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2013
What’s
happening August 28
Rick Springfield
With 25 million albums sold, 17 top-40 hits, and a 1981 Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal win for his No. 1 hit single “Jessie’s Girl,” Springfield still has more to say with his latest album, Songs for the End of the World. 8 - 10 p.m. www.innofthemountaingods. com. Tickets start at $25.
Aug. 30 - Sept. 1
All American Baseball Tournament
Men’s and Women’s Open, Coed Comp & Rec. (Double Elimination). www.usssa.com; pagesports@valornet.com. Eagle Creek Sports Complex.
Aug. 30 - Sept. 2
All American weekend at the race track
The ultimate racing weekend of the summer season is here, highlighted by the $2.6 million All American Futurity on Labor Day. On Sunday, the $2.8 million All American Derby will become the all-time richest Quarter Horse race. The action starts on Friday with ostrich and camel races making their Ruidoso Downs debut. First post time is noon on Friday through Sunday and 12:30 p.m. on Labor Day.
www.ruidosofreepress.com
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2013 • w w w.ruido so fr eep r e s s.co M • VOL. 5, NO. 34
New feature to zip in at Eagle Creek? By Todd Fuqua Sports Editor todd@ruidosofreepress.com The Ruidoso Winter Park located at Eagle Creek Complex on Ski Run Road could get a new feature, as long as all the red tape is sorted out. The Parks and Recreation Commission heard a presentation by Tom Dorgan – owner of Ruidoso Winter Park – in which he proposed the rental of a portable zip line which could be installed at Eagle Creek at times when the snow and sledding are gone.
Dorgan said he decided the portable system – designed and offered by Extreme Engineering – would cost less to install and operate than a permanent line that he had initially considered. “Everyone I’d talked to that had installed a permanent line regretted it,” Dorgan said, “The firm we contacted to install one here estimated it would take about 30 people to operate it.” By contrast, the Extreme Engineering zip line would take three people to operate, and cost about $85,000, as opposed to a little more than half a million for a permanent line. One major concern would be whether the
By Eugene Heathman Editor eugene@ruidosofreepress.com Ruidoso attorney William N. Griffin filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court against the Village of Ruidoso Aug. 27 for violations of his civil rights and civil conspiracy, for the recovery of damages of approximately $1 million for personal and punitive, declaratory and
injunctive relief. Defendants named in the lawsuit are Ruidoso Village Attorney Daniel A. Bryant, Ruidoso Mayor Raymond Alborn, Ruidoso Village Manager Debi Lee, Ruidoso Village Clerk Irma Devine and the Village of Ruidoso governmental body. Griffin claims that during a Village council meeting, he was deprived of a constitutional
Disc golf championship
Car Show Friday, 1 - 5 p.m. Food vendors, arts and crafts booths, festivities for the kids, including a unique and colorful obstacle course – fun for ages 5-12. Live music, a ranch rodeo, 3 p.m. at the Hemphill Arena (1 mile south of Carrizozo on Highway 54; contact Scott Shafer 575-648-2142). Silent auction will be held during the fair, which includes local art, gifts and services. Donations to this silent auction are appreciated. Highway 54 and 12th Street, 575-973-0571; www.carrizozostreetfair.org. Free.
Aug. 31 - Sept. 1
All-American Gun & Western Collectible Show
180 tables of everything that relates to guns as well as hunting equipment, knives, cowboy gear, saddles, blankets, spurs, western relics, Indian artifacts, jewelry, coins and much, much more. www.trekwest.com/gunshow/.
‘Airing of the Quilts’ and artisan show
Experience the Third Annual vintage-inspired Airing of the Quilts and Artisan Show at Sanctuary on the River, 207 Eagle Drive, just off of Sudderth Drive in Midtown. 575-6301111; www.sanctuaryontheriver.com. Quilt Show: $5 adults, children under 12 are free; Victorian Tea: $20 adults, children under 15 $10.
Erik LeDuc/Ruidoso Free Press
Dave Smith, fourth place in the Grandmasters division, skims a low forehand shot down the narrow lane for hole No. 4, starting from the alternate position during the weekend’s 25th Annual New Mexico State Championship tournament, held in Ruidoso for the first time. For more on this event, see page B1. For more photos, B5.
The lawsuit
On Dec. 16, 2011, in a letter to Village of Ruidoso attorney Daniel A. Bryant, Griffin contends he attempted to “educate the village attorney on the strict FEMA regulations in the flood plain.” Griffin explained in detail what his concerns were regarding the Village’s apparent ignorance of and thus lack of compliance with FEMA regulations and supplied specific legal citations to underscore Griffin’s critical perspective. On Dec. 28, 2011, Bryant responded by attempting to minimize the importance of the FEMA regulations, claiming that Griffin had gone “beyond the pale” to have questioned the village’s adherence to FEMA, and that FEMA regulations were not applicable to the issues raised in Griffins client’s civil action. Bryant allegedly neglected to respond regarding the flood diverter permitted by the Village of Ruidoso to be built upon the neighboring parcel, which was in Griffins allegations, clearly without compliance with FEMA regulations. Griffin accuses at the time, the Village of Ruidoso had been attempting to secure federal and state funding for the Ruidoso Sewer Line Relocation Project, as federal interest in the project had been stimulated by the 2008 flood. Griffin alleges in the lawsuit that Village of Ruidoso officials knew then that the multi-million dollar sewer line project would be funded almost entirely by federal and state see LAwsuit, pg. A7
Four-car pileup snarls traffic By Erik LeDuc Reporter erik@ruidosofreepress.com Officers with Ruidoso Police and New Mexico State Police departments were called out a little before 2 p.m. on Monday for a four-car pileup at the intersection of Mechem and Cree Meadows drives. A Ruidoso officer stated that an investigation as to the causes of the incident was ongoing, pending a transfer of the case to State Police. A total number of injuries was not available, but EMS personnel were observed placing cervical collars, used to stabilize potential neck injuries, on several
people involved in the incident, including the driver of the last vehicle, who had yet to exit the crumpled cab of the truck as medics secured him for movement. No fatalities were reported. A witness and passenger of the first car involved, parked across the intersection, stated that he believed the last vehicle in the pileup, a Village of Ruidoso truck, had struck the line of vehicles parked at the intersection “without putting on the brakes.” The witness added that when he approached the vehicle’s driver to ask what happened, the driver stated he had no memory of what happened shortly before the collision.
Photo courtesy of Nina McInnes, Country Chick Photography (ninamcinnes@yahoo.com)
Bear crossing
Erik LeDuc/Ruidoso Free Press
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ur kend o y y o Enj ay Wee bor D a L
right to freedom of speech after being denied access to the podium because of what he had planned to discuss.
Civil conspiracy
Aug. 31
Inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2001, The Vogues remain one of the top vocal groups of the oldies scene today. www.spencer theater. com. Tickets are $56 and $59
zip line would interfere with softball operations in the summer when Eagle Creek hosts nightand-day USSSA tournaments. Dorgan stated there’s plenty of room for a zip line on the property without hampering any games or tournaments over the summer months. Dorgan and village attorney Zach Cook now have to hammer out a new lease on the property for the Ruidoso Winter Park to include the proposed zip line. That lease would then have to be approved by the Parks and Recreation Commission and the full Ruidoso Village Council.
Village sued for civil rights violations
Carrizozo Street Fair
The Vogues at the Spencer
A property of
IEW! SB V
REAL ESTATE TEAM SDC, REALTORS®
(575) 257-5111 ext. 117 307 Mechem Dr, Ruidoso, NM
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By Erik LeDuc Reporter erik@ruidosofreepress.com He may not be on the typical list of houseguests for the Piñon Hills Park RV, but a young black bear cub picked up in Lincoln County yesterday was a grateful visitor. “He was found on the McDaniels see BeAr cuB, pg. A3
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