Peter Doniger is looking for help.

He needs volunteer tax preparers to help local taxpayers file their 2008 federal and state tax returns.

AARP Tax-Aide is provided by volunteers from AARP, Santa Fe Community College, The Boys and Girls Club, the city of Santa Fe and our neighbors, Doniger said.

"We do not get paid, and we do not charge for our work," he said. "The equipment, space and software are provided by the city, the college and the club."

Last year, Tax-Aide helped 6,700 taxpayers with their returns. The taxpayers received $4.5 million in refunds, including $2 million in earned income and child tax credits.

"This year, we want to help 7,000 of our neighbors and bring (more than) $2 million in federal credits to them," Doniger said.

For more information, visit www.taxhelpsf.org, where training schedules and other information may be found.


Real-estate agent Karen Walker took exception to a recent business item that stated that a higher median sales price means the cost of all Santa Fe real estate is rising.

What a higher median sales price means in this case, Walker said, is that pricier real estate is selling, while lower-priced homes are not.

The homes selling the best in Santa Fe these days are those costing more than $1 million, while the market for homes costing $300,000-$500,000 "is just really dead," Walker said.

Those high-end sales have been driving up the median sales price.

The question now is will that medium-priced market revive in 2009 or will the high-end market continue to dominate Santa Fe's real-estate business?


Remember the Flying Star?

The Albuquerque-based restaurant chain originally was going to open an eatery in the old Pete's Pets space at Don Diego Avenue and Cordova Road.

But that deal fell through, and Flying Star decided to open in the Santa Fe Railyard.

It may seem like it's taking a long time, but groundbreaking should happen soon, said Jean Bernstein, co-owner of the business, with an opening in the spring.

"Everything has been taking forever, but we have an ETA of some time in April," she said.


The Clinic, owned by AnneMarie Lynch, is now where she is working full time as well.

Lynch was previously the director of Linda Durham Contemporary Art but has decided to commit herself to her clinic.

Lynch is a doctor of Oriental medicine and a graduate of the International Institute of Chinese Medicine. She has been licensed to practice in New Mexico since 1995.

The Clinic is at 805 Early St. For more information, call 505-920-3206.

Bob Quick covers the business beat for The New Mexican. Call 986-3011 or e-mail bobquick@sfnewmexican.com.