Local news in brief

| The New Mexican

12/13/2007 -

Game and Fish looking for poachers

Poachers killed four elk and left them to rot on a gas well pad in the Santa Fe National Forest near Llaves, northwest of Ghost Ranch, sometime around Dec. 8, according to the state Department of Game and Fish.

The poachers shot and killed a five-point bull, a six-point bull, a cow and a calf within two miles of one another on Forest Roads 312 and 520. The animals were field dressed and the carcasses hauled to Forest Road 310 and dumped.

Anyone with information about the poachings can anonymously call 800-432-4263. For more information about this or other poachings, see www.wildlife.state.nm.us and click on "Enforcement."

Hotel wants S.F. River restored

Santa Fe's Inn of the Anasazi is offering guests a chance to help save the Santa Fe River.

The hotel, part of a chain managed by Dallas-based Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, will donate 20 percent of its standard room profits to the nonprofit Santa Fe Watershed Association, if guests request it, according to Jennifer Rios, the hotel's communications director. The donation should be requested when making a reservation.

Guests at the hotel will be encouraged to sign a "green petition" in support of revitalizing the river, which was dubbed the most endangered river of 2007 by the river advocacy group American Rivers. The petition will be sent to New Mexico Reps. Tom Udall, a Democrat; Steve Pearce and Heather Wilson, both Republicans.

The hotel is committed to taking steps to help restore flows to the usually dry Santa Fe River for the city's 400-year anniversary in 2010, Rios said.

Wreaths to grace National Cemetery

Wreaths will be laid on graves in Santa Fe National Cemetery on Saturday as part of a national tribute to veterans.

The event, called "Wreaths Across America," marks the second year the Worcester Wreath Co. of Harrington, Maine, has sent holiday wreaths to veterans national cemeteries. The tribute will start at 10 a.m.

Guild members picket outside film set

Screenwriters and other members of the Writers Guild of America set up a picket line Thursday outside the Albuquerque-based set for the film The Game.

The action was the second by New Mexico writers as part of the WGA strike, which began Nov. 5 against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. The writers are seeking a larger percentage of revenue from DVD and online distribution of their work.

The picketing outside the Albuquerque Convention Center lasted about 90 minutes, according to screenwriter Kirk Ellis. "We're not looking to shut anybody down; we're just looking to get sympathy," he said.

On Wednesday, a group of about 25 writers and their supporters picketed outside Garson Studios on the College of Santa Fe campus, where the production office for the film Brothers is located. Ellis said the group plans to picket at least twice more in the region in the next week.

Foster kids, seniors need your help

The state's Children, Youth and Families Department is reaching out for help to provide a warm Christmas for foster children and seniors this season.

La Montañita Food Co-op, 913 W. Alameda St., has agreed to put up a gift tree with ornaments for foster children in the custody of CYFD and for seniors. Gifts donated by the public will be presented at the annual Christmas party Dec. 19, hosted by the staffs of the Santa Fe County Protective Services Department and the state Aging and Long-Term Care Department. The staffs are seeking to provide 200 gifts to children and seniors.

Show off that holiday charm

Do you know a family that loves Christmas? Whose lights shine brightly during the holiday season in Santa Fe?

The New Mexican is looking for grand Christmas homes to feature in the 2008 Feliz Navidad magazine and needs your help finding them.

If you know people who love to go all out with holiday spirit, send the addresses of the homes you think are beautifully and brightly decorated this Christmas season to inezrussell@msn.com or irussell@sfnewmexican.com. Or call 986-3093, and leave the address on the voice mail system.