Roswell Daily Record
Financiers discuss feasibility of Phoenix flights Vol. 123, No. 136 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday
BY JEFF TUCKER RECORD STAFF WRITER
Advocates of air passenger service between Roswell and Phoenix told a Roswell committee Thursday they are optimistic about establishing air travel as early as April between the Alien Capital of the World and the Valley of the Sun. The proponents told members of Roswell’s finance committee Thursday morning that convincing Envoy to establish air
service between Roswell and Phoenix would take a regional effort, with the city of Roswell as the project’s fiscal agent. Envoy is the new name of regional air carrier American Eagle, owned by American Airlines Group. Envoy continues to fly routes for American Airlines, which also contracts with other regional airlines to operate flights under the American Eagle name. Reaching a deal with Envoy will require a mini-
THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
June 6, 2014
FRIDAY
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mum revenue guarantee of several hundred thousand dollars, said Jon Hitchcock, president of Roswell’s Pioneer Bank, and Bill Armstrong, managing partner of Roswell’s Ar mstrong Industries. Hitchcock and Armstrong presented the proposal to the finance committee Thursday. Both Hitchcock and Armstrong are past presidents of the Economic Development Corp. of RoswellChaves County, and both
of them worked to establish air service between Roswell and Dallas-Fort Worth several years ago. The project will also require a consultant and marketing effort, Hitchcock and Armstrong said. Necessary marketing costs for Phoenix flights were estimated at $60,000. Hitchcock said the city needs a consultant “with the ear of American Eagle.” In total, the projected price tag over two years for Roswell and its potential
regional partners to convince Envoy to establish air service between Roswell and Phoenix ranges from $1.7 million to $2.3 million, stated a “Fly Roswell” handout Hitchcock and Armstrong presented to the finance committee Thursday.
Hitchcock said the city of Roswell’s financial backing of the project is critical. He said those advocating for Envoy to establish air service between Roswell and Phoenix need to offer some-
Shining Stars provides beacon for those with cognitive challenges
BY TIMOTHY P. HOWSARE RECORD EDITOR
Timothy P. Howsare Photo
David Barwick works on a collage that represents his life story with, from left, his cousin, Mariah Richburg; his aunt, Peggy Richburg; and his mother, Nona Barwick.
thing to assure the airlines of its financial risks, which would be the purpose of a minimum revenue guarantee contract. “It’s not something Roswell can do alone,” Hitchcock said. “We need (support) down to Carlsbad and Ruidoso. Roswell has to take the lead because the city owns the airport.” Hitchcock said he is hoping to reach a deal with Envoy to establish 13
When Nona Barwick’s son, David, was diagnosed as autistic at age 5, Nona said she had never heard that word before. “They told us it would affect us (the family) more than it would affect him,” Nona said. “They told us David would end up in an institution.” Now 46, David recently celebrated his 10th anniversary working at the McDonald’s inside the Roswell Walmart. He received a gold ring from the corporate office for his years of service to the restaurant chain. David was at the New Mexico National Guard Armory yesterday with a
See FLIGHTS, Page A3
small group of people from the area, who, like David, have overcome cognitive challenges and are living life to its fullest potential. They typically hold jobs and live independently. Some are married and have raised children. The two-day event, called Shining Stars, was sponsored by the NM Department of Health Developmental Disabilities Supports Division. It is hoped that by example, David and his fellow Shining Stars will inspire other people with cognitive challenges to discover the vision, courage and determination to live their lives to the fullest.
Commissioners discuss Answers still sought in Singleton death wayfinding program BY RANDAL SEYLER RECORD STAFF WRITER
Members of the Roswell Community Improvement Commission discussed ways to kick-start the city’s Downtown Master Plan implementation without spending a fortune. The Downtown Master Plan was adopted in 2011, but most of the plan’s proposed improvements have yet to be implemented, Chairman Trey Nesselrodt said. The commission was considering ways the city could move forward with the wayfinding plan portion of the master plan. “Wayfinding is the organization and communication of our dynamic relationship to space and the environment,” according to the Universal Design New York website. Wayfinding in public spaces is commonly aided by maps, signs or directo-
ries. Maps for handheld mobile devices are becoming common, as are digital information kiosk systems. Other frequent wayfinding aids are the use of color coding and signage clustering. The trend started in England, and Commissioner Kent Taylor has prepared several examples for the commission illustrating wayfinding signage. Support Services Administrator Sarah Juarez told the commissioners that a request for $100,000 for the wayfinding portion of the master plan was included in the city’s top 10 requests for funding from the state Legislature, but the funding would not be forthcoming until next year, if at all. “Right now, it is number 10 on the list, and usually See WAYFINDING, Page A2
BY RANDAL SEYLER RECORD STAFF WRITER
In 13 days, TaCorey Singleton will have been dead one year — and no one knows why. Sgt. Doug Perham, an investigator with the Chaves County Sheriff’s Office, is hoping someone will remember something that might shed some light on what happened to Singleton. It was June 19, 2013, when deputies from the Chaves County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call of an abandoned vehicle off East Pine Lodge Road in the 4800 block of Calumet Road. When officers arrived at 6:24 a.m., they found an empty 1995 Crown Victoria. “The investigator got to looking around, and noticed a body in the bushes,” said Perham. “It
Fiddlers from around the region will be in Roswell tonight to compete in the third annual Fiddle and Griddle Festival, presented by MainStreet Roswell, Roswell Parks and Recreation and Roswell Lodgers Tax.
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Courtesy Photo
TaCorey Singleton, 23, was found dead near Pine Lodge Road on June 19, 2013. Chaves County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Doug Perham is seeking the public’s help in solving the murder.
Fiddle and Griddle Festival begins today
STAFF REPORT
Juliana Halvorson Photo
was TaCorey Singleton.” Singleton was found about 50 feet from the road. He had been shot multiple times. The temperature that day had been predicted to hover around 102 degrees, and there had already been six murders in Chaves County that year — Singleton was number seven. Upon examining the scene, it was plain that he had been murdered right there where his body was found, Perham said. Singleton was 23 years old and had recently broken up with his girlfriend, Perham said. He also had gotten into trouble. In the June 22, 2013, edition of the Roswell Daily Record, then-Lt. Britt Snyder said Singleton had family in Roswell and in Albuquerque, but
See STARS, Page A3
If you like good music and good food, then downtown Roswell is the place to be this weekend. Beginning today at 6 p. m., the sounds of fantastic fiddling will fill the str eets of downtown Roswell. On Satur day, the aroma of great BBQ will be added to the air for a weekend event that will close down Main Street so
• LAWANDA FURNEY • JOYCE P. HICKS
See SINGLETON, Page A2
that multiple stages and r ows of vendors and grillers can come to town for the third annual Fiddle and Griddle Festival.
The festival is shaping up to be a great time, as the festival has steadily grown over the past few years, said Peggy Sesky, one of the festival organizers.
“We have some fr om Idaho and Colorado that we didn’t have next year,” she said. “We have a lot of
• MIKE FLOWERS • STEVEN “BUDDY” NOWAK
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Texas fiddlers. Registrations are up on both the fiddle and griddle sides.”
The fiddle competition invites the best fiddle players in the country to entertain the audience with their musical skills while they compete for $20,000 in available prize money.
The griddle competition begins on Satur day mor ning, with the BBQ teams cooking their best meals for a chance to win CLASSIFIEDS ..........B6 COMICS .................B5 ENTERTAINMENT .....A8 FINANCIAL ..............B3
$8,000 in prize money.
The grillers spend all day making their best chicken, pork ribs, beef brisket and side dishes. Many of the teams ar e passionate about their craft and shar e tips, tricks and techniques with those wanting to lear n how to level up their summer backyard BBQ skills. For more information, or to register for the competition, visit fiddlegrid-
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SPORTS .................B1
WEATHER ..............A8