Roswell Daily Record THE VOICE OFâTHE PECOS VALLEY
Vol. 124, No. 51 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday
February 28, 2015
SATURDAY
www.rdrnews.com
Things to know as state weighs new tribal casino deal ALBUQUERQUE (AP) â New Mexico lawmakers are facing a hard deadline as agreements that allow a handful of American Indian tribes to operate casinos approach their expiration date. Gov. Susana Martinezâs office has spent the past three years working with tribes to craft a new gambling compact that supporters say would bring stability to New Mexicoâs gaming industry, protect jobs and increase revenues to the state. However, some lawmakers say New Mexico is veering off course. Senate Finance Chairman John Arthur Smith, D-Deming, suggests the
state has deviated from its initial plan nearly two decades ago of trying to strike a balance between revitalizing the horse racing industry, providing economic opportunities to sovereign American Indian nations and making sure the state lottery was well-established. Tribal leaders argue thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in revenue are at stake. The public can testify on the proposal Saturday before the Legislatureâs compact committee. Here are some things to know:
The money
Tribes that operate casinos in New Mexico report-
ed more than $731 million in net winnings in 2014. Net winnings are the amount wagered on gaming machines, less the prizes won on those machines and regulatory fees. State officials say the tribes paid New Mexico more than $66 million last year under revenue-sharing agreements that call for the state to ensure gambling exclusivity for them in exchange for a percentage of net winnings.
The players
Fourteen tribes have gambling agreements with the state. Deals with the Navajo Nation, Mescalero and Jicarilla Apache tribes and
Acoma Pueblo expire in June. For the tribes to continue running their casinos, the Legislature and the U.S. Interior Department must approve new compacts. Jemez Pueblo doesnât have a casino but has signed on to the proposed compact pending before the Legislature. The proposal also allows for the other tribes to sign on.
High rollers
Under the proposal, tribal casinos could offer a minimum of $10,000 in credit to high-rolling patrons. Some lawmakers have v o ic e d c o n c e r n s a b o u t extending advances to gam-
blers, but negotiators say the provision targets a narrow group of casino-goers who donât want to travel with a lot of cash. To be eligible, they would have to have an annual individual income of at least $200,000, or $300,000 for a couple, and prove they have money in the bank to back up the advance.
Freebies
Tribal casinos would be able to offer complimentary food and lodging, but not alcohol. Tribes argued the ability to offer comps is an industry standard. The proposed compact would limit the amount of free food and
lodging to a percentage of the casinoâs net winnings. The tribes also would have to issue quarterly reports quantifying the comps.
Rules on the floor
While tribal casinos could stay open around the clock, the proposed compact would prohibit alcohol sales in areas with gambling machines or tables. Patrons also would be barred from cashing any government-assistance checks at the casino, such as a Social Security check. EBT cards would be off-limits, and gamblers would have to be 21 or older. See DEAL, Page A3
Dispose of unwanted items for free in March
McTeachersâ night at Mickey Dâs
Staff Report As action movie actor Steven Seagal would say, itâs time to take out the trash. Each Saturday during March, Roswell residents will be able to dispose of unwanted items for free at different locations around town. Normally, items would have to be disposed at the city landfill for a cost of $32.50 per ton. The special promotion, called March Out the Trash, is available only to city residents and limited
to one pickup load. You must show an ID and bring a current utility or cable TV bill with a city address. Items may be dropped off from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the following dates and locations: March 7, old city airport on West College Street; March 14, Lions Hondo Field on South Sunset Avenue; March 21, the Wool Bowl on North Garden Avenue; and March 28, the Elks Pool on Southeast Main and Poe streets.
SANTA FE (AP) â Several dozen students protested at the State Capitol on Friday and more plan to walk out of schools around New Mexico next week as frustration over a new standardized test grows. Some lawmakers say thereâs confusion over the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers or PARCC tests that start Monday, especially over whether students have the right to opt out if they so choose. One lawmaker referred
to the test as a âdemonâ at a committee hearing Friday during which Democratic Sen. Linda Lopez of Albuquerque spoke about her bill to put on hold the stateâs implementation of Common Core standards. Republican Sen. Pat Woods of Broadview says he doesnât support doing away with the standards but a discussion is important. Education officials say millions of dollars have already been invested in the effort.
See TRASH, Page A3
NM students protest new standardized test
Max Scally Photos
Would you like some fries with that math lesson? Teachers from Pecos Elementary School worked behind the counter of the McDonaldâs on South Main Street Thursday to raise money for their school. Pecos had 34 staff working the various stations at McDonaldâs. To celebrate the birthday of late childrenâs author Dr. Seuss, there were various Dr.
Seuss activities, from fun pages to color and balloon characters. The restaurant sold $2,413 in the two hours, about triple its normal sales, with the school receiving $603 for the hard work of the staff. From left, Julie King, fifthgrade teacher; Rosa Ramos, first-grade teacher; Kimberly Perez, kindergarten associate; Nick Snowberger, manager/owner of McDonaldâs South; and Veronica
Lara, first-grade-teacher. Right: A steady flow of customers kept Pecos Elementary School teachers
busy Thursday as they work the various stations at the South McDonaldâs to raise money for their school.
UNM campus group UNM-Valencia to offer certificate in 3D printing celebrates gun rights
By Marielle Dent New Mexico Daily Lobo
ALBUQUERQUE â The University of New Mexicoâs Young Americans for Freedom rallied to celebrate the recent failure of state legislation that would limit citizensâ access to firearms. The group also educated students on gun rights laws with the hope of gaining support for its organization. The Firearm Transfer Act, or House Bill 44, would have criminalized non-dealer firearm transfers at gun shows, according to the New Mexico Legislature website. The so-called âgun show loopholeâ currently allows any person to buy a gun from a private seller without undergoing a background check or being subject to other regulations. The bill was tabled and never reached the House floor for a vote. At the rally UNMYAF addressed the issues of gun-free zones, concealedand open-carry laws and the right to use firearms to
protect oneself, oneâs family or home. âWe want to talk about this because we are on a gun-free zone,â said Ryan Boyle, president of UNMYAF. âWe talk about Sandy Hook and Columbine: these were gun-free zones and a shooting happened on them. If someone wants to bring a gun onto campus, theyâre not going to follow those laws. We want to make sure we have the ability to protect ourselves in the classroom.â UNMYAF was previously called UNM Conservative Republicans and has existed on campus since 2010. The group has given multiple talks about the Constitution, brought Republican candidates for office to campus and opposed Occupy Wall Street by putting on an (Un)Occupy event, Boyle said. They have also shown two movies on campus: âAmerica: The Cost of Illegal Immigrationâ and âThe Cost of Amnesty.â These See GUNS, Page A3 Todayâs Forecast
HIGH 54 LOW 32
By Matthew Reisen New Mexico Daily Lobo
ALBUQUERQUE â The University of New Mexico at Valencia will offer a mini certificate in 3D printing, starting this fall, according to a Board Of Regents proposal. The mini certificate will encompass a total of 12 credit hours and meet industry needs, the document states. The classes included are âIntro to 3D Printing,â âModeling for 3D Printingâ and â3D Printing Project.â These courses will be offered at UNM-Valencia in face-to-face lectures and lab classes. According to the proposal, students are required to pay a $25 lab fee that will cover basic equipment maintenance and upgrades. âThis one semester certificate is designed for students who want to gain knowledge about 3D printing and hands on experience using 3D printers,â the proposal states. Alex Sanchez is a professor at UNM-Valencia
Submitted Photo
A 3D printed dinosaur skull and human hand lay on a table at the office of Del Alex Sanchez at UNM Valencia campus on Tuesday. UNM Valencia will offer a certificate in 3D printing in the fall. and lead faculty for the âAdding new programs these courses will give program. He said propos- of study in response to students the foundation als for the course began technological change and needed to work for combecause 3D printing is economic opportunity is panies using this techone of the biggest techno- one of our roles as a com- nology, to start their own logical changes happening munity college,â Sanchez today. said. âThe hope is that See PRINTING , Page A3
Index
Todayâs Obituaries Page B4
⢠Daniel O. Valdez
⢠Jacob Joe Sigala Jr.
Classifieds...........B6 Comics..................B5 Entertainment. ....B6 Financial..............B4
General...............A2
Opinion.................A4
Horoscopes.........A8
Sports. ................B1
Lotteries. ............A2
Weather...............A8