ABQJOURNAL NORTH: Around Northern New Mexico

Friday, March 19, 2010

Around Northern New Mexico

Journal and Wire Reports
          Father Returns Girl Reported Missing
        A girl reported missing Wednesday afternoon from a south Santa Fe mobile home park was returned safely to her grandfather's home about 8 hours later.
        Santa Fe Sheriff's Department Lt. Kenny Johnson said 4-year-old Alexandria Bliss Smith was dropped off by her father, Samuel Quezada, around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday.
        Quezada, 31, had taken the girl at 2 p.m. Wednesday after a fight with Smith's biological mother, Johnson said.
        Initially reported as a kidnapping, Johnson said the girl's mother eventually told police that Quezada did have permission to pick up the child Wednesday "so that changed the dynamics of the investigation."
        Authorities haven't charged Quezada with a crime related to the incident and are continuing their investigation.
        Johnson said the situation looks more like a custodial issue.
        "We'll probably just document the incident and forward it to the DA's office so they can review it and determine if there's any charges that need to be filed," Johnson said.
        Hitchhiker Accuses Driver of Fondling
        A Texas man is alleging that a stranger who offered him a ride back to his hotel early Wednesday morning spent the next four hours fondling him while driving around town.
        Santa Fe Police Lt. Jason Wagner said the victim didn't report seeing a weapon but told police he felt threatened.
        Wagner said the victim was walking back to his hotel after leaving the Cheeks club on Cerrillos Road when a stranger in a small, blue, extended-cab truck offered him a ride. The man drove around to distant locations and grabbed the victim's genitals several times before dropping him off near his hotel near Cerrillos and Calle la Resolana.
        No charges have been filed and there is no suspect yet in the case, Wagner said, as police are trying to follow up with the victim.
        Southside Library Hosting Book Sale
        Santa Fe's Southside Library at 6599 Jaguar Drive will hold a book sale from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Prices start at $1. The sale will feature gift books individually priced and discount books.
        Members of Friends of the Library — memberships will be available at the door — can get first crack at the books with special hours from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.
        Sunday is Bag Day, when all regular, discount books will be sold at just $3 per bag.
        Book sales are sponsored by the Friends of the Santa Fe Public Library and consist of books donated by the public. Funds raised are used to buy new books for the library.
        Comments Sought On Dam Restoration
        The U.S. Forest Service's Española Ranger District is seeking public comment on a proposal to restore the Los Alamos Canyon Dam and Reservoir.
        A Forest Service news release said the repairs are needed to meet New Mexico state dam safety regulations while preserving existing uses for water supply and recreation. The 30-day comment period began Wednesday.
        The proposal would permit Los Alamos County to repair the "high hazard" Los Alamos Canyon Dam and Reservoir located on National Forest System lands.
        A document describing the proposal and a no-action alternative has been sent to interested people, organizations and government agencies, and has been posted on the National Forest Web site at www.fs.fed.us/r3/sfe/.
        A copy may also be obtained at the district office, 1710 N. Riverside Drive in Española.
        Improvements would include recontouring the reservoir-side and downstream dam faces, removing concrete on the dam face, dredging up to 6,000 cubic yards of fill, rebuilding a gate tower and installing a 55-foot steel bridge to connect the dam and gate tower.
        Hauling material, such as gravel, sand and concrete, would take place on local roads, including East Jemez Road, Diamond Drive and West Road.
        Comments can be mailed to District Ranger, Española Ranger District, PO Box 3307, Española, NM 87533; delivered in person at the ranger office 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays or faxed to 505-753-9411, attn: Sandy Hurlocker.
        E-mailed comments should be submitted to comments-southwestern-santafe-espanola@fs.fed.us.
        Magazine Named For ADDY Award
        The 2009-10 ADDY Awards, sponsored by the New Mexico Advertising Federation has named New Mexico Magazine winner of its President's Award for service to New Mexico's advertising community.
        "... New Mexico Magazine continues to grow and has embraced new technology and multimedia with its Web site (www.nmmagazine.com) which includes blogs, podcasts, and photo tours, adding to the economy and revenue of the state, including the advertising community," said presenters at an awards ceremony March 5 in Albuquerque.
        "This great honor for New Mexico Magazine only reinforces the prestige it has long enjoyed in the publishing world," Michael Cerletti, Secretary of the New Mexico Tourism Department, which publishes the magazine, said in a statement. "It is one of the premiere state magazines in the country. The magazine staff is to be commended."
        Scheduled Burning Starting on Monday
        Jason Lott, Superintendent of Bandelier National Monument, announced that Bandelier will be burning piles of cut vegetation starting Monday along State Highway 4 from Ponderosa Campground to the Apache Springs Trailhead.
        "Hundreds of piles on the west side of State Highway 4 will be ignited during the project as conditions permit," Lott said in a statement. "There are approximately 240 acres containing materials cut during thinning projects last fall that need to be burned."
        Smoke from the burn is expected to be heavy and travelers on N.M. 4 are urged to use caution. "They should watch for pockets of smoke and for Bandelier staff working near the road," said Bandelier Fire Management Officer Gary Kemp.

You also can send comments via our comment form