05-17-2011

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Roswell Daily Record THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY

Vol. 120, No. 118 50¢ Daily / $1 Sunday

INSIDE NEWS

TUESDAY

www.rdrnews.com

Fresquez sworn in for Ward IV MATTHEW ARCO RECORD STAFF WRITER

The Roswell City Council is back to being complete, with all wards filled, following the unanimous consent of the mayor’s recommendation for filling a vacancy in Ward IV, Monday. Councilor Amarante Fresquez was sworn in by

HUCKABEE OUT OF GOP RACE TO THE WHITE HOUSE

May 17, 2011

District Court Judge Freddie J. Romero during a special meeting in City Hall. Councilors voted 8-0 in approval of the mayor’s selection. Councilor Jason Perry was the only member absent, though Mayor Del Jurney said following the meeting that Fresquez had Perry’s support. “I am very pleased with

Shooting at Albertsons

the decision and recommendation I would like to make to the council,” said Jurney, prior to the vote. Fresquez is a for mer superintendent of the Roswell Independent School District. He has about 35 years of experience in education. He was the dean of students at Eastern New Mexico University-Roswell for seven

years and Roswell Independent School District superintendent for more than four. In addition, he taught high school biology, chemistry, physics and science. Jur ney said he began looking for a replacement in February, after the Ward IV position became open in late December, following embattled Coun-

- PAGE A3

TOP 5 WEB For The Past 24 Hours

INSIDE SPORTS

Jessica Palmer Photo

Officials questioned witnesses in the parking lot outside Albertson’s Grocery Store, 1110 S. Main St. Three subjects got into a fight and one pulled a gun. The victim disarmed his assailant and was wounded in the process.

Holley: Altercation led to shooting JESSICA PALMER RECORD STAFF WRITER Roswell Police Depart-

ment responded to Albertsons Grocery, 1110 S. Main St., around 1:15 p.m., Monday, where a man took his grievances

See FRESQUEZ, Page A2

NM fire burns more than 95 sq. miles

WASHINGTON (AP) — Mike Huckabee’s decision to forgo a shot at the presidency further muddies the field for a worthy Republican challenger to President Barack Obama, and leaves America’s social conservatives without a clear candidate to throw their support behind.

• ENMU-R graduates 400 at Wool Bowl • Walk for Hope • Pearce meets with vets, Tuesday evening • Scifres to leave RPD for Lubbock schools • Invaders win in 11 in 2nd home game

cilor Rob McWilliams’ resignation. The mayor said some time was needed to pass before he decided to choose a replacement. The new councilor took his seat following his swearing in and the special meeting was adjourned. Fresquez will

into the streets. Witnesses reported two shots fired in the Albertsons parking lot. The incident occurred as the result of a physical

altercation. “A fight broke

out,” said Public InformaSee SHOOTING, Page A2

SILVER CITY (AP) — Evacuations were lifted Wednesday for the tiny southwest New Mexico community of Gila Hot Springs, although a fire bur ning for nearly two weeks in and near the rugged Gila Wilderness has grown to more than 95 square miles. human-caused The blaze, which broke out April 28, moved past the Gila Cliff Dwellings without damaging the ancient American Indian ruins, fire infor mation of ficer Eric Neitzel said. The Gila National Forest on Wednesday implemented tougher fire and smoking restrictions because of drought and extreme fire danger. Fires and campfires are See FIRE, Page A2

RPD: Burglar causes Obama meets flood victims, students accident during getaway CRANE AGREES TO BUY ASTROS HOUSTON (AP) — Jim Crane learned persistence playing baseball in his youth. Turns out, he needed it. The Houston businessman failed three times to realize his dream of buying a major league baseball team. - PAGE B1

TODAY’S OBITUARIES • • • • • •

Ken Clark Janet Cantwell Eliseo Moreno Dennis Ybarra James Kirby McDaniel Charlotte Ann Garvin - PAGE A3

HIGH ...94˚ LOW ....57˚

TODAY’S FORECAST

CLASSIFIEDS..........B5 COMICS.................B3 FINANCIAL .............B4 GENERAL ..............A2 HOROSCOPES ........A8 LOTTERIES ............A2 OPINION ................A4 SPORTS ................B1 WEATHER ..............A8 WORLD .................D4

INDEX

JESSICA PALMER RECORD STAFF WRITER

A burglary turned into a fender bender, Monday. Police received a call around 8:20 a.m. about a burglary in progress in the 1200 block of East Walnut Street, which was followed up quickly by calls about shots fired. “From what we’re getting from our witness, he heard the sound of breaking glass. He told his wife to call the police, armed himself and ran out to see the suspect fleeing down the alley in a grayish colored vehicle. The man fired one shot in an attempt to disable it,” Travis Holley, RPD spokesman said. The suspect continued down the alley at a high rate of speed. The vehicle hit a dip as it exited the alley to tur n south on Atkinson Avenue, hit a truck towing a trailer and left half of the bumper behind. The witness was unable to give a license number, but he told the police that he was reasonably sure

Jessica Palmer photo

This fender fell off the getaway vehicle as the suspect was attempting to flee the scene of a burglary, Monday.

that he hit the car. “The suspect vehicle was last seen traveling west on Walnut Street. It is believed to be a grayish colored Ford, with the original color of red showing through, possibly s midsized car with approximately half of the front bumper missing and possibly containing a bullet hole,” said Holley. “The homeowner is going through her things now to see if anything has been See BURGLARY, Page A2

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Of fering a lift to a flood beleaguered city, President Barack Obama hailed the transformation of a once struggling but venerable Memphis high school Monday, telling its graduates, “You inspir e me, that’s why I’m here.” With the Mississippi River still lapping near the top of the city’s protective levees, Obama also used the trip to meet privately with families, emergency personnel and volunteers confronting the highest floodwaters in generations. For the president, the trip was a chance to promote his education agenda while also attending to the latest natural disaster — the snow melt and rain that has sent a torrent of water down the Mississippi, topping earthworks and forcing flooding along its path. In a city known as the heart of the blues, Obama addressed students from a high school in a poor, crime-ridden neighborhood wher e graduation rates have risen impressively in just three years. “You’ve always been underdogs,” the president

AP Photo

President Barack Obama delivers the commencement address at the graduation ceremony for Booker T. Washington High School on Monday, in Memphis, Tenn.

told the cheering Booker T. Washington High School graduates, arrayed in bright green and yellow mortar boards and gowns. “Nobody’s handed you a thing. But that also means that whatever you accomplish in your life, you’ll have earned it.“ Inside the convention center, his commencement audience extended well beyond the 150 graduating students and their families, attracting some of the city’s and T ennessee’s top political leadership. Borrowing the refrain

from his own 2008 presidential campaign, Obama said: “Well, we are here today because every single one of you stood up and said, ‘Yes we can.’ Yes we can lear n. Yes we can succeed.” The school won a national competition to secur e a graduation address from the president by illustrating how it overcame a history of disciplinary pr oblems and high dr opout rates and graduated 82 percent of its students, turning into See OBAMA, Page A2

City officials: Ybarra, former RIAC manager, local leader, will be missed A retired long-time city employee, who managed the Roswell International Air Center for twenty years, died Monday, according to city officials who say they are mourning his loss. Dennis Ybarra, 68, retired from the city in 2008. Details surrounding

his death were not immediately available, however Roswell officials say his presence in the community will be sorely missed. “It’s a huge loss for the city,” said City Manager Larry Fry, who said that following his retirement, Ybarra was still an important figure in the commu-

nity. Ybarra began working at the airport in 1988, where he served a prominent role in helping to build it to the point where it is now, said Mayor Del Jurney. “Dennis made a significant contribution to helping establish the airport as a viable economic

opportunity,” he said. “The benefit of what he did will continue for years to come.” In January 2009, Ybarra was recognized by city officials for his 20 years of service to Roswell during a ceremony at City Hall. Following his retirement, he was replaced by the air

center’s current manager, Jennifer Brady. “I worked with Dennis for 20 years and enjoyed years of friendship with him. He was a great asset to the air center, Airport Managers Association and the Walker Aviation MuseSee YBARRA, Page A2


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