BEST OF THE BEST
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Belenite ‘swimming’ her dream
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VALENCIA
COUNTY
La Vida 1B
News-Bulletin
Vol. 105, No. 9
SERVING VALENCIA COUNTY SINCE 1910
WEEK OF
FEBRUARY 26, 2015
Copyright © 2015, Valencia County News-Bulletin
50¢
Police: Uncle,
nephew found
dead in trailer
Ron Marquez
resigns as
Belen super
By Clara Garcia
By Julia M. Dendinger
NEWS-BULLETIN EDITOR
[email protected]
NEWS-BULLETIN ASSISTANT EDITOR
[email protected]
Belen
Belen
A Hub City man and his nephew were found dead
Monday in their single-wide mobile home of apparent gunshots to their heads.
The deaths of the two men, 53-year-old Herman
Aragon and his nephew, 25-year-old Ronald Aragon,
are still being investigated by Belen detectives and
Chief Dan Robb says a final determination is yet
to be made on whether it was a murder-suicide or a
Clara Garcia-News-Bulletin photo
double homicide.
“The crime scene investigators were at the crime BELEN POLICE SGT. Adam Keck stands outside a mobile home park at the corner of Vivian and First streets,
scene all night long and the bodies have been trans- where two men were found dead Monday. Investigators say the two men, Herman Aragon, and his nephew,
See Deaths, Page 7A Ronald Aragon, were both shot in the head.
VALENCIA COUNTY DAY AT STATE LEGISLATURE
In a unanimous vote, the Belen
Board of Education accepted the resignation of the district superintendent
Tuesday evening.
The resignation and buy-out agreement, which Belen Consolidated
Schools Superintendent Ron Marquez
presented to the district and signed
on Tuesday, Feb. 17, specifies that he
will be paid out a total of $103,560.57
between now and April 24.
That total is what is left of the
$109,232 salary on his contract, which
expires on June 30, plus accumulated
vacation and sick leave.
See Marquez, Page 8A
RC council
considering
mill levy
By Julia M. Dendinger
NEWS-BULLETIN ASSISTANT EDITOR
[email protected]
Rio Communities
Julia M. Dendinger-News-Bulletin photos
HISPANO CHAMBER of Valencia County President Shireen McDonald loads up a to-go
box with red-chile-soaked ribs during the chamber’s second annual matanza at the
Roundhouse. The delicious smell of pork and chile was part of the annual Valencia
County Day in Santa Fe during the legislative session.
SENATE MAJORITY LEADER Sen.
Michael Sanchez (D-Belen), above
right, speaks to a fellow legislator
during the Senate session Friday
afternoon. Sanchez recently
introduced Senate Bill 657, which
would base the award of a state
lottery tuition scholarship on
need, rather than being awarded
on academic merit. At right, the
Valencia County Community Band
played a selection of tunes in
the Roundhouse rotunda Friday
during Valencia County Day. The
band entertained legislators and
visitors alike on Friday with an
hour of music.
Rio Communities, a new city with
growing needs, is looking at imposing
its first property tax since incorporation in 2013.
During a council workshop on Feb.
17, Mayor Mark Gwinn said there were
“more and more issues and a lot of
concerns from residents.”
Since the 2.75 mills dedicated to
the county hospital project ended in
December, the mayor and councilors
are considering continuing that same
rate for the use of the city, which would
have the least impact on residents’
wallets.
The proposed mill levy, which
See Levy, Page 6A
Belen council
debates booze
ordinance
By Clara Garcia
NEWS-BULLETIN EDITOR
[email protected]
Belen
A long-standing ordinance prohibiting the use of alcohol in municipal
buildings and property is being reconsidered by Belen city councilors in
cases of public celebrations, economic
development special events or an annual activity.
The proposed ordinance would
allow for businesses that serve beer
and wine to serve alcohol in an outdoor
seating area in front of the establishment.
The proposed change to the ordinance says, “Economic Development
special event includes ... any public or
See Booze, Page 7A
WEATHER
4923
Call us: 864-4472
www.news-bulletin.com
INDEX
Classified ...... 4B
Editorial .........4A
Databank .......2A
News Digest ...2A
Deaths............8A
La Vida .......... 1B
Noticias ......... 3B
Record ............8A
Sports.............9A
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