Albuquerque Media Monitoring
News clips from Thursday, August 07 include stories about:

* Young Patient Appears at UNM Hospital Fundraiser
* Wait Times Growing in Emergency Rooms Nationwide, Longer in New Mexico
* UNM Quaterback Profiled

2 KASA 9:00 PM

A PINT SIZED PATIENT IS HELPING SAVE LIVES AND SERVE TREATS. 4-YEAR OLD KEVIN MENDOZA SPENT THE DAY AT THE DAIRY QUEEN ON LOUISIANA BOULEVARD, HANDING OUT BLIZZARDS. THE PROCEEDS GO DIRECTLY TO UNM CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL. KEVIN NEARLY DIED FROM E-COLI TWO YEARS AGO. HE TREATED AT UNM HOSPITAL. ALTHOUGH HE'S RECOVERED FROM ALL SERIOUS SYMPTOMS, KEVIN'S MOTHER SAYS SOME LONG TERM SIDE EFFECTS WILL REQUIRE ADDITIONAL TREATMENT.

4 KOB 5:00 PM

CATERPILLARS ARE INVADING THE LAS CRUCES AREA. SOME PEOPLE SAY THE WHITE-LINE SPHINX MOTH CATERPILLARS ARE CREEPY... AND A NUISANCE. ONE MAN SAYS HE RECENTLY PULLED ABOUT 500 OF THEM OUT OF HIS SWIMMING POOL. A NEW MEXICO STATE UNIVERSITY ENTOMOLOGIST BLAMES IT ALL ON RECENT RAINS CREATING A LOT OF FOOD FOR THE CATERPILLARS. THEY'RE EXPECTED TO STARTTHEIR TRANSFORMATION INTO MOTHS ABOUT A WEEK FROM NOW.

4 KOB 6:00 PM

UNM HOPES PEOPLE'S SWEET TOOTH WILL HELP FUND THE CHILDREN'S MIRACLE NETWORK TODAY IS "MIRACLE TREAT DAY" WITH ALL THE MONEY MADE FROM DAIRY QUEEN BLIZZARDS GOING TO THE FOUNDATION THAT HELPS SICK CHILDREN. A FORMER PATIENT WAS EVEN HELPING OUT TODAY--- 4 YEAR OLD KEVIN MENDOZA WAS HANDING PEOPLE THEIR BLIZZARDS AND THANKING THEM FOR THEIR HELP. MENDOZA HAD A LONG RECOVERY AFTER CONTRACTING E-COLI. "HE HAD KIDNEY FAILURE, PRANCREATUS HE HAD A CUTE DIALYSIS FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS, HE CAME OUT OF BUT THANKFULLLY UNM SAVED HIS LIFE" NO WORD YET ON HOW MUCH MONEY HAS BEEN RAISED.

4 KOB 6:00 PM

UNM CORNERBACKS DEANDRE WRIGHT AND GLOVER QUIN COULD JOIN FAVRE IN THE PRO'S IF BRETT STICKS AROUND FOR ANOTHER YEAR OR TWO.. ROCKY LONG THINKS WRIGHT AND QUIN ARE BOTH FUTURE NFL PLAYERS.. THEY ARE BEING TOUTED BY MANY AS THE BEST CORNERBACK TANDEM IN THE MOUNTAIN WEST..

7 KOAT 5:00 AM

WAIT TIMES ARE GROWING AT EMERGENCY ROOMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY... AND THE DELAYS ARE EVEN WORSE IN NEW MEXICO. A NEW NATIONAL REPORT FINDS THE AVERAGE WAIT TIME TO SEE A DOCTOR HAVE GROWN FROM ABOUT 38 MINUTES... TO MORE THAN AN HOUR IN THE PAST DECADE. BUT, THAT'S NOTHING COMPARED TO THE PROBLEM HERE IN THE DUKE CITY. E-R PATIENTS AT U-N-M HOSPITAL HELD OUT FOR A LITTLE LESS THAN 3 HOURS LAST MONTH, ACCORDING TO THE ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL. PRESBYTERIAN'S E-R HAD 2-HOUR WAITS AND LOVELACE'S DOWNTOWN E-R A LITTLE LESS THAN 2 HOURS. AND WAIT TIMES ONLY GET LONGER WHEN TEMPERATURES DROP IN THE WINTER.

7 KOAT 6:00 PM

TIMES ARE GETTING LONGER AT EMERGENCY ROOMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY... AND THE DELAYS ARE EVEN 'WORSE' IN NEW MEXICO. A NEW NATIONAL REPORT FINDS THE AVERAGE WAIT TIME TO SEE A DOCTOR, HAS GROWN FROM ABOUT 38 MINUTES... TO MORE THAN AN HOUR IN THE PAST DECADE. HERE IN THE DUKE CITY- IT'S EVEN WORSE. E-R PATIENTS AT U-N-M HOSPITAL HAD TO WAIT FOR ALMOST 3 HOURS LAST MONTH, ACCORDING TO THE ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL. PRESBYTERIAN'S E-R HAD 2-HOUR WAITS ... LOVELACE'S DOWNTOWN E-R, A LITTLE LESS THAN 2 HOURS. AND WAIT TIMES ARE EXPECTED TO GET EVEN LONGER,

7 KOAT 10:00 PM

IF YOU HAVE AN EMERGENCY AND NEED TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL, YOU'LL PROBABLY BE WAITING LONGER. ACTION 7 NEWS REPORTER LEIGH CHECKSTAD TELLS US WHICH HOSPITALS HAVE THE LONGEST WAIT TIMES. 80-YEAR OLD BERTHA MITCHELL KNOWS WHAT IT'S LIKE TO WAIT FOR MEDICAL CARE. WHEN I WAS TRYING TO TALK, IT WASN'T COMING OUT THE WAY I WANTED IT TO SOUND. EARLIER THIS YEAR FAMILY MEMBERS TOOK HER TO PRESBYTERIAN HOSPITAL. IT WAS PACKED. AND THERE WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE THERE AND IT SEEMED LIKE MANY DIDN'T EVEN NEED TO BE THERE, JUST COLDS AND FLU AND STUFF LIKE DIDN'T EVEN NEED TO BE THERE, JUST COLDS AND FLU AND STUFF LIKE THAT. BETWEEN REGISTERING AND BEING SEEN BY A NURSE, HER GRANDSON SAYS THEY WAITED ABOUT 45 MINUTES. THAT'S PRETTY GOOD ACCORDING TO PRESBYTERIAN-- THE AVERAGE WAIT IS ABOUT TWO HOURS. DEPENDING ON THE HOSPITAL YOU GO TO YOUR WAIT TIME WILL BE DIFFERENT. LOVELACE HAS THE SHORTEST WAIT TIMES. A SPOKESMAN SAYS FROM ARRIVAL UNTIL THE TIME YOU FIRST SEE A DOCTOR: THE AVERAGE AT MEDICAL CENTER IS ONE HOUR FORTY SEVEN MINUTES. AT WOMEN'S HOSPITAL: ONE HOUR. AND AT LOVELACE WESTSIDE, 62 MINUTES. UNMH-- THE BIGGEST HOSPITAL-- HAS THE BIGGEST WAIT TIMES. ONE WOMAN IN THIS EMERGENCY ROOM SAYS SHE WAS SEEN BY A NURSE IN A VERY SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. BUT NOW THAT SHE NEEDS TO BE ADMITTED AND HAVE BLOOD WORK DONE, SHE EXPECTS HER HOUR AND A HALF LONG WAIT TO BECOME MUCH LONGER. SHE'S LUCKY. HAD SHE GONE IN JANUARY, THE AVERAGE WAIT TIME WAS MORE THAN FOUR HOURS. LAST MONTH, THE WAIT TIME WAS NEARLY 3 HOURS. AFTER A PATIENT IS FIRST SEEN, YOU COULD SIT THERE EVEN LONGER. BERTHA SAYS AT PRESBYTERIAN AFTER SHE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A SMALL STROKE SHE WAS SENT BACK TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM WHERE SHE WAITED FOR SEVEN AND A HALF HOURS. THIS IS THE LONGEST I'VE EVER SEEN IT TAKE. MOST HOSPITALS DETERMINE WAIT TIME AS HOW LONG IT TAKES FROM WHEN YOU FIRST WALK INTO THE E-R UNTIL YOU ARE SEEN BY A MEDICAL SPECIALIST. AFTER THAT INITIAL DIAGNOSIS, IT CAN TAKE EVEN LONGER BEFORE YOU ARE ADMITTED-- DEPENDING ON HOW SERIOUSLY ILL YOU ARE. REPORTING LIVE, LC, A7N. ACCORDING TO THE C-D-C, THE NATIONAL AVERAGE WAIT TIME IS ONE HOUR. EVERY HOSPITAL WE SPOKE TO, ATTRIBUTED THE INCREASED WAIT TIMES, TO MORE PATIENTS WALKING THROUGH THEIR DOORS.

7 KOAT 10:00 PM

IN JUST OVER 3 WEEKS THE LOBOS WILL KICK-OFF THEIR 110TH SEASON OF FOOTBALL. THE OFFENSE RETURNS JUST 6 STARTERS THIS YEAR AND AS JOHN SALAZAR REPORTS THAT COULD MEAN A BIGGER BURDEN ON QUARTERBACK DONOVAN PORTERIE.. "I THINK DONAVAN'S GOING TO BE A GOOD PLAYER AS GOOD AS ANY IN THE LEAGUE." HE BRINGS STABILITY TO AN OFFENSE LACKING EXPERIENCE. STARTING QUARTERBACK DONVAN PORTARIE WILL BE COUNTED ON HEAVILY TO ANCHOR UNM'S ATTACK. "HE'S A GOOD QB RIGHT NOW. HE'S GOING TO BE EVEN BETTER AS THE SEASON ROLLS ALONG AND HE'S GOING TO BE EVEN BETTER NEXT YEAR BUT HE'S GOT TO HAVE SOME GUYS AROUND HIM TO PERFORM WELL TOO." EXPECTATIONS ARE HIGH BECAUSE THE 2-YEAR STARTER IS COMING OFF A HUGE STATISTICAL YEAR. LAST SEASON AS A SOPHMORE PORTARIE THREW FOR OVER 3 THOUSAND YARDS...THE MOST BY A LOBO SINCE STONEY CASE IN 1994. HE ALSO COMPLETED 15 TOUCHDOWN PASSES WHILE TOSSING 9 INTERCEPTIONS. "I TAKE THAT AS BIG TIME TO HAVE MY HEAD COACH PUT A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY IN ME AND BELIEVES I CAN GET IT DONE." BUT HE CAN'T DO IT ON HIS OWN AND UNM IS FACING SOME MAJOR OFFENSIVE QUESTION MARKS. 4 OFFENSIVE LINEMAN NEED TO BE REPLACED AND STELLAR WIDE RECEIVERS MARCUS SMITH AND TRAVIS BROWN ARE GONE. IT WILL BE CATCH BY COMITTEE...5 DIFFERENT WIDE-OUTS, ALL WITH LITTLE EXPERIENCE, HOPE TO MAKE AN IMPACT. "I BELIEVE IT'S A BIG PLUS TO HAVE MORE THAN 2 RECEIVERS IN THE OFFENSE THAT CAN DO JUST AS GOOD AS 2 ALL-STAR RECEIVERS FROM A YEAR AGO." IF THE NEW FORMULA DOES NOT YIELD SUCCESS ....PORTARIE'S NUMBERS MAY SUFFER. "YOU CAN BE AN AWFUL GOOD QUARTERBACK AND NOT LOOK GOOD IF YOU DON'T GET TIME TO THROW OR NOBODY'S CARRYING THE BALL VERY WELL OR YOU THROW IT RIGHT ON TARGET AND THEY DROP IT." THE 6 FOOT 3 INCH JUNIOR WILL GET MUCH NEEDED SUPPORT FROM RODNEY FURGUSEN. THE SENIOR RUNNINGBACK IS A TWO-TIME ALL MOUNTAIN WEST PERFORMER. "HE'S DONE A LOT OF THINGS FOR THE PROGRAM AND WE EXPECT HIM TO DO A LOT OF THINGS THIS YEAR." 12 AND 6 AS A STARTER ...PORTARIE WILL PURSUE CAREER VICTORY NUMBER 13 ON AUGUST 30TH AGAINST TCU. JOHN SALAZAR KOAT ACTION 7 SPORTS.

13 KRQE 5:00 AM

A YOUNG LOS LUNAS BOY WHO NEARLY DIED FROM E-COLI IS GOING TO DO SOMETHING HEROIC TODAY... HE IS HELPING TO RAISE MONEY FOR THE HOSPITAL -- THAT HELPED SAVE HIM. 4-YEAR-OLD KEVIN MENDOZA WAS ADMITTED TO UNM'S CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL IN JULY 2006. HIS KIDNEY'S FAILED, AND HIS LUNGS COLLAPSED... BUT AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS OF TREATMENT... HE SURVIVED. TODAY KEVIN WILL BE SERVING BLIZZARDS AT THE DAIRY QUEEN ON LOUISIANA BOULEVARD. ALL NEW MEXICO DAIRY QUEENS WILL BE DONATING ALL PROCEEDS MADE FROM BLIZZARD SALES TODAY TO THE UNM CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL.

13 KRQE 5:30 PM

THE LOBOS FINISHED SECOND IN THE MOUNTAIN WEST IN TOTAL DEFENSE LAST SEASON AND 13TH IN THE NATION. A FEW KEY PLAYERS HAVE DEPARTED DUE TO GRADUATION WITH ONLYH SIX STARTERS RETURNING. BUT, SINCE THE LOBOS ROTATE THEIR DEFENSIVE PLAYER MANY OF THE NON STARTERS PLAYED MANY REPS. THE TEAM BELIEVES THEY CAN KEEP THEIR STANDING ON DEFENSE AND MAYBE DO BETTER. THE MAN WHO HELPED RUN THE LOBO DEFENSE LAST YEAR IS NOW DOING THE SAME JOB WITH THE UTEP MINERS. FORMER LOBO DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR OSIA LEWIS AND THE MINERS ARE HOLDING CAMP IN SOCCORRO THIS WEEK. THE MINERS, LOBOS AND AGGIES ARE RUNNING THE SAME DEFENSE THIS SEASON. LEWIS DOESN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT FACING THE LOBOS. THE MINERS ARE NOT ON THE SCHEDULE THIS YEAR.