The Taos News from Taos, New Mexico • Page 2

A2 THE TAOS NEWS Thursday, Jan. 2,1997 1996 Continued from Page A1 lie," Candy Allen, Kamala Sutherland's stepmother, said at the time. "It would be great if this was a fairy tale, but it's not. This is real life." 3. The Taos Municipal School fiascoes.

Business manager Mike Olona was fired by the school board Aug. 29 after a state audit of the district's books targeting December 1995 through June 1996 revealed Olona had allegedly misappropriated $11,236.91 in school funds from a variety of accounts. Superintendent Andrew Gallegos placed Olona on administrative leave with pay July 18 pending the outcome of the audit. faces eight felony counts and two misdemeanor counts of embezzlement in Taos Ski Vaiey incorporates Registered voters Twining and Atnizette 90 of to the polls iti early January and voted to incorporate into a municipality, now known as the Village of Taos Ski Valley. Residents elected Chris Staggas their first mayor, elected a village council and have begun the process of the county, meaning that tax monies generated in the valley now stay within the community instead of going to the state or county.

Attorney's Office come to a close when he was defeated by Paternoster in the June primary election. Paternoster, who defeated Pacheco by a mere 40 votes, went on to win the DA's office in November's general election. Paternoster, who has Chile Line starts The Town of Taos got its first taste of public transportation this year with the Chile Line, a bus service which runs from Kachina Lodge to the Ranchos Post Office, Although rider numbers have been low, they are increasing as town folk get used to the idea of mass transit. Eighth Judicial District Court in connection with this case. If found guilty on all charges, Olona faces up to a year imprisonment in the county jail a $1,000 fine on each misdemeanor count; and up to two years imprisonment and not more than a $5,000 fine on each of the eight fourth-degree felony counts.

No trial date has been set. Olona's firing was just the beginning of the trouble for the schools. Classes for the 1996-97 school term, scheduled to begin Aug. 16, actually began Sept. 9.

That's because school board members voted to postpone the opening after a tour Aug. 8 of the Ranchos Elementary School, Taos Junior High School and Taos High School campuses by board members, faculty and a handful of parents. Confusion reigning over the $5 million school construction project, the deadlines for which items were to have been finished, and the safety concerns of uncompleted work caused fury and passion among espoused an office that is more accessible to the public as well as more professional than his predecessor, was sworn in as the new district attorney this week. Archuleta stabbed Serna with an eight-inch steak knife after meeting up with him and Archuleta's estranged wife, Ruth Luna, on Sept. 10, 1995.

The killing sparked controversy on the issue of whether or not killing an adulterous spouse was justifiable and deserved leniency in sentencing. Archuleta, during his sentencing in October, apologized for his actions. Kathy Serna has filed a lawsuit against Archuleta for the "wrongful death" of her husband, which is pending in state District Court. 7. Taos Ski Valley witnesses more than its share of tragedy.

Taos Ski Valley was plagued by tragedy in 1996. On Feb. 4 longtime back- country skier Tim Harter was killed in an avalanche while skiing in the Wheeler Peak Wilderness alone. Harter triggered a large slide in a his- First Habitat home finished After two years and some 1,500 hours of labor, Annabelle Lucent and Tom Mascarenas became the owners of Taos' first Habitat for Humanity house. The local branch of the national organization has helped several more families realize the dream 'of owning their own home, and the group continues to grow, spreading hope alongthe way.

5. Jury reaches deadlock in Frances Trujillo's trial for the killing of Chris Romero. Frances Trujillo cannot be tried for second-degree murder in the killing of Chris Romero, but officials for the Mexico Attorney General's Office said it will pursue the case against her on the charge of voluntary Town gets new facilities It was a bigyearfor the Town of Taos as numerous new and long awaited structures were started and completed this year. Residents of the valley now have a new library; a new business park with the Taos County Economic Development Corporation; Taos Living Center, a new home for the elderly of Taos; and the new Community Against Sexual and Domestic Violence shelter. parents.

Add to that the scrutiny of Gallegos and his sporting goods store, Sports. For the first half of 1996, the school district purchased more than $5,000 in clothing, trophies and pins from the store, in which Gallegos is part owner. Was it a conflict of interest for Gallegos to use his position as superintendent to purchase products from his company or an illegal violation of the state procurement code? No formal charges have been filed, and Gallegos was basically cleared of any wrongdoing following the annual audit by Gary Gaylord of Albuquerque. The action, 'however, forced school officials to look at the various procurement policies, and they passed a resolution making such future transactions a violation iof policy. 4.

John Paternoster wins Democratic primary, moves on to become new district attorney. This year saw Sammy Pacheco's 16-year reign over Eighth Judicial District manslaughter. The jury who tried Trujillo in August deadlocked, and First Judicial District Judge Michael Vigil declared a mistrial. Vigil further ordered that the state could not retry Trujillo on second-degree murder charges based on the statement of the jury foreman. The state Attorney General's Office appealed the'order, but Vigil's decision was upheld by the New Mexico Supreme Court.

Trujillo said she shot Romero Aug. 6, 1993, after Romero entered her home without permission and refused to leave. Trujillo said Romero at one point put his hand in his pocket and Trujillo opened fire, believing he had a gun. 6. Manuel Archuleta goes on trial for killing of Tony Serna.

Manuel Archuleta, who was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter in the killing of Tony Serna, was sentenced to a total of 16 and a half years for the crime and related charges. torical avalanche chute," according to the incident report prepared by a Carson National Forest snow specialist. One U.S. Forest Service official likened the avalanche to an elevator when the rope is cut. Harter owned the popular Stray Dog Cantina in Taos Ski Valley along with his wife, Laurie.

On Feb. 19, a car accident claimed the life of Joe Montoya, a life-long resident of Taos and employee of the ski valley who was known for his love of horses. More than 1,000 people attended his funeral, which involved a beautiful procession on horseback through the streets of Taos. The next month the Hotel Edelweiss, owned by Christopher Wooldridge, went up in flames despite the efforts of three area volunteer fire departments. Wooldridge, who had been elected councilman for the newly formed village of Taos Ski Valley, pointed out that the destruction of the hotel after Barter's death was just "one body blow after another" on the valley.

Ironically, Wooldridge died Aug. 14 from a heart attack he suffered while riding his bicycle Aug. 11. Tragedy struck again in November when John Ramming, who was instrumental in the incorporation of Taos Ski Valley, was killed when the truck he was driving flipped. Ramming, 57, who was not wearing a seat belt, was thrown from the vehicle and declared dead at the scene.

Ramming established the Public Safety and the Security Departments of the valley as well as acting as its spokesman. 8. "Challenges and Hard Choices" series on Taos Pueblo. In a three-week series, Taos News looked at the concerns of Taos Pueblo tribal Clr auzYfn iwiiHa Htm scyvn were 1 a nado which viiitfd the small commiirti' ji. kaving mitt wake aft estimated i million in damage.

Approximately iOti eople were left homeless) but all quickly offered temporary housing in a generous outpouring of aid by members of neighboring communities, place of imprisonment and receiving a -bribe by a public employee. Five other individuals, including the Mexican Nationals who escaped, were indicted on numerous charges as well. A grand jury investigation of Locals receive high honors Horacio Thijitto of Taos became the second graduate of Taos High School to be awarded the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship, one of the top academic awards a scholar can receive, Trujillo, one of the cofounders of the Rocky Mountain Youth Corps, plans to study economic history and philosophy. Earlier in the year another Trujillo, Victor Trujillo of Questa, was appointed to the United States military academy at West Point Throughout his high school career Trujillo was an outstanding athlete and participated in varsity football, baseball, basketball, track and soccer, all the while maintaining a 4.0 grade-point average, Trujillo is uncertain what career he would like to pursue, but he plans to major in mechanical engineering. members and leaders.

Tribal members talked about the difficulties for their youth, rising crime on the reservation and the needs of their elderly. They addressed the need for more accountability from tribal government and from parents. Programs such as the Taos Pueblo Health and Community Services Department are working to address the tribe's needs focusing on outreach and education. 9. Jail escape and ensuing resignation and indictment of jailer Pete Gutierrez.

The year of 1996 saw a cloud of controversy surround the Taos County Detention Center, after three Mexican Nationals escaped from the facility in June, amidst allegations of bribery, sex and drugs. Pete Gutierrez, 41, who was a jailer at the center at the time, was indicted in December on a number of charges including bringing contraband into a the center that stemmed from the jail break found that the center is "deplorable" for inmates and employees alike. 10. The missing marijuana and ensuing investigation (or lack of one). April of this year saw the strange disappearance of some 259 marijuana plants that had apparently been locked up in a storage shed that was broken into April 23.

The plants, as well as five mason jars of marijuana several dried marijuana plants and other contraband, were 1 seized April 16 from the home of Robert Sladek, according to a search warrant inventory list. Sladek, at the time of the investigation, was represented by Paternoster, who raised the issue of the missing evidence and questioned whether the Eighth Judicial District Attorney's Office could carry on with the case. I The case has not moved forward, and the marijuana is still missing. Sladek was extradited to California to face similar; charges there. 11.

Drought and fire restrictions. After a very dry winter, the summer of 1996 became one of water shortages everywhere. Acequias rationed water, the Forest Service restricted access to campgrounds, and farmers sold off crops and cattle in an effort to stem off the economic disaster that comes with drought situations. Fires all over the southwest were another indication of the dangers of the season, and this' year's early snows did much to revive the spirits of everyone in the valley. 12.

Molycorp reopens. After a four-year shutdown, the Unocal Molycorp Mine near Questa reopened. The mine put more than 250 locals Judge Joseph Caldwell retires It was a sad day in the halls of justice when our well-loved and well-respected man of the bench announced he was not seeking reelection after 18 years of service, Caldwell has presided over the court with exemplary professionalism and Nelson takes over his seat in the Eighth Judicial District, and an appointment will be made to fill her seat in Raton this month. Ranchitos Road demolition begins After struggling through six years of red tape and a dispute with Taos Pueblo over ownership of certain streets and alleyways, demolition crews finally set to work on the $1.65 million state-funded Ranchitos Road project. Demolition began with theMares house, which had been considered for preservation under the State Historic Preservation Act, and included the Martinez property and a building owned by Larry Bell The project is designed to improve vehicular and pedestrian traffic between Caminode la Placita and SalazarRoad and includes traffic signals at both intersections.

Taos gets female councilor Erlinda Gonzales received the most votes in the March ekctionfor Taos town councilor, receiving 469 of the 770 votes cast. With the overwhelming victory, she is the first woman's voice on the council in 26 years. back to work, some of them in the jobs they held for more than a decade before the mine shut down in 1992. Molycorp mines a gray metal called molybdenum, used in everything from fertilizers to lubricants. As long as moly prices stay up and the mine can produce high-grade ore, mine manager David Shoemaker said operations will continue.

While employees are happy about the startup, some environmentalists and Questa community members are worried again about the mine operation's impact on the nearby Red River, a tributary of the Rio Grande. 13. Roadrunner Recycling Center closes. See 1996, Page A3 Addendum to spring 1997 Schedule Mitchell property vote for open space fails In June, Mayor Fred Peralta proposed a 3.2-mill property tax increase over five years which would raise $1.35 million to buy the Mitchell property and preserve it as open space and for recreational fields. The Mitchell property is 27 acres of land on the comer del Pueblo Norte and Caminode la Placita.

At the election in July, Town of Taos residents and property owners soundly rejected the tax, by a negative vote of more than six to one. NP SEC COURSE TITLE CR HR DAY TIME BLDG RM INSTRUCTOR ART HISTORY ITWAyf TArtC S001Z rH 202 HISTORY OF ART II 3 8.00-8.4SPM CAN STEVENS, J. IJilllVI- 1 Alln CORRECTION "DESCRTJ10N.WCSTCRNARTnK>UTHeeARLYBBNAIS&ANCI'TOatPRESSIONI$t( CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY CONST 293T 001 TOPIC. NNOVATHE JEWELRV 3 9M-12MPM CAN CCT NICHOLSON CORRJECnoN TKHNIQUeS THAT CAN BM mi AI UQSTAMYSUALL Wl WTTHSVPLBPAND TOOLS. WUMCLVCVVSfffl CR1UINAL JUSTTgg 50357 293T 001 TOPIC: REPORT WRITING 3 50232 CRWJ 003 TOPIC: COMPUTERS CRH 3 UW DANCE SOJfi Ifi fld FLAUfUCO 2 rg ctHKELun DANCE 268 001 FLAMENCO 3 rR zotseAce VARIOUS ontfRyA.TBVALS PM JUS BURTON.

S. 7.00-aiSPM TEC CR8 CCS 5.30-9.45 PM CAN CCS RIO-FERNANDEZ 50102 7H6fl INTRODUCTION TO THEATER v3 CAW CCS ROSE S. ClaSSeS Added (non-credit) Changes (non-credit) PATTERNS TEND TO REPEAT THEMSELVES UNTIL YOV CE1S CONVERSATIONAL FRENCH 1 CE16 FRENCH 11 CONSCIOUSLY INTERVENE Genevieve de Vellis 751-9675 Genevieve de Vfellis 751-9675 Course fee: $100.00 (5 weeks) Course Fee: 100 W( 5 weeks) Beginning Thursday 23, 1997 at 7:00 p.m, 9:00 p. m. Cost: 15.00 Thursdays January 22 February 19 Thursdays March April 2 at Taos High school Room 209 Register at the UNM Taos Bookstore.