Roswell Daily Record
Vol. 123, No. 47 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday
THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
February 22, 2014
www.rdrnews.com
SATURDAY Mark Wilson Photos
Berrendo Middle School shooting victim Nathaniel Tavarez returns home to a hero’s welcome, Friday afternoon.
W e l c o m e h o m e Community celebrates return of school
Right: Well-wishers of Berrendo Middle School victim shooting Nathaniel Tavarez line North Sycamore Avenue to greet him on his return home, Friday afternoon.
shooting survivor Nathaniel Tavarez
Below: Tavarez poses for a photo with two supporters, Friday afternoon.
JILL MCLAUGHLIN RECORD STAFF WRITER Hundreds lined the streets and cheered Friday as sirens from fire and law enforcement vehicles ushered home the 12-year-old boy who was seriously injured last month in the Berrendo Middle School shooting. Nathaniel Tavarez still cannot see following injuries suf fered to his eyes. He told his mother he wanted “lots of friends and lots of noise” when he returned home. “He had a ball. He said, ‘I can’t see but I can hear!” his mother Donna Tavarez said. A seventh-grader is accused of taking a shotgun to the school and opening fire on Tavarez and a girl, Kendal
Sanders, Jan. 14. The 12-year-old suspect has been charged as a juvenile with three counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. Several residents stood along the streets and held signs or waved as a caravan of emergency vehicles led the family home. Tavarez hugged friends and neighbors outside once he arrived. He smiled and danced in the walkway as those who gathered outside cheered. His mother said all he could talk about was returning to school. “He holds no grudges at all,” she said. “He just wants to go back to school. He loves his teachers, his friends.” The boy has few memories of the incident. He suf fered wounds to his
stomach, face, eyes and brain. Surgeons were unable to remove the shots in his brain, his mother said. He may regain some sight in his right eye. “I believe my son will see again, 100 percent,” Donna said. She could not hold back her tears as she recalled the first few hours of the tragic events. “It was God that helped get us through,” she said. “I was definitely scared and we thought we were going to lose him.” Her son wanted to drive by the school Friday, but they just couldn’t make it, she said. The first thing he asked in the hospital when he became aware of what happened, was if See TAVAREZ, Page A3
NM lawmakers fail to Uncertainty over budget provision on teacher pay clarify abuse reporting SANTA FE (AP) — The state’s embattled child welfare agency said Friday it’s concerned about the Legislature’s failure to clarify a law requiring the reporting of suspected child abuse and neglect to authorities. Without a “crystal clear” law, New Mexico’s children are being put at risk, said Henry Varela, a spokesman for the state
Children, Youth and Families Department. “CYFD will continue to take every opportunity to encourage all citizens of New Mexico, regardless of their profession, to report any concer ns of child abuse or neglect,” Varela said Friday. All the agency can do, for now, is hope people See ABUSE, Page A3
SANTA FE (AP) — Teachers are in line for a possible $2,000 increase in their base salaries under a $6 billion spending plan approved by the Legislature, but there’s some uncertainty over the raise. Republican Gov. Susana Martinez could veto a budget provision intended to make sure local districts implement the higher salaries. An educational union leader said Friday he hoped Martinez accepts the Legislature’s directive over teacher pay. Martinez has indicated that she’ll likely sign the budget but may use her line-item veto powers to cut some
proposed spending. The governor has until March 12 to decide whether to sign or veto legislation passed by lawmakers. Martinez spokesman Enrique Knell said no decisions have been made on possible line-item vetoes in the budget. The governor vetoed budget language last year that’s similar to what the Democratic-controlled Legislature included this session on pay raises for educators. Lawmakers approved about $70 million for compensation for public school workers in the latest budget proposal. That’s enough for local districts to provide an average 3 percent
Local short film chosen as Moby music video RANDAL SEYLER RECORD STAFF WRITER
A taste of Roswell’s film talent is going international. A short film produced by local filmmakers was chosen to be the official music video for a song by recording artist Moby. The short film was shot locally in December, said actor Johnnie Hector, of Roswell. The video was written and directed by Duck
Brown, and features Hector and local actor Rick Ortega as astronauts. “Moby is international,” Hector said. “This is a project that will get international exposure, it’s not just a New Mexico or even a U.S. project.” The contest was sponsored by Genaro.tv and the local film was chosen by Moby to be the official video for the song “Almost Home,” which is from the artist’s 11th studio album, “Innocents.”
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TODAY’S FORECAST
The film was one of six finalist videos before being picked as the winning entry. The video follows the adventures of two children playing astronauts and the struggle for survival of two astronauts following an explosion of their spacecraft. “I was so impressed with the creativity and quality of all of the videos submitted to the Almost Home competition,” Moby posted on the website moby.com.
• CHARLOTTE BARTON • NATALIE LEMONS • H. KAY PRESTON
pay raise for all school employees and boost minimum teacher salaries by $2,000. The budget directs the secretary of the Public Education Department to ensure that schools provide the higher pay. The agency is to do that as part of a yearly review of budgets submitted by New Mexico’s 89 school districts. “All of that has to be enforced through the budget review process. If it’s not, then it’s totally discretionary whether it happens or not,” said Charles Bowyer, executive director of the National Education Association New Mexico.
“But I ended up choosing this one because of it’s emotional quality and also because it involves astronauts and outer space!”
Besides winning $6,000 and being chosen the official video for the Moby song, the film is also in contention for a 2013 Genero Award and in the running for $50,000 in awards. Hector said it only took
See VIDEO, Page A3
• PEDRO CARDIEL
TODAY’S OBITUARIES PAGE A5
Courtesy Photo
Local filmmakers Johnnie Hector, from left, Fernando Urquides and Rick Ortega appear in “Mexicants,” which was filmed in 2013. Hector and Ortega both appear in the short film chosen to be the music video for the Moby song, “Almost Home.” CLASSIFIEDS ..........B6 COMICS .................B4 ENTERTAINMENT .....A8 FINANCIAL ..............B3
INDEX GENERAL ...............A2
HOROSCOPES .........A8 LOTTERIES .............A2
OPINION .................A4
SPORTS .................B1
WEATHER ..............A8