Roswell Daily Record THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
Vol. 123, No. 104 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday
April 30, 2014
WEDNESDAY
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ENMU-R Foundation honors AerSale, Armstrongs TIMOTHY P. HOWSARE RECORD EDITOR
AerSale Inc., a commercial aircraft supply company, and civic leaders Robert G. “Bob” and Sara Ar mstrong were recognized Tuesday at Eastern New Mexico University-Roswell’s 13th annual Foundation for the Future Banquet. The ENMU-Roswell Foundation was formed in 1999 through the merger of the Oil Field Training Center Foundation and the former ENMU-Roswell Foundation.
The new, revitalized foundation provides financial and material support for the promotion of education at the college’s Roswell campus.
The Ar mstrongs, who have been married since 1971, were presented the President’s Distinguished Service Award. Robert Armstrong is president of Armstrong Energy Corp. and general partner of Slash Exploration. He serves on the National Petroleum Council, the Independent Petroleum Association of New Mexico and as presi-
Two wrecks in two days
dent of the United Way of Chaves County Foundation. He was a foundation board member when the two foundations merged. Sara Armstrong is vice president of Ar mstrong Energy Corp. and owner of Breckenridge Partnership. She created the ArmstrongClark Foundation and has worked as a court-appointed special advocate since 2009. In accepting the award, Robert Armstrong said he and his wife both had parents who instilled in them
the importance of public service. AerSale received the foundation’s Diamond Service Award for launching a new scholarship program in 2013 to assist qualified students in at ENMUenrolling Roswell’s Aircraft Maintenance Technology program. AerSale president Jim Barker and his wife, Valerie, accepted the award. Foundation board member Bob Cates gave a speSee FOUNDATION, Page A3
Timothy P. Howsare photo
For the second time in two days, a two-vehicle crash occurred within walking distance of the newspaper office. The Roswell Police Department responded to this collision between a Chevrolet pickup and Toyota Yaris at 23rd Street and North Grand Avenue around 2:20 p.m. Tuesday. It appeared that no one was injured and no other information was available about the wreck at press time.
Mark Wilson Photo
Robert and Sara Armstrong, special guests at the 13th annual ENMU-Roswell Foundation Banquet held at the Roswell Convention Center, received the President’s Distinguished Service Award Tuesday.
Campbell’s trial set for June 16
A June 16 trial date has been set for 12-year -old Mason Campbell, the boy accused of shooting two classmates at Berrendo Middle School. Campbell was declared competent to stand trial in March, and he was scheduled for a pre-trial hearing on Tuesday but it was postponed until June 10. Police say Campbell, ar med with a shotgun, opened fire at the middle school on Jan. 14, seriously wounding two students before a staff member persuaded him to put down the firear m, authorities said. Campbell has been charged with three counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and one count of bringing a firearm
onto school property, said Special Prosecutor Matt Chandler.
The shooting at Berrendo Middle School took place in a gym where students had gathered to stay warm from the frigid weather outside before the start of class. Twelve-year-old Nathaniel Tavarez and 13-year -old Kendal Sanders were wounded. Both children are recovering. Campbell was not charged as an adult because of his age, in accordance with New Mexico law.
Campbell will be tried as a juvenile in connection with the shooting. No one under age 14 in the state can face adult sanctions, authorities said.
Family, friends Jennings recalls contributions by raising funds for Harris to community, education shooting victim TIMOTHY P. HOWSARE RECORD EDITOR
RANDAL SEYLER RECORD STAFF WRITER
An account has been set up to help with the funeral costs of a 22-year -old Roswell man who was shot to death last week. Joseph “Jojo” Sanchez, 22, of Roswell, was fatally shot on the 5800 block of South Main Street at about 2:24 p.m. on Thursday. His family has opened a memorial account at Pioneer Bank and donations may be made to: Memorial Account Johnny R. Sanchez for Jojo Sanchez Memorial. Friends of Joseph
Sanchez are also fundraising for the family, and will be raffling off two VIP tickets, valued at $60 each, to the Mayhem Night of Champions 3, said Paul Peyton. Peyton said the raf fle would be held either today or Thursday, and tickets are available for $2 each. For more information, contact Peyton at 420-1640 or Daniel Garcia at 910-8376. The investigation into the shooting is ongoing, according to a news release from the department. No arrests have been See VICTIM, Page A3
It wasn’t until he began serving in the New Mexico State Senate in 1978 that Tim Jennings began hearing stories about Lawrence C. “Larry” Harris, a longtime Roswell businessman and philanthropist who passed March 7 at the age of 95. After serving in the U.S. Ar my Air Corps during World War II, Harris moved with his wife, Virginia, to her hometown of Roswell in 1942. Jennings said everything he heard about Harris at the State Capitol was good. “I started hearing Harris’ name from highly ethical
Roswell Police Chief Phil Smith discusses his career in law enforcement and his wrestling coaching experiences during Tuesday’s meeting of the Roswell Kiwanis Club.
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people in Santa Fe,” Jennings said. “He was very well respected for always placing New Mexico at the forefront. You could never see him doing anything for personal gain.” Jennings said he had met Harris before he was
until I started hearing about them in Santa Fe,” Jennings said. “He served on the school board and did a lot of community service, but you would never hear much about him at home.” Although Harris was a quiet man who shunned being in the limelight, whenever he spoke, people would always listen, Jennings said. “When Larry called, people knew that it was something that was needed for the community,” Jennings said. “It was well-planned if Larry was involved and they would help fund it.” In 1952, Harris founded the New Mexico Oil Corp., See HARRIS, Page A3
Smith passionate about wrestling, community
RANDAL SEYLER RECORD STAFF WRITER
Randal Seyler Photo
Lawrence C. “Larry” Harris
elected to the Senate in the Sunwest Bank building, where his father had an office on the 10th floor. However, at the time, Jennings did not realize that Harris, who Jennings described as quiet and unassuming, was doing so much for the betterment of Roswell. Jennings said Harris was not only a respected leader in the local oil and gas industry, but also was steadfast in his commitment to education. Harris helped initiate and fund several vocational programs at the Roswell campus of Eastern New Mexico University, Jennings said. “I did not know about the depth of his operations
Roswell Police Chief Phil Smith is a third-generation police officer, and he takes his role as leader of the police department, and as a community leader, to heart. “I’m seasoned, I’ve got some depth of experience, and besides that I’m old, or at least that is what my doctor told me,” Smith said with a grin. He visited the Roswell Kiwanis Club on Tuesday and discussed his career in law enforcement and his philosophy as a leader.
Smith, who was named chief in November, replacing longtime Police Chief Al Solis, joined the Roswell Police Department as deputy chief in 2011. Before that, he had a career in Salem, N.H., as a police officer, rising to the rank of lieutenant. “My father, and my grandfather were both in law enforcement,” Smith said. Besides being a police officer, Smith also coached high school wrestling. “At the time, I was developing a passion for leadership, although I didn’t know it,” he said. “I start-
ed in coaching because of my children, and I discovered that I like to make things better for people.” In fact, the way Smith wound up in New Mexico was through wrestling — his for mer junior high school wrestling coach invited him out west for a visit. Smith found he liked the people and the state, and after retiring from his first career in law enforcement at the age of 45, he was looking for the next challenge. “I came out for a vacation, then I came back out to New Mexico for a week,” Smith said. “Then, I start-
TODAY’S OBITUARIES PAGES A3 & A8 • ANNIE PEARL EVANS • JAMES “JE” PACK • JOSEPH ROBERT SANCHEZ • ROGER LEE BARNHILL • GLENN BOYD PRAGER • JEAN MCNEIL HAMMOND AND MYRTLE M. BARNHILL • DAVE BUTTON • JANI PRYNE
ed putting my name in the hat for some positions out here.” Having retired as a lieutenant, Smith wanted to have his own department some day, so he began studying for police chief exams and working on his resume. He also took a job as a town administrator in New Hampshire for two years, which Smith said was an eye-opening experience. “Being a town administrator gave me an entirely different perspective, and it was an experience I
See SMITH, Page A3
INDEX CLASSIFIEDS ..........B7 LOTTERIES .............A2 COMICS .................B5 OPINION .................A4 FINANCIAL ..............B4 SPORTS .................B1 HOROSCOPES .........A7 WEATHER ............A10