Roswell Daily Record
Vol. 121, No. 149 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday
INSIDE NEWS
THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
Little Bear: 42, 995 acres, 60%contained
BELLVUE, Colo. (AP) — Colorado firefighters are ramping up their attack on a lightning-sparked blaze that has spread across more than 100 square miles of tinder-dry terrain and left officials to believe it could be weeks, or even months, before the fire is ... - PAGE A2
FRIDAY
www.rdrnews.com
NOAH VERNAU RECORD STAFF WRITER
COLORADO FIRE UNDER ATTACK
June 22, 2012
Mark Wilson Photo
The Little Bear fire caused the closure of State Highway 48 near Alto, June 9.
‘Hot enough for ya?’
Firefighters continued successful burnout operations along the west side of the Little Bear fire, which as of Thursday had consumed 42,995 acres and was 60 percent contained. Rico Smith, fire information officer, said firefighters throughout the week have removed a significant portion of the unburned fuel that existed on the west side, the most active area of the fire. “We’re taking unburned fuel and doing back-burning toward the
head of the fire to basically take away the fuel for containment. So we’ve made really great progress throughout the week. “... And the only area right now where we’re working on containing is on that west side. So we want to complete this burnout operation, and that will raise the containment figures up considerably. They expect to complete the burnout operation (Thursday), and that containment figure will go up.” Smith said Thursday morning brought 52 percent humidity and mild
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winds from the south and southwest, which has helped suppression efforts. “Basically, the wind is blowing toward the fire itself, so as we conduct that bur nout operation, we’re taking that fire right to the head of the main fire. “... And we have more moisture in the air, higher humidity and lower temperatures, so that’s going to slow the spread of the fire. It’s going to continue to creep, but it’s going to do it at a much slower rate. So we really have good condi-
School grades within 30 days
See FIRE, Page A3
SANTA FE (AP) — Gov. Susana Martinez’s administration is rejecting a call to postpone A-F grades for more than 800 public schools.
The Las Cruces SunNews reports that the state Public Education Department said Wednesday the grades will be released within 30 days. “We will not delay and will be releasing school grades in less than a month,” said Larry Behrens, a spokesman for the state department.
INSIDE SPORTS
Mark Wilson Photo
The announcement comes after State Sen.
CFCC honors grassroots organizer Frank Sanchez A dragonfly rests on a branch during the morning hours at Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Tuesday.
NOAH VERNAU RECORD STAFF WRITER
JURY’S GOT IT, NOW
BELLEFONTE, Pa. (AP) — Jerry Sandusky was either a “predatory pedophile” who lured young boys to Penn State with gifts and access to big-time football, or a victim of nowgrown men who lied to get a payout, attorneys argued Thursday ... - PAGE B1
TODAY’S OBITUARIES
• Ruben M. Archuleta Sr. • Ruben M. Archleta Jr. - PAGE A7
HIGH ...94˚ LOW ....69˚
TODAY’S FORECAST
CLASSIFIEDS..........B6 COMICS.................B4 FINANCIAL .............B5 GENERAL ..............A2 HOROSCOPES ........A8 LOTTERIES ............A2 OPINION ................A4 SPORTS ................B1 WEATHER ..............A8
INDEX
The Community Foundation of Chaves County held its third annual Community Foundation Honors event Thursday at Anderson Museum of Contemporary Art, recognizing Frank Sanchez as the organization’s 2012 honoree. Sanchez was selected for his lifelong contributions and commitment to helping the residents of Chaves County and beyond. Born in Roswell in 1950, Sanchez is roundly considered one of New Mexico’s most active grassroots community organizers.
Before Sanchez had even reached 21 years of age, he became co-founder of the Chicano Youth Association, which helped confront discriminatory practices in the Portales school district. The hard work of his spirited organization led to a landmark case that set a national precedent for bilingual education. From the 1970s to the present, Sanchez’s instrumental work has included focus on such issues as welfare rights initiatives, labor rights, health care and voting rights issues. In 1997, Sanchez began working as a Roswell-based program officer for the Need-
mor Fund, a position he holds to this day. The Needmor Fund, a foundation based in Toledo, Ohio, has a core value of democracy, with a simple premise that people should participate in decisions that af fect their lives, Sanchez said. “Everyone should have the right and the ability to imagine and shape the future of their communities. So we fund what we call community organizations all over the country, and that’s exactly what they’re working on, is to bring more people into the democratic process and
See GRADES, Page A3
Noah Vernau Photo
Frank Sanchez, right, visits with R.G. Bobby Villegas, center, and Matthew Villegas at the Anderson Museum of Contemporary Art, Thursday.
Statewide burn ban County approves rezone requests JULIA BERGMAN RECORD STAFF WRITER
A statewide burn ban has been issued to New Mexico’s 33 counties restricting smoking, fireworks, campfires, open burning and open fires. The ban, which became effective June 12, was issued by the New Mexico State Forestry Division. A press release from the division notes that “due to abnor mally warm temperatures, low
humidity, high wind, and the abundance of dry, fine fuels, fire danger throughout much of central and wester n New Mexico is high.” Additionally, the ban is in response to fire activity in the Gila National Forrest and the Ruidoso area, caused by the Little Bear fire. The following restrictions have been placed on non-municipal, nonfederal, and non-tribal
See BURN, Page A3
See CCFC, Page A3
JULIA BERGMAN RECORD STAFF WRITER
After the withdrawal of a motion to deny the request, the County Commission unanimously approved a rezone to agricultural from an industrial/commercial district, but not before Commissioner Greg Nibert requested that Planning and Zoning Director Marlin Johnson send a strong letter to the applicant that “this is very unusual and (was) not well received.” Commissioner James Duffey was absent from the vote, which took place at
the commission’s regular business meeting Thursday. The rezone request concerns a 65-acre parcel of land, located at the corner of Navajo Road and Wichita Road/State Highway 2, of which 10 acres were rezoned industrial in 2006, with commercial uses added in 2009. The applicant is requesting that five of those acres be rezoned agricultural to create a parcel for a residence, Johnson said. Only two acres of the 65acre parcel lie outside of the floodway rendering it difficult to develop.
Commissioner Dick Taylor seconded Nibert’s original motion to deny the request. Nibert indicated that he did not recognize any justification for the rezone. Nibert eventually withdrew his motion, after which the commission voted to approve the request.
Accompanying the rezone approval was a request for a variance to section line setback requirements for the same property. In his application, the property owner said he was requestSee REZONE, Page A3