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Wednesday, December 27, 2006
2006 - Year in review
2006 saw events ranging from flooding to elections
PART 1 OF 2
January
Legal proceedings for accused child molester Nicholas Morales Sr. continued through the month and year. By December, the case, dealing with Morales alleged molestation of a young female family member more than 20 years ago, still had not gone to trial.
Bob Mexicano, 52, died in police custody after his arrest in Magdalena for public nuisance.
Magdalena Marshall's deputies were taking Mexicano, who appeared to be drunk, to the Socorro County Detention Center for a 12-hour detoxification hold. On the way, they stopped at Socorro General Hospital to have Mexicano cleared by medical personnel before entering the detention center, as rules require.
Upon arrival at the hospital, Mexicano was unresponsive. Despite CPR, he was declared dead. The State Police investigated the death.
New Mexico Tech's Performing Art Series celebrated its 50th anniversary with a champagne breakfast.
Good Samaritan Village administrator David Rogers left to take a position as administrator at a Mesa, Ariz., Good Samaritan center.
Raelene Hershey, 5, used her parents' cell phone to call 911 when she couldn't wake her parents at 1 a.m. Both adults had overdosed on drugs, and their daughter likely saved their lives by calling for an ambulance.
Antoinette Riboni and Brandon Hershey were charged with child abuse and possession of drug paraphernalia. Custody of Raelene was to her grandmother, LaVern Robinson.
Later, Socorro police learned the girl had also called 911 at age 4 when Hershey had overdosed.
Hershey was arrested at the end of January for banging on the doors and windows of Robinson's house after he had been told to stay off the property, and for resisting arrest.
Candi Sanchez, whose infant daughter was hospitalized with Shaken Baby Syndrome in 2005, pleaded no contest to attempt to commitment child abuse and abandonment resulting in great bodily harm for allowing the baby's father, Marvin Chavez, contact with his daughter. Chavez was charged with causing the injuries.
Sanchez was ordered to complete a juvenile community corrections program, keep a job, work for her GED and attend a women's empowerment class. She was forbidden from having any contact with Chavez.
The child remained in foster care.
District Court Judge Kevin Sweazea dismissed a petition to convene a grand jury to investigate alleged wrongdoing on the part of Mayor Ravi Bhasker, City Clerk Pat Salome and former Police Chief Joel Haley. City Councilor Gary Jaramillo filed the petition in 2005.
After filing the petition, Jaramillo added signatures to meet the number required for convening a grand jury. Sweazea dismissed the petition after ruling the signatures were an improperly filed amendment.
The case was appealed.
Socorro High School received the ACT organization's "School Academic Success Award" as one of three New Mexico High Schools that significantly increased ACT composite scores over the past five years. The average composite score for 2004-2005 was 21, up from 20 for 2000-2001.
Parents of two former San Antonio Elementary School students filed suit in federal court against Socorro Consolidated Schools, the school employee, whom their daughters said fondled their bottoms in 2002, and the principal who allegedly accused the girls of lying instead of conducting an investigation. Lisa Vigil, the attorney representing the girls and their families, was dissatisfied with the district's response to the police investigation and wanted the employee removed from his current position.
Then-superintendent Frank Jaramillo said there wasn't enough evidence to fire the man. The employee's new job was outside the schools, and he was always accompanied by another adult on school visits, Jaramillo said.
February
Antoinette Riboni, whose 5-year-old daughter called 911 after her parents overdosed on drugs, died of another overdose less than two weeks after the call.
Socorro residents Richard and Louise Chamberlin mailed more than 300 toys donated from the Socorro area to Afghanistan for their son, 1st Lt. Robert Chamberlin, to give to orphans he encountered during his deployment with the National Guard. They also began collecting school supplies for their son to help distribute.
The insurance company of "M" Mountain Mall owner Jim Burleson agreed to pay for minimal clean-up of the debris of the mall, which a fire destroyed in the summer of 2005. Clean up, which left the foundation and brought the property to a safe condition, began in the middle of the month.
Magdalena Marshal's deputies and members of the Socorro Drug Task Force arrested Anthony Martinez of Glencoe, Ariz., for speeding and found almost $119,000 in cash from drug sales upon searching the vehicle.
March
Socorro Police began investigating a fire at the Eagles Club as arson. The fire did minimal damage to the building, but more than $200,000 and paperwork for the state gaming commission on the financial status of the club's gaming was found missing after the incident. Gaming manager Martin Pyke was later released from his position.
In the previous nine months, paperwork had not been turned in to the commission and taxes and fees to vendors owning the gambling equipment weren't paid.
Socorro Mayor Ravi Bhasker won re-election to his fifth term with 55 percent of the votes in the municipal election. He beat four other candidates, with Harold Dotson Jr. being the closest challenger with 20 percent of the vote.
Incumbent City Councilors Donald Monette, Gordy Hicks and Ernest Pargas all beat challengers, and incumbent Chuck Zimmerly returned to his seat unopposed.
Magdalena Mayor Jim Wolfe won re-election by getting 164 votes to the 135 that former mayor Sandy Julian received.
Voters also returned incumbent trustee Jack Fairweather to his seat and elected Eleanor "Dolly" Dawson to the position that former trustee Maury Modine vacated.
The Socorro High School Lady Warriors basketball team took second in the state after falling to the Portales Lady Rams in the state championship game.
An Albuquerque medical investigator ruled acute alcohol poisoning as the cause of death for Bob Mexicano, who died in police custody in January. Mexicano's son, Jaybert Mexicano, filed a tort claim for neglect.
Socorro Police began investigating a home invasion in which three armed men beat and tied up a 17-year-old boy and tied up a 28-year-old man. The criminals also stole $1,400 in cash, 35 authentic sports jerseys worth between $250 and $300 each, other clothes and car keys. They slashed the tires on the victim's vehicle.
Socorro General Hospital successfully completed its efforts to raise $160,000 the refurbish patient rooms.
Sammy Clay Martin of Polvadera, accused of raping his ex-girlfriend in May 2005, pleaded guilty to lesser charges of false imprisonment, aggravated battery against a household member, criminal trespassing, battery against a household member and telephone harassment. As part of the deal, the prosecution and defense agreed to cap his sentence at five years.
The City of Socorro received a clean audit report despite concerns over City Councilor Gary Jaramillo's refusal to submit information about his financial dealings with the city.
Raelene Hershey, 5, received the National Youth Hero Award from the American Legion Auxiliary for calling 911 in January after she couldn't wake her parents. They had overdosed on drugs.
The State Court of Appeals overturned the dismissal of a petition calling for an investigation into the actions of Mayor Ravi Bhasker, City Clerk Pat Salome and former Police Chief Joel Haley.
The appeals court issued a proposed summary disposition of how it viewed the case, but didn't make a final decision. Attorneys from both sides were allowed to express their views on the proposal.
The appeals court decision was later upheld, sending the case back to District Court.
Raymond M. Sarracino — namesake of Sarracino Middle School and former Socorro schools superintendent, principal and teacher — died of cancer at age 82.
April
Lisa Utley of Socorro, accused of the March 2005 murder of Karen Schwartz, pleaded guilty to the lesser charges of voluntary manslaughter with a firearm enhancement, tampering with evidence and possession of a firearm by a felon. Schwartz's husband, Leo Schwartz, said Utley was innocent.
Utley was accused of shooting Karen Schwartz after a fight and then hiding the gun and a cell phone to avoid apprehension.
Socorro home school sophomore Daniel McCoy won one of seven senior grand awards at the New Mexico Science and Engineering Fair, which made him eligible to compete in the International Science and Engineering Fair in May. His sister, seventh-grader Isabel McCoy, won a grand award in the junior division.
Jerry Wheeler, a Socorro County Sheriff's deputy severely injured in a one-vehicle rollover in August 2005, and his wife, Deborah, filed suit against Ford Motor Company, Michelin and Gordy Hicks of Hicks Paint and Body Shop, which put on the tire that blew out before the wreck. Wheeler nearly died when a tire blew out and his vehicle rolled several times while he was on duty.
News broke about $28,000 embezzled from a school fund for athletics. The problem came to light in a September 2005 audit, and a central office employee resigned in November 2005 after then-superintendent Frank Jaramillo confronted her.
The money came from athletics at secondary schools with sources like concession sales at games and fundraisers. The district loaned money to the fund until insurance repaid the $28,000, so students didn't suffer.
Socorro High School boys track coach and special education teacher Ronald Comanche was arrested for trying to buy drugs through an 18-year-old high school student. State Police had earlier questioned the student, who cooperated by making taped phone calls in February see if Comanche wanted drugs.
Comanche resigned the same day he was arrested.
Comanche had played football in high school and at Southern University, and signed with the Denver Broncos before being cut after a short time.
In Socorro, Comanche claimed to have changed his name from Michael Brooks, but it was later discovered Brooks was a different person with a better football record. Brooks said he knew of Comanche in high school.
Socorro's school board voted 2-3 to hire Cheryl Wilson, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction in Missoula, Mont., to replace retiring superintendent Frank Jaramillo. Board Secretary Dr. Robert Markwell and members Ann Shiells and Anthony Ortiz voted to hire Wilson. Board President Tony Gonzales and Vice President Tommy Gonzales voted against the decision, but spoke of supporting her once the board made the decision.
The Board of Regents of New Mexico Tech voted to raise tuition and fees 9 percent. Of this, 3 percent was to cover loss of money to the state Tuition credit, which deducts money from appropriations for universities based on tuition. Another 3 percent was earmarked for employee pay raises. The increase also aimed to pay for a full-time nurse at the Student Health Center and help with utility expenses.
May
David J. Sanchez, 47, of Albuquerque, died when the Chevy Avalanche he was driving rolled on I-25 near Mile Marker 124. Socorro County Sheriff's deputies responding to a call found Sanchez' body thrown from the car and almost $500,000 in marijuana hidden in the truck's panels. Law enforcement believed Sanchez fell asleep at the wheel.
Socorro General Hospital's board of trustees named Bo Beames, former administrator at Dr. Dan C. Trigg Hospital in Tucumcari, as Socorro's hospital administrator to replace Hoyt Skabelund, who left to serve as a hospital administrator in Clovis.
Tech announced that a consortium it leads would manage at least $50 million a year to fund U.S. research seeking better ways to get natural gas from ultra-deep water reservoirs and unconventional land resources in the country.
The Research Partnership to Secure Energy for America is to manage the fund for four years, with a possible extension to 10 years. The federal legislation providing the money guarantees $50 million a year for 10 years and allows the possibility of another $100 million a year for 10 years.
If the consortium got the money, a total of $1.5 billion would pass through the organization.
A house fire in Las Nutrias killed 79-year-old Jose Duran. His niece, Angela Martinez, got out of the house and rescued her 18-month-old granddaughter and her autistic niece, Ida Jo Martinez. The fire destroyed the mobile home and its addition.
Debra Lynn Davies, acting manager of Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, died in Albuquerque after a brief illness.
Veronica R. Montoya, 19, of Socorro, died in a single-vehicle rollover accident on I-25 near Mile Marker 129 on her way to Elephant Butte Lake from the University of New Mexico. No one else was injured.
The Socorro High School boys golf team took first in the state team championship for 1A/3A. Senior Randy Torres won the individual 1A/3A championship. The girls golf team took second in the state team championship.
Diego Torres Jr., 23, of Magdalena, pleaded no contest to second-degree murder, injury to a pregnant woman and shooting at or from a motor vehicle in the 2002 shooting death of Claudia Armendariz, who was eight months pregnant at the time.
June
A bosque fire burned 650 acres north of the Bosquecito substation before crews were able to contain it.
Socorro native Jeff Armijo won the Democratic nomination by a wide margin in the primary election.
The Adult Basic Education program Socorro Consolidated Schools runs lost state funding.
State Adult Basic Education Director Pam Etre-Perez said the move came because a March audit revealed problems with data management and inaccurate reporting of student information and activities. Then-superintendent Frank Jaramillo said he thought the program lost funding because personnel in the state Higher Education Department, which oversees Adult Basic Education, wanted the program under that department instead of being run by an institution under the Public Education Department.
The 33-year-old mother who pleaded guilty to child abandonment and failure to report child abuse or neglect was sentenced to a year of probation. She was charged after Antonio Flores, in his early 20s, of Veguita was accused of impregnating the woman's 12-year-old daughter.
Martin Chavez, accused of abusing his infant daughter in October 2005, was accused of breaking into a house on Fisher Street and taking electronics and movies. Jason Aguilar of Socorro was charged in the same incident.
Alamo Navajo Wellness Center, a $3.5 million multi-purpose facility, opened with a large ceremony.
Cindy Rogers Lopopolo Wild Horse Preserve opened with the release of two mustangs and their foals.
An unknown person filed a complaint with the U.S. Office of the Special Council alleging that Socorro County Sheriff candidates Phillip Montoya and George Van Winkle were ineligible to run under the federal Hatch Act. The law states that a local or state employee principally employed in connection with programs financed wholly or partially by loans or grants from the federal government or one of its agencies can't run in a partisan election. The law makes an exception for people who have no function with federally funded activities.
Both men later left their positions with the Sheriff's office in order to run.
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