Roswell Daily Record
Vol. 121, No. 296 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday
INSIDE NEWS
NY, NJ WITH NO BOARDS ON WALK SEASIDE HEIGHTS, N.J. (AP) — Coastal areas of New Jersey and New York that lost their boardwalks to Superstorm Sandy’s surge are racing to rebuild them in time for tourist season — in some places, without the boards.
- PAGE A2
THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
December 11, 2012
No one retreating; cliff talks seem at standstill
WASHINGTON (AP) — A year-end deadline approaching, negotiations to avoid an economy-rattling “fiscal cliff” appeared at a standstill Monday. Republicans pressed President Barack Obama to name specific spending cuts he will support, while the White House insisted the GOP agree explicitly to raise tax rates on upper incomes. At a campaign-style event in Michigan, Obama warned his listeners their taxes will rise on Jan. 1 without action by the Congress. “That’s a hit you can’t afford to take,” he declared. He spoke one day after meeting privately at the White House with House Speaker John Boehner, whose office expressed frustration with the talks to date. “We continue to wait for the president to identify the
TUESDAY
www.rdrnews.com
spending cuts he’s willing to make as part of the ‘balanced’ approach he promised the American people,”’ said a written statement from the Ohio Republican’s office. The negotiations are designed to prevent acrossthe-board tax increases and spending cuts scheduled to begin at the turn of the year, a combination that economists say poses the threat of a new recession. While leaders in both parties say they are eager to avoid that “cliff,” negotiations on a plan to cut deficits by other measures have turned into a major postelection showdown between opposing sides in a divided government. Many Republicans agree that Obama and the Democrats hold most of the political leverage, given the presi-
dent’s re-election more than a month ago after a campaign in which he said the wealthy should pay more in taxes. Obama spoke by phone Monday with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., while traveling aboard Air Force One, according to a Democratic aide. The aide was not authorized to speak publicly about the private conversation and thus spoke on condition of anonymity. If anything, the president has toughened his demands in recent days, insisting not only that tax rates must rise, but also that Congress give him and future presidents the authority to raise the government’s borrowing limit without prior approval by lawmakers.
AP Photo
President Barack Obama gestures as he speaks to workers about the economy during a visit to Daimler Detroit Diesel in Redford, Mich., Monday.
Roswell briefly becomes winter wonderland Lawrence See CLIFF, Page A3
testifies to keep license
TOP 5 WEB
JESSICA PALMER RECORD STAFF WRITER
For The Past 24 Hours
• Thomas Martinez, 28, arrested following a ... • Woman sues NM sheriff after crash over ... • Westlake sets up Zombie zone • Salvation Army Toy Run • State Champions!
INSIDE SPORTS
Mark Wilson Photo
Long shadows cast from the rising sun spread across newly fallen snow at Cahoon Park, Monday morning.
Jessica Palmer Photo
In some areas, tumbleweeds accompanied the snow during Sunday’s winter storm. Along Bent Tree Road, tumbleweeds blew in and piled up to six feet high and several feet deep near some residences. Two had their gates completely blocked meaning that the only way people could leave their homes was through their garage. Had emergency services been required they would have had to dig their way through to the front door.
’BOYS COME BACK CINCINNATI (AP) — Dan Bailey’s 40-yard kick went straight through the uprights. The Dallas Cowboys had won an important game on a last-second field goal. They weren’t sure how to react.
- PAGE B1
TODAY’S OBITUARIES • • • • • •
Margia Marie Bull Morrell Heinecke Dennis Howell Robert Myers Jr. Joy Overstreet Rosemary Soto
- PAGE A7
HIGH ...52˚ LOW ....21˚
TODAY’S FORECAST
CLASSIFIEDS..........B5 COMICS.................B3 ENTERTAINMENT.....A8 FINANCIAL .............B4 GENERAL ..............A2 HOROSCOPES ........A8 LOTTERIES ............A2 NATION .................A7 OPINION ................A4 SPORTS ................B1 WEATHER ..............A8
INDEX
The witness testimony for the hearing of the New Mexico Public Education Department vs. David Lawrence was held, Monday, at the Roswell Independent School District school board room. The hearing was called to review the former Goddard High School coach’s licensing as a school teacher following allegations of sexual misconduct. The Notice of Contemplated Action was not issued until Nov. 11, 2011, after Lawrence had been acquitted on charges of criminal sexual contact of a minor. The PED document stated: “Sufficient evidence exists to justify … suspending, revoking or taking other disciplinary action against the Licensee’s (Lawrence) license.” Consulting attorney for the PED Chris Romero reviewed the previous investigations into the purported inappropriate relationship between Lawrence and a Goddard High School student which left Lawrence subject to possible disciplinary action. Romero asked Kayla Powell to tell the hearing about
Egypt’s military takes Experts say drilling can be made cleaner over security ahead of vote PITTSBURGH (AP) — In CAIRO (AP) — Egypt’s military assumed responsibility Monday for protecting state institutions and maintaining security ahead of a Dec. 15 constitutional referendum, as the country braced for another round of mass demonstrations by the supporters of the country’s Islamist president and the liberal opposition over the disputed charter. The referendum on a contentious new constitution lies at the heart of a bitter political battle that has deeply polarized Egypt and triggered some of the worst street violence between backers and opponents of President Mohammed Morsi since he took power in June as the country’s first democratically elected leader. So far, Morsi has stood firm on the referendum, refusing to yield to opposition demands that he scrap the vote scheduled for Saturday. The opposition, meanwhile, was still trying to decide late Monday whether to boycott the See EGYPT, Page A3
the Colorado mountains, a spike in air pollution has been linked to a boom in oil and gas drilling. About 800 miles away on the plains of north Texas, there’s a drilling boom, too, but some air pollution levels have declined. Opponents of drilling point to Colorado and say it’s dangerous. Companies point to Texas and say drilling is safe. The answer appears to
since the system changed in early September. Those delays have prompted as many as 100 calls a day from inmates’ upset relatives. The number of daily calls has dwindled to the typical 30, but the late releases continue, said Corrections spokeswoman Cristina Rodda. “It is the new normal,” she said.
AP Photo
In this Aug. 19, 2008, file photo, a combine cuts durum
See DRILLING, Page A3 near an oil well on Aug. 19, 2008, in Tioga, N.D.
New Mexico parolees’ late releases draw fire ALBUQUERQUE (AP) — The state Corrections Department’s new system of bouncing all inmate release documents to a central office for approval often has resulted in late releases for parolees. The Albuquerque Journal reports that officials said parolees have been walking out of prison about two weeks past their expected release dates
See LICENSE, Page A3
The move to send release approvals to the department’s central office in Santa Fe comes as officials try to address a string of mistaken early releases of sometimes violent offenders. A recent statewide audit of state prisons identified about half a dozen early or late releases, including one See LATE, Page A3
Heavy snow in NM causes delays, 1 fatal car crash
ALBUQUERQUE (AP) — Heavy snows and icy roads have left parts of New Mexico with forced delays, dangerous driving conditions and at least one person dead. New Mexico State Police say at least one person was killed Sunday in a weather related car crash. Police identified the woman as 54-year-old Dorothy Mullins of Santa Fe. Her truck had slid, hit a road barrier and came to rest in the northbound lanes before it was struck by another vehicle. The winter storm also forced the closure of Interstate 40 in Clines Corners where two semi-trucks were jackknifed. Both highways were open Monday, but state transportation officials urged motorists to be careful and expect delays.