POSTAL PATRON U.S. POSTAGE PAID MAILED FROM RUIDOSO, NM 88345 PERMIT NO. 9 1404 Sudderth • Ruidoso, NM PRESORT STANDARD 575.257.4223 TUESDAY, January 26, 2010 VOL. 2, NO. 4 50 cents Pageant crowns Ruidoso winners By Harold Oakes girls to gain self confi dence,” Reporter Martin said. “It helps them to he contestants, judges believe in themselves.” and audience made their Martin is a 2007 graduate Tway through the snowy of Ruidoso High School and streets to crown Miss Ruidoso currently a junior at University and Miss Teen Ruidoso Satur- of New Mexico majoring in day evening at Mountain An- nutrition and dance. nies. The crowns and score “Tell me what you eat and cards almost didn’t make it to I will tell you who you are,” the big event. Martin told the audience in “The crowns and score- describing her cause of better cards were in Cloudcroft and nutrition. “My cause is better snowed in there,” Pageant di- nutrition for better health.” rector Barbara Westbrook said. Martin is a true native Ru- “They got to the theater at the idosoan. last possible minute.” “I have lived here for 33 Kendra Martin won the years,” proud mom Liyi Mar- Miss Ruidoso crown and Julian tin said. Lamb was crowned Miss Teen McKensey Nall, Adrianne Ruidoso. Ordorica and Morgan Gibbs “We, my co-director Shan- fi nished in that order behind non Sallas and I, have been Martin. fi lled with pride in the hard This was Kendra Martin’s work and dedication these con- second try at winning the Miss testants have shown for the Ruidoso title and she competed Miss Ruidoso and Miss Teen in the Miss New Mexico USA Ruidoso 2010 Pageant,” West- Pageant in November. brook said. “I am very happy “If you don’t win, keep to see the growth and interest trying,” Westbrook told the by young women here in Ru- contestants before the winners idoso and Lincoln County in were announced. Harold Oakes/Ruidoso Free Press the Miss Ruidoso Scholarship “Some of my best friends Kendra Martin, right , and Juliann Lamb were crowned Miss Ruidoso and Miss Teen Rui- Program.” now at New Mexico State are dos Saturday evening at Mountain Annies’s Dinner Theater in Ruidoso. “These pageants allow Continued on pg. 14 Chamber survey results show strong track support By Terry Fitzwater the chamber to lobby the state thing we can to let the legisla- track: track moving. Editor racing commission to oppose tors know what the devastating — I am a small business — Need an “all out effort” The results of the Ruidoso allowing the track to move. effect the loss of the race track owner in Midtown and my to keep the track. There is a Valley Chamber of Commerce “It’s very gratifying to see would be, and it is imperative business is 95 percent sup- long history and national rec- Back the Track Survey are in, that the residents of Lincoln that we keep contacting them ported by tourists. If the race ognition and association with and the results are overwhelm- County are validating the effort to let them know how impor- track were to move or close the Ruidoso Downs track that ingly in support of the track. of the chamber of commerce’s tant it is to our residents. I am positive that I would will be forever lost and that Ninety fi ve percent of the program of work and effort “I am worried the legisla- have to close my store and the will hurt this area immensely. survey respondents said they in trying to save the Ruidoso tors are not going to look at this sale of my building would be — Parity is critical for the favor keeping Ruidoso Downs Downs Race Track and Casi- as a Ruidoso issue, but rather drastically reduced. It would track to stay in Ruidoso and Race Track and Billy the Kid no,” said Cynthia West, presi- as a track ownership issue or feel as if I had worked all for the economic health and Casino in Ruidoso Downs. dent of the Chamber Board of budget line item. We have to these 18 years for nothing. viability of Lincoln County as In addition, 77 percent of Directors. “The board of direc- convince them of the devastat- Who knows—we might have to a whole. Lincoln County residents want tors has been working very hard ing loss this would have on Ru- move ourselves. — We are retired so not the Ruidoso Valley Chamber to make people aware of this is- idoso, Roswell and the region. — It would be devastating involved in owning a business, of Commerce to lobby the leg- sue, and has determined that it is “This is the most impor- to Ruidoso if the Race Track but think it would be a shame islature to get tax parity legis- vital to let the legislature know tant thing I’ve ever done, and closed. Many families come to have the race track close. lation enacted this year. If the just how important this is to not my business is suffering a little to Ruidoso in the summer and — Please do all you can to tax parity initiative is not im- only Ruidoso, but all of Lincoln because of it. But if we don’t it is a huge part of the city’s save our track. plemented, then 81 percent of County and the region.” put our full effort into this, we economy! Please do what can — Losing the track would Lincoln County residents want West said that Chamber of cannot replace the loss of the be done to keep the track in be a disaster for Ruidoso. The Commerce Executive Director track.” Ruidoso. State must do something that Sandi Aquillar and Ann Rev- It is clear that the residents — Given the condition of provides the privately owned elry were in Santa Fe yesterday of this area are overwhelming- our national economy, this is track and casino with similar to hand results of the survey to ly in favor of the track staying. not the time to have Ruidoso fairness that others are pro- legislators. What follows are some of the see business activity reduced— vided. “We are going to do every- many comments supporting the which would result from the Continued on pg. 8 FEATURED HOME This stellar 4 br., 3 ½ ba. is a well Find Ruidoso’s orchestrated living space with an office/ study and play area too. This open #1 REAL ESTATE concept beauty has sun-splashed interiors & vaulted wood ceilings. Charming REAL ESTATE TEAM outdoor Bar-B-Q patio w/ kiva for your TEAM enjoyment on cool mtn. evenings. An at: exceptional home in everyway. Full golf (575) 257-5111 ext. 117 (575) 258-5008 too! $559,500. #106356 www.ruidosorealestate.com SDC, REALTORS® 307 Mechem Dr, Ruidoso, NM 2 Ruidoso Free Press January 26, 2010 UFO’s over Lincoln County? Not true By Terry Fitzwater ing exercises of a top secret nature USAF Osprey Editor were being conducted, and not even esidents all over Lincoln Coun- Holloman Air Force Base was told the ty have been abuzz with sto- entire nature of the exercises. Rries of UFO’s, fl ying objects or “The units that were training in the things that go bump in the night sky Tularosa Basin were largely from out- lately. side of the Holloman Air Force Base Last week, the phone lines at the community, and many of their opera- Ruidoso Free Press rang off the hook tional plans were not given to us nor with many stories of sightings or ques- explained to us,” said the offi cer. “It is tions of just what was going on in our my understanding that these units were night sky over our community. conducting special ops training, and The answer is simple: Osprey air- they will be deploying to Afghanistan craft from the United States Air Force in the near future. were fl ying overhead. “I am sure who ever was fl ying According to an offi cer at Hollo- that aircraft did not know he was not man Air Force Base who asked not to allowed to fl y over Ruidoso air space.” be identifi ed, the Osprey aircraft were There you have it. Roswell can on top secret maneuvers in the Tularosa keep it’s designation as the Alien head- Basin over the past few weeks. Train- quarters of the Southwest. ★ ★ WIN! WITH! PAID FOR BY CANDIDATE DON Snowy day in Midtown WILLIAMS VOTE TO ELECT DONALD A. WILLIAMS FOR MAYOR The local forecast is brought to you by: Harold Oakes/Ruidoso Free Press Traffi c negotiates the snow-covered streets as more snow falls in Mid- town Ruidoso Saturday afternoon. Western Auto did a booming busi- ness in tire chains Saturday as visitors from warmer climates found the going tough without them. 1086 MECHEM • RUIDOSO,NM 88345 • (575) 258-9922 The Ruidoso Free Press is published every Tuesday by the Ruidoso Free Press, 1086 Mechem, Ruidoso, New Mexico 88345. The circulation of the Ruidoso Free Press exceeds 9,000 printed copies weekly, with almost 8,000 papers delivered via direct mail to homes and post offi ce boxes located exclusively within Lincoln County. Over 1,000 papers are available for purchase at newsstands, stores and hotels throughout Lincoln County. First class subscriptions to the Ruidoso Free Press are available for $80 by calling Siam Birdsong at 575-258-9922. Classifi eds, legals, obituaries, wedding announcements, birth announcements and thank-you ads are available by calling the classifi ed department at 575-258-9922.