Season ski passes on sale

The surface condition at Ski Santa Fe is "green grass" rather than "packed powder," and 0 percent of the mountain is open. But most season passes are still on sale at reduced prices until Nov. 15.

The Platinum Pass — no restrictions, direct lift access — is $549 now and $569 after Nov. 15. The ski area is also offering discounts on the Silver Pass (for ages 62-71), the Bronze Pass (weekends only), the Millennium Pass (January skiing), the Future Pass (children), as well as other products including the 6 Pack of Fun ($249 for six all-mountain lift tickets).

Passes are available online at skisantafe.com or at 2209 Brothers Road, Suite 220. Office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Friday.

Spokesman for Herrera on leave

The chief spokesman for Secretary of State Mary Herrera's office has been placed on paid administrative leave.

James Flores, who has been public-information officer for the Secretary of State's Office since Herrera took office in 2007, was put on leave Aug. 18, Deputy Secretary Francisco Trujillo said Tuesday.

Trujillo said he couldn't say why Flores was put on leave. "It's a personnel issue," he said.

Flores is supposed to report back to work today, Trujillo said.

Immediately before the leave, Flores had taken time off to attend the funerals of two family members.

Flores' leave came amid turmoil at Herrera's office. Last week, the office was the subject of television and newspaper stories about pornographic computer viruses infecting Herrera's personal computer, as well as a report in The New Mexican about Herrera filing public-information requests to get e-mails involving some of her own staff and some of her political critics. Flores was not on the list of employees whose e-mails Herrera wanted.

Pre-Fiesta Plaza shows scheduled

The first of two pre-Fiesta shows will offer free entertainment from 3-7 p.m. Saturday at the Santa Fe Plaza bandstand.

Along with Santa Fe Fiesta royalty, scheduled to appear are Legacy de Santa Fe, Mariachi Nuevo Sonido featuring Antonio Reyna, Jenna Martinez and Los Niños de Santa Fe, among other entertainers.

The Santa Fe Fiesta Council plans a second pre-Fiesta show from 3-7 p.m. Sept. 4 on the Plaza.

Other events leading up to the annual community celebration include the Fiesta Fine Arts and Crafts Market, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Sept. 4-6 on the Plaza, and Fiestacita on Sept. 7 at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center, for which admission is $10 per person.

The Fiesta Council will present a Mariachi Extravaganza, featuring Mariachi Vargas, at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 8 at the Santa Fe Opera. A Mariachi Matinee is scheduled for 2 p.m. Sept. 9 at the Lensic Performing Arts Center.

More information is available online at www.santafefiesta.org.

Solano serving as lottery officer

The New Mexico Lottery Board of Directors has elected Santa Fe County Sheriff Greg Solano to serve as treasurer of the seven-member board.

Gov. Bill Richardson a few weeks ago appointed Solano to the panel, made up of unpaid volunteers whose appointments must be confirmed by the state Senate.

By statute, the board's membership must include professionals from the fields of accounting, law, business and law enforcement. Board duties include supervising the lottery's chief executive officer, establishing policies and approving the annual budget.

Albuquerque attorney Marcus Rael Jr. was elected to chair the board, whose officers will serve through fiscal year 2011.

Solano will leave office as sheriff at the end of this year, after he completes the second of two consecutive four-year terms in the elected county office.

Begay helps fund San Felipe park

SAN FELIPE PUEBLO — San Felipe Pueblo has opened a $785,000 soccer field and community park, aided by a donation from the Notah Begay III Foundation.

The facility was largely funded by a $535,000 grant from the NB3 Foundation, a charitable organization led by PGA Tour golfer Notah Begay III.

Begay says San Felipe Pueblo has waited almost a decade for the park. He says many tribal communities lack basic amenities to keep young people active and healthy.

The park has a synthetic-turf soccer field and walking paths. The field will be home to the San Felipe Soccer Club, the pueblo's only regular after-school program.

The club plans to hold tournaments, camps and events to promote soccer and good health to neighboring pueblos and to foster relationships with the soccer communities in Albuquerque and Bernalillo.

Comment sought on bear hunting

The state Game Commission will accept comments from the public this weekend on a proposal to increase the number of bears and cougars that hunters can kill.

The commission meets Saturday in Albuquerque and will consider proposed changes in hunting rules for bears, cougars, deer and pronghorn antelope.

The commission is expected to vote on the hunting rules at a meeting in Ruidoso on Sept. 30.

At the meeting in Albuquerque, the commission also is to hear a report on Gov. Bill Richardson's executive order to temporarily ban trapping in part of southwestern New Mexico while the Department of Game and Fish studies the risks that trapping poses to Mexican gray wolves, which have been reintroduced in the wild.

N.M. woman, child die in fire

ALBUQUERQUE — Albuquerque police investigators have identified a woman and her baby who were found inside a burning trailer home.

They were 21-year-old Yuriko Santana-Hernandez and her year-old son, Julian Montoya-Santana.

Authorities say they were found dead Sunday when firefighters answered a call to the trailer in southwest Albuquerque.

Albuquerque police and fire officials are continuing an investigation into the blaze.

Sunport parking lot goes solar

ALBUQUERQUE — Albuquerque's international airport has received a $2.4 million federal grant to install solar panels that will provide electrical power at a parking facility.

The money comes from a Federal Aviation Administration project. It will pay for a solar photovoltaic array atop the airport's multilevel vehicle parking facility.

The award was announced in a joint news release from Sens. Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall and Rep. Martin Heinrich, all D-N.M.

They say the airport is contributing to regional air-quality goals under the Clean Air Act.

Sewage taints Rio Rancho arroyo

RIO RANCHO — Heavy rains in Rio Rancho have damaged a sewer line, allowing sewage to flow into the Montoyas Arroyo.

Crews made a temporary repair, and city officials say the permanent repair work should be completed within the next several days. Officials say the damage has not affected water or wastewater service for any Rio Rancho utilities customers.

Meanwhile, residents are advised not to enter the arroyo. State Environment Department officials issued a public health advisory, although it was unclear how much sewage was released and how far downstream it might have flowed.

The National Weather Service estimates 1.89 inches of rain fell in Rio Rancho on Monday night.



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