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Local Crime Report for Monday September 30, 2013

9/30/2013

(Deming) – Here’s the area crime report:

     Miguel Lopez, age 22, was arrested for DUI, having an open container and on an improper lane driving violation… Luis Rubio, age 26, was arrested for DUI… Arnold Marquez, age 29, of Columbus, was arrested for battery against a household member and resisting or obstructing officers… Adam Bravo, age 28, was arrested for battery against a household member…

     Casey McMichael, age 27, was arrested on a Magistrate warrant for receiving stolen property… Dustin Ellis, age 18, was arrested for accessory to a crime…

     Alejandro DeJesus, age 52, was arrested on a Magistrate warrant for failure to pay fines and was cited for criminal trespass and having alcohol in a public place… Melody Fonnest, age 33, was arrested on a Magistrate warrant for failure to pay fines and was cited for unlawful use of a license… Ramiro Palomares, age 32, was arrested on three Magistrate warrants – two for failure to appear and one for failure to pay fines… Eudeley Salinas, age 24, was arrested on a Magistrate warrant for failure to appear… James Holguin, age 41, of Albuquerque, was arrested on a Municipal warrant for failure to pay fines.

     Cesar Maese, age 20, was charged with minor allowing self to be served alcohol… Anthony Urtiaga, age 19, was charged with minor allowing self to be served alcohol… Esteban Pena-Gonzales, age 58, was cited for having alcohol in a public place… Isaias Silva, age 64, was cited for having alcohol in a public place… Susana Gutierrez, age 55, was cited for shoplifting at Wal-Mart… and Sheila Anderson, age 40, was cited for failing to yield after a stop.

     In juvenile news… a 14-year-old boy was detained for battery and battery on a household member… a 15-year-old boy was cited for public affray… and a 13-year-old boy was cited for public affray.

     And in other news… over $1,500 in criminal damage and theft was reported at a location off the Hatch Highway after 350-feet of electric wire was taken from a pump… a bicycle and scooter, with a combined value of $250, were taken from a residence off South Copper… and a window valued at $150 was broken on a residence off South Nickel.

Talk Scheduled for Museum Saturday

9/30/2013

(Deming) – New Mexico’s Spanish livestock heritage will be the topic of a talk Saturday at the Deming Luna Mimbres Museum.

     The presenter will be author William Dunmire, a professor at the University of New Mexico, who has written the book, “New Mexico’s Spanish Livestock Heritage: Four Centuries of Animals, Land and People.”

     Dunmire said his book, which was recently released by University of New Mexico Press, is the first book ever published on the history of livestock in New Mexico, which he said has the most fascinating livestock story of any state in the U.S.

     Dunmire will talk about several species of domestic livestock that were brought to New Mexico from Spain, and will describe how the Puebloans and Navajos slowly adopted horses, donkeys, sheep, goats, cattle, pigs and chickens after their arrival with the Spanish colonists in 1598.

     Dunmire will cover the spread of livestock during colonial times, and how the Plains Indians learned to steal and ride horses, and how horses became central to their economy.

     The talk also will describe how sheep became New Mexico’s most important economic animal, growing to a population of five-million animals in the province by the end of the nineteenth century.

     And he will talk about how the explosion of livestock numbers – particularly sheep – caused increasing environmental damage to the state’s grasslands, eventually resulting in the enactment of laws such as the Taylor Grazing Act, various state regulations, and the adoption of more progressive livestock management practices.

     Dunmire’s talk, made possible by the New Mexico Humanities Council, is set to begin at 2 p.m. this Saturday, October 5th, at the museum, 301 South Silver Avenue.

Jury Gets NM Wiretap - Leak in Columbus Gun Smuggling Case

9/28/2013

ALBUQUEQUE, N.M. (AP) — The fate of a former New Mexico school superintendent accused of leaking information about a Columbus, NM gun-smuggling ring linked to the Juarez Cartel is in the hands of a jury.

The Albuquerque Journal reports an eight-woman, four-man jury began deliberations Thursday in the case involving Danny Burnett.

He faces federal charges that he leaked information about a wiretap investigation into a gun-smuggling ring in the town of Columbus.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Spitzer told the jury that there was plenty of evidence that pointed a finger at Burnett as the source of the information. But Burnett's attorney, Jacquelyn Robins, says one of the prosecutors' key witnesses was a corrupt police chief who was on the cartel's payroll and had much to gain by lying.

Local Crime Report for Friday September 27, 2013

9/27/2013

(Deming) – Here’s the area crime report:

Michael Stone, age 26, was arrested for disorderly conduct, interference with officers and trespassing… and Gabriel Porras, age 21, was arrested on a Magistrate warrant for failure to pay fines.

In other news… 1034 one-ton bales of alfalfa burned in a fire off Highway Nine; loss estimated at over $222,000… tires and wheels valued at $3,000 were taken off a vehicle parked near the Nutt Bar… tools and household items valued at $2,300 were taken from a location off Sundown Southeast… and a 1996 Nissan four-door and a flat screen television with a combined value of $1,700 were taken from a location off U.S. 180 Northwest.

DPS Has Adopted Teachscape Software

9/27/2013

Brian Marshall left, Chaparral Principal Nasa Speer, Ivy Baca and Nancy Patterson

(Deming) – Deming Public Schools has adopted Teachscape, a type of software teachers and administrators can use to chart and measure the improvement of classroom teaching.

     Associate Superintendent Nancy Patterson and DPS Dean of Instruction Brian Marshall recently conducted one-on-one training in every school in the district to bring teachers up-to-speed on Teachscape.

     Marshall said the software uses the NM TEACH Observation Rubric under the state’s new evaluation system to help identify areas of strength and areas in need of improvement.

     The state’s Public Education Department has suggested districts use the software to document observations with the new teacher evaluation process that essentially grades teachers on a variety of criteria.

     Superintendent Harvielee Moore said the district has concerns over the new teacher evaluation system, but they are working hard to comply with the state mandate.

     The teacher evaluation system was developed and piloted at Bell Elementary and Red Mountain Middle School during the 2012-2013 school year, and was fully implemented across the state in August.

NM Environment Department Sponsors Water Conservation Workshop

9/27/2013

(Deming) – The New Mexico Environment Department is holding a water conservation workshop on the Mimbres Aquifer Saturday in Columbus.

     Hydrologist Dr. John Hawley of Albuquerque, a noted expert on U.S.-Mexico cross-border groundwater supplies, is scheduled to talk at 10 a.m. Saturday in the Recreation Hall at Pancho Villa State Park.

     Hawley will be talking about the history and geologic characteristics of the Mimbres Basin. The basin is the primary water source for Columbus and Palomas, Mexico.

     Dr. Hawley’s talk is part of a day-long workshop for residents of Columbus and Palomas on how to reduce household water use and lower a family’s monthly water bill.

     Other speakers include Alfredo Granados-Olivas, a Ciudad Juarez professor… Erin Ward, Project Manager for the New Mexico Water Resources Research Institute… and Denise Smith, director of the Office of Sustainability for Silver City.

     A.J. Sandoval of Deming will offer free in-home testing for water leaks for Columbus homeowners.

     The talk and workshop are part of an effort by the New Mexico Environment Department to address issues in New Mexico’s border region. The workshop is funded under a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Border Program.

Local Crime Report for Thursday September 26, 2013

9/26/2013

(Deming) – Here’s the area crime report:

Santiago Mancillas, age 24, was arrested for causing criminal damage to the property of a household member… Luz Gutierrez, age 31, was arrested for shoplifting at Wal-Mart and interference with officers… Javier Garcia, age 24, was arrested for shoplifting at Wal-Mart… Vividiana Cardoza, age 18, was cited for minor allowing self to be served alcohol… Erik Garcia, age 19, was cited for shoplifting at Wal-Mart… a 13-year-old boy was cited for battery… and a 16-year-old girl was cited for possession of alcohol by a minor.

Also… a 2013 RV trailer valued at $16,000 was taken from the Akela gas compressor station… and two rifles, a shotgun and a car stereo with a combined value of $750 were taken from a vehicle parked off North Eighth Street.

Stars-N-Parks Program Saturday

9/26/2013

(Deming) – A Stars-N-Parks astronomy program will take place this Saturday at City of Rocks State Park.

City of Rocks is located between Deming and Silver City.

Attendees will observe highlights of the September sky, with Venus and Saturn low in the west, Neptune and Uranus in the east, the Sagittarius Milky Way past the meridian, the fall constellations rising and M-31 available for observation.

The event begins with a night sky tour, followed by views of deep sky objects through a high-powered telescope. Matt Wilson will be the presenter.

The program is viewed in a dark sky setting beginning at 8:05 p.m., and attendees should arrive at the park at sunset, which is at about 6:55 p.m., so they can become familiar with their surroundings before nightfall.

The program will end at about 9:35 p.m.

Stars-N-Parks is sponsored by the National Public Observatory, a non-profit membership organization that sponsors astronomy programs for all. More information is available at www.Astro-NPO.org.

Columbus Hosts Water Conservation Workshop

9/26/2013

(Deming) – The village of Columbus is hosting a Water Conservation workshop Saturday.

     The workshop is designed to show homeowners how to conserve water and save on their water bills.

     The workshop is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Columbus Youth Center.

     Simultaneously, an event for children will be held at the Columbus Fire Station with games and water balloons.

     Lunch will be provided, including enchiladas for the adults and hot dogs for the kids.

     Both events are free of charge and open to the public.

Gutierrez Testifies in Burnett Trial

9/26/2013

(Albuquerque) — A former Columbus village trustee said his former police chief collected more than $2,000 a month from the Juarez Cartel and allowed its members to use the city's police cruisers.

     The Albuquerque Journal reports Blas "Woody" Gutierrez testified Wednesday in federal court in Albuquerque that former Police Chief Angelo Vega received $1,500 each time he allowed the cartel members to use village vehicles, including police cruisers, for drug and guns smuggling.

     Gutierrez faces 10 years in federal prison for his guilty plea linked to a border gun smuggling ring.

     Vega is the key prosecution witness in the case against Danny Burnett, a retired Los Lunas school superintendent who is charged with leaking information about a federal wiretap investigation in that Columbus gun and drug smuggling ring.

     Burnett and Vega reportedly were friends from their days in Lincoln County in the 1990s, where Vega was a deputy sheriff and Burnett, an educator.

     Burnett has pleaded not guilty, and his wife, Assistant U.S. Attorney Paula Burnett, has not been charged with any crime.

     Paula Burnett has denied knowing about the wiretaps or telling her husband about the investigation.