Roswell Daily Record
Vol. 122, No. 267 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday
THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
November 7, 2013
NMED Secretary discusses Valley Meat permit JILL MCLAUGHLIN RECORD STAFF WRITER
The firestorm of publicity that Valley Meat Co. has ignited nationally has made New Mexico Environment Department Cabinet Secretary Designate R yan Flynn’s first months on the job interesting. Tapped by Gov. Susana Martinez as head of the NMED in April, Valley Meat’s application for a groundwater renewal permit for its proposed horse meat slaughterhouse has sparked political and public
controversy for the new appointee. “This is certainly one of the most high profile cases,” Flynn said. “But it cannot be treated any differently. Sometimes, that’s dif ficult, but that’s our job.” Flynn visited Roswell Tuesday during a tour of Southeast New Mexico, in an ongoing effort to visit communities throughout the state. During his visit, Flynn spoke honestly and openly with the Record about Valley Meat’s groundwater per mit
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process. The permit was denied by NMED in July. NMED held an official, legal and public hearing on the permit at the Chaves County Courthouse. Flynn, former lawyer and general counsel for NMED, said he had to take steps to ensure the hearing was held in a secure environment in Roswell, for the safety of his employees and the public. Chaves County Courthouse was the only building in the city he felt was safe enough to hold the hearing.
Preserving personal histories
“We had received a number of communications and I felt it was important to protect my employees and the participants,” Flynn said. The hearings officer will gather all testimony and information, make a recommendation and present it to Flynn, who will make a final ruling on whether Valley Meat will be issued a per mit in the next few months. “I’m the ultimate decision maker,” Flynn said. “I make the final decision as to whether or not we’re going
Mark Wilson Photo
Noel Marquez works on his mural entitled “Journeys at Heartland Health Care” in Artesia, Tuesday. The mural, which will be completed at week's end, was inspired by the stories and histories of the facility’s residents such as Natcho Galindo (looking on), who is a World War II veteran.
Nation’s poor at 49.7M, higher than official rate WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of poor people in America is 3 million higher than the of ficial count, encompassing 1 in 6 residents due to out-ofpocket medical costs and work-related expenses, according to a revised census measure released Wednesday. The new measure is aimed at providing a fuller picture of poverty but does not replace the official government numbers. Put in place two years ago by the Obama administration, it generally is considered more reliable by social scientists because it factors in living expenses as well as the effects of government aid, such as food stamps and tax credits. Administration officials have declined to say whether the new measure eventually could replace the official poverty formula, which is used to allo-
Among states, California had the highest share of poor people ... followed by the District of Columbia, Nevada and Florida. Under the official poverty rate, more rural states were more likely to be at the top of the list, led by Mississippi, Louisiana and New Mexico.
cate federal dollars to states and localities and to determine eligibility for safety-net programs such as Medicaid. Congress would have to agree to adopt the new measure, which generally would result in a higher poverty rate from year to year and thus higher government payouts for aid programs. Based on the revised for mula, the number of poor people in 2012 was 49.7 million, or 16 percent. That exceeds the record 46.5 million, or 15 percent, that was officially reported in September.
Enjoy an evening at Peppers, support United Way program
You may prefer to spend dinners at home — either to save money or because of anti-social behavior. Either way, no judgment. However, you would be lying if you said you never liked to go out for a nice dinner. No work in the kitchen, no cleaning up
dirty dishes and, best of all, no trying to figure out how the recipe goes. And what a better excuse to go out than to have your meal help out the community? Friday will be “United Way Day” at Peppers Grill and Bar, meaning you eat at Peppers and they will
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TODAY’S FORECAST
The latest numbers come as more working-age adults picked up low-wage jobs in the slowly improving economy but still struggled to pay living expenses. Americans 65 and older had the largest increases in poverty under the revised formula, from 9.1 percent to 14.8 percent, because of medical expenses such as Medicare premiums, deductibles and other costs not accounted for in the official rate. There also were increases for Hispanics and Asian-Americans, partly due to lower participation
donate 10 percent of all the food and beverage sales to United Way of Chaves County. That’s right—you don’t even have to buy real food. How about that cocktail you’ve waited all week to have? It’s Friday night after all: live it up.
• PAUL TORO
among immigrants and non-English speakers in government aid programs such as housing aid and food stamps. African-Americans and children, helped by gover nment benefits, had declines in poverty compared with the official rate. “This is a real incongruity, when 1 in 6 people face economic insecurity here in the richest country in the world,” said Joseph Stiglitz, a Columbia University economist and former chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers who has argued for more government action to alleviate income inequality. “When so many citizens are worse off year after year, with food insecurity and health care insecurit y , t h er e’ s n o way yo u can say that’s a successful economy.” Last week, more than
THURSDAY
to issue the permit or deny the permit.” Valley Meat faces other obstacles in opening. Most recently, after a federal judge finally cleared the way for USDA to provide inspectors at its plant near Roswell, the Humane Society of the United States and other animal rights activists filed an appeal with the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. The appeal delayed the plant from starting operations days before it planned to open. The state’s wastewater permit was initially denied
after NMED received more than 450 public comments in opposition. Valley Meat, though, can still operate by removing wastewater by truck. Accusations of political maneuvering have surfaced as Valley Meat has navigated a minefield of federal and state permit snags and lawsuits during its nearly two-year quest to open. But while the governor has openly discussed her opposition to horse slaughter, Flynn said his decision
SANTA FE (AP) — Insurance companies in New Mexico must provide same-sex married couples with the same discounts and benefits of fered to opposite-sex married couples, the state insurance regulator announced Wednesday. Insurance Superintendent John Franchini said couples with valid marriage licenses — regardless of their sexual orientation or gender — must be treated equally and without discrimination by insurers. “This is an important step forward for New Mexico,” Shannon Minter, legal director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, said in a statement. “Superintendent Franchini’s guidance appears to be the first official statement that the marriages of same-sex couples will be respected by a New Mexico
state agency in carrying out its enforcement duties.”
Insurance equality ordered for gay marriage in NM
4 7 m illio n A m er ican s who receive food stamps saw t h ei r b e nefit s go d own , wh i le C on gr ess b egan n egot iat ion s on further cuts of up to $4 billion annually to the program. Among states, California had the highest share of poor people, hurt in
See PERMIT, Page A3
Eight counties have started issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples since late August, and the state Supreme Court is considering a lawsuit that could determine whether gay marriage is legal statewide.
State statutes do not explicitly authorize or prohibit gay and lesbian couples from being married.
In his directive to insurers, Franchini cited an equal rights provision in the New Mexico Constitution and a recent Supreme Court ruling that a commercial photography business owned by opponents of same-sex marriage violated a state anti-discrimination law by refusing to take pictures of a gay couple’s commitment ceremony.
AP Graphic
p ar t b y h i gh h ou s in g costs and large numbers of immigrants, followed by the District of Columbia, Nevada and Florida. Under the official poverty rate, more rural states were more likely to be at the top of the list, led by Mississippi, Louisiana and New Mexico.
NMDOT to begin road sealing project
The New Mexico Dep ar t m ent of T r a n sportation will begin scrub seal operations on Tuesday along U.S. 70 from Pine Lodge Road to just north of the overpass in Chaves County. The pavement preser-
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vation project covers about two miles of highway. The area of road will narrow to a single lane from Tuesday through Friday. Work should be completed by Friday, weather per mitting. Drivers
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are asked to slow down for road maintenance personnel working in the area and observe temporary signing.
For updated information on this work, people can visit the NMDOT road advisory website at nmroads.com.
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