Valley Highway Project's Impact Report Nearly
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..p••---·- ...·--·-· ... - ....-·-·-·-· .......... ,...-·-· ..... ·-·-·-· .... _,._,_. __ .....___ .... _ .....,.... _,_._ ...._. ________ ~---~-~............--------- ----- .._. --~---- ------- ~~~~ --------------- .......... ..._.. _. -- - ~ 1 ~ • ~ . , • : ! • J f i i • t ~ ; : ; . : ,., OUR 54TH YEAR IJJI)QSO SO CBNTS RUIDOSO, NEW ·MEXICO ISSUE NO. 45 4 44 PAGES • FRIDAY, OcT. 27, 2000 www. ruidosonews.com < I ~ t ~ J t (' ~ • Li 111 \,,.f~~ ~ tt~{~ .! • \ \ I • • I Getting down to earth Valley highway ._FALL BACK project's impact Mountain Standard Time resumes at 2 a.m. Sunday; we report nearly set lose an hour of sleep Public release of study following .... SPORTS months of meetings due by year-end BY jAMES KAl.VELAGE Ruidoso's soccer RUIDOSO NEWS STAFF WR/'1'£R team is regrouping A draft environmental impact statement, or EIS, dealing with road improvement proposals "We will for a state tourney for U.S. Highway 70 through the Hondo Valley is discuss the expected to be completed in about a month, and consequences PAGE 18 ready for public release around the end of the year. of each The document will follow a number of public alternative - meetings the past 1 1/2 years on the 38-mile seg the effects on ._ VAMONOS ment of highway. "We are currently drafting an environmental communities, impact statement," said David Pennington, a environmental transportation planner with Parsons, Brincker issues, hoff, Quade and Douglas, the firm hired by the New Mexico State Highway and Transportation economic Department to gather input dealing with the issues, social highway and likely upgrades. impacts." A four-lane highway, from Ruidoso Downs to Riverside, emerged as the most likely way to en David Pennington hance safety and handle increased traffic, ac transportation cording to earlier reviews. But some residents in planner She draws, but the Hondo Valley have been opposed to a four D~S~~~Nem doesn't consider Maddie Walth, 3, from Ruidoso, prefers shoveling some sand over climb1ng and sliding on the color lane highway. They've argued it would increase herse If an art1st ful equ1pment at the playground 1n Schoolhouse Part<. See U.S. 70. rage 2A PAGE 8D A Corps of Engineers official who surveyed the Ruidoso area is concerned about 'water of the U.S.' I ... HOME & FAMILY landowner who got 'fill' from road work must clean it I Up ! RY jAM£-\ f<ALVELAC;f water system. It's an erosional Two Ruidoso health R_I_'!Qfl~J_r:!!-~' .... 2_0..:.__1-1-:.__:.:WR....,_,_ll.:..:'l·ll.:::...._ _____ I feature that conveys water." Wetlands also qualifY as I care workers work A Ruidoso area landowner has water of the U.S. to defeat breast been told to remove a large an1ount of Paulsgrove said in addition fill from a ravine. to flowing waterways, natural cancer An official of the U.S. Army Corps arroyos and some canyon of Engineers delivered the mandate ravines were examples of wa PAGE lC after declaring the fill, taken from ters of the U.S, if they convey highway construction excavations, a water. violation of the Clean Water Act. Questioned by those at the "The corps' position is we have de informational meeting, Pauls ... WEATHER termined this is a water of the U.S.," grove repeatedly emphasized Edward L. Paulsgrove, regulatory that any dredge or fill materi specialist with ACE, told the property als are prohibited in waters of Partly sunny owner. '"This material needs to be re the U.S. Th do so, without a skies today moved quickly. The material is also in pennit from ACE, violates the appropriate and has to be removed 1972 Clean Water Act. and the land restored." While one property owner PAGE 2A While a ravine up slope of the fill was deemed in violation, an area didn't show any flowing water, other location near Ruidoso re Paulsgrove said the chnracteristics of ceived a reprieve. james Kalvelage/Rurdoso News a seasonal waterway existed. "I don't think this would Anny Corps of Engineers regulatory spec1aJ1st Edward L. Paulsgrove stands atop a huge fill area deemed to Earlier on Thesday, speaking to qualify as a water of the U.S.," ..... INDEX have blocked a rav1ne that at times carr1es water. H1s order to the landowner was to restore the ravine to its village code enforcers and some in the Paulsgrove said after a walk ong1naJ condition. construction business, Paulsgrove ing review of the location. "It's Op1mon ..... 4A The Arts .... RD outlined what makes a "water of the not so much that I don't see a Busmess ..... ~C Past Tense .. 1 40 U.S." and what are prohibited distur likely channel, but I don't see a debris said he believed water might have ment and the village of Ruidoso might Cbssrfleds . 1R Real estate ... 1E bances of such a location. line or staining that indicates water." flowed at times in the distant past. want to look at the quality of the fill Cro<;..<;word ... 7H SportS ...... 1 B Gomg Out .. ] D "A water of the U.S. is any natu He believed the location, which "I do think the placement of fill material, which contained asphalt l..cncrs ...... 4A Weather .... _ 2A rally formed channel, including those had seen an estimated 300 truckloads here has extended the headwater." pieces. Mov1es ..... 50 What's that might flow only once or twice a of highway construction excavation, The ACE regulator rE:>comrnended, Asphalt also was evident at the Ob1tu;mcs ... 1A Happenmg .. 50 year," he said. "It's not man-made. It's each with 12 cubic yards, was likely however, that the New Mexico State ---- ________________..J a drainage channel, part of a larger an "historic" waterway. Paulsgrove Highway and Transportation Depart- See LANDOWNER page 2A Health care mill levy question faces county voters on Nov. 7 BY DIANNE STALLINGS ny manages the hos mRintenance of the new indigent health care administrator, said if RUIT>OSO NFWS STAI'J· WR/Tf.R pital. Commissioners hospital plant, such the mill levy doesn't pass, the county will be also could opt not to The 3.0 mill question as roofrepa1r, or for forced to come up with both payments out of a 1\vice Lincoln County voters overwhelm levy the entire equipment- not for one-eighth of a cent gross receipts tax imple ingly approved a special property tax levy to amount, although Lincoln County voters are being asked to operation costs. mented this year for indigent health care. help the rounty-owned Lincoln County Med historically that has approve a seven-year continuation of a spe About half the That fund was intended to reimburse health ical Center in Ruidoso and county health clin n't happened. Cial proEerty tax levy to help the county money will cover care providers not connected to the hospital, ics. As specified on owned incoln County Medical Center and two payments re such as private physicians, home health ser But the outcome of the third vote, set for the ballot, 2.1 mills three health clinics in the county. quired hy law, the vices, an air ambulance service, out-of-county the general election Nov. 7, appears less cer would go to the hospi The proposed levy amount would drop Sole Community hospitals and treatment programs. tain as opponents become more vocal in their tal and .9 mills to from the existing 4.25 mills to three mills. ProvidPr Fund pay No money will be left. for those serv1ces if criticism of the extra financial support and of clinics in Carrizozo, Without voter approval, the levy expires at ment, which was the gross receipts tax, expected to generate Capitan and Hondo. the end of this year $26.1,002 this year about $420,000 next year, is eaten up by the re the county's arrangement with Presbyteri.Rn One mill equals $1 for each $1,000 of tax Heatthcare Services, the company that man Although the and IS matched $3 quired state payments, she said. wording on the ballot able property value. New Mexico taxes on for evf'rV $1 by the Hospital officials contend the dinics could ages the 38-bed hospital. one-third of assessed value. A taxpayer who County commissioners voted unanimously question allows the federal govern not survive without the mill levy. Patient use of owns a home assessed at $90,000 would pay ment, and the New two clinics - Hondo just opened this month - to let voters decide whether to continue the tax money to be used for $3 for each $1 ,000 of his taxable $30,000 levy, but reduced the .Amount from 4.25 mills the "operation and Mexico Medicaid has grown by 41 percent for medical care and 70 value, or $90. Fund payment, percent in dental care since 1993. The number levied for the previous eight years to three maintenance" of the Each mill currently generates $467,352 a $225,954 this year. of medical patient visits hit 4,948 in 1999 and mills. hospitnl and clinics, year for thacounty. However, the full amount They cautioned that people shouldn't con hospital administra Both are aimed at dental visits, 6,611, according to data from Gib usually is not collected under a state formula son. fuse a management contract with a show of tor James Gibson that regulates the amount of tax increase al guaranteeing community support for the hospital that pledged that all health care for low Recent mill levy money was used to improve lowed each year as property values go up radiology, the emergency room, the laboratory, opened in 1950. money requested and new property is developed income patients. If passed for another seven years, the levy from the levy this ThPresa Mon would remain in place no matter what comn~'>- "ear would be for toya, the county's See nVY.