Roswell Daily Record
Vol. 121, No. 273 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday
INSIDE NEWS
FIFTY AIRSTRIKES IN THE GAZA STRIP
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israel carried out a blistering offensive of more than 50 airstrikes in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, assassinating Hamas’ military commander and targeting the armed group’s training facilities and rocket launchers in Israel’s most intense attack on the territory in nearly ... - PAGE A2
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INSIDE SPORTS
SANTA FE (AP) — Gov. Susana Martinez’s administration is moving ahead to establish a state-run clearinghouse to help small businesses and tens of thousands of individuals find af fordable health insurance they currently lack. A fight over the exchange, however, could break out in next year’s Legislature. Attorney General Gary King’s office is reviewing whether new legislation is needed to implement a
Veteran outreach program addresses needs
The exchange is envisioned as an online shopping center for the uninsured to buy health coverage from a selection of plans offered by insurance companies with benefits tailored to New Mexico.
health insurance exchange or whether it can be done as the Republican governor plans, without a change in current law or legislative involvement. The exchange is envisioned as an online shopping center for the uninsured to buy health coverage from a selection of
plans offered by insurance companies with benefits tailored to New Mexico. It’s to be ready to enroll people starting next October and under federal law must be fully operating by January 2014. That year, an estimated 55,000 New Mexicans may use it to enroll in an insurance plan.
National, state and local organizations informed military veterans and care providers Wednesday of rights and benefits available to them during the Rural Veteran Outreach Program at Roswell Elks Lodge #969. Nancy Dailey, acting director of the Veterans Rural Health Resource Center — Western Region, said the intent of the event was to reach out to a rural community specifically because most people are puzzled as to where to start and where to go to address needs. “One of the things that we want to do is maximize the potential of everyone working with veterans,” she
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INDEX
task to the federal government or partner with federal health officials.
“We wanted to build something that we think is unique to New Mexico and works for New Mexico,” said Squier.
A fifth of the state’s population lacks health care, and it’s estimated as many as 250,000 New Mexicans may become eligible to buy health insurance through the exchange between 2014 See EXCHANGE, Page A3
Mark Wilson Photo
Cathy Calder and Ashley Lucero serve drinks during the annual Thanksgiving dinner held at Country Club Road Church of Christ, Wednesday.
‘Blessings in the dressing’ at church dinner ILISSA GILMORE RECORD STAFF WRITER
Country Club Road Church of Christ hosted its annual Thanksgiving dinner Wednesday, pro-
viding holiday meals for residents of area senior care centers and their caregivers. For more than 30 years, the church has been inviting all local nursing
EGP students help the troops
OBITUARIES
HIGH ...66˚ LOW ....36˚
Some states waited for the outcome of the presidential election to make a decision, but New Mexico has been working since last year on an exchange plan. “Overall, we never really wavered from the idea that it needs to be a state exchange,” Human Services Secretary Sidonie Squier said in an interview Tuesday. Under a 2010 law championed by President Barack Obama to expand health care coverage, states can run an exchange, leave that
ILISSA GILMORE RECORD STAFF WRITER
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NEW YORK (AP) — David Price of the Tampa Bay Rays and knuckleballer R.A. Dickey of the New York Mets won baseball’s Cy Young awards on Wednesday. Price barely beat out 2011 winner Justin Verlander for the American League prize in one of the closest ... - PAGE B1
• Michael Determan Jr. • Stanley Utterback • Arthur L. Lemay • Jan Elizabeth Clark • Sonia Franco • James Cliett - PAGE A6
November 15, 2012
State moves ahead with health exchange
See OUTREACH, Page A3
PRICE, DICKEY WIN CY YOUNG
THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
Mark Wilson Photo
Student Council members at East Grand Plains Elementary sort through bins of supplies destined for the troops in Afghanistan, Wednesday, following a three-week long fundraiser held at the school in conjunction with the AdoptA-Soldier program.
homes to enjoy a free meal, said organizer Nici Austin, wife of the minister, Doug. The church also delivered meals to those who could not make it.
“A lot of these folks don’t have a family and don’t get out but once a year,” she said. “They look forward to it year after See DINNER, Page A3
Obama blasts senators: ‘They should go after me’
WASHINGTON (AP) — Setting an unflinching tone for his second term, President Barack Obama on Wednesday accused two top Republicans senators of lobbing outrageous criticism at his United Nations ambassador instead of confronting him directly over a deadly attack on Americans in Libya. “They should go after me,” Obama said, referring to Sens. John McCain of Arizona, his 2008 White House rival, and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. Obama’s comments, at a farreaching news conference, underscored how much the Libya attack shadows the president, how strongly U.N. ambassador Susan Rice is being considered for secretary of state and how eager Obama is for
some fights even as he talks compromise on others. For the first time, Obama reflected on the meaning of his re-election victory, offering a more limited reading of his economic mandate from voters. He promised to begin work on a major immigration bill soon after his January inauguration and said he would at least pursue broader ways to attack the global-warming climate change. Pressed on challenges abroad, Obama said he was not ready to for mally recognize Syria’s opposition leadership or ar m it. The president also insisted there was still time to peacefully solve a nuclear standoff with Iran, saying he would push again soon for international talks “to get this thing resolved.”
Study: Income inequality Dr. Leandro Gutierrez: Pet ownership growing in New Mexico takes ‘education and responsibility’ ALBUQUERQUE (AP) — The gap between wealthy households and low-income families continues to grow in New Mexico, and the difference between their incomes is now the largest in the nation, according to a study released Wednesday. From 2008 to 2010, the richest 5 percent of households had average incomes that were nearly 17 times higher than the bottom 20 percent of households, according to the report from the Washington, D.C.based groups Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and the Economic Policy Institute. That’s a jump from two years earlier, when the difference was around 14 times. In addition, household income for the richest 20 percent of households in New Mexico was 9.9 times greater than for the poorest 20 percent, the report said. That’s the highest ratio in the nation. See INCOME, Page A3
JESSICA PALMER RECORD STAFF WRITER
Dr. Leandro Gutierrez, consulting veterinarian for the City of Roswell Animal Services, spoke out about responsible pet ownership. He has noted a 28 percent increase in owner reclamation of dogs from Animal Services and provided the figures, with 64 dogs reclaimed in October 2011 compared to 88 dogs reclaimed in October 2012. Adoptions are also up. However, not all the figures are rosy. Jessica Palmer Photo “From Nov. 1 through Nov. 10, we had 14 dogs whose owners refused to come get This 7-month-old Siberian Huskey was turned them. By extrapolation that could be 42 over to Animal Services because she is an dogs by the end of the November, dogs that escape artist. She is full of energy and requires space to run and lots of exercise. She would need special accommodations in See PETS, Page A3 the summer months in order to keep cool.