Price Change Spot $88.14 - 3.75 Posted $84.75 - 3.50 Sour $79.50 - 3.50 N. Gas $3.395 -0.136 West Texas intermediate Inside Today O IL PRICES Obituaries ...........................2 Lottery.................................2 Mark the date ....................3 Fun & Games ......................7 Weather ..............................8 Sports ..................................9 Classifieds..........................13 TV ......................................16 Community News The Hobbs High School will perform “ALMOST, MAINE,” a romantic comedy by John Cariani, Oct. 12 and 13 at 7:30 p.m. and Oct. 13 and 14 at 2:30 p.m. at Tydings Auditorium. Tickets are on sale now at HHS Bookkeeping Department for $8. Tickets go up to $10 at the door. The last day to REGIS- TER TO VOTE is Tuesday, Oct. 9. To reg- ister, voters need to fill out a form available at area Motor Vehicle Department offices, public libraries, New Mexico Junior College, University of the Southwest, or the Democratic Party or Republican Party head- quarters. Absentee vot- ing begins Tuesday, Oct. 9. Early voting begins Saturday, Oct. 20, and Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 6. For more information on voter registration, con- tact the Lea County clerk’s office at 396- 8620. The N.M. High School RODEO ASSOCIATION is hosting a BBQ din- ner/cash party at 6 p.m Saturday, Oct. 13, at the Jake McClure Memorial Arena. Tickets are $100 and good for a family of four. Ticket is also entry for door prizes and cash winner. For more information, call Kerri Goodwin at 390-5234 or Hope Anthony at 575-631-7789. The EUNICE MVD office remains open from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday. The office is located at Eunice City Hall. News-Sun Since 1927 ■ No. 245 50 cents JAL ■ EUNICE ■ HOBBS ■ LOVINGTON ■ TATUM ■ SEMINOLE ■ DENVER CITY THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2012 Certified Dell Partner Computer Tune-up & repair Virus Removal & Data Recovery Certified Dell Partner 1021 E. Bender, Hobbs, NM (575) 391-NOTE (6683) Eddy/Lea partners with Areva LEVI HILL NEWS-SUN The Eddy/Lea Energy Alliance announced Wednesday it has selected a partner to aid in efforts to locate an interim storage facility for used nuclear fuel in Lea County on land jointly owned by the two counties. The partner is Areva. The alliance board voted last week to select a business team led by Areva from a list of two applicants that had responded to the alliance’s request for proposals, which sought a partner for the two-square mile former Global Nuclear Energy Partnership site located in west Lea County between Hobbs and Carlsbad. “AREVA has significant experience in the licensing and operations of interim storage facilities at nuclear generating sites,” said alliance chairman John Heaton of Carlsbad in a release. “The companies on the AREVA-led team are all proven leaders in the nuclear industry with a wide vari- ety of experience, including shielded casks, canisters and transportation containers for interim storage. We look forward to working with our new business part- ners.” According to the President’s Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future report, monitoring and Lea County Commission makes capital wish list BETH HAHN NEWS-SUN LOVINGTON — Lea County commissioners made a list and checked it several times during Wednesday’s meeting. The result are five big ticket items commissioners hope garner some state funding during the 2013-14 budg- et year. “The state requires us to rank these projects to see what the most impor- tant is,” commission chairman Gregg Fulfer said Wednesday. The top projects are listed on an infrastructure capital improvement plan — an ICIP — which lists con- struction projects municipal and county governments plan to under- take during the next several years. Commissioners will submit the following list of five construction projects for state funding: • $18 million for a new judicial complex. • $9 million to remodel the Lea County Courthouse. • $2.6 million for a fire department substation at the Lea County Regional Airport. • $4.4 million to expand the terminal at the Lea County Regional Airport. • $2.5 million to build utility infrastructure in the coun- ty’s industrial corridor along N.M. 483. The infrastructure would include a looped water line NMJC planning for central plant improvements with Bond C funds BETH HAHN NEWS-SUN When voters go to the polls Nov. 6, there is one can’t miss item on the ballot — Bond C. New Mexico Junior College president Steve McCleery said the bond will benefit higher education. The benefit for voters is taxes will not increase if the bond passes. The benefit for colleges, including NMJC, is money to update and renovate aging facilities. McCleery said NMJC stands to receive about $3.3 million under Bond C. The money will be used to expand the college’s central plant, he said. “What it essentially does is get the plant ready for the next 30-40 years,” he said Wednesday,during a meeting with Lea County commissioners. While the NMJC central plant may not be the most eye-catching project and may not be named in honor of someone, McCleery said it is a critical part of the college’s infrastruc- ture. The central plant heats and cools water, which is piped around NMJC’s circular cam- pus through a series of tunnels. The water is used to heat and cool buildings. McCleery said the tunnels are aging and in need of renovation. If Bond C passes, the looped pipe system will be expanded from two pipes to four, making the central plant more efficient, he explained. “It’s not the sexiest project, but it will serve thousands and thousands of students for years to come,” McCleery said. Another benefit for NMJC is the tunnel repairs and central plant expansion plans are already designed. “It’s ready to go to contractors,” he said. “All we need is the bond.” McCleery said Bond C is a “win-win” situa- tion for NMJC and voters. “I can’t think of a reason not to vote for it,” he said. If Bond C passes, it will be for $119.4 million in projects. The money will be split among var- ious schools around the state, including: ■ $10.5 million to Central New Mexico Community College in Albuquerque. ■ $19 million to the University of New Mexico. Walk and Roll Stone Elementary students, above, wave posters encouraging and wel- coming their classmates to school on Wednesday, a day designated nation- wide as Walk and Roll to School. The event celebrated the benefits of exer- cise. Southern Heights parents, teachers, and students, right, walk or ride bikes to school Wednesday during the Walk and Roll event. Below, Hobbs firefighter Adrian Enriquez walks Southern Heights stu- dents Syra Santos, Jose Huerta, Mayra Huerta and Ramon Huerta across the street Wednesday. PHOTOS BY NEWS-SUN, HMS AND CRYSTAL RAMIREZ Fulfer Lovington receives 11 city manager applications BETH HAHN NEWS-SUN Lovington city commissioners could begin creating a list of city manager candidates as early as next week. Mayor Dixie Drummond said the deadline for applications was Monday. The city received 11 applications for city manager, but Drummond said commissioners will accept applica- tions if they were postmarked by Oct. 1. “I don’t know if we will have any more mailed in,” she added Tuesday. Interim city manager James Williams said commissioners will hire a city manager before an assis- tant city manager. City commissioners added the assistant city manager position back into the city’s budget during a meeting in Cope Drummond McCleery Inside today: Women Today Special Section SEE EDDY/LEA, Page 5 SEE COMMISSION, Page 5 SEE MANAGER, Page 5 SEE BOND, Page 5
Obituaries ...........................2Lottery.................................2Mark the date ....................3Fun & Games ......................7Weather ..............................8Sports ..................................9Classifieds..........................13TV ......................................16
Community News
The Hobbs High Schoolwill perform“ALMOST, MAINE,” aromantic comedy byJohn Cariani, Oct. 12and 13 at 7:30 p.m.and Oct. 13 and 14 at2:30 p.m. at TydingsAuditorium. Tickets areon sale now at HHSBookkeepingDepartment for $8.Tickets go up to $10 atthe door.
The last day to REGIS-TER TO VOTE isTuesday, Oct. 9. To reg-ister, voters need to fillout a form available atarea Motor VehicleDepartment offices,public libraries, NewMexico Junior College,University of theSouthwest, or theDemocratic Party orRepublican Party head-quarters. Absentee vot-ing begins Tuesday,Oct. 9. Early votingbegins Saturday, Oct.20, and Election Day isTuesday, Nov. 6. Formore information onvoter registration, con-tact the Lea Countyclerk’s office at 396-8620.
The N.M. High SchoolRODEO ASSOCIATIONis hosting a BBQ din-ner/cash party at 6 p.mSaturday, Oct. 13, atthe Jake McClureMemorial Arena.Tickets are $100 andgood for a family offour. Ticket is also entryfor door prizes andcash winner. For moreinformation, call KerriGoodwin at 390-5234or Hope Anthony at575-631-7789.
The EUNICE MVD officeremains open from 8a.m.-4 p.m. Mondaythrough Friday. Theoffice is located atEunice City Hall.
The Eddy/Lea Energy Alliance announcedWednesday it has selected a partner to aid in efforts tolocate an interim storage facility for used nuclear fuelin Lea County on land jointly ownedby the two counties. The partner isAreva.
The alliance board voted last weekto select a business team led by Arevafrom a list of two applicants that hadresponded to the alliance’s requestfor proposals, which sought a partnerfor the two-square mile former GlobalNuclear Energy Partnership sitelocated in west Lea County betweenHobbs and Carlsbad.
“AREVA has significant experiencein the licensing and operations ofinterim storage facilities at nuclear generating sites,”said alliance chairman John Heaton of Carlsbad in arelease. “The companies on the AREVA-led team are allproven leaders in the nuclear industry with a wide vari-ety of experience, including shielded casks, canistersand transportation containers for interim storage. Welook forward to working with our new business part-ners.”
According to the President’s Blue Ribbon Commissionon America’s Nuclear Future report, monitoring and
LOVINGTON — Lea County commissioners made alist and checked it several times during Wednesday’smeeting.
The result are five big ticket itemscommissioners hope garner somestate funding during the 2013-14 budg-et year.
“The state requires us to rank theseprojects to see what the most impor-tant is,” commission chairman GreggFulfer said Wednesday.
The top projects are listed on aninfrastructure capital improvementplan — an ICIP — which lists con-struction projects municipal andcounty governments plan to under-take during the next several years.
Commissioners will submit the following list of fiveconstruction projects for state funding:
• $18 million for a new judicial complex.• $9 million to remodel the Lea County Courthouse.• $2.6 million for a fire department substation at the
Lea County Regional Airport.• $4.4 million to expand the terminal at the Lea County
Regional Airport.• $2.5 million to build utility infrastructure in the coun-
ty’s industrial corridor along N.M. 483.The infrastructure would include a looped water lineNMJC planning for central plant
improvements with Bond C fundsBETH HAHNNEWS-SUN
When voters go to the polls Nov. 6, there isone can’t miss item on the ballot — Bond C.
New Mexico Junior College president SteveMcCleery said the bond will benefit highereducation.
The benefit for voters istaxes will not increase if thebond passes.
The benefit for colleges,including NMJC, is moneyto update and renovate agingfacilities.
McCleery said NMJCstands to receive about $3.3million under Bond C.
The money will be used toexpand the college’s centralplant, he said.
“What it essentially does is get the plantready for the next 30-40 years,” he saidWednesday, during a meeting with Lea Countycommissioners.
While the NMJC central plant may not be themost eye-catching project and may not benamed in honor of someone, McCleery said itis a critical part of the college’s infrastruc-ture.
The central plant heats and cools water,
which is piped around NMJC’s circular cam-pus through a series of tunnels.
The water is used to heat and cool buildings.McCleery said the tunnels are aging and in
need of renovation.If Bond C passes, the looped pipe system will
be expanded from two pipes to four, makingthe central plant more efficient, he explained.
“It’s not the sexiest project, but it will servethousands and thousands of students for yearsto come,” McCleery said.
Another benefit for NMJC is the tunnelrepairs and central plant expansion plans arealready designed.
“It’s ready to go to contractors,” he said. “Allwe need is the bond.”
McCleery said Bond C is a “win-win” situa-tion for NMJC and voters.
“I can’t think of a reason not to vote for it,”he said.
If Bond C passes, it will be for $119.4 millionin projects. The money will be split among var-ious schools around the state, including:
� $10.5 million to Central New MexicoCommunity College in Albuquerque.
� $19 million to the University of NewMexico.
Walk and RollStone Elementary students, above,wave posters encouraging and wel-coming their classmates to school onWednesday, a day designated nation-wide as Walk and Roll to School. Theevent celebrated the benefits of exer-cise.
Southern Heights parents, teachers,and students, right, walk or ride bikesto school Wednesday during the Walkand Roll event.
Below, Hobbs firefighter AdrianEnriquez walks Southern Heights stu-dents Syra Santos, Jose Huerta, MayraHuerta and Ramon Huerta across thestreet Wednesday.
PHOTOS BY NEWS-SUN, HMS AND CRYSTAL RAMIREZ
Fulfer
Lovington receives11 city managerapplicationsBETH HAHNNEWS-SUN
Lovington city commissioners could begin creating alist of city manager candidates as early as next week.
Mayor Dixie Drummond said thedeadline for applications was Monday.
The city received 11 applications forcity manager, but Drummond saidcommissioners will accept applica-tions if they were postmarked by Oct.1.
“I don’t know if we will have anymore mailed in,” she added Tuesday.
Interim city manager JamesWilliams said commissioners willhire a city manager before an assis-tant city manager.
City commissioners added the assistant city managerposition back into the city’s budget during a meeting in
Cope
Drummond
McCleery
Inside today:Women Today
SpecialSection
SEE EDDY/LEA, Page 5
SEE COMMISSION, Page 5
SEE MANAGER, Page 5SEE BOND, Page 5
FROM THE FRONT PAGE 5HOBBS NEWS-SUN • THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4, 20122
Eddy/Leafrom PAGE 1
Commissionfrom PAGE 1
Bondfrom PAGE 1
Managerfrom PAGE 1
oversight of used fuel at nuclear power plants iscosting millions of dollars each year. Millionsmore taxpayer dollars are being spent on settle-ment payments related to waste disposition.
“Centralized interim storage of used fuel is aproven, safe method utilizing proven technolo-gy, it is also one of the recommendations of thePresident’s BRC,” said alliance vice-chairmanJohnny Cope of Hobbs. “We believe southeast-ern New Mexico to be the ideal location for sucha centralized interim storage facility.”
The United States has not made a determina-tion as to whether such fuel should be recycledor disposed of, and interim storage would be asafe solution while the debate continues,Heaton said.
The alliance believes the dry, remote south-eastern corner of New Mexico is ideal for suchtemporary storage. A pre-existing scientific andnuclear operations workforce exists in the area,as does a community that is open-minded aboutpossible nuclear expansion. Recycling or dis-posal sites could also eventually be selected inthe vicinity.
An interim storage facility would temporarilystore used fuel inside of containers placed ontop of concrete pads.
Dave Jones, senior vice president for back-endservices for Areva, said the company was inter-ested in the partnership because it has a largefocus on fuel recycling globally and would liketo add such facilities to the U.S. nuclear indus-try fuel cycle.
“We have quite an extensive background andexperience in used fuel and used fuel manage-ment,” he said. “In France we licensed and builtrecycling facilities for used fuel. Countries withthe space issues are recycling instead of dispos-ing of it. We have been focused on disposing ofit in the U.S. for the last 30 years. We have inven-tories of used fuel accumulating at utility sitesaround the country.”
Jones said Areva hopes to see federal govern-ment endorse fuel recycling and the most logi-cal site for a recycling facility would be at a cen-tralized storage site, like what is proposed forLea County.
“The initial focus here is as a consolidatedstorage facility,” he said. “The real focusbecomes the economic development opportuni-ties if that site is then transitioned into a recy-cling facility with a disposal packaging. Thejobs created for a recycling center would be
about 1,600 during construction on site andoperations of about 5,000-6,000 people each day.”
Jones said Eddy/Lea are not the only area ofthe nation interested in securing a consolidatedstorage facility, but the alliance is taking a leadother communities have not.
“Those folks are aware there are other statesand communities interested in this kind ofopportunity,” he said. “I think they want todemonstrate and have successfully demonstrat-ed how interested they are by moving forwardwith this so quickly.”
The next step is for Areva and its partners tosign a memorandum of understanding with thealliance. Jones said Areva has not yetannounced who it has partnered with, but willdo so soon.
“Then we need to further delineate our pathforward and engage the U.S. government abouthow such a facility can be developed and towhat schedule,” he said. “It is one of the thingswe are looking at and hoping it will be assessedas a viable option for the U.S. We believe theinventories in the US provide a significant ben-efit for energy security and use.”
Heaton said an interim storage facility is esti-mated to add about 150 jobs to the area andinterim storage models that have been proposedinclude compensation to the state and support-ing municipalities.
that could eventually tie into the City of Hobbsmunicipal water system, Fulfer explained.
At least one of the projects, the infrastructurefor the county industrial development area,already has $750,000 in state funding. Accordingto documents provided by the county, Lea willalso rely on a one-eighth percent environmentalgross receipts tax to help pay for the project.
Fulfer said the airport terminal expansion isnot higher on the list because it is possible thecounty will receive federal funding for the proj-ect.
The most pressing need, he said, is the judicialcomplex, which could include moving DistrictCourt from the courthouse in downtownLovington to the public safety complex onCommercial Street or could include remodelingof the courthouse — or some combination ofthe two.
Fulfer said an architectural firm hired earlierthis year is still working on options for thecounty.
“We don’t know the shape and size yet,” hesaid. “We’ve looked at several things, building anew building ... maybe (the move) just needs to
be the (county) administration.”Fulfer said the courthouse “is crumbling
around our ears” and needs to be addressedbefore the other projects, some of which are inearly stages.
County manager Michael Gallagher said allprojects on the list are eligible for funding,regardless of the priority.
“All of the projects on the list are eligible forfunding,” he said.
Lea has a running list of 42 capital expensesranging from new buildings to improved roads,a new tower for emergency communication,dump trucks for the county Road Departmentand improving the countywide fire trainingfacility.
Gallagher said legislators usually rely on thecounty’s priorities to guide funding.
The priorities will be presented to area legis-lators prior to the 2013 session.
ing the position, city commis-sioners fired then-city manag-er Michael Leighton during anAug. 13 meeting.
Leighton was placed on amonth-long administrativeleave before his August firing.Williams has served as theinterim city manager sinceJune.
Williams said Tuesday he didnot see or accept any applica-
tions.“They were all directed to the
mayor,” he said.Drummond said commis-
sioners will discuss how toevaluate the applications dur-ing the next meeting, which isscheduled for Oct. 8.
“I don’t know if we will cre-ate a committee or go through(applications) ourselves,” shesaid.
An ad for the city managerposition posted on the New
Mexico Municipal Leaguewebsite specifies at least twoyears of experience in munici-pal management. The citymanager is also required tolive in Lovington.
During previous meetings,city commissioners said theywould like to hire a city man-ager by the end of the year.
New Mexico motel ownerssentenced in nanny slaves case
LAS CRUCES (AP) — Theowners of a New Mexico motelhave been sentenced to twoyears of probation for aidingand abetting illegal immi-grants, and they must paymore than $15,000 in restitu-tion to two victims.
Elina Sihombing, 47, and herhusband David Girle, 55, weresentenced Tuesday afternoonin Las Cruces.
The couple was arrested inMay 2011 after distant cousinsfrom Indonesia claimed theywere brought to the U.S. to benannies with the promise ofopportunities to go to college.Instead, federal officialsaccused the couple of forcingthe women to work long hours,first at their home and then atthe Americas Value Inn they
bought in Las Cruces, underabusive conditions and with-out pay.
Authorities said Sihombingand Girle admitted to housingone of the women from March2007 to January 2010 and theother from December 2008 toJanuary 2010.
According to a criminal com-plaint, Sihombing had told thewomen that after they remod-eled and sold the motel, shewould pay them for their work.
For the next three years, thecomplaint said the womenworked at the motel from 8a.m. to 2 a.m. seven days aweek, doing everything fromhousekeeping to laundry andlandscaping. The only paythey said they received was thetips they received for cleaning
rooms.Following their arrests last
year, Sihombing’s attorney,Felipe Millan, told the LasCruces Sun-News that the cou-ple’s version of events wasradically different. Girle’sattorney, Herman Ortiz, hadargued that the charges simplywere not true.
Sihombing and Girle reachedplea agreements with federalprosecutors in March. Theyhad faced up to six months inprison.
They were initially chargedwith two felony counts of har-boring illegal immigrants. Aspart of the plea agreements,prosecutors moved to dismissthose charges after the twowere sentenced on the misde-meanor convictions.
