Roswell Daily Record
Vol. 120, No. 171 50¢ Daily / $1 Sunday
INSIDE NEWS
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Southern Californians were making the ultimate sacrifice Saturday to avoid the dreaded “Carmageddon” — leaving their cars in the garage. Unusually light traffic flowed freely through the nation’s second-largest city despite fears of epic traffic jams spawned by the 53hour shutdown of a 10-mile - PAGE B8
TOP 5 WEB
For The Past 24 Hours
• Dexter man dies in freak accident • Crash kills one in two car head-on collision • Man faces seventh DWI charge • Panel approves nightclub • Man slams into pole and house
INSIDE SPORTS
CLARKE TAKES LEAD
SANDWICH, England (AP) — About the only predictable part of this British Open is the weather. The biggest surprise is the list of contenders for the claret jug. The weather was wild again Saturday, shifting from a raging wind to a gentle sea breeze, from a driving rain to brilliant sunshine, and leaving most of the field wet, tired and feeling as though they got the short end of the draw. That’s not unusual. - PAGE B1
TODAY’S • • • • •
OBITUARIES
Ida Mae Batho Bettie Maurine Witt W.R. “Bill” Thompson Joe Bert Renfro Jr. Olympia Romero - PAGE B8
HIGH ...98˚ LOW ....72˚
TODAY’S FORECAST
CLASSIFIEDS..........D1 COMICS.................C4 ENTERTAINMENT.....B6 GENERAL ..............A2 HOROSCOPES ........A8 LOTTERIES ............A2 NATION .................B8 OPINION ................A4 SPORTS ................B1 WEATHER ..............A8
INDEX
July 17, 2011
Rehab Center transfer hits more snags JESSICA PALMER RECORD STAFF WRITER
NOT THAT BAD, REALLY
THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
The South Roswell Community Center Planning Committee has reported that a series of delays from the General Services Department has halted efforts to transfer the old New Mexico Rehabilitation Center from the Department of Health to the Regional Housing Authority. The SRCC would provide
SUNDAY
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medical and counseling services plus housing for veterans and the disabled, along with office space for such nonprofit organizations as the Roswell Literacy Council. The Daily Record called the GSD’s director of the Property Services Division, Chuck Gara, who declined to comment on the matter, instead delegating the responsibility to Tim Korte of media relations. When Korte was asked
Inquiries about the cost of continued repairs to the state following six incidents of vandalism when occupancy would halt such depredations led to “no comment.”
why an outdated contract from 1974, superseded by a later contract, caused a delay, he said he was unaware of any contracts pertaining to the old Rehabilitation Center. In addition, he said he had no knowledge of the
formal proposal presented by the Easter n Regional Housing Authority to the GSD in November 2010, or any verbal acceptance by former director Bill Taylor. Inquiries about the cost of continued repairs to the state following six incidents
of vandalism when occupancy would halt such depredations led to “no comment.” Korte did say that the current proposal did not include an offer of rent and “That’s just not going to cut it.” He promised further information on Thursday, which was submitted via the Internet. “The Property Control Division is working
’Twas a day for creativity at the Lakes
See TRANSFER, Page A3
VANESSA KAHIN RECORD STAFF WRITER
Being creative, dedicated, and having a way with sand all came in handy during the 21st annual sand sculpture contest at Bottomless Lakes State Park, Saturday. At the end of the day, the most creative sand sculpture was awarded for a sand castle titled “Tron City.” Based on the movie “T ron,” the sand castle’s anonymous creator made ample use of available materials, such as twigs from nearby bushes that were used as the castle’s “trees.” “It was a pretty creative, pretty elaborate sand sculpture,” said Park Ranger Blake Ingram. Ingram said the contest had two categories, one for those ages 12 and Mark Wilson Photo younger and another for those ages 13 and older. Cousins Jubal McCampbell, 15, left, and Jessie Watts, 8, of Artesia, compete in the Sand Sculpture Contest held Saturday on He said 10 children in the the beach of Lea Lake at Bottomless Lakes State Park. 12 and younger category Ingram said the next big ister the day of the event. competed, and six compet- “Dump T ruck Castle.” things that these kids and For more information ed in the 13 and older cat- First-place winner in the adults will build,” Ingram event at Bottomless Lakes 13 and over category won said, recalling years past State Park will be the pad- about this or any other egory. The first-place winner in for a sand sculpture called in which contestants have dleboard races, scheduled event at the park, call built huge alligators and to take place Aug. 6. 624-6058. the 12 and under category “Castle No-Name.” “It’s really cool the penguins. Those interested may reg- v.kahin@roswell-record.com created a castle titled
Abel discusses being Christian in Islamic society EMILY RUSSO MILLER RECORD STAFF WRITER
Mark Wilson Photo
Hima Abel, of Pakistan, was a guest speaker during a luncheon held Friday at First Presbyterian Church.
A minister’s wife visiting First Presbyterian Church of Roswell Friday afternoon regaled a wide-eyed American audience with harrowing and inspiring tales about religious and gender discrimination in Lahore, Pakistan. About 30 area women listened intently to Hima Abel, 33, a Pakistani national, as she told stories about living as a Christian in a predominately Muslim country, and operating a Presbyterian church with
her husband the Rev. Dr. Majid Abel, in an Islamic Republic. “Christians in Pakistan, we are second-rate citizens,” Abel said. “The law doesn’t treat us equally ... Christians are infidels.” To make her point, Abel pointed to the case of Asia Bibi, a Pakistani Christian woman who was sentenced to death by hanging by a Pakistani court for blastphemy for allegedly violating Section 295-C of the Pakistani Penal Code that prohibits blasphemy against any recognized religion. Bibi’s crime was
allowing her hands to touch the water in a communal bucket, making it “unclean,” Abel said. She noted that Bibi’s Muslim coworkers refused to drink the water, and in the argument that ensued, Bibi had allegedly said that the prophet Muhammed had “worms in his mouth before he died,” meaning he was not the true prophet. “In (some parts of ) Pakistan, this is how Christians are treated,” Abel said. “If a Christian person comes into a restaurant ... See ABEL, Page A3
Fictional gumshoe echoes creator J.W. Bevers’ life
Cave’s latest chronicles saga of Mescalero priest
Once an ancient form of authentication, J. Wayne Bevers used a chop along with his signature to not only validate it, but to share just a bit more of himself as he signed copies of his book, “A Veil of T rust,” at Hastings, Saturday afternoon. An award winning, second-degree black belt in karate, Bevers takes the conventions of ancient Japanese wisdom to heart. The chop is a stamp of his name, Wayne, in Japanese kanji. Vanessa Kahin Photo “It’s a very personal J. Wayne Bevers signs a copy of his way of authenticating a book, “A Veil of Trust,” for Wanda book,” Bevers said. “It’s DeShurley at Hastings, Saturday.
The unusual life and times of a Catholic priest who was in two world wars is documented in a biography by local author Dorothy Cave. Members of the community were able to speak with the author during a book signing at the Historical Society for Southeast New Mexico, Saturday afternoon. The book, “God’s Warrior, Father Albert Braun, OFM,” took 10 years of travel, research and interviews to complete. Born in Los Angeles in Mark Wilson Photo 1889, Braun was sent to oversee the congregation Dorothy Cave, author of “God’s Warrior,” of Mescalero, in 1916. signs copies of her book Saturday at the Historical Society for Southeast New Mexico.
VANESSA KAHIN RECORD STAFF WRITER
See BEVERS, Page A3
VANESSA KAHIN RECORD STAFF WRITER
See CAVE, Page A3