Roswell Daily Record
Reid drops $1.3T spending bill
Vol. 119, No. 301 50¢ Daily / $1 Sunday
INSIDE NEWS
WINTER WEATHER HITS SOUTH ATLANTA (AP) — Iceslicked roads created treacherous conditions blamed for at least one fatal accident in the South on Thursday as wintry weather headed up the East Coast.
THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
December 17, 2010
FRIDAY
www.roswell-record.com
WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats controlling the Senate abandoned on Thursday a huge catchall spending measure combining nearly $1.3 trillion worth of unfinished budget work, including $158 billion for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Facing a midnight Saturday deadline when a stopgap funding measure expires, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said he would work with Republican leader Mitch McConnell to produce a bill to keep the federal government running into early next year. The 1,924-page bill collapsed of its own weight after an outcry
from conservatives who complained it was stuffed with more than $8 billion in homestate pet projects known as earmarks. Reid, D-Nev., gave up on the bill after several Republicans who had been thinking of voting for it pulled back their support. McConnell, R-Ky., threw his weight against the bill in recent days, saying it was “unbelievable” that Democrats would try to muscle through in the days before Christmas legislation that usually takes months to debate. “Just a few weeks after the voters told us they don’t want us rushing major pieces of complicat-
ed, costly, far-reaching legislation through Congress, we get this,” McConnell said. “This is no way to legislate.” The turn of events was a major victory for earmark opponents like Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Tom Cobur n, R-Okla., who for years have been steamrolled by the old-school members of the powerful Appropriations Committee. The spending barons saw their power ebb in the wake of midterm elections that delivered major gains for Republicans — with considerable help from anti-spending tea party activists.
Camel draws crowd
- PAGE A8
TOP 5 WEB For The Last 24 Hours
• Family helped after fire • Fight mars hearing • Crime Stoppers • Armando Saenz • Josh hired at NMMI
INSIDE SPORTS
Mark Wilson Photo
Jasmine Cadena, 4, and Kayla Nunez get an up-close look at a camel which made a stop in town Thursday afternoon while travelling in a trailer from Las Cruces to Clovis with its owner, who declined to be identified, for the holidays. The owner of the majestic beast stopped into Farley’s for lunch and a crowd of camel admirers soon gathered to see the animal.
MANGUM NAMED ALLAMERICAN New Mexico Military Institute’s Xan Mangum was named to the National Junior College Athletic Association All-American team on Thursday.
- PAGE B1
TODAY’S OBITUARIES
• Audrey Mae Wagner • Elias “Tom” Moody Jr. • Nyah Nelson • Belson Lucero - PAGE B4
HIGH ...52˚ LOW ....25˚
TODAY’S FORECAST
CLASSIFIEDS..........C1 COMICS.................B6 ENTERTAINMENT.....C2 FINANCIAL .............B5 GENERAL ..............A2 HOROSCOPES ........A8 LOTTERIES ............A2 OPINION ................A4 SPORTS ................B1 WEATHER ..............A8 WORLD .................B7
INDEX
Jail administrator tapped by Martinez
“We just saw something extraordinary on the floor of the United States Senate,” a grinning McCain said. The $1.27 trillion catchall bill wrapped together 12 bills — blending $1.1 trillion for the operating budgets of every federal agency with an infusion of funding to carry the war in Afghanistan into its 10th year — into a single foot-tall piece of legislation that Democrats had hoped to pass with just a couple of days’ worth of debate. It was designed to bankroll the
Gov visits NKorea
See REID, Page A6
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A high-profile U.S. state governor was visiting North Korea today in a bid to ease tensions on the Korean peninsula as South Korea planned to conduct artillery drills similar to ones that prompted Pyongyang to shell a front-line island last month. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who has frequently acted as an unofficial envoy to the North, began the first full day of his trip, though details of his schedule were unclear. Upon arrival Thursday, he was greeted at Pyongyang’s airport by a senior North Korean official after telling reporters in Beijing he expected to be given some sort of message by the North. “My objective is to see if we can reduce the tension in the Korean peninsula,” Richardson said at the airport in North Korea, according to Associated Press Television News. “I’m going to have a whole series of talks with North Korean officials, and I look forward to my discussions.” Meanwhile, in South Korea, the Joint Chiefs of Staffs said in a statement that marines based on Yeonpyeong Island, a tiny fishing community with military bases
Teens help teens
See KOREA, Page A6
JESSICA PALMER RECORD STAFF WRITER
Chaves County Detention Center administrator Alfonso Solis has been selected to serve on the governor-elect’s transitional team, lending Roswell’s voice to the gubernatorial transition. “One month ago I got a call from the State Police to ask if I’d be willing to serve on the selection committee for the director of corrections,” Solis explained. The team includes Robert Perry, city attorney for Albuquerque; Caleb Chandler, Curry County commissioner; Gregg Marcantel, who is a captain with the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department; and Elmer Bustos, a retired senior staff member of the Department of Corrections. The team’s first duty was to identify potential candidates for the director of corrections. “Sometimes it’s hard to find people who qualify, people with the management skills, the work experience and the education.” Solis said. “We were told not to be offended if the governor-elect did not pick from the list,” he added. The Cabinet candidate selected by the new governor will
Mark Wilson Photo
Members of the Roswell High School Charlie’s Angels Dance Team made a donation of gifts to the CASA Kids Store Thursday specifically aimed in helping less fortunate fellow teenagers.
New Mexico to get $185,000 in DIRECTV settlement See JAIL, Page A6
Jonathan Entzminger Record Staff Writer
The Consumer Protection Division with Attorney General Gary King’s office announced Wednesday that New Mexico is among 49 states and the District of Columbia named in a $13.25 million settlement with satellite giant DIRECTV over deceptive advertising allegations. New Mexico will be allotted $185,000. Since Jan. 1, 2007, the attorney general’s office CPD has received 262 complaints. According to a statement released by the attorney general’s office, common complaints include “service price is two to three times higher than advertised price; monthly credits have to be accessed online in order for consumers to receive discounts of any kind; consumers in rural New Mexico claim they are unable to get specific channels or services that were advertised and purchased; and cancellation procedure is not what was agreed upon by consumer.”
The settlement, announced Tuesday, will require DIRECTV to “clearly disclose all material terms to consumers; replace defective leased equipment at no cost except shipping fees; will not require the consumer to enter into an additional contract when simply replacing defective equipment; clearly disclose when a consumer is entering into a contract; clearly notify consumers before a consumer is obligated to pay for a seasonal sports package; not misrepresent availability of sports programming; not represent that a consumer receive ‘cash back’ if the consumer would actually get a ‘bill credit;’ and clearly notify consumers they will be charged a cancellation or equipment fee at least 10 days before charging the fee.” In a statement released Tuesday by DIRECTV, the company seemed satisfied with the terms and conditions of the settlement. “DIRECTV has worked hand-in-hand with the Attorneys General to formalize many of the customer improvements we have made over the past
few years and are pleased to have come to this agreement,” said Mike White, chairman, president and CEO of DIRECTV. “DIRECTV is committed to always operating with the highest standards of integrity and will move forward with continued dedication to providing the best video experience possible for our customers.” Those who qualify for the settlement include customers who forwarded their unresolved complaints to DIRECTV or the New Mexico attorney general’s office “involving conduct addressed in the settlement occurring after Jan. 1, 2007.” In addition “to be considered for the restitution program, consumers must file a complaint with DIRECTV or the New Mexico attorney general’s office by June 9, 2011.” Customers who cannot resolve their complaints with DIRECTV will be redirected to a claims administrator, who will work as a mediator between customers and DIRECTV after a formal complaint form is filled out. Forms will be provided to customers by mail. j.entzminger@roswell-record.com