Roswell Daily Record THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
Vol. 123, No. 172 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday
July 18, 2014
FRIDAY
www.rdrnews.com
Ambulance service seeks employees in Roswell BY RANDAL SEYLER RECORD STAFF WRITER
Superior Ambulance Service needs employees in Roswell, but is having trouble finding qualified applicants — especially paramedics. Chris Archuleta, CEO of Superior Ambulance Service, told the city’s Ambulance Administrative Oversight Committee that the shortage of personnel is affecting the ambulance service’s ability to fully staff
the ambulance the city uses for out-of-town runs. “This doesn’t affect 911 service; we have three units dedicated to 911,” Archuleta said. But the shortage of paramedics is a problem, and it is becoming a statewide issue. Archuleta said New Mexico has started requiring newly minted paramedics to possess a two-year degree with their training, which not only takes longer to get qualified paramedics in the field, but once they receive an associate’s
degree, they often stay in school and continue on to get a nursing degree. “And why wouldn’t they — it means a more lucrative career for them,” said Mike Mathews, city special services administrator, who chaired the committee meeting. “We’ve been trying to recruit for the city, and we are going to go with another round of advertising,” Archuleta said. There are 10 openings in the Roswell ambulance service, and six of those openings are for
medics, he said. “We’ve had some applicants, but we weren’t really happy with them, and we don’t want to just fill a position with a war m body,” Archuleta said. “We are also recruiting out of state.” The training issue may require the fire department and the ambulance service to team up one day soon to create a training center where they can teach and certify paramedics, Archuleta said. Albuquerque already trains
their own firefighters and paramedics, and a similar program could be instituted in southeastern New Mexico as well. “One problem is the training has to be accredited, so we have to work with an institution such as Easter n New MexicoRoswell to get the accreditation,” said Brian Powell, EMS division chief. The Roswell Independent School District and ENMUR have partnered to create a new Early College High School in Roswell, and one
Senior Olympics celebration
of the career tracks will be Health/EMT, said Donna Oracion, spokeswoman for the university.
Ninth-graders in the Roswell Independent School District will be able to enroll in the school this coming fall semester. Students can earn both a high school diploma and an associate’s degree through this new Early College program.
For adults wanting to get See AMBULANCE, Page A3
Jerry Heck Photos
Left: Exuberant Senior Olympians from the Cochiti Pueblo celebrate during the opening ceremonies of the Senior Olympics Wednesday at New Mexico Military Institute. The competitions, which have drawn athletes from across the state, continue in Roswell through Saturday. Above: Patsy Boyd, of Espanola, is the most seasoned active senior participant. The athlete is 96 years old.
Vehicle arsonist strikes Sanchez: Conservatives have better solutions
again; 2 cars burned BY JEFF TUCKER RECORD STAFF WRITER
A miscreant arsonist with a perverse disdain for motor vehicles has struck again. Roswell police and firefighters responded to another arson report at about 2:13 a.m. Thursday in the 1600 block of South Kansas Avenue. Police found two vehicles on fire. Police spokesperson Lisa Brackeen said in a news release police detectives believe the vehicle fires early Thursday are con-
nected to a string of other unsolved arsons in the city that under investigation. Mayor Dennis Kintigh said there have been more than a dozen vehicle fires in Roswell this year. “We’re not convinced all of them are by the same arsonist,” Kintigh said. Kintigh said he met Monday with City Manager Larry Fry, Police Chief Phil Smith and Fire Chief Chad Hamill to review the situation. “We reviewed it, they shared with me what they See ARSON, Page A3
AP Photo
CAREFUL be
around
A woman reacts to news regarding a Malaysia Airlines plane that crashed in eastern Ukraine at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, Malaysia, Friday.
BY JERRY HECK STAFF WRITER
Lt. Gov. John Sanchez spoke Wednesday afternoon at the Chaves County Republican Women’s monthly luncheon. Sanchez was in town to promote Republican candidates running for office in November’s general election. Also attending was Rick Lopez, the Republican candidate for state treasurer. Lopez spoke to the group last month. Marine veteran Todd Johnson represented Allen Weh, Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, and Gov. Susana Martinez was represented by Megan
Jerry Heck Photo
Lt. Gov. John Sanchez, discussed conservative values and less governmental interference with business and individual freedom. Del Rosa, who also is on the Chaves County Republican Women’s Board. Sanchez began his remarks with, “I broke
Reagan’s 11th commandment and ran against a fellow Republican. We need responsible debate among ourselves, but must focus on defeating liberals. The party needs to be re-built from the bottom up, not top down. Reach out to other groups with the message of less government. Conservatives have better solutions than Democrats.” He added, “[Senator Tom] Udall is the most liberal guy in Washington. Standing with Allen Weh [retired Marine Colonel running for Udall’s post] will get us a new majority.
“The Democrats have held control of New Mexico
since the 1930s,” Sanchez said. “Democrats may be sincere in the belief that more regulation is the answer, but they are sincerely wrong.” Sanchez discussed historical similarities of the Arizona and New Mexico territories. Both territories were similar is size, terrain and demographics. Yet today, Arizona has an economy three times greater than New Mexico, he said. Arizona took the right direction 100 years ago by investing in the private sector, he added. The Democrats play the race card, claiming that See SANCHEZ, Page A3
Malaysia Airlines struck by tragedy for a second time
HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Two Boeing 777s. Two incredibly rare aviation disasters. And one airline. In what appears to be a mind-boggling coincidence, Malaysia is reeling from the second tragedy to hit its national airline in less than five months. On March 8, a Malaysia Airlines jetliner vanished about an hour after taking off from Kuala Lumpur, spawning an international mystery that remains
PIPES, WIRES
METERS & POLES
unsolved. On Thursday, the airline — and the nation — were pitched into another crisis after the same type of aircraft was reported shot down over Ukraine. Ukraine said the plane was brought down by a missile over the violencewracked eastern part of the country. Other details were only just beginning to emerge. But what’s certain is that the struggling airline
and the nation must now prepare for another agonizing encounter with grief, recriminations, international scrutiny and serious legal and diplomatic implications. “This is a tragic day in what has already been a tragic year for Malaysia,” Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said. Amid it all, a question: Just how could disaster strike the airline twice in such a short space of
Energy makes our lives better. But we need to be aware—and careful—around the equipment that brings electricity and natural gas into our homes, our businesses, our lives. Simple steps like safe digging, watching for overhead power lines, and knowing the danger signs of natural gas leaks can prevent dangerous accidents.
time? “Either one of these events has an unbelievably low probability,” said John Cox, president and CEO of Safety Operating Systems and a former airline pilot and accident investigator. “To have two in a just a few months of each other is certainly unprecedented.” The first disaster deeply scarred Malaysia and left See TRAGEDY, Page A3
xcelenergy.com/Safety
Get all the details at xcelenergy.com/Safety.
HIGH 91 LOW 68
TODAY’S FORECAST
• OLIVIA “LIBBY” ARCHULETA • CINDY WILLARD • BILLIE JEAN CAREY
TODAY’S OBITUARIES PAGE A8
CLASSIFIEDS ..........B7 COMICS .................B6 ENTERTAINMENT ...B10 FINANCIAL ..............B5
INDEX GENERAL ...............A2
HOROSCOPES .........A9 LOTTERIES .............A2
OPINION .................A4
SPORTS .................B1
WEATHER ............A10