Gloria Muñoz

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Community News

The Hobbs CityChamber ofCommerce is hostingand the New MexicoHealth InsuranceExchange are hostinga HEALTH INSUR-ANCE EXCHANGESEMINAR at 4 p.m.today in Heidel Hall,Room 203 at NMJC.For more information,call 397-3202.

Homecoming paradeforms for the HOBBSHIGH HOMECOMINGPARADE are due nolater than Sept. 27.They can be picked upand returned to theHHS office For moreinformation, call 575-602-3389.

BEST-SELLINGAUTHOR of The GlassCastle, JeannetteWalls, will be theguest speaker at theJack MaddoxDistinguished LectureSeries on Oct. 1 atTydings Auditorium.You may request tick-ets by email at tick-ets@usw.edu or byphone at 575-492-2108or by picking them upat an area ticket loca-tions. A list of loca-tions can be found onthe website atwww.usw.edu.

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REBECCALONG

226 W. VegaHobbs, NM

88240

575-393-2661rlong1@farmersagent.com

auto • home • life • commercial

Gloria Muñoz was named executive director of the HispanoChamber of Commerce in April. She is a founding member of theHispano Chamber and hopes to bring her expertise in businessplanning, financial analysis and advocacy to the organization in

her new position.Muñoz and her husband were part of the Hispanic Awareness

Council and it is there that they started their community involve-ment and began networking with otherleaders of the Hobbs community.

Muñoz sees the organization as aninvaluable asset to the community andbeneficial to its members.

The following is an interview withMuñoz.

Has the Hobbs Hispano Chamberof Commerce mission statement

changed since it was founded in 2006?The wording may have changed to clarify or better state our

mission, but the overall message and intent has not changedover the years.

A CONVERSATION with the News-Sun

KIMBERLY RYAN/NEWS-SUN

Permian constructionConstruction workers prepare to cement the foundation of the new Permian Chevrolet car lot on the cor-ner of Grimes and Navajo Road.

LEVI HILLNEWS-SUN

A 24-year-old Lovington man isbehind bars in connection with a fatalhit and run accident that claimed thelives of two Odessa residents on Sept.14.

Lovington police arrested CodyRuiz, 24, Monday morning at hishome. Ruiz is charged with twocounts of homicideby vehicle, onecount of great bodi-ly harm by a vehi-cle, one count ofaccidents involvingdeath or personalinjuries, one countof false report tolaw enforcementand one count ofdriving whilelicense suspended.

If convicted, he faces a maximumsentence of 20 years.

Lovington police believe Ruiz wasthe alleged driver of a Ford pickupthat ran a stop sign at a high rate ofspeed at the intersection of FirstStreet and Jefferson Street inLovington and T-boned a 1997Chevrolet Silverado driven by AlfredoOmar Hinojos-Montoya, 22, on thenight of Sept. 14.

Hinojos-Montoya was seriouslyinjured in the accident and siblingsKarina Selena Favela, 21, and ManuelFavela Garcia, 19, both of Odessa,were pronounced dead at the scene.

“This arrest is the result of an

Suspectarrestedin fatalaccident

BETH HAHNNEWS-SUN

Beginning Oct. 1, small businessescan enroll in the New Mexico HealthInsurance Exchange to find healthinsurance coverage for employees.

The Hobbs Chamber of Commerceand state Association of Commerceand Industry are scheduled to host aseminar on the Health InsuranceExchange at 4 p.m. Wednesday inHobbs.

The seminar is open to small busi-nesses and members of the publicwho are interested in more informa-tion.

Tony Chavez, support specialist forACI, said the seminar will includeinformation on how to use the HealthExchange to compare rates and cover-

age from health insurance providers.“Businesses can start enrolling in

the (insurance exchange) in Octoberwith coverage starting as soon as Jan.1, so there may be some businessesand individuals interested in thisinformation,” he said.

Hobbs Chamber of Commerce

Executive Grant Taylor said the semi-nar is important for area businesses.

“We’re glad to play a part in makingsure our members and other Hobbs-area businesses have access to infor-mation about the new health-insur-ance exchange in the months leadingup to the effective date,” he said. “Wehave already been approached by LeaRegional Medical Center, which has

Seminar to help businesses understand exchange

DENISE MARQUEZNEWS-SUN

Juan Casteñada got a gun forhis brother, AlejandroCasteñada, 37, of Hobbs, to use asprotection after Alejandroclaimed Jorge Morales threat-ened to kill him.

Later that day, according toprosecutors, AlejandroCasteñada went to Morales’home and shot him nine times.

Alejandro Casteñada’s trial forthe 2011 murder of Jorge Moralesbegan Monday morning.

Morales was shot nine times

Suspect:Victimthreatenedto kill him

N.M. Health Insurance ExchangeN.M. Health Insurance Exchange

SEE EXCHANGE, Page 4

SEE MUNOZ, Page 4

SEE HIT-AND-RUN, Page 4

Ruiz

� MURDER TRIAL

SEE MURDER, Page 4

and found dead the morning of May 23, 2011 bytwo co-workers; Danny Gutierrez and JohnnyGutierrez.

Alejandro Casteñada is charged with first-degree murder.

Alejandro Casteñada told police he allegedlyshot Morales because Morales had pointed agun at him and had threatened to kill him. Hetold police Morales picked him up and took himto a field on the north side of CoronadoElementary and started beating him up earlierin the day before the shooting took place.

Juan Casteñada told jurors he witnessedMorales picked up his brother.

“I was at my mother’s house and I recall clear-ly that my wife was there and my brotherarrived at work and Jorge arrived for him,” hesaid. “From there they left in a black car andwhen they left I went home. Afterward hearrived at my house and he was scared. He toldme that they had picked him up and that theyhad taken him to the edge of town and that hehad been returned and that they were going toreturn for him.”

Juan Casteñada said after the incidentAlejandro Casteñada asked him if he had aweapon. Juan Casteñada said he did not, butknew where he could get one.

“I went and looked for one at a house that I hadrented and he (the renter) lent me one,” JuanCasteñada said. “It was a small weapon. It was a.22 (caliber) — one of those that you put the bul-lets in.”

Juan Casteñada said he gave the gun to hisbrother and did not see the gun again until twodays later when Alejandro Casteñada returnedit to him.

“He told me that he (Morales) wasn’tgoing to cause anymore problems,” Juan

testified Monday.Juan Casteñada told jurors he returned the

gun back to his renter and didn’t ask his broth-er about what he used the gun for or what hap-pened to Morales.

“I didn’t want to know,” he said. “I didn’t wantto know anything about that and you get scaredthat something else could happen.”

Defense Attorney Jesse Cosby asked JuanCasteñada during cross examination if he waspressured by police to testify against his broth-er. Juan Casteñada said investigators made anissue of his immigration status when inter-viewing him.

“They said I should tell them who had donethat to Jorge because they were going to send allof us to Mexico, my whole family,” he said. “Itwasn’t the police it was ICE (Immigration andCustoms Enforcement). They took my cardaway and they sent me to the prison here andsaid evidently ICE was going to pick me up.”

Henning asked Juan Casteñada if he was theone who informed his brother of the possibilityof him getting deported or if it was the author-ities if he did not confess.

“Did you ever tell your brother that immigra-tion was going to take them back to Mexico ifthey didn’t confess?” Henning asked.

“Yes,” Juan Casteñada answered.“If anyone heard anything about immigration

it was from you?” Henning asked.“Yes,” Juan Casteñada answered.Other witnesses called to the stand Monday

included first responding officer Joe Wall of theHobbs Police Department, Danny Gutierrez,who found Morales’ body with his brother andthe forensic pathologist.

The trial resumes at 9:00 a.m. today in districtcourt in Lovington.

Denise Marquez can be reached at 391-5437 or atreporter@hobbsnews.com.

exhaustive and thorough investigation by thecombined efforts of our detective and patroldivisions,” said LPD Chief Danny Bryant. “Wehope this brings some measure of closure to thefamilies of the victims.”

Police say Ruiz is the registered owner of thevehicle, which was found unoccupied shortlyafter the crash. Ruiz allegedly told police he hadleft a party just prior to the accident where hehad been drinking all day. He allegedlyreturned to the party on foot after the accident.

Several empty beer bottles and two 18-packs of

beer were found in Ruiz’s vehicle.Police found the Ruiz’s vehicle shortly after

the accident where it had crashed into a dilapi-dated home and been abandoned.

Officers contacted Ruiz shortly after the acci-dent, but were unable to verify if he was drivingthe vehicle at the time of the crash.

Officers later obtained a surveillance cameraphoto that allegedly depicts Ruiz buying thebeer found in the vehicle and a witness report-ed a person matching his description fleeing thescene on foot.

He is expected to be arraigned at 8:30 a.m.Tuesday morning in Lovington. As of presstime Monday, Ruiz was being held on a $1 mil-lion bond.

FROM THE FRONT PAGE 4HOBBS NEWS-SUN • TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2013

staff trained to enroll, and other brokers andagents in the area are ramping up for sign-up.”

Through the Health Insurance Exchange,small businesses will be able to purchase healthinsurance plans and offer employees the abilityto choose from several plans.

Individuals and small businesses can beginenrolling in the Health Insurance ExchangeOct. 1.

The Hobbs Chamber of Commerce is hostingtwo Health Insurance Exchange seminars — at4 p.m. Wednesday and on Oct. 23.

Both seminars will be held in Heidel HallRoom 203 on the campus of New Mexico JuniorCollege.

For more information, contact the HobbsChamber of Commerce at 397-3202.

Beth Hahn can be reached at 391-5436 orreporter3@hobbsnews.com.

Exchangefrom PAGE 1

Our mission is to support the developmentand growth of small businesses and provideguidance to potential entrepreneurs that wantto establish their business in our community.

We offer opportunities for these businesses todevelop, grow and thrive. We also bring theimportance of Hispanic culture to the forefrontof American consciousness — to explore itsrich legacy and the impact it has made on thepeople of our community.

Being within your first year as the HobbsHispano Chamber’s executive director,what have been your biggest challenges?

My biggest challenge has been expanding ourservices in this new world of social media. Weare having to rebrand ourselves and get ourname and logo out on Facebook, LinkedIn andTwitter. We are also updating and revampingour communications with members and gener-al interest groups.

We are also mindful of those traditionalmeans of communicating for those within ourgroup that do not have access to the internet.My goal is to not miss someone that may beinterested in joining us.

What are your personal goals for theHobbs Hispano Chamber?

I’d like to think that, in all my experience, Ican contribute and leave an organization justslightly better than when I first came to be apart of the team.

The Hobbs Hispano Chamber of Commercehas enjoyed many years of steady growth andfulfilled many goals throughout the years.

I want to see us expand our services and bene-fits to the membership, provide innovativeways to help them grow and flourish — helpreach that next level of success.

What programs does the Hobbs HispanoChamber provide to help small business

owners?In collaboration with the University of the

Southwest, we developed an eight-week seriesof courses — Building a Better Business forTomorrow.

These courses cover a business from inceptionto first day of operation and the days beyond.We offer flexibility, in that, anyone can attendall or a part of this series.

We have four committees in which everyone isencouraged to participate — communityaffairs, scholarship, membership services and“padrinos.”

We also offer promotion and marketing servic-es through our membership directory websiteand networking opportunities through our rib-bon cutting and pan dulce y café events. We alsooffer exposure to membership businessesthrough our quarterly newsletter and socialmedia pages.

How did Fiestas de Septiembre turn outthis year and what events does the HobbsHispano Chamber have planned for the falland winter seasons?

Fiestas de Septiembre was a success for ourperformers, vendors and attendees.

We had to compete with a major boxing match,but everyone had their fill of celebrating, danc-ing in the street, traditional foods and bever-ages — from different parts of Mexico — andfantastic musical performances by five profes-sional groups.

In the coming months, we have pan dulce ycafé to enjoy at Steel Depot (October 25),Pioneer Bank (November 22) and EleganzeBoutique (December 20).

We also have everyone’s holiday favorite thatattracts many outside of our local area.Mariachi Christmas features a feast for thesenses — professional dancers in vivid cos-tumes with rich musical mariachi sounds fill-ing the air.

This program has become a holiday traditionfor many families. Mariachi Christmas will beheld Dec. 15 at Nelson Tydings Auditorium.

Muñozfrom PAGE 1

Hit-and-runfrom PAGE 1

FOR THE NEWS-SUNThe Western Heritage Museum and Lea

County Cowboy Hall of Fame is displaying anew exhibit, Art of the Fish: ExoticWoodcarvings of Tom Dean.

The public is invited to meet Dean, a national-ly recognized artist who specializes in mastercarvings of fish and other underwater speciesat the grand opening reception at 5:30 p.m. onSept. 26.

Dean is a completely self-taught artist fromGreat Falls, Mont. His custom one-of-a-kindwood carving sculptures have sold to privateowners, corporations and collectors across theUnited States and Canada.

Dean has taken his 40-year passion of fly fish-ing in Montana and has turned that into anoth-er passion of his; hand carving native trout,dragon fly's, cattails/reeds, frogs, other fishspecies and more recently full sized bison skullsout of exotic woods from around the world.Including woods from Africa, Australia, Brazil,Central America, Hawaii and elsewhere, settingthem into their natural river environments.Tom does not paint the wood nor does he usefillers.

“With every new piece of artwork I carve,”said Dean. “I look at each carving with confi-dence, purpose, passion and creative excellence,so you the collector and buyer, will cherish it fora lifetime.”

Tom Dean, who has only been carving since2007, had never done any type of wood work orcarving before. He found his gift and his pas-sion in life at the age of 45 and is now reachingnew heights with every new piece he creates.

He decided to become a full time artist in Juneof 2008. His artwork, under the name of MiloCreek Carvings Fine Art has exhibited at theC.M. Russell Art Auction since 2008 in GreatFalls, Mont. He has also been juried into theWestern Design Conference in Jackson Hole,Wyo. as well as the Western Masters Art Showand Sale. In his first year as a professionalartist, he was nominated for the Montana Circleof American Masters, an honor that denotedhis significant cultural and artistic stature onboth a state and national level for traditionalart.

Western Heritage Museum Director DarrellBeauchamp first met Dean when the artistcame into the C.M. Russell Museum whenBeauchamp was director of that museum.

“I was overwhelmed by the work and knewthen that Tom would rise quickly among theranks of the art world. His work is artisticwhile at the same time technical and gives theviewer a sense of moment, underwater, seldomseen in this genre. We hope everyone will comesee this incredible show,” said Beauchamp. “Weare proud to be hosting his first every one per-son show. It won't be his last.”

Museum showing Art of the Fish exhibit

Sheriff’s report

Lea County Sheriff’s Departmentactivity for 9-21-13:

• 38 calls for service.• Two criminal incidents: Criminal

damage to property on Battle Axeand Dinwiddie Road and tamper-ing with a motor vehicle on the200 block of West Apache.

• One non-criminal incident.• Two accidents.

Lea County Sheriff’s Departmentactivity for 9-22-13:

• 47 calls for service.• One criminal incident: Criminal

damage to property on the 800block of West Kansas.

• Five non-criminal incidents.

Police report

Hobbs Police Department activi-ty for 9-21-13:

• 197 calls for service.• Five criminal incidents: breaking

and entering on the 100 block ofWest Llano, shoplifting on the 200block of West Bender, larceny onthe 1400 block of East Park, larcenyon the 500 block of West Dunnamand shots fired on the 200 block ofEast Broadway.

• Five non-criminal incidents.• Two accidents• 24 arrests: 18 misdemeanors —

Seven failure to pay, four failure toappear, concealing identity, pos-sessing marijuana, two drivingwhile license suspended or

revoked, shoplifting, battery on ahousehold member, parties to acrime. Six felonies — DWI, shootingat or from a motor vehicle, proba-tion violation, aggravated assault,tampering with evidence andparole violation.

Hobbs Police Department activi-ty for 9-22-13:

Statistics not available• 10 arrests: Nine misdemeanors —

two driving while license suspend-ed or revoked, criminal trespass,two failure to pay, failure toappear, reckless driving, twoshoplifting; one felony — possess-ing methamphetamine.

Lovington Police Departmentactivity for 9-21-13:

• 24 calls for service• Two criminal incidents: Auto bur-

glary on the 300 block of WestAvenue H and shoplifting on NinthStreet.

• One non-criminal incident.• One accident.

Lovington Police Departmentactivity for 9-22-13:

• 20 calls for service.• Three criminal incidents:

Tampering with a motor vehicle onthe 200 block of West Avenue I, gasskip on the 1600 block of SouthMain and battery on the 400 blockof South Main.

• One accident.

Fire report

Hobbs Fire Department activityfor 9-21-13:

• 11 calls for service.• One in town non-emergency trans-

port.• 10 ambulance runs: 1100 block of

East Broadway, 1300 block of WestScharbauer, 500 block of West Alto,Lovington Highway and CollegeLane, 1400 block of North Turner,1400 block of South Commercial,1300 block of West Joe Harvey,1700 block of North Jefferson, 400block of North Cochran and 3700block of West Trevino.

Hobbs Fire Department activityfor 9-22-13:

• 16 calls for service.• One incident: Structure fire on the

300 block of East Alto.• One out of town non-emergency

transport.• 14 ambulance runs: 2000 block of East

Clinton, 1100 block of West Sanger,U.S. 62/180, 1900 block of WestCollege Lane, 1200 block of SouthHannah, 1400 block of North Tasker,3900 block of West Millen, 1400 blockof East Humble, 3500 block of NorthNorthwest Drive, 1400 block of NorthTurner, 1500 block of East Scharbauer,600 block of East Alston, 800 block ofNorth Dal Paso and 6500 block ofWest Alabama.

Correction policy

The News-Sun is committed to accu-racy in its news reports. Althoughnumerous safeguards are in placeto ensure accurate reporting, mis-takes may occur. Confirmed factualerrors will be corrected in thisspace daily. If you find a mistake,call 397-4556.

FOR THE RECORD

Murderfrom PAGE 1

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) —More than 7,150 feral hogswere killed as part of a compe-tition to curb their numbers inTexas and limit the hundredsof millions of dollars in dam-age caused to crops and ranch-land every year, state agricul-ture officials said Wednesday.

The Texas Department ofAgriculture awarded Sutton

County in West Texas the $20,000first-place prize in the Hog OutChallenge that ran from Octoberthrough December.

Five other counties willshare the remainder of the$60,000 in awards.

The standings were based ona formula that considers thenumber of animals killedalong with participation by

ranchers, landowners and oth-ers in educational programs tolearn techniques to keep thehogs’ numbers down.

Sutton County removed thefewest hogs (435) of the topeight participating countiesbut took first place because ithad the most participants(888) in educational pro-grams.

More than 7,150 feral hogs killed in Texas competition