02-22-12 PAPER

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Roswell Daily Record THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY

Vol. 121, No. 45 50¢ Daily / $1 Sunday

INSIDE NEWS

N.M. proposes to overhaul Medicaid program

One of the goals of the planned revision is to slow

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The U.S. apologized Tuesday for the burning of Muslim holy books that had been pulled from the shelves of a detention center library adjoining a major base in eastern Afghanistan because they contained extremist messages or inscriptions. - PAGE A5

TOP 5 WEB

For The Past 24 Hours

• L.R.A.A. holds candidate forum • So many to choose from! • Jennings, running for Hagerman council • Roswell’s Most Wanted • Olguin leads Coyotes past Artesia, 67-50

INSIDE SPORTS

the rate of growth in Medicaid, which accounts for 16 percent of this year’s state budget and costs New Mexico taxpayers nearly $1 billion.

“We think it’s a broken system. We think we need to change it now,” Human Services Secretary Sidonie Squier said Tuesday in an interview in which she outlined the proposed revisions, which will require federal gover nment

Dow breaks 13,000 but can’t hold gains

NEW YORK (AP) — It came and went in a flash each time, a number on a board for mere seconds, but its symbolic power couldn’t be dismissed. The Dow Jones industrial average, powered higher all year by optimism that the economic recovery is finally for real, crossed 13,000 on Tuesday for the first time since May 2008. The last time the Dow was there, unemployment was 5.4 percent, and Lehman Brothers was a solvent investment bank. Financial crises happened in other countries, or the history books. The milestone Tuesday came about two hours into the trading day. The Dow was above 13,000 for about 30 seconds, and for slightly longer at about noon and 1:30 p.m., but couldn’t hold its gains. It finished up 15.82 points at 12,965.69. Still, Wall Street took note of the marker. It was just last summer that the Dow unburdened itself of 2,000 points in three terrifying weeks. Standard & Poor’s downgraded the United States’ credit rating, Washington was fighting over the federal borrowing limit, and the European debt crisis was raging. A second recession in the United States was a real fear. But the economy grew faster every quarter last year, and gains in the job market See DOW, Page A7

RANGERS LOOKING FORWARD TO ’12

The Texas Rangers used to go to spring training trying to fill out a starting rotation and hoping to get out of last place in the AL West. When the Rangers report to camp this week, they will have Japan’s top pitcher and four returners who won... - PAGE B1

TODAY’S OBITUARIES • • • • •

Debra L. Carrasco Margaret Claeys Capt. John Foster Wayne Bartlett Wanda M. DeShurley

- PAGE A3

WEDNESDAY

www.rdrnews.com

SANTA FE (AP) —Gov. Susana Martinez’s administration is proposing to overhaul a program that provides health care to a fourth of the state’s population, and the changes could require some needy New Mexicans to dig into their pockets to pay a fee if they go to an emergency room for medical care that’s not considered an emergency.

U.S. APOLOGIZES FOR QURAN BURNING

February 22, 2012

approval.

She emphasized that there will be no cuts in enrollment or changes in who’s eligible to receive medical services, and there will be no reduction in rates paid to health care providers.

However, the state proposes to require “co-pays” for Medicaid recipients who go to an emergency room for routine medical care and for using a brand

name drug when a generic drug is available. The fee will be $3 for brand name drugs but won’t apply to certain drugs used to treat mental health conditions. The fees for using an emergency room will vary according to a person’s income, but could range from $6 to $50.

The state hopes to have the revamped Medicaid program implemented in October 2013.

Ruth Hoffman, director of Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in New Mexico, said she was pleased there were no cuts in benefits or eligibility for medical services and described the co-pay requirements as “minimal.” “There is an emphasis on health and outcomes, which is a good idea,” said Hoffman, who wants to see more information as the See MEDICAID, Page A7

Mark Wilson Photo

New Mexico State Land Commissioner Ray Powell, right, and Carl Hansen of the New Mexico Military Institute, hold a news conference at the Roswell Daily Record, Tuesday, to announce the presentation of more than $884,000 to the school from money generated from record oil and gas lease sales on state trust lands in January.

NMMI to receive funds from gas lease sale JULIA BERGMAN RECORD STAFF WRITER

Due to a record high oil and gas lease sale on state trust lands in January, the New Mexico Military Institute is receiving a one-time payment of more than $884,000. Commissioner of

Public Lands Ray Powell announced that NMMI would be receiving the funds during a news conference at the Daily Record Tuesday. The sale took place on tracts of potash land in the Carlsbad area. The area produces the largest source of potash, which creates fertilizer and other valu-

able products, in the country. Historically there have been a series of contentious battles over this land. “Important potash industries were concerned about if you had oil and gas mining into their area you could introSee NMMI, Page A7

Vandal caught after damage spree Judge proposes House JESSICA PALMER RECORD STAFF WRITER

The vandal who hit the Roswell Museum and Art Center, the Roswell Civic Center, the Roswell Adult Center, and Parks and Recreation vehicles, Jacob Bejarano, has been arrested. According to Roswell Police Department spokesman Officer Travis Holley, officers “contacted him (Bejarano) on Saturday and he was arrested for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.” Holley also noted that Bejarano was found at

redistricting options

Cahoon Park, where most of the vehicle damage took place. Bejarano hit several places on successive nights, starting on Tuesday through Friday, causing an estimated $15,000 of damage.

The Civic Center and Visitor Bureau doors were shot out and the building tagged with graf fiti on Wednesday. The vandal retur ned on Thursday and shot two windows in a side entrance and a window to the right of the main doors. The Roswell Museum and Art Center lost two windows and the front door. The building was also tagged. The

Is it spring yet?

HIGH ...72˚ LOW ....38˚

Jacob Bejarano

Roswell Adult and Senior Center had the glass shot out of the front doors on Wednesday. See VANDAL, Page A2

CLASSIFIEDS..........B6 COMICS.................B4 ENTERTAINMENT.....B6 FINANCIAL .............B3 GENERAL ..............A2 HOROSCOPES ........A8 LOTTERIES ............A2 OPINION ................A4 SPORTS ................B1 WEATHER ..............A8

INDEX

Mark Wilson Photo

Daffodils begin to bloom in February at the Historical Center for Southeast New Mexico Museum, Tuesday.

The Supreme Court overturned a redistricting plan Hall approved last month and directed him to draw a new map. The state’s highest court on Tuesday released a written opinion giving a detailed explanation of its redistricting order made earlier this month. District boundaries must be realigned to adjust for population changes during the past decade. The goal is to equalize district populations as much as possible to comply with the doctrine of one person, one vote — See HOUSE, Page A2

House fire suspected as arson JESSICA PALMER ROSWELL STAFF WRITER

TODAY’S FORECAST

SANTA FE (AP) — A state district judge is proposing two options for revamping political districts of the state House of Representatives to comply with directives from New Mexico’s highest court. One of the plans suggested by retired District Judge James Hall will cost the Santa Fe area a legislative seat held by House Speaker Ben Lujan, who plans to retire after serving 19 terms in the House. Hall is giving lawyers until Thursday to comment on the proposals. He will adopt a final redistricting plan by next Monday.

Around 5:45 a.m. Tuesday, the Roswell Fire Department was called to a three alarm fire at 2202 S. Washington Ave. “We had three fire stations, a fire safety officer and a battalion chief called out,” said Acting Fire Chief Chad Hamill. Visibility was poor. “There was a lot of smoke and we had no idea if anyone was inside the residence, so we had to make a quick entry and a quick search,” said Hamill. The firefighters’ search revealed that the home

was unoccupied at the time. “The owner was in Albuquerque,” Hamill said. The RFD investigation thus far has been inconclusive. “There could have been three dif ferent potential sources of the fire. It could have been electrical. We couldn’t put our thumb on the exact source of the fire, so we handed it over to the police department,“ he said. Roswell Police Department spokesman Officer Travis Holley confirmed that arson is suspected. “That’s the only time an investigation gets turned over to us, We have turned it over to one of

our detectives,” he said.

According to a family member of the owner Don Reddoch, his brother was out of town with his wife who requires medical treatment. He said that the heat of the blaze was intense. “Everything was melted. My brother’s wife is sleeping in a hospital bed, and that melted too.”

Reddoch declined further comment until he spoke with his brother except to say: “I don’t know what they are going to do now. They’re coming home from Albuquerque, and they won’t even have a place to stay.” j.palmer@rdrnews.com


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