Roswell Daily Record THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
Vol. 123, No. 297 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday
December 11, 2014
Second NMMI cadet charged in masked assault
THURSDAY
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Expert: NMMI stonewalling was contrary to open records law BY JEFF TUCKER RECORD STAFF WRITER
A second cadet at New Mexico Military Institute, a quarterback for the junior college football team, has been charged with a felony in connection to a ninjastyle attack on another cadet on the Roswell campus last month. Ejiroghene Sipho Michael Adjekuko, 19, of Atlanta, has been charged with con-
tributing to the delinquency of a minor, a fourthdegree felony, for allegedly conspiring with fellow Cadet Chance Butler to assault a 16-year-old cadet on the NMMI campus the night of Nov. 19.
According to court records, Adjekuko and Butler, 16, of Pampa, Texas, conspired to beat up the 16-year-old cadet because the victim had told on them for smoking marijuana.
Butler, a member of the 2014 Colts high school junior varsity football team, faces a jury trial in February for allegedly donning a black ninja-style mask and dark sweatpants before ambushing the victim at the victim’s dorm room.
Butler is charged with aggravated assault (disguised) and battery. He is scheduled to stand trial before a jury Feb. 17 in 5th Judicial District Court,
Children’s Court Division, in Roswell. Children’s Court Judge Freddie Romero is the presiding judge in the case.
Adjekuko, a freshman quarterback for the Broncos junior college football team, was arrested Nov. 21 on the felony charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, which carries a maximum possible penalty of 18 months in jail and a $5,000 fine.
While booked at the Chaves County Detention Center, Adjekuko appeared via video conference Nov. 21 before Chaves County Magistrate Judge Daniel Reyes Jr.
Adjekuko, who did not enter a plea at his Nov. 21 appearance, said he has no family ties to Roswell and was released on $1,500 bond. Adjekuko said he
Pankey honored as Realtor Emeritus Municipal judge BY TIMOTHY P. HOWSARE RECORD EDITOR
Local Realtor and longtime Roswell resident Alex Pankey was honored as Realtor Emeritus by the National Association of Realtors at the Roswell Association of Realtors’ bimonthly meeting. The Goddard High School Stargazers performed during the meeting, which was held at Pioneer Bank. The Realtor Emeritus certification recognizes 40 cumulative years of membership in the association and contributions to the real estate profession. Very few Realtors achieve such status. Pankey has worked in the profession since 1972. “It was a nice recognized surprise,” Pankey told the Daily Record. Pankey said he first got his real estate license in 1961 during a college summer break. “At that time, all you
See PANKEY, Page A3
See NMMI, Page A3
candidate to be announced tonight Tuesday’s meeting.
BY RANDAL SEYLER RECORD CITY EDITOR
Mayor Dennis Kintigh is expected to announce his choice for municipal judge at tonight’s Roswell City Council meeting. The council met Tuesday night in a special session to discuss applicants for the municipal judgeship. Municipal Court Judge Larry Loy submitted his letter of resignation on Oct. 30, and Loy will retire as of Dec. 31. The municipal court judgeship is an elected position with the next election to be held in March 2016, and the mayor will appoint someone to serve the remainder of Loy’s term on the bench. The councilors met for two hours in closed session on Tuesday to consider the seven applicants who applied for the position, but no action was taken at
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Above: Alex Pankey, second from left, with daughter Laurie Pankey, left, wife Betty Pankey and daughter Carrie Weems. Right: The Goddard High School Stargazers perform at the Roswell Association of Realtors bi-monthly meeting, where Pankey was recognized as Realtor Emeritus.
Adjekuko
Candidates for the position of municipal court judge must, by ordinance, have at least a high school diploma or GED, be at least 25 years of age, and reside inside the Roswell city limits. The salary is $46,500 a year.
The City Council will also hold a number of public hearings at tonight’s meeting, including a transfer of ownership of an inter-local liquor license for Cattle Baron Steak and Seafood Restaurant, Farley’s Food Fun and Pub and Pasta Café; proposed amendments to the city’s ordinance for Animals and Fowls, extending the time the city animal shelter can hold an animal for a recognized rescue group from seven to nine days; a proposed ordinance authorizing the city to participate in
Agency seeks $10M Police seeking 2 men following shooting toward expansion of child welfare reforms STAFF REPORT
ALBUQUERQUE (AP) — It will take an infusion of about $10 million if New Mexico wants to move ahead with and expand reforms to improve the way child abuse cases are investigated and tracked in New Mexico, child welfare of ficials told lawmakers Wednesday. The Children, Youth and Families Department made its case for the funding during a Legislative Finance Committee meeting. The request encompasses the costs of numerous policy changes and directives the agency made in the
wake of the death of Omaree Varela, a 9-year -old Albuquerque boy who police say was repeatedly kicked by his mother. The case set off a firestorm of criticism against Albuquerque police and the child welfare agency for not removing the boy from his home after receiving earlier reports of abuse. Jennifer Padgett, the agency’s deputy secretary, acknowledged the gaps identified by the Varela case and told lawmakers the reforms are targeted at making sure cases such as See REFORMS, Page A3
Roswell Police are seeking two men in connection with a shooting incident that occurred Tuesday at the intersection of Southeast Main and Buena Vista Streets. The men are being sought on charges of shooting at a dwelling or occupied building or from a motor vehicle, according to a news release from the Roswell Police Department. Fabian M. Ward Sr., 38, and Thomas Olivas, 32, both of Roswell, are being sought by police in connection with the incident, which occurred at 10 a.m. on Tuesday. Multiple gun-
Gov. Susana Martinez, right, spends some time with Unique Diaz, bottom, 9, in a computer lab Wednesday, after a news conference discussing raises for new and first year teachers in Albuquerque.
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Max Scally Photo
The Roswell Police Department closed a section of South Main Street between Chisum and Hobbs streets as it investigated a shooting that was reported around 10 a.m. Tuesday.
Chisum and Hobbs Streets was closed for about three hours while detectives and Technical
Services Unit personnel conducted the initial See SHOOTING, Page A3
Governor proposes paying new teachers more
AP Photo
TODAY’S FORECAST
shots were fired from a vehicle that allegedly contained Ward and Olivas. The shots were fired at another vehicle, driven by Angel Alfred Martinez, 22, of Roswell. Martinez was not struck by the shots, but suffered a laceration to his head as a result of being hit by glass from his vehicle that broke during the shooting. Immediately after the shooting, Martinez drove to the nearby Chavez County administration/sheriff’s buildings, where an ambulance was called. Martinez was treated and released at Eastern New Mexico Medical Center. The portion of Southeast Main Street between
See COUNCIL, Page A3
ALBUQUERQUE (AP) — Gov. Susana Martinez on Wednesday announced an $11.5 million package of proposals that includes paying new teachers more and creating a mentorship program that her administration hopes will eventually lead to improvements in student achievement. New Mexico consistently ranks at or near the bottom when it comes to education, and Martinez said during a visit to Zuni Elementary School in Albuquerque that increasing pay for starting teachers by $2,000 will help make the state’s recruitment efforts more competitive. If approved by the Legislature,
• GARY ROBERTSON • THOMAS LEON WHITCAMP • VERA MARKEL
starting pay for a teaching job would be $34,000 per year, and any teacher currently earning less would receive a raise. “Starting teacher salaries are too low in New Mexico, so we need to raise them again,” Martinez said in a statement. Last year, the state budget included an increase in the minimum salary for new teachers to $32,000 per year. The latest proposal would cost the state an estimated $6.7 million to raise the base salary again. The gover nor’s request will have to be hammered out by the Legislature when it meets in January for a 60-day session. Lawmakers have already war ned
• REBEKAH MIRANDA MCCLELLAND • GWENDOLYN JUNE SHIELDS
TODAY’S OBITUARIES PAGE A6
CLASSIFIEDS ..........B6 COMICS .................B5 ENTERTAINMENT .....B6 FINANCIAL ..............B4
state agencies to revamp their budget requests since a revenue forecast released this week shows the state will have less money to work with due to a drop in oil prices. While no cuts are expected, key lawmakers have said state spending is expected to remain flat. The Martinez administration also wants to expand a mentorship program for principals to include teachers. The $2.5 million program would partner highperforming teachers with educators who need help. Teachers would have to apply for the program and a stipend would be paid to both mentors and those teachers they’re helping.
INDEX GENERAL ...............A2
HOROSCOPES .........A8 LOTTERIES .............A2
OPINION .................A4
SPORTS .................B1
WEATHER ..............A8