LOCAL & REGION
Tuesday, January 28, 2014 THE NEW MEXICAN
Solar energy Police: Student blaze an industry apparent suicide attempt thrives in New Mexico By P. Solomon Banda and Steven K. Paulson The Associated Press
By Staci Matlock The New Mexican
The solar industry is alive and growing. More than 1,100 New Mexicans make their living in the solar energy industry now, according to a new report. Nationally, the solar energy industry added more than 18,000 new jobs from September 2012 to November 2013, according to The Solar Foundation. The nonprofit solar advocacy foundation released the National Solar Jobs Census 2013 on Monday. Information in the report was culled by labor market analysts at BW Research from the Solar Energy Industries Association and through direct correspondence with solar businesses around the country. George Washington University and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council advised the report’s authors. The number of jobs added reflects the steady growth in the megawatts of solar energy added across the United States. Cheaper solar photovoltaic prices, new technology and government tax incentives have helped boost the industry. In New Mexico alone, the cost to install solar photovoltaics on houses and businesses declined 15 percent last year, according to the solar association. One of the most interesting findings in the report tallied the reasons why customers purchase solar power. About 70 percent of the solar businesses said their customers told them they were buying solar energy systems to save money and because the price was competitive with power provided by utility companies per kilowatt hour. Few listed energy independence or reducing pollution as the reason they were buying solar power systems. In total, 142,698 people nationally work in the solar industry, according to the report. The industry is expected to continue growing, according to the report, which says that almost half the solar businesses in the country expect to hire more employees this year. Most of those employees worked fulltime on solar-power related jobs, more than half of them as solar installers. Another third of the workers were in marketing or sales, manufacturing and project development. Solar installers earned on average $20 an hour while production and assembly workers averaged $15 an hour. About 20 percent of those hired into solar industry jobs are women and almost 10 percent were veterans, according to the report. In a state-by-state solar industry map developed last year, The Solar Foundation reported 76 solar companies in New Mexico. The state ranked 10th for the number of houses (37,463) powered by the sun. It also ranked 30th on the price of electricity. And according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, even though solar energy capacity has made great gains in the past three years, it is still dwarfed by New Mexico’s reliance on coal, oil and natural gas for energy. Read the report at thesolarfoundation. org. Contact Staci Matlock at 986-3055 or smatlock@sfnewmexican.com. Follow her on Twitter @StaciMatlock.
WESTMINSTER, Colo. — A 16-year-old boy set himself on fire at a suburban Denver high school on Monday in an apparent suicide attempt that left him critically injured, authorities said. The boy didn’t make any threats before starting the fire in the cafeteria at Standley Lake High School at about 7:15 a.m., Westminster Police Department spokeswoman Cheri Spottke said. A custodian was able to use a fire extinguisher to put out the blaze before it could spread, Spottke said. Several other students were in the cafeteria at the time, but none were injured. Investigators went through the school with bomb detection dogs as a precaution, and no devices were discovered, Spottke said. Investigators are also
talking to students, faculty members and family members to find out what happened, she said. “We don’t have any indication that there’s any threat against the high school. We do believe that this is a suicide attempt,” she said. The boy hasn’t been named. Spottke didn’t know how the student set the fire, which caused extensive smoke in the building. The school was closed for the day and students were sent home, Jefferson County Public Schools spokeswoman Lynn Setzer said. Students without cars were taken by buses to a local middle school, where they were picked up by their parents. No classes will be held at the school on Tuesday either, but the district will provide counseling to students there in the morning. Monday’s incident was the latest to affect a Denverarea school in recent weeks.
In brief
On Thursday, Columbine High School, where two gunmen killed 13 people in 1999, went on high security alert after receiving a series of threatening phone calls. The alert applied to a half-dozen other schools in the area, in the same school district as Standley Lake, but was lifted the same day. On Dec. 13, student gunman Karl Pierson, 17, fatally shot Claire Davis, a 17-year-old classmate, at Arapahoe High School in Centennial before killing himself in the school’s library. Pierson reportedly had threatened a teacher and librarian who had disciplined him last year and allegedly was seeking that teacher when he entered the school, investigators have said. Colorado state lawmakers are considering a bill to spend about $250,000 to continue a hotline students and teachers can use to report threats and bullying anonymously.
Colorado teens visit Roswell after shooting
Settlement reached in police shooting ALBUQUERQUE — The police shooting of an Iraq War veteran in 2010 will cost Albuquerque about $8 million. The Albuquerque Journal reported Monday that a tentative settlement for $7.95 million has been reached with the family of Kenneth Ellis IIII. A jury reached a $10.3 million verdict in the cast last March, but the city appealed. City Attorney David Tourek says the settlement is tentative because it requires a judge’s approval. He says it’s in the best interest of taxpayers because there could have been attorney fees and interest on top of the jury award.
ROSWELL — Students from a Colorado high school who experienced a recent school shooting have visited a New Mexico middle school where a 12-year-old recently opened fire. The Roswell Daily Record reports that students from Arapahoe High School in Centennial, Colo. came to Roswell on Saturday to talk to Berrendo Middle School students about coping with the shooting. Arapahoe saw its own school shooting Dec. 13, when senior Karl Pierson shot student Claire Davis and killed her, before turning the gun on himself. The 15 Colorado teenagers provided Berrendo students with advice for getting through the trauma of a campus shooting. Two Roswell students were wounded when a young gunman entered the crowded middle school gym Jan. 14 and fired three times from a 20-gauge shotgun.
Gallup hospital to end behavior health service Faculty morale called low at New Mexico Tech GALLUP — A financially troubled
hospital in Gallup says its retrenching will include closing its behavior health program. The Gallup Independent reports that the move by Rehoboth McKinley Christian Health Care Services means the hospital will no longer offer its 28-day alcohol detox service. CEO Barry Mousa says the program has been losing money for years and that other agencies now have similar services. Mousa estimates that between 15 and 20 employees will be laid off when the program shuts down at the end of February. Mousa says the hospital also is considering the possibility of downgrading its hospital status to allow it to reduce the number of beds to 25 from 60.
ALBUQUERQUE — A longtime faculty professor at New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology says the school has run aground, with faculty members leaving amid low morale and disjointed leadership. Former geophysics professor Richard Aster’ resignation letter says there’s been a steady erosion of collegiality at the Socorro school known as New Mexico Tech. According to the Albuquerque Journal, New Mexico Tech President Daniel Lopez, acknowledges there are morale issues. He blames state budget cuts resulting from the Great Recession. Lopez also says he’s taking steps to give faculty members more voice. The Associated Press
Police notes The Santa Fe Police Department is investigating the following reports: u A car parked in the 3300 block of Cerrillos Road was vandalized between Friday and Sunday. Police wrote that someone broke the back window, damaged the front window and scratched the side windows. u Police responded to a report of shoplifting at Wal-Mart, 3251 Cerrillos Road, at 5 p.m. Saturday. u A man reported that someone broke his car window in the 3300 block of Cerrillos Road between 8 p.m. Saturday and 7:30 a.m. Sunday. u A burglar broke into a home in the 2800 block of Rufina Street and stole $200 in cash between 6:04 p.m. Friday and 1:45 p.m. Saturday. u City officers responded to an unattended death in the 4100 block of Cerrillos Road at 7:18 p.m. Sunday. u A thief grabbed a wallet from an unlocked car parked in the 100 block of W. Palace Avenue between 9:50 and 10:20 a.m. Monday. u A woman reported that someone entered her art studio in the 1800 block of Second Street and stole her laptop computer between 7:15 a.m. Friday and
12:30 p.m. Sunday. u City officers arrested Chase Smith, 24, 2210 Miguel Chavez Road, on a charge of battery against a household member after his boyfriend told police that Smith had “punched him on top of the head” in an argument between 10:08 and 11:08 p.m. Sunday in the 2200 block of Miguel Chavez Road. u A variety of tools owned by the city’s park division disappeared from the 1100 block of Siler Road between Jan. 18 and Jan. 20. u Jason Smith, 37, 523 Barela Lane, was arrested at 8:41 p.m. Sunday on a charge of shoplifting at Wal-Mart, 3251 Cerrillos Road. u A woman reported that someone stole the battery out of her vehicle while it was parked in the 300 block of Artist Road between 3 and 4 a.m. Friday. u A burglar entered a home in the 2900 block of Alamosa Drive between 3:06 and 3:17 a.m. Monday and stole an Xbox game console. u City officers arrested Sheldon Ontiveros, 31, 704 Katherine Ave., at 12:24 a.m. Monday on charges of aggravated battery against a household member and false
imprisonment. The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the following reports: u Someone removed a screen and opened a window at a home on Vista Tesuque between Jan. 20 and Saturday. It’s unclear if anything was stolen.
Speed SUVs u Mobile speed-enforcement vehicles are not in use as the city renegotiates its contract with Redflex Traffic Systems.
Help lines Esperanza Shelter for Battered Families hotline: 800-473-5220 St. Elizabeth Shelter for men, women and children: 982-6611 Interfaith Community Shelter: 795-7494 New Mexico suicide prevention hotline: 866-435-7166 Solace Crisis Treatment Center: 9869111, 800-721-7273 or TTY 471-1624 Youth Emergency Shelter/Youth Shelters: 438-0502 Police and fire emergency: 911 Graffiti hotline: 955-CALL (2255)
Funeral services and memorials JOHN L. MONTANO John L. Montano passed away suddenly on 1/23/14, just four months to the day before his 95th birthday. He was born on 5/23/1919 in Stanley, New Mexico to Jose Antonio Montano and Eloisa Baros Montano. He had six siblings (Ben, Joe, Henry, Melinda, Mary & Eva) who have all preceded him in death. Prissy, John’s faithful dog, also preceded him in death in 2010. John is survived by his daughter, Kay Johnson (Bill), his son, Tony Montano (Grace), along with his grandson, Shohn A. Montano (Sarah) and granddaughter, Cayleigh A. Montano. He is also survived by sister-in-law, Carmen Montano of Santa Fe, and many nieces and nephews including a special great nephew, Adrian Romero (Karla Kingsbury). John is also survived by two lifelong friends, Charlie P. Anaya and Fidel Sena both residents of Albuquerque. John served in the US Army from 2/42-11/45 during World War II. For a short time he worked for Zia Company in Los Alamos. He then transferred to the Los Alamos National Laboratories and worked in the machine shop there for 31 years before retiring. In honor of John’s wishes there will neither be a funeral mass nor a rosary. A viewing and visitation service will be held at 1:00 PM on 1/30/14 at McGee Memorial Chapel, 1320 Luisa St., Santa Fe, NM. Interment will follow at 3:00 PM with military honors at the Santa Fe National Cemetery with a reception to follow at McGee Memorial Chapel. In lieu of flowers, John requested that donations be made in his memory to Meals on Wheels or to your favorite pet charity. Honorary pallbearers are Charlie P. Anaya, Fidel Sena, Benny Montoya and Phil Casados.
Berardinelli Family Funeral Service 1399 Luisa Street Santa Fe, NM 87505 (505) 984-8600 Please sign our guestbook for the family at: www.berardinellifuneralhome.com
RALPH A. ARMIJO
IN LOVING MEMORY
LARRY M. ROMERO 9/21/68 -- 1/28/06
Ralph passed away on January 23, 2014. He leaves this earth to join his daughter Sharon, his parents, Juan G. and Antonia, sisters, Lupita, Agnes & Theresa C. He leaves behind his wife, Balbie, grandson, Daniel and granddaughters, Shelby and Sierra. His family finds peace and comfort in knowing that Ralph prepared every day to join his Heavenly Father. Services for Ralph will be held at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Pecos. Visitation begins at 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, January 28, 2014, followed by a Rosary at 7:00 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, January 29, 2014.
Rivera Family Funerals and Cremations 417 East Rodeo Rd. Santa Fe, NM 87505 Phone: (505) 989-7032 Fax: (505) 820-0435 santafefuneraloption.com
Those we love don’t go away, they walk beside us everyday. Love, Lynette, Kayla, Amanda & Demos
Celebrate the memory of your loved one with a memorial in The Santa Fe New Mexican. Call 986-3000
Obituary notices: Obituaries can be purchased through a funeral home or by calling our classifieds department at 986-3000, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. If you need to place a death notice after business hours, please call The New Mexican newsroom at 986-3035. Calendar listing: To get an item on the calendar, deliver your listing to The New Mexican newsroom at 202 E. Marcy St. or mail it to P.O. Box 2048, Santa Fe, 87504. You can send an email to service@sfnewmexican.com or send a fax to 986-9147. The deadline for listings is 5 p.m. Tuesday. Because of space limitations, listings cannot be guaranteed. Web site connection: Visit The New Mexican website at www.santafenewmexican.com and see the calendar and the directories for local events.
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