Roswell Daily Record
Vol. 123, No. 171 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday
THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
July 17, 2014
THURSDAY
www.rdrnews.com
Roach’s frequent forays fail frugality factor BY JERRY HECK RECORD STAFF WRITER
City Marketing Director Renee Roach racked up more than $3,500 in travel expenses — expenses that were paid for out of the city’s coffers. Roach accumulated the $3,500 in expenses while on the road for a total of 24 days, all between Nov. 1 and June 1. Roach is Roswell’s recycling and Keep Roswell Beautiful coordinator and the city’s liaison to the New Mexico Film Office. Roach, who ear ns an annual salary of $63,066, went on unpaid family and medical leave last month. There are no details on when she will return to duty. She has not responded to phone messages and emails from the Daily Record. The farthest of Roach’s taxpayer-funded trips was in February, when she traveled to the 2014 Keep America Beautiful Conference in Charlotte, N.C.
Roach requested $1,500 for the trip, but ultimately spent $2,161. The conference registration, flight, hotel and local limousine service were charged to the credit card of Elaine Mayfield, Spring River Zoo director. A Jan. 31 email from Roach to Mayfield and Dawn Collins of the city budget of fice stated, “Below is my hotel confirmation that I received using Elaine’s credit card. I will send my travel authorization in just a moment. Thank you! . . . . Renee.” Roach’s airline ticket and conference registration were apparently handled in the same manner. The airfare of $541 and conference registration fees of $600 were both charged to Mayfield’s card. The Daily Record obtained records of Roach’s travel expenses through a public information request. In a separate email
Steve Stone Graphic
See ROACH, Page A3
Pearce says Central American leaders want their kids back
Cafe comes in first
BY JEFF TUCKER RECORD STAFF WRITER
Randal Seyler Photo
Frank Sanchez, cafe manager, serves customers at the Hard Back Cafe in the Roswell Hastings on Wednesday. Sanchez was informed on Wednesday that the cafe was named No. 1 in the chain in sales and profit, and fellow managers had a celebration for Sanchez and the cafe. Sanchez said he has been manager since October 2013 and that there were more than 50 Hard Back Cafes spread throughout the Hastings chain.
U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce said Central American leaders told him on a trip to Guatemala and Honduras last weekend that they want their immigrant children back. Pearce and other members of Congress met with the presidents of Guatemala and Honduras last weekend to address the unfolding border and illegal immigration crises. Pearce, a member of a House working group of Republicans examining the crises, said leaders of Guatemala and Honduras want back some of the 55,000 immigrant children that have illegally entered the United States this year. “Basically, the messages that I heard and came back with was the countries saying ‘Send back our children,’” said Pearce, R-Hobbs. “They
absolutely are fearful of losing a lot of the next generation.” Pearce said he met last weekend with Guatemalan President Otto Perez Molina and Honduran President Juan Orlando Her nandez. Pearce said it was a very quiet, low-key, high security trip considering the high crime rates in Guatemala and Honduras. Pearce said he also talked with people on the streets in some of the poorest areas of Guatemala and Honduras. “We were talking with just people on the street,” Pearce said. Pearce told reporters Wednesday during a telephone news conference from Washington, D.C., the leaders of Guatemala and Honduras want their children back. Pearce said he was surprised by the repatriation requests of
1 homicide suspect PD assumes supervision of animal control arrested, 1 still at-large STAFF REPORT
One suspect was arrested Wednesday by Roswell police on murder charges in connection with the June 4 homicide of Isaiah Sanchez. Gilbert Lucero, 32, was taken into custody on an outstanding warrant for murder. A second suspect, Steven Lucero, is still atlarge, the Roswell Police Department reported. At approximately 2:15 p.m., detectives from the RPD conducted a traf fic stop at Largo Drive and Washington Street and made contact with Gilbert Lucero. On June 4, at 8:31 p.m., officers responded to 1812 N. Maryland Ave., in reference to a deceased person and found Sanchez in the residence. During the investigation, detectives obtained suffi-
cient probable cause and secured arrest warrants for both Gilbert and Steven Lucero.
Detectives are seeking the public’s assistance in locating Steven Lucero.
Gilbert Lucero was transported to the Chaves County Detention Center, where he is being held with no bond on the following charges: murder in the first degree, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, tampering with evidence and armed robbery.
Jail officers said Wednesday night they could not provide a mug shot or further information.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Steven Lucero is urged to call the RPD at 575-6246770 or Crime Stoppers 1888-594-8477.
HIGH 93 LOW 65
TODAY’S FORECAST
BY JEFF TUCKER RECORD STAFF WRITER
Roswell officials have placed the city’s animal control services under the supervision of the city’s police department in a move city leaders said should strengthen animal control in the city. Mayor Dennis Kintigh said the animal control services department was shifted from the supervision of the city’s special services division to the public safety division on July 1 because of animal control’s “quasi law enforcement role.” Kintigh said the shift was consistent with Chaves County, which also places animal control under the direction of law enforcement. “In most communities, animal control is under public safety,” Kintigh said. “It lightens the load for (Special Services Administrator) Mike Mathews. I think it’s a better fit within the police department. Chief (Phil) Smith was absolutely in favor of it.” Kintigh, elected in March, said he, Smith and Fire Chief Chad Hamill shortly after the election began discussing the idea of shifting animal control services to the police depart-
• HAZEL RUTH HUBBLE NINNEMANN • MARIO CESAR BENCOMO
ment. “I suggested it, I encouraged it,” Kintigh said, adding City Manager Larry Fry made the final decision. “Larry felt I had some valid points, so he said ‘We’re going with it,’” Kintigh said. “Animal control is in many ways a law enforcement function. I think that’s a good fit. Support services deals mainly with structures, buildings, properties.” The mayor said the shelter’s location at 705 E. McGaffey St. would not change, although its hours open to the public may be increased. The shelter is currently open 8 a.m. to noon, and 1 to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Weekend, afterhours and emergency calls are dispatched through the police department. The shelter is currently closed on Saturdays. “It’s hard for people to come in and adopt an animal,” the mayor said. Kintigh said the shelter will not be staffed by police officers. Instead, animal control officers are now reporting to the police department, he said. The city’s contract with a local veterinarian to oversee the shelter will also be unaffected, the mayor said.
• CHARLES SMITH
TODAY’S OBITUARIES PAGE A6
CLASSIFIEDS ..........B6 COMICS .................B5 ENTERTAINMENT .....A8 FINANCIAL ..............B4
See PEARCE, Page A6
“It’s going to be invisible to the general public,” Kintigh said of the change. Kintigh said he asked City Councilor Jeanine Corn Best to examine the city’s animal control ordinance and the city’s allocation of resources to see if improvements could be made. “It just seemed a better fit,” Corn Best said. “They’ll report over to a certain person at the police department. The new council and the new mayor, they see that stuff needs to be spread out better so that people aren’t overworked. We need to take a little off his plate and put a little more on someone else’s plate.” Corn Best said shifting animal control to the supervision of the police department would strengthen enforcement of the city’s animal control ordinance, including sections pertaining to animals running at large. The ordinance states dog and cat owners or keepers can be fined up to $150 if they allow a dog or cat to run at large in the city, with the exception of the city’s dog park, the Woof Bowl See ANIMALS, Page A6
INDEX GENERAL ...............A2
HOROSCOPES .........A8 LOTTERIES .............A2
OPINION .................A4
SPORTS .................B1
WEATHER ..............A8