ABQJOURNAL NORTH: Around Northern New Mexico

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Around Northern New Mexico

Journal Staff Reports

County Seeks To Ban Synthetic Pot
        Santa Fe County is making plans to consider an ordinance banning the sale of synthetic marijuana products.
        County Attorney Steve Ross recommended an ordinance as the County Commission on Tuesday attempted to ban such sales via a resolution proposed by Chairman Harry Montoya.
        "It seems to me a ban would probably be something we'd want to do by ordinance," said Ross, who was directed to draft an ordinance after investigating any similar laws at the state or federal level.
        Tuesday's resolution, which passed by a 4-0 vote, describes the problem substance as "incense coated with synthetic marijuana that circumvents regulatory processes and winds up on store counters and in the lungs of customers," known by the following names: Spice, K2, Pep, Zohai, Yucatan Fire and Genie.
        "The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) estimates the effect of smoking Spice as 10 to 15 times stronger than marijuana," the resolution states.
        Alice Sealey, the county's Teen Court program manager, told the commission that Spice has been a problem locally.
        "I'm not an expert on the substance, but I would like to say it's a great concern of ours," Sealey said. "It is something I keep hearing about over and over again. It is getting into more common usage, and we are greatly concerned about it at Teen Court."

County Commission Supports Ranch Buy
        The Santa Fe County Commission on Tuesday expressed its support of Gov. Bill Richardson's plan to buy the Ortiz Mountain Ranch near Madrid to expand an existing state park and create a wild horse sanctuary.
        The commission voted 4-0 on a resolution supporting the governor's proposal to buy 12,000 acres of land about three miles south of Madrid. The land would expand the nearby Cerrillos Hills State Park, which sits on land owned by the county.
        The commission "believes this is a unique opportunity to build on New Mexico's conservation legacy and generate additional assets for a growing ecotourism industry, and strongly supports the purchase of the Ortiz Mountain Ranch as proposed," the resolution states.
        The governor's proposal has been controversial. Critics argue that the $2.8 million in federal stimulus funding proposed for the purchase could be put to better use, but the commission didn't express those same concerns.
        "I think that this purchase is really good for the people of Santa Fe," said Commissioner Kathy Holian. "It's going to provide a lot of new, interesting recreational opportunities. I think it's good for our tourists — we have a budding eco-tourism movement in our community, and it would be ideal for that."
        Patience O'Dowd, president of the Wild Horse Observers Association, commended the commission on its vote.
        "I think in these hard economic times anybody who does not recognize that tourism is our No. 1 private sector employer hasn't really looked into the issue of jobs," she said.

'Maul of Horrors,' 'Pueblo Asylum' Set
        The "Maul of Horrors" opens it doors for a public preview today from 6-11 p.m. at the DeVargas Mall, near the fountain area.
        The "Maul of Horrors" boasts 2,000 square feet of "spine-tingling terror and thrills for the whole family," according to an announcement.
        The haunted house will be open Oct. 25-29 from 6-11 p.m.; Oct. 30 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; and on Halloween, Oct. 31, from noon to 8 p.m.
        On Oct. 30, there will also be an indoor carnival and, at 7 p.m. a masquerade ball. Monika E. Vette y Confianza will perform.
        All proceeds will benefit nonprofit organizations: For Kids Sake, Youth Works of Santa Fe, Positive Life Choices Center of America and Assistance Dogs of the West. For Kids Sake will also be hosting "El Pueblo Asylum," a haunted house and pumpkin patch in Española at the old El Pueblo Bank Building in the San Pedro Plaza. "El Pueblo Asylum" will run from Oct. 28-30 from 6-11 p.m. and on Halloween from noon to 8 p.m.
        Tickets for "Maul of Horrors" and "El Pueblo Asylum" are $3 per person or four for $10. Masquerade ball tickets are $7 per person.

County Manager To Discuss Land Use
        Katherine Miller, the new Santa Fe County manager, will speak on how the county plans to manage growth and development at a general meeting of the League of Women Voters of Santa Fe County.
        The luncheon meeting will take place 11:45 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Oct. 20 at the Hilton Hotel.
        League officials will describe the county's proposed Sustainable Growth Management Plan. Miller will address the county's work toward finalizing the land use plan.
        Anyone interested in attending can review the plan at www.santafecounty.org and bring questions and comments to the meeting.
        The meeting is open to the public, with luncheon reservations due by noon Oct. 15 to 982-9766 or e-mailed to rsvp@lwvsfc.org. Cost of lunch is $15.

Historian To Talk About Beginnings
        Santa Fe's recently appointed city historian Jose Garcia will present a lecture called "Santa Fe: From the Beginning" at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Main Library, 145 Washington Ave., in the Community Room.
        The event is free to the public.
        Garcia is a specialist in northern New Mexico history and a genealogist. He has published a series of articles on the New Mexico Colonial governors of the 1600s, including one on the founding governor of Santa Fe, Pedro de Peralta.

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