Roswell Daily Record
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Court strikes marriage provision
Vol. 122, No. 153 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday
THURSDAY
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WASHINGTON (AP) — In a historic victory for gay rights, the Supreme Court on Wednesday struck down a provision of a federal law denying federal benefits to married gay couples and cleared the way for the resumption of same-sex marriage in California. The justices issued two 5-4 rulings in their final session of the term. One decision wiped away part of a federal anti-gay marriage law that has kept legally married samesex couples from receiving tax, health and pension benefits.
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The other was a technical ruling that said nothing at all about samesex marriage, but left in place a trial court’s declaration that California’s Proposition 8 is unconstitutional. Gov. Jerry Brown quickly ordered that marriage licenses be issued to gay couples as soon as a federal appeals court lifts its hold on the lower court ruling, possibly next month. In neither case did the court make a sweeping statement, either in favor of or against same-sex marriage. And in a sign that neither vic-
tory was complete for gay rights, the high court said nothing about the validity of gay marriage bans in California and roughly three dozen other states. A separate provision of the federal marriage law that allows a state to not recognize a same-sex union from elsewhere remains in place. President Barack Obama praised the court’s ruling on the federal marriage act, which he labeled “discrimination enshrined in law.” “It treated loving, committed gay and lesbian couples as a separate
and lesser class of people,” Obama said in a statement. “The Supreme Court has righted that wrong, and our country is better off for it.” House Speaker John Boehner, ROhio, said he was disappointed in the outcome of the federal marriage case and hoped states continue to define marriage as the union of a man and a woman. The ruling in the California case was not along ideological lines. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — After a one-woman filibuster and a raucous crowd helped derail a GOP-led effort to restrict Texas abortions, Gov. Rick Perry announced Wednesday that he’s calling lawmakers back next week to try again. Perry ordered the Legislature to meet July 1 to begin 30 more days of work. - PAGE A6
TOP 5
ILISSA GILMORE RECORD STAFF WRITER
WEB
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• Sheriff’s Office names shooting victim • Homicide • Popular FBI file describes three New Mexico ‘aliens’ • Ham Radio day reaches across borders • SERTOMA Club recognizes 2
INSIDE SPORTS
Lesser prairie chicken decision delayed
See MARRIAGE, Page A3
Mark Wilson Photo
NMMI cadet candidates navigate through the Leaders Reaction Course during a SROTC mini camp held on campus, Wednesday. The cadets will be heading to Fort Knox soon for 4 weeks of basic training before returning to NMMI.
In letters issued Wednesday to lawmakers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe announced that the organization will grant a six-month extension for a final decision on whether to list the lesser prairie chicken as endangered. Ashe said in the letter the Service will publish a notice in the Federal Register for an extension of the final listing determination through March 30, 2014.
Roswell Filmfest and Cosmicon kicks off AMY VOGELSANG RECORD STAFF WRITER
INSTITUTE GRAD TO PLAY IN MAJOR
SUNRIVER, Ore. — New Mexico Military Institute alumnus and Paa-ko Ridge Golf Club assistant professional David Muttitt earned a spot in golf’s final major of the year, the PGA Championship, on Wednesday at the PGA Professional National Championship. Muttitt, who played two seasons in the Bronco golf program under then-coach Sonny Wiginton in 2002 and 2003, finished in a five-way tie for ninth at 1 under after a final-round 70. - PAGE B1
TODAY’S • Greg D. Bannister • Royce Hurford • John Dalton Merchant • Louise A. Smotherman • TaCorey Lowell Anderson Singleton - PAGE A6
OBITUARIES
HIGH .106˚ LOW ....71˚
TODAY’S FORECAST
CLASSIFIEDS..........B6 COMICS.................B4 ENTERTAINMENT.....A8 FINANCIAL .............B5 GENERAL ..............A2 HOROSCOPES ........A8 LOTTERIES ............A2 OPINION ................A4 SPORTS ................B1 WEATHER ..............A8
INDEX
The music blasts around the patio, coming from Q-97.1 DJs and can be heard from the parking lot. Tie-Dye Man relaxes in a chair while a jedi knight grabs a green chile margarita. The atmosphere is lively and fun as comrades arrive at the Pepper’s Patio Party in order to kick off the 2013 Roswell Filmfest and Cosmicon. Marketing Director Renee Roach even got into the spirit, showing up with her face hidden under paint, a head to toe outfit and wielding two light sabers, calling herself Jedi Anajj Ventress. :I just wanted to be someone different,” Roach said. And dif ferent she may be, but she was not alone in her dressing up. Tie-Dye Man made an appearance to enjoy the
festivities and have another chance to wear his tiedye morph suit. “I came to get out, get a drink and have a fun time,” he said. As an inventor of his own character, T ie-Dye Man’s goal is to “bring a little color into a black and white world.” “It doesn’t get anymore color ful than this,” he said, gesturing to himself. Tie-Dye Man’s promotor, Helen Bertrand, said it simply: “you have to let your freak flag fly.” And that’s an appropriate statement to start RFC. Persuaded to cosplay all weekend, attendees are bound to come in all sorts of costumes and as all sorts of characters. From Star Wars voice talents to a Mars exhibit, there will be a multitude of events. But what Roach
See CHICKEN, Page A3
Mark Wilson Photo
Jaxon King, aka Tie Dye Man, and Renee Roach, aka Anajj Ventress, attend the Peppers Bar & Grill Party on the Patio celebration of the Roswell Filmfest and Cosmicon, Wednesday evening.
Fierce heat causes ‘Healthy’ local kids earn local power outages most governor medals in state JILL MCLAUGHLIN RECORD STAFF WRITER
An extreme high temperature of 109 degrees that baked Roswell Wednesday caused a few likely overheated Xcel Energy customers to overload the system and lose power. “With the heat and with the load, it caused some equipment failures,” said Xcel Energy spokesman Troy Foos. “It was all the fuses and breakers that began to be overloaded when folks got home from work, so it began about 5 p.m.” Crews operated some breakers and replaced blown fuses, Foos said. All
See COSMICON, Page A3
power was restored by 6 p.m. Wednesday’s temperature was the hottest recorded this year and only two degrees shy of breaking a record, according to forecaster Mark Fettig of the National Weather Service in Albuquerque. The temperature was 14 degrees above average for Roswell. The record high was set at 111 degrees in 1994. Today’s high is expected to reach 107, which is below the record high of 114 degrees—also set in 1994. That record is also the See HEAT, Page A3
RECORD STAFF WRITER
Roswell Independent School District third-graders earned the most Healthy Kids Challenge medals in New Mexico last school year, Gov. Susana Martinez announced Tuesday. Of the 580 children who successfully completed the Centennial Healthy Kids 5-2-1-0 Challenge, RISD had the most students compete and complete the challenge. Martinez awarded 104 RISD students a medal. “I am pleased that in the first year of this initiative close to 600 New Mexico third-graders successfully completed the challenge,” Martinez said. “The children who completed this challenge are on a path to a healthier lifestyle.” The three-week challenge included asking students to eat five fruits and vegetables every day; limit television and
computer use to two hours a day and use the extra time for reading books or learning new hobbies; get a least one hour of physical activity a day; and to drink plenty of water every day. Department of Health data shows that more than 14 percent of state kindergartners and about 21 percent of thirdgraders were obese in 2012, revealing a significant increase in childhood obesity between the age groups, according to the DOH. “Shaping healthy behaviors for our children is extremely important,” said DOH Secretary Retta Ward. “Small changes in diet and exercise can have a significant impact on health.” The DOH is targeting prevention strategies through a federally funded community transformation grant in 10 counties and four tribal communities with Healthy Kids New Mexico.