Former school employee investigated for sexting

Police said Monday that a former Santa Fe High School employee is under investigation for repeatedly sexting a 15-year-old student on his cell phone.

KOAT reported that court documents show the teen's mother found dozens of inappropriate text messages between her daughter and the school employee on her daughter's cell phone, including pictures of naked people. The mother showed the messages to police, who got a search warrant for the employee's cell phone, where they say they found evidence of child pornography, including naked pictures of the teenage student. Investigators said the employee admitted to communicating with the teen, according to the KOAT report.

The employee is no longer working for the school district, the TV report said. A schools spokeswoman said the district would not comment on the case, which is scheduled to go to a grand jury. Police are reportedly recommending charges of sexual exploitation of children.

Santa Fean wins climate change award

Santa Fe resident Sandra Klessen took the idea of conservation extremely seriously, and her lifestyle efforts earned her a gold medal from the Santa Fe-based Climate Change Leadership Institute.

Klessen still drives a 1983 Toyota hatchback that gets 45 miles to the gallon, uses her solar cooker twice a week, buys most of her clothes at Goodwill and keeps her water heater turned to the "vacation" setting all the time. Those were among dozens of actions she's taken to reduce her consumption of water and electricity, she wrote in a letter for the Conservation Quest competition hosted by the institute. Her dedication has paid off in her bills, too. "In 35 years, I've never had an electric bill over $14," she wrote.

The institute's founder, Robb Hirsh, awarded Klessen the gold medal at a ceremony Saturday night at the Tesuque Village Market. The silver medal went to Hallie Taylor Wright and the Four Corners Youth Leadership Council. Alvord Community School won the bronze medal for "integrating creative conservation and student character building." Santa Fe High School won an honorable mention for working the Conservation Quest into this fall's science curriculum.

The winner of the institute's 2009 Climate Courage award was Suedeen Kelly, a second-term commissioner with the Federal Electric Regulatory Commission and a former law professor at The University of New Mexico.

Johnson to speak at UNM

Former Gov. Gary Johnson will speak tonight at The University of New Mexico with a former federal drug task-force leader about legalizing and regulating drugs.

The former task force leader is Matthew Fogg, a former U.S. marshal.

The event is sponsored by a group called Law Enforcement Against Prohibition. Members describe the group as an organization "representing cops, judges, prosecutors, prison wardens and others who now want to legalize and regulate all drugs after witnessing horrors and injustices fighting on the front lines of the 'war on drugs.' "

The event, scheduled at 7 p.m. at Lobo Rooms A & B, in the Student Union Building at The University of New Mexico, is on the eve of an International Drug Policy Reform Conference in Albuquerque.

Egolf seeking a second term

State Rep. Brian Egolf, D-Santa Fe, announced Monday that he'll seek re-election to his District 47 seat.

Egolf, 33, is a lawyer who won last year with no primary or general election competition. He sits on the House Appropriations and Finance Committee as well as the Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

Egolf already is planning to sponsor at least three bills aimed at easing the budget gap: increases in cigarette and alcoholic beverage taxes, as well as changes in the way vehicle registration fees are structured. The fee is based on weight, and Egolf said he'll introduce a bill to change that so the fee is based on the value of the vehicle.

Other Santa Fe lawmakers, Luciano "Lucky" Varela and Jim Trujillo, also have announced re-election plans in recent days.

LANL sponsors math and science conference

State Public Education Department Secretary Veronica Garcia will kick off a conference today at Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino in Pojoaque, aimed at reforming science and mathematics education.

Los Alamos National Laboratory Foundation and others are sponsoring the event covering strategies to transform teaching in response to efforts to raise the levels of student achievement in the state in three years.

According to a news release from the LANL Foundation, last year 37 percent of New Mexico eighth-graders were ranked "proficient" or higher in math and 26 percent for science.

"Additionally, the statewide graduation rate is critically low at 56 percent, compared to 70 percent nationally," said foundation president Susan Seestron. The one-day conference is $50 for all sessions, meals and a closing reception. Call 505-753-8890 for more information.

Holiday tennis clinic planned

The Santa Fe Tennis Club is hosting a clinic for kids and teenagers who want to learn the game on two school holidays this week.

The clinics are from 10 a.m. to noon Wednesday and Friday at the Salvador Perez Park tennis courts on Alta Vista Street. Tennis pros John Damgaard and Sebastian Suarez will be teaching the clinic, which is geared for ages 6-13.

There is no charge. Racquets and balls are provided.