Roswell Daily Record
INSIDE NEWS
STORM HITS MIDWEST
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Powdery snow, up to a foot and a half in some places, bombarded much of the nation’s midsection Thursday, impeding travel and shutting down airports, schools and state legislatures. The widespread winter storm system swirled to the north and east Thursday night, its snow, sleet and freezing rain prompting ... - PAGE A7
TOP 5 WEB
For The Past 24 Hours
• Senate passes Pirtle farm bill • Multiple fires under investigation • Roswell’s four-legged friends can run free ... • RPD swears in three new officers * Man dies in RPD ...
INSIDE SPORTS
THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
House OKs merit pay for teachers
Vol. 122, No. 46 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday
SANTA FE (AP) — Republican Gov. Susana Martinez’s administration will receive money to establish a merit pay system for teachers under a proposed state budget approved Thursday by the House despite objections from Democrats. The House approved the financial blueprint on a 5316 vote on Thursday, and sent it to the Senate for consideration. Only Democrats voted against the bill. The measure will allocate nearly $5.9 billion for public schools, colleges and state
Senate group passes drought bill
The New Mexico Senate Conservation Committee passed Thursday a bill that would allocate $2.5 million from the state’s general fund for the Interstate Stream Commission in an effort to mitigate effects of drought in the lower areas of the Pecos River Basin. SB 462, sponsored by Sens. Carroll Leavell, R-Jal, and Cathrynn Brown, RSanta Fe, would provide funding for the 2014 fiscal year to help the lower Pecos River Basin and the Carls-
February 22, 2013
FRIDAY
www.rdrnews.com
government programs — ranging from prisons to health care — in the fiscal year starting in July. That’s an increase of 4.2 percent, or $239 million. The budget leaves $19 million available for additional increases by the Senate and to offset possible tax cuts. The governor has proposed $47 million in tax reductions next year, including cutting the corporate income tax rate. The largest share of the budget — nearly $2.6 billion or a 4.6 percent increase —
will go for public schools, the Public Education Department and other educational programs. Several Democrats objected to the proposed education spending. “You can’t come up here without someone having some type of reform. I wish we would throw out that word because what we need more than reform is sufficient funding. We have been starving these schools since ’09,” said Rep. Mimi Stewart, an Albuquerque Democrat and chairwoman of the Edu-
cation Committee who voted against the budget. The measure provides $3 million for a pilot program of merit pay to reward highperforming teachers. The governor had requested $11 million for the pay incentives. “The idea of merit pay implies that the teacher force is withholding good teaching until they’re being given more money, and I think it’s so wrong,” said Rep. Christine Trujillo, an Albuquerque Democrat who is retired educator.
Hoist your sail when the wind is fair
Rep. Don Tripp, a Socorro Republican, defended the proposal.
“I know there is some heart burn with the merit pay for teachers and I agree that we don’t have enough to reward everyone that’s doing a good job but we have to start somewhere. So I think the fact that we have any money in there for the merit pay is probably one of the most important things I’ve seen put in the budget in See TEACHERS, Page A3
Mark Wilson Photo
High winds create near brown out conditions while collecting tumbleweeds along a fence on One Horse Road north of Roswell, Thursday.
Valley Meat Co. files lawsuit County resolution addresses oil, gas See DROUGHT, Page A3
ILISSA GILMORE RECORD STAFF WRITER
GATEWAY GIRLS TOP PANTHERS
Gateway Christian picked up its second win of the season with a 44-21 win over visiting Lake Arthur on Thursday. The Warriors (2-14), led 82 after the first quarter and took control of the game by winning the second quarter 17-8. Gateway closed out the win by outscoring ... - PAGE B1
TODAY’S OBITUARIES
• Vinson Carter • William Mel Mayes • Pedro T. Ibarra - PAGE A7
HIGH ...59˚ LOW ....29˚
TODAY’S FORECAST
For more than a year, local slaughterhouse Valley Meat Co. has had an application pending with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service to begin slaughtering horses for human consumption. Owner Rick De Los Santos recently filed a lawsuit against the USDA, alleging it has failed to comply with federal laws and provide equine inspection services at the facility. The company, which has processed beef cattle for more than 20 years and at one time employed more than 40 people, ceased operation since submitting the application. De Los Santos said the longer it has to wait for inspections, the more money the slaughterhouse loses. “We sat here for a long time, waiting,” he said. “To have a facility like this not doing anything for a year takes a toll on finances, but we think we’re doing the right thing.” A. Blair Dunn, attorney for Valley Meat Co., said the lawsuit, filed in October, simply asks the USDA to follow Congress’ orders. The company is still waiting for an answer to the lawsuit. Horse rescue organizations in the state
can only hold so many horses, De Los Santos said, and more than 9,000 horses have already been shipped to Mexico for slaughter this year, taking jobs and money away from the state. Recently, a piece of legislation that would have requested the state Department of Agriculture to study the feasibility of horse slaughter and meat processing in the state died in the New Mexico House of Representatives. Last year, news of De Los Santos’ application made national and international headlines and stirred public outcry, with Gov. Susana Martinez asking the USDA to deny his application. De Los Santos said the company still receives calls from protesters. “The outcry of the activists is louder than that of small businesses,” he said. “If they were truly against slaughter — thousands of cows are killed in this country. They pick on us because we’re the little guy.” He said while the issue has become politicized, “politics has no place in the USDA.” The company’s effort has received support from the New Mexico Horse Council and the American Quarter Horse Associa-
Stand your ground
The Chaves County Board of Commissioners approved Thursday a resolution to endorse state legislation that would clarify that the state, not local governments, has the authority to regulate the oil and gas industry in New Mexico. According to the resolution, SB 463, sponsored by Sen. Carlos Cisneros, D-Questa, “would make it clear that local governments are preempted from regulating oil and gas exploration, development, operations and marketing.” The resolution says the state has authorized the Oil Conservation Committee and the Oil Conservation Division of the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department to regulate the industry and local governments lack the necessary expertise and knowledge to do so. Commissioner Greg Nibert said the resolution is in response to other counties attempting to prevent or regulate oil and gas production in their area. The board also approved resolutions to donate the Fisk Building, 327 N. Main St., to the city and to update both the county’s purchasing policy and flood damage prevention ordinance. The commissioners also held a public hearing regarding whether the county should issue a special use permit to construct and operate a cell tower 2.1 miles northeast of state Route 82. No one spoke for or against the permit and the board voted to approve it.
Public service or ‘prize to kill,’ Coyote Hunt begins Saturday See LAWSUIT, Page A3
JESSICA PALMER RECORD STAFF WRITER
CLASSIFIEDS..........B5 COMICS.................B3 FINANCIAL .............B4 GENERAL ..............A2 HOROSCOPES ........A8 LOTTERIES ............A2 OPINION ................A4 SPORTS ................B1 WEATHER ..............A8
INDEX
Mark Wilson Photo
The flag pole at the old Missouri Avenue Elementary School stands alone as demolition work of the building nears completion, Thursday.
Larry’s Gun Shop will hold a Coyote Hunt this weekend. The two-day event begins Saturday, ends Sunday and lasts during the first day from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset, with a Sunday check at an undisclosed base at 3:30 p.m. Colby Griffin of LGS said the participants must follow all New Mexico wildlife regulations. The hunters will be on an honor system since they will all be working at a remote locations. “There is no set location.” However, there are specific rules. Their registration form and contest rules, available from the gun shop, outline many of the specifics about choice of location. Registration will be today from 9 a.m. to
6 p.m. Participants must go to Larry’s Gun Shop on North Main Street to register. The entry fee is $300 per two-man team. The contest’s organizers view the hunt as a public service. “The coyote population has a big impact on ranches. Coyotes cost ranchers $1,000 per year. Coyotes have forced ranchers to have to switch from sheep and change the way they make their money,” Griffin said. Others would agree, including former State Senator T im Jennings and Mike Corn, co-owner and manager of Roswell Wool. Others would not. All agree, however, that it is an emotional issue, and all agree there is the need for a system of checks and balances. Only the definition varies. See COYOTE, Page A3