including $1 quarter pounders on Friday and 99-cent Happy Meals on Thursday. See MCDONALD’S, Page A3
Randal Seyler Photo
Area Supervisor Danny Kemp, Store Manager Jouanna Lara, Owner Operator John Snowberger and Director of Operations Cedric Cota were all at the new McDonald’s on Thursday preparing for the grand opening of the new store, which will start serving customers at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday.
Wreaths worldwide honor vets during the holiday season BY DYLANNE PETROS RECORD STAFF WRITER
Wreaths were placed at the Gen. Douglas L. McBride Veterans Cemetery Saturday morning. The wreaths were placed in conjunction with the event Wreaths Across America. The worldwide event is held to remember veterans during the holiday season, said MaryAnn Murphy, the organizer of the event and senior ride captain with the Patriot Guard Riders. About 10 years ago, she said, a wreath-making company in Maine had leftover wreaths. Instead of throwing the wreaths away, the company decided to take them to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. The employees put the leftover wreaths on graves that did not already have flowers or wreaths placed on them, Murphy said. “From there it has just grown,” she said.
Dylanne Petros Photos
Above: Wreath bearers stand and wait to place their wreath at the proper flag pole at the Wreaths Across America memorial ceremony Saturday morning. Right: Motorcycles line up at the entrance of the Gen. Douglas L. McBride Veterans Cemetery Saturday morning. Patriot Guard Riders, American Legion Post 28 Legion Riders, the Vietnam Veterans of America and many other motorcyclists helped lead the way to the cemetery during the parade.
Now there are more than 10,000 sites where wreaths are placed every year, she said. All the programs around the world begin at the same time, Murphy said. Arlington National Cemetery starts its memorial service at noon Eastern Standard Time and every other location in the world follows. “I think it’s so wonderful that people are willing to do this,” she said, referring to people in places like Japan where it might be the middle of the night when the ceremony starts. Wreaths Across America came to Roswell because veteran Bob Thompson thought it was important to recognize and remember veterans during the holiday season, Murphy said. “This is a very small way of saying ‘we love you, we appreciate what you did, we’re so glad to have our freedom,’ ” she said. The wreath bearers at See WREATHS, Page A2
Early college program ‘More joys than challenges’: Down Syndrome looking for new students BY DYLANNE PETROS RECORD STAFF WRITER
The early college program at University High School took off this school year and the program is ready for more eager students who wish to get a jumpstart on their college careers. Porter Cutrell, principal at University High School, said there are about 250 early college programs in the country and the programs are excelling because of how important a post-secondary degree is in today’s society. “The early college high school attempts to put together an opportunity to get a New Mexico high school diploma, vocational certificate, associate’s degree or the first two years of college work all in four years,” he said. Getting two years of college out of the way, Cutrell said, is not the only positive thing about the early college high school program. “The opportunity to get two years of college out of
the way while you’re still in high school is a money saver,” he said. “I think it’s a huge economic value for the students and the families.” Despite that the early college high school program does not have athletic or any extra-curricular programs, its students still can participate at their home schools. “You’re legally allowed to play at whatever your home school is,” he said. Even though the early college high school program does not field sports teams, Cutrell said students will still be in good hands. “We don’t have athletics out there. We don’t have band but every kid has a computer,” he said with a laugh. Since the early college high school program is so small now, Cutrell said students can receive one-onone help from the faculty if there are any problems or concerns. “Because we are a smaller school we have the See UHS, Page A3
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TODAY’S FORECAST
Foundation grows under Holman’s leadership BY TIMOTHY P. HOWSARE RECORD EDITOR
Interior design may seem like an unlikely skill set for someone who oversees a nonprofit agency. But for Missy Holman, who has served as executive director of the Southeast Down Syndrome Foundation (SDSF) since its inception in 2007, it’s all about being creative. And that’s whether she is doing a unique design for a client or thinking up new ways to involve her 8year-old daughter, Addie, who was born with Down syndrome, in the same activities as other kids her age. “It’s about thinking outside of the box and finding ways Addie can participate in activities like everybody else,” said Holman, who has a degree in interior design from Texas Tech. Holman said she and her mother had a shop downtown called Forte
Timothy P. Howsare Photo
Roswell native Missy Holman is executive director of the Southeast Down Syndrome Foundation.
until the economy got bad in the late 2000s. While being a parent of a Down syndrome child has its challenges, Holman said there are “more joys than challenges.” As executive director, Holman assists the public by providing information to expectant parents,
• RAY SHERMAN • BONNIE JEAN DELOSH • MARGARET JOAN CROTZER
TODAY’S OBITUARIES PAGE B6
offering support to new parents of Down syndrome babies, overseeing a support group and connecting a network through activities such as a Summer Fun Night, the BW Family Dinner and the Santa Breakfast, which was recently held in Roswell at the Fraternal Order of Eagles. Under her leadership, the annual Buddy Walk was established as SDSF’s biggest fundraiser and advocacy event. “It raises 50 to 60 percent of our yearly funds,” said Holman, who was bor n and raised in Roswell. She also has been the architect of two $10,000 grants from the global DSF. “We are the only local
CLASSIFIEDS ..........D1
COMICS .................C5
ENTERTAINMENT .....C4
organization that has been funded twice,” Holman said. The money is used to fund a one-day education workshop that provides training from parents, teachers and adminstrators for all students with special needs. It is currently scheduled for April 18. Holman said that on March 21, which is recognized internationally as World Down Syndrome Day, her foundation is planning a Color Dash. In 2015, March 21 happens to be on a Saturday, which is a good day for a run. Debbie Sumrow, a foundation volunteer and famSee HOLMAN, Page A3
INDEX GENERAL ...............A2
HOROSCOPES .........B7 LOTTERIES .............A2
OPINION .................A4
SPORTS .................B1
WEATHER ..............A8