Truckers battle high cost of fuel
Nancy Watson
Staff Writer
GALLUP — The high cost of diesel fuel is causing a financial
crisis in the trucking industry. Smaller companies and individual
truck owners are struggling to make truck payments and stay in business
because of the rapidly escalating cost of fuel.
Large trucking companies that have thousands of trucks are usually
able to keep afloat during a fuel crisis.
"It's kinda tough," said Lawrence Collins, of Manford, Okla.,
who owns two 18-wheel big rigs that travel across the country.
Standing outside his polished Peterbilt truck in the parking lot of
the Giant Truck Stop, 20 miles east of Gallup, Collins said he was
"running" on the East Coast until a few weeks ago. "Running"
is trucker lingo for driving.
Fuel prices as high as $2.27 a gallon in Vermont and high tolls on
Eastern highways forced him to find loads heading west.
Collins' trucks average four miles per gallon of fuel. He drives one
truck and pays another person 30 cents a mile to drive the other.
His monthly insurance bill for the trucks and workman's compensation
is $899. One of his truck payments is $1,250. There also are maintenance
and other operating costs. But he is one of the luckier owner-operators.
His home mortgage and vehicles are paid off.
"I'm just stayin' afloat," he said. "I'm makin' enough
to eat and pay my driver and make my payments."
But that may change. If the price of fuel continues to climb, he may
be forced to talk to the bank about accepting only interest payments
on his truck loans until things improve.
Jess Taylor of Dayton Beach, Fla., has been driving trucks for 35
years. He says he probably could be making more money working a double
shift back home. Because of the high price of fuel, he's only "hangin'"
in there, hoping it will get better.
Taylor was outfitting a new blue Western Star truck he'd recently
bought. He hauls chemicals, one of the more dangerous and better paying
trucking jobs.
He said higher fuel costs will make him stay out on the road longer
which means he'll be running extra miles to make up for the added
expense. He'll get home to his wife less often.
Last year he was paying 78 to 82 cents a gallon for fuel. Now he's
paying 75 percent more.
"I pay an extra $250 to $300 to fuel up," he said.
Although most companies he hauls for pay a 2 to 8 percent per mile
surcharge to make up for the high cost of fuel, all the surcharge
does is "ease the pain," he said. It does not totally compensate
for the higher fuel cost.
Taylor believes many oil companies are taking advantage of the drivers
by price gouging.
"When there is a 25 percent price difference within a 10-mile
radius, they're gouging us," he said. "Individual oil companies
are profiting off our misfortune.
"They have us. If we don't buy it, we can't run. If we don't
run, we lose our truck."
Taylor faces a monthly truck payment of $2,000. He said he has no
option but to continue to run until "we reach a meltdown."
He would prefer to see big rig trucks fight high fuel costs by driving
at the slowest legal speed during rush hours in heavily congested
areas. This would frustrate traffic, he believes.
"That would really get some attention," he said.
Another driver, Jim Francis of Benton, Maine, said he'd like to see
empty store shelves for a week.
"When everyone runs out of groceries and milk," he said,
"maybe they'll understand."
Francis, who drives a Freightliner tractor pulling a flatbed trailer,
said fuel was as high as $2.78 per gallon in Connecticut a month ago.
Drivers boycotted fuel stops in the state, and within days, the price
had dropped to $1.79.
He had fueled at the Flyin' J Truckstop in Albuquerque, where he paid
$1.40 a gallon. The price of fuel at the Giant Truck Stop was $1.49
a gallon. He was en route to California and was nervous about fuel
prices there.
Francis, who has been driving for 26 years, said he had paid February's
truck payment, three weeks late. He's grateful his wife also works.
Larger trucking companies are not as affected by the high fuel costs
as smaller companies and the single-truck owner-operators.
The bigger companies receive breaks on everything from highway taxes
and equipment to fuel because they buy large amounts of diesel. The
larger companies pay only 4 to 5 cents above cost.
The drivers interviewed said they believe a concerted effort is being
made to drive independent truckers out of business.
Francis said he has a friend who has turned in four of his five trucks.
However, a driver for Salinas Trucking out of Twin Falls, Idaho, said
bigger companies are also feeling the crunch.
He said he has seen a drop in the amount of freight being moved, and
that drop in freight translates into fewer miles and
smaller paychecks. He also said he has noticed fewer trucks on the
highway.
Francis summed up the thoughts of the drivers interviewed: "It's
all I know. I've been driving trucks since I was 18 years old. I'll
do it until I can't do it anymore. Till they come and take my truck.
It has to end. The prices have to go down."
Hundreds of independent truckers have planned a protest rally in Washington,
D.C., Thursday. A convoy of about 100 big rig trucks passed through
Gallup this past weekend en route to the rally. On Tuesday, the parade
of trucks had grown to more than 200.
Organizers of the rally are requesting all truckers stop running during
the scheduled four-hour rally.
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Puppy love
Where's gal who likes pitter-patter of poodles?
Mary E. Davis
Staff Writer
GRANTS — "Wanted: Live in Rent-a-Wife, rural living poodle
farm. 287-4153."
John Turner's recent newspaper ad has produced calls from the curious
and a few nibbles. But so far there have been no bites in his search
for a companion to help him care for 30 poodles or help his future
plans to increase his business of raising and breeding the dogs.
Twice divorced, Turner isn't looking for love. What he is looking
for is a woman who loves animals and is willing to live beside the
bluffs that overlook his trailer home near Prewitt, 20 miles west
of Grants. The former truck driver has been searching for a helpmate
for about a year.
"I've always liked to do the unusual to see what
you can get out of it," Turner said. "To find anybody to
come out here and help me, (that person) has to be dedicated enough
to do what wives do. Most wives, when they take care of kids, put
in that extra touch. It's not a hard job, but it's not a job that
you can get somebody to work eight hours a day."
Since he lives in an isolated area, Turner wants someone who is a
good conversationalist and a good companion. Having a second person
around the place will also allow him to get away to enter dog shows.
"You can't run to town every 15 minutes. What you need is someone
who is compatible," Turner said. "I also don't want to be
here and be tied down all the time. It's a pretty lonely life to be
out here by yourself."
Turner has placed other ads searching for housekeepers and groomers,
but none produced the type of person he's looking for to care for
his dogs.
He finally got the idea of advertising for a "rent-a-wife"
from a handyman in Florida. The handyman rents himself out as a "rent-a-husband"
to work on household chores for clients whose husbands either don't
want to or don't have the time to do them.
"I thought that was a pretty good idea," Turner said. "I've
tried every ad to get the right person for the job. I need somebody
that basically needs a place to live and is also good company and
likes animals. How do you advertise for somebody like that except
by the way I did it? So, don't you see? 'Rent-a-wife' is the answer."
Whoever takes the job, Turner said, will receive half the profits
from about 200 pups expected to be born at his poodle farm each year
and a place to live next to his trailer home. At $300 per poodle,
Turner estimates his net income could rise to $25,000.
In exchange, the helpmate will be responsible for giving the animals
their haircuts which needs to be done about every three weeks vaccinating
them and giving them tender loving care until they're finally bought.
"You're not looking for a (person in a particular) trade,"
Turner said. "You're looking for someone who really likes animals.
They (the poodles) require a certain kind of affection. You need someone
who likes to cut hair and bathe them. It's just like taking care of
kids."
Turner said he's been looking for a woman for the job because he believes
poodles are more affectionate with females.
"These dogs like a woman more than a man," Turner said.
"I don't know why. They really like women."
He also believes two men, both living in an out-of-the-way place,
would probably get on each other's nerves. He's seen it as a truck
driver: Two-men or two-women teams in the same cab will have a hard
time tolerating each other's company, while a couple can make driving
long hours a much easier experience.
Turner, who has raised cattle, horses, buffalo and rainbow trout,
got into the poodle business about three years ago. Working for a
woman in Louisiana, he sold the tiny dogs for five years to truck
drivers. He met the breeder when he bought one of her dogs. He had
lost his own poodle when it was stolen at a motel in Georgia.
Turner usually sold the dogs to truckers, who apparently liked the
little dogs because they didn't eat much, didn't make a mess and didn't
shed.
"I've never had any problem selling poodles at truck stops, and
most of the truckers are looking for dogs," Turner said.
Truckers and access to truck stops was one of the reasons Turner located
his dog business near Prewitt. There are several truck stops nearby
in Gallup, Grants, Sky City Casino and Albuquerque. The location also
was suitable because of its isolation and few neighbors who might
not like to live close to barking dogs.
"I've been looking all over the United States for this place,"
Turner said of his poodle farm location.
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Baby dies of injuries from crash
Driver faces felony charges
Tanya Brazil
Staff Writer
GALLUP — An 8-month-old baby girldied Tuesday from injuries sustained
in a three-vehicle crash Monday night that killed her parents and
shocked police and onlookers with its horror.
One police officer said the accident scene "looked like a bomb
hit it."
Shasawn Hobb, whose parents were killed instantly in the Monday night
accident, died at University Hospital in Albuquerque.
The accident at the intersection of historic Route 66 and Boardman
Drive also claimed the lives of Ray Hobb, 36, and his wife, Christine,
both of Navajo.
The tragedy left the Hobb's six other children without parents.District
Attorney Mary Helen Baber said she will personally oversee the handling
of the case in which a suspected intoxicated man drove his pickup
through a red traffic light and into the Hobb's pickup. It was knocked
into a third vehicle, occupied by Amanda Hauser and her young son,
investigating State Police Sgt. Cory Gossett said. Hauser and her
son, of Gallup, were treated and released for minor injuries.
Baber expressed condolences to theHobb family.
"I personally went to the scene, and when I saw that car seat,
I was just heartbroken," she said. "I went home and hugged
my baby."
She said the DA's office is awaiting completion of the police investigation
and is contemplating numerous felony charges. New Mexico State Police
Capt. Glenn Thomas said city police tried to stop the speeding pickup
truck driven by Johnny Caballero, 30 of Brimhall, at Aztec Avenue
and Route 66.
He said the truck "floored it" and "took off like a
maniac," attempting to hit a police vehicle.
He said the truck was being driven with its headlights off. The truck
didn't stop and police continued pursuit.City police then tried to
set up a road block near Boardman Drive. They couldn't get there in
time.
The truck raced through a red light at Historic 66 and Boardman Avenue.
Then, it smashed into the truck carrying the Hobb couple and their
baby.
Caballero was hospitalized and is in critical condition.
Two passengers in his truck also were injured. Margaret Caballero,
38 of Tohatchi, wa s reported in stable condition. Carmelita Jojola,
46, of Albuquerque was in serious condition at Rehoboth McKinley Christian
Hospital in Gallup.
Thomas said if police would have let the driver go to avoid scaring
him, the police department could be sued if he caused an accident.
"I hate pursuits. It's a lose-lose situation," he said.
"I thought the Gallup Police Department did a good job."
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Less-than-perfect Hobbs still team to
beat in big schools' tourney
Thoreau, Pine Hill face first round action today
N.M. boys state tournament
Pete Herrera
AP Sports Writer
LAS CRUCES, N.M. — His first high school state championship turned
out to be merely an appetizer for Hobbs High School coach Russ Gilmore.
"I've tasted it and you get hungrier," says Gilmore.t opener,
with Aztec (13-11) facing Artesia (12-13) and Portales (15-9) meeting
Thoreau (9-16) in the other first round games at Las Cruces High School.
The four winners today go on to Thursday's quarterfinals. The Hot
Springs-St. Pius winner meets Taos (20-4); the Aztec-Artesia winner
plays Wingate (15-9); the Los Alamos-Ruidoso winner goes on to play
Kirtland Central (20-4) and the Portales-Thoreau winner meets Albuquerque
Academy (17-7)...
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Grants groups unite to help truck driver
Tom Purdom
Staff Writer
GRANTS — Norman Overgaard doesn't know all the people invited
to a special benefit dinner March 23 at Grants Station to help pay
his medical bills.
Overgaard, 60, collapsed in his bathroom with a brain aneurysm Jan.
20.
Overgaard, who has been married nearly 31 years to his wife Karen,
53, is undergoing several therapies, including occupational and speech
therapy. His doctors expect a full recovery...
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Hopis discuss ousting Anglo
Bill Donovan
Staff Writer
GALLUP — The Hopi Tribe began holding a rare exclusion hearing
Wednesday to remove a woman living on Hopi Partitioned Lands who tribal
officials claim refuses to follow tribal law.
The woman, Arlene Hamilton, has been accused of building an educational
camp on the HPL without a permit and helping Navajo resisters hold
annual sun dance ceremonies.
Wednesday's hearing began with a motion by John Trebon, Hamilton's
attorney, to dismiss the case on the grounds the tribe's exclusion
ordinance was too vague. This was denied...
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Tribe seeks money to build 5 offices
Bill Donovan
Diné Bureau
GALLUP — Navajo Nation President Kelsey Begaye plans to try to
convince Arizona Gov. Jane Hull to support the tribe's request for
state money to build five new office buildings on the Navajo Reservation.
While this isn't the only subject expected to come up when Begaye
and Hull meet Thursday requests for money for veteran projects are
also on the agenda it's the one that is expected to take up the most
time.
The tribe is hoping for $2.5 million in state money to build offices
for the tribe's Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program...
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City OKs Safeway liquor license transfer
Tanya Brazil
Staff Writer
GALLUP — The Gallup City Council approved the Safeway liquor
license transfer Tuesday, although it made clear the city's lack of
authority in the matter.
Councilwoman Rose Marie "Shorty" Sandoval said the state
alcohol and gaming division has failed to answer the city's questions
or requests, leaving the city caught in the middle.
"And so what have we learned from this whole situation?"
she asked. "That hopefully the public can now begin to understand
that the city council has no authority over a pre-approved license
that comes from Santa Fe..."
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Power plant advocates threaten to sue
Tanya Brazil
Staff Writer
GALLUP — A company that has been trying to convince
Gallup to build its own electrical power plant threatened to take
action against the city Tuesday if it failed to honor its contract
agreement.
Gary Tassainer, a managing member of Tasco-Gen Systems, LLC., told
the Gallup City Council the company received a certified letter terminating
a letter of intent contract between the city and Tasco on March 6.
"The reason I'm here tonight is to ask the council if they understand
what the letter says because I'll be damned if I do," Tassainer
said. "I don't understand it. It crisscrosses itself over about
four times..."
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DJ contest raises money at Zuni
Staff Rport
ZUNI — Votes here can be bought for a dollar apiece.
Zuni High School sophomores are selling votes for a
disc jockey contest being held Saturday in the school gymnasium.
The students are raising money for junior and senior proms and a senior
class trip.
Instead of doing the usual cake walks and bake sales, the students
thought a DJ contest might be more interesting, said Eric Dahl, a
teacher who is the class sponsor...
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Deaths
Edward "Radar" Lopez
GALLUP — Services for Edward "Radar" Lopez, 39, will
be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, March 16, at the Sacred Heart Cathedral.
Father Jim Walker will officiate. Burial will follow at the Sunset
Memorial Park.
Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. today, March 15, at Rollie
Mortuary.
Lopez died March 11 in Albuquerque. He was born July 9, 1960, in Gallup.
Survivors include his wife, Cassandra Lopez of Gallup; sons, Brandon
Lopez, Rudy Lopez and Joe Rodriguez, all of Gallup;
daughters, Justeene Lopez and Lena Rodriguez, both of Gallup; father,
Finley Harper of Gallup and sister, Iris Robertson of Gallup.
Lopez was preceded in death by his mother, Shirley Lopez.
Pallbearers will be Jay Azua, Johnathan Gutierrez, William Lamey,
Willie Roy, Teddy Saucedo, Trinidad Saucedo III, Tommy
Vigil and Raymond Yepez.
Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
Josephine "Josie" Olguin
GALLUP — Services for Josephine "Josie" Olguin, 53,
will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, March 16, at St. Francis of Assisi
Catholic Church. Father Jim Walker and Father Ulric Pax, O.F.M., will
officiate. Burial will follow at the Hillcrest Cemetery.
Survivors include her husband, Antonio Olguin of Gallup; sons, Louie
"Ronnie" Estrada and Anthony Olguin Jr. of Gallup; daughters,
Annette Cerna and Sandra Chaidez, both of Gallup; mother, Catalina
E. Martinez of Gallup; brothers, Anthony
Estrada, Genero Howard Estrada Sr., Julian Estrada and Robert Estrada,
all of Gallup, Jimmy Estrada of Gamerco and Richard Estrada of Albuquerque;
sisters, Esther Candelaria and Lupe Ramirez, both of Gallup, Susie
Dominguez of Albuquerque, Antionette Estrada of Gamerco, Tommie Herrera
of Silver City, Mary LeBlance of Los Angeles, Calif., and Jennie Maldonado
of Milan; and 15 grandchildren.
Olguin was preceded in death by her father, Manuel Estrada Sr.; stepfather,
Jose Santos Martinez; brothers, Jose "Lou-Lou" Estrada and
Manuel Estrada Jr.; sister, Julia Estrada and step father Jose Santos
Martinez.
Pallbearers will be Duane Casias, Anthony Estrada, Howard Estrada
Sr., Jimmy Estrada, Julian Estrada, Richard Estrada, Robert Estrada
and Pete Malonado Jr.
Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
Franklin D. Tah Sr.
CHURCH ROCK — Services for Franklin D. Tah Sr., 57, will be held
Thursday, March 16 at Our Lady of Fatima Church. Father Blaine will
officiate. Burial will follow on family land in Chinle, Ariz.
Visitation will be held at 4-6 p.m., tonight, March 15 at Cope Memorial
Chapel in Gallup. Rosary will be recited at 6 p.m., tonight, March
15 at Cope Memorial Chapel.
Tah Sr. died March 12 in Gallup. He was born Feb. 16, 1943 in Chinle,
Ariz. into the Water Flows Together People Clan for the Bitter Water
People Clan.
Tah Sr. was also known as Bennie Martin. He graduated from Chinle
High School and attended New Mexico Highlands University for two years.
He was employed by the railroad; Kerr McGee Mine, United Nuclear,
Giant Refinery and the McKinley Manor.
Survivors include his wife, Isabel Tah of Church Rock; sons, Darrel
Burns of San Felipe Pueblo, and Victor Tah, Thedeous Tah, Franklin
Tah Jr. and Trevious Tah, all of Church Rock; daughters, Fraye Lynn
Tah and Fran Tah, both of Church Rock; parents, Zonnie Silversmith
of Church Rock and James Martin Sr. of Pinedale; brothers, Lewis Robertson
of Chinle, Ariz. and James Martin Jr. of Church Rock; sisters, Lucille
Ross, Marlene Martin Tsosie and Darlene Martin, all of Gallup, Bonnie
Young of Devil Lake, N.D., Marte Charley of Pinedale and Evangeline
Tah of Tucson, Ariz.; four grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
Tah was preceded in death by his father, Alfred Tah; son, Trebeous
Tah; and a brother, Marvin James Martin.
Pallbearers will be Thedeous Tah, Franklin Tah Jr., Darrell Burns,
Victor Tah, Marvin Murphy and Robert Warren.
The family will receive friends and family after the
burial services at Zonnie Silversmith's residence in Church Rock.
Cope Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Helen C. Belin
CROWNPOINT — Services for Helen C. Belin, 73, will be held at
11 a.m., Thursday, March 16 at Hosanna Pentecostal Church. Pastor
Harry Caytineto will officiate. Burial will follow at the Crownpoint
Community Cemetery.
Belin died March 10 in Albuquerque. She was born Feb. 15, 1927 in
Littlewater into the Black Streak People Clan for the Zia People Clan.
Survivors include her sons, Richard Belin Jr., Jimson Belin Sr., Sampson
Belin, James Belin, Gene Belin Sr., Pahe Belin and Lumson Belin Sr.;
daughters, Martha B. Slim of Littlewater, Margie B. Rogash of Casamero
Lake, Margarete Belin of Crownpoint and Geneva Belin of Thoreau; 22
grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; and 17 great-great-grandchildren.
Belin was preceded in death by her husband, Richard Belin Sr.; sons,
Anson Belin and Watson Belin; daughter, Margorie Belin; parents, Juan
Castello and Margaret Castello; brothers, George Castillo, John Castillo;
sisters, Mary Platero and Annie Castillo; and a granddaughter.
Pallbearers will be Calvin Belin, Richardson Belin, Jimson Belin Jr.,
Michael Denetso, Lamson Belin Sr. and Sampson Belin.
The family will receive friends and family after the burial services
at the Belin residences 8 miles east of Crownpoint.
Tse Bonito Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
Arnold "Fito" Joseph Galindo
GALLUP — Services for Arnold "Fito" Joseph Galindo,
69, will be announced at a later date.
Galindo died March 13 in Gallup. He was born may 16, 1930 in Gibson.
Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
Rondy V. Thompson
RAMAH — Services for Rondy V. Thompson, 27, will be announced
at a later date.
Thompson died March 13 in Albuquerque. He was born Nov. 27, 1972 in
Zuni into the Chiricahua Apache People/Meadow People Clans for the
Sleeping Rock People Clan.
Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
Elsie Jim
CHINLE, Ariz. — Services for Elsie Jim, 66, will be announced
at a later date.
Jim died March 13 at the University of New Mexico Hospital
in Albuquerque. She was born July 10, 1933 in Lukachukai, Ariz.
Cope Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
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