Roswell Daily Record THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
Vol. 124, No. 18 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday
January 21, 2015
WEDNESDAY
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Gov. spotlights Berrendo students in state address
New GOP-controlled House convenes amid huge crowd, fanfare BY JEFF TUCKER RECORD STAFF WRITER
SANTA FE — Early during her State of the State address Tuesday, Gov. Susana Martinez told lawmakers that those who stood for education and tax refor m prevailed in November’s general election over those who defended the status quo. Near the end of her nearly hour -long speech, after laying out her goals for the 2015 legislative session, Martinez struck an emotional chord before the standing-room-only crowd in the House chamber, bringing the two Berrendo Middle School shooting victims to the rostrum to stand next to her as the newly inaugurated, second-term governor called for lawmakers to work together.
The Republican governor laid out an aggressive and yet partisan agenda in her annual speech kicking off the legislative session, calling once again for lawmakers to repeal what she said is a dangerous state law that allows illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses in New Mexico. She also called for rightto-work legislation, saying it would make New Mexico more economically competitive and that it is “fundamentally wrong” to compel someone to join a union as a condition of employment. “I fir mly believe that every person should be allowed to choose for themselves whether they want to join a union or contribute to one,” the See ADDRESS, Page A3
Jeff Tucker Photos
At the conclusion of her annual speech, Gov. Susana Martinez had Berrendo Middle School shooting victims Nathaniel Tavarez and Kendal Sanders stand on either side of her at the rostrum in an unanticipated gesture that caught everyone by surprise. The governor’s voice quavered as she talked about the inspiration the students had given her and so many others. The pair received a standing ovation from representatives.
Buffalo Wild Wings open for business
City’s Finance Committee approves funds for FilmFest BY RANDAL SEYLER RECORD CITY EDITOR
Dylanne Petros Photo new skills on Roswell resi- owned
Roswell Red Coats and Buf falo Wild Wings employees cut the red ribbon before the grand opening of the restaurant Tuesday morning. Employees said they trained for about a week before the opening and have already tested their
dents at the V.I.P. Party hosted Monday night. The idea for Buf falo Wild Wings was thought of in 1982 in Kent, Ohio, and the first restaurant was opened in Columbus, Ohio. There are more than 1,000 independently
Low oil prices brings disaster to UNM budget BY LENA GUIDI NEW MEXICO DAILY LOBO
ALBUQUERQUE — The recent drop in international oil prices is threatening to limit the funding the University of New Mexico receives from the state, UNM officials warned at a recent Board of Regents meeting. When President Bob Frank gave his administrative report to the Regents on Jan. 9, he noted that the price of oil per barrel dropped from $92 in August to $49. This is significantly lower than prices were in December at $66 per barrel, when Frank projected a $2.8 million budget deficit for UNM, he said. “Unfortunately, the news I bring you here in January is not much better,” Frank said. This collapse in oil prices along with several other factors such as PNM’s 13
percent rise in utility rates, he explained, have increased the projected budget deficit to $4.7 million. To put the numbers in context, Frank said a $1 change in the price of oil per barrel translates to a $7.5 million change in state revenues, nearly a fifth of which come from oil, gas and mining. That does not spell good news for UNM, which is partially dependent on state funding, Frank said. During a budget development update at the meeting, Andrew Cullen, UNM’s associate vice president of planning, estimated new state revenues in December were half of what they were in August. This means that estimates for the additional for mula funding UNM would receive went from about $4.2 million to $2.6 million. See UNM, Page A6
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TODAY’S FORECAST
and franchise restaurants in the United States and Canada.
Hours of operation are: Monday-Thursday 11 a.m. to 1 a.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to midnight. The phone number for Buffalo Wild Wings is 622-9464.
The city Finance Committee approved a $51,000 Lodger’s Tax request for this summer’s Roswell Filmfest & Cosmicon on Tuesday. The request moves on to the full City Council for ultimate approval. Elaine Mayfield, director of Spring River Park and Zoo, and Alan T rever, media arts instructor at Eastern New Mexico University-Roswell, were on hand to discuss the annual event with Jason Perry and Caleb Grant, committee members and city councilors. “This is actually three events,” Trever said. “We have the Film Fest, the Film Shootout, and the Cosmicon.” The Film Shootout is a competition in which filmmakers shoot a 12-minute film in a short time. The Film Fest is an
event at which Sci-Fi films from around the world are shown. And the Cosmicon is a Sci-Fi, Fantasy event that features comic artists, merchandise, collectibles, in conjunction with the Roswell UFO Festival. “Last year, I was impressed with the number of people that attended,” said Perry. “Putting heads in beds is the purpose of the Lodger’s Tax, and I know a number of the people attending last year spent a significant amount of time here just preparing for the event.” “After the last two years’ events, we had film crews stay over and scout locations,” Mayfield said. “We want film makers to come and spend time here, promote their films and solicit votes,” Trever said. Grant asked if the festival was working to raise private funds to support the event so it can rely less on Lodger’s Tax funds in
the future. “We are working on that,” Mayfield said. City Manager Steve Polasek suggested the festival committee work with the Chamber of Commerce to seek potential supporters from the city’s business community. “There is a population of about 6.8 million around the Dallas-Fort Worth airport, and we have three flights a day from Dallas to Roswell,” Polasek said. “I would love to see us tap into that market.” Perry suggested the committee recommend a special City Council meeting so the funding for the event could move forward. “I know from my experience in trying to book special events, the sooner you can get your contracts signed for speakers the better,” Perry said. Mayfield said several
NMMI principal discusses recruiting BY RANDAL SEYLER RECORD CITY EDITOR
New Mexico Military Institute has a reputation for producing quality students recognized across the country, said Col. George Brick, principal of the NMMI high school and vice dean of academics. “We are one of a few prep schools for the service academies,” Brick said on Tuesday, “and that rigor of course work affects all our students. When you are sitting in the library across from a student who will be attending Annapolis next year, it ups your game.” Brick said part of his duties at the Institute include recruiting trips to San Diego and Hawaii. “We have alumni all over the country, and they are a great resource for new students. If we can get their parents, we can get the students.” However, Brick said he often took the potential
• JIMMY BRADLEY EATON • RONNIE GRAVES • VEVA O. BYRD
Randal Seyler Photo
Col. George Brick, vice dean of academics and high school principal at NMMI, left, discusses the school’s academic programs with Kiwanian Robert Sherman at Tuesday’s Roswell Kiwanis Club meeting.
students aside. “I know you’re more afraid of your mom right now than you are of me,” he tells students, “but if you don’t really want to go to NMMI, you don’t have to go.” Typically, students are excited to attend the Institute, though, and they find
• DIANNA FAY ZAMORA • JEANNE BICKLEY ZACHARIAS
TODAY’S OBITUARIES PAGE A6
the school to be challenging academically. “We are a unique school, in that we have managed to keep our college and high school programs intact, and we have no ‘day’ students, we are a boarding school,” Brick said. Brick came to NMMI
CLASSIFIEDS ..........B6 COMICS .................B5 ENTERTAINMENT .....A8 FINANCIAL ..............B3
See FINANCE, Page A2
after a career in the Marines. He worked on completing his education throughout his military service, and after a break in active duty, Brick received his bachelor’s degree from Southern Oregon State College. His career in education began after he earned a Master of Science, Educational Leadership from Troy State University. He had 11 years’ experience as an administrator and teacher in private, charter, and public schools. He retired from the U.S. Marine Corps as a master sergeant in 1992. “Someone once asked why I am a colonel at the Institute when I was a top sergeant in the Marines,” Brick said, joking. “I told them that a top sergeant in the Marines was the equivalent of a colonel in the Army.” A native of Prineville, Ore., Brick enlisted in the
INDEX GENERAL ...............A2
HOROSCOPES .........A8 LOTTERIES .............A2
See NMMI, Page A3 OPINION .................A4
SPORTS .................B1
WEATHER ..............A8