Roswell Daily Record
Vol. 119, No. 288 50¢ Daily / $1 Sunday
INSIDE NEWS
THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
Duffey declared winner after recount
CANCUN, Mexico (AP) — Even if we stopped spewing global warming gases today, the world would face a steady rise in food prices this century. But on our current emissions path, climate change becomes the “threat multiplier” that could double grain prices by 2050 and leave millions more children malnourished, global food experts reported Wednesday. - PAGE B6
THURSDAY
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MATTHEW ARCO RECORD STAFF WRITER
WARMING COULD UP FOOD PRICES
December 2, 2010
Mark Wilson Photo
From left, Republican James Duffey was confirmed Wednesday as the winner of a Chaves County Commission race following a three-day recount.
A District Court judge affirmed local election results that declared Republican James Duffey the winner of a Chaves County Commission seat. Duffey defeated Democrat Eloy Ortega by one vote following a three-day recount of the race that originally put the Republican ahead by two votes. Judge Charles Currier denied an attempt by Ortega’s attorney to disqualify a military absentee ballot which would have resulted in a tie. “The ballot is valid,” Currier said. “I’m satisfied by preponderance of the evi-
Flying foliage
dence that the ballot was legitimate.” Ortega, who posted more than $13,400 as security to cover the cost of the recount, and fellow Democrats walked out of the courthouse declining to speak with reporters or say if they planned to contest the entire race. Timothy Cusack, Ortega’s attorney, also declined to comment. “I’ll know I’m the county commissioner when I’m sworn in,” Duffey said. Both parties spent the third and final day of the recount in court discussing the absentee ballot. It raised suspicion by Democrats because it was smaller in size compared with other
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INSIDE SPORTS
Mark Wilson Photo
Jose Pineda clears fallen leaves from the grounds of Washington Avenue Elementary School Wednesday morning.
TRUMP SAYS HIRE LEACH
Mike Leach would love to be back on the sidelines next season. He says he just hasn’t heard from anyone interested in hiring him yet. The former Texas Tech coach is getting some lobbying help for the open job at Miami, though. Donald Trump sent a letter to university President Donna Shalala this week, suggesting the Hurricanes hire Leach to replace the departed Randy Shannon. Leach and Trump have been friends for several years. - PAGE B1
TODAY’S OBITUARY
• George and Celia Romero - PAGE B3
HIGH ...70˚ LOW ....27˚
TODAY’S FORECAST
INDEX
CLASSIFIEDS .........C1 COMICS ................B4 LOCAL ..................A5 FINANCIAL.............B5 GENERAL ..............A2 HOROSCOPES ........A3 LOTTERIES ............A2 OPINION ...............A4 SPORTS ................B1 WEATHER .............B6
Woman sentenced to 3 years for selling prescription drugs
Barbara Sanchez, 46, was sentenced Wednesday to three years, with five years probation, for traf ficking a controlled substance. Fifth Judicial District Judge Steven L. Bell explained that one year was mandatory and two years were for underlying charges. The arrest was the result of an investigation done by the Chaves County Metro Narcotics Task Force Division of the Chaves County Sheriff’s Office. According to the criminal
complaint filed in Chaves County Magistrate Court in January, Sanchez sold 20 prescription morphine tablets on Sept. 30, 2009, to an undercover agent. Assistant District Attorney Ben Schrope asked for the full sentence of nine years, plus one year enhancement, for a total of 10 years. Defense attor ney Jesse Cosby argued that this was not a regular habit for the defendant. Robert Tringes spoke for the defense, saying that Sanchez currently was the primary
caregiver to her three grandchildren, ages 1, 2 and 5 years. When Bell pronounced his sentence, he stated, “I don’t condone what was done. It’s different than trafficking in street narcotics ... still it’s an illegal act.” He accepted the fact that Sanchez was a caregiver with three children at home, allowing her until Dec. 27 to get her affairs in order at which time she is scheduled to turn herself in to Chaves County Detention Center.
ballots. The vote, returned to the clerk’s office by email, was ultimately ruled legitimate. “I felt like they were just trying to throw out a (valid military) ballot for no reason,” said Coakley, following the hearing and after taking the stand for about one hour. “I’m embarrassed that that happened in Chaves County.” The County Commission is slated to meet Monday to recanvass the 2010 General Election results because the figures have changed. The total votes are 1,004 for Duffey and 1,003 for Ortega. Coakley said Duffey will be sworn in Jan. 1.
Lawmakers negotiate tax cuts
mattarco@roswell-record.com
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House held the door open Wednesday for a yearend compromise that would extend all the Bush-era tax cuts temporarily and the Senate’s top Republican said the only question that remained was how long current rates should be allowed to continue before they expire. Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell said all Republicans and some Democrats oppose any plan that would allow tax rates for the wealthy to rise. He predicted the Senate would approve extending the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts for everyone. “The only thing we’re discussing now is just how long” to extend them, McConnell said Wednesday evening. Officials said negotiations center on a one- to three-year extension of the current rates. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs reiterated that President Barack Obama’s main goal is to prevent a middle-class tax increase. Obama’s “other line in the sand” is that he won’t support a per manent extension of tax cuts for the wealthy, Gibbs said on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” Obama has specifically voiced his objection to a per manent extension “to the wealthiest Americans. “Having said that, we agreed that there must be some sensible common ground,” Obama said. That leaves open the possibility of a temporary extension of all the tax cuts. Later, Gibbs declined to say whether Obama would support extending all the tax cuts for up to three years, which would push the issue beyond the next presidential election, in 2012. Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., said, “At the end of the day, I’ve been saying for six months, we’ll end up with a minimum of two years of tax policy.” Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and White House Budget Director Jacob Lew held two closed-door meetings Wednesday with a group of four lawmakers from both parties to negotiate a deal on tax cuts. “We are still talking in somewhat general terms although we’ve asked the staff of the various committees to make sure that we have detailed infor mation on certain issues,” Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., said after the evening session. Van Hollen said the talks have expanded
Police investigate homicide, seeking person of interest JESSICA PALMER RECORD STAFF WRITER
A R o sw e ll m an w as k il led sometime between 9:30 and 10 p.m. Tuesday. Angel Horton, 28, was found dead outside his home in the 500 block of South Ash Avenue by the Roswell Police Department after officers responded to a report of s h ot s fi r e d a r o un d 9 : 30 p. m. from an unnamed caller. The incident report states that officers spoke with a witness at the Sertoma Bingo Club, 303 N. Vi rg i n i a A ve . , r e g a r d i ng t h e crime. Th e w i t n es s s ai d he h ear d screaming or shouting and said h e sa w a f o u r - d oo r v e hi cle o f “unknown make” drive away. In addition to being shot, the victim had also received several
stab wounds. Officials will not be able to determine the exact cause of death until an autopsy has been completed, said Officer Travis Holley, RPD spokesman. “Infor mation at this time is sketchy,” Holley said Wednesday. The killing did not appear to be gang-related, but Holley could not rule out revenge as a motive. “Murder is always a passionate crime,” he said. According to Holley, Horton had been involved in prior incidents which officials will examine to see if they bear any relationship to the homicide. The victim’s Ford pickup was towed from the scene. “The body was found close to it, and it was going to be pr ocessed for evidence,” Holley said. Holley explained that RPD does have a “person of interest”
See TAXES, Page A3
Jessica Palmer Photo
The Roswell Police Department Technical Services Unit examines the scene of a homicide in the 500 block of South Ash Avenue, Wednesday. The victim’s body was found close to the truck which was towed off to check for evidence.
in the case that investigators are seeking, but he was unwilling to divulge the person’s name. A neighbor, who said she is related to the victim by marriage,
said, “It’s a shock. . . . We all have trouble with our children at one time or another, but his mamma is going to take this hard.” j.palmer@roswell-record.com