DAILY LOBO new mexico
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The Independent Voice of UNM since 1895
March 1, 2010
Republican candidates: fix budget, create jobs by Leah Valencia Daily Lobo
Junfu Han / Daily Lobo Christen Naus shows her appreciation for a welcome-back gift from her son, Mason, at the Albuquerque International Sunport on Friday. Naus returned from Haiti with the NM Disaster Medical Assistance Team — which employs the services of six UNM doctors — after two weeks in Port-Au-Prince.
Doctors return with news from Haiti by Shaun Griswold Daily Lobo
Six UNM doctors returned home after providing pediatric, surgical and obstetrician care to earthquake victims in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. In collaboration with the National Emergency Medical System, the New Mexico Disaster Medical Assistance Team sent a team on its first international deployment. The NMDMAT is located in a mobile medical
compound in Haiti’s capital and are protected by the US 82nd Airborne Division. Thousands of refugees living in tents surrounded the outside perimeters of the compound where the team worked and slept. “We saw over 4,000 patients,” said Mike Richards, the NMDMAT leader said. “Most of our patients came from the tent city next door. Even though they lived on campgrounds, the people would come see us wearing their very best. It was moving.”
The disaster team replaced another medical response team finishing their deployment. From the air, the crew was greeted by a series of scattered buildings that collapsed during the earthquake. The immediate transition left no time for rest as the team began their first 12-hour shift once they got on the ground, said Team Commander Byron Piatt. “First thing we did was to get our gear and get on the bus to the camp. We started working once the bus
arrived to the base,” he said. Much of the crew offered general medical assistance to help out any way they could. “We delivered several babies, assisted critical care, diagnosed chicken pox, dehydration (and) amputations, and offered follow-up care for the injured and sick,” Richards said. Providing medical care to children was the most moving
see Haiti page 3
Republicans had the opportunity to raise their hands and voices Saturday in a public forum with Republican gubernatorial candidates. Four of the five candidates — Janice Arnold-Jones, Pete Domenici Jr., Doug Turner and Allen Weh — attended the forum hosted by the Albuquerque Tea Party. Absent was Susana Martinez, who was excused for a family emergency. ATP board member Patricia Morlen said the ATP hosted the forum — attended by more than 350 community members — to help educate the community on what is happening in government and how it affects them. “These things do matter and I think for too long the average citizen didn’t get up and speak,” she said. On June 1, the winner of the Republican primary election will face incumbent Lt. Gov. Diane Denish, the only competing Democrat. Each candidate was asked five questions on issues of interest to the ATP, such as fiscal responsibility and limited government. The remainder of time was spent answering questions from the audience. All the candidates agreed that the main initiatives of the new governor would be fixing the state budget and creating jobs. Weh said he planned to divide the budget into two parts: “need to have and nice to have.” He said the simple solution is not to spend more than you make, which is a big change from Gov. Bill Richardson’s administration. “We are going to be in a declining-income period for the next couple years, until we can turn the economy around,” he said. “It’s like the sink rate of an airplane. You can pull the throttle back but you’re still going to be sinking for a little bit until the aerodynamics come into play.” The candidates also agreed that
see GOP page 3
Teens fast and fundraise in the name of world hunger by Tricia Remark Daily Lobo
More than 360 Albuquerque teens went hungry this weekend to fundraise for a national nonprofit organization. The teenagers stopped eating after lunch on Friday and went without meals until 6:30 p.m. Saturday. Part of a nationwide effort, the high school students joined about 500,000 teenagers to raise money for World Vision, a Christian relief organization.
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Daily Lobo volume 114
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According to a World Vision press release, half a million teens nationwide participated in the 30-hour fast to experience the hunger that poor families are often faced with every day. “I think the biggest thing about it is raising awareness that we’re not just in a little America bubble,” Stevens said. “There is a whole lot of the world out there who needs help.” The fast was created by World Vision to fight poverty. The nonprofit has hosted the “30-hour famine” campaign for 19 years, according to a World Vision press release.
Can you smell it? See page 4
Melissa Stevens, who volunteered for the fast through Immanuel Lutheran Church, took on the 30-hour fast with nine of her fellow teenage churchgoers. The group also traveled to Good Shepherd Shelter to serve lunch on Saturday. “I thought it was eye-opening,” Stevens said. “We just got to see how many people really are homeless.” Teens from Immanuel have been participating in the 30-hour fast for 11 years, said youth group leader Mary Halberg. She said
this year the teens raised more than $1,000 to donate to World Vision. The money was raised solely by the teens, who collected money from various sponsors, Halberg said. Teens across the nation hope to donate a total of $12 million this year, the press release said. A portion of the money will be donated to Haiti relief efforts, including food and the construction of eight medical clinics and a
see Teens page 3
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