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Welcome to Desert Journal Online, established in May 2001 in New Mexico. Our website
offers our true crime book,
Satan's Den Exposed - The David
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Satan's Den Exposed
The David Parker Ray Story
True crime book about a
criminal sexual sadist and cohorts busted in kidnap, rape and sexual
torture cases in New Mexico
By the Desert Journal's award winning investigative reporting team of Bill
Johnson, Fred Mramor & David Pierre
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Book about true revolution, civilogy and creating positive alternatives. |
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BOMBSHELL LIBERATION
&
INTERFERENCE
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By Leo Dailey
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Desert Journal Online
Contact Information
Bill Johnson
Editor, Publisher & Webmaster
Vic Arvizu
Honorary Web Guru
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Electronic mail
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Location
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We are an electronic
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Copyright ©
2001-2008 Desert Journal Online
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Last modified:
October 17, 2008
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…Happy
Easter from Paris & the Desert Journal
Paris
Ebberts, 3, shares a moment of sunshiny happiness Wednesday afternoon as
she climbs the spiral ladder in the playground at Ralph Edwards Park in
Truth or Consequences. The day was perfect spring with only a light breeze
and plenty of warmth to make for a radiant smile.
Photo
by Bill Johnson
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…Smash
those car windows!
Don
Velzy of Las Palomas stands beside one of his eight vehicles that vandals
smashed all of the glass, causing several thousand dollars in damage,
sometime last weekend (most likely Sunday) on his property. Velzy, a tool
and dye maker, said the culprits swung a shovel and threw rocks and engine
parts, shattering the glass on every single window, headlight and
taillight. The Sheriff’s Office is investigating the vandalism.
Photo by Bill Johnson
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Sheriff's
Dept. busts rolling meth lab
DUI suspicion
responsible for leading
police to van
By Fred Mramor
of the Desert Journal
A driving under the influence of an
intoxicant (DUI) arrest by a Sierra County sheriff’s deputy early
Wednesday morning in Truth or Consequences resulted in the discovery of
what may be a meth lab on wheels.
Christopher Gossman, 44, of Truth or
Consequences, is in custody at the Sierra County Detention Facility facing
charges of driving under the influence, possession of a controlled
substance and drug paraphernalia, failure to appear and improper use of
vehicle registration.
Sierra County Sheriff’s Deputy Larry
Gaston in his criminal complaint filed March 27 states that he observed
Gossman bouncing and swaying in the driver’s seat of his 1989 Chevy van
at 2:20 a.m. Wednesday while parked at the Circle K on North Date Street.
Minutes later Gaston, Deputy Autumn
McClintock and T or C Police Department Officer Jody Druce saw Gossman
slumped over and not moving in the parked van.
The three officers approached the
subject to check on his welfare. The officers found Gossman disoriented
and confused when they woke him up.
Gossman then walked into the
convenience store where he said a friend was inside. Gossman walked slowly
and awkwardly when he exited the store and returned to his vehicle,
according to the criminal complaint.
Deputy Gaston then asked to see
Gossman’s driver’s license and observed during the conversation that
Gossman looked everywhere else to avoid eye contact.
Gaston said Gossman was very nervous,
could not hold still, was gnashing his teeth and that his pupils were very
small like pinpoints.
In running a check on Gossman’s
driver’s license, Gaston was advised that there was an outstanding
warrant for his arrest having failed to appear in district court after his
January arrest for trafficking by manufacture and distribution of a
controlled substance (methamphetamine) and possession of drug
paraphernalia.
Gossman in November 2000 pled guilty to
possession of less than one ounce of marijuana.
Gossman admitted to driving his van
while under the influence of methamphetamine and was taken to Sierra Vista
Hospital for a blood test, results of which were unknown at the time of
Gaston’s statement.
Finding a three-inch knife in searching
the suspect’s pockets, Gaston also found a plastic baggy containing an
off-white, powdery substance, which tested positive in a field test for
methamphetamine.
Gaston in a search of Gossman’s van
found a black nylon bag containing numerous syringes, mushrooms and a
blackish-brown substance believed to be crystallized iodine residue.
Deputy Gaston then stopped his search
and requested assistance from the New Mexico State Police Narcotics
Division.
The NMSP Crime Lab Team was called to
the Circle K in reference to a possible meth lab located in a van,
according to NMSP Sgt. Ron Mullins.
Arriving at about 5 a.m., crime lab
specialists removed several catalysts, chemicals and precursors (chemicals
used in the manufacture of methamphetamine) from Gossman’s van pursuant
to a search warrant requested by NMSP Officer Freddy de la O.
A State Police hazmat (hazardous
material) team removed the van and suspected meth lab from the Circle
K’s parking lot at about noon Wednesday.
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Vanda
Winchester (above photo) and Madelyn Klatt (left) take the oath of office
March 22 as District Judge Tom Fitch swears them in to become CASA (Court
Appointed Special Advocate) volunteers to represent the best interests of
children, who are abused or neglected, in the court system. “This is an
occasion of much happiness for this court,” said Judge Fitch at the
ceremony in Truth or Consequences last Friday afternoon.
Photos
by Bill Johnson
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Domenici requests $3 million to help
build Elephant Butte wastewater system
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Pete Domenici, a
member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said Tuesday he will work
toward securing more than $3 million in federal funding to support design
and construction of a wastewater system to serve the city of Elephant
Butte.
Domenici is requesting the funds from his fellow
members on the Senate Veterans' Affairs, Housing and Urban Development and
Independent Agencies (VA-HUD) Appropriations Subcommittee.
Later this spring, the panel will begin crafting
the FY2003 VA-HUD Appropriations Bill that will fund the Environmental
Protection Agency - the organization through which Domenici is seeking the
assistance for Elephant Butte.
Domenici is seeking $3 million to help develop the
North Area Sierra County Regional Wastewater Collection and Treatment
System.
"The city of Elephant Butte is trying to move
forward with a modern wastewater system that will work to protect the
community's water supply and the overall environment of the adjoining
lake," Domenici said.
"I will work to see that the city's request
for aid is seriously considered. Competition for these funds is always
intense, but I will do my best on this request," he said.
New Mexico's senior Senator is seeking the funding
through the EPA's State and Tribal Assistance Grant (STAG) program.
Overall, the president's budget request recommends
$3.5 billion nationally for STAG. The $3 million for the Elephant Butte
project would be provided within the overall STAG funding level.
State or local matching funds are required for
STAG awards. The city estimates that phase I of this project will cost
$15.4 million.
Domenici said his request is only the first step
in the congressional appropriations process. Many New Mexico communities
have requested assistance from Congress for specific local projects.
Domenici submitted the Elephant Butte request to
be sure it and other New Mexico projects get full consideration for
funding. The competition for these funds will be significant.
The Senate and House will aim to complete all 13
of the FY2003 appropriations bills to fund the federal government by the
Oct. 1 start of the 2003 fiscal year.
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Don
Velzy said he was going to restore his Chevy Cavalier, which he had driven
until not too long ago, until vandals smashed in all of its windows to the
tune of about $2,000 in damage to that car alone, never mind seven others
they severely hit on his property.
Photo by
Bill Johnson
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The
Sheriff’s Office took photos of this tire track from an
all-terrain vehicle (ATV) on Don and Darlene Velzy’s property as
evidence from the vandalism case there, in addition to shoet and
fingerprints. Velzy said he suspects young neighborhood thugs might have
done the felony damage.
Photo
by Bill Johnson
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This
is the shovel vandals used to smash some of the glass on the vehicles on
Don Velzy’s property in Las Palomas last weekend.
Photo by Bill Johnson
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Don
Velzy’s vandalized vehicles sit atop a mesa that overlooks his farmhouse
and machine shop on Palomas Creek.
Photo
by Bill Johnson
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New
city utility ordinances
enacted
The
following City Code revisions were adopted by the Truth or Consequences
City Commission on March 11:
Ordinance
510 classifies hotels, motels, apartments, and RV parks for sanitation
rates according to the number of units. This new classification might be a
problem for some RV parks, so implementation for RV parks will be delayed
until this issue can be evaluated.
Ordinance
511 adds a $25 fee for red tags. Red tags are issued only after a utility
customer has failed to pay two consecutive bills when due and has failed
to respond to a letter reminding him or her of the payment due date. Red
tags are a final warning and are issued a day or two before utility
service is discontinued. If customers pay their bills on time or contact
the Utility Office to work out schedules for payment of overdue bills, red
tags are not issued and this fee will not accrue. The purpose of this fee
is to help cover the cost of generating and delivering red tags.
Ordinance
511 also codifies and increases some fees that have been set by policy,
but not clearly spelled out previously in the Code. These include $25 for
checks that are returned unpaid by the bank, fees for activation of new or
disconnected services, and other activation fees. This ordinance also
codifies policy with regard to the handling of delinquent accounts.
Ordinance
511 allows the City to double the fees for service calls (including meter
installations) that customers request outside normal business hours. If a
customer specifically needs a meter turned on or off outside of normal
business hours, we will continue to do so, but part of the cost of calling
staff out on overtime will have to be borne by the customer. If a service
call is required because of a problem with City facilities or equipment,
there will continue to be no charge to the customer, regardless of the
time of day.
Ordinance
512 clarifies that late charges accrue on unpaid bills for all four City
utilities (water , wastewater, electric and sanitation) and raises the
late charge (which had previously been 1% per month) to 1.5% per month.
Ordinance 513 sets a minimum deposit
for new utility accounts at $50, when a deposit is required. It tightens
up the requirements for a new account to be exempt from requiring a
deposit.
Ordinance
514 makes it unlawful to park a vehicle in such a way as to inhibit access
to a dumpster by City trash collection vehicles. It establishes a $50 fine
for so doing.
Ordinance
515 redefines larceny (in the City Code) to include theft of utility
services.
Ordinance
516 clarifies some wording in the section that sets electric rates to
correspond with the way the Code has been interpreted. It also adds some
definitions to the Code.
These
Code changes will be implemented over the next 30 days; however, as
discussed above, there may be some additional delay in changing sanitation
rates for RV parks.
For
more information, call the Utility Office at 894-6671.
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School board schedules forum
April 9 on two-mill levy election
On April 9, the Truth or Consequences Municipal
Schools Board of Education will hold a public forum on the upcoming
two-mill levy election.
The forum will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. in the T
or C City Commission Chambers, 405 W. Third Ave.
The superintendent and school board will provide
information on the two-mill levy election and answer questions from the
public.
The forum will be broadcast and is sponsored by
The Election for Education Committee.
Listeners will be able to call 894-4490 with their
questions about the two-mill levy to the Superintendent and Board of
Education. The questions will be answered on the air.
For more information, please call Dr. Bruce Hegwer,
Superintendent at 894-8150.
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Public to inspect T or C schools
April 10 before 2-mill levy election
On Wednesday, April 10, all school buildings in
the Truth or Consequences Municipal School District will be open to the
public for inspection.
The buildings will be open from 5 to 7 p.m. The
school district invites the public to view the condition of the buildings
before the upcoming two-mill levy election on April 16.
School principals will be on hand to give tours
through the buildings and to answer any questions about the condition of
the facilities and equipment.
The public is invited and encouraged to
participate. The buildings are at the following locations: Central
Services, 180 N. Date Street; T or C and Sierra Elementary Schools, 1500
N. Silver St.; T or C Middle School, 1802 N. Pershing St.; Hot Springs
High School, 1200 N. Pershing St.; Geronimo Trails High School, 102 N.
Pershing St.; Arrey Elementary School, Highway 187 in Arrey.
For more information, please call Dr. Bruce Hegwer,
Superintendent, at 894-8150.
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NM High School
Journalism Workshop
set
The New Mexico Press Association and New Mexico
State University will be sponsoring the 22nd annual NM High School
Journalism Workshop.
This workshop is a six-day intensive journalism
immersion program for New Mexico high school sophomores and juniors.
The workshop location rotates annually between the
University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, NMSU in Las Cruces and Eastern
New Mexico University in Portales.
This year's workshop will be held at NMSU in Las
Cruces, June 2-7.
This high school journalism workshop is an
essential program for young New Mexicans who are considering careers in
journalism.
Due to a decline in high school journalism
programs, newspapers are having difficulty finding young people for
entry-level journalism positions, and the number of qualified and
motivated young people entering journalism in New Mexico has been
shrinking annually for the last two decades. This program is designed to
address this critical need.
The workshop is designed to introduce students to
the real world of newspaper journalism. It includes instruction from
professional journalists, high school journalism instructors, and faculty
from the host university's journalism department.
Under the guidance of the instructors and
advisors, the students design and create their own 8-page tabloid
newspaper, Future Press. The students select, research and write their own
stories, shoot the photos, create the ads, and edit and lay out the paper.
Future Press is printed and distributed on the
last day of the workshop at a celebratory luncheon at which the students
receive award certificates for their achievements in creating the
newspaper.
Students who wish to participate must register by
May 10. Students need to obtain the sponsorship of their journalism
instructor or advisor and pay a nominal fee of just $150. A limited number
of scholarships may be available through the NMPA and its member
newspapers.
The NMPA is a 110 year-old nonprofit
organization, which represents 50 daily, weekly and twice-weekly
New Mexico newspapers. It is the mission of the NMPA to promote quality
journalism in New Mexico.
For more information please contact Catherine
Ullett at NMPA by phone at 505-275-1377 or by e-mail at nmpress@earthlink.net.
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Workshop to address issues
of open government March 20
The Attorney General and the New Mexico Foundation
for Open Government (FOG) jointly will conduct a workshop on the Open
Meetings Act and the Inspection of Public Records Act in Albuquerque on
Tuesday, April 9.
The seminar will be from 9 a.m. to noon in the
Picuris Room of the Albuquerque Convention Center, 401 Second Street NW.
The seminar is one of an annual series
co-sponsored by the Attorney General and FOG, a non-profit government
watchdog that assists the public and press is obtaining access to public
records and meetings of government bodies.
The workshops are scheduled in locations
throughout the state. They are designed to assist public officials in
complying with the "sunshine laws" and to inform members of the
general public of their rights and responsibilities under those statutes.
Attorney General Patricia Madrid has designated
Assistant AG Albert Lama, director of the civil division of her office, to
preside.
Bob Johnson, executive director of FOG, will
outline the history of open government laws in the United States and New
Mexico and some of the problems that led to the present laws.
Assistant AG Elizabeth Glenn will outline the
requirements of the Open Meetings Act, and Assistant AG Mary H. Smith will
describe the provisions of the Inspection of Public Records Act.
The panelists will answer questions from the
audience about any aspect of these laws.
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One
might say Don Velzy’s autos and trucks are a bunch of junk, but Velzy
asks who has the right to trespass on his property in Las Palomas and then
break every single window or piece of glass?
Photo by Bill Johnson
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