¡Feliz Navidad! Volume 58, Number 13 Española, New Mexico 87532 Thursday, December 25, 2014 Española City Councilor Resigns Mayor Alice Lucero sent out an email, stating Eric Radosevich quit Dec. 19 By Ardee Napolitano SUN Staff Writer Six months after he allegedly pistol-whipped a man during an altercation, City Councilor Eric Radosevich decided to relinquish his governing body seat last week. Mayor Alice Lucero notified city officials of Radosevich’s resignation via a Dec. 18 email. “Be advised that Eric Radosevich had resigned from his position on the City Council effective, Friday, December 19, 2014,” Lucero’s email states. “Keep him and his family in prayer during this Holy Season.” Lucero said Radosevich did not send a formal letter of resignation to her. She said he either told her he’s leaving his seat through an email or a text message. He did not give her a specific reason for his resignation, Lucero said. T “I can understand and I respect his decision,” she said. Radosevich’s resignation came after Santa Fe Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested him June 25, on a warrant charging aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, following the alleged June 21 altercation. He allegedly pistol-whipped a man who was allegedly trying to flee an altercation with Radosevich and his passengers. Radosevich then allegedly shot twice at the victim’s truck. On Nov. 17, District Court Judge T. Glenn Ellington rejected a plea deal that would have allowed Radosevich to plead no contest to a fourth-degree felony and receive an 18-month suspended sentence and a conditional discharge. This means the charge would have been dismissed at the end of an 18-month supervised probation period. Radosevich A no contest plea would also prevent an admission of the facts of the case from being used against Radosevich if the victim in the case were to sue him. Radosevich’s lawyer, Dan Marlowe, told reporters at the hearing, the former councilor will not comment on his case to the media. During the Nov. 17 hearing, Ellington told Marlowe and prosecutor Natalie Perry that he wanted them to submit the statement of facts or a new plea by Dec. 22. Marlowe asked Ellington on Dec. 22 to set a hearing for his case. Radosevich appeared in court for the docket call wearing jeans and a polar fleece jacket. “We’d like to ask for time to talk to you about the case,” Marlowe said. Marlowe asked Ellington to set a hearing before Jan. 20, the next docket call on the case. Ellington said he has too many trials set on his calendar for him to be able to set a hearing by that time. Marlowe then asked Ellington to waive Radosevich’s appearance for the Jan. 20 docket call because Radosevich must work. Ellington agreed. Ellington said he will set a hearing during or after the Jan. 20 docket call. Radosevich’s trial is currently set for mid-February. Elected in March 2012, Radosevich still had one year and three months left on his city council term. The defunct District 3 councilor chaired the Community Services Committee read, so different types of plays and dramas were created and performed.” Los Pastores, or “The Shepherds,” is a morality play performed entirely in Spanish, that teaches the importance of good and evil, while telling the story of the search for Christ. During this trek, the group of shepherds encounters different situations and has to deal with the devil and the troubles of their own emotions. “It’s showing the humanness of people,” Cordova said. “There are all of these cool little moments that happen through- out this.” The group starts at the back of the church and makes their way forward while singing, reaching the altar, which acts as the camp throughout their journey. “Music is a very big deal. It plays a big part in the performance,” Cordova said. “Los Pastores is the most musical of all the dramas. My husband Arsenio has composed songs that have now become a See 'Play' on page A4 (SUNfoto by Melissa Vigil) A group of actors performs Los Pastores at the San Juan Bautista Parish in Ohkay Owingeh last year. Many of the actors return each year to portray various characters in the play. Treasurer-Elect Taps County Official for State Finance Job By Barron Jones SUN Staff Writer The state’s leading chief financial officer-elect has chosen a Rio Arriba County leader to fill a top post in his administration. New Mexico Treasurer-elect Tim Eichenberg picked Deputy Treasurer Leo Marquez to serve as one of his chief financial officers. Marquez said he will be in charge of budgeting and finance. Marquez told County commissioners that his appointment, as well as the recognition of several department heads as statewide managers of the year, is an attestation to the quality of people the County produces. “It says a lot about the caliber of people Rio Arriba County has,” Marquez said. “We have had three managers of the year.” County Treasurer Jose Candalaria said although talk of Marquez leaving has been floating around for several days, he didn’t come to terms with the news until right before the Tuesday (12/23), County Commission Meeting. “I couldn’t believe he was going until he handed in his official resignation,” Candalaria said. “I congratulate Marquez on his endeavors as chief financial officer for the state.” The appointment comes at an apropos time, considering Eichenberg contacted his office shortly after the election, offering a helping hand. Marquez will work under Eichenberg, alongside unnamed chief financial and investment officers. See 'Outgoing' on page A4 Gov. Martinez Appoints New Northern Regent By Ardee Napolitano SUN Staff Writer Two outgoing Northern New Mexico College regents’ terms have not yet expired, but Gov. Susana Martinez has already found a replacement for one of them. The governor announced the appointment of Damian Martinez to Northern’s Board of Regents to replace either Michael Branch or Alfred Herrera. Damian Martinez will serve a sixyear term on the Board. He said he is excited to soon work with Northern administrators. “I’m bringing a lot of enthusiasm to the position,” he said. “I just want to be able to assist the college in- to becoming a better institution — not that it’s a bad institution now.” A Las Cruces resident, Martinez serves as an attorney and is a veteran of the Air Force Judge Advocate General Corps, the legal arm of the United States Air Force. He is also managing director of Las Cruces law firm Holt, Mynatt, Martinez P.C. Originally from Las Vegas, N.M., Martinez got his bachelor’s degree in social work from New Mexico Highlands University in 1998. He then got his juris doctor degree from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio in 2001. See 'Regent' on page A3 See 'Councilor' on page A3 Celebrating the Season By Melissa Vigil he San Juan Bautista Parish in Ohkay Owingeh was treated to a performance of Los Pastores Dec. 22, 2013, with original songs and handmade costumes helping to bring the drama to life. The story and performance of Los Pastores dates back to the 16th century. It originated in Spain and traveled through Mexico, before being brought to the New Mexico area, Kathryn Cordova said. “It was done in a time where people couldn’t 38 pages, 5 sections 50 cents Co-op, REDI-Net Officials Hold Talks By Barron Jones SUN Staff Writer The ice seems to be thawing between a federally funded economic development engine and the area’s member-owned electric cooperative, that threatened the project aimed at improving the area’s broadband growth. Some Jemez Mountains Electric Cooperative officials are optimistic that an agreement can be reached with REDI-Net (Regional Economic Development Initiative) that would allow the stalled project to move forward. The project is designed to help improve the region’s economic outlook by upgrading the area’s Internet connectivity. The Co-op took steps to abandon a 40-year licensing agreement that allowed the economic development initiative to attach fiber optic cables and other equipment to the utility’s infrastructure, after Co-op officials accused REDI-Net of not fulfilling its obligations. Co-op Board President John Tapia said the two sides are finally exchanging dialogue, which he hopes will help them work out their differences. “Joseph (Sanchez, Co-op general manager) and I met with REDI-Net executives, and I can tell you we got a very good reception,” Tapia said. “We are making progress.” The progress comes after months of failed negotiations that ended with the Co-op Board issuing REDI-Net’s fiscal agent, North Central Economic Development District, an ultimatum to remove the equipment or run the risk of having it confiscated. During those talks, Co-op officials criticized REDI-Net for poor communication on the issue. The Co-op gave the economic development organization a reprieve until they could enter into good-faith negotiations. The discrepancy involved a plan to attach bundles of fiber to Jemez’s poles, to secure broadband capabilities of 40 megabits per second, compared to the ultra-slow 3 megabits per second that much of the area currently has. The Co-op is crying foul play because it said REDI-Net failed to provide four strands of fiber See 'Board' on page A4 Española School District Falls Behind on Financial Audit By Ardee Napolitano SUN Staff Writer The Española School District is slowly following in the city of Española’s footsteps regarding the completion of financial audits. District officials are running more than a month late on the completion of their Fiscal Year 2014 audit. They are on the verge of finishing it, District Director of Finance Jeanette Trujillo said. She said delays were caused by pending litigation involving Cariños Charter School. “As of right now, we’re complet- ing the audit and we’re getting ready to submit it to the state auditor’s office,” she said. “There’s been a lot of delays with the Cariños issue.” The audit should have been filed with the Office of the State Auditor, Nov. 15. District officials are working with California-based auditors Harshwal and Company, who conducted the city’s 2010 and 2011 audits. The city’s 2011 audit was approved last month, three years after its deadline. Trujillo delivered a report on the late audit at a Dec. 17 Española School Board meeting. District Superintendent Danny Trujillo said at the meeting, Cariños officials did not coordinate well with the audit process. He said with the closure of the school’s rundown building, First District Court Judge Sarah Singleton advised Cariños officials to work with District officials throughout the audit process, but they have not submitted documents in time. “This is basically putting us in See 'Cariños' on page A2
© Copyright 2024