Police: S.F. man killed in motorcycle crash

Santa Fe police were on the scene of a fatal motorcycle accident Tuesday night on Hyde Park Road.

Lt. Dale Lettenberger said a 48-year-old Santa Fe man was traveling northbound on the highway just below Ten Thousand Waves when he hit a curve and lost control of his Kawasaki motorcycle at 7:38 p.m. He skidded off the road and died at the scene.

The identification of the man was being withheld pending family notification, and other details were not yet available, Lettenberger said. The highway was closed for several hours Tuesday night while investigators were at the scene.

Commissioner wants hold on asphalt firm payments

County Commissioner Liz Stefanics directed county staff to hold off on paying invoices submitted by contractor Advantage Asphalt and Seal Coating and any other contractors involved in a Sheriff's Office investigation into fraud and theft in the county Public Works Department until the investigation is finished.

Advantage Asphalt and Seal Coating is the only firm that has been publicly named as a target in the investigation. No charges have been filed in the case.

The commission approved a new procurement policy Tuesday, which was prompted by the allegations in the case.

Mission church collapses amid restoration

Workers returning from lunch to continue working on the La Sagrada Familia Mission in Lemitar, seven miles north of Socorro, were surprised to see part of the 179-year-old adobe structure collapse.

No one was hurt when the northwest corner and west wall fell apart at 12:35 p.m. Tuesday, said the Archdiocese of Santa Fe in a news release issued the same day. It said the latest restoration of the church, built in 1831, began in November.

"This is truly a sad day for the Roman Catholic Church in Socorro County," said the Rev. Andrew Paviak, pastor of San Miguel Parish said in the release. "We have been working diligently to preserve the history and integrity of this church and unfortunately, time, wear and the elements have taken too great a toll on this historic and holy place."


A bat from Rio Arriba County has tested positive for rabies, according to the state Health Department. A man who picked up the bat from the ground was bitten and is receiving rabies vaccine to prevent him from developing rabies.

According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 6 percent of bats had rabies when they were submitted for rabies testing because they were captured. However, any bat might be rabid if it is active by day or is found in a place where bats are not usually seen, like in your home or on the ground. A bat that is unable to fly and is easily approached could be sick.

It is easy to prevent rabies by taking the following precautions:

* Do not handle wild animals. Feed your pets indoors and do not toss table scraps into your yard.

* Teach your children to stay away from wild animals or animals they don't know.

* If skunks or other wild animals are lurking around your yard and acting sick or abnormal, contact your local animal control department.

* Supervise your pets to prevent exposure. Obey leash laws and keep your pets restrained.

* If your pet is bitten by a wild animal or a stray domestic animal, contact your local animal control department and bring your pet to your veterinarian, even if the wound is superficial.


The community of Cochiti Lake is inviting the public to a Fourth of July parade and picnic.

There will be a small parade at 11 a.m. sponsored by the volunteer fire department, followed by a picnic at noon sponsored by the Cochiti Lake Community Fund and then a concert at 1:30 p.m. featuring Soul Sanctuary, a four-piece "easy listening" rock band.

Tickets for the picnic are $5, which includes a hamburger or hot dog, homemade sides, a drink and dessert.

If you're driving from Santa Fe, take exit 264 off of Interstate 25 and turn right at the end of the ramp. At the stop sign, turn right straight into Cochiti Lake.


Santa Fe County Clerk Valerie Espinoza is recruiting temporary workers for the Nov. 2 election who are not PERA retirees.

She's sending out a plea for help because a law that takes effect July 1 means that a retiree's pension payment is suspended if a person is hired by a state, county or city government. That means many usual workers won't be available for the job this year.

Early voting for the election, which includes a gubernatorial race, starts Oct. 16 and ends Oct. 30.

The office also is looking for people to work weekdays processing absentee ballots, starting Sept. 20.