Albuquerque Journal from Albuquerque, New Mexico • Page 42

PA D2 ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL Thursday, January 26, 1989 Last-Chance Probation Keeps Teens on Straight and Narrow W4 if 4 X'j The teen-ager had been in trouble with the law in three states, beginning at age 13, before he was accepted into a new Albuquerque program billed as a last chance for repeat juvenile offenders. The youth already had been referred to juvenile authorities 22 times and he had a severe alcohol problem. Though he had been an honors student in the eighth grade elsewhere, he hadn't even entered school after moving to Albuquerque. Now 18, he has become the first person to complete the Juvenile Intensive Probation Supervision program. Although he still must complete a regular probation program, he might otherwise have ended up at the New Mexico Boys School at Springer.

Robert Cleavall, program supervisor, said John in six months completed the court's alcohol education and family counseling programs, obtained his high school equivalency diploma, performed required community service and worked two custodial jobs. Cleavall declined to release the youth's name because much of the information provided about him is not public record. Douglas Mitchell, head of the Juvenile Probation Department, said the intensive probation program is the only one of its kind in the state. It was begun July 1, funded by an $81,000 Department of Corrections grant. Its purpose is to divert repeat juvenile offenders from confinement in the New Mexico Boys and Girls Schools.

Its hallmarks are intense supervision and stringent requirements. "This is truly a last attempt," Mitchell said. "If a kid screws up, he goes to Springer." Cleavall said seven participants failed to complete 'the six-month program and have been confined. Four are on the verge of completion, he said. To get into the program, youths awaiting sentencing must be recommended to a community corrections committee by their probation officers.

A children's judge makes the final decision. Participants must have at least five convictions. Murderers and rapists are not eligible. 1 Once accepted, the youths must participate for 32 hours a week in school, employment, a court-ordered treatment program, supervised community service such as a weed and litter pick-up, or a combination of the above. They also must make restitution to victims and observe curfews that are eased gradually.

They are checked regularly by staff members, whose shifts span the hours of 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Minor violations can result in confinement in the Juvenile Detention Center. The program now serves 24 youths but should be able to handle up to 40 after a new probation, officer is hired Jan.

30. Mitchell estimated the cost at $8,409 per participant, counting money from his regular budget. That compares to a national average of more than $20,000 to confine a juvenile offender, he said. i) MARK HOLM JOURNAL Albuquerque street to meet community service requirements. probation program up trash along an Participants in an intensive for juvenile offenders pick Serving Customers Pays Off for Teen Journal Carrier Wins a Trip to Ireland School Board Sets $6.1 Million Budget For 2 New Schools One carrier for the Journal and one from the Albuquerque Tribune were chosen.

The Journal's run-ners-up were Ginger Matthew Kearns and Dennis Phillips. Julie gets up at 5 a.m. each day and delivers newspapers to 115 homes in her Northeast Heights neighborhood, and 140 homes on Sundays. A junior at La Cueva High School, Julie entered the contest on the advice of her older sister, Debbie, who was a Columbus winner two years ago. Her older brother, Rick, won eight years ago.

"They talked about what a good opportunity it is," Julie said. Contestants had to write essays, solicit letters from their customers and teachers, and answer questions from Journal officials about their routes and current events. Julie impressed the judges with her range of activities: She's a top student, athlete, science fair whiz and volunteer in the University of New Mexico Hospital's pediatrics, ward. By Patricia Gabbett JOURNAL STAFF WRITER Julie Cuddihy doesn't just deliver newspapers; she delivers tradition. Like her brothers and sisters before her, Julie does yardwork for the elderly people on her Albuquerque Journal route, and baby-sits the young ones.

She goes out of her way to make sure her customers get good service, because that's the way the Cuddihys have always done it: Route K1118 has been in her family for about eight years. Like her siblings, Julie has found that it all pays off. She's been named winner of the Journal's Young Columbus contest, with a 10-day trip to Ireland as the prize. Julie, 16, was among more than 750,000 young people around the country competing for the trip, sponsored by Parade Magazine and the Albuquerque Publishing Company. More than 100 winners were tiamed from papers across the country.

180 days a year, as they do now. Navajo and Mary Ann Binford elementary schools will have five groups of students on staggered schedules. At any one time, one of the groups will be on vacation but the calendar allows for a common three-week summer break for all students and staff. Under the staggered schedule, the schools will be open 225 days a year, instead of the 180-day traditional calendar. That will allow the schools to accommodate 25 percent more students than normal.

Duranes Elementary School will be on a single-track system, meaning all students and staff will be on the same schedule. The school will operate 12 weeks at a time, followed by three-weak breaks. Also Wednesday, board members said they were disappointed in the number of minorities the district has hired for administrative jobs. Board members said they would closely monitor the situation, and asked the APS administration to include more minority candidates in the district's hiring pools. "We've gone, in my estimation, nowhere in making affirmative action a priority at the administrative level," said board member Diego Gallegos.

An affirmative action report presented to board members showed that the number of minorities in top administrative positions dropped from 20 to 18 over the past year, and from 19 to 16 among assistant principals. Forty-two percent of the district's 9,159 employees are minorities, but most are in the lower ranks, such as the secretarial, craft and service fields. Board member Ed Marinsek recommended creating more programs to entice more minority students and educational assistants into pursuing college degrees in education to increase the number of minorities in the hiring pools. By Christopher Miller JOURNAL STAFF WRITER The Albuquerque School Board on Wednesday agreed to spend $6.1 million to build two long-awaited elementary schools to ease crowding on the West Side and Northeast Heights. The cost, however, was nearly $2 million more than what the school district had budgeted for the schools.

The new schools will be constructed of portable buildings, but Albuquerque Public Schools of i-. cials said they will be permanent structures and will have many of the same conveniences as brick-and-mortar schools. One school will be built on the West Side just north of 1-40, and the other will be built in the far Northeast Heights just south of Tanoan golf course. They are scheduled to open at the beginning of next school year. David Werner, APS director of facilities, planning and construction, said most of the additional cost was due to adding eight more classrooms to the West Side school, upgrading the schools to satisfy their communities, and inflation.

The schools would have been built of brick and mortar had voters approved the district's proposed property-tax increase last April. Instead, the district obtained the funds for the proposed schools by trimming renovation projects at 12 schools, buying fewer portable classrooms and from unallocated capital-outlay funds. In other business, the board endorsed a year-round calendar developed by staff and parents at three elementary schools that will take part in the year-round pilot program beginning this summer. Under the calendar, students will attend school for 12 weeks at a time, followed by three weeks of vacation. They will attend school JOURNAL Julie Cuddihy poses with papers.

Group Seeks Westland President's Resignation By Mark Lewis liable in federal civil lawsuits for $137,000 in damages to three former Westland stockholders who accused him of securities fraud. Cordova's attorneys have indicated they will ask U.S. District Judge John Conway to overturn the verdict. The council's request for a development moratorium comes just as the state's Congressional delega-i tion prepares to re-introduce legislation to establish a petroglyph national monument. owned by the company for the proposed petroglyph national monument.

Meeting with reporters at the council's headquarters on Bridge Boulevard, Council President Herman Romero said the moratorium should remain in effect until the-Atrisco heirs can democratically plan the future of the remaining grant lands. Westland was created by the Legislature in 1967 as the corporate successor to the Atrisco Land Grant. The company controls about 49,000 acres of what remains of the grant between Coors Boulevard and the Rio Puerco. Reading a statement calling for Cordova's resignation, Romero claimed that the present Westland leadership has forgotten the original corporate mandate which called for the company to manage the Atrisco lands "for the perpetual' benefit of the heirs." The council's statements came five days after Cordova was found JOURNAL CORRESPONDENT An advocacy group for heirs to the Atrisco Land Grant demanded the resignation of Westland Development Co. President Gil Cordova on Wednesday, claiming the management has forgotten the company's duty to heirs.

The Atrisco Land Rights Council also called for a moratorium on all Westland development activities, including the transfer of any land No-Burn Ordinance Extends Through Most of County Restrictions on burning wood after 11 a.m. to find out whether it is The mandatory program has been West Mesa beyond the volcano escarpment. City and county residents who violate the regulation may face fines ranging from $50 to $300 andor 90 days in jail. Under the program, burning wood is prohibited on calm nights when wind does not disperse the pollution. Residents can call 768-4731 implemented because Albuquerque continues to violate federal air standards for carbon monoxide.

The program will continue through Feb. 28. Approximately one-third of the carbon monoxide found on winter evenings is derived from the burning of wood. have been extended to most of unincorporated Bernalillo County. As of Monday, the city-county no-burn program was expanded to cover the North and South valleys as well as the far Northeast Heights.

The only parts of the county not affected are the East Mountain area and the undeveloped a no-burn night. Scott Stapp, a scientist with the Environmental Health Department, said the department starting patrolling the county area Monday night and only found six violations. First-time offenders are only issued warnings, but subsequent violations may result in citations, Stapp said. Missing Evidence Snarls Candelaria's Defense By Susanne Burks IGEST JOURNAL STAFF WRITER Police Search for Transient Albuquerque police were searching Wednesday for a transient suspected in the severe beating of a 17-year-old University of New Mexico student. Wadada Va Son, a University area transient, is being sought in connection with the beating, sexual assault and attempted murder of the woman, said Albu- miprrmp Pnlire De auto parts store minutes before McWethy was shot.

It deadlocked on the murder charge, leading to a mistrial. Ashby has scheduled the second trial for March 7. Mitchell, of Ruidoso, said he doesn't believe the latest hitch will delay the trial. "We want to go to trial in March," he said. Mitchell said, however, that he and Blackburn need to submit for their appeal the material introduced in previous hearings on moving the case.

He said the material includes a consultant's report and newspaper clippings, television videotapes and radio tapes about the case. Gloria Coleman, supervisor of the division that stores court exhibits, confirmed that her staff cannot find the exhibits Candelaria's attorneys need. She said she must review the court file to determine when the exhibits were checked in and checked out. She also acknowledged that the exhibits could be misfiled in the storeroom. The case has been plagued by numerous other delays and problems, including several appeals and a heart attack suffered by Judge H.

Richard Blackhurst during the Las Cruces trial. Va Son is described as about 5 feet 9 inches tall, weighing about 140 pounds with a thin build. He wears a light beard and his hair in small locks. His right hand is deformed by a burn mark in the center. He is believed to be a Rastafarian, a black Jamaican religious cult.

The man is wanted on charges of aggravated battery, attempted murder and criminal sexual penetration, Mescall said. Man Guilty of Manslaughter A 42-year-old Albuquerque man has bee convicted of voluntary manslaughter in the July 31 shooting death of his neighbor. A state District Court jury convicted Raymond Avalos after deliberating about six hours at the end of a five-day trial. State District Judge Gerard Thomson scheduled sentencing for Feb. 20.

Avalos faces a standard sentence of three years. According to trial evidence, Telesfor Apoda-ca and his wife were driving on a ditchbank road in the South Valley when their vehicle was blocked by Avalos' truck. An argument that had begun the night before resumed and Apodaca, 59, was fatally shot. Assistant District Attorneys Charles Brown deliberate" first-degree murder. Defense attorney David Norvell tried to show self-defense, claiming Apodaca said he was going to get a gun from his car.

Voluntary manslaughter implies provocation. Plouse Prosecution Appealed A defense attorney is appealing a judge's order that 16-year-old Christopher Plouse be prosecuted as an adult in the 1988 slayings of a Paradise Hills couple. Albuquerque attorney Billy Blackburn said he filed an appeal almost two weeks ago in the state Court of Appeals and on Monday obtained an order halting all proceedings in state District Court. Plouse, of Rio Rancho, was charged last February in Children's Court in the deaths of Karen and Peter Overhand. State District Judge W.

John Brennan in December ordered, after holding two hearings, that Plouse be prosecuted as an adult. Blackburn said he will claim on appeal that Plouse was forced to waive his constitutional right against self-incrimination to talk to a state psychologist before Brennan's hearings. Blackburn said another issue will be whether a statement Plouse made to police was legally admissible in the hearings. A new hitch has developed in the much-delayed case of Vincent Paul Candelaria, who is accused of murdering police officer Kenneth Shawn McWethy almost three years ago. The problem is that evidence needed by defense attorneys for an appeal cannot be found.

The defense wants to appeal state District Judge Philip Ashby's Jan. 5 ruling to transfer the case from Las Cruces back to Albuquerque. Attorneys Billy Blackburn and Gary Mitchell said Wednesday they need exhibits from 1986 and 1988 hearings to submit to the state Supreme Court with their request that Ashby be barred from moving-the case. Candelaria, 36, is charged with first-degree murder in the Feb. 1, 1986, shooting of McWethy and faces the death penalty if convicted.

McWethy, 23, was shot as he sat in his patrol car near a South Broadway alley. Candelaria was tried last spring in Las Cruces after the case was moved because of pre-trial publicity. The jury convicted him of armed robbery in the hold-up of an partment spokes- -jLjft Mescall. Wadada Va Son Mescall said Va Son, in his late 30s or early 40s, is "capable of extreme violence and is believed to be mentally ill." The student was found unconscious in her Grand Avenue apartment Dec. 8 by her mother, who called police after no one answered the door.

Police forced their way inside and found the woman lying on the floor, severely beaten about the head. The woman was reported in serious but stable condition at Presbyterian Hospital Wednesday. and Art Weidemann tried to prove "willful and.