Human remains found in mountains

New Mexico State Police are awaiting autopsy results in an effort to positively identify human remains found in rural Rio Arriba County, and investigators are treating the case as a homicide.

Police have in custody suspects who were arrested on charges unrelated to the remains, spokesman Eric F. Garcia said. He declined to release any names, including that of a man last seen Feb. 17.

Agents who conducted numerous interviews while working a missing person case found the burnt remains in the mountains south of Ojo Caliente, just east of U.S. 285, Garcia said.

The remains were turned over to the state Office of the Medical Investigator, which determined that the remains had been burned within the past week, Garcia said.

Although no other details were released, the statement said anyone who thinks they may have information regarding the matter may contact the Española State Police Office Investigations Bureau at 505-753-2277.

Aamodt meeting at Nambé tonight

Lawyers involved in crafting a settlement in the Aamodt water-rights case will be at Nambé Head Start from 6 to 8 p.m. tonight to answer questions from the community.

The meeting is one of several scheduled in the next three weeks to provide more information to Pojoaque Valley residents about the settlement, which resolves water claims by four pueblos in the area.

Other meetings are scheduled March 2 and 9 at Pojoaque Parish Hall; March 3 and 23 at El Rancho Community Center; and March 10, 17 and 24 at the Santa Fe County Pojoaque Satellite Office. The Utton Center of The University of New Mexico School of Law is hosting the meetings. Santa Fe County is the sponsor. Seating is limited and refreshments will be served. For more information, call 877-775-8333.

Rail Runner plans info system work

Due to maintenance work, no information will be displayed on digital messages at Rail Runner train stations from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

The Mid-Region Council of Governments, which operates the trains, said the customer-service network, which includes the customer-service phone system, will be down during those hours. For more information, go to www.nmrailrunner.com.

Commissioners OK discretionary funds

Santa Fe County commissioners this week approved spending about $1,800 worth of "community funds."

The money comes from public money annually allocated to each commission district to be spent as each commissioner sees fit. Currently, each commissioner directs how $37,500 is spent during the year.

The following expenditures were approved Tuesday:

• $1,000 for the Santa Fe Business Incubator, Commissioner Liz Stefanics;
• $800 for the Santa Fe County ACE Task Force calendar featuring La Cienega and La Cieneguilla, Commissioner Michael Anaya.

Students advance in spelling bee

Seventh-grader Tyler Warren and sixth-grader Faith Montaño from Mission Viejo Christian Academy have qualified to take part in the Association of Christian Schools International Regional Spelling Bee on Saturday in Tempe, Ariz.

Warren and Montaño won the spelling bee for their respective grades in the ACSI spelling bee in Albuquerque on Feb. 5. Mission Viejo Christian Academy, founded in 1985, is serves pre-K to ninth-grade students.

Taos seeks state's election help

TAOS — Taos Mayor Darren Cordova has asked the Secretary of State's Office for help in overseeing the March 2 municipal election. Cordova says he has full confidence in the Taos clerk, staff and judges. But he says he wants residents to feel confident that the town follows elections laws. Some candidates have questioned whether town officials adhere to the election code. So Cordova says his response has been to request that two representatives from the Secretary of State's Office attend and oversee the process on election day.

Cordova is on the ballot, seeking re-election as mayor.

ENMU building is Gestapo HQ for film

PORTALES — The administration building at Eastern New Mexico University will be turned into Gestapo headquarters in Nazi Germany for a student film.

James Perkins is enrolled in a directed-study class taught by Laurel Petty, assistant professor of digital cinema arts. Actors are expected to be in costume when Perkins begins filming scenes for his production Friday and again on March 5.

The building will be draped with props that include Nazi flags, propaganda posters and banners.

The 90-minute science-fiction film will use at least 13 students at the Portales university as actors and crew. It is described as a post-apocalyptic tale about Germany winning World War II after using atomic bombs, and much of the film is set in a fictional Texas that has seceded from the United States.

Woman pleads guilty in arson

FARMINGTON — A woman has pleaded guilty to third-degree felony arson and fourth-degree tampering with evidence after an arson fire in Farmington was set to cover up a robbery.

Forty-year-old April Gallegos entered the guilty plea Tuesday in Farmington District Court.

Gallegos was accused of setting fire to the office of the Safeway gas station on Main Street in Farmington in August to cover up stealing around $500 from the safe when she was assistant manager. Gallegos admitted in court Tuesday that she started the fire to cover up the theft.

Additional charges of embezzlement and burglary were dropped as part of the plea agreement. Gallegos in 2000 was convicted of distributing methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute hydrocodone. She is scheduled to be sentenced March 23.

DA: Police shooting was justified

CARLSBAD — Prosecutors in southeastern New Mexico have determined Carlsbad police officers were justified in the shooting death of a 27-year-old fugitive from Roswell.

Ryan Baker, who was wanted on a Chaves County warrant, was shot Dec. 7 after officers said he opened fire on them after an automobile chase. District Attorney Janetta Hicks says Baker rammed a Carlsbad police car, then tried to run over officers with his vehicle. Baker was wanted by authorities because he was accused of firing 40 to 50 shots at Roswell police officers.

Farmer acquitted in slaying

PORTALES — A Roosevelt County jury has found farmer William "Billy Joe" Watson not guilty of hiring a white supremacist to murder Causey rancher Jimmie Bo Chunn, and acquitted Watson of trying to manufacture methamphetamine. The verdict was returned Tuesday.

Watson was accused of hiring Donald Taylor of Rogers, N.M., to kill Chunn in 2005 in exchange for anhydrous ammonia to make methamphetamine. Watson also was accused of supplying the chemical to undercover police agents after Chunn's death.

Last year, Taylor pleaded guilty to shooting Chunn in a deal to avoid the death penalty.