BestNewsCoverage23-26-2015

By Julia M. DendingerNEWS-BULLETIN ASSISTANT [email protected]

A project promising hundreds of jobs for Valencia County has come to an end before it even got started due to a lack of financing.

Last fall, Global Fashion Technologies announced plans to purchase the vacant Solo Cup plant in the Rio Grande Industrial Park south of Rio Communities to bring a fabric manufacturing facility to the county.

However, after months of trying, Global has not been able to fulfill the terms of its purchase agreement for the building and the contract has been terminated, city of Belens economic devel-opment planner Steve Tomita said Monday.

There are other partners of Global who are trying to reestablish that purchase agreement, Tomita said. Its the same type of business and I understand they are trying to negotiate for the building with Herman Tabet (the owner of the Solo cup building.)

While Tomita couldnt verify who that partner

is, according to a news release put out in October by GlobalNewswire and NASDAQ OMX, a new distribution service specializing in business and corporate communications, Global was partner-ing with Pure Systems International to create and operate what was being called a textile fiber rejuvenation plant in Belen.

Pure Systems CEO Joy Nunn announced last fall that the company expected to begin shipping finished goods this spring, and expected to hire more than 300 people when the plant got to full production.

When asked for comment on the status of the project via email, Global CEO Tom Witthuhn replied the project was off schedule on what has proven to be a very aggressive plan. What may be less obvious is that we still have keen interest in pursuing entry into the New Mexico market and to bring our technologies and business strat-egies to your great state.

He continued, writing that the project has been a complicated effort involving two distinct business entities.

MID VALLEYAIRPARK

La Vida 1BHome is where the plane is parked

IN THE SWEET SPOTLocal teams nearing district play Sports 9A

WEEK OFMARCH 26, 2015

SERVING VALENCIA COUNTY SINCE 1910Vol. 105, No. 13 50Copyright 2015, Valencia County News-Bulletin

News-BulletinVALENCIA COUNTY

WEATHER 6336 Call us: 864-4472www.news-bulletin.com Classified ...... 4BEditorial .........4ADatabank .......2A News Digest ...2ADeaths............8ALa Vida .......... 1B Noticias ......... 3BRecord ............8ASports.............9AINDEX

See Global, Page 5A

Clara Garcia-News-Bulletin photo

JULIAN AGUIRRE, 7, shaves the head of Meadow Lake Fire Chief Tony Villalovos as Dominic Sosa, owner of Doms Barber Shop in Bosque Farms, looks on. The fire chief and other firefighters shaved their heads in support of the Albuquerque third-grader, who is battling cancer.

Global Fashion, Solo Cup property deal stalled

See Belen, Page 8A

See Boy, Page 6A

FIREFIGHTERS FAVORMeadow Lake

Fire Department gives heart, hair

for little boyBy Clara GarciaNEWS-BULLETIN [email protected]

Los LunasSometimes just a show of support

and a big fluffy dog can give some-one the little extra encouragement they need.

For one little boy battling cancer, that encouragement came from the Meadow Lake Fire Department last week when several firefighters and Sparky, the stations mascot, sur-prised the 7 year old with a parade of fire trucks, gifts, ice cream and haircuts.

Julian Aguirre was diagnosed in January with Wilms tumor, a kidney cancer that primarily affects children. After going through an initial seven weeks of chemo-therapy, surgery, seven treatments of radiation and still has yet another round of chemotherapy to go, his prognosis is good, his father, Carlos Aguirre, said.

Wanting to give the boy a little inspiration during his battle, the

Belen SB forgoes interim super hireBy Julia M. DendingerNEWS-BULLETIN ASSISTANT [email protected]

BelenThe Belen School Board has

decided to take a pass on naming an interim superintendent and move for-ward with the hiring of a permanent administrator.

At Tuesday evenings meeting, Board President Larry Lindberg said after reviewing the four resumes the district received for the interim posi-tion and contemplating the time it would take to make a decision, it made more sense to move forward with advertising for the position.

All the resumes we received were really good, very well qualified, Lindberg said. The president said ide-ally the board members would like to interview the candidates for the interim position, just as they will for the permanent hire, but with only a few months left in the school year, it didnt really leave them enough time.

By the time we went through scheduling the meetings, doing the

See Seat, Page 5A

Commissioners choose Santa Fe commissioner for Senate seatBy Julia M. DendingerNEWS-BULLETIN ASSISTANT [email protected]

Six days after the sudden resigna-tion of New Mexico Sen. Phil Griego (D-39), the Valencia County commis-sioners submitted a name to the gover-nors office for consideration Santa Fe County Commissioner Elizabeth Stefanics.

Valencia County put out a call for applicants last week before making its choice Friday. As of midday Tuesday, Gov. Susana Martinez had not named an appointment to the District 39 seat.

Stefanics, a Democrat, is in her sec-ond term as commissioner and received the nomination for the District 39 seat from the Bernalillo County commis-sioners and from her own commission.

She served as the District 39 senator from 1993 to 1996, before it included Valencia and Lincoln counties.

Other applicants considered by the Valencia County commissioners for the nomination were Mateo Luna and Arturio Sais, both of Rio Communities; Mike Anaya, of Galisteo; Lance Lopez, of Albuquerque; Ted Barela, of Estancia; and Brent Racher, of Corona.

Before the commissioners began discussing the potential nominees, two of them were disqualified because they did not live in the Senate district.


Jim Winters, chairman of the Rio Communities Planning and Zoning Commission, points to where a new PNM solar generation facility will be located, off North Navajo Loop in Rio Communities.

Legislature passes act for anti-bullyingBy Clara GarciaNEWS-BULLETIN [email protected]

Santa FeNearly two years after a Los Lunas

teenager took his own life after being bullied and tormented, the state Legislature passed a bill that carries his name as well as his mission.

The Carlos Vigil Memorial Act, which was introduced this year by Sen. Jacob Candelaria (D-Albuquerque), creates a special state fund, the Eradicate Bullying Fund, and a five-member board that will award grants to public agencies, such as schools, or private non-profits that would provide services to fight bullying. The board would be administered by the regents

PNM plans solar facility in Rio CommunitiesBy Clara GarciaNEWS-BULLETIN [email protected]

Rio CommunitiesRio Communities city councilors unanimously voted earlier this

month to approve a solar overlay zone for a piece of property PNM is interested in for a solar generation facility.

The 102-acre piece of property, which is owned by Mesa Bonita Development, off North Navajo Loop is zoned planned development and has no water or sewer on site, with little chance of development, said Jim Winters, chairman of the citys planning and zoning commission.

The proposed solar generation facility, which would sit on 165 lots, will be about the same size as the one near Valencia High School near Monterey Park in eastern Valencia County. The value of the project, according to Winters, is $19 million, coming from the solar panels and apparatus to operate it.

As part of the resolution, PNM has also agreed to pay the city of Rio Communities a total of $62,600 for the purchase of 12.5 acres of unimproved roads within the proposed solar generation facility. City officials hope that with matching funds from the state, it could represent between $250,000 to $620,000 in projects for the city.

All the roads that are in here were grated in 1979 or 1980 when

See Act, Page 7A See Solar, Page 7A

New Mexico Educators Federal Credit Union is now Nusenda Credit Union.

The only thing weve changed is our name. Expect the same friendly,

community-focused service from your local, not-for-profit credit union.

The Power of WE.

Federally insured by NCUA.

320 Main St., Los Lunas

889-7755 | 800-347-2838 | nusenda.org

Databankcommunity

Los Lunas Village CouncilWhen: 6 p.m., Thursday, March 26, in the council chambers

Agenda highlightConsideration of liquor license application for Buffalo Wild Wings

Also on the agenda Proclamation for National Service Recognition Day Public input forum Consideration of N.M. 314 GAP improvement project Consideration of contract for recreation division Consideration of in-state and out-of-state travel

o n t h e a g e n d a

Local Valencia County News-Bulletin2A MARCH 26, 2015

Precipitation As of Wednesday, March 25 Avg.Wednesday (March 18) .14 .03Thursday (March 19) .17 .03Friday (March 20) .00 .03Saturday (March 21) .00 .03Sunday (March 22) .00 .03

Avg.Monday (March 23) .00 .03Tuesday (March 24) .00 .03

Month .40 .54Year to date 2.38 1.20

Courtesy of the National Weather Service www.noaa.gov

valencia county WEATHERLocal 5-Day Forecast

Thu3/26

Fri3/27

Sat3/28

Sun3/29

Mon3/30

Sunny, with a high near 63. At night,

mostly clear with a low around 36.

Sunny, with a high near 71. At night, clear with a low around 39.

Sunny, with a high near 75. At night,

mostly clear with a low around 42.

Mostly sunny, with a high near 77. At night,

partly cloudy with a low around 44.

Mostly sunny, with a high near 74. At night, mostly clear with a low

around 41.

63/36 71/39 75/42 77/44 74/41

POSTMASTER: Send changes of address to Valencia County News-Bulletin, 1837 Camino del Llano, Belen NM 87002

1837 Camino del Llano Blvd. Belen, N.M., 87002505-864-4472 Fax: 505-864-3549 www.news-bulletin.com

ISSN: 107492 2015, Number Nine Media, Inc.

The Valencia County News-Bulletin, which was established in 1910, is a locally owned and operated community newspaper, dedicated to serving Valencia County through the highest journalistic and professional business standards. The Valencia County News-Bulletin is published weekly on Thursdays, including holidays and online at www.news-bulletin.com. Our office hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The Valencia County News-Bulletin is a state- and national-award winning newspaper that prides itself in serving with skill and character, and to exercising First Amendment freedoms with vigor and responsibility. As a newspaper, we are politically independent and welcome community submissions from all points of view.

The Valencia County News-Bulletin is a member of the Greater Belen Chamber of Commerce, the Hispano Chamber of Valencia County, the Los Lunas Chamber of Commerce, the New Mexico Press Association, the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government and the National Newspaper Association.

Our dedicated, professional staff pours an enormous amount of creativity, passion and hard work into the creation of your weekly community newspaper. But ultimately, it is our advertisers who make the Valencia County News-Bulletin possible. When our loyal readers visit our advertisers establishments, remember to tell them you saw them in the VCNB.

Contact usNews-BulletinVALENCIA COUNTY How to get the VCNB1. Premium Home Delivery: Guaranteed 52-week

delivery every Thursday for $39 by carrier. Ask for details.

2. Complimentary Home Delivery: Randomly distributed to approximately 15,500 homes.

3. Single Copy: More than 70 locations throughout Valencia County in vending machines, honor racks, and counter sales, just 50 cents per copy.

4. Mail Delivery: For areas outside our home delivery boundaries. 52 weeks for $129/yr. Mailed each Thursday, by enclosed first class mail.

Want the paper? Dont want the paper? Need more info? Call 505-864-4472

NEWSROOM:Clara Garcia, Editor505-966-8156, [email protected] Dendinger, Assistant Editor505-966-8157, [email protected] Fox, Staff Writer505-966-9671, [email protected] Rodriguez, Sports Writer505-966-8159, [email protected]

ADVERTISING:Joe Mickelson, Director of Sales505-966-8152, [email protected] Nadeau, Advertising Consultant505-966-8153, [email protected] Chandler, Advertising Consultant505-966-8154, [email protected]

CUSTOMER SERVICE:Billie Saiz, Accounting Clerk505-859-7814, [email protected] Luna, Customer Service Expert505-859-7066,[email protected] Baca, Distribution505-966-8151, [email protected]

ADMINISTRATION:Rockford M. Hayes, VPCommunity Newspapers 505-966-9675, [email protected]

CIRCULATION:Alex Raab, Circulation Manager CommunityNewspapers505-823-3127, [email protected]

(Editors Note: The following agendas should be considered draft agendas until 72 hours prior to the meetings.)

Valencia Soil and Water Conservation DistrictWhen: 7 p.m., Thursday, March 26, at Whitfield Wildlife Conservation Area

Agenda highlightDiscussion of Rio Abajo rental property regarding horse training facility

Belen Planning and Zoning CommissionWhen: 6 p.m., Monday, March 30, in the council chambers

Agenda highlightConsideration of request to continue the conditional use for Hub City Brewing Co. at the Rail Cafe, 202 DeSoto Ave.

Also on the agenda Discuss and review comprehensive zoning ordinance changes with recom-mendations for the council Open comments and requests

Valencia County CommissionWhen: 5 p.m., Wednesday, April 1, in the commission chambers

Agenda highlightConsideration of district attorney office lease addendum

Also on the agenda Presentation on animal shelter overpopulation in Valencia County through a comprehensive, proactive splay-neuter campaign Commissioners and committee reports Consideration of a resolution supporting the Interstate 25 interchange/corri-dor project Consideration of a resolution relating to the transfer of the NMFA loan and pumper apparatus from Los Chavez Fire Department to Meadow Lake Fire Department Consideration of contract amendment between New Mexico Area Agency and Valencia County Consideration of a resolution regarding third-quarter inter- and intra-fund budget adjustments Consideration of accounts payable and payroll disbursements Public comments

A Journal Publishing Company Newspaper

Digestn e w sArtists wanted

Bosque Farms Elementary School second annual Fine Arts Festival is looking for 40 art-ists to demonstrate and teach their art to elementary students. Each artist will have 30 to 60 minute segments of time from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 2:30 p.m., Thursday-Friday, April 9-10. Lunch and snacks will be provided. For information, call Sherilyn Urben at 869-2646, or email [email protected]

Magistrate closingBelen Magistrate Court will

be closed at 1:30 p.m. every Wednesday through April 22 for staff training.

Fishing Derby in LLA Family Fishing Day, spon-

sored by the Ditch Bank Bandits, will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, March 28, at the Los Lunas River Park. There will be free food and prizes.

Project Heart StartProject Heart Start will be

held at 12:30 p.m., Monday, March 30, at the Bosque Farms Community Center. The training is a hands-only version of CPR for the public.

Los Lunas egg huntAn egg hunt, sponsored by the

village of Los Lunas Community Service Department, CYFD and YDI, will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Daniel Fernandez Recreation Center. The hunt times are 4:30 p.m. for 0-3 years old; 4:45 p.m. for 4-7 years old; and 5 p.m. for 8 years old and older. There will be 20,000 filled eggs plus prize giveaways.

Beginning Monday, March 30, Belen resi-dents will experience a change to their trash collection days as part of a service improvement project underway by Waste Management of New Mexico.

The reroute will allow Waste Management to deliver a higher level of service with greater effi-ciency and safety, said Selina Robinson, public sector solutions manager for Waste Management.

Residents will benefit from more consistent service with fewer missed pickups and shorter weather delays, along with the comfort of seeing the same driver around the same time each week.

The reroutes will also reduce overlap of trucks driving through the community, which

reduces our carbon footprint and wear and tear on Belen roads, Robinson added.

Valencia County residents outside of Belen who have individual accounts with Waste Management may see collection day changes also.

All Waste Management customers will receive a card in the mail with their collection day.

To ensure that you dont miss your trash pickup, place your bin on the curb by 7 a.m. on your collection day.

If you have any questions about your service, call Waste Management at 892-1200 or visit us online at www.wm.com.

Trash collection days to change in Belen

F u n d r a i s e r sBargain Square

Adelantes Bargain Square is getting close to re-opening its thrift store in Belen.

They will need a big influx of donations to stock the new store. If people have cloth-ing, housewares, books, mov-ies, knick knacks or anything still in usable condition that theyve gathered as they are spring cleaning, take them to Adelantes Los Lunas site from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday, or 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays.

There is also a truck parked in Belen Monday through Friday next to the construction site.

Los Lunas SchoolsLos Lunas Schools is planning

its fourth annual Renaissance Golf Tournament and is looking for sponsors and teams for the June 4 event. The tournament will be held at Isleta Eagle Golf Course.

The cost is $500 for a four-player team, $125 for individu-als; sponsorships are $200 for Hole and Brick sponsor, $150 for

Hole sponsor and $75 for Brick sponsor.

For information, call Jennifer Othart at 866-8288.

Belen Labor/Management Relations BoardWhen: 10 a.m., Thursday, March 26, at Belen City Hall

Agenda highlightA possible quorum of the local union board might be present at a rules and regulations workshop

Los Lunas Board of EducationWhen: 6 p.m., Thursday, March 26, in the central office boardroom

Agenda highlightConsideration of contract for professional design services for Valencia High School performing arts center

Also on the agenda Public comment Superintendents report to include recognition of fall and winter athletics and school report from Valencia High School principal Consideration of finance committee recommendations Consideration of budget adjustment request Consideration of travel requests Consideration of deletion of fixed assets

Bosque Farms Village CouncilWhen: 6 p.m., Monday, March 30, in the council chambers

Agenda highlightReview and discussion of the 10-1 zoning ordinance

Rio Communities City CouncilWhen: 10 a.m., Tuesday, March 31, at city hall

Agenda highlightDiscussion and action on deputy clerk position, including part-time wage scale

Also on the agenda Continuation of service agreement between the city and Valencia County Discussion and action on resolution to transfer funds from general fund to capital projects fund Discussion to develop an economic development committee Executive session to discuss the six-month evaluation of the city clerk Discussion and action on city clerk evaluation

Los Lunas Schools will be holding preschool and kindergarten registration from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., April 7-10, at all elementary schools in the district, except for Raymond Gabaldon and Desert View elementaries, which will have theirs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Bring your childs original birth certificate, up-to-date immu-nization records, proof of residency, such as a lease agreement and utility bill or a mortgage statement or property tax assessment.

Los Lunas Schools preschool, kindergarten registration

Mitchell TheatresStarlight 8

Lower ticket and concession prices!

2226 Sun Ranch Village Loop Los Lunas 505-866-9635

Showtimes for Fri, March. 27th - April, 2nd

No early shows Mon-Thurs. No late shows Sun-Thurs.

www.StarlightCinema8.com

Big City Quality, Small Town Prices

*

(Early matinees Fri. - Sun. only) **(Late Evening shows Fri. & Sat. only)

HCHAPPIE ( R) (1:50) 4:45 7:05 (9:45)

HINSURGENT -3D (PG13) (1:55) 4:25

7:15 (9:55)

HGET HARD (R) (2:15) 4:45 7:20 (9:05)

HRUN ALL NIGHT (R) (2:20) 4:55

7:30 (10:00)

HTHE GUNMEN (R) 7:25 7:25 (10:00)

HINSURGENT -2D (PG13) (1:55)

4:35 7:15 (9:55)

HHOME -2D (PG) (2:00) 4:30 7:00 (9:35)

HCINDERELLA (PG) (2:05) 4:40 7:10

(9:40)

28thAnnual

DAN GOODMAN SOIL &WATER

CONSERVATION AND

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENTAWARD

grades 9-12 inValencia County may apply

deadline March 31st, 2015

more info 864-6460

Want to try

something new?

f

30 minutes for

30 dollars

RESERVATIONS

REQUIRED

865-8813 ext.1

A complete description of treatments

available at gardengatespa.com

Garden Gate Day Spa & Salon

Thalmo Therapy

Reik i

Acupressure

Lash Extens ions

Dark Spo t &

Sk in Tag Remova l

K ines io Tap ing

Nerve Scann ing

Myofasc ia l Re lease

Lymphat ic Dra inage

Botox Sk in Consu l ta t ion

Hiring

Licensed Life Agent

F/T or P/T from home

Please email resume to:

[email protected]

WeWant ToMake

YouALoan

Loans from $200 to $2,000

Call YOUR CREDIT, INC.

623-B Reinken 505-864-0010

Local MARCH 26, 2015 3A Valencia County News-Bulletin

By Deborah FoxNEWS-BULLETIN STAFF [email protected]

Los LunasLos Lunas High School stu-

dents showed their hearts when their teacher lost a loved one.

They taped up hundreds of red hearts made from construction paper along the hallway and on the door of Melissa Johns class-room at Los Lunas High School.

Losing a spouse can be dif-ficult on many levels and when Johns lost her husband, Kenny, unexpectedly to a diabetic sei-zure on Feb. 2, she was devas-tated.

On top of that, her husbands Social Security disability checks were cut off almost instantly, and that was money the couple used to pay their mortgage.

The teacher was faced with the grief of losing her best friend and no means to pay the mortgage or funeral costs, but she was in for a pleasant sur-prise.

When Johns returned to work on Feb. 11, hundreds of Valentines hearts made by the National Honor Society greeted her. Each red heart bore a writ-ten note of love and encourage-ment.

I thought they were just

decorating the hallways, Johns said. Then, during first period, I hear this chanting, We love Miss Johns and the whole NHS (65 students) came chanting down the hallway.

When the teacher got up close to the hearts, she saw they were all for her. She could barely hold back the tears of joy.

The love they showed for a person who just had the blow of a lifetime, literally knock-ing me off my feet, Johns said. This is like a family. I feel like these kids almost saved my life because it was so painful. I mean, my husband and I were just closer than you could ever get close.

To have that kind of loss, to have the love of your life gone, she continued. Now his love gets replaced by this love. Its a different kind of love but the love that was taken from me is brought back to me in the form of this.

The National Honor Society made the hearts to sell and raise money to help Johns. They sold them to students, teachers and administrators as well as com-munity members around the village.

It really gave me a reason to go on because this is hard, Johns said. The thought

crossed my mind, I dont think I can do this pain, but then I come here and Im good.

It was amazing to see what we could do for Mrs. Johns, said senior Jonathan Gamez. So many people cared and wanted to help out.

They raised $1,600, which Johns used to pay her mortgage and buy food.

The teenagers also collected a slew of gift cards for Starbucks, Subway, Sonic and other local businesses. They put the gift cards in two handmade books, the Book of Love and the Book of Gifts.

It made our hearts happy to know that we could make such an impact and help someone else, said junior Isabella Vigil.

Marsha Spencers special edu-cation class cooked dinner twice for Johns and John Davies sci-ence class collected nonperish-able food items.

Junior Dixie Sauceda initi-ated tacking up large sheets of butcher paper outside Johns classroom for students to sign, and senior Dylan Kelly-Romero had the idea to place money jugs in each NHS classroom. The class that raised the most money won points at the pep assembly.

These kids, they see a need and they step up, said Valerie

Mayse, NHS sponsor. And I mean, theyre our academic kids, theyre in so many differ-ent activities and their lives are very busy but if theres a need they step up.

A moment of silence was held

for Kenny Johns at the NHS assembly.

I think it just really made us appreciate everything we have, said junior Valery Griego-Guzzardo. Now we know that if something happens, we have a

good support system and people to help us. We all really know now, that we have a type of fam-ily here and even if we dont all get along, theres so much sup-port and so many people who want to help.

Deborah Fox-News-Bulletin photo

THE LOS LUNAS High School National Honor Society hung hearts with supportive words for their teacher when her husband died unexpectedly. Pictured, in front, from left, are Isabella Vigil and Stephanie Perez; in the middle, from left, are Ryan Kelly-Romero and Jonathan Gamez; and in back, from left, are Dixie Sauceda, teacher Melissa Johns, Valery Griego-Guzzardo and NHS sponsor Valerie Mayse.

LLHS students step up to help teacher who recently lost husband

LL amends personnel policyBy DeBorah FoxNEWS-BULLETIN STAFF [email protected]

Los LunasAll Los Lunas village staff

promotions and transfers will now need approval from the gov-erning council.

The council votes on all new hires, and this amendment to the personnel policy adds council approval on any interdepartmen-tal transfers and promotions.

Councilors will now also consider vertical and horizontal movements of village staff.

The council wanted to have final approval over the process, said Mayor Charles Griego. I think it makes it a more open and transparent process.

The village uses an evaluation matrix system in its hiring pro-cess, which includes ranking and grading each applicant, as well as an interview panel that rotates, so its not always the same inter-viewers, said Christine Nardi, the human resources manager.

The procedure is still the same as it is for new hires; after reviewing applications and con-ducting interviews, the depart-ment heads and Nardi give the top three recommended appli-cants to the village administra-tor, Greg Martin, who passes the scores to the mayor and council.

It gives us the opportunity to see the qualifications of who is being promoted before it hap-pens, said Councilor Gerard Saiz. When its an internal applicant and they get promoted Im not saying that theyve done anything wrong it just gives us a little more information or if we have questions, were

able to ask the questions before a final decision is made.

The top three applicant reviews takes place at a regu-lar scheduled meeting when the council convenes in an executive session to discuss them, and then returns to open session to pub-licly vote on who will be hired for what particular job. The final approval rests with the councils vote.

We did it for one reason and one reason only we did it to keep ourselves more informed and nothing more, said Councilor Amanda Perea.

Perea said theyve been learn-ing about internal transfers and promotions after the fact.

There is nothing we, as council members, hate more than somebody walking up to us and saying, Oh, so this happened, and we have no idea, Perea said.

The added requirement of council approval might make the process of transfers and promo-tions longer.

If it changes the time frame, thats not an issue to me, Perea said. More of an issue is get-ting the right person in there and being informed beforehand of who is getting the job. Id rather wait four more weeks if its the wrong person.

When asked if the change might invite political favor pres-sures for promotions or transfers or new hires for that matter, the mayor said, I dont think so; we are looking at a recommended list. I think it makes it a much more open process where it is done in public, Griego said.

[email protected](505)-508-3295

A K-9 and growing tuition-free charter school that

teaches kids to think, learnand make connections

through the InternationalBaccalaureate curriculum

including Spanish, music, artand PE with hands-on

learning and inquiry-styleteaching.

Visit and Enroll Today!Open House:Call for April dateTours:All Fridays Call for Appt.

Its about Learning and making Connections.

TIS is growing to9th grade! Nowenrolling limitedspots. Call forinfo on ourexciting newprogram!

The most important thing in illness is to never lose heartHappy New Year and Thank You for your continued support.

From all of us at Bella Vida Healthcare Clinic

(505) 916-5446

Appointments Available:9am-5pm Monday Friday

Available: 8am-8pm Mon-Sat.8am-4pm Sunday

Kathy Fresquez-Chavez DNP, FNP-C

Celia Andrews FNP-C

Jane Brown FNP-C

Joanne Keefe DNP, FNP-C

Kim Streu FNP-C

Felicia Nieto FNP-C Lena Chavez FNP-C

Jamin Switzer FNP-C Michael Saiz FNP-C

Cesar Salazar Soto FNP-C Mary Johnson FNP-C

328 Main Street Los Lunas, NM 87031

Proudly serving the healthcare needs of Valencia County and surrounding areas 7 days a week.

OpiniOn THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 20154A News-BulletinL e t t e r s t o t h e e d i t o r Cinderella 2015 can teach

us plenty

What is important?

MLK vigil was a successEditor:The Belen Dr. Martin Luther

King Jr. Multicultural Commission just celebrated our 22nd annual candlelight vigil. The vigil is the culmination of a year of promoting the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

This vigil could not have suc-ceeded without the help and sup-port of many entities and volun-teers. We would like to thank the Belen Police Department, Belen Fire Department, Belen Public Library, Belen Risk Management, Belen Parks and Recreation Department, Belen Streets Department, Valencia County RSVP and the administra-tion and staff at City Hall.

Thank you to our Belen area school children and young adults who participate in our verbal arts and art contests annually, and who exemplify what our commission stands for. Each year, we have orga-nizations and individuals who gladly participate in the vigil.

Special thanks to Steve Tomita, Ragon Espinoza, the Belen High School NJROTC, Shannon Wilson and Chris Clark, Wayne Gallegos, Pastor Larry D. Terrell, the Honorable Mayor Jerah Cordova, the Belen High School Student Council and Staters Club, the Belen Missionary Baptist Church and Katie McCuistion and Daniel Torres, who made this years vigil a wonderful and memorable event.

A very special thank you goes out to the Valencia County News-Bulletin, who always gives us such great news coverage and support.

This year it was our privilege to recognize three former members for their service to the commission. Paul Baca, who served for over eight years and was our vice chair; Loretta Baca, who served over eight years and was our historian and led our fund raising efforts; and Sharon Hill, who was on the selection committee.

It is amazing how each year our community comes together with profound dedication to committing themselves to the life and ideals of Dr. King. The present commission members, the Honorable Mayor Jerah Cordova, Councilor Frank Ortega, Leandra Chavez, Mildred Garley, Harvey Long, Richard Melzer, Ph.D, Schuyler Michael, Margaret Mikelson, Trish Romero, Joe Saiz and Terese Ulivarri, wish to thank our citizens for their participation in our vigil and invite anyone who is interested in joining the commission to contact any one of our members or Leandra Chavez at City Hall.

Terese Ulivarri

Chairwoman Belen Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Multicultural Commission

Free college educationEditor:Free ($60 billion price tag), two

years of community college educa-tion for every citizen of the United States of America. Wow!

I agree with the concept. Sadly, however, in my minds eye, this is just another political ploy by President Obama and the Democratic Party attempting to grease the rails for the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee.

And, I wonder, could the nominee be another Clinton? After all, the squabbling between the Clintons and the Obamas is behind them, at least publicly. And, in the end, you can be sure that Hillarys acceptance of the secretary of state position was a lukewarm first step in reconciliation.

You know, help me now in this high profile job, dont do anything controversial, see the world and, I will do what I can to insure you are the Democratic nominee in 2016!

In any event, the notion of free community college is as attractive as Pre-K for all, a proposition that is yet to be attained.

The big question, however, is exactly how are we going to pay for it? More importantly for me, again, is why dont we spend public rev-enues Obama and others believe are abundant and infinite on improving the K-12 system?

This, for me, is always a prob-lem whenever I hear this type of proposal. It always comes back to politicians who dont understand the concept of prioritizing and sticking to priorities until respective goals are attained. It is much more politically expedient to flip flop and spend

limited public revenues in an illogi-cal and senseless fashion; whatever improves voter approval and gets the votes!

And, we the people are as much to blame because we continue to accept their antics and we continue to keep them in office, contrary to what the founders envisioned.

Therefore, I say, no to free com-munity college until K-12 is fixed. If you agree, stand up and tell your elected officials, state and national, to stop spending your money so senselessly and to prioritize!

John lopez Bosque Farms

Thanks you for your supportEditor:On behalf of the Delfino and

Lila Gonzales family of Bosque Farms, I extend a huge thank you to all those who helped with the funeral arrangements and related logistics in response to the sudden and unexpected death of their son, Christopher Gonzales, in New York City on Jan. 23.

Chris, 54, and a 1978 graduate of Los Lunas High School, died of a heart attack and yet had previously communicated his desire to be bur-ied in his beloved New Mexico. Thus began the complicated logistical challenge in just a few, short days of arranging for the return of the body to New Mexico and making funeral, burial and reception arrangements amidst the nation-wide showering of condolences from Chris many fans.

Thanks go to Rick Gabaldon and the staff of Gabaldon Mortuary, who provided compassionate and profes-sional service in such a difficult time. Thanks also go to Father Dennis Kaggwa and the parish members of the San Isidro Catholic Mission in Las Nutrias who made the prepara-tions for and conducted the mass and burial for Chris on Feb. 2.

Heart-felt gratitude is given to Karen Waconda-Lewis who spear-headed reception arrangements and to the members of the Bosque Farms Baptist Church for making available their fellowship hall for the recep-tion. Special thanks goes to Paula Robinson, church secretary, for lead-ing a crew of church volunteers to prepare the room and host the recep-tion.

Appreciation is also given to the mariachi singers who graced the reception with their peaceful rendi-tions of a melody of songs so com-forting to all who attended. And, of course, thanks is given to all the family and friends who displayed so much love to the Gonzales family, Chris wife, Mona, and son, Jackson, in this time of abrupt loss.

Chris, who was known as Chef Christo Gonzales in Manhattan, was a nationally-recognized cater-ing chef inducted into the Culinary Hall of Fame and served as a con-tributor to more than a dozen media outlets regarding food, including the Grilliant Ideas radio program and the award-winning blog, Chez What?

He leaves behind a legacy of fruit-ful and meaningful relationships with family, culinary colleagues and clients that are as spicy fun as they are memorable.

rick cole

Peralta

During the 60-day legislative ses-sion that just concluded in Santa Fe, your New Mexico legislators were faced with many decisions and questions that circled around what is important to our citizens.

You have read all about the propos-als that would have made New Mexico a right-to-work state, held back third-graders that can not read at grade level, banned late-term abor-tions beyond five months of pregnancy and protected your teenage daugh-ters; which all died in the Senate after passing out of the House of Representatives.

In addition House Bill 590, spon-sored by Rep. Zimmerman, was sty-mied in the Senate at the hands of some of your local legislators. This proposal would have required a per-son convicted of homicide by vehicle while intoxicated to serve more of their prison sentence.

I am not one that enjoys bring-ing up tough memories, but many Valencia County residents knew and fondly remember Quin Sanchez and Danny Sanchez. Both of these local

residents were killed at the hands of the same drunk driver in separate crashes seven years apart.

This bill that would have been tougher on crime failed to even have a hearing in our New Mexico Senate after passing out of the House 46-18.

In fact, the majority of your Valencia County state representa-tives supported the mentioned bills that roughly 65 percent of the resi-dents (polled) in our county agree with.

These were common-sense mea-sures that would have created jobs, protected our daughters, kept dan-gerous repeat offenders locked up and reformed how we handle pro-moting kids to the next grade. All of these stalled in the Senate, some of which had been in their hands for several weeks.

In another awkward instance, the Senate failed to concur on the bill that would have authorized capi-tal spending for local projects. In fact, the bill was sent over from the House with time on the clock and the Senate failed to even bring it up for consideration.

This is a slap in the face to all New Mexicans that will have a last-ing impact on our citizens. A bill that authorizes more than $200 mil-lion dollars in spending deserves consideration at the very least.

The amount of spending was not the question; it was bickering over where the money would be spent

that held up this important piece of legislation.

Last November, the citizens of New Mexico voted for a change in leadership in the House of Representatives. I was part of that new majority and also part of the leadership in that group. We showed up on Jan. 20 in Santa Fe ready to work; and we did a lot of work pass-ing legislation out of the House that would make a difference for New Mexico.

We kept committees on time, our staff was hospitable to our visitors and we worked many late nights. Our goal was to accomplish results for New Mexico; however, the New Mexico Senate opted to place poli-tics in front of people.

As I grew up in Belen, I saw a vibrant small town with a bright future. The past 25 years have been hard for our beloved Hub City.

The reason that I serve is so that those who see this opportunity can have a seat at the table during this season of change in New Mexico. I will continue to work through the ups and downs of our economy to help restore that bright future for Valencia County and the rest of New Mexico.

(Rep. Alonzo Baldonado (R-Los Lunas) represents District 8 and was elected as the majority whip for the New Mexico House of Representatives.)

So here we go again with the princesses.

Disneys 2015 version of Cinderella is out and its live-action, with all the beautiful costumes, gor-geous charac-ters and sweep-ing romance we have come to expect from The Mouse. I suspect I will be roped into see-ing it sometime during my own starring role as an abuela of six girls who seem to know every last word to every dang Disney song.

If you rub elbows and toes with little people, youll know that this princess fixation shows no sign of abating. Disney knows a thing or two about marketing. Frozen, the highest-grossing animated film ever, proved that.

But Im no longer pulling out my graying hair over the culture of ani-mated royalty. Instead Im asking: Is it really such a bad thing to fantasize about being something well never become? If we cant get enough of these fairy tales, is it because they carry lessons that transcend cultures and generations?

In spite of my earlier attempts to

counteract tiara and tulle, in spite of ranting about my granddaughters predilection for all things pink and princessy (in this space, no less), I find myself backtracking just a teensy bit. Im looking at Cinderella, Snow White et al through a different lens these days. In other words, Im studying the princess phenomena with tolerance and curiosity and, yes, a sharp interest in how we can adopt these ancient stories to 21st Century life.

This personal transformation has as much to do with the evolution of the genre as with the development of the little people. As my girls grow up, they arent as concerned about Prince Charmings arrival. Or the glamorous ball. Or even living hap-pily ever after. (Some of their friends are children of divorce, after all.) Oh, sure, they play dress up with wands and high heels. They covet Rapunzels tresses and Queen Elsas voice singing Let it Go. But as they grow older and experience more, they know these celluloid kingdoms are hardly the real world.

Its not for real, one grand-daughter explained to me the other day. As if I were the clueless one, the one who needed the clarification. Its for pretend.

And here I was, doubting my girls judgment when all I needed to do was wait for reality to take its nat-ural course. Every generation even-tually learns the normal constraints of a normal life. By first grade most

of us know to leave fantasy behind. So why clip wings before its time?

Which leads me to the new Cinderella and a niggling thought that maybe, just maybe, Ive been approaching this princess business all wrong. Instead of mounting a war against the pervasive princess culture, it might be better to see what lessons we can glean from it. What if these beloved fairy tales are a way to teach our children that they can remain unbroken even in the most difficult circumstances?

Cinderella 2015 is more than the standard girl-waiting-for-prince tale. Many reviewers claim director Kenneth Branagh manages a bit of revisionist magic with Lily James as Ella/Cinderella, Cate Blanchett as the stepmother and Richard Madden as you-know-who. Case in point: In a deathbed scene, Ellas mother tells her, Have courage and be kind and those words become a mantra the girl mutters to herself many times.

Hmm, I sense an opportunity here. If there ever was a message for our times, surely this is it. In a world where coarseness is the default mode, where kindness is equated with weakness, this lesson is surely worth whatever other fluff we might find.

(Ana Veciana-Suarez is a fam-ily columnist for The Miami Herald. Write to her at The Miami Herald, One Herald Plaza, Miami, FL 33132, or send email to [email protected].)

The News-Bulletin welcomes and encourages original letters to the editor, especially on lo-cal topics and issues. Shorter letters, about 350 words, are preferred. Letters must be signed and include the writer's address and telephone number (street address and phone number won't be published). No letter will be published without the writer's name. Letters may be edited for length, spelling, grammar and legal considerations, but in all cases the writer's intent will be maintained. Politi-cal candidate endorsements or attacks will not be published; comments should concern issues only. No political comment letters will be published in the edition immediately before an election. Letters that might be deemed unsuitable for publication include those that are libelous, are essentially personal attacks, are pointless, are part of an organized letter-writing campaign or are part of a mass mailing. Qualified individuals wishing to directly reply to a News-Bulletin editorial or column are invited to contact the editor to discuss writing an op-ed piece, guest editorial or guest column.

Write to: Letters, News-Bulletin, 1837 Camino del Llano, Belen, NM 87002 or email your views to us at

[email protected]

WRITEwhen you

Ana Veciana-Suarez

on families

Rep. Alonzo Baldonado

firstperson

Local MARCH 26, 2015 5A Valencia County News-BulletinGlobal: Company partner might continue with projectfrom PAGE 1A

Seat: Party-line votefrom PAGE 1A

Valencia County Clerk Peggy Carabajal said Luna lives in District 30, and Lopez resides in Senate District 16.

Commissioner Jhonathan Aragon said looking through the list of names, three stood out Racher, Barela and Stefanics but it was difficult to evaluate them based strictly on their resumes. None of the applicants for the nomination attended Fridays commission meeting.

Commission Chairman Charles Eaton said he had a long conversation with Stefanics, who was extremely interested in the position.

Whether or not she gets the nomination or appoint-ment, she is going to be a serious candidate come next election cycle, Eaton said.

Aragon said when Barela was mayor of Estancia, he would visit with county administrators so he could speak to the legislature in support of their projects.

I think thats important since this district represents only a small portion of the county, he said.

Commissioner Helen Cole said she preferred Stefanics since she held the Senate seat before and received the backing of Bernalillo County and the state Democratic party.

Pointing out that last time there was a vacancy in this district, the county nominated a Republican. Commissioner Alicia Aguilar said District 39 was a Democratic seat.

(Stefanics) has the knowledge and the support of the party, Aguilar said.

Joshua Sanchez, a Los Lunas attorney and son of Sen. Michael Sanchez (D-29), addressed the commis-sion on behalf of the Valencia County Democrats, saying the organization felt the commission should back the nominee from either San Miguel or Santa Fe counties, since the district has traditionally been a northern New Mexico seat.

Aragon made a motion to nominate Barela, which was seconded by Commissioner David Hyder. The motion failed 2-3, splitting along party lines. Aragon and Hyder are the two Republicans on the five-member commis-sion.

Aguilar made a motion to nominate Stefanics, saying it was for the reasons she stated, as well as the comments from Cole and Sanchez.

I think it is in the best interest to go with Liz, she said.

Cole seconded the motion, which passed 3-2 on a party-line split.

Unfortunately several unan-ticipated structural and legal issues derailed our project for a period of time, Witthuhn wrote on Tuesday. I cannot go into confidential aspects of those situ-ations but I can tell you that we have been working diligently to rectify them. I can also tell you that both entities are fully committed to this project and we expect to be back on track very soon.

Witthuhn went on to say that Global and its partners know the core business model is rock solid and we know the model has not fundamentally changed through these months. We may have been forced to slow things down a little bit but our resolve is still just as strong.

Tabet, who bought the Solo Cup facility in 2009, said he offered Global everything in the world to get the deal to work.

We offered to finance it with just a little down, Tabet said. I was really interested in this proj-ect; it offered a lot of jobs.

While he hasnt heard directly from Globals partner about con-tinuing the project, Tabet said the realtor who handled the transac-tion, Nino Trujillo, told him the partner was interested in leasing the building. Tabet said he wasnt interested in a lease, firmly stat-ing the building was for sale.

It kind of leaves a bad taste in my mouth, since (the partner) was involved, he said. The gov-ernor was going to give them $2 million, we invested $508,000 in a new roof that could have been just repaired. I really thought they were going in.

I guess we will just go on to

the next step and get somebody in here. We had a couple of oth-ers who were interested before Global.

Belen Mayor Jerah Cordova said while Global is fading away from the venture, the proj-ect itself isnt 100 percent done.

One partner has picked up the project and is continuing to carry it forward, Cordova said. They believe they have the financing to carry this forward. They are putting together a readjusted pro-posal to acquire the facility, a plan to get the equipment installed and begin operations. The No. 1 out-come of this is the delay.

The company had been expected here in the spring and now that certainly has been pushed back. The new partner remains as ambitious as Global and will make every stride to continue. Obviously, its been a little rough, and it may continue to be rough.

The mayor said the city will work with the new partner to bring the project to fruition. He continued, saying the business market in New Mexico as a whole has been running pretty slim.

One thing we hope to see out of the legislative session is to have more robust funding for the

state economic development divi-sion to work for all the com-munities. That is going to be in everyones favor to move projects like this forward, Cordova said.

A possible silver lining of the Global project has been the attention it focused on Valencia County, the mayor said.

What Global did for us more than anything else is connect us with state economic development groups and Albuquerque regional economic development groups to continue to promote Valencia County as a whole and southern Valencia County specifically, he said. I think those connections will help in the near future to attract projects. Companies look-ing to expand dont always really look at Valencia County first and its up to us to make sure eco-nomic development organizations remember we are not that far from Albuquerque and have a lot of assets to offer.

The $2 million in state eco-nomic development funds for the business are still earmarked for a Belen project, Tomita said.

In the finalizing of the LEDA (local economic development act) funds, (Global) had to put togeth-er their financing information and we had not received that, Tomita

said.If the project had continued,

the city would have acted as the fiscal agent for the money, releas-ing it as the plans proceeded.

The state is holding the LEDA funding. They havent given up yet, Tomita said.

In September, the city coun-cil approved a resolution for up to $45 million in industrial rev-enue bonds as an incentive for the manufacturing company. The bonds, if they had been approved by an ordinance, would be paid back by the revenues of the com-pany, not the city. The city didnt experience any financial loss due to the cancellation of the purchase contract, Tomita said.

Valencia County Commission Chairman Charles Eaton said he was disappointed to see the proj-ect come apart.

I know there has been some discussion about proceeding in a different fashion, so hopefully something will still come into play, Eaton said. Its tough in todays economy, there are still a lot of large corporations pursing financing who are having just as tough a time as the working American individual. We were hoping this would be a real job creator for the whole county.

Eaton said he had spoken with Belen city officials, who are hope-ful about alternative plans.

Hopefully something else will develop soon. I know Mr. Tabet has done some investment to the building, improvements to market the facility, the chair-man said. We will continue to help the city and Mr. Tabet to market that facility. It has a lot of potential.

What Global did for us more than anything else is connect us with state economic development

groups ... to continue to promote Valencia County as a whole and southern Valencia County

specifically.

JERAH CORDOVABelen mayor

&

Business servicedirectory

GTR

Plumbing

& Heating, LLC

Licensed Insured Bonded

505-565-2833

Residential Commercial

Repairs Remodels

Replacements

New Construction

Sewer & Drain Cleaning

Ronnie Baca, Owner

Permanent CosmeticsPermanent Cosmetics

Waxing-FacialsWaxing-Facials

Eyelash PermingEyelash Perming

Cut- Perm-StyleCut- Perm-Style

Senior andSenior and

Perm SpecialsPerm Specials

Massage TherapistMassage Therapist

Swedish-Deep TissueSwedish-Deep Tissue

MedicalMedical

Permanent CosmeticsPermanent Cosmetics

Waxing-FacialsWaxing-Facials

Eyelash PermingEyelash Perming

Adela

HAIR SALON

All About You Salon & Spa

Hair, Nails & Skin Services

20% Off with Ad

Booth Rentals Available

Se Habla Espanol

19499 Hwy 314

Belen, NM 87002

505-864-2939

Senior andSenior and

Perm SpecialsPerm Specials

Swedish-Deep TissueSwedish-Deep Tissue

MedicalMedical

Rose

Linda

20% Off with Ad

Linda S Duty LMT, MMP

$45.00 Hour

$65.00 Hour 1/2

$85.00 2 Hour

New Clients rst massage $35.00

By Appointment Only

505-604-5980

All About You Salon & Spa

19499 Hwy 314

Belen, NM 87002

MASSAGE THERAPY

Soothing Hands

Massage Therapy

Deep Tissue-Trigger Point

Pregnancy-Hot Stone

Detox & Cellulite

Injury Medical Massage

Guaranteed

to beat all

competitors

prices

Call for Free Estimate

*Mention this AD for a Discount

(505) 357-4042

HOLIDAY HOURS

Dec. 17-21 10am-7pm Dec. 22-23 10am-5pm

Open Christmas Eve, December 24 10am-5pm

505-565-1398 2357 Main St. SE

Between Big 5 and Staples

JEWELRY REpaiR

505-565-1398

Next to Albertsons

Brian Alexander

Agent

526 Sun Ranch Village Loop SW

Los Lunas, NM 87031

Business Phone

505 866 7400

Fax

505 866 7403

brian.alexander.podh@

statefarm.com

Lic. #383164

Porches

Garages

Re-Roofing

Additions

Exterior Repairs

Trim

Doors

Siding

Windows

Call me for your

small remodeling jobs

505-977-6494

BBB Accredited

Business Since

January 10, 2013

Sun Country

Electric

Proven Professionalism

and Dependability

Since 1980

Ready when you need us!

Phone: (505) 440-7777

On a

scale of

A+ to F

electrician

COUNSELING

Central

New Mexico

Counseling

Services

A group practice

providing counseling

for children 4-12, adolescents,

couples, individuals and

families. Accepting most

insurance plans

By Appointment

565-9496

www.cnmcounseling.com

NEW LOCATION

431 Luna Ave Los Lunas

(across from old court house)

insurance

Martin Baca

2424 Main NE

Los Lunas, NM

865-3638

Charles Van Gombos

329 E. Reinken

Belen, NM

864-1291

Auto Home Life

concrete

services

Miller

ConCrete

ServiCeS

Tim Miller

505-864-9655

N.M. Lic. #051656

Belen, New Mexico

Driveways

Masonry

Sidewalks

Brick

Footings

Block

Excavation

Stone

REMODEL

RESTORATION

CONTRACTORS

Complete

Professional Bathroom

Remodel

Marble Granite Tile

Walkin Showers

Walkin Hydro Therapy Tubs

Sheetrock Floor Tile

Painting

All Types of Remodeling

Licensed - Bonded - Insured

Serving Our Communities

For Over 20 Years

Call Bob

505-573-6907

F

r

e

e

E

s

t

i

m

a

t

e

F

r

e

e

E

s

t

i

m

a

t

e

B

e

s

t

P

r

i

c

e

B

e

s

t

S

e

r

v

i

c

e

CARRIES

SEW & SEWS

7

th

ANNIVERSARY

SALE

VINTAGE FABRIC

& PATTERNS

3589 Hwy47

Peralta, NM

Just S. of Craig Tire Co.

in Peralta

505-866-0258

OPEN:

MTFS 9:30-4

CLOSED:

WED THUR & SUN

fabricTREE SERVICE

FRANKS QUALITY

LANDSCAPING

TREE SERVICE

Prune, trim:

trees, hedges,

shrubs, stump

grinding & removal,

lot clean-up,

haul trash.

Reasonable Rates.

Lic & Bonded

865-3104

15 years experience

Licensed/Insured/Bonded

Commercial Cleaning Service

Call for your free quote!!

Moms with a cause

(ask about our cause)

(505) 238-7220

Laurie Beller

Rio Sedillo

ElEctRic

License #91509License #91509

Trailer Power Poles

Underground Line

Electrical Service

Upgrades

Bobcat

Arroyo Gravel

Dump Trailer

Demo Work

Call (505) 440-3267

firefighters invited him and his family last week to Los Lunas for a few hours filled with fun and friendship.

Tony Villalovos, the Meadow Lake fire chief, said the department has, in their own special way, adopted Julian and his family while theyre going through this difficult time. Not only have they visited Julian in the hos-pital but Villalovos, the fire chief for the past five years, put the Albuquerque third-grader on an inactive roster of cadet firefighters.

The chief also presented Julian with his very own accountability tag, helmet, T-shirt and challenge coin.

We see so much out in the field and this, right now, is about giving back, said Villalovos, whose wife, Elizabeth, met Julians mother, Yvonne, last year. Being able to see someone like Julian and letting him see that were out here to help him allows us to feel better about ourselves and realize that theres good out there.

This isnt the first time Villalovos and the MLFD has reached out to the community to help those in need. Theyve given out food baskets for the holidays and conducted boot drives. But Julian, the chief said, is a little different story.

Through all of his treat-ments, Julians hair had been

falling out. As its grown out a little, its been very thin and patchy, his father said. With more chemotherapy in his future, his hair will most likely again fall out. He didnt want to get a haircut until he saw Sparky a gift the MLFD was able to fulfill.

With a visit from Sparky, Julian agreed to have his head shaved but his surprises didnt end there. As a show of solidarity, Chief Villalovos and several other firefighters agreed to shave their heads as well.

Its hair, Villalovos said after allowing Julian to shave his head. Its so that he doesnt feel any different than anyone else. I know that what hes going through is extremely hard but to look at him, hes a strong individual and I cant imagine what he goes through everyday. Hes such a strong child and his heart is so big.

Dominic Sosa, owner of Doms Barber Shop in Bosque Farms, did the work for free in hopes it would cheer up Julian during his battle.

I wanted to do it because I believe it would give him the support and encourage-ment in the battle hes going through, Sosa said. The good Lord works miracles and hopefully He will through Julian. I love doing

this kind of stuff for the glory of God.

After Julian, the firefight-ers and Julians father shaved their heads, they drove down to Los Lunas to Baskin Robbins for an ice cream.

The support means a lot to Julian and to his family, and for the fire department to do what its done for the boy, his father is forever grateful.

The outpouring of support hes received has been over-whelming, Carlos said. Its such a good thing for him and its made a difference. He knows he cant give up and that hes not alone. And for them to do this for someone outside their community, its a big gift for my son.

Julian has been battling Wilms tumor since January and has been in and out of the hospital since. His first MRI revealed that the tumor, the size of a grapefruit, had ruptured and it was too dan-gerous to perform surgery.

It was like a nightmare, Carlos said of the familys reaction to the news. In my wildest dream, I couldnt picture my son being diag-nosed with cancer, especially with him being so active and healthy.

The alternative was che-motherapy, which he under-went for seven weeks before surgeons could operate. At the time of Julians operation

on Feb. 23, his tumor had been reduced to the size of a strawberry. Thankfully, the surgeons were able to remove the tumor, along with his kidney, and the cancer hadnt

spread to any of his other organs.

Hell have to go through another 14 weeks of che-motherapy and after that, theyll do another MRI to

see if theres any evidence of disease, Carlos said. As of now, everything is looking brighter. Hes the strongest kid I know.

By Clara GarciaNEWS-BULLETIN [email protected]

BelenAn Albuquerque man was

arrested earlier this month for selling bootleg CDs at the Belen flea market.

Belen Police Detective Lt. Joe Portio said he has been contacted by Rick Foley Investigations in Albuquerque, who was representing the Record Industry Association of America, about participat-ing in a joint operation regard-ing unauthorized recording and labeling of music.

We were asked to join them in an operation regarding locat-ing people selling unauthorized recordings, Portio said. We went to the Belen flea market on Saturday (March 14) and located Adalberto Martinez-Garcia.

Portio said agents made an undercover purchase of seven CDs, which were being sold for

$5 each, and two agents from the record industry validated that the CDs were unauthorized recordings and had unauthor-ized labeling.

Portio said Martinez-Garcia, 49, who was initially speaking with officers about the pur-chase began to change his tune when he was told about the charges.

He was speaking English fine and when we advised him about what we were inves-tigating, he could no longer speak English, the detective said. We then had officer Luis Lopez, who is a bilingual police officer, translate for Mr. Martinez-Garcia.

According to the police report, Lopez advised the man as to the illegal merchandise he was selling and asked if he recognized the woman who purchased the seven CDs from him.

(Martinez-Garcia) did and immediately asked if she need-ed the money back. (He) said that the other $20 bill was with

the manager of the flea market due to needing change, the report said. The other marked $20 bill was recovered and returned to the agents for their reports.

Portio said Martinez-Garcia refused to give any other state-ments after he was read his Miranda rights in Spanish by Lopez.

Portio and the other agents seized a total of 265 CDs from Martinez-Garcia, most of which were Spanish music. Portio said the agents believe most of the unauthorized CDs came from out of state.

Martinez-Garcia is charged with unauthorized recording and unauthorized labeling. He was allowed to leave the flea market and will be cited into court, Portio said, because he had a young child with him.

These are fourth-degree felony charges, Portio said. We have information that hes been selling in Albuquerque.

Portio, who admits this type of criminal activity is ram-

pant at flea markets across the country, said people need to be aware of what theyre buying.

People need to look at the packaging, he said. Is the picture actually authentic or is it something not fitting quite right? There are so many indi-cators, such as a bad cover or a loose-fitting wrap.

Other federal agents, includ-ing Homeland Security, are involved in this investigation because of the 320 movies Martinez-Garcia had on his table. Charges, Portio said, are still pending in this part of the investigation.

The detective says he is aware of other vendors sell-ing what might be unauthor-ized merchandise at the local flea market and has warned them about the potential con-sequences.

I go there quite often, about twice a month during the sum-mer, he said. During that time, if I see someone, Ill tell them theyre illegal and not to sell them. Weve warned them

and Ive even warned the man-ager about the problem.

Portio said the department is going to start working on investigating the illegal sale of cosmetics.

For someone to sell a cer-tain amount of cosmetics at their table, they actually have to have a letter from the compa-ny, Portio said. If they dont have it, they cant sell them.

Local Valencia County News-Bulletin6A MARCH 26, 2015

Boy: Fire chief, firefighters shave their heads in solidarity for youth fighting cancerfrom PAGE 1A


BELEN POLICE Detective Lt. Joe Portio helped to seize more than 200 unauthorized CDs from a vendor at the Belen flea market.

Belen police assist in arrest for illegal CDs


MEMBERS OF THE Meadow Lake Fire Department and other county firefighters gathered together to help give Julian Aguirre a little comfort and support as he continues fighting with Wilms tumor, a kidney cancer which affects children.

VALENCIA COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

Regularly scheduled meetings are held at the Valencia County Administration

Offices located at 444 Luna Ave. Los Lunas, NM 87031 on generally the following schedule,

unless publicly noticed otherwise:

BUSINESS MEETINGS occur on the 1

st

and 3

rd

Wednesday of the month at 5:00 P.M.

PUBLIC HEARINGS occur on the 2

nd

Wednesday of the month at 5:00 P.M.

Agendas are posted on the Valencia County website (www.co.valencia.nm.us/Elected

Officials/Commission Meetings), and at the Administration Offices, District Courthouse,

Meadowlake Senior Center, Del Rio Senior Center or by calling 505-866-2014.

TAXES ARE COMPLICATED.Getting your taxes done isnt enough - you need your taxes

done right. Thats where we come in. We hire and train the

most qualified tax professionals to ensure you claim every

credit and deduction you deserve so you get your

maximum refund. Guaranteed.

$20OFFTAX PREPARATION

For new clients only

Valid at participating U.S. offices for an original 2014 personal income tax return for new clients only.Discount may not be used for Form 1040EZ or combined with any other offer or promotion. Type of formfiled is based on your personal tax situation and IRS rules/regulations. Void if transferred and whereprohibited. Coupon must be presented prior to completion of initial tax office interview. A new client isan individual who did not use H&R Block office services to prepare his or her 2013 tax return. No cashvalue. Expires April 15, 2015. OBTP#B13696 2015 HRB Tax Group, Inc.

COUPON CODE: 95206

If you discover an H&R Block error on your return that entitles you to a larger refund (or smallertax liability), well refund the tax prep fee for that return. Refund claimsmust bemade duringthe calendar year in which the return was prepared. OBTP#B13696 2015 HRB Tax Group, Inc.15

-0105

YOUR LOCAL OFFICE(S):

Belen Office864-6166

Bosque Farms Office869-9181

Los Lunas Office865-2944

LOCAL OWNERSHIP - All decisions are made locally. Your money stays in the community.

COURTESY - Prompt, friendly, and always working to meet your needs.

WHY PAY ADDITIONAL FEES THAT NATIONAL COMPANIES CHARGE FOR THEIR PROPANEDELIVERIES?

WHY PAY THEIR HIGHER PROPANE PRICES?

If you are with Ferrell Gas, Amerigas, Adobe Propane, NM Propane, Santa Fe Propane orAAA Gas - Chances are we can save you a lot of money!

Looking for a New Propane Supplier?

Serving Albuquerque and surrounding areas...

www.southwestpropane.org

505-407-2260

Robert AnayaSales Manager505-470-8993

Call us today!

Locally Owned Company, Low Pricing, andGreat Service - Serving Los Lunas and Belen

Local MARCH 26, 2015 7A Valencia County News-Bulletin

Solar: Facility wont be seen from cityfrom PAGE 1A

Act: Marquez happy they are listeningfrom PAGE 1A

at the University of New Mexico. While the House and Senate

both passed the bill, it is now up to Gov. Susana Martinez to sign it into law.

Since Vigils death in July 2013, his family has taken it upon themselves to continue his pur-pose of creating legislation that will help educate others about the effects of bullying. Vigils grandmother, Dolores Marquez, has been at the forefront of the effort and has been working to get Carlos message out to the community.

I am proud of the work Carlos championed. It is a bit-tersweet victory for us because he is still gone but a huge success for the children of New Mexico, Marquez said. Our work is just starting. I am delighted with the undivided support from the Legislature. I am proud to be a New Mexican.

A similar bill was introduced during last years legislative ses-sion by Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez (D-Belen), but it had failed. This year, Marquez said the bill got momentum and is proud that her grandsons dream is finally becoming a reality.

Carlos had a three-pronged proposal that he wanted New Mexico to enact, Marquez said. I took that proposal to our first walk in Belen, about a month after Carlos had died, and I shared the proposal to Sen. Sanchez and asked him if he would spon-sor an anti-bullying law in the Senate in Carlos name. Sanchez told her that there was already an anti-bullying law, but

it had no teeth in it, according to Marquez. Carlos, according to his grandmother, wanted one law that every school district should follow.

While the Carlos Vigil Memorial Act doesnt cover exactly what he envisioned, his grandmother says its a good start. She says he wanted every-one from kindergarten to age 10 to know that bullying was not right, know the symptoms of bullying and how to handle bullying.

He wanted the one law across the state that provided account-ability, Marquez said. Several school districts dont realize they have bullying because there are no records kept. He wanted to have districts to report these cases to PED (public education department) so they would be recognized.

Marquez says her grandson desperately wanted the law to change so that bullying would be looked at and prosecuted as a battery in the schools.

With the consequences of it being battery, he hoped that it would help stop the problem, she said. This is the key, but no one wants to touch that one right now.

When Marquez approached Candelaria, who represents the area of Valley High School, where Carlos attended, he agreed to sponsor the act and took on the education portion of Carlos proposal where it wont only be in the schools but also in the community.

Marquez, as well as her daugh-

ter, Carlos mother, Jacqueline, presented their position during several committees during the legislative session.

I was feeling that Carlos was finally being paid attention to, Marquez said. While he was here, he was trying to get this bill passed and having a hard time with it. Once he gave us a good shaking and waking us up about the problem of bullying by taking his life, then it started moving. I was happy that his vision to stop bullying was actually tak-ing off.

In the months since his pass-ing, Marquez and others estab-lished the Carlos Vigil Bully Prevention program which shares his message of prevention and education. The journey, Marquez said, has been hard but satisfying at the same time.

I wish I didnt have to do it, she says. Its good to see all the support there have been songs writing about him, videos on the national level, and we had campaigns all the way from California to New York, all by youth. There has been an abun-dance of support.

The journey for Marquez and her family has been one of pain and pride, she says. Its not about fulfilling Carlos mission but to feel closer to him.

I always feel Carlos with me, Marquez says. Theres always something that reminds me of him. I do believe that hes proud were doing this. He wanted to create a new genera-tion where there is no bullying.

they originally platted this property, Winters said. As far as grading the property, (PNM) will only take out the humps where there are dirt mounds and all of it will be mowed. Theyre then going to replant natural grasses to this area.

The proposed solar facility is about one mile from the nearest home in Rio Communities. The P&Z chairman said there will be about 40,000 to 80,000 solar panels with a life expectancy of 20 or so years.

Winters said the project will produce enough electricity to power 3,880 homes. The addi-tional electricity could power new businesses that might want to locate in a city with an electricity surplus.

While the facility will be unmanned, it will have monitoring devices on site and will be fenced, city leaders hope that the project would

deter illegal dumping at its southern borders. And because of the location of the project, it wont be seen from the southern most edge of the city.

These solar panels are going to be 7-foot 7-inches tall and will be rotating, Winters said. In the morning, theyre going to rotate to pick the sun and they will follow that sun and tilt slightly during the day and will recline when the sun goes down.

The city wont get gross receipts taxes from PNM, but Winters and others are hoping that having the facility within the city boundaries, other businesses will follow. He also said if city councilors approve a property tax increase in the future, the property could generate some funding to the citys coffers.

This would be $19 million, so this would be the first large influx on the tax rolls, he said.

RELAY FOR LIFE

Courtesy of Nicole Bradshaws Photography

THE LOS LUNAS RELAY for Life recently held a kick off of their annual campaign. Pictured, in front, from left, are Garret Martinez, Lacey McKinley, Lucas Martinez, Eileen Fazio, Josie Trillo and Annabella Olivas; in back, from left, are Louis Jeantete (American Cancer Society com-munity manager), Karin Trujillo, Carrie Ortiz (event chairwoman), Sarah Pohl, Kathy Gurule, Katie Harlin (NM ACS senior manager, Relay For Life) and Martina Trillo. Not pictured are Kalla Martinez, Landon Cheney and Mercy Garcia-Jojola.

Presidents Letter

February 2015

On several occasions since

I took the reins as President

of the Greater Belen Cham-

ber of Commerce I have

been asked how a business

becomes Business of the

Month. Last month the

Chamber honored Petes Pro

Truck and Auto Repair with

that award.

Any Chamber member busi-

ness, large or small qualies to

be Business of the Month.

Among the criteria that the

Board of Directors considers

are the stability of the busi-

ness as part of our community

and their customer service

and commitment to the

residents of the Greater Belen

area. We look for businesses

that over time have made im-

provements to their services

and their facilities that has

strengthen their position in

the community as a solid, vi-

able and needed partners with

us here at the Greater Belen

Chamber of Commerce. Just

as important as being a solid

business partner is that this

business demonstrates they

have reached out into the

community and volunteered

their time and/or resources

that, in turn, inspires others to

make Belen a better place for

both our residents and those

who come visit us. So beyond

the recognition of being a

solid business presence in our

community, the Business of

the Month award is also a

recognition of that businesses

unselsh commitment of

time to projects affecting our

friends and families within

this community. That includes

time invested supporting

any number of our other com-

munity organizations.

For those of you wanting to

get more engaged in com-

munity activities, special

events or the various short

or long term development

projects that are going on in

the Greater Belen commu-

nity, and dont know where

to start, we can be helpful in

identifying some of the op-

portunities. There are many

Chamber related programs

and causes. Additionally,

the Chamber has numerous

partner organizations such

as the Belen Main Street

Partnership and other com-

munity non-prots that offer

engaging opportunities to

get more involve in reaching

out to help our community. I

encourage you to contact me

directly or to simply call or

drop in on Rhona or JoElla

at the Chamber ofce to see

what you could get involved

in that might be of interest to

you.

Next month I plan to share

with you our exciting new

NM True cooperative tour-

ism marketing plan that is a

collaborative effort between

the Greater Belen Chamber,

Belen Main Street Partner-

ship and the City of Belen.

I look forward to seeing you

at an upcoming community

event or just out on the streets

of this great little town we call

home.

Your Chamber President

Tom Greer

T

he building which is now

Noblin Funeral Service

was originally the First

United Presbyterian Church of

Belen.

The church had its beginning

with the German Lutheran com-

munity in Belen. The congrega-

tion was incorporated as Zion

Evangelical Lutheran Church in

1885 and ofcially organized by

the Synod of Nebraska in 1888.

The church rst worshipped in

an adobe house, then purchased

an abandoned Congregational

Church. The church built its rst

sanctuary, and adobe building

on Main Street, in 1904. In 1911

the church built the current

adobe sanctuary designed by

an architect in Chicago. The

original art glass windows were

from a Chicago studio and most

are memorials to the older local

German families.

As time went by, the Luther-

ans invited other congregations

to form a federated church, and

the name was ofcially changed

in 1948 to The Federated

Church of Belen. The congre-

gation then agreed to become

part of the United Presbyterian

Church in 1964.

With serious space problems

as well as increased parking and

trafc problems, the congrega-

tion voted to relocate and is now

working towards building a new

facility in Rio Communities on

Manzano Expressway.

In 1997, the church was

purchased and became a funeral

home. In June of 2005, Robert

C. Noblin, Jr., a licensed funeral

director from Fredericksburg,

Virginia purchased the business

and is the current owner and

manager of the funeral home,

changing the name to Noblin Fu-

neral Service in December 2010

to prepare for the opening of the

Noblin Funeral Service, Los

Lunas Chapel.

Soon Noblin Funeral Services

will be opening their new cre-

matorium on 1st Street to better

serve the community. Thank

you Robert for investing in the

Greater Belen area and for your

service to our county!!!

Belen Chamber Page

Membership Renewals

Custom Decorating

106 Tres Cantos

Belen, NM 87002

505-864-3880

Sanchez Medical

703 S. Christopher Rd.

Belen, NM 87002

505-864-7781

New Mexico Travertine, Inc.

P.O. Box 439

Belen, NM 87002

Rudy and Margaret Sachs

UNM-VC

280 La Entrada

Los Lunas, NM 87031

Through the Flower

107 Becker Ave.

Belen, NM 87002

NM Gas Co.

19378 Highway 314

Belen, NM 87002

Baker Insurance Services, LLC

1005 E. River Road

Belen, NM 87002

505-864-7491

Palo Verde LTD

Dba: Long Johns Silver and A&W/

Kicks 66

1304 South Main

Belen, NM 87002

William Martin

P.O. Box 44547

Rio Rancho, NM 87174

505-896-0100

PG Enterprises

301 Murry SE

Albuquerque, NM 87105

Valencia County News-Bulletin

1837 Camino Del Llano

Belen, NM 87002

505-864-4472

Valencia Flying Retrieval Society

P.O. Box 1002

Peralta, NM 87042

New Mexico Boys and Girls Ranch

6209 Hendrix Road NE

Albuquerque, NM 87110

Member of the Month: March

Noblin Funeral Services

NEW MEMBERS

Boomtime

They build email promotion networks that let businesses like yours share

customers and convert digital word of mouth to generate leads for a fraction

of the cost of traditional media.

They build and manage custom email networks to help their clients cross

promote. They create custom promotions to attract new customers and

generate repeat business. They collect, optimize and separately man-

age lists and mailings for your networks. They manage your brand across

hundreds of sites to convert word of mouth into leads. Call Rick Courville at

1800-940-0452 or check out their website at www.boomtime.com to experi-

ence the amazing services they can provide your business, BIG or small!!!!

They are located at 317 Commercial NE, Suite G-100 in

Albuquerque!! Welcome!!!

Main-ly Electric, Inc.

CareNet Pregnancy Centers of Albuquerque is a faith based, donor sup-

ported non-prot 501C-3 organization that provides free services to

families who face unplanned pregnancies. Offering: free pregnancy

tests, free ultrasounds, free STD testing, 145 Free Earn While You Learn

Parenting classes, Free life skills classes, free classes to those mandated

by courts for parenting classes, Post Abortion Recovery Workshops, Free

professional counseling, Free Bible Studies, also helping women who

choose to release their children to a loving family through adoption. Please

call Glenda Miller at 505-565-3838 for more information on donating to their

center. They are located at 601 Main St. SE Suite 26 in Los Lunas. Www.

carenetabq.org. Thank you CareNet for your important work.

INSURANCE INVESTMENTS

865-3624

120 Don Diego St Los Lunas

Your Local Independent Agent

Financial Planning

Asset Management

Asset Allocation

Tax-Advantage Strategies

College Funding

Retirement Funding and Distribution

Business & Succession Strategies

IRAs 401(k)s

Securities and advisory services offered through Cetera Advisor

Networks LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. Cetera is under separate

ownership from any other named entity. Rio Grande Financial

Network, LLC an Cetera Advisor Networks LLC are not affiliated.

Our Name Has Changed

But Not Our Commitment To Your Needs

2 Locations To Serve You!

www.myfinancialsense.com

Member SIPC

Wealth Management

and Asset Protection

Celebrating over 25 years...

A quarter century for our friends and neighbors

505-828-4068

511 Reinken Ave

Belen

505-828-4068

2500 Louisiana NE

Suite 102

Albuquerque

Proud to be a Greater Belen Chamber of Commerce Member

D e a t h s a n d f u n e r a l s

RecoRd THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 20158A News-Bulletin

Belen: Advertising for super being revisedfrom PAGE A1

Romanita P. Baca1924-2015

Romanita P. Baca, age 90, a

resident of Belen, passed away on Thursday, March 19, 2015.

She was a member of Our Lady of Belen Catholic Church. Everyone enjoyed Romanitas w o n d e r f u l cooking and there wasnt a dish that she could not make.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Ruben D. Baca; parents, Estanislado and Beatrice Baca Padilla; brothers, Eugenio and Celso F. Padilla; sisters, Theresa Padilla and Cruzita Gabaldon.

Romanita is survived by her children, Carlos Sonny Perfecto Padilla, Vina and husband, Rick Lance, Theresa Chene and husband, Andre, Beatrice Benavidez and hus-band, Benny, Nila Garcia, John Baca and wife, Veronica, and Leroy Joseph Baca; sister, Virginia Sapien; sister-in-law, Dolores Padilla; 14 grandchil-dren, 35 great-grandchildren, seven great-great-grandchil-dren, and her loving dog, Lazarro.

All services were held at Our Lady of Belen Catholic Church on Tuesday, March 24, with Father Stephen Schultz officiating. Interment followed at Our Lady of Belen Memorial Gardens.

Pallbearers were Michael and Roberta Chene, Gilbert Padilla, Anthony Baca, Twila Chavez and Henry Torres.

Please sign Romanitas online tribute at www.romero-funeralhomenm.com. Romero Funeral Home, 609 N. Main St., Belen.

Verna Gene Burnett1958-2015

Verna Gene Burnett was born on Dec. 3, 1958, in Orange County, N.J. A resident of Belen since 2003, she went home to be with our Lord on Friday, March 13, 2015.

Verna was an active mem-ber of Belen Missionary Baptist Church as the church clerk and youth advisor extraordinaire. Verna was united in marriage to Turner Burnett. He was her one and only true love and they had a 30-plus year love between them, up until the day she returned home.

Verna is survived by her mother, Geraldine; brother and sister, Sam and Priscilla Johnson; daughters, Khalilah Khali Marie and Christine Jean; sons, Perry Strong and Robert Marcus; nephew, Nathan Samuel Johnson; great-nieces and nephews, Nathan Little Johnson, Cecelia and

Zeke; grandsons, Jonathan, Malachi, Isaiah, Khalel; grand-daughters, Neriyah, Micaiah, Nyemah, Amari Jae and Kyrielle; great-grandchildren, Corvin and soon-to-arrive Khylina; and numerous other relatives and friends.

Services were held on Tuesday, March 24, at the

BestNewsCoverage23-26-2015

Documents

Transcript of BestNewsCoverage23-26-2015