The Albuquerque Tribune (Albuquerque, NM) articles from January 2000

The Albuquerque Tribune (Albuquerque, NM) archives from January 2000

AG to hold off legal action against Pojoaque.
January 31, 2000... Byline: Gilbert Gallegos GGALLEGOS@abqtrib.com / 823-3670 Madrid says she'll postpone steps to punish pueblos for delinquent payments SANTA FE State Attorney General Patricia Madrid said today she is disappointed that Pojoaque...

Adela Martinez, who wouldn't budge for center, dies at age 80.
January 31, 2000... Byline: Frank Zoretich fzoretich@abqtrib.com / 823-3623 Adela Martinez, the Albuquerque woman whose refusal to move out of her home forced the National Hispanic Cultural Center to build around it, died on Saturday, friends said. She was...

Respected teacher goes on trial.
January 31, 2000... Byline: Leslie Hoffman LHOFFMAN@ABQTRIB.COM / 823-3610 Zuni Elementary School colleagues regard Larry Lethem, accused of molesting three students, as a gentle, caring man. Colleagues, friends and neighbors describe Larry Lethem as a...

House speake rjoins movement against laser.
January 31, 2000... Byline: Lawrence Spohn lspohn@abqtrib.com / 823-3611 One of New Mexico's top political leaders is joining a chorus of critics finding fault with the country's biggest nuclear weapons project, a troubled California fusion laser. ...

Trying to make the right decision for children.
January 31, 2000... Byline: Leslie Hoffman LHOFFMAN@ABQTRIB.COM / 823-3610 Interview With... SUSAN ALKEMA Susan Alkema is not afraid to send a kid to jail. But she's not afraid to release one, either. And the decision she must make between the two...

State panel wants independent inspection of Tingley roof.
January 31, 2000... Byline: Ollie Reed Jr. oreed@abqtrib.com / 823-3619 Members of the state Construction Industries Commission are determined to keep on top of the new roof on Tingley Coliseum. John Hoffman, chairman of the nine-member panel, said the...

Albuquerque pedestrian killed in crash.(Local News)
January 31, 2000... Byline: Staff and wire reports IN BRIEF A 22-year-old Albuquerque woman was expected to be arraigned today on a vehicular homicide charge in connection with the death of a pedestrian early Sunday morning on a Northeast Heights...

Council violated Open Meetings Act, FOG says.(Local News)
January 31, 2000... Byline: Kate Nash KNASH@ABQTRIB.COM / 823-3602 A local advocate contends that five councilors obstructed the law when they signed a letter proposing a catering contract. An attempt Friday by five Albuquerque city councilors to help...

Wintry roads and white knuckles grip metro area.(Local News)
January 31, 2000... Byline: Jason Gibbs jgibbs@abqtrib.com / 823-3625 Albuquerque slid into a new workweek today as commuters navigated snow-slickened streets across the city. The short-lived morning snowstorm cleared out of the city by midday, making...

N.M. will secede to new nation, prof says.
January 31, 2000... Byline: Frank Zoretich fzoretich@abqtrib.com / 823-3623 Charles Truxillo, a professor of Chicano studies at the University of New Mexico, suggests "Republica del Norte" would be a good name for a new, sovereign Hispanic nation he...

Gaming panel dumps Sandia from program.
January 31, 2000... Byline: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS A national gaming panel has dropped Sandia Pueblo's gambling commission from a program designed to speed up the licensing of casino workers because of the way tribal officials handled employee criminal...

Brokers have faith in local commercial market.(Business)
January 31, 2000... Byline: Real Estate By Nancy Salem NSALEM@ABQTRIB.COM / 823-3675 Commercial real estate brokers at CB Richard Ellis say Albuquerque has the potential to exceed gloomy job-growth expectations and bring about economic expansion in the year...

First State sees record earnings.(Business)
January 31, 2000... Byline: Tribune staff PUBLIC COMPANY BRIEFS First State Bancorporation is aiming to become the state's biggest New Mexico-based bank holding company. "We've gone neck-and-neck with Los Alamos National Bank," said Pat Dee, chief...

Business almanac.(Business)
January 31, 2000... ARCHITECTURE Annelle Darby has joined Dekker/Perich/Sabatini where she will be responsible for architectural project management. Darby has 25 years of experience in architectural design and is a past president of the American...

Sunport traffic rises, with Southwest as No. 1 carrier.(Business)
January 31, 2000... Byline: TRIBUNE STAFF The Albuquerque International Sunport finished the year with an increase in traffic of 1.9 percent over last year, handling 6,263,804 passengers in 1999. "The Sunport ended 1999 with a healthy increase...

Frustrated doctors think of leaving.(Business)
January 31, 2000... Byline: Tribune staff WEEK'S TOP STORIES One-fifth of a random sampling of New Mexico doctors are frustrated enough to think seriously about leaving their practices, and their professional organizations are calling on the Legislature...

Tourism budget cut looms.(Business)
January 31, 2000... Byline: Sue Vorenberg svorenberg@abqtrib.com / 823-3678 Two bills before the Legislature would add $4.9 million to the state Tourism Department's advertising budget, but the Legislative Finance Committee has recommended a $258,000 cut in...

Cyco.net merged, ready to go.(Business)
January 31, 2000... Byline: Dan Mayfield DMAYFIELD@ABQTRIB.COM / 823-3620 After being bucked last summer from the Pink Sheets exchange, Albuquerque-based Cyco.net is ready to get back on the horse. Cyco.net merged with a company called A.V.E. Inc.,...

Business bills.(Business)
January 31, 2000... Byline: Sherry Robinson srobinson@abqtrib.com / 823-3632 LEGISLATURE 2000 Business people who traveled to Santa Fe for the annual Business Day at the Legislature last week got scorched by rhetorical heat from the podium. It was a...

Intel adds Web site and adopts database to diversify suppliers.(Business)
January 31, 2000... Byline: Small business By Dan Mayfield DMAYFIELD@ABQTRIB.COM / 823-3620 Intel Corp. is encouraging more women- and minority-owned businesses to become suppliers for the computer-chip company. Intel has created a Web site and will...

Shop talk.(Business)
January 31, 2000... Byline: Dan Mayfield Eliya Marin Title: Owner, but I give myself operations director as the title. Company: Web Galleries, a Web page design and multimedia company in Rio Rancho. Number of employees: 11 full time, two...

'Matchmaker' lines up alliances between clients and tech support.(Business)
January 31, 2000... Byline: START-UPS By Dan Mayfield A small business can't survive without a computer system. Many need Internet connections, Web sites and giant internal networks to communicate. But it's hard for a small business to take on...

Brooks Photo will close Feb. 29.(Business)
January 31, 2000... Byline: Dan Mayfield DMAYFIELD@ABQTRIB.COM / 832-3620 Brooks Photo is closing after 66 years of business on Edith Boulevard in Martineztown, President Karen Brooks said today. The store, with nine employees, will close on Feb. 29....

Now, now, Roundhouse boys, don't make me call your mothers.(Business)
January 31, 2000... Byline: PLANET BUSINESS By Sherry Robinson Business Day at the Legislature was a pretty unsettling movie this year. We watched, stunned and chagrined, as our governor, Senate president and House speaker slipped to new lows in public...

LATA spins off information division.(Business)
January 31, 2000... Byline: Tribune staff IN BRIEF Los Alamos Technical Associates Inc. is spinning off its LATA IT division and merging it with Minkus & Dune Communications' ArakNet Communications division to create ITQ LATA LLC. The technical...

Site seeing.(Business)
January 31, 2000... Byline: Sue Vorenberg Company: Symtezzi LLC Web address: www.symtezzi.com Architecture: Navigation and access is easy through frames and links to short, well-organized text blocks. Links on the site go both vertically and...

Santa Fe Web designer earns raves for providing 24-7 support service.(Business)
January 31, 2000... Byline: Sue Vorenberg svorenberg@abqtrib.com / 823-3678 Web development companies are popping up across the state, specializing in everything from design to database programming to customer support. Symtezzi LLC, a Santa Fe-based...

High-tech incubation.(Business)
January 31, 2000... Byline: Sue Vorenberg svorenberg@abqtrib.com / 823-3678 Lovelace's Business Technology Group provides equipment, expertise and other forms of support to cutting-edge start-ups that may have good ideas but lack business savvy and...

Lobo women looking at mediocre finish in MWC.(Sports)
January 31, 2000... Byline: Brad Moore bmoore@abqtrib.com / 823-3679 At this point in the season, Lobo coach Don Flanagan expected his team to be in the fast lane, racing toward Mountain West Conference supremacy. But with only nine regular-season...

READY TO REPEAT.(Sports)
January 31, 2000... Byline: Edgar Thompson ethompson@abqtrib.com / 823-3614 With memories of Tucson dancing in their heads, the upbeat Lobos believe they can win anywhere, including tonight in Salt Lake City SALT LAKE CITY How many road miracles can...

Unser finishes 25th in IRL debut.(Sports)
January 31, 2000... Byline: Staff and wire reports UPDATE Al Unser Jr.'s debut in the Indy Racing League series had the makings of a great comeback but ended when his engine let go only 64 laps into the 200-lap race. He finished 25th in the 26-car...

Lobos are on the ball as they head to Arizona.(Sports)
January 31, 2000... Byline: STAFF REPORTS The University of New Mexico baseball team will take a head of steam into this weekend's three-game series against the University of Arizona. The Lobos and Wildcats will play single games Thursday-Saturday in...

Albuquerque's Jenkins makes game-saving call.(Sports)
January 31, 2000... Byline: John O'Rourke ATLANTA The drama ended in the sure hands of Mike Jones, which pulled Kevin Dyson to the turf with maybe 6 inches of space between football and goal line and the clock showing zeros. That's how history will...

Compact negotiations down to 7 tribes.
January 31, 2000... Byline: Gilbert Gallegos GGALLEGOS@abqtrib.com / 823-3670 Pojoaque pueblois the fifth tribe to abandon gambling agreements SANTA FE The split among New Mexico's gaming tribes leaves the Legislature to negotiate with just the seven...

Light snow greets some commuters in city.(Local News)
January 31, 2000... Byline: Staff and wire reports IN BRIEF Albuquerque commuters were welcomed to a new week by a few light snow showers and early morning fog in some portions of the city, especially the East Mountain area, today. Those conditions were...

Council looks to dish out caterer compromise.(Local News)
January 31, 2000... Byline: Kate Nash KNASH@ABQTRIB.COM / 823-3602 Tonight's special City Council meeting will either end in a catering compromise or create more contention over who will serve food at the Albuquerque Convention Center. Either way,...

Physicist calls NIF project too feeble to make energy.(Local News)
January 31, 2000... Byline: Lawrence Spohn Los Alamos fusion physicist Leo Mascheroni has been one the most vocal and consistent critics of the National Ignition Facility, which he insists will never live up to its name. In a 21-page analysis delivered...

Plan to staff county stations with city firefighters moves on.(Local News)
January 31, 2000... Byline: Kate Nash knash@abqtrib.com / 823-3602 A plan to staff two county fire stations with city firefighters has moved up a rung on the governmental ladder. The Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Government Commission voted 6-2 to...

Suspect in robberies set for arraignment.(Local News)
January 31, 2000... Byline: Staff and wire reports IN BRIEF A suspect connected to at least five armed robberies at Northeast and Southeast Heights businesses this month is behind bars today. Paul Acosta, 35, was expected to be arraigned today on...

Avalos attorneys to open their case on Tuesday.(Local News)
January 31, 2000... Byline: Staff and wire reports IN BRIEF Attorneys for murder suspect Jesse Avalos Jr. are expected to begin their case Tuesday after prosecutors wrap up their case with testimony from jailhouse witnesses and the state crime lab. ...

National commission drops Sandia Pueblo.(Local News)
January 31, 2000... Byline: Staff and wire reports IN BRIEF A national gaming panel has dropped Sandia Pueblo's gambling commission from a program designed to speed up the licensing of casino workers because of the way tribal officials handled employee...

Commission votes 6-2 for change in fire stations.(Local News)
January 31, 2000... Byline: Staff and wire reports IN BRIEF A plan to staff two county fire stations with city firefighters has moved up a rung on the governmental ladder. The Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Government Commission voted 6-2 to approve...

AT A GLANCE.(Local News)
January 31, 2000... Byline: Staff and wire reports IN BRIEF Crash injures teens in Rio Rancho: Three teen-agers were slightly injured in a Sunday-evening automobile crash in Rio Rancho, a spokesman for that city's Department of Public Service said....

Scorps whip Lubbock, tie for first.(Sports)
January 31, 2000... Byline: Staff and wire reports UPDATE The New Mexico Scorpions pulled into a first-place tie with Lubbock in the WPHL Western Division with a come-from-behind, 5-2 win over the Cotton Kings on Saturday at Tingley Coliseum. Both...

AT A GLANCE.(Sports)
January 31, 2000... Byline: Staff and wire reports UPDATE Chadron State 95, Highlands 79: Otis Frazier scored 38 points and grabbed a team-high seven rebounds to lead Chadron State to a victory Saturday over New Mexico Highlands at Las Vegas, N.M. For...

Automobile crash injures 3 in Rio Rancho.(Local News)
January 31, 2000... Byline: Staff and wire reports Three teen-agers were slightly injured in a Sunday-evening automobile crash in Rio Rancho, a spokesman for that city's Department of Public Service said. Detective John Francis said the crash occurred...

Gas tank explosion kills Four Corners teen.(Local News)
January 31, 2000... Byline: Staff and wire reports IN BRIEF FLORA VISTA A gas tank explosion that killed one teen-ager and critically injured another was apparently caused when one of the boys threw a lighter into the 12,000-gallon tank, police said....

AT A GLANCE.(Local News)
January 31, 2000... Byline: Staff and wire reports IN BRIEF Rape crisis center opens training sessions: The Albuquerque Rape Crisis Center will begin a three-week training session for new volunteers Tuesday. To volunteer you must be 18 years old with...

AT A GLANCE.(Local News)
January 31, 2000... Byline: Staff and wire reports IN BRIEF New Johnson appointees: Recent appointments to the state's Economic Development Commission have been announced. They include: George Rivera, lieutenant governor of Pojoaque Pueblo, Patricia...

PNM says 1999 was a good year.(Business)
January 31, 2000... Byline: Tribune staff PUBLIC COMPANY BRIEFS Public Service Company of New Mexico posted net income for the year of $83.2 million, or $2.01 a share on operating revenues of $1.16 billion. This compares with earnings of $82.7 million,...

Sterba to return to PNM from Maryland.(Business)
January 31, 2000... Byline: Tribune staff WEEK'S TOP STORIES Public Service Company of New Mexico will welcome Jeffry Sterba back to the fold president and heir apparent to Ben Montoya, chairman, president and CEO. After 21 years with the company,...

Take a virtual Roundhouse tour.(Business)
January 31, 2000... Byline: Tribune staff IN BRIEF For those who want to see the Roundhouse without the horror of leaving their computer terminals, Xynergy Interactive of New Mexico has introduced a virtual tour of the state Capitol. See the...

PRC approves TNP utility acquisition.(Business)
January 31, 2000... Byline: Tribune staff IN BRIEF The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission approved the acquisition of TNP Enterprises Inc. by a private investor group. TNP is the holding company for Texas-New Mexico Power Co. The Public...

Fate steals another teen's life.
January 29, 2000... Byline: Joline Gutierrez Krueger jglenn@abqtrib.com / 823-3603 Funeral services were scheduled today for Manoa Jojola, 18, killed in a car crash Thursday night.An Albuquerque Academy senior was at the wrong place at the wrong time,...

From the Bulldogs to the Big Time.
January 29, 2000... Byline: Jason Gibbs jgibbs@abqtrib.com / 823-3625 City and police department employees, including Mayor Jim Baca, signed a good-luck card that Patricia French plans to give to her nephew, St. Louis Rams safety Billy Jenkins. Billy...

Slot talk dumps more pressure on gaming compacts.
January 29, 2000... Byline: Gilbert Gallegos ggallegos@abqtrib.com / 823-3670 LEGISLATURE 2000 Senators consider expanding gambling around the state to compete with tribal casinos. SANTA FE The pressure to agree on new Indian gaming compacts is...

Tense City Hall relationships have bigger tests ahead.
January 29, 2000... Byline: Kate Nash KNASH@ABQTRIB.COM / 823-3602 Communication. Most Albuquerque city councilors say it's the one thing that could repair a rocky relationship between themselves and Mayor Jim Baca. But in a week when disputes over...

Hydrologist: East Mountain aquifer claims are 'bogus'.
January 29, 2000... Byline: Lawrence Spohn lspohn@abqtrib.com / 823-3611 An East Mountain development company's claim that it has discovered a new aquifer east of the Sandia Mountains capable of supplying a large city with water "is completely bogus," said...

Waves of illegal immigrants caught.(Local News)
January 29, 2000... Byline: Staff and wire reports IN BRIEF At least 150 illegal immigrants have been apprehended during a week of traffic stops in New Mexico. The Bernalillo County Sheriff's Department pulled over a pickup truck near the Tijeras...

Casino at the Downs ends paycheck promotion.(Local News)
January 29, 2000... Byline: Ollie Reed Jr. oreed@abqtrib.com / 823-3619 A New Mexico Gaming Control Board official said she asked The Downs at Albuquerque casino to reconsider a promotion she considers contradictory to responsible gaming. Janet Jessup,...

Caterer compromise smells fishy to some city councilors.(Local News)
January 29, 2000... Byline: Kate Nash KNASH@ABQTRIB.COM / 823-3602 Five Albuquerque City Councilors are proposing a solution to get them out of the politically driven dilemma over who will cater upcoming events at the Convention Center. But the plan...

Mesa Del Sol Amphitheater scheduled to open in June.
January 29, 2000... Byline: Leanne Potts lpotts@abqtrib.com / 823-3676 IN BRIEF After years of talk, the Mesa Del Sol Amphitheater is finally becoming a reality. Construction has begun on the state-of-the-art, 8,400-seat concert site which will be...

Legislature, tribes lay out their sides of compact impasse.
January 29, 2000... Byline: Gilbert Gallegos ggallegos@abqtrib.com / 823-3670 2000 LEGISLATURE SANTA FE If the Legislature and Indian gaming tribes don't resolve their differences soon, more controversy and political fallout is likely to follow. ...

Parks get paper support.
January 29, 2000... Byline: Staff and wire reports ROUNDHOUSE ROUNDUP 2000 LEGISLATURE It's the "Year of State Parks" as long as lawmakers approve the money to keep them open after March. Gov. Gary Johnson on Friday issued a proclamation making...

Legislature snagged in bottleneck due to cash shortage, failed overrides.
January 29, 2000... Byline: Tim Archuleta tarchuleta@abqtrib.com / 823-3674 SANTA FE The 2000 New Mexico Legislature is in slow-down mode. The lull was brought on by early line-item vetoes, two failed House override attempts and a temporary shortage of...

BYU, Lobos are ready to rumblein the Pit LOBO MEN.(Sports)
January 29, 2000... Byline: Edgar Thompson ethompson@abqtrib.com / 823-3614 Things seem to be back to normal between New Mexico and Brigham Young University. BYU is a villain again and the longtime archrival has the perfect player for Lobo fans to boo....

Lobos dive into mosh pit of MWC teams.(Sports)
January 29, 2000... Byline: Brad Moore bmoore@abqtrib.com / 823-3679 Mountain West Conference women's basketball teams are walking a tightrope toward the NCAA Tournament, according to Colorado State coach Tom Collen. "If they did the selection today,...

Aggies try to halt losing skid.(Sports)
January 29, 2000... Byline: Staff and wire reports UPDATE LAS CRUCES New Mexico State coach Lou Henson says the Aggies left a lot in Long Beach in a Big West Conference loss to the 49ers last week. And they haven't been able to get it back. The...

With coach in the stands, Scorps will fight for first place.(Sports)
January 29, 2000... Byline: Sean McAfee smcafee@abqtrib.com / 823-3662 The New Mexico Scorpions' losing streak ended at three games. But a new one could start tonight if the Scorpions play the same brand of sloppy hockey they exhibited Friday night in a...

Slam not part of TV deal involving other West teams.(Sports)
January 29, 2000... Byline: Sean McAfee smcafee@abqtrib.com / 823-3662 IBL NOTEBOOK Three of four IBL West Conference teams have entered into agreements to televise a limited number of games this season, but the New Mexico Slam are the only team not...

Matadors win big game, but get tongue-lashing.(Sports)
January 29, 2000... Byline: Rick A. Maese rmaese@abqtrib.com / 823-3687 HIGH SCHOOL REPORT It was an important win over a tough district foe away from their home gym, but that wasn't enough on this night. Following a 20-minute postgame scolding...

Campaign media fail to report the real stories.(Insight and Opinion)
January 29, 2000... Byline: Kate Nelson They travel in herds, amoeba-like, identifiable by the Sesame Street-like critters that jut above them metal poles topped by foot-long microphones wrapped in furry fabric. At each stop along the presidential...

EDITORIALS.(Home and Garden)
January 29, 2000... An education in getting along President Clinton's claim Thursday night to have "restored the vital center" to politics may be mostly empty braggadocio. Republicans and Democrats still fight like kids, in Congress and, for sure, in Santa...

EDITORIALS.(Editorials)
January 29, 2000... Begay's bequest No argument. No excuses. Famed Albuquerque pro golfer Notah Begay III publicly owned up to driving while intoxicated, apologized, expressed grave disappointment in himself and took his lumps. He even volunteered to the...

Out of La Cueva's halls come respect among peers and pride for our school.
January 29, 2000... Byline: Tracy Simmons TSIMMONS@ABQTRIB.COM / 823-3692 As a student of La Cueva High School, I find myself watching the news every night to stay updated on my peers. With more than three of my classmates in the headlines, I wasn't...

Ex-policeman sought in grant fraud case.(Local News)
January 29, 2000... Byline: Staff and wire reports IN BRIEF An arrest warrant has been issued for a former San Juan County commissioner, sheriff and Navajo police captain who is accused of wire fraud in handling a community-policing grant. Billy...

CRIME STOPPERS.(Local News)
January 29, 2000... Byline: Staff and wire reports IN BRIEF Fugitive of the week: Patrick Wesley Bierner, 37, is wanted on charges of aggravated battery, aggravated assault and probation violations. He has brown hair and brown eyes, and has...

CRIME STOPPERS.(Local News)
January 29, 2000... Byline: Staff and wire reports IN BRIEF Crime of the week: Three men who repeatedly stabbed the manager of a Northeast Heights Arby's fast-food restaurant earlier this month have still not been apprehended. At about 9:30 p.m....

Hope for school money.
January 29, 2000... Byline: Staff and wire reports ROUNDHOUSE ROUNDUP 2000 LEGISLATURE The judge who ruled that the way New Mexico finances school construction is unconstitutional has said he's "guardedly optimistic" the Legislature will fix the...

No dice for detox.
January 29, 2000... Byline: Staff and wire reports Staff and wire reports ROUNDHOUSE ROUNDUP 2000 LEGISLATURE The city of Albuquerque will have to find another source of money to build a $2.5 million detoxification center in Downtown. The...

Curtain about to rise on Indian gaming.
January 28, 2000... Byline: Gilbert Gallegos ggallegos@abqtrib.com / 823-3670 Legislature 2000 A letter to legislators expected from the U.S. Department of the Interior could figure as a wild card in negotiations on gaming compacts. SANTA FE...

No love lost as mayor's volunteer leaves staff.
January 28, 2000... Byline: Kate Nash KNASH@ABQTRIB.COM / 823-3602 The man who wanted to test the waters at City Hall as Mayor Jim Baca's volunteer chief of staff apparently found them too chilly. Roy Soto, a longtime friend and political ally of Baca's,...

Santa Fe field trip.
January 28, 2000... CAPTION(S): PHOTO CAPTION PHOTO: Color PHOTO BY: Stacia Spragg/Tribune David Nunez's seventh-grade class from Holy Cross Catholic School in Las Cruces gathers in the lobby of the Roundhouse after receiving autographed...

Governor's vetoes cut money to fund Legislature.
January 28, 2000... Byline: Barry Massey The Associated Press SANTA FE Gov. Gary Johnson lobbed a political grenade at the Legislature and its spending for the 30-day session. The Republican governor used his line-item veto powers Thursday to cut nearly...