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VOLUME 15
ISSUE 21
FRIDAY
MAY 22,
2015
75¢
Hidalgo County
SmallTown Papers
217 West Cota Street
5helton, WA 98584
Xfra Lg 1 Topping
HCS0, LPD to participate in
Click It or Ticket Campaign
Courtesy submission
Once again, The Hidalgo County
Sheriff's Office and Lordsburg Police De-
partment are reminding motorists to Click
It or Ticket. As part of the national seat
belt enforcement campaign, law enforce-
ment agencies around the country will
be stepping up enforcement May 18
through May 31, just ahead of one of the
busiest travel weekends of the year.
"Every day, unbuckled motorists are
losing their lives in motor vehicle
crashes," said Sheriff W. D. Walter. "As
we approach Memorial Day weekend and
the summer vacation season, we want to
make sure people are doing the one thing
that can save them in a crash, buckling
up."
According to the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, nearly half
of the 21,132 passenger vehicle occu-
pants killed in crashes in 2013 were un-
restrained. At night from 6 p.m. to 5:59
a.m., that number soared to 59 percent of
those killed. That's why one focus of the
Click It or Ticket campaign is nighttime
enforcement. Participating law enforce-
ment agencies will be taking a no-excuses
approach to seat belt law enforcement,
writing citations day and night. In
Hidalgo County, the maximum penalty
for a seat belt violation is $82.00 dol-
lars.
In New Mexico, 152 unbelted ve-
hicle occupants died in 2014 based on
preliminary data. Nationally, almost
twice as many males were killed in
crashes as compared to females, with
lower belt use rates, too. Of the males
killed in crashes in 2013, more than half
(54%) were unrestrained. For females
killed in crashes, 41 percent were not
buckled up.
"If you ask the family members of
those unrestrained people who were
killed in crashes, they'll tell you--they
wish their loved ones had buckled up,"
added Chief Robert Rodriguez. "The
bottom line is that seat belts save lives.
If these enforcement crackdowns get
people's attention, and get them to
buckle up, then we've done our job."
For more information on the Click
It or Ticket mobilization, please visit
www.nhtsa.gov/ciot.
Bill to help veterans through
disability claims appeals process
Courtesy submission
U.S. Senator Tom Udall last week
joined several senators to introduce a
bill to help improve the quality and con-
sistency of U.S. Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA) disability claims appeals
and help address the VA's oldest pend-
ing claims. Specifically, the bill would
improve and expand pro bono legal ser-
vices for veterans during their appeals
process, and provide the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs with additional author-
ity to expedite consideration of unrea-
sonably delayed claims.
"The backlog of veterans' disabil-
ity claims prevents our veterans from ac-
cessing the benefits they have earned,
and I'm continuing to push to eliminate
the backlog and ensure that all claims
are adjudicated as quickly and effi-
ciently as possible," Udall said. "Provid-
ing veterans with access to pro bono le-
gal assistance is a common-sense step to
reduce the appeals backlog, simplify
navigation of the legal process for our
veterans and help ensure the prompt reso-
lution of claims."
Veterans' appeals for benefits are
initially reviewed by the Board of Veter-
ans Appeals before review by the U.S.
Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.
Since 1991, Congress has periodically
authorized the U.S. Court of Appeals for
Veterans Claims to work with the Legal
Services Corporation (LSC) to provide
legal assistance to low-income veterans
appearing before the court. Udall's Vet-
erans Appeals Assistance and Improve-
ment Act of 2015 would allow the LSC
to provide assistance to a veteran
throughout their appeal process, includ-
ing their appearance before the Board'bf
Veterans Appeals, which handles a much
larger backlog of claims. The bill would
also clarify that the LSC has authority to
coordinate with legal clinics and other
local legal assistance organizations to
provide help to veterans. These changes
would provide more veterans with legal
assistance and provide it earlier in the
appeals process, which will result in
faster and more equitable resolution of
claims.
3 re and 4 th graders participate in Soil Stewardship Week
On Monday April 27 th and Tuesday April 28 th, 3 a and 4 th graders in Animas, Duncan and Lordsburg participated in a
program sponsored by the Hidalgo Soil and Water Conservation District to celebrate Soil Stewardship Week, April 27 th-
May 3% Each class learned about Soil Stewardship and why it is important to be good stewards of the soil. They learned
about erosion and how plants help keep the soil healthy by preventing erosion. Each student was given an Afghan Pine
seedling to take home and practice
good soil stewardship by planting the
tree. Members ofthe Hidalgo Coopera-
tive Extension Service and Southwest
Cooperative Weed Management Area
made demonstrations on tree planting
so that the students were able to suc-
cessfully plant and grow a tree at home.
The Hidalgo Soil and Water Conserva-
tion District Board are an elected group
of officials that are charged with educa-
tion about, and conservation of, soil and
water in Hidalgo County. This is the sixth
year the Board has done this program
and is planning on making it an annual
event each spring. The Board of Super-
visors consists of: Stan Jones, Darr
Shannon, Jonna Darnell, David Ramos,
Walt Anderson, Meira Gault and Eric
McSpadden.
Courtesy submission
PNM's application to raise residential rates
unanimously rejected by PRC
Courtesy submission
All five members of the New
Mexico Public Regulation Commission
LHS student wins Congressional Art competition
Alondra Gonzalez, a senior at Lordsburg High School, won first place in the Congressional Art Competition, sponsored by
Congressman Steve Pearce for District 2. LHS art instructor Bethany Walter submitted several works students have
completed in her class, including pencil drawings, layered paper projects and pen and ink drawings.The piece that earned
Gonzalez a first place for was pen and ink, entitled"Night Owl".The drawing will be displayed at the Rotunda in Washington
D.C. for one year with other national winners. Gonzalez won tickets to fly to DC for the national reception on June 24, 2015
to be recognized for her artwork. A committee has been formed to help raise funds to send Gonzalez and her mother to
DC. Rep. Pearce's office is paying for travel, but Gonzalez will be responsible for meals, hotel and taxis. An account has
been set up at Western Bank in her name if anyone would like to donate. Courtesy photos
(PRC) voted to reject Public Service
Company of New Mexico's (PNM) ap-
plication to increase electrical rates for
the company's residential customers dur-
ing the Commission's case management
meeting held Wednesday afternoon, May
13.
The Commission collectively
agreed with PRC staff assertions that the
application submitted by PNM was in-
complete and, as stated by PRC Hear-
ing Examiner Carolyn Glick, the state's
largest utility company failed to pro-
vide adequate information pertaining
to how PNM calculated their estimated
costs, and neglected to provide the PRC
and interveners with electronic acces-
sibility to many documents.
PRC General Counsel Attorney
Judith Amer further explained that such
access is essential for PRC staff and
others to effectively inspect the authen-
ticity of cost estimates submitted to the
PRC by any utility.
The Commission's decision to re-
ject the application submitted by PNM
instructs the utility company to file a
new application by September 1.
The proposed rate increase sought
to increase the base charge to residen-
tial customers by $7.80, and more than
16 percent in monthly charges. PNM's
proposal also requested fees for new
solar customers ranging between $21
and $26 to connect to the electrical
grid.
"By any means, our decision is not
a rejection of PNM's rate increase re-
quest," Commission Vice Chair Lynda
Lovejoy stated. "It is simply a proce-
dural matter to have PNM resubmit
their application, using more recent
base period data. It's my opinion that
the hearing examiner and counsel were
thorough in combing thorough infor-
mation."
"I feel like this is the proper thing
to do on this particular filing, and we
look forward to PNM re-filing their
rate case and see if we can find a bal-
ance between the company and con-
sumers," said Commissioner Patrick
Lyons. "It is our job to balance afford-
able rates and reliable service to the
people of New Mexico."
Commissioner Valerie Espinoza
said, "Because many numbers and as-
sumptions were combined to produce
PNM's proposed rates, an intervener
or staff may have wanted to change
the particular number, which would
have changed the resulting rates and,
thus, consumers would have been the
first to be hit by the impact of the rate
increase. The application was incom-
plete, and the FTY Rule requires esti-
mates to be fully identified. After ex-
hausting debate, I'm grateful for the
unanimous decision."
A separate order pertaining to set-
ting a limit to how far out future test
periods can proceed was tabled by the
Commission.
About the NMPRC
The NMPRC regulates public utili-
ties, telecommunications companies and
motor carriers operating in the State of
New Mexico. It also administers the State
Fire Marshal's Office, the New Mexico
Firefighters Training Academy in
Socorro, N.M., and the Pipeline Safety
Bureau.
UPCOMING EVEN'I'S
5th Sunday Sing
The 5th Sunday Sing will be held
on Sunday, May 31, 2015 at 6:00 p.m. at
the Lordsburg Church of Christ. All are
welcome to attend. All proceeds benefit
the Bootheel Ministerial Alliance schol-
arship fund.
Murray art show
The historic Murray Hotel, 200 West
Broadway, in downtown Silver City will
host the 2015 Silver City Art Associa-
tion Artist Member Show. The times for
viewing this show are from 10 a.m. till 5
p.m. on May 22, 23, 24 and from 10
a.m. till 1 p.m. on May 25. The show will
feature the work of many artists,
many mediums, all local. Look for
the Ballroom at the Murray and you will
find this fantastic annual show!
K of C Bake Sale
The Knights of Columbus will hold
a bake sale on Sunday, June 14, 2015
after the 9 and 11 a.m. services at St.
Josephs Church.
K of C Meetings
The Lordsburg Knights of Colum-
bus will hold a regular meetings on May
18 (election of officers) and June 22 at
6:00 p.m. at James H. Baxter Civic Cen-
ter. All are invited to attend.
SummerTransferStation hours
The Hidalgo County Transfer Sta-
tion is open on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to
2 p.m. and Sundays from 1:00 to 4:00
p.m. during the months of May-August.
Elks Rummage Sale
The Lordsburg Elks Lodge will hold
its annual Rummage Sale on Saturday,
June 6, 2015. Donations are currently
being accepted and can be dropped off
at the Cottage House, Hidalgo County
Herald or Quality Auto. No clothes
please. For more information, or to
schedule pick up of items, call Brenda at
575.590.0377 or email lordsburgelks
@yahoo.com
Sauced0's hours
Saucedos Supermarket will be open
on Monday, May 25, 2015 from 8:30 a.m.
to 2:00 p.m.
Elks collecting used flags
The Lordsburg Elks Lodge is cur-
rently accepting torn, tattered and used
flags. The flags will be properly disposed
of during the organization's annual Flag
Burning Ceremony on June 13, 2015.
Flags can be dropped off in Lordsburg at
Quality Auto, Hidalgo County Herald
and the Cottage House.
Commodity Distribution
RRFB Mobile Food Pantry will dis-
tribute commodities every third Monday
of the month at Special Events Center,
10 AM to 2 PM. Recipients must self
declare need. The next distribution is
June 15, 2015.
Continued on Page 3