Roswell Daily Record
Vol. 123, No. 194 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday
THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
August 13, 2014
City sees gas price war BY JEFF TUCKER AND DYLANNE PETROS RECORD STAFF WRITERS
While regular -grade gasoline prices are averaging $3.45 a gallon statewide, Roswell motorists are seeing substantially lower fuel prices in what some service station employees said was an apparent gas war. On Monday and Tuesday, several Roswell gas stations were selling gas at about 50 cents a gallon less than the state average. Roswell was the only city in the state this week with stations selling gas for less than $3 a gallon, according to NewMexicoGasPrices .com. Local regular-grade gas prices ranged from $2.93 a gallon to $3.49 on Monday and Tuesday. Circle K at 3213 N. Main St. on Tuesday had the lowest priced regular-grade gasoline in Roswell at $2.93 a gallon. Three fuel stations in Roswell: Chisum T ravel Center at 5500 N. Main St.; Stripes at 3800 S. Main St.;
and Alon at 520 E. Second St. were selling regular gas Tuesday at $2.99 a gallon. Regular -grade gasoline was selling for 50 cents a gallon more at some nearby stations. Four stations: Shamrock at 811 W. Second St.; Conoco at 2110 S. Main St.; Diamond Shamrock at 225 S. Main St.; Conoco at 1811 SE Main St.; and Conoco at 920 W. Second St. were all selling regular gas Tuesday at $3.39 a gallon, according to NewMexicoGasPrices.com. Shell at 3000 N. Main St. had the highest local price for regular -grade gas at $3.49 a gallon on Monday, according to NewMexicoGasPrices.com. On Tuesday, the Shell station dropped its regular gasoline prices to $3.39 a gallon. Kayla Westmoreland, an assistant manager at the Shell station, said gas prices were higher at Shell because of the station’s higher quality fuel. “I think for the most part, (the higher price is) because our quality of gas
is a little bit higher,” Westmoreland said. “Our (gas) is a bit better than everyone else’s.” Westmoreland said her store checks local gasoline prices daily and Shell’s corporate office makes adjustments. “We do check gas prices every single day,” Westmoreland said. Westmoreland said Shell receives gasoline from refineries in Artesia. Although refined locally, Westmoreland said she did not know why Shell’s gasoline prices have not come down to aid the apparent pricing war in Roswell. Telephone calls placed Tuesday with the corporate headquarters of several local gas stations were not returned. Employees at the Chisum Travel Center said they did not understand why gasoline prices were so much lower at Chisum T ravel Center than other Roswell stations. “Why we are cheap in Roswell, we have no idea,”
Timothy P. Howsare Photos
Top: The Chisum Travel Center just north of city limits was one of several locations in Roswell Tuesday where regular gas could be purchased for $2.99 a gallon. Above left: On Saturday, gas was as low as $2.89 at the Allsup’s convenience store at North Main Street and Country Club Road. Above right: Gas at the Brewer convenience store on North Main Street across from Pioneer Bank was at the top end of gas prices in Roswell Tuesday at $3.39.
Attorney: Women still face pay challenges, discrimination See GAS, Page A3
BY RANDAL SEYLER RECORD STAFF WRITER
Fair pay for women, pregnancy discrimination and the recent Supreme Court ruling on Hobby Lobby were topics of discussion on Monday at the Roswell Public Library. The Southwest Women’s Law Center of Albuquerque sponsored a discussion on “Women’s Economic Fair ness in the Workplace.” Featured speakers included Pamelya Herndon, executive director of the Southwest Women’s Law Center; Paige Duhamel, staff attorney for SWLC; and Dr. Susan Scott, who is both a medical doctor and an attorney. She also serves on the SWLC board of directors. “Ask your elected representatives if they support fair pay for women,” Herndon said. “It takes civic engagement to create change, and if people are running for of fice, ask them where they stand on these issues. Ask if they support equal pay, or pregnancy fairness.” The Hobby Lobby ruling is a matter of fair pay because it impacts women,
Randal Seyler Photo
Dr. Susan Scott, left, discusses equality and women’s pay while guest speakers Paige Duhamel, center, and Pamelya Herndon, executive director of the Southwest Women’s Law Center, listen during a program on Monday at the Roswell Public Library. The program was sponsored by the Southwest Women’s Law Center of Albuquerque, where Scott serves on the board of directors and Duhamel serves as staff attorney.
who are already earning less per hour in the workplace than their male counterparts, Dr. Scott said.
WEDNESDAY
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tions to pay for insurance coverage for contraception under the Affordable Care Act violated a federal law protecting religious freedom.
The Supreme Court ruled in June that requirThe 5-to-4 ruling, which ing family-owned corpora- applied to two companies
owned by Christian families, opened the door to many challenges from corporations over laws that they claim violate their religious liberty. See WOMEN, Page A3
Report: State has been slow to start child visit program
ALBUQUERQUE (AP) — New Mexico’s embattled child welfare agency has been slow to set up home visiting services two years after winning a federal grant, a new evaluation reports. The evaluation found the state had set up home visiting services for children at only two of the four communities planned as pilot sites, the Albuquerque Journal reports. The Children, Youth and Families Department received the two-year $2.65 million grant in September
2011 to set up pilot programs at sites in Luna, Quay and McKinley counties and Albuquerque’s South Valley. The state’s original plan called for home visiting programs to be in operation at all four by September 2012, the report said. “The evaluation we conducted shows that, after two years, a small amount of progress has been made” toward the project’s objectives, according to the evaluation by RAND Corp., a
ALBUQUERQUE (AP) — A man wanted in a shooting that killed a woman and wounded three others apparently died of a selfinflicted gunshot wound, police said. Albuquerque police said Marcos Delgado, 46, shot himself early Tuesday after a short chase with officers. No of ficers fired their weapons or were hurt in the pursuit, police
spokesman Tanner Tixier said. Albuquerque Police Chief Gorden Eden said Delgado fatally shot Anna Vigil, 27, three times Friday during a “fit of jealous rage.” He then shot three other women near an auto detailing shop, Eden said. The three women who survived the shooting were
APD: Suspect in mass shooting dead
See REPORT, Page A2
Martinez declines news Director: Planetarium hosted 1,700 during fest group’s debate invitation SANTA FE, (AP) — Republican Gov. Susana Martinez is declining the New Mexico Press Association’s invitation for a debate against Democratic challenger Gary King at the newspaper group’s convention next month. The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that King accepted the association’s invitation for a Sept. 27 debate but that Martinez’s campaign declined without explanation. Association Executive Director Phil Lucey says he hopes Martinez reconsiders and accepts the invitation.
He says that if she doesn’t, King will speak at the convention Hyatt Regency Tamaya at Santa Ana Pueblo and field questions from journalists.
Martinez campaign spokeswoman Chis Sanchez says two other joint appearances with King have been scheduled and that others are expected.
King campaign spokesman Keith Brietbach says King has accepted debate and forum invitations from several organizations.
HIGH 90 LOW 69
TODAY’S FORECAST
BY RANDAL SEYLER RECORD STAFF WRITER
The Robert H. Goddard Planetarium has made a comeback, thanks largely due to the city’s new planetarium director Marcus De Thouars. De Thouars told the Chaves County Tourism Council on Monday that 1,700 visitors had attended programs at the planetarium during the UFO Festival. More than 2,000 visitors have been through the planetarium since July. De Thouars was named the director for the planetarium in June and he is
• GLADYS W. SOURISSEAU • EILEEN LEONE REIFSTECK
paid through cooperation between the Roswell Independent School District and the city of Roswell, said Judy Stubbs, chairwoman of the tourism council. The planetarium presented a number of programs during the UFO Festival and more shows are planned for the immediate future, De Thouars said. “I have to leave at 11 to go present a show for the Yucca Center,” he added. The 120-seat Robert H. Goddard Planetarium presents star shows, See TOURISM, Page A3
• PETRA HERNANDEZ • HILARIO G. MARTINEZ
TODAY’S OBITUARIES PAGE A8
See APD, Page A2
Randal Seyler Photo
Marcus De Thouars, new director of the Robert H. Goddard Planetarium, center, discusses the number of visitors to the planetarium while Roswell Museum and Art Center Director Michael Hall, left, and Chaves County Tourism Council Chairwoman Judy Stubbs, right, listen in at Monday’s tourism council meeting in Roswell. CLASSIFIEDS ..........B8
INDEX GENERAL ...............A2
FINANCIAL ..............B4
LOTTERIES .............A2
COMICS .................B7
HOROSCOPES .......A10
OPINION .................A4
SPORTS .................B1
WEATHER ............A10