Santa Fe New Mexican, Aug. 31, 2013

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Man’s battle with cancer strengthens close-knit family Life & Science, A-9

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Saturday, August 31, 2013

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U.s. weighs syria strike

MENTAL HEALTH AUDIT

Kerry says intelligence findings on Assad are ‘clear, compelling’ By Karen DeYoung and Anne Gearan The Washington Post

Neil Ranley, 23, and his mother, Gay Finlayson, on Friday. JANE PHILLIPS/THE NEW MEXICAN

Patients, providers blast state at rally

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration laid out a case Friday for launching a military strike against Syria that left little room for doubt that an attack is imminent. President Obama said he had not made a decision. But he said impunity for a massive use of chemical weapons would be a danger

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to U.S. national security and a sign that the world was “paralyzed” in the face of mass killing. “A lot of people think something should be done, but nobody wants to do it,” Obama said. He acknowledged that the world feels a “certain weariness, given Afghanistan,” but made no mention of Thursday’s parliamentary vote in Britain, which ruled out participation in an attack. The most forceful argument, and the clearest indication that action is near, came from Secretary of State John Kerry, who outlined intelligence findings against Syrian President

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u NBC News poll finds half of Americans oppose broad military action in Syria. u The most likely military scenario U.S. would take if it decides to attack. PAge A-4

Bashar al-Assad that he said were “as clear as they are compelling.” “I’m not asking you to take my word for it,” Kerry said. “Read it for yourself, everyone, those listening, all of you, read for yourself

Please see sTRIKe, Page A-4

CHEER GREETS GLOOM ZOZOFEST KICKS OFF FIESTA u From Don Diego de Vargas to the Burning of Will Shuster’s Zozobra to information about all the parades, what you need to know is in this year’s Fiesta Guide. INsIde u Hundreds of Santa Feans pour into the Railyard to catch an early glimpse of Old Man Gloom before his fiery demise next week during the inaugural Zozofest. LOcAL News, A-5

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Lawmakers to mull extraordinary legislative session to address disruptions to behavioral services

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By Steve Terrell

The New Mexican

Neil Rawley of Albuquerque, a tall 23-year-old wearing a purple Ghostbusters T-shirt, said he loves painting and drawing. “I do realism as well as surrealism,” he said when asked to describe his work. He’s got a Facebook page dedicated to his art, displaying portraits of actual people as well as sketches of fantastic creatures and even a few whimsical cartoon characters. His art is part of his therapy, he said Friday. Rawley currently is unemployed, his mother, Gay Finlayson, said. He’s had a hard time keeping a steady job since he was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. And he’s had a harder time, in general, in recent weeks since he lost his therapist amid the recent shakeup in the state’s mental health system. Rawley was a client at Hogares, one of 15 behavioral health providers under investigation by the state attorney general for possible fraud. Citing federal regulations, the state Human Services Department suspended Medicaid payments for 14 of those providers in late June and brought in behavioral health companies from Arizona to take over the caseloads

Please see BLAsT, Page A-4

ABOVE: This year’s Don Diego de Vargas, Jason Jamie Lucero, and La Reina de la Fiesta, Kristy Ojinaga y Borrego, lead a procession of Fiesta royalty from the Railyard Plaza into El Museo on Friday.

GOP lawmakers sue to block gay marriage in N.M.

LEFT: Poster winner Sebastian Velazquez signs a copy of his poster for Luke Tompson, 11, who won the student art contest during Zozofest.

Lawsuit targets Doña Ana County, says clerk exceeded powers as an official in issuing licenses

RIGHT: Zozobra’s head on display.

By Barry Massey

PHOTOS BY JANE PHILLIPS/THE NEW MEXICAN

The Associated Press

A group of Republican legislators has brought the first lawsuit to try to block gay marriage in New Mexico since six counties began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples in the past week. The lawsuit targets one Southern New Mexico county — Doña Ana — but could provide another route for the dispute to reach New Mexico’s highest court for a final statewide resolution. The New Mexico Association of Counties and county clerks statewide have said they plan a separate appeal to the state Supreme Court to try to get a decision on whether gay marriage is legal in New Mexico. Paul Becht, an Albuquerque lawyer for the GOP legislators, said Friday the lawsuit was filed in Las Cruces, where the Doña Ana County Clerk’s Office has issued more than 200 marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples since last week. Five other counties, including Santa Fe County, have taken similar steps, and Los Alamos County could become the seventh county to issue licenses. A judge on Thursday ordered the clerk there to

Please see BLOcK, Page A-6

Index

Calendar A-2

Classifieds B-5

Comics B-12

Today Mostly sunny. High 89, low 61. PAge A-12

Pasapick www.pasatiempomagazine.com

Zozofest

Obituaries James (Jim) Stevens Gilmore, 92, Los Alamos, Aug. 20 Volker de la Harpe, 84, Santa Fe, Aug. 25 William Stewart Johnson, 80, Santa Fe, Aug. 21 Albert Lopez, Santa Fe , Aug. 27 PAge A-10

Lotteries A-2

Opinions A-11

Police notes A-10

Interim Editor: Ray Rivera, 986-3033, rrivera@sfnewmexican.com Design and headlines: Carlos A. López, clopez@sfnewmexican.com

Indoor/outdoor celebration at the Railyard, 3-10 p.m.; including Southwest hopfunkers La Junta; Santa Fe Fiesta Council and dignitaries; exhibit of the late Zozobra creator Will Shuster’s artwork and photographs; and a screening of the 2012 film Rise of the Guardians; El Museo Cultural de Santa Fe and the Railyard Plaza, exhibit continues Saturday. More events in Calendar, Page A-2 and Fridays in Pasatiempo

Sports B-1

Time Out B-11

Life & Science A-9

Main office: 983-3303 Late paper: 986-3010

A joyous end to the journey More than 230 people from 45 nations gained American citizenship Friday morning during a ceremony at convention center. LOcAL News, A-5

Two sections, 24 pages TV Book, 32 pages 164th year, No. 243 Publication No. 596-440


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