Everything but the tractor: New Santa Fe store is farmers’ paradise Local Business, A-12
Locally owned and independent
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
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Challenges ahead in NFL for first openly gay player Michael Sam is about to find out whether the league, long known for its machismo and locker room hijinks, is ready for him. SportS, B-1
Trailhead lots see smash-and-grab spike
Patti Bushee and Javier Gonzales vow to take Santa Fe’s ‘creative economy’ to the next level at a forum hosted by Create the Vote. LocAL NewS, A-7
Over the weekend, thieves broke into five vehicles parked near trailheads and stole personal belongings that had been left behind. LocAL NewS, A-7
Strangers plan military funeral for serviceman who died alone
2014 LEGISLATURE
Republicans blast Downs deal before Senate committee By Steve Terrell
Mayoral candidates discuss local culture
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The New Mexican
Gov. Susana Martinez’s administration rushed the 25-year, multimillion contract with The Downs at Albuquerque to run a racetrack and casino at the state fairgrounds in 2011, pressured New Mexico State Fair commissioners to vote for the contract and has, in effect “neutered” the fair commission. This was the testimony Monday of past and present commission members who spoke before the Senate Rules Committee con-
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cerning the 25-year, multimillion contract with The Downs at Albuquerque to operate the racetrack and casino at the fairgrounds. “You need to have professional management,” said Tom Tinnin, who chaired the fair commission under former Gov. Gary Johnson. Tinnin, a Republican appointed by
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Retention nixed from education bill, but Dems seek additional changes By Milan Simonich The New Mexican
State Rep. Mary Helen Garcia, a retired teacher and school administrator, on Monday dramatically softened her own bill that called for mass retention of third-graders who do not read proficiently. Garcia amended the bill so that forced retentions no longer are part of the bill. Instead, the main emphasis would be on screening assessments of children and then providing extra help for struggling readers in kindergarten
through third grade. Even so, Democrats who control the House Education Committee said parts of Garcia’s bill were flawed and asked for informal meetings to rework it. Garcia, D-Las Cruces, agreed to huddle with Rep. Mimi Stewart, who chairs the committee, on possible refinements. Under current state law, parents have a one-time veto over retention of a student. After that, schools have full power to hold back a child.
Eloy Timothy Tafoya served for 20 years as a U.S. Marine Corps helicopter mechanic. Among his assignments was caring for the helicopters used by two U.S. presidents. PHOTOS COURTESY SERVEPRO
Ceremony today meant to honor perceived last wish of former Marine By Phaedra Haywood
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The New Mexican
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today
Pasapick
Some sun. High 40, low 27.
www.pasatiempomagazine.com
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ccA cinematique fundraiser Featuring a screening of Particle Fever, Mark Levinson’s documentary on the search for the Higgs boson particle; with guest speakers Levinson and physicist Geoffrey West, introduced by Valerie Plame, 7 p.m., Lensic Performing Arts Center, 211 W. San Francisco St., $10, students $5, 988-1234, ticketssantafe.org.
obituaries Ray James Carter, Feb. 9 Larry Chambles, 70, Feb. 7 Dolores Ortiz, 74, Feb. 5 Manuelita “Macie” Dominguez Rogers, 65, Las Vegas, Feb. 5 Ramon Oswaldo (Waldo) Roybal, Santa Fe, Feb. 3 Marilyn J. Young, 79, Feb. 5
When police entered Eloy Timothy Tafoya’s apartment, they found his passport, military ID, driver’s license, Social Security card and a T-shirt folded to reveal the words ‘R.I.P. The U.S. Constitution’ carefully arranged on a small table draped in black cloth. In the center of the table was a clipping of a 2013 Santa Fe New Mexican story with the headline, ‘Program ensures that no veteran “dies alone.” ’
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loy Timothy Tafoya was last seen alive on New Year’s Eve when police visited his Casa Solana neighborhood apartment to check on him. An acquaintance and his former employer reported that he had uncharacteristically failed to respond to their attempts to reach him. Officers knocked on his door around 10:42 a.m., according to police. Tafoya, 60, a solitary figure who rarely revealed anything about himself to co-workers or acquaintances, answered and told them he was OK. On Jan. 23, police visited Tafoya’s home again after hearing from his landlord that Tafoya, a retired Marine, had not paid his rent. He had not picked up his mail or answered his phone, and no one had seen him in three weeks, the landlord told police. This time, a more gruesome scene awaited officers, who entered his apartment by unlocking the door with the landlord’s spare key and cutting the security chain that kept the door closed from inside.
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Administration delays insurance mandate for some employers Latest move changes compliance rules for midsize businesses and those with more than 100 employees By Robert Pear
The New York Times
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration announced Monday it will postpone enforcement of a federal requirement for medium-sized employers to provide health insurance
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to employees and allow larger employers more flexibility in how they provide coverage. The delay is the latest in a series of policy changes, extensions and clarifications by the administration, and it drew a new round of criticism from congressional Republicans, whose
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Lotteries A-2
scorching attacks on the law have become a central theme in many of this year’s midterm election campaigns. The “employer mandate,” which was originally supposed to take effect last month, had already been delayed to Jan. 1, 2015, and now the administration says that employers with 50 to 99 employees will not have to comply until 2016 — allowing Democrats to placate business concerns and pushing the issue well
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Editor: Ray Rivera, 986-3033, rrivera@sfnewmexican.com Design and headlines: Kristina Dunham, kdunham@sfnewmexican.com
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beyond this year’s midterm elections. In addition, the administration said the requirement would be put into effect gradually for employers with 100 or more employees. Employers in this category will need to offer coverage to 70 percent of full-time employees in 2015 and 95 percent in 2016 and later years, or they will be subject to tax penalties. “Today’s final regulations phase in the standards to ensure that larger
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employers either offer quality affordable coverage or make an employer responsibility payment starting in 2015,” said Mark J. Mazur, the assistant Treasury secretary for tax policy. The purpose of the penalty, he said, is to help offset the cost to taxpayers of providing coverage or subsidies to people who cannot get affordable health insurance at work.
Please see DeLAYS, Page A-5
Two sections, 24 pages 165th year, No. 42 Publication No. 596-440