Roswell Daily Record
Vol. 122, No. 268 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday
THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
November 8, 2013
www.rdrnews.com
FRIDAY
State insurance official shows glitch frustration
SANTA FE (AP) — Computer troubles with the federal government’s health insurance marketplace threaten to undermine New Mexico’s goal of enrolling 84,000 individuals into health plans in the coming year, lawmakers were told Thursday. Jason Sandel, a member of the governing board of a state-run health insurance exchange, said the panel had sent a letter to federal officials expressing frustration that computer glitches have prevented many indi-
viduals from shopping and enrolling in insurance plans since the online marketplace was launched last month. New Mexico is operating an online exchange for small businesses to shop for coverage for their employees but for the first year, the state is relying on the federal exchange for the enrollment of individua ls. A law cr eating the state-run exchange was enacted earlier this y e a r, a n d S a n d e l s a i d there wasn’t enough time
for New Mexico to implement a computer system capable of handling businesses as well as individuals. board hoped The 84,000 New Mexicans would obtain health insurance coverage duri n g t h e f i r s t y e a r, b u t Sandel said there’s no infor mation yet on how many individuals in the state have been able to navigate the federal online system and purchase a health plan. “It goes without saying
that obviously the federal government’s snafus hamper our potential for success at this given moment,” Sandel told the Legislature’s interim Health and Human Services Committee.
He said 925 businesses have started signing up for health coverage through the state-run exchange and 294 have finished the enrollment process, which allows workers to start selecting an insurance plan.
Retiree health program proposes solvency plan SANTA FE (AP) — State and local government workers and taxpayers would chip in an additional $90 million a year to improve the finances of a program providing health care insurance to retired public employees under a
proposal endorsed by a legislative study committee Thursday.
Mark Tyndall, executive director of the Retiree Health Care Authority, said the health care program is
See PLAN, Page A3
‘There and back’: RHS honors veterans with remembrance and gratitude AMY VOGELSANG RECORD STAFF WRITER
An Army helmet rests silently upon a black machine gun. From the gun hangs a pair of dog tags, swinging above an empty pair of boots. This isn’t just a picturesque cliché. There is a reason this visual has been made into statues, pins and drawings. It signifies the loss of someone’s mother, son or friend. It’s the mark of a fallen soldier.
Mark Wilson Photo
World War II veteran Lowell Hughes, left, and Roberto Chavez, a Vietnam-era vet, salute the presentation of colors during Roswell High School's Veterans Day assembly, Thursday morning.
1 dies in two-vehicle crash JESSICA PALMER RECORD STAFF WRITER
A Roswell man, Chad Jessup, 37, died, Wednesday, following a crash between a motorcycle and truck on Highway 285 near mile post 100. According to friends, Jessup was driving home from work in Artesia around 7 p.m. The New Mexico State Police reported that the 2009 black Harley-Davidson motorcycle driven by Jessup collided with a 2000 tan Ford truck, which pulled onto Hwy. 285 from Darby Road. The driver of the pickup, Martin Muñoz of Dexter, told officials he had just entered U.S. Hwy 285 eastbound on Darby Road and
crossed the median to turn northbound when he felt something strike his vehicle from the rear. The NMSP investigation deter mined the HarleyDavidson was driving northbound and collided with the truck. Jessup was thrown from the motorcycle, landing on the roadway. He succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead by the Office of the Medical Investigator on scene. Jessup was a member of the Guerreros Riders. He had a wife and two children. Jessup participated in the Casa Toy Run in 2011 and was supposed to ride in this year’s Casa Toy Drive. Guerreros Club President Jorge Armendariz said: “He was a great guy. He was
always riding his bike. He was a good friend and a good husband. “He was always willing to help the community, especially the kids.” When discussing the accident, Armendariz said: “I guess the other driver didn’t see him.” NMSP ruled that one of the contributing factors in this crash has been identified as driver inattention. Sgt. Roberto Diaz said that the truck exhibited a large amount of damage, which could indicate excessive speed on the part of the motorcycle, but agreed that he did not believe the truck driver saw the motorcycle. The case is still under investigation, with results pending the autopsy.
“Ar my… Marines… Navy… Air Force… Coast Guard.” Veterans stood as their military branch was announced. “The Caisson Song,” “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” “Anchors Aweigh,” “Off We Go Into
the Wild Blue Yonder” and “Semper Paratus” — these songs echoed around Roswell High School’s auditorium, each specific to a branch of the Armed Forces. “I don’t have the vocabulary to put together a thank you to our veterans,” said RHS Principal Ruben Bolaños. Every student, faculty member and attendee of the Veterans Day Assembly held at RHS Thursday morning mirrored Bolaños’ gratitude. As Veterans Day draws near, the community is reminded of the sacrifices many men and women have made. “One of the great things is that these people went See VETERANS, Page A3
KRB recognizes First American Bank
Amy Vogelsang Photo
For its outstanding landscaping and beautification at the corner of Berrendo Road and Main Street, First American Bank once again received the Keep Roswell Beautiful award. The bank employees, however, all give credit to David Garcia and DGM Landscaping Inc. From left to right: First American customer service representative Linda Delgado, KRB President Joan Blodgett, First American morgage loan originator Janice Palmer, First American Branch Manager Lanie Smith and Bank President Shane Hall.
Land Office audit brings Minimum retirement age for lawmakers proposed SANTA FE (AP) — A pro- ed they’ve served 10 years. Candelaria said in an by the time he reached age in $1.5M in oil royalties posal to establish a mini- They can collect retirement interview after the com- 80. SANTA FE (AP) — The State Land Office says it’s received $1.5 million in royalties because of an audit of oil and natural gas production in southeastern New Mexico. Land Commissioner Ray Powell said the royalties from Concho Oil and Gas are for production on state trust land in Eddy County since 2010. The company is affiliated with Concho Resources Inc., which is based in Midland, Texas. Powell said the
agency’s audits of energy production have netted more than $3 million royalties this year.
The Land Office collected $494 million in oil and gas royalties in the last fiscal year.
Royalties from energy production and other income from land given to New Mexico by the federal gover nment at statehood help finance schools and other public institutions, including universities and state hospitals.
HIGH 72 LOW 36
TODAY’S FORECAST
mum retirement age for New Mexico legislators to receive a taxpayer-funded pension won the endorsement of a legislative study panel Thursday but likely faces an uphill battle in next year’s legislative session.
Under current law, legislators can receive retirement benefits at any age after leaving office, provid-
benefits at 65 if they were in office for five years. Candelaria’s proposal was endorsed by the Legislature’s Investments and Pension Oversight Committee, which agreed to introduce it in the legislative session that convenes in January. Past efforts to trim legislative pension benefits have run into tr ouble, however. A proposal for a minimum legislative retirement age of 62 died in last year’s session. “I hope mine has some legs to it as a sort of middle-gr ound appr oach,”
Candelaria, who isn’t participating in the legislative pension plan, said he could have started collecting a pension at age 36 if he left office after serving 10 years. He would have qualified for a pension of about $14,000 a year. That would have cost taxpayers about $560,000
• Henry Vargas • Paul Toro • Cesar Rodriguez
• Kevin August “Gus” Barron • Torivia (Tobie) Gonzalez Davidson
CLASSIFIEDS ..........B7 COMICS .................A9 ENTERTAINMENT ...A10 GENERAL ...............A2
A measure by Sen. Jacob Candelaria, a first-ter m Albuquerque Democrat, would require a lawmaker to reach at least age 55 before collecting pension benefits after leaving office.
TODAY’S OBITUARIES PAGE A8
mittee hearing. “If we’re going to have this system that people think is needed, it should at least be fair and it should at least contemplate these kinds of situations where the benefit may be a little too generous.”
But with a minimum retirement age of 55 before receiving benefits, Candelaria said, taxpayers would save mor e than $175,000 in cumulative pension payments.
As proposed, Candelaria said, the minimum retirement age would apply to future lawmakers and only those curr ent members who haven’t served at least five years. That means the measure has the potential of applying to at least a fourth of the curr ent 112 House and Senate members.
INDEX HOROSCOPES .......A10 LOTTERIES .............A2 NATION..................A8 OPINION .................A4
SPORTS .................B1 STOCKS .................B3 WEATHER ............A10 WORLD ..................A7