Business
SUNDAY, MAY 4, 2014
HOBBS NEWS-SUN
23
Taco Bell opening date at a holding point
I Impact study for entrance
to new Lovington restaurant
delaying projected opening
DENISE MARQUEZ
NEWS-SUN
Most Lovington residents are waiting in anticipation for the new Taco Bell to open.
“We go up there to have a meeting with the
city and we go to lunch and everybody asks,
‘When are you going to open?’” Joy Buhalts, one
of the principles of Star LLC, who is heading
“Right now we’re in a holding
point because that site is on a
New Mexico highway,” she said.
“We had to hire a traffic engineer
and have him do an impact study.
He just finished that and sent it
to (the DOT) on Wednesday. They
told us it could be 60 days before
they come back to us on what
they have to do.”
A groundbreaking date for the
project is still unknown, Buhalts
said.
“We can’t (set a date) because
whatever (the DOT) decides they
the project with Merch Merchant owner of Penroc Oil in
Hobbs, said.
The new Taco Bell is planned to
be built just west of Bob’s Thriftway, right next to Lea County
Cooperative on West Avenue D,
along with a 10,000-square-foot
retail center and a hotel.
Buhalts said the project is currently at a stand still due to
approval needed from the New
Mexico Department of Transportation for an entrance to the
new business.
may make us change our site plan,” she said. “If
we have to do that we can’t do anything until we
know exactly where they will allow us to have
an entrance onto the site.”
Once approval from the department is
received, Buhalts said construction on the Taco
Bell will begin.
“Our first priority is getting Taco Bell done
because we have a corporate deadline,” she
said. “As soon as we know that is a go then we’ll
go ahead and proceed. The architects are working on everything.”
Denise Marquez can be reached at 391-5437 or at
[email protected].
Energy roundup
Four Corners conference
may be the biggest yet
KIMBERLY RYAN/NEWS-SUN
Michael’s Prescription Corner
Michael Raburn, owner and pharmacist of Michael’s Prescription Corner, cuts the ribbon during a grand opening ceremony Thursday in Eunice. Michael’s Prescription Corner is located at 1024 Main St. in Eunice.
How much
radioactivity
did the WIPP
release?
Economists back increased
U.S. oil and gas exports
T
o accurately state that everything is radioactive does not
justify exceeding discharges of
concentrated radioactivity into
the environment which violate regulatory limits.
That would be like saying it is OK
for a house to burn down because it
has a fireplace. All radiological activities in commerce
from nuclear well
logging in the oilfield to high school
chemistry sets have
limits and controls
for quantities, safe
use and disposal of
radioactive materials.
When a facility
does not exceed
Robert their regulatory or
Hayes safety limits, you
might think they
just go along
Nuclear would
with business as
Issues usual. If the facility
had an unexpected
release, which still fell inside the
safety and regulatory limits, you
might still think they would again
continue on as usual after fixing the
problem.
When observing many notions from
the recent WIPP radiation event, you
SEE HAYES, Page 24
FARMINGTON — This year's Four Corners
Oil and Gas Conference is shaping up to be one
of the biggest of the twelve years it has been in
existence.
“This is probably going to be one of the best
conferences we ever had and will definitely be
the largest,” said Karen Ortega, chairwoman of
the conference's executive committee.
The 2014 edition of the biannual conference is
scheduled to begin on May 7 at McGee Park and
ends the following day.
Throughout the two days, participants will
have the opportunity to attend more than 20 different presentations covering subjects that
include water reuse, updates on the San Juan
Basin Mancos Shale oil exploration and production, and policy updates that impact oil and gas
production.
“The talks are going to give them the latest
regulations and lasted technology,” said Jan
Tomko, conference coordinator.
She said the intent of the conference is to provide local companies insights to regulation
changes, inform them about new practices and
to provide an opportunity to network with other
companies and industry professionals.
She said as many as 1,800 people are expected
to attend this year's conference from throughout the United States and Canada. The 2012 conference netted some good results for local companies.
This year, about 300 companies from around
the country are expected to be part of the trade
show.
This year's conference will be the 12th after the
inaugural event in 1994 that was intended to
help smaller local oil and gas companies navigate their way through policies and regulations.
“The goal was to help the smaller companies
with regulatory issues and regulations,” Tomko
said. “Some of the bigger companies knew how
to do all that.”
TODD BAILEY/NEWS-SUN
The Hobbs Nutrition and Fitness
The Hobbs Nutrition and Fitness held a ribbon cutting with the Hobbs Chamber of Commerce on April 30. The center is located inside the Mini Mall at 209 W. Broadway.
NEW YORK (AP) — Whether to allow more
exports of U.S. oil and natural gas has become a
matter of political debate in Washington. But to
economists, the answer is clear: The nation
would benefit.
The vast majority of economists surveyed this
month by The Associated Press say lifting
restrictions on exports of oil and natural gas
would help the economy even if it meant higher
fuel prices for consumers.
More exports would encourage investment in
oil and gas production and transport, create
SEE ENERGY, Page 24
Briefs
U.S. economy rebounds from
from winter with hiring surge
WASHINGTON (AP) — The American economy
shrugged off the end of a brutal winter last
month, rebounding with the biggest hiring surge
in two years and suggesting that the job market’s
gains could endure.
Employers added 288,000 jobs across industries
from manufacturing to construction to accounting. Even local governments hired. The unemployment rate sank to 6.3 percent, its lowest point
since 2008, from 6.7 percent.
But the rate fell that far because many fewer
people began looking for work in April, thereby
reducing the number of unemployed. The proportion of Americans who either have a job or
are looking for one dropped to a three-decade low.
GM begins talks to settle
ignition switch lawsuits
DETROIT (AP) — The mediator hired by General Motors to settle claims from a deadly ignition
switch problem has started talks about compensating victims’ families.
Kenneth Feinberg confirmed with the Associated Press that he met Friday with lawyer Robert
Hilliard, who represents families of 53 people
who died in crashes of defective GM vehicles, and
another 273 who were injured.
Feinberg says he is evaluating GM’s options
regarding compensation. Hilliard said no dollar
figures were mentioned but he believes Feinberg
wants to reach fair settlements.
Papa Murphy’s shares rise
in its Nasdaq debut
NEW YORK (AP) — Papa Murphy’s Holdings
Inc.’s shares rose in the pizza maker’s first day of
trading.
The company offered 5.8 million shares priced
at $11 per share and raised approximately $63.8
million in the offering.