Roswell Daily Record THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
Vol. 121, No. 56 50¢ Daily / $1 Sunday
INSIDE NEWS
NM TAX SYSTEM A MESS
Legislators are generous in passing tax incentives to bring new companies and jobs to the state. And that’s the problem. They have to be. “If you’re in business in New Mexico and you’re paying taxes, come to the Legislature and get a tax credit,” said Sen. Jerry Ortiz y Pino, - PAGE A4
TOP 5 WEB
For The Past 24 Hours
• The Corps, 770 strong, march... • Gabriella, Kelci to wear crowns • Bikers ride for MS Society • ‘Oh, the places you’ll go’: Seuss at Pioneer.. • What’s the buzz, Girlfriend?
INSIDE SPORTS
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Rory McIlroy was six holes away from winning the Honda Classic and going to No. 1 in the world, an outcome that looked inevitable as he stood on the 13th green Sunday at PGA National. That’s when he heard the roar... - PAGE B1
TODAY’S OBITUARIES • • • • • • •
Robert Richard Sims Consuelo M. Conrad Dale Freiberger John S. Archer Georgia Archuleta Patti Nelms Bedford Verna M. Pittman - PAGE A3, B8
HIGH ...84˚ LOW ....43˚
TODAY’S FORECAST
CLASSIFIEDS..........B3 COMICS.................B7 ENTERTAINMENT.....A8 FINANCIAL .............A6 GENERAL ..............A2 HOROSCOPES ........B3 LOTTERIES ............A2 OPINION ................A4 SPORTS ................B1 WEATHER ..............A8
INDEX
TUESDAY
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Obama, Netanyahu talk unity, underline differences
WASHINGTON (AP) — Taking sharply different stands, President Barack Obama on Monday urged pressure and diplomacy to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear bomb while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized his nation’s right to a preemptive attack. Even in proclaiming unity, neither leader gave ground on how to resolve the crisis.
Seated together in the Oval Of fice, Obama and Netanyahu at times tried
to speak for each other, and other times spoke past one another. The president and prime minister are linked by the history and necessity of their nations’ deep alliance, if not much personal war mth, and both sought to steer the Iran agenda on their terms.
If he agreed, Netanyahu said nothing about sanctions or talks with Iran, or Obama’s position that there still is time to try to deter Iran peacefully.
Most split on gross receipts tax
Instead, Netanyahu drew attention back to Obama’s acknowledgement that Israel is a sovereign land that can protect itself how it sees fit. Israel has not yet decided whether to launch a unilateral strike on Iran, a point underscored in the White House meetings. Across days of comments, speeches and interObama and views, Netanyahu left no doubt about where they stand on Iran. Far less clear is
whether they have done anything to alter each other’s position in what has become a moment of reckoning over Iran, and an important foreign policy issue in the U.S. presidential race.
Both are adamant Iran must not develop a nuclear bomb. Obama’s aim is to keep Israel from launching an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities, fearing that would do little lasting good toward the goal and engulf the region and the United
States in another war.
Netanyahu’s White House visit came as U.S. and Israeli politicians flocked to the annual conference of a prominent pro-Israel lobby, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Netanyahu was to address the group Monday night; GOP presidential candidates Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich will on Tuesday.
JULIA BERGMAN RECORD STAFF WRITER
On the eve of the city election, voters coming and going at the Roswell Post Office, 415 N. Pennsylvania Ave., were largely undecided about their choices, leaving it up to their final sentiments at the polls today. Most were split about the proposal, which the mayor is reintroducing, to add a municipal infrastructure gross receipts tax to the city’s current gross receipts tax. The addition of the MIGR T would result in an increase of the city’s current gross receipts tax, which would shift from 7.125 percent to 7.25 percent or 12.5 cents for every $100 spent. It would apply to all taxable goods, and is projected to create revenues of $1.2 million annually. ”I can’t go against it, because I have to go with it, I’ve got to go with the flow. If you don’t you may pay for it later. What goes around, comes around,” resident Oscar Barrera said. Barrera has an easy decision to make living in Ward V, which is represented by councilor Elena Velasquez, who is running unopposed. “You can’t tax people into prosperity. There’s just no way. That’s kind of stupid if you ask me,” resident Karen Davis said. She indicated that she would be voting against the proposal for the tax increase. Resident Albert Silva said he would be fine with the MIGRT proposal passing, “I can’t say too much about it because I really don’t care one way or the other.” Silva, who See TAX, Page A2
MCILROY: THE NEW NO. 1
March 6, 2012
AP photo
Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and his wife Ann speak at a campaign rally at Gregory Industries in Canton, Ohio, Monday.
Super Tuesday: Romney-Santorum big day WASHINGTON (AP) — On the eve of their Super Tuesday showdown, Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum strained for an edge in Ohio on Monday and braced for the 10 primaries and caucuses likely to redefine the race for the Republican presidential nomination. Newt Gingrich, though winless for mor e than a month, campaigned in Tennessee and issued a stream of signals that he intended to stay in the race. In a race marked by unpre-
Shift causes cracks at Yucca Recreation Center An alleged shift in the building, which houses the Yucca Recreation Center, last week caused several cracks to appear throughout the facility. At this point the cause of the shift is unknown. It has been determined that the building is still safe, and activities and the like are happening as per usual. The only closure is to the small gym, which features more cracks than other locations in the building, as a safety precaution. “There is some concern but not enough to justify closing the building or anything like that,” Larry Fry, city manager, said. The
building, which Fry estimated is between 50 to 75 years old, has undergone many renovations throughout the years.
Charlie Purcell, city building inspector, and a member of Vantage Engineering and Construction have been keeping close track of the situation personally and with crack monitors. Fry said it does not appear that the cracks are getting any bigger. “Right now they’re trying to evaluate the situation to determine what, if anything, needs to be done,” Fry said.
dictability, Romney’s superior organization and the support of an especially deeppocketed super PAC allowed him to compete all across the Super Tuesday landscape and potentially pick up more than half of the 419 delegates at stake. Santorum cast the race in biblical terms, his David vs. Romney’s Goliath. Even that “is probably a little bit of an understatement,” he added. Primaries in Ohio, Georg i a , M a s s a c h u s e t t s , Ve r -
mont, Virginia, Oklahoma and Tennessee plus caucuses in Idaho, North Dakota and Alaska make Tuesday the busiest day of the primary season. Unlike previous Republican campaigns, when a primary winner would typically win all of a state’s delegates, allocations this year generally reflect the split in the popular vote. As a result, several candidates may be able to claim success once the Super Tuesday results are known.
Stranger Danger program to begin JESSICA PALMER RECORD STAFF WRITER
ing me all week, asking me to start the program again. I contacted the school district, but they say they have a program of their own, but I’ve been told that they do not,” said Vargas.
Roswell will begin the Stranger Danger Program, designed to teach children what to do if approached by a stranger, starting in April. “We used to have a program in the schools back in 2002. Then I became involved in the mold issue at Goddard, and RISD refused to let me into school grounds,” said Nicole Vargas. The issue came to the forefront after an incident last week near Del Norte Elementary School where a man attempted to grab a child. “She did just the right thing. She screamed and that’s what we try to teach them. We try to empower them,” Vargas said. “Parents have been call-
She became interested in starting the initial Stranger Danger program after an incident when she was assaulted in her driveway, held at gunpoint and told to get into a car. “I almost got into a car until I saw my parents’ and my baby’s faces and then I fought
and porcupines. Raccoons, foxes and tree squirrels, including the non-native fox squirrels, are protected. “You can’t go out and shoot them, trap them, or keep them as pets,” he said. He says that wildlife does not make good pets. “They will always be wild. We have pictures of men missing fingers from supposedly tame raccoons. They may look cute and cuddly when they are young, but at puberty they
become aggressive.” The only people who can legally take on these animals are permitted wildlife rehabilitators. To get a rehabilitation permit, the person must pass a test, have a minimum of 100 hours of experience working with wildlife under the supervision of a permitted rehabber. “They have to have specific facilities and cages which must be inspected and approved,” said Madsen. Wildlife rehabilitators
The refusal by RISD to host the program means that the venue will change. “We will hold the program at Yucca Recreational Center (500 S. Richardson Ave.) on the weekends until schools close, and then we’ll try to have three programs a week,” Vargas said.
back. I believe that’s what saved my life,” she said. The children are taught not to comply, but to fight back, kick, bite or scream. “They are told once you get in the car, you’re in trouble,” she said. If the child is near a business, then they should go into the store and get help or get the shopkeeper to call the police. They are told that they should not approach a residence or another stranger who may or may not help. “We tell them not to take short cuts, but keep to the sidewalks,” she said. Roswell Police Department Community Relations Officer Erica O’Bryon will participate in the talks. Vargas hopes to get Neighborhood Watch involved. See PROGRAM, Page A2
N.M. Game and Fish advise not to take wildlife as pets
Jessica Palmer Photo
This 3-month-old raccoon was brought into a rehabilitation facility when it was just a week old.
JESSICA PALMER RECORD STAFF WRITER New Mexico Game and Fish take a hard line when it comes to making a pet out of a wild animal. “By law it is unlawful to keep a protected species without a permit. We have a huge list of protected species,” said Mark Madsen, public information officer. The species not protected by New Mexico state law include coyotes, ground squirrels, rabbits
must register each animal that comes into their care and must submit an annual report. Regulations do not allow rehabilitators to keep animals if longer than 180 days. They are only per mitted to keep animals of they apply for an additional education permit. “The responsible rehabilitator keeps their contact with animals to a minimum,” said Madsen.
See PETS, Page A2