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. .-~ '" I '. J. < • , . , "/ t I r-_ ~ _' ~ \ .1,.. ... Ir-., \ l'" "",'..' .,.s····:.'. " -', ':..','- .I •..• -. -, ,.oj' NO. 68 IN OUR 39TH YEAR .' • ',;> ."'"-'.' ". , MONDAY. DeCEMBER 31. 1.984 · . t ..' OVlng a moun ... ~Jb Earthwork under way for Grindstone road by DARRELLJ. PEHR News Staff Writer Two giant, rumbling bulldozers are moving huge chunks of earth down the sides of Grindstone Canyon. preparing the way for the new Grind­ stone Canyon roadway that will ser­ vice the Grindstone Canyon dam. "They're literally moving a moun­ tain," Village of Ruidoso assistant manager Frank Potter said of the two dozers working on the roadway pro­ ject One of the bulldozers has been relocated to the Grindstone location from the village sanitary landfill site. The other, a monster lOO.OOO-pound bulldozer, was rented by the village from Rust Tractor for $15.500 for a 3O-day period. Opera ling .the dirt-working machines Thursday were Ralph Barber and Roy LaMay. According to Barber, the dozers are cutting away the north hillside of the canyon. creating a surface that eventually will connect the present stretch of Grindstone Canyon Road with Carrizo Creek Road. Roy LaMay operates the monster 08 bulldozer for the Village of Ruidoso.. Bringing the roadway down to the level of Carrizo Creek Road is the dam project is the intake structure delayed until the spring due to ac­ tests lodged against the dam by Sunset on '84 challenge of the job. from the Rio Ruidoso. Cre .....s are cessibility problems. downstream users. Barber estimated that about 90 per­ working in the Martin Road area of Recent heavy snows and the ensu­ The sun dips behind the San Andres Mountains west cent of the road cut is through rock. the Upper Canyon, constructing the ing melting have resulted in very Another culprit stalling the overall of Bent in a spectacular cloud-glistening sunset, Prior to the bulldozer work in the ca­ device that will lead water from the muddy conditions. Grindstone project is a continuing symbolizing the end of the year 1984. nyon, a considerable amount of river to the dam site. "That could be a tough cookie," weather problem. According to dynamite blasting is necessary to Scheduled to go out to bid in Potter said of working in the area village manager Jim Hine, work on break up the rocks. February is work on clearing the before spring. most phases of the project has been "This is a rocky job!" LaMay future site of the Grindstone reser­ Potter predicted actual work on the delayed due to precipitation pro-. described the situation over the roar voir, along with actual construction of dam itself will progress fairly rapid­ blems. Suspect in McKnight of the Rust Tractor bulldozer as i.t the dam. Potter said logging of the ly, but delays have already put the crunched over cracked chunks of trees there and construction of the overall project a year behind "We are suffering delays of comple­ solid rock dam will be done under contract to an schedule. One cause of the delay, ac­ tion due to the adverse weather condi­ murders refuses polygraph Also currently under way in the outside company, but may have to tw cording to Potter, were waler pro- tions," Hine reported. The list of potential suspects in the torney... McKnight murders has been narrow­ Cox said the Sheriff's Office is not Channel repair-needed below Mescalero -dam-. ed down to one, according to Lincoln declaring the suspect as the County Sheriff's Deputy Charles Cox murderer. Cox said the single suspect was ar­ "I'm not saying he's the one, but by DARRELL '-'. PEHR flooding. noted that eight massive cassions woven wire baskets will be filled with rived at by a process of elimination. that we have not been able to com­ News StaN Writer Schmidt stressed that in no way is support the spillway structure, mak­ rocks and will be connected together, with all other suspects accounted for pletely eliminate him," Cox said the dam itself nor the spillway ing any failure there highly unlikely. so that the series of baskets will act as at the estimated time of the murders Other evidence in the case may be Vast erosion below Lake Mescalero threatened. He said the water level in After a meeting Friday afternoon a rigid waterway waiL the lake has been reduced to a with BIA engineers, Schmidt said at November 15 of Thomas "Cotton" forthcoming, Cox said. Ballistics tests dam has prompted Bureau of Indian Schmidt said the gabion baskets manageable level after the flooding, least $19.000 has been guaranteed McKnight and his wife, Judy, at their on severaI weapons recovered from Affairs (BIA) officials to initiate will help to reduce further erosion and and that it will continue to be drained through BIA sources for repair of the secluded ranch near Picacho. acquaintances and relatives of the repair efforts on the Carrizo Creek will cut down fill work needed in the to help prevent further excess eroded areas. Schmidt said that in The chief deputy would not release McKnights have not been returned channel. future to completely repair the overflow. some parts of the creek channel, a the identity of the suspect. though he yet A new laser technique that may damaged creek channel. He said According to Larry Schmidt, acting He noted that at the height of the ditch 70 to 80 feet wide and as much as said the person was an acquaintance identify fingerprints and fibers found work on the baskets will commence BIA superintendent, recent flooding December flooding, water a foot and 18 feet deep was left by the rushing but not a relative of the McKnights at the scene of the crime also will be as soon as possible. Cox reported that the suspect had pursued, Cox said. in the area has resulted in tremen­ a half deep was flowing over the wa ters of the creek last week. earlier agreed to take a polygraph "We're trying to come up with some dous soil loss in the creek channel im­ spillway into the Carrizo Creek Repair will come in the way of "ga­ Current work on the channel in­ test, but later reneged on that pro­ kind of physical evidence," he said mediately below the dam spillway. drainage. bion baskets," designed to be fasten­ cludes clearing of debris that has ac­ mise after consulting with an at- "It's a long shot, but it's worth a try .. Also, a cut-off check structure was "There is no immediate danger that ed to waterway channels to retard cumulated below the dam, Schmidt lost in the washout during the we're aware of," he said. Schmidt erosion. Schmidt explained that the reported. SKI REPORT Sales tax revenue drop prompts caution Sierra Blanca Ski Resort lJndisturbed snow depth mid­ by DARRELL J. PEHR was expected. six months of both the 1983 ana 1~ the current financial situation in the way on the mountain is 69 in­ News Staff Writer fiscal years. Hine explained that village through contact with Ruidoso ches "We are experiencing somewhat of gross receipts taxes that were col­ merchants and banks. Surface conditions are A slowdown in business in Ruidoso a slowdown in the economy," he com­ lected in October are only now being machine-groomed and hard during October c..:ld November is mented returned to the village after com­ Although the December barometer looks good, Hine said the effects will packed. Skiing conditions are beginning to show up at village hall, Hine noted, however, that gross pleting the journey through state good All lifts and trails are prompting village manager Jim Hine government and back. not be felt by village government until receipts taxes are only slightly lower February. open, wind and weather permit­ to direct all department heads to cur­ than those collected last year. Root of the problem this year, Hine ting. tail capital improvement projects un­ Revenue is actually down just $1,300 said, is that the revenue did not grow One cause of the slowdown this fall The weather is clear and til later in the fiscal year. in the first six months of the fiscal 1.5 percent as projected. Hine may have been adverse weather con­ calm. Chains are not required reported that when the slowdown Hine reported that low gross year. But the collections have not ditions. Poor weather often results in on the road to the ski area this reached the growth that had been pro­ became apparent, measures were poor business in the community. morning. receipts tax collections in the village jected. taken to reduce village expenditures. during those months are resulting in December business, though, ap­ "We're just like a farmer," he said, less tax revenue being returned to The manager said he currently was pears to be very healthy, Hine in­ "we've got to have ideal weather con­ viJJage government this month than preparing a comparison of the first dicated. He maintains a barometer of ditions... WEATHER REPORT Sunday's low '. 18 Sunday's high 53 Business people report rosy holidays Monday's low. 17 Monday's predjcted high . near 50 by L.'-'. GRUSHKA ican national trade has been strong, been smoked salmon. fresh pate and she had not been able to calculate ex­ Thesday's predicted low .. near 15 News Staff Writer noting, "We've seen much more than caviar. act figures. Tuesday's predicted high around 36 last year." Another popular· spot this The Inn of the Mountain Gods is 100 Local business people, including Kathy Belcher of The Rocking Christmas season has been Ruidoso percent booked between Christmas The National Weather Service in Roswell is predicting partly cloudy merchants, lodgers and real estate Horse called her business on the day Skateland, said manager Carol and New Year's Day, according to skies today with westerly winds from 5 to 15 miles per hour.

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