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THE NEW MEXICAN Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Military suicides drop; unclear why By Lolita C. Baldor The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Suicides across the military have dropped by more than 22 percent this year, defense officials said, amid an array of new programs targeting what the Defense Department calls an epidemic that took more service members’ lives last year than the war in Afghanistan did during that same period. Military officials, however, were reluctant to pin the decline on the broad swath of detection and prevention efforts, acknowledging that they still don’t fully understand why troops take their own lives. And since many of those who have committed suicide in recent years had never served on the warfront, officials also do not attribute the decrease to the end of the Iraq war and the drawdown in Afghanistan. Still, they offered some hope that after several years of studies, the escalating emphasis on prevention across all the services may finally be taking hold. With two months left in the year, defense officials say there have been 245 suicides by activeduty service members as of Oct. 27. At the same time last year there had already been 316. Each of the military services has seen
the total go down this year, ranging from an 11 percent dip in the Marine Corps to a 28 percent drop for the Navy. The Air Force had a 21 percent decline, while Army totals fell by 24 percent. The officials provided the data to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose it publicly. Last year the number of suicides in the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines spiked to 349 for the full 12-month period, the highest since the Pentagon began closely tracking the numbers in 2001, and up from the 2011 total of 301. There were 295 Americans killed in Afghanistan last year, by the AP’s count. Military suicides began rising in 2006 and soared to a thenrecord 310 in 2009 before leveling off for two years. Alarmed defense officials launched an intensified campaign to isolate the causes that lead to suicide, and develop programs to eliminate the stigma associated with seeking help and encourage troops to act when their comrades appeared troubled. The Pentagon increased the number of behavioral health care providers by 35 percent over the past 3 years and embedded more of them in front-line units. It also
beefed up training, expanded crisis phone lines and delivered more than 75,000 gun locks to the services to distribute. “Suicide is often a perfect storm in an individual life, where many supports and many things come undone around a service member,” said Ami NeibergerMiller, spokeswoman for the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors. “I think there’s been a lot of people encouraging our troops who are in trouble to seek help, that help is available, that help can work and that suicide is not the only option.” While much of the suicide prevention effort involves similar studies and programs, each service has set up its own methods to deal with the problem. Navy Capt. Kurt Scott, director of the service’s suicide prevention programs, said the Navy is working to recognize the causes of stress beforehand and then help sailors figure out ways to deal with it. Often stress is tied to family issues, including the strains of leaving for deployments, substance abuse, depression or financial problems. A study released this summer in the Journal of the American Medical Association found no evidence of a link between suicide and troops who deployed
multiple times to Iraq and Afghanistan combat zones over the past decade. Scott said sailors are receiving annual training, including sessions on how to identify stress in their subordinates or comrades. The training also helps sailors identify personal and workrelated issues that might cause anxiety as they prepare to deploy, and then suggests ways to deal with the stress — including exercise or talking out the problems with chaplains or other troops. The Marines have also targeted substance abuse as something that appears to increase the risk for suicides. Adam Walsh, who works with the Marine Corp’s community counseling and prevention programs, said it’s too early to declare that suicides are declining in general. He said, however, that the Marines are updating an alcohol abuse prevention campaign and also now require that every battalion and squadron have a suicide prevention program officer. The Army, which is by far the largest military service, has the highest number of suicides so far this year, with 124, while the Air Force had 43, the Navy had 38, and the Marines — the smallest service — had 40.
Plans: Sale could be finalized by year’s end Continued from Page A-1 and “access to a lot more tools and opportunities than they have had in the past.” Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Mexico currently has more than 400,000 members around the state. The Lovelace plan is part of the Lovelace Health System, which includes hospitals, pharmacies, clinics and medical groups across the state. “After careful consideration, Lovelace Health System made the strategic decision to focus on growing its primary, specialty and acute care services, providing greater access to high-quality and compassionate care throughout the region,” President and
CEO Ron Stern said in a statement. “Blue Cross and Blue Shield is a proven, trusted and local partner, and we are confident this is the right option for our patients and health plan members.” Under the agreement, Lovelace members will continue to have access to their current provider network. They also will regain access to providers with ABQ Health Partners, which until late last year provided health care services to thousands of Lovelace plan members. Lovelace had fought to retain those members after the two failed to reach an agreement to continue their partnership. Shipley called it a challenging time for
health plan providers, particularly small independents. The deal also gives Blue Cross a stronger relationship with Lovelace medical facilities that will benefit Blue Cross members in years to come, Shipley said. Lovelace Health System consists of Lovelace Medical Center, Lovelace Rehabilitation Hospital, Lovelace Women’s Hospital, Lovelace Westside Hospital, Heart Hospital of New Mexico at Lovelace Medical Center, Lovelace Regional Hospital-Roswell, Lovelace Medical Group, Southwest Medical Associates and 11 retail pharmacy locations in Albuquerque, Rio Rancho and Santa Fe.
Face: Landscaper, client willing to sell stone Continued from Page A-1 what seems to be a pair of eyes, a nose and mouth of a longhaired, bearded man. “I guess I see [Jesus] because I’m a Christian and a believer,” Marcus said. “That’s the best way I can answer that — just my Christian beliefs. I’m a follower of the Lord.” Marcus, 50, grew up Roman Catholic in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, moved to Santa Fe 22 years ago and began building homes. He began attending the Eldorado Community Church 10 years ago. “I believe that’s when my walk with the Lord started,” he said. Marcus isn’t the only person who sees Jesus in the rock. He said his client noticed it about two days before he did and had even snapped photographs with her phone. “My client wants to remain anonymous … the reason being she doesn’t want to turn her backyard into Chimayó,” he said, referring to the Northern New Mexico shrine that annually draws thousands of Roman Catholic faithful, many seeking
to take advantage of what they believe is healing dirt at the site. “Then, she wouldn’t have any rocks left.” Marcus said he’s been keeping the rock at his own place, but that he and his client would consider selling it. “I don’t know if something like this would generate any money or interest or not,” he said. “I’ve never experienced anything like this. But whatever it put in my pocket, I would definitely put 10 percent of it into the church.” People recognizing religious figures in everyday objects is a recurring phenomenon in New Mexico. An image of Jesus on the plastered wall of an abandoned building in Holman, near Mora, drew thousands in 1975. In Lake Arthur, near Roswell, a likeness of Jesus appeared in a freshly grilled tortilla in 1977, causing the cook to frame it on her wall. In 2008, Bertha Silva Martinez noticed what looked like an image of the Virgin of Guadalupe in the bark of a crab apple tree in her front yard in El Rito. In 2009, retired FBI agent Alfredo
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T. Romero spotted another Virgin of Guadalupe image in a water stain on the wall of his ancestral home in Las Trampas. Such apparitions are not limited to New Mexico. The Virgin Mary was spotted in clouds over Lubbock, Texas, in 1988; in the
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window of a modern building in Clearwater, Fla., in 1997; and in the stain on a wall of an expressway underpass in Chicago in 2005. Contact Tom Sharpe at 986-3080 or tsharpe@sfnewmexican.com.
Joint Meeting of the Santa Fe Board of Education and City of Santa Fe Governing Body Educational Services Center (ESC) 610 Alta Vista, Santa Fe 87505 November 14, 2013 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Regular Session
Opening Activities Call to Order Pledge of Allegiance and the Salute to the New Mexico Flag Approval of Agenda II. Mayor’s Announcements III. Superintendent’s Announcements IV. Public Forum V. Presentation A. World-Class City. World-Class Schools: Creating Efficiencies and Opportunities for Santa Fe’s Children and Families through Partnership and Collaboration VI. Action Items A. Consideration of Joint Resolution No. 2013/14-____. (SFPS Consideration of Joint Resolution No. 2013-_____. (City of Santa Fe) A Joint Resolution Declaring that the Governing Body of the City of Santa Fe and the Santa Fe Public Schools Board of Education Commit to Working Together to Continue to Make Santa Fe a WorldClass City with a System of World-Class Schools VII. Discussion A. Truancy Prevention (S. Duncan) B. Early Neighborhood Notification (S. Carrillo) C. Future Teen Center (R. Trujillo) VIII. Adjournment A. B. C.
If you are an individual with a disability who is in need of a reader, amplifier, qualified sign language interpreter, or any other form of auxiliary aid or service to attend or participate in the hearing or meeting, please contact the Board of Education Office at 467-2001 at least one week prior to the meeting or as soon as possible. Public documents, including the agenda and minutes, can be provided in various accessible formats. Please contact the Board of Education Office at 467-2001 if a summary or other type of accessible format is needed.
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“Santa Fe Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following department has been designated to handle inquiries regarding nondiscrimination policies: Santa Fe Public Schools, Human Resources Department, 610 Alta Vista, Santa Fe, NM 87505, Phone number: (505) 467-2008. For further information on notice of non-discrimination, visit http://wdcrobcolp01. ed.gov/CFAPPS/OCR/contactus.cfm for the address and phone number of the office that serves your area, or call 1-800-421-3481.” Escuelas Públicas de Santa Fe no discrimina por razones de raza, color, origen nacional, sexo, discapacidad o edad, en sus programas y actividades y ofrece acceso igualitario a los Boy Scouts y otros grupos juveniles designados. El siguiente departamento se ha encargado de tramitar las consultas relacionadas con las pólizas de no discriminación:Escuelas Públicas de Santa Fe, Departamento de Recursos Humanos, 610 Alta Vista, Santa Fe, NM 87505, Teléfono: (505) 467-2008. Para más información sobre la notificación de la no discriminación, visite http:// wdcrobcolp01.ed.gov/CFAPPS/OCR/contactus.cfm para la dirección y número de teléfono de la oficina que sirve su área, o llame al 1-800-421-3481.
City of Santa Fe REGULAR MEETING OF THE GOVERNING BODY NOVEMBER 13, 2013 CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS AFTERNOON SESSION – 5:00 P.M. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
CALL TO ORDER PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE SALUTE TO THE NEW MEXICO FLAG INVOCATION ROLL CALL APPROVAL OF AGENDA APPROVAL OF CONSENT CALENDAR APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Reg. City Council Meeting – October 30, 2013 PRESENTATIONS a) Employees of the Month for November 2013 – Perry Knockel, Network Operations Manager and Nancy Howley, Network Administrator, ITT Department. (5 minutes) b) Muchas Gracias – Joseph Lujan, ADA Coordinator. (5 minutes) 10.CONSENT CALENDAR a) Bid No. 14/18/B – Indefinite Quantity for Bulk Fuel; Desert Fuel, Inc., Petroleum Traders Corporation, and Honstein Oil and Distributing, LLC. (Robert Rodarte) b) Request for Approval of Procurement Under State Price Agreement – Market Station – Two (2) Canon Multifunction Copiers; Rocky Mountain Business, Inc. (Chip Lilienthal) c) Request for Approval of Amendment No. 1 to Memorandum of Understanding – Reduce Number of Parking Permits at Santa Fe Community Convention Center Parking Garage; Santa Fe County. (PJ Griego) d) Request for Approval of Amendment No. 3 to Professional Services Agreement – Genoveva Chavez Center Website; Desert Elements Design. (Ivie Vigil) e) Request for Approval of Professional Services Agreement – Security Services at Genoveva Chavez Community Center (RFP #14/04/P); Blackstone Security Services, Inc. (Ivie Vigil) f) Request for Approval of Memorandum of Agreement and Grant Award – Bus and Bus Facilities Program for Santa Fe Trails; New Mexico Department of Transportation, Transit and Rail Division. (Ken Smithson) 1) Request for Approval of Budget Increase – Grant Fund. g) Request for Approval of Agreement – 2013 State of New Mexico Capital Appropriation Project; State of New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration. (David Chapman) h) Request for Approval of Professional Services Agreement and Lease – Project Manager for Two (2) Fund 892 Capital Appropriation Projects on Behalf of the City of Santa Fe, Fiscal Agent and Improvements to La Familia Medical Center on Alto Street; La Familia Medical Center. (David Chapman i) Request for Approval of Non-Exclusive, Non-Perpetual and Non-Assignable Easement – Use of 2,723 Square Foot Area Within the Conservation Easement at the Railyard Park Along the Easterly Boundary of 1606 Paseo de Peralta; SITE Santa Fe. (Edward Vigil) j) Request for Approval of Professional Services Agreement – Santa Fe River Trail Connections and Improvements (RFP #13/31/P); Louis Berger Group, Inc. (Brian Drypolcher) 1) Request for Approval of Budget Transfer – CIP Bond Fund. k) Request for Approval of Professional Services Agreement – Phase II Construction Services at North Railyard Development Including Structural Shoring at Alcadesa Street and Railyard Underground Parking Structure Improvements; Santa Fe Railyard Community Corporation. (Robert Siqueiros) 1) Request for Approval of Budget Increase – Santa Fe Railyard Project Fund. l) Request for Approval of Professional Services Agreement – Lobbyist Services for City of Santa Fe (RFP #14/07/P); Mark Duran and Associates, Inc. (Robert Rodarte) m) Request for Approval of Donation – K9 Vehicle to Santa Fe County Corrections. (Eric Sanchez) n) Utility Billing System and Implementation Services (RFP #13/33/P); N. Harris Computer Corporation. (Peter Ortega) 1) Request for Approval of Information Technology Agreement – Utility Billing/Customer Information Software and Implementation Services. 2) Request for Approval of Software License Agreement – Quality Customer Service and Accurate Billing to Utility Customers. 3) Request for Approval of Annual Support and Maintenance Agreement. o) CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION NO. 2013-___. (Councilor Trujillo, Councilor Calvert, Councilor Wurzburger and Councilor Bushee) A Resolution Directing Staff from the City of Santa Fe and the Santa Fe Public School District to Enter into Negotiations to Explore the Options for the City to Acquire the Property at 1730 Llano Street (Oliver Lafarge Library and Former Tino Griego Pool) so that the Property May Be Used for the Provision of Youth Services and Continuation of Library Services. (Isaac Pino) p) Request to Publish Notice of Public Hearing on December 11, 2013: 1) Bill No. 2013-40: An Ordinance Relating to Sewer Rates for Properties Located Outside the City Limits; Amending Subsection 22-6.2 SFCC 1987 to Establish that the Santa Fe County Housing Assistance Ordinance Shall Have Jurisdiction Over Properties Outside the City Limits; and Amending Rule 8 A. of Exhibit A of Chapter 22 SFCC 1987, City of Santa Fe Sanitary Sewer Rate, Fee and Penalty Schedule, to Establish Customer Wholesale Rates for Properties Located Outside the City Limits That are Connected to the City Sewer System. (Councilor Calvert) (Bryan Romero) 2) Bill No. 2013-41: An Ordinance Relating to the City of Santa Fe Campaign Code and Public Campaign Finance Code, Amending Subsections 9-2.3(I) SFCC 1987 and 9-3.3(E) SFCC 1987 to Amend the Definition of Contribution to Include as a Contribution Certain Expenditures by Persons Other Than the Candidate or the Candidate’s Political Committee. (Councilor Calvert and Councilor Bushee) (Zachary Shandler) q) CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION NO. 2013-___. (Councilor Bushee and Councilor Ives) A Resolution Relating to Climate Change as a Real and Growing Threat to the Well-Being of Present and Future Inhabitants of Santa Fe and Urging the U.S. Congress to Pass Legislation that Levies an Annually Increasing Revenue Neutral Fee on the Carbon in Fossil Fuels at the Point of Production and Importation. (Katherine Mortimer) r) Internal Audit Department Annual Audit Plan for FY 2013/2014. (Liza Kerr) s) Request for Approval of Professional Services Agreement – Pilot Program for Food Waste Separation, Collection and Composting for Environmental Services Division (RFP #14/02/P); Reunity Resources. (Cindy Padilla) 11. CONSIDERATIONOF RESOLUTION 2013-___. (Mayor Coss, Councilor Calvert and Councilor Bushee) A Resolution Respectfully Requesting that President Obama Deny the Permit Application by Transcanada to Construct the Keystone XL Tar Sands Pipeline. 12. Request for Ratification of Amendment #1 to Lease Agreement Between the City of Santa Fe as Lessee and Santo Nino Children’s Foundation for Catholic Education, LLC. (PJ Griego and Sevastian Gurule) 13. MATTERS FROM THE CITY MANAGER 14. MATTERS FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY a) Consideration of Request for Approval of Conflict Waiver Regarding Legal Services at the City of Santa Fe and the Santa Fe Public Schools. (Kelley Brennen) b) Executive Session In Accordance with the New Mexico Open Meetings Act §10-151(H)(7), NMSA 1978, and Pursuant to City of Santa Fe Resolution No. 2012-31, Quarterly Discussion of Threatened or Pending Litigation in Which the City of Santa Fe is or May Become a Participant. 15. MATTERS FROM THE CITY CLERK 16. COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE GOVERNING BODY EVENING SESSION – 7:00 P.M. A. CALL TO ORDER B. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE C. SALUTE TO THE NEW MEXICO FLAG D. INVOCATION E. ROLL CALL F. PETITIONS FROM THE FLOOR G. APPOINTMENTS • Capital Improvements Advisory Committee • Archaeological Review Committee H. PUBLIC HEARINGS: 1) CONSIDERATION OF BILL NO. 2013-38: ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE NO. 2013-____: (Mayor Coss, Councilor Dominguez, Councilor Rivera and Councilor Ives) An Ordinance Annexing Approximately 4,100 Acres (Phase 2) in Accordance with the “Annexation Phasing Agreement Between the City of Santa Fe and Santa Fe County” Executed in February 2009 and Amended in June 2013; Phase 2 Annexation Includes Areas 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 12 and the New Mexico Highway 599 Right-of-Way Between Interstate 25 and the Current City Corporate Boundary East of the Camino La Tierra Interchange. (Reed Liming) 2) Action on Proposed Charter Amendments Relating to Governance Issues. (Zachary Shandler) a) A Resolution Calling for Santa Fe Municipal Charter Amendments Recommended by the Charter Review Commission, With the Exception of the Establishment of a Runoff Provision and Changes to the Powers and Duties of the Mayor, the Governing Body and the City Manager, to be Placed on the Ballot of a Special Election to be Held in conjunction with the Regular Municipal Election on March 4, 2014. (Councilor Ives and Councilor Wurzburger) (Zachary Shandler) b) A Resolution Calling for Santa Fe Municipal Charter Amendment Questions Related to Water Protection and Conservation, Neighborhood Preservation, an Independent Redistricting Commission, Timely Disclosure of the Purposes of Tax Increases and Bond Measures, Campaign Contribution Limits, an Audit Committee and Children’s Issues and Concerns be Placed on the Ballot of a Special Election to be Held in Conjunction with the Regular Municipal Election on March 4, 2014. (Councilor Bushee) (Zachary Shandler) c) A Resolution Calling for Santa Fe Municipal Charter Amendment Questions Related to the Powers and Duties of the Mayor; Removal of the City Manager and the Establishment of a Runoff Election Provision; and Authorizing that Such Amendments be Placed on the Ballot of a Special Election to be Held in Conjunction with the Regular Municipal Election on March 4, 2014. (Councilor Ives and Councilor Wurzburger) (Zachary Shandler) d) A Resolution Calling for Santa Fe Municipal Charter Amendment Questions Related to Amendments to the Powers and Duties of the Mayor; Amendments to the Powers and Duties of the Governing Body; Deletion of Article VIII, City Manager; Creation of a New Article VIII, Department Directors and Creation of a New Provision that Would Allow Voting, on All Matters, by Chairpersons of City Committees, Commissions, Boards and Task Forces. (Councilor Rivera) (Zachary Shandler) I. ADJOURN Pursuant to the Governing Body Procedural Rules, in the event any agenda items have not been addressed, the meeting should be reconvened at 7:00 p.m., the following day and shall be adjourned not later than 12:00 a.m. Agenda items, not considered prior to 11:30 p.m., shall be considered when the meeting is reconvened or tabled for a subsequent meeting. NOTE: New Mexico law requires the following administrative procedures be followed when conducting “quasi-judicial” hearings. In a “quasi-judicial” hearing all witnesses must be sworn in, under oath, prior to testimony and will be subject to reasonable cross-examination. Witnesses have the right to have an attorney present at the hearing. Persons with disabilities in need of accommodations, contact the City Clerk’s office at 955-6520, five (5) days prior to meeting date.