Roswell Daily Record
Vol. 124, No. 132 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday
THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
June 3, 2015
Wednesday
www.rdrnews.com
Underage driver backs over young boy Police: Citations pending for 15-year-old driver By Jared Tucker Multimedia Journalist
A young boy has died after an underage driver backed into him at Bottomless Lakes State Park Tuesday afternoon. According to New Mexico State Police Captain Lance Bateman, the 3-year-old boy was ran over in the Lea Lake parking lot by a 15-year-
old girl in a silver SUV who was backing out of a parking space. “Emergency personnel responded, life guards from Bottomless Lakes attempted CPR. When we arrived on-scene, the child was deceased,” Bateman said. Bateman said the incident was a tragic accident that did not involve alcohol or drugs, but citations are pending against the driver and others, possibly the driver’s parents. “We have a 15-year-
old driver ... (She) has a restricted driver’s license, and it’s illegal in the state for them to drive without a licensed driver,” Bateman said. The boy who was hit was not related with or was attending the park with the driver, Bateman said. Bateman said he’s not sure if an autopsy will be performed on the child, but the body was turned over to the office of the medical investigator. No names were released
at the scene Tuesday. Bateman said the investigation is ongoing. Multimedia journalist Jared Tucker can be contacted at 575-622-7710, ext. 301, or breakingnews@rdrnews.com. Jared Tucker Photo
The entrance to Lea Lake was closed for several hours Tuesday after a child was fatally hit by a car late in the afternoon.
Getting hands-on learning through Camp Invention Katy Ross Story and Photo
a.m. to 3:30 p.m. There are 50 campers this year and 10 staff members. Peggy Bohlin, director of Camp Invention for Roswell, said this summer camp is great for kids because it “provides the children multiple opportunities to be themselves.” “It’s not about testing here. It’s about learning… learning that science can be fun,” Bohlin said. “It just gives them a lot of opportunities to be themselves and to really learn a fun way to enjoy themselves, to laugh, to smile, to work as a team.” Camp Invention plans to hold camp next summer.
Left: Campers take apart old appliances so they can create their own, physical video game model called “Maze World” at Camp Invention Tuesday. Camp Invention is an annual camp in Roswell that teaches first through sixth graders hands-on learning through modules that incorporate science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) activities and is affiliated with the National Inventors Hall of Fame. It is held at St. Andrew’s Education Building from June 1-5 and lasts from 9
County approves 12.9 percent smaller budget By Jeff Tucker Record Staff Writer The Chaves County commissioners have approved an annual budget that is $5.8 million less than the current fiscal year’s budget. Although the county’s property tax rate has been decreased, jail construction costs are elapsing, making a smaller overall budget possible, county leaders said. “It’s a very good and fair budget,” said County Manager Stanton Riggs. “We’re meeting our goals and we’re on target and we were still able to lower property taxes and move down the road.” The $39,098,887 budget for the 2015-16 fiscal year approved by the Chaves County commissioners last week is about $5.8 million less than the county’s 2014-15 fiscal year budget of $44,889,112, equating to a year-to-year reduction of about 12.9 percent. “We lowered property taxes and that’s factored in this budget, too,” Riggs said. “Yes, we’re getting less property tax money,
Hearing loss? There’s a remedy By Dylanne Petros Record Staff Writer It takes people about seven years before they notice their hearing has diminished. For people who notice the change sooner, there is Miracle-Ear Hearing Centers in Roswell. Around 48 million people in the United States have hearing loss including 1 in
3 people over the age of 65 and 30 in 1,000 children, said Kelli Miller, Chief Operating Officer for Miracle-Ear in Roswell. “That’s quite a staggering number,” she said. The reason most people don’t realize they are experiencing hearing loss is because it is not painSee REMEDY, Page A3
NM ranked fifth least safe state in recent study By Katy Ross Record Summer Intern
but we’re getting a little more gross receipt tax money.” A good portion of the county’s projected budget reduction is due to the near completion of the
Chaves County Detention Center, Riggs explained. Riggs said the county is slated to pay $7.2 million for jail reconstruction costs in 2015-16, down from $9.2 million in 2014-
15. The $15.1 million jail renovation project is expected to be completed in late October. The See BUDGET, Page A3
Today’s Forecast
Today’s Obituaries Page A6
HIGH 98 LOW 61
• Shirley J. Franco • Cheyenne Jones
A study conducted by Wallethub, an online personal finance resource, revealed that New Mexico is ranked the 47th safest state to live in out of the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. A ranking of one is safest and a ranking of 25 is average. The study “encompasses various forms of safety,
including workplace safety, emergency preparedness, home and community stability, road safety and… financial security;” the purpose of the study was to not only help “ease the process” of people who have difficulty choosing which state to move to, but also because June is National Safety Month. See SAFE, Page A2
Index Classifieds...........B6 Comics..................B5 Entertainment. ....A8 Financial..............B3
General...............A2 Horoscopes.........A3 Lotteries. ............A2 Nation..................A6
Opinion.................A4 Sports. ................B1 Weather...............A8