Roswell Daily Record THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
Vol. 122, No. 254 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday
October 23, 2013
www.rdrnews.com
WEDNESDAY
Valley Meat’s hearing for permit to resume today JILL MCLAUGHLIN RECORD STAFF WRITER
A state hearing started Tuesday at the Chaves County Courthouse to determine if Valley Meat Co. should be reissued its groundwater discharge permit as part of its plan to start operating as a horse meat processing plant. “I feel ready to move forward and put this behind us,” said owner Rick De Los Santos. De Los Santos has already contracted with a company in Dallas to
process up to 120 horses per day at his plant. He said he is ready to start providing a good service, jobs and start contributing taxes to Roswell. “I am very confident we will get the renewal,” De Los Santos said. “This is the one I wanted to get through first.” De Los Santos said he looked most forward to getting through the New Mexico Environment Department permit hearing. A second hearing by a U.S. federal judge in Albuquerque at the end of this
Society of the U.S., Attorney General Gary King, Front Range Equine Rescue and other animal rights activists. Members of the public are also invited to speak at the hearing. No decision was expected this week, Orth told those assembled at the hearing. The lengthy process might take as long as four months. A decision was expected in February by the Secretary of the NMED. The hearing began with expert technical testimony by Valley Meat from De Los Santos, a nearly 50-year
month will reconsider allowing the USDA to proceed with its grant of inspection for Valley Meat. Tuesday’s hearing is being held by the New Mexico Environment Department after it denied Valley Meat’s application for a temporary wastewater permit in August. NMED assigned hearing officer Felicia Orth to preside over a two-day technical hearing in Roswell to gather testimony from Valley Meat, NMED and parties objecting to the permit, which include the Humane
Mark Wilson Photo
Pink Day at Monterrey honors student
Monterrey Elementary third-grader Myca Patterson became the center of attention during a pep rally that was organized by the school student council, background, to recognize breast cancer awareness, Tuesday afternoon.
AMY VOGELSANG RECORD STAFF WRITER
It was a sea of pink. Kids, teachers, pink lemonade and pink-frosted cookies. In the middle of
October, it shouldn’t have been a surprise, but “Pink Day” at Monterrey Elementary on Tuesday wasn’t just another breast cancer awareness event. This fundraiser was conceived
and carried out by the school’s fifth-grade student council, and all in honor of one student battling cancer. Third-grader Myca Patterson couldn’t stop smil-
ing and dancing as he waited for his moment in front of all the students. It was in his honor that the kids raised money and all See PINK, Page A3
Broker talks ‘SHOP’ Annual egg drop teaches teamwork
TESS TOWNSEND RECORD STAFF WRITER Local small business owners expressed skepticism over the new health insurance exchange set up for small businesses at a seminar held by the Roswell Chamber of Commerse Tuesday. About 20 people, most of them small business owners, attended the seminar led by John Suekinos, vice president of Alamogordobased insurance agency Charles, Garland and Harris Agency. The session addressed services offered to businesses with 50 or fewer employees by the Small Business Health
Options Program (SHOP). SHOP was established as part of the Affordable Care Act, which includes various refor ms to the national health care system and will go into effect this January. While most individuals in the United States are required to enroll in insurance by March 31 and businesses with more than 50 employees will be required to offer insurance beginning in 2015, small businesses are not required to of fer insurance to employees. Suekinos prefaced his presentation by saying that
The Roswell Police Department responded to the 300 block of Oakwood Street, early Tuesday. According to the police reports, a male in his late 20s went to a residence to collect money from another male. The man was shot multiple times. He was transported to the hospital where he remains.
devices and possible bombmaking equipment. After obtaining an amended warrant, the RPD called in officials from Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Explosive Ordinance Detail and the Roswell Fire Department to assist. The warrant was served around 7 p.m. and continued beyond 9 p.m. at a location in the 3000 block of Encanto Drive. RPD Public Information
See SHOP, Page A3
Explosives found in home of person of interest in shooting
The RPD executed a search warrant Tuesday upon the house of a person of interest in the shooting and discovered what they believed to be explosive
See EXPLOSIVES, Page A2
HIGH 77 LOW 43
TODAY’S FORECAST
AMY VOGELSANG RECORD STAFF WRITER
Balloons, duct tape and paper bags don’t usually work together, but in this case it was a matter of life and death. Well, for a few dozen eggs, that is. In an annual tradition for gifted fifth-graders, the Egg Drop allowed them to use collaboration skills, creativity and engineering at Yucca Recreational Center Tuesday. Starting with sketches, roughly 60 students from all of the Roswell Independent School District elementary schools worked in small groups to come up with designs of ways to drop an egg from 20, 25 and 33 feet without it breaking. All they had were the materials provided, most of which were basic household office supplies such as tape, paper bags, balloon-animal balloons and newspaper. With these materials, the kids created small fortresses to hold an egg. Once constructed it was time for the moment of truth: Whose egg would survive the freefall? For the first drop, only five of the 15 groups passed without cracking
• GLORIA JEAN HUFF • LUCY COBOS WYATT • ROSEMARY C. BECERRA
their eggs. But as they made their way back into the auditorium to construct a stronghold for Round 2, they were already discussing new ideas for improvement. “They were asking, ‘What can we do now?’ and can’t hardly wait to try their new ideas,” said Melody Sandy, the teacher of gifted students at East Grand Plains Elementary. She also explained that the first drop is always a trial, but “after the first drop, they start working as a team.” And the teamwork opportunity is a big part of the learning experience. Being with students from different schools allowed the students to meet new people while also forcing them to work in a group, not usually something gifted students do often, teacher of gifted students at Valley View Elementary, Margaret Bohlin, said. “They all want to be leaders, all want to delegate,” she explained. “But they are excited, which is what learning should be.” Naomi Brazil, teacher of the gifted at Sunset Elementary, also commented that cooperation was one See DROP, Page A3
TODAY’S OBITUARIES PAGE A6
practicing large-animal veterinarian, a state groundwater expert and a water discharge permit consultant to state dairy producers. The testimony was followed by witnesses called by the HSUS and the AG’s office, both who testified mainly about drugs that might be found in race horses and other domesticated equine. Much of that testimony, given by nonveterinarians, focused on horse medication and not on wastewater or ground water processes that
addressed Valley Meat’s permit. Orth allowed the nonexpert opinions to be entered into the hearing as part of the process through the day. The public was allowed to comment beginning at 5 p.m. Technical testimony will continue at 8 a.m. today and the public will again be given a chance to speak, Orth said. Valley Meat’s permit plan was supported by County Commissioner Smiley Wooton.
JESSICA PALMER RECORD STAFF WRITER
Deputy Chief Phil Smith remained in Roswell to take care of day-to-day affairs.
Officer in critical, stable condition S g t. Ji m P r e s t o n o f S u pp o r t S er v ic e s d iscu s s ed b r ie fly t h e Roswell Police Department’s r eaction to the injury of a fellow officer that occurr ed Monday when an officer-involved shooting tur ned into a multi-car accident which l e ft t h e R P D wi t h o ne m a n d o wn . “ An yt hi ng like this weighs heavily on the heart. It reminds people that they could be i nj ur e d o r d i e o n an y day.” T he C I D s e rge a nt remains in critical, but st ab le c o nd it io n in a Lubbock hospital. Preston explained that the family asked for the officer’s name to be withheld while he is recupera ti ng . “ We wa nt t o respect their wishes.” H e s ai d t hat De p u t y Chief Brad McFadin has gone to Lubbock to be w i t h t he fam il y w hil e
See HEARING, Page A3
“ E ver y da y we d e a l with tragedies, but it is horrible to get news like this,” Preston said. W h en a sk e d wh y a Roswell Police sergeant went to an incident so fa r o u t o f t o wn , h e r ep li ed : “ T he C h ave s County Sherif f’s Of fice called us to activate the t r i - age ncy s ho o t t e am required to investigate o f fi ce r - in v o lv e d an shooting.”
Preston also expressed the department’s thanks fo r a ll t h e a s sis ta nc e that their man received fo llo win g t he in j ur y, n a min g N at iv e A ir, Chaves County Sheriff’s O f fic e, R o s we ll F ir e Department, New Mexico S t a te P o lic e , T e x a s De pa r t me nt o f P ub lic Safety and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
Amy Vogelsang Photos
Top: Xcel Energy serviceman Kevin Victor drops an egg carrier from 20 feet as part of the RISD fifth-grade gifted program’s Egg Drop, Tuesday. Bottom: Fifth-grade students cringe as an egg contraption dropped from 20 feet makes a smack sound against the concrete as part of the RISD fifth-grade gifted program’s engineering Egg Drop, Tuesday.
CLASSIFIEDS ..........B6
COMICS .................B4
FINANCIAL ..............B5
INDEX GENERAL ...............A2 HOROSCOPES .........B6 LOTTERIES .............A2 NATION ..................A6
OPINION .................A4 SPORTS .................B1
WEATHER ..............A8