Publisher buys 'Santa Fean'

Bruce Adams, publisher of Santa Fean magazine since 2007, has purchased the publication from Southwest Media, a small corporation based in Santa Barbara, Calif.

The first issue to be published by the new ownership will be the June/July issue.

"My pledge," Adams said in a news release, "is to provide a beautiful publication that blesses our city."

Adams said he has no plans to make dramatic changes to the magazine, which focuses on the city's arts, home environment, culture, history and people.

Adams' ties to the Santa Fean go back to the beginning of the publication, which is more than 35 years old, when founders Betty Bauer and Marion Love paid his moving expenses to bring him to Santa Fe as the magazine's art director.

"I remain grateful to them to this day for all the kindness they extended to me," Adams said.

Bandelier gets new superintendent

BANDELIER NATIONAL MONUMENT — Bandelier National Monument near Los Alamos is getting a new superintendent May 10.

Jason Lott, who has been superintendent at Casa Grande Ruins National Monument in Arizona, was appointed Thursday at Bandelier.

National Park Service Intermountain Regional Director Mike Snyder said Lott brings a passion for heritage preservation and protection to the job.

Lott won the National Park Service director's award for natural resource management in a small park in 2005 as program manager for resources management at Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park in Texas.

He served in that park before moving to Casa Grande.

At Casa Grande, he opened a park-to-park relationship with Pacquime in Casas Grandes, Mexico, for joint research in ruins preservation.

State jobless rate up to 5.9 percent

ALBUQUERQUE — New Mexico's jobless rate rose to 5.9 percent in March, up from 3.9 percent in March 2008.

New Mexico's labor department says the state lost 16,400 jobs between March 2008 and March 2009.

The state says job growth over the year came in at a negative 1.9 percent — the worst report since the mid-1950s.

Only two of the state's 13 industries reported any job growth since last year. Those were the educational and health-services sector, which gained 4,400 jobs, and government, including tribal jobs, which gained 2,000.

New Mexico's unemployment rate last month also was up from February, when unemployment stood at 5.4 percent.

Gallup diocese installs new bishop

GALLUP — The Diocese of Gallup has a new bishop.

James Wall, 44, officially took his post following an ordination and installation ceremony Thursday at the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Gallup. Wall was chosen earlier this year as the diocese's fourth bishop.

Wall succeeds Donald Pelotte, who had been bishop in Gallup since 1990. Last year, Pope Benedict XVI accepted the resignation of Pelotte, who had been recovering from head injuries in an apparent fall at his home.

Wall said he was impressed with Pelotte's work in the diocese, which encompasses more than 55,000 square miles in New Mexico and Arizona.

Starting today, Wall said, he plans to get out and meet some of the 58,290 Roman Catholics in the diocese "because interacting is what being a bishop is all about."

Eldorado center plans resource fair

The Ken and Patty Adam Senior Center, 16 Avenida Torreon in Eldorado, will host a senior resource fair from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday.

Representatives of several organizations will take questions from seniors, including AARP, the New Mexico Aging and Long-term Services Department and Meals on Wheels, along with several home health care businesses, insurance companies, clubs and people who specialize in assistive technology such as hearing aids and Life Alert.

The event is free and open to everybody, not just seniors. For more information, call 466-1039.

White Sands gets new director

WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE — Robert Carter has been selected as the executive director of White Sands Missile Range.

Carter had served as interim director of the southern New Mexico installation since November. His permanent appointment was announced Thursday.

Carter says he's excited about becoming part of White Sands on a permanent basis.

Carter, a career government service employee and graduate of the U.S. Army War College, previously worked as director of plans and operations for the Army's Developmental Test Command at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md.

2 from N.M. die in motorcycle crash

IGNACIO, Colo. — The Colorado State Patrol says two New Mexico residents were killed when a motorcycle drove off a highway outside Ignacio.

Troopers say 33-year-old Bart A. Jaqua of Farmington lost control of the 1977 Kawasaki on Colorado 172 at about noon Tuesday. Jaqua and his passenger, 30-year-old Raylene McDonald of Blanco, N.M., were killed.

Troopers say neither was wearing a helmet.

Authorities say 46-year-old Ricky Fatigoni of Ignacio was killed at the same spot on Friday when his car left the highway. Authorities say he was the only person in the car and wasn't wearing a seat belt.

Both crashes are under investigation.

Man gets 87 years for sex crimes

AZTEC — A 56-year-old Farmington man who took photographs of himself having sex with a preschool child has been convicted of criminal sexual penetration of a minor.

District Judge Karen Townsend immediately sentenced Donald Wing to 87 years in prison after jurors on Wednesday convicted him of 20 sex crimes. He must serve nearly 74 years before becoming eligible for parole.

According to testimony, Wing began having sex with the child last year when she turned 4.

Woman hit by car while fleeing bear

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Colorado Springs police say a pregnant woman was fleeing from a bear when she was struck by a car and suffered minor injuries.

Authorities say 26-year-old Ashley Swendsen was hit Thursday afternoon on the northwest side of town. Memorial Hospital says she is in good condition.

State wildlife managers say they captured a bear, but it wasn't immediately clear whether it was confirmed to be the animal involved in the incident.

The Department of Wildlife says the incident occurred in an open space area where bears are common.

Police say they're looking for the driver of the car that hit Swendsen. They say the driver stopped and spoke to her but left before police arrived.

Three arrested in armed robbery

CHAMITA — New Mexico State Police arrested three people accused of holding up a gas station in this community just north of Española on Wednesday night.

Police reported that Keith Aaron, 17, of Embudo wore sunglasses and a red bandana over his face when he robbed the P&L gas station at gunpoint and fled in a white Chrysler Sebring.

Officers patrolled the area and stopped the car, which was driven by Alyssa Osegueda, 18, of Española, police said. Aaron and Antonio Valdez, 17, of Ojo Caliente fled on foot, but police later caught and arrested them, police said.

Police located the gun and charged the three with armed robbery, tampering with evidence, conspiracy and resisting arrest.

Aaron and Antonio Valdez were booked into the Santa Fe County Juvenile Detention Center, and Osegueda was booked into the Tierra Amarilla Adult Detention Facility.

Officials to discuss trip to UAE

Want to learn more about city officials' trip to the United Arab Emirates?

The Santa Fe Land Use Department will temporarily close from 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesday for a slide presentation and discussion about a recent visit to Al Ain Municipality.

A delegation of six, including the mayor and his wife and City Councilor Rebecca Wurzburger, traveled to the city last on a trip paid for by Al Ain leaders who want to begin a collaborative relationship with Santa Fe.

The presentation will begin at 10 a.m. at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center, 201 W. Marcy St., in the Coronado Room on the first floor.