Local news in brief July 22

| The New Mexican and wire services

7/21/2008 - 7/22/08

Shark victim's story on TV

Tessa Horan, a 24-year-old Peace Corps volunteer who died from a shark attack in 2006, will be featured in a documentary, Day of the Shark, which airs on the Discovery Channel next Monday.

Horan's story is one of six in the program. She and two boys from the Tongonese village of Vava'u were cooling off after a soccer game when a shark attacked her. Horan had been teaching English, soccer, art and computer skills to children in the village of about 300 people.

Horan was a 1999 graduate of St. Michael's High School and had a bachelor's degree in education from the College of Santa Fe.

Her mother, Kristena Prater, said she agreed to cooperate on the documentary "because of the work that Tessa has inspired as a humanitarian when she was living and continues to do in her death."

In Santa Fe, the show airs on Comcast Channel 54 at 8 p.m.

Panel OKs free bus service for kids

Parental taxi services might have fewer clients if the City Council approves a plan to make public buses free for youth.

The city Finance Committee unanimously approved the proposal Monday, joining three other city committees, and it now moves to the full City Council for a final vote.

Santa Fe Trails already has discounted fares for youths between 5 and 17 and offers a summer pass that deeply offsets fares between June and August, but the free pass proposal would be year-round and apply to youth up to age 18.

Councilor Carmichael Dominguez, the measure's sponsor, said he has hopes that it will serve several purposes, including teaching youth how to use public transportation so they use it as adults.

Councilor Miguel Chavez said he feared the incentive would encourage students to skip school.

"No one is going to ditch just because they don't have to pay 50 cents for the bus," replied Dominguez.

Movie seeks 'upscale' extras

Run for Her Life, a movie starring Dermot Mulroney and Diane Kruger, is looking for paid extras for scenes to be shot in Santa Fe.

Extras must be available to work Monday and come in for wardrobe approval Friday or Saturday, a news release says. Producers are looking for the following types: experienced male golfers; upscale, professional cocktail party guests, and upscale men and women lawyers. The pay is $76 for an eight-hour day.

To be considered, extras must register at www.onlocationcasting.net and complete a free application.

For more information, e-mail castsubmissions@aol.com or call 366-9863 and ask for Karin.

State investigates Web site hacking

State investigators are looking into a hacking incident involving the unauthorized use of a Web site belonging to the state Human Services Department.

The department discovered the unauthorized use about two weeks ago and immediately took precautions to stop any further intrusions.

Gov. Bill Richardson said Monday that he has ordered a complete assessment of the incident to protect private client information from future attacks.

Department staff and forensic investigators are working to ensure the parties responsible for the incident are identified and held accountable.

The department also is working with the New Mexico Department of Information Technology and is in contact with the FBI.

AG starts probe of missing ballots

Attorney General Gary King's office is investigating what happened to 182 ballots that are missing from the June primary election.

Phil Sisneros, a spokesman for the attorney general, said Monday that there was an investigation, but he could not provide any details. Previously, the Attorney General's Office would only say the matter was under review.

Two election reform groups — Verified Voting New Mexico and United Voters of New Mexico — said an investigation was necessary to maintain voter confidence, particularly with the state preparing for a general election in November in which New Mexico is likely to be critical in the outcome of the presidential race.

The paper ballots are missing from two precincts in Cibola County, and local elections officials have no explanation for what happened. Sen. David Ulibarri of Grants won a three-way Democratic contest by five votes, according to official returns from the recount.

Thousands chime in on wolf plan

Some 13,598 people commented on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's plan to modify the Mexican wolf reintroduction program in New Mexico and Arizona.

The agency has finished going through the comments as it prepares a draft of its proposed changes, which will be available for more public review. People in the comments "tended to either strongly support or strenuously object to reintroducing the wolf into the wild, which is not the issue at hand," according to a media statement released by the agency." The issue is how best to pursue reintroduction, thus recovery, in terms of a modified rule.

Several of the reintroduced wolves have been shot or removed in the last few months from the Gila National Forest allegedly for killing livestock. Some in the region continue to argue the wolves are a threat to their livestock, pets and families. Others say the problem is in how the program has been managed by the agency or in how ranchers manage their livestock.

Sept. 2 deadline for road comments

The public has until Sept. 2 to comment on a proposed designation of roads and trails open to motorized vehicles in the Santa Fe National Forest.

Comments on the proposed designation will help the agency draft a set of alternatives for a so-called travel management plan, the next step in the National Environmental Policy Act process. Those alternatives will be published for public comment, and the agency will create a final map laying out roads and trails where dirt bikes, trucks and other motorized vehicles will be allowed.

For more information, see www.fs.fed.us/r3/sfe/travelmgt/index.html or visit your local Santa Fe National Forest district office.

Buscemi film to shoot in N.M.

The Governor's Office said the feature film Saint John of Las Vegas will be shooting in Albuquerque next week.

The independent production stars Steve Buscemi and is directed by Hue Rhodes.

Buscemi has appeared in films and on television. He was just nominated for an Emmy for a guest appearance on 30 Rock.

Shooting is scheduled to begin Monday and continue through Aug. 23.