Roswell Daily Record
Vol. 121, No. 251 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday
INSIDE NEWS
NEWSWEEK GOING OUT OF PRINT
NEW YORK (AP) — There was a time when the newsweeklies set the agenda for the nation’s conversation — when Time and Newsweek would digest the events of the week and Americans would wait by their mailboxes to see what was on the covers. Those days have passed, and come the ... - PAGE A8
TOP 5 WEB For The Past 24 Hours
• Stolen Ruidoso PD car found in Roswell • Bulldogs win city championship • Homecoming events at NMMI connect ... • Do zombies do ... • Stratos skydive succeeds
INSIDE SPORTS
The basics. The offseason and preseason are usually when the basics of a sport are focused on and, as a season progresses, practices become more technical and focused. After a tough loss to Goddard on Oct. 9, the Roswell girls soccer team had eight days until its next match against Artesia. - PAGE B1
TODAY’S OBITUARIES
• Thomas Cooper • Ray Stogden Sr. • Luther H. McCarty - PAGE A7
HIGH ...80˚ LOW ....47˚
TODAY’S FORECAST
CLASSIFIEDS..........B4 COMICS.................B3 ENTERTAINMENT...B10 FINANCIAL .............A6 GENERAL ..............A2 HOROSCOPES ......B10 LOTTERIES ............A2 OPINION ................A4 SPORTS ................B1 WEATHER ............A10
INDEX
October 19, 2012
Rhetoric heats up in presidential race
NEW YORK (AP) — Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday compared his rival’s policies to a gun pointed at Americans, and the GOP nominee’s son said he’s tempted to “take a swing” at President Barack Obama as emotions run high in the closely fought White House race. The barbs are being delivered with a smile, but their sharpness is a reflection of just how tight the race is 19 days out. Democrats are pushing the accusation that Mitt Romney is being dishonest, with Obama’s refrain since Tuesday’s debate that the GOP nominee is offering “a sketchy deal.” “I don’t think they were
County approves CCDC upgrades
FRIDAY
www.rdrnews.com
The finger-pointing and recrimination comes after a heated debate this week between Obama and Romney.
just sketchy,” Biden said at a rally in Las Vegas. “I think they were Etch-a-Sketchy.” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid warmed up the crowd in Nevada by saying Romney is “giving used car salesmen a bad name.” Reid then introduced Biden as a man “who has shown us his tax returns” — a contrast to Romney’s refusal to release more than the past two years. His red-meat offering whipped the partisan crowd into whoops and applause as Biden took the stage. Biden accused GOP vice
presidential nominee Paul Ryan of sharing a cynical vision of Americans with Romney. “Ryan has written a book called the ‘Young Guns’ with two other members of the House,” Biden said. “Unfortunately, the bullets are aimed at you.” Romney campaign spokesman Brendan Buck responded that Biden’s “over-the-top rhetoric” was disappointing but not surprising. “In the absence of a vision or plan to move the country forward, the vice
president is left only with ugly political attacks beneath the dignity of the office he occupies,” Buck said in a statement emailed to reporters. Ryan, speaking at a campaign stop in Ocala, Fla., before Biden delivered his comments, accused Obama of sending a divisive message. “He’s basically trying to disqualify his opponent with a sea of negativity,” Ryan said. “He’s trying to divide this country, pitting people against each other. He’s trying to win this election by default. You know what? We’re not going to let him get away with that.” The finger-pointing and
recrimination comes after a heated debate this week between Obama and Romney. The GOP nominee’s oldest son, Tagg, was asked by a North Carolina radio host Wednesday how it to hear the president “call your dad a liar” — a word Obama never used although he repeatedly said Romney’s statements weren’t true. Tagg Romney laughed at the question. “You want to rush down the debate stage and take a swing at him. But you know you can’t do that because, well first cause there is a lot of Secret Service between you and him, See RHETORIC, Page A3
NMMI cadets march in memory of alumni
CHAUNTE’L POWELL RECORD STAFF WRITER
Thursday, the County Commission voted on what chairman Smiley Wooton described as one of the biggest projects that’s been discussed during his tenure. The commission approved RFB-12-7 to fund utility upgrades and modifications to be made at the Chaves County Detention Center. Three companies submitted bids and Smithco Construction of Caballo was the lowest at $445,000. The standard AIA Owner and Contractor agreement between Chaves See COUNTY, Page A3
ROSWELL GIRLS WIN
THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
Mark Wilson Photo
New Mexico Military Institute cadets march into Hagerman Barracks for Silver Taps ceremonies held Thursday evening. The Silver Taps ceremony is held to remember all the alumni who have died in the past year.
NM peanut capital at heart of recall Early voting underway ALBUQUERQUE (AP) — When Jo Chambers heard about a peanut butter recall that included her daily staple of T rader Joe’s almond butter, she worried she might get sick. “At first I thought, am I going to die over this?” Chambers said. But she returned to the store to stock up on the product Wednesday, after carefully checking the lot number on the container to make sure it was safe amid a salmonella outbreak that has been traced to a New Mexico peanut factory. The recall has affected peanut butter and nut
products sold at major retailers around the country, raising concerns about the long-ter m impact on the industry — especially in products grown and processed in the flat, dusty easter n New Mexico town of Portales. The region is home to the prized Valencia peanut, which represents just a small percentage of the nation’s massive peanut crop, but is favored for natural and organic peanut butter products because of its sweet flavor. This year’s crop is exceptional, growers say, and the town is set this weekend to celebrate its
crop at its 39th annual peanut festival. But the festivities are likely to be overshadowed by anxiety as the crop is piling up in drying trailers while the Sunland Inc. facility linked to the outbreak remains shuttered for a top-to-bottom scrubbing. “We are very concerned about it,” said Wayne Baker, a retired peanut farmer and chair of the New Mexico Peanut Growers Association. “The harvest is going on as normal and Sunland is receiving peanuts, but we have got to get the FDA to approve some changes and get See RECALL, Page A3
CHAUNTE’L POWELL RECORD STAFF WRITER
New Mexico has ample time to make their vote count as early voting takes place this month. Early voting began Oct. 9 and will end Nov. 3, the Saturday before the election. Deadline to request absentee ballots is Nov. 2; they must be returned by 7 p.m. on Nov 6. New Mexico is one of several states throughout the country to open polls early. County Clerk Rhoda Coakley said that states could govern their own election dates as long as they have their general election on the same day and that New Mexico has always had absentee voting, but several
years ago, early voting was introduced. She said the office has been able to send out absentee ballots within 24 hours of them being requested. As of Thursday, 1,229 have applied for absentee ballots and 2,220 have voted so far. Coakley believes this number is higher than previous years and will continue to increase. “I haven’t done any research on it yet, but I think it is [higher],” she said. “I think we’ll have record numbers of voters this year.” One of the main factors in the large voter turnout is See VOTE, Page A3
Animal abuse protests enter fifth week Gov. Martinez to visit J P Roswell on Saturday R S W ESSICA ALMER ECORD TAFF RITER
The protest to provide abused animals with fair treatment in the courts entered its fifth week, Thursday. Roswell and Chaves County have seen a record number of extreme animal abuse cases this summer, with some a total of nine dogs confiscated and one killed as a result of animal abuse or extreme animal abuse. However, the news is not all grim. Paws, who lost his ears after he was set on fire by a 12-year -old boy, has Jessica Palmer Photo settled into a new home. His foster father Steve Paws has lent his support to the issue of animal abuse. The one-year-old Chihuahua suffered from third and fourth degree burns after a 12-year-old boy set his head alight. Paws poses See PROTESTS, Page A2 here with his new human companion and foster father, Steve Schultz.
Gov. Susana Martinez will be visiting Roswell Saturday and attending two events in an effort to boost voter enthusiasm. The first is an outdoor get out and vote rally at First Christian Church on 1500 S. Main St., at 2 p.m. After addressing the audience about the importance of voting, those in attendance will have the opportunity to cross the street and vote at the County Administrative Building, which is one of the early voting poll centers in Roswell. The event is sponsored by the Chaves
County Republican party and is free of charge and open to the public. There will be ice cream and other refreshments during the rally. Jason Perry second vice chair of the Republican Party said that all are welcome and encouraged to attend the event. “The governor welcomes all voters from the southeastern New Mexico area to come and visit with her regardless of affiliation.”
Martinez not only wants the community to See VISIT, Page A2