Roswell Daily Record THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
Obama visits troops in Afghanistan
Vol. 119, No. 290 50¢ Daily / $1 Sunday
INSIDE NEWS
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Whether he was a Hollywood hitman or an ex-con with a big mouth still isn’t known. One thing is certain about the man who shot himself to death when police converged on him to talk about the killing of Hollywood publicist Ronni Chasen: He was an armed career criminal possibly looking at another stretch in prison, whether he had any connection to Chasen’s death or not. - PAGE B5
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• Police investigate homicide • Woman gets 3 years for drugs • Mother charged for leaving kid in car • Duffey declared winner • Gavi scores TV role
INSIDE SPORTS
President Barack Obama, left, is introduced by NATO Commander in Afghanistan U.S. Gen David Petraeus to the troops during a rally in an unannounced visit at Bagram Air Field in Afghanistan, Friday.
Martinez selects Barela
ALBUQUERQUE (AP) — Gov.elect Susana Martinez introduced her nominee to lead the New Mexico Economic Development Department on Friday. It should be a familiar face to Albuquerque-area residents. Businessman Jon Barela has been in the news a lot since last spring. He was the Republican candidate for the 1st Congressional District seat but lost in the November general election to incumbent Democrat Martin Heinrich. “I’ve been told many, many times when one door closes, another one opens. This has been a real blessing,” Barela said, thanking Martinez for the opportunity. Barela said he hopes to create a business-friendly environment across New Mexico. He said the state should eliminate regulatory barriers that make it hard for small businesses to grow and pledge to evaluate incentive programs to
Guardsmen will deploy to Kosovo
See MARTINEZ, Page A2
TIGER LEADS AFTER 2ND
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (AP) — Tiger Woods is starting to look like his old self at the Chevron World Challenge. Woods got off to a blazing start Friday and a solid putting stroke enabled him to play bogey-free in the second round for a 6-under 66 that gave him a four-shot lead going into the weekend of his final tournament this year. - PAGE B1
TODAY’S OBITUARIES
• Rose Mary Vella • Robert Bryson LeLieuvre • Daniel John Matta • Agnes Anne Williams Mulcock - PAGE A3
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TODAY’S FORECAST
INDEX
CLASSIFIEDS..........B5 COMICS.................B3 FINANCIAL .............B4 POLICE BLOTTER ...A2 HOROSCOPES ........A8 LOTTERIES ............A2 OPINION ................A4 SPORTS ................B1 WEATHER ..............A8 PUBLIC RECORDS ..A3
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A CAREER CRIMINAL
December 4, 2010
Local National Guard troops will be deployed to Kosovo early next year. The New Mexico National Guard announced Friday that the 717th Brigade Support Battalion of Roswell will join four other units from across the state in a peace keeping mission in the central European county. About 450 New Mexico soldiers are expected to be deployed in early 2011 for the one-year tour. The news comes about six months after all of New Mexico’s deployed units were back in the U.S. for the first time since Sept. 11, 2001. The other units going to Kosovo include the 111th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade of Rio Rancho, 1/200th Infantry Battalion of Las Cruces, 126th Military Police Company of Albuquerque and the 200th Public Affairs Detachment of Santa Fe.
BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan (AP) — In a rousing holiday-season visit, President Barack Obama on Friday told cheering U.S. troops in Afghanistan they’re succeeding in their vital mission fighting terrorism. But after he flew in secrecy for 13 hours to get here, foul weather kept him from nearby Kabul and a meeting to address frayed relations with Afghan President Hamid Karzai Obama’s surprise visit to the war zone, his second as president, came 10 days before he is to address the nation about a new review of U.S. strategy to defeat the
Taliban and strengthen the Afghan government so American troops can begin leaving next year. The trip also came at a particularly awkward moment in already strained U.S. relations with Afghanistan because of new and embarrassing leaked cables alleging widespread fraud and underscoring deep American concerns about Karzai. There was no mention of that as the president spoke to more than 3,500 service members packed into a huge airplane hangar. After his remarks, he spent more than 10 minutes shaking
hands, going around the hangar three times as they grabbed his hand and held cameras and cell phones high to take photos. Obama stayed on this U.S. military base, the headquarters of the 101st Airborne Division, the entire time he was here, just under four hours. He huddled with U.S. Gen. David Petraeus, the top NATO commander in Afghanistan and U.S. Ambassador Karl Eikenberry. And he visited wounded soldiers at a base hospital, personally dispensing five See OBAMA, Page A2
Mark Wilson Photo
Roswell Job Corps graduate Marcella Johnson receives a hug from a fellow graduate during the program’s 61st commencement ceremony Friday at the ENMU-R Performing Arts Center.
Job Corps holds 61st graduation Members of the Roswell Job Corps, community leaders, as well as family and friends, gave their best wishes and congratulations to the center’s 61st graduating class Friday. “You have no idea how proud I am to be here today,” said Lavona Johnson, speaking to the audience during her graduate address. “Fortunately, I attended Job Corps,” she said. “As for those of you who are striving to graduate
... this is just a start for a new future — take advantage (of it).” The ceremony, which graduated 55 students, was held at Easter n New Mexico UniversityRoswell’s Performing Arts Center. “The main thing is getting the students where the jobs are and then getting them in the jobs,” said Shawn Murphy, director of the Roswell Job Corps Center. “We’re doing good.” The event’s keynote speaker encouraged the young adults,
who are preparing to move on to the next stage in their lives, to continue to challenge themselves. “Challenge yourself,” said Bob Donnell, executive director of the Roswell-Chaves County Economic Development Corp. “Dare to dream. Dare to have hope. You are, and will, make a difference.” Graduate Karen Vasquez was presented with the Chaves County Character Counts! Student of the Year Award during the event.
Roswell Boys & Girls Club helps youth JONATHAN ENTZMINGER RECORD STAFF WRITER
The Boys & Girls Club, a United Way agency, has been in Roswell since 1965. “I can’t imagine our community without the Boys & Girls Club,” said Jaynan McKelvey, unit director for the club. “The kids that come here wouldn’t have anywhere to go.” The club’s mission is “to enable all young people, especially those who need us most to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.” “They reach goals that they set and they set goals
that they did not know they could set,” McKelvey said. “They can see who they can be.” The Boys & Girls Club, 201 S. Garden Ave., has a five-member staff, including two full-time staff members: Art Garcia, executive director and McKelvey. Facilities include a computer lab, football field, game room, gym, kitchen, outdoor basketball court and pool and an arts and crafts room. The club is located on the city’s east side, an area See CLUB, Page A2
Barbe stays busy helping others, producing quilts JESSICA PALMER RECORD STAFF WRITER
Carmen Barbe will celebrate her birthday on Christmas Day. Eighty-six years young, Barbe continues to live a full life. She was born in Lawton, Okla., where she met her husband, Kenneth, in a small country school, so she married her childhood sweetheart. Barbe and her husband moved to the area in 1948 after his family purchased a grocery store in 1946, Barbe Grocery in Dexter. Frequent customers included Mexican immigrants and German prisoners of war from Orchard Park. The prisoners of war were extremely grateful for the humane treatment they received here and were glad they could work and make purchases, she said. Her first impressions of Roswell were magical. “The first time I saw Roswell, it was a fall day and we were coming down Six-Mile Hill and the cot-
ton fields were white. It looked like snow, and I thought it was the most beautiful place in the whole world.” However, Barbe confesses it did take some time to adjust. “I didn’t think I would like Roswell because I’d miss my family,” she said, but she became close to her in-laws, and now she says, “I like the people. We have one of the best climates in the world.” Barbe Grocery sold and the building has since been demolished. Her husband worked as an accountant for Roswell Laundry while she worked for Sears. However, she didn’t work long, See BARBE, Page A2
Jessica Palmer Photo
Carmen Barbe displays some of her quilts. The one in her hand is a pattern called flower garden.