Police: Death may be homicide

Santa Fe Police late Tuesday were investigating the death of a 31-year-old man in a home in the 600 block of Garcia Street.

Police dispatchers received a call around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday about the discovery of the body by a co-worker of the man.

A cause of death has not been released.

Detectives proceeded cautiously throughout the afternoon and evening trying to determine the circumstances of the death, according to police Chief Aric Wheeler. Foul play has not been ruled out, but police had not classified the investigation as a homicide.

Detectives did execute a search warrant on the home Tuesday night as part of the investigation, but details of that search were not made public.

Gay Pride Taos founder dead at 29

TAOS — Taos police on Tuesday confirmed the death of Robert Quintana, who founded Gay Pride Taos and had been planning this town's first weekend-long gay pride event.

The Taos News reported that Quintana, who was 29, died sometime Monday "of as-yet unknown circumstances."

Quintana, originally from Questa, said in a recent interview with The Taos News that Gay Pride Taos and upcoming August events were not just about celebrating gay rights and progress but about celebrating the local community.

"This event is not for me, or even the people who have worked so hard to put it together," he told the newspaper. "It's for the kid growing up in Taos or any other small community who is having a hard time coming to terms with being gay, and then he or she sees our events and the support from the community they benefit from and realizes it's OK to be exactly who he or she is.

"Maybe, just maybe, we can save some of these kids from a life of depression and misery and give them a happy, clean start and in turn they can bring their energy and talents back to our community," Quintana said.

Taoseña Janie Corinne summed up her friend Quintana in three words: "Sweetest guy ever."

Board delays 2nd look at severance

The Santa Fe County Commission on Tuesday tabled a request from Commissioner Harry Montoya to reconsider the amount of severance pay awarded to former County Manager Roman Abeyta.

Abeyta resigned in June amid an ongoing investigation into allegations of fraud in the county's Public Works Department. He was originally granted six weeks, or about $15,000, in severance pay. In July the commission voted to award him an additional six weeks pay for a total payout of about $30,000.

Commissioner Liz Stefanics said at the time that the additional money was being extended to Abeyta as a "courtesy" in light of the fact that his contract called for three months paid severance if Abeyta was fired. However, Abeyta's contract did not include an allowance for severance pay in the event of his resignation. The commission voted 4-1 to approve the additional severance pay, with Commissioner Mike Anaya voting against.

On Tuesday, there was no discussion on the item and Montoya declined to comment. But Commissioner Liz Stefanics seemed to allude to the matter when she remarked that in response to letters to the editor and editorials concerning a "certain personnel matter": "The public doesn't always know or understand everything that goes into a decision. Especially when it concerns a personnel matter."

Taos boosts gross-receipts tax rate

TAOS — The cost of buying things in Taos will go up on Jan. 1.

The Taos Town Council on Tuesday approved raising the town's gross-receipts tax rate by one-quarter of a percentage point.

That will bring the total paid on most goods and services — excluding groceries and prescription drugs — to 8.475 percent.

That means Taos will have the third-highest rate in the state. Taos Ski Valley has the highest at 8.6875. Santa Fe's rate is 8.175.

The addition of another 25 cents per $100 spent is expected to generate an estimated $800,000 to $900,000 a year for the town government, which The Taos News reported has seen a precipitous drop in tax revenue during the past two years.

Town Manager Daniel Miera said the tax hike is part of a two-pronged approach to address budget issues. The second phase will focus on reducing operating expenses, he said, including personnel expenses.

Water shutoff set at mobile home park

The Santa Fe city water division plans to shut off water on the east side of the Cottonwood Mobile Home Park on Thursday.

The service interruption is scheduled to last from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. while workers reconnect a water main at the Santa Fe River crossing as part of a project to extend a waterline along South Meadows Roads.

The city is advising residents to draw water for personal before the shutoff and not to attempt to use water during that time.

For more information, contact the water division at 955-4202.

Newspaper editor charged with DWI

Howard Houghton, The New Mexican's editor for local news, was arrested Sunday night in downtown Santa Fe and charged with aggravated DWI and speeding.

Houghton, 61, was pulled over at 10:39 p.m. Sunday after Santa Fe police reported he was driving 45 miles per hour in a 25 mph zone in the 500 block of North Guadalupe Street near Manhattan Avenue.

Police reports indicate Houghton failed a field sobriety test and then voluntarily submitted to a Breathalyzer test, in which he registered a 0.16 blood alcohol content — twice the legal limit of 0.08, which added the aggravated circumstances to the DWI arrest.

Houghton was booked into the Santa Fe County jail Sunday night and released on bond Monday.

As city editor, Houghton oversees the reporting staff at The New Mexican. He has been an editor at the newspaper since 1994.

Event to offer free document shredding

Anyone who wants to have confidential documents shredded free can take advantage of The Santa Fe Shred Fest on Saturday.

The New Mexico Society of Enrolled Agents — members licenses to represent taxpayers before the Internal Revenue Service — is partnering with Shred-It, a national document shredding company to sponsor the event.

From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., participants may bring up to 50 pounds of documents for on-site shredding at Plaza Contenta, 6005 Jaguar Drive.

Other businesses will be offering specials and giveaways during the event, a news release said.

Tanker spills slurry in Northern N.M. waterway

CUBA, N.M. — Authorities say thousands of gallons of an oily slurry meant for a highway project east of Cuba was spilled along the Rio de las Vacas when a tanker truck overturned Tuesday morning.

State police say the tanker was helping to lay down an oil and asphalt mixture when it overturned along N.M. 126, spilling much of its load. Police say it was carrying about 5,000 gallons of oil.

A makeshift dam of gravel helped stop some of the mixture from traveling down a drainage and into the river, but New Mexico Trout President Rudy Rios says he saw yellow gunk flowing into the Rio de las Vacas.

Rios says the river is a popular fishing spot.

The highway was closed for much of the day as crews attempted to contain up the mess.

Federal funds to aid veterans

Some $350,000 in federal stimulus funds will be used to help veterans in New Mexico and their families handle post-traumatic stress disorder and the veterans' transition from combat to civilian life.

The money will support intensive treatment for veterans, including counseling and peer support.

The new Veterans Wellness Treatment Program will be managed by the state Department of Veterans Services.

The state says about 30,000 of New Mexico's 178,000 veterans have served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs says up to 25 percent of veterans nationwide from those wars could have signs of post-traumatic stress disorder.




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