Albuquerque Journal from Albuquerque, New Mexico • Page 29

EST AVWIABUE COPY ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL NEW MEXICO Thursday, July 4, 1996 NMHU Official Files Suit Johnson, Aragon Push For i Funds about May 10 was advised that her contract, which runs until Aug. 31, would not be renewed. It says Sanchez has been told she may not file a grievance. Benita Budd, an assistant to Rael, said Wednesday the school's attorneys have not yet seen the lawsuit and declined to comment. The school also has declined to discuss the details of why Sanchez was suspended.

Las Vegas Police Chief Gilbert Vega said he had not seen the lawsuit either but added that his officers only accompanied the State Police to serve the warrant. Capt. David Osuna, public information officer for the State Police dents Margaret Garza, 4th Judicial District Attorney Luis Juarez, two assistant district attorneys, the city of Las Vegas, the Las Vegas Police Department and several of its officers. The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Albuquerque.

It does not specify monetary damages. It accuses the defendants of unlawful trespass, improperly taking property, violating Sanchez's civil rights, malicious prosecution, damaging her reputation and causing her emotional distress. It says Sanchez, employed at Highlands for 24 years and most recently making $65,000 a year, was suspended without pay April 30 and By Tom Sharpe Journal Northern Bureau A New Mexico Highlands University administrator suspended during an investigation into a racially charged anonymous flier has filed a sweeping lawsuit over two searches of her home in Las Vegas, N.M. Attorney Jim Burke filed the lawsuit on behalf of the suspended director of Highlands' student support services department, Dorothy Sanchez, and her 12-year-old daughter, Lisa Sanchez. Named as defendants are the New Mexico Public Safety Department and five State Police officers, Highlands University, Highlands President Selimo Rael and Dean of Stu threatened school administrators! professors and Anglos.

"Let them believe that we are to (sic) busy fighting with each othet; then when the moment comes, we can mobilize the Mexican to burn the gringos (sic) homes arid families," the flier read, in par. "The gringo does not realize, how violent this community can be- fo outsiders." The flier came in the midst of Student demonstrations against the board of regents' method of selecting Rael as president last August. The protesters contend there should have been a national search. Sanchez has said the police search of her house was in retaliation for her support of the demonstrators. in Santa Fe, said Wednesday he was not aware of the lawsuit and said it would be inappropriate to comment.

"There is a pending criminal investigation concerning Dorothy Sanchez," Osuna said. He said that if investigators recommend charges, they will be handled by the District Attorney or the Attorney General's Office. District Attorney Juarez was in Albuquerque Wednesday and not available for comment. The State Police searched the Sanchez home twice in early May and confiscated several" items as part of an investigation into a flier distributed on campus in April. The flier, called "El Nuevo Mexicano RED, WHITE, BOOM Ready To Have A Blast N.M.

Towns Plan July 4 Parades, Shows, Feasting By John Robertson Journal Staff Writer Gov. Gary Johnson and state Senate President Pro Tern Manny Aragon don't have much in common when it comes to political philosophy, but both have new, high-ticket efforts underway for political fund raising. -The Johnson Victory Club is aimed at retiring the personal debt the Republican governor racked up in his 1994 campaign. It also "would be the (financial) core if, in fact, I did run for re-election," Johnson said recently. Johnson's first term ends in 1998.

Aragon, the powerhouse in the Democratically controlled Senate, said money raised by his President's Partners group will be used to help elect Democratic candidates to the Senate and ensure continuation of a Democratic majority. Aragon also has to stand again for re-election as president pro tern when the new Senate convenes early next year. The senators elect the pro tern. Aragon acknowledged that giving money to fellow Democratic senators' campaigns probably would not hurt his pro tern re-election chances when that votes comes. I would hope not," he said in a recent interview.

Aragon is unopposed in his reelection bid to the Senate itself. The Johnson and Aragon campaigns are continuations of their ongoing fund-raising efforts, but now they're offering new gimmicks, such as memberships. The membership clubs are similar to other New Mexico political fund-raising efforts, such as former Gov. Bruce King's Gold Boot Club and the Bingaman Circle for Sen. Jeff Bingaman, Aragon has maintained a fund in the past to help elect Democratic candidates.

dragon's new fund-raising campaign, assisted by veteran fundraisers Cate Stetson and Judy De Atley of Albuquerque, apparently is more ambitious than Johnson's. Stetson said the goal is to raise $250,000, although Aragon said he's not sure that goal will be reached. Aragon's President's Partners has thrown two fund-raising dinners so far and might have raised about $30,000, Aragon said. The next state public disclosure 4 1 -t 'A hijsi-h StS. fihl-; By Fritz Thompson Journal Staff Writer Three days of cowboy doings in the Moreno Valley and an appearance by Red Ryder in the Cibola County parade are but a few of the Fourth of July celebrations in New Mexico.

A free concert and fireworks show will begin at 7 p.m. today at Aggie Memorial Stadium at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces. The concert features the bands Elvie Jo and Guess Who. Personal fireworks are prohibited, although fuel-fired grills will be permitted in dirt lots near the stadium. Charcoal grills will not be allowed.

Fireworks will be rising from Rattlesnake Island in the middle of Elephant Butte Lake at 9 p.m. Friday. Elephant Butte State Park will not charge entrance fees for those attending the display. In case of inclement weather, the show will be Saturday. The Moreno Valley 5th Annual Cowboy Evenings will be today, Friday and Saturday at Red River.

This evening will feature a dinner and entertainment by the Moreno Valley Cowboy Evening "Regulars." Friday will have an encore performance and a guest appearance by country music singer Lynn Anderson and songwriter Mentor Williams. A barn dance, at $5 a person, is set PAUL BEARCEJOURNAt. Anna Torres of Valley Fireworks on Goff Boulevard in Albuquerque stocks some of the fireworks for sale at the South Valley More than 16,000 pancakes will be served on the plaza in Santa Fe; 25 hot air balloons will rise in Raton for the Santa Fe Trail Balloon Rally, followed by a 9 p.m. fireworks show; bands will play from 10 a.m. to midnight in the Las Vegas Plaza; a carnival will be in Chama and a sailing regatta on Herort Lake; and the Chamber of Commerce in Red River is sponsoring a parade, street games and a watermelon feast.

for Saturday. Further details are available at (505) 754-2769. Dave Saunders, the cowboy and actor who has portrayed the fictional Western hero Red Ryder for more than 35 years, will ride in the GrantsCibola County Fourth of July parade this year. The parade today kicks off the annual Wild West Days at Riverwalk Park in Grants, where visitors can find arts and crafts, games, vendors, entertainment, food and street dancing. About 70 to 80 entries are expected for the parade.

The theme is "Past, Present and Future." Madrid is looking forward to its Fourth of July parade today, a sort of freelance affair that lines up at the south end of town at noon. It's a tradition dating back to the 1920s. Man Nets Probation for Trying To Sell Masks report on both fund raising efforts is due Friday President's Partners offers several levels of participation, Stetson said. People can attend a reception for $250, one of the dinners for $1,000 or buy package deals for multiple events for $500, $1,500 or $2,500. The Johnson Victory Club offers memberships and a minimum of three social events a year for $2,000 a year per couple, said Doug Turner, who assisting the effort.

Johnson advanced his 1994 campaign $442,375 in personal money, said Harold Field, Johnson's campaign treasurer. Some of that money has been paid back to Johnson from previous fund-raisers. Victory Club events had by late May raised $78,600, Field said. The amount still owed to Johnson in late May from his personal loans to the campaign was $124,375, Field said. ing which would in turn sell them to the Chicago collector.

Burnett urged Parker to impose a stfffer sentence on Corrow, while Corrow's attorney, Assistant Public Defender Alonzo Padilla, unsuccessfully argued that a three-year probationary period was more appropriate. Also sentenced Wednesday were Bo Icelar and Jimmy Luman, co-owners of East-West Trading Co. in Santa Fe. The men pleaded guilty April 15 to misdemeanor violations of selling two fans containing golden eagle feathers and knowingly possessing a fan of red-tailed hawk feathers: Parker imposed a $2,000 fine and two-year probation on both. He also ordered $3,920 restitution to be paid by East-West Trading for the felony conviction against the company for offering to sell a medicine bundle made of the head of a sandhill crane, a federally pro- tected bird.

been working to document who made the medicine bundles. "I have more respect for Navajo ceremonialism than over half the people on that reservation," he said. The remarks struck a nerve with Assistant U.S. Attorney Paula Burnett, who prosecuted the case. She called his comments "arrogant" and some of the most offensive she'd ever heard in a courtroom.

"I think it's interesting that Mr. Corrow thinks the best way to protect these items is to send them to Chicago," she said. Her reference was to the proposed sale of the masks to an undercover federal agent who posed as a wealthy collector' wanting to buy the mask collection. Corrow had agreed to sell the collection for $50,000 to a Santa Fe gallery, East-West Trad can't be owned by a single individual particularly one who isn't knowledgeable about sacred practices involving the masks. Corrow was convicted by a jury in April on criminal misdemeanor charges of illegal trafficking in Native American cultural items and illegal possession of items containing feathers of protected bird species.

The 54-year-old Navy veteran has vigorously proclaimed his innocence, and did so again during his sentencing by U.S. District Judge James A. Parker. "We have a conflict of interest between urban Indians and traditional Indians," he said. "We have conflicts between traders and collectors and between ethnographers who've studied Native Americans to death." Corrow, who grew up Episcopalian, said for eight years he's carried in his pocket ajish or medicine bundle and has met or studied with some 80 Navajo medicine men.

He said he has By Scott Sandlin Journal Staff Writer An Anglo convert to Navajo traditional religious practices was sentenced Wednesday to five years probation and 100 hours of community service for trying to sell masks the Navajo hold sacred. The sentencing of Richard Corrow sets the stage for an appeal to the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals to clarify aspects of the Native American Grave Protection and Repatriation Act. Corrow is believed to be the first person in the nation to go to trial under the criminal provisions of the 1990 act, which protects the "cultural patrimony" of Indian tribes in this case, Yei B'Chei masks Corrow purchased from a medicine man's widow for $10,000. The tribe contends they are inalienable cultural property of the tribe or clan and AROUND NEW MEXICO Govs.

Creating 'Virtual' University From Journal staff and wire reports Navajo Leader Mulls Drought Package WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. Navajo President Albert Hale has until next week to decide whether to sign or veto a reservation drought relief The new measure also includes $30,000 for Hale's travel expenses. One reason Hale said he vetoed the original package was its inclusion of $40,000 in council travel money. That appropriation was also included in the second plan. The drought relief package includes funds to repair windmills, earthen dams and irrigation canals; build additional water storage tanks and shallow wells; buy livestock feed; and pay to haul water.

6-year-old sister, occurred between; January 1990 and May 1993 in his- Farmington apartment. In return for Dabbs' pleas, prosecutors dropped two counts of criminal sexual penetration, another charge of criminal sexual contact and a felony failure to appear charge. BLM Lifts Its Own Fire Restrictions The U.S. Bureau of Land Management lifted fire restrictions' on its Albuquerque District public lands Wednesday after nearly two 1 months of special measures imposed because of drought. But the agency said fireworks remain outlawed on those lands.

The district issued a written announcement lifting its May 9 restrictions on federal lands not operated by national park or forest services in 15 New Mexico counties. Fires, stoves and other open- flame heat sources are allowed on those BLM-managed lands, as is smoking, the agency said. tions," Hamlett said. The agreement also requires each state to set up at least one center to advise, assess and counsel students. Hamlett said Eastern New Mexico University already has expressed eagerness to participate.

People like Hamlett, who are developing the virtual university, insist it won't replace traditional "brick-and-mortar" campuses, but it might change the way they do business. For example, he said, students at a New Mexico campus might take classes over the Internet or via television as well as regular classroom courses. "The nature of what goes on within the university will change," Hamlett said, "and those universities that change most quickly to take advantage of the technology will grow. Those that are slow to respond will not." nity centers, where they work," Hamlett said. While students eventually will be able to earn college degrees through the virtual university, the system also will focus on vocational training.

"We're moving to 'What are the competencies you need to move into a particular Hamlett said. "We will move toward assessment of competencies rather than you need to sit in a classroom for a certain amount of time to earn a degree. "It will ultimately be the full range of opportunities. They will start focusing on a couple of vocational areas and a couple of degree areas and evolve it out from that." In signing the agreement, Johnson committed New Mexico to provide an initial contribution of $100,000 or "in-kind contribu By Steve Brewer Journal Staff Writer Gov. Gary Johnson and nine other Western governors have" signed an agreement to create a regional "virtual" university that will allow students to take courses via the Internet.

"We're really trying to design the university of the 21st century," said Bruce Hamlett, executive director of the New Mexico Commission on Higher Education. The network, called the Western Governors University, will provide a way for participating states to keep up with booming growth in student populations and will give people in rural areas easier access. "This will open an incredibly wide range of educational opportunities to people where they live in their homes, in their commu measure similar to one he vetoed last month. The Tribal Council on Monday approved $759,000 for drought relief projects as part of a package that also Hale Doctor Gets 12 Years In Molestation Case AZTEC A judge has handed down a 12-year sentence to a Farmington doctor who fled to Guatemala for 212 years after being accused of molesting two young sisters. Dr.

Thurman C. Dabbs, 67, was sentenced Tuesday. He had pleaded guilty Dec. 20 to four counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor. Dabbs has said the incidents, involving a 9-year-old girl and her included $50,000 in emergency money to Navajo chapters, $352,907 for chapter public employment programs, $119,000 for financial assistance to constituents and $25,000 for employee recognition awards..