Carlsbad Current-Argus from Carlsbad, New Mexico • 3

oca: Ccrlcbcd Currcnt-Arqus .1 WO bii )0 I fi i it i- -i HiLWC ui al io jfi i 1 1 (Ji i Officer Montez plans to return to work this Monday limit wants to was in complete command of his faculties." He said he had one more interview to complete and had to get the information typed and delivered to the Fifth Judicial District Attorney's office for review before District Attorney Tom Rutledge would sign off on the justifiable homicide determination. McCandless estimated Friday that might happen by today, but said Tuesday it may take longer. "It's in line to be typed," McCandless said of the transcripts, adding his secretary is out of town on vacation, and the information has been sent to the Artesia office for processing. It now is behind a detailed case in that city, he said. "It's not going as fast as I had hoped," he said of the transcribing.

less, who heads up an investigation into Montez's use of deadly force. McCandless said Tuesday the investigation has wound down to "house cleaning, minor stuff." He said, some evidence of the incident has been and may be sent to the state crime lab, listing spent bullets as an example. Burkham's body had been sent for autopsy, as well. And, McCandless said, investigators subjected Montez to a blood and breath test following the shooting. While the breath test is immediate, blood analysis takes time.

"It's all incidental," McCandless said. "In this kind of shooting, you want to absolutely prove the officer BY TERESA LAMB RIGHT CURRENT- AR CCS STAFF WRITER LOVING The Eddy County Sheriffs Office is "23 percent" finished with its investigation into a police-related fatal shooting Friday morning in Loving, and the indication remains justifiable homicide. Loving Police officer Ruben Montez fatally shot Thomas Wavne Burkham, 24, of 407 S. Sixth about 12:30 a.m. Friday at the deceased's home.

Montez had been dispatched there in response to a 911 call from Burkham's mother and sister, and reportedly found Burkham armed with a .22 caliber The officer reportedly told investigating officers he feared for his life, and fired upon an advancing Burkham. Montez had been removed from duty and provided by the Village with a psychiatric evaluation following the incident. He is scheduled to go back on duty Monday, according to Loving Mayor Miranda Darcy, and the Loving Village government is backing Montez "definitely, 100 percent" pending the investigation's final results. "Ninety-eight percent of the case i3 done and I have not changed in my opinion," said Sheriffs Office Chief of Detectives Gary McCand Into the soil Little argus spending in race SANTA FE (AP) Carcl Miller, the Green Party nominee for New Mexico's vacant 3rd Congressional District seat, called Tuesday for candidates to voluntarily limit their campaign spending to $100,000. But Democratic Party candidate Eric Serna won't adhere to Miller's proposed spending restriction.

Miller of Ojo Sarco proposed the spending limit at a news conference. "We must make it less expensive to run for office," she said. "We need representatives that are not in debt to big money and Epecial interests before they even take the oath of office." But David Dougherty, a spokesman for Ser-na's campaign, said: "We're not going to disarm unilaterally to begin with. In this case, imposing this sort of a lid at this late juncture would really sap us of our ability to communicate with the voters in the way we need to." Republican candidate Bill Redmond of Los Alamos did not immediately return a call to his campaign office seeking comment on the spending limit proposal. There are eight candidates running in the congressional race, which will be decided in a May 13 special election.

The seat became vacant with the resignation of Democrat Bill Richardson, who was named U.S. ambassador to the United Nations by President Clinton. Miller said her campaign has raised about $15,000 during the past two weeks, with about half coming from cash donations and the rest so-called in-kind contributions of goods and services. She suggested that $100,000 should be enough to cover expenses in the two-month campaign and said the congressional race could serve as a test for federal campaign finance reforms under consideration in Congress. Other candidates in the race are Ed Nagel of Santa Fe, Libertarian Party; Daniel Pearl- UJS.

Potash plans reunion for Saturday mi CARLSBAD U.S. Potash will host a re- union rrom 1-4 p.m. Saturday at iiiz in. Mesa Street. For more information, call Margie Loman at 885-9580.

Program to offer Hepatitis shots CARLSBAD The High School Phoenix Program will offer a Hepatitis man, ot Taos, Ketorm rarty; ana tnree write-in candidates, John Bishop of Santa Fe; Orlin Cole of Albuquerque; Michael Guss of Taos. Carlsbad history Vrf-V-' The two state senators who represent Eddy County in Santa Fe said today they believe the $1,495 billion state budget approved by the 1937 Legislature is too big. State Sens. Marvin Watts, R-Eddy, and Budd Hebert, M-Eddy-Chaves, both made their comments at today's Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce promotional breakfast at the Holiday Inn. "I think we spent too much money," Watte said, adding that the state budget is "too high for the amount of revenue thaf out there to put into state government." The superintendent of Carlsbad Caverns and Guadalupe Mountains national parks said today that he is pleased with the way visitors reacted Wednesday to the charging of a 50-cent fee for radio receivers for Cavern tours.

Wednesday was the first day the rental fee was in effect, and nearly two-thirds of visitors paid to rent the radio receivers more than the 50 percent figure for which parks superintendent Richard B. Smith was hoping. 4 Immunization Clinic on April 8 at the high school campus. This will give students the opportunity to obtain this suggested immunization at their school site. The objective is to help parents so they will not need to take time off from work to accomplish this matter and to expedite the process, keeping students in school and close to their school schedule.

The vaccines will be administered from a.m. by nurses from the Eddy County Health Office. The immunizations are free of charge and the parent need not be in attendance. The proper paperwork has been sent home with the students who qualify as meeting the age guidelines, (i.e., students who have completed the series of three shots prior to their 19th birthday and the deadline of October 1, 1997). The information packet should be signed and returned to the school nurse as soon as possible.

Parental cooperation is needed and appreciated. Those who do not wish to participate in this clinic, may receive immunizations at the local health office. For additional information call Peggy Townsend, R.N. or Re-gina Rodriquez, N.A. at 887-3511.

Registration begins for Senior Olympics CARLSBAD Anyone age 50 and over interested in competing in the local Senior Olympic competition needs to register by Monday. There is a wide range of events to select from. Registration fee is $5. Register at 506 E. Center.

This year participants are encouraged to have an entry for the opening parade on Monday. The parade will begin at 4:30 p.m. Entrants must contact the local coordinator for an entry form. A prize will be awarded to this year's top entrant. For more information, contact Darlene or Carolyn at 887-3939.

Crime Stoppers requests information SOCORRO On March 29, 1997, at approximately 9 a.m., the New Mexico State Police responded to a murder approximately five miles west of Socorro on U.S. 60. The victim's body was discovered by a passerby in a parking area of a shrine of Saint Jude. The victim, a 50-year-old, was identified at Pete Lopez, a resident of Socorro. Lopez was last seen alive in the Socorro area between the hours of midnight and 5 a.m.

on March 29, 1997. The subsequent investigation revealed Lopez had been shot numerous times. New Mexico Crime Stoppers Commission is offering up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest(s) of the person(s) responsible. If you have such information, please call the 24-hour hotline number at 1-800-432-6933. New Mexico Crime Stoppers Commission guarantees your anonymity.

Planning, zoning commission to meet CARLSBAD The Carlsbad Planning and Zoning Commission will hold its regularly scheduled meeting at 5 p.m. Monday, April 7, at the Carlsbad Municipal Building. The commission will consider a special use permit to sell trees by Phillip McCul-lough and will discuss the Prairie View Subdivision, located three miles south of the city limits at Chapman Road on Old Cavern Highway. Festival needs food, game booths CARLSBAD Food and game booths are needed for Cinco De Mayo with Fiesta Village to be celebrated at Riverwalk Recreation Center May 3. Call Rita at 885-7941 or Riverwalk at 887-2702 to reserve a slot.

1 1- April 2, 1972 Police were called to the Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant by Bill King, reporting a burglary. Investigating officers found the top hinge broken on the freezer compartment and where the door was left hanging by the lower hinge. Seven boxes of biscuits and one box of pecan pies were taken. Two subjects were arrested in the vicinity of the crime and admitted taking the food. All except some of the pecan pies were recovered.

A rash of BB gun vandalism broke out In Carlsbad. Four cases were reported to police. All four are thought to have occurred on Thursday night. Each instance involved the breakage of car door windows with the total amount of damage set at $280. -X-.

2, 1947 Liens against more than 300 pieces of property on which the street maintenance tax for 1946 was not paid were to be filed today at the county clerk's office by the City of Carlsbad. City Clerk E.A. Roberts said the delinquent assessments represented approximately $2,200 due the city. Street maintenance assessments for 1946 totaled 1 6,567, city records show. Current-Argus photoAlfred J.

Hernandez Sara Kiesau, left, helps her mother Nancy plant verbena In the flower bed in their Carlsbad home's front yard on Tuesday afternoon. Former LANL mployes Jury rales aseins technology. His attorney said Trujillo was targeted because he testified against the lab on behalf of a colleague and built political connections. But lab attorneys said nobody was buying the technology Trujillo was pitching. Chuck Montano, leader of a Hispanic employees rights group at the lab and still a LANL employee, said the six-man, six-woman jury reflected the biases of society at large.

The jury included one Indian, two blacks, two Hispanirs and seven Anglos. "Henry Atwater was not treated fairly (by the lab). The jury recognized that," Montano said. But ho added: "We have four other plaintiffs here, of Hifpanic descent, that were treated unfairly. The jury failed to recognize that.

I think that's very unfair." Jurors spent the last month hror-ing the first five cases, among 102 workers who sued after being 1 off. About 254 workers v.ero let about 250 others took a try severance package. worked at the lab 15 years. Her attorney said she had represented Hispanic workers at the lab and had complained to lab director Sig Hecker about the lack of minorities being promoted. The UC's attorney compared Jacquez to the kid on a playground waiting to be chosen for a basketball game.

Besides Atwater and Ms. Jacquez, the plaintiffs were: Jerry Leyba, a instrument calibrator with 10 years' LANL experience. Leyba's evaluations had been excellent, but his supervisor targeted him possibly for personal reasons, said his attorney. The defendants said Leyba did substandard work. Miehael Area, an internal auditor for 15 years who had gone to the DOE's Inspector General to disclose wrongdoing before being laid off.

His attorney said Arcs' supervisor was furtiua to learn of his actions. The UC attorney paid the people who gave Area low rankings didn't even know about his whis-tlo-blowing. Manny Trujillo, a 10-year lab veteran who was trying to se'i iJVNL'a environmental restoration tist. UC attorneys had said Atwater was doing mostly obsolete work. Lab spokesman James Rickman said the verdict was, overall, a victory for the lab.

The lab had said all along that the reduction in force was enacted fairly, reasonably and legally," Rickman said. When the verdicts were read, some of the ex-employees and their families wept. Spectators, hugging and sobbing, filled the hallways at the courthouse afterward. "We were fighting for people's rights good luck," plaintiff Evelyn Jacqucz said sarcastically. Jacquez of La Mesita, near Es-panola, said jurors apparently ignored testimony that tho lab had a $G3 million surplus that "could have kept us employed five more years." "They didn't hoar the whole pto-ry.

They heard lies from the lab," phe said. "We lout everything. When you've ln.nt everything, yon have nothing more to lone," nhe said. "Wo have nothing tut the truth on our side." Ms. Jncquez had been a human resource rwrin1int who had ALBUQUERQUE (AP) A jury on Tuesday ruled against four former Los Alamos National Laboratory employees who claimed they were improperly laid off but ruled in favor of one physicist who was awarded $481,511 in damages.

The five ex-employees had alleged breach of contract when they were let go in November 1995 during the nuclear laboratory's larg-est-ever post-Cold War round of layoffs. Only nuclear physicist Henry At-water prevailed Tuesday. Jurors found the lab had failed to negotiate in good faith with Atwater. But the scientist said he was not happy with the outcome. He said the other employees had been clear victims of ethnic bias by the lab and that he was the only non-Hispanic among the plaintiffs.

"This is no victory," he naid. "Everybody Iopch, There arc four Ilisp'inics who have nothing. I've lived here 29 years. There's too much racism in northern New Mexico, rind this won't he the end of it Atwater had worked et tlu lab for 30 years. Hi lawyer paid he was replaced with younger pcien- LITTLE ARGUS NOTE: All information submit-tod to tho Littlo Argus must be received In wriiinj with a contact nnmo and phono number.

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