Roswell Daily Record
Vol. 122, No. 203 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday
INSIDE NEWS
THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
August 24, 2013
SATURDAY
www.rdrnews.com
Santa Fe Co. issues gay marriage licenses
SANTA FE (AP) — The county clerk in the New Mexico state capital and the heart of this state’s gay rights movement began issuing marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples Friday, a court-ordered move that came just two days after a county clerk on the other end of the state decided on his own to recognize same-sex marriage.
News of the court order
sent a steady stream of couples to the Santa Fe County courthouse. County Clerk Geraldine Salazar kept her office open until 7 p.m. to give more people the opportunity to get married before the weekend.
Salazar also sent a staffer to the chemotherapy suite at Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center, so Jen Roper of Pojoaque, who is dying of
brain cancer, could marry Angelique Neuman. The first couple to get a license in the state’s thirdlargest county was Santa Fe County Commissioner Liz Stefanics and Linda Siegle, a lobbyist for Equality New Mexico, a gay rights group. Stefanics is a former Democratic state senator. The couple walked into County Clerk Geraldine Salazar’s office shortly after
1:30 p.m. and asked if officials there were still denying licenses to same-sex couples. “Not today,” Salazar said. Second in line were the two men who filed the lawsuit that resulted in the court order directing the clerk to issue the licenses — Alexander Hanna and Yon Hudson. “It’s exhilarating and also humbling,” Hudson said.
WILL U.S. RE-INVEST IN EUROPE? NEW YORK (AP) — It’s time for U.S. investors to revisit Europe. Last summer, much of the continent was mired in recession and the euro currency looked like a failed experiment. Now, Europe... - PAGE B5
TOP 5 WEB
For The Past 24 Hours
•.Good-natured roast honors Jennings •.Prosecutors have much to prove in... •.Main Street road project nears end •.Doña Ana Co. issues gay marriage licenses •.Xcel’s request for rate...
INSIDE SPORTS
Mark Wilson Photo
New Mexico Military Institute President/Superintendent Maj. Gen. Jerry Grizzle receives the 2013 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award during the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve's Lunch with the Boss at the Daniels Leadership Center at NMMI, Friday.
Roswell ESGR recognizes community JILL MCLAUGHLIN RECORD STAFF WRITER
The Roswell Committee for Employer Support to the Guard and Reserve hosted an awards and recognition banquet Friday to recognize several business people and public
LADY COYOTES WIN 7-0 At the beginning of each sports season, teams typically struggle to work out the kinks and off the rust of the offseason. It becomes more difficult for a team trying to learn and play... - PAGE B1
TODAY’S OBITUARY
• Marthella Whitehead Flowers - PAGE A2
HIGH ...92˚ LOW ....67˚
TODAY’S FORECAST
of ficials for supporting guardsmen and reservists. “We are a nation of honor, duty and achievement,” said Mayor Del Jurney. “Congratulations to our award recipients today.” Several employers were nominated by one of their
employees for a Patriot Award. Three individuals were nominated by the ESGR Committee for a Seven Seals Award. The New Mexico Military Institute hosted the event at the Daniels Leadership Center on campus. Attendees at Friday’s
event included state representatives, several local public officials, business leaders and several veterans. Col. Timothy Paul, chief of staff of the NM National See ESGR, Page A3
By late afternoon, more than 45 licenses had been issued, including one to Carolyn Dechaine and Kristina McKeown of Santa Fe, who heard the news on Facebook. Group weddings also were being offered. “You could feel the momentum building that this was coming,” Dechaine said. “But we didn’t know it
Military jury convicts Hasan
See MARRIAGE, Page A3
FORT HOOD, Texas (AP) — A military jury on Friday convicted Maj. Nidal Hasan in the deadly 2009 shooting rampage at Fort Hood, making the Army psychiatrist eligible for the death penalty in the shocking assault against American troops by one of their own on home soil. There was never any doubt that Hasan was the gunman. He acknowledged to the jury that he was the one who pulled the trigger on fellow soldiers as they prepared to deploy overseas to Iraq and Afghanistan. And he barely defended himself during a threeweek trial. The unanimous decision on all 13 counts of premeditated murder made Hasan eligible for execution in the sentencing phase that begins Monday. “This is where members (of the jury) decide whether you will live or whether you will die,” said Col. Tara Osborn, the trial judge. Hasan did not react to the verdict, looking straight jurors as they at announced their findings.
Job Corps grads given a second chance at goals AMY VOGELSANG RECORD STAFF WRITER
As one of 125 centers nationwide, Roswell Job Corps Center participated in the third annual national commencement day Friday. Students come and go each week, said business community liaison JoAnn Lopez, but this annual graduation was to recognize all of the students who had gone through RJCC and received not only a GED, but also learned a trade. “It’s a combination of hard work and opportuni-
ty,” Lopez said of the program. And these students were supported, not only by the program, but also by the community. “Many of these kids are not from Roswell,” Lopez said. “But they adopt Roswell as their community and Roswell in turn adopts them.”
Through RJCC, students are required to complete 360 hours in their chosen field. Roughly 100 graduates proved this was an accomplishable task, but only about half of those students were actually at the ceremony. Many are already working, have
joined the military or are attending college. For some students, this was a second chance at achieving a goal. Dejnee Hargraves, 19, found a new pride in herself when she took up the trade of culinary arts and of ficially completed the program on June 7. “I’m very happy and proud of myself,” Hargraves said. “I didn’t think I could do it.” But not only did she complete the program, she also wore two tassels around her neck: gold for taping out (progressing) in See GRADS, Page A3
Mark Wilson Photo
Roswell Job Corps graduates enter Pueblo Auditorium for commencement ceremonies, Friday.
Pen pals Woods and Tur mark 50 years of cultural exchange
JILL MCLAUGHLIN RECORD STAFF WRITER
CLASSIFIEDS..........B6 COMICS.................B4 ENTERTAINMENT.....A8 FINANCIAL .............B5 GENERAL ..............A2 HOROSCOPES ........A8 LOTTERIES ............A2 OPINION ................A4 SPORTS ................B1 WEATHER ..............A8
INDEX
Jill McLaughlin Photo
Nancy Woods, left, and Frode Pakusch Tur, of Oslo, Norway, have been pen pals for 50 years.
Nancy Woods was 13 and living in Santa Fe when she first decided she wanted to find a pen pal abroad. She looked up the Chamber of Commerce in Oslo, Norway, and found a few names. At the same time, Norwegian Frode Pakusch Tur wanted to improve his English. While browsing through a magazine, he found Woods’ name. The two began writing
on postcards at first. “We sent letters quite often back then,” Woods recalled. “Two to three every month.” Fifty years later, the two retold the story of how their friendship began in 1963. Sitting next to each other Friday, they talked about their life experiences and the memories
they continue to make today. “It’s just been a nice journey,” Woods said. The pen pals have kept in touch through every major twist and turn. At first, the letters gave them a way to learn about each See SPOTLIGHT, Page A3