Nurse continues 5,700 mile journey

Adventurer and one-time Santa Fe nurse Darrell J. Gardner is about to start the next-to-last leg of his 5,700 mile journey from Mexico to the Arctic Ocean.

Gardner has thus far hiked the Pacific Crest Trail 2,650 miles across California, Oregon and Washington, then hiked over the Northern Cascades and canoed down the Skagit River. Last year he kayaked the Inside Passage from Seattle, 1,000 miles to Wrangell, Alaska. He leaves Friday to start where he left off and sea kayak the channels and passages to Skagway, planning to finish in September.

Gardner began his journey in 2005 after his patients at then-St. Vincent Regional Medical Center in Santa Fe inspired him to pursue his dream. Gardner works and trains during the year, then completes a segment of the journey each summer or fall. His eventual goal in the next couple of years is to hike, snowshoe, cross country ski and climb over Anaktuvuk Pass and finally end his trip at the Arctic Ocean.

Gardner uses a tracking device called SPOT that transmits his location via satellite to a computer. People can follow his progress on a Google Earth map, hear his podcasts from various parts of the trip and see periodic updates on his blog at his Web site www.UnderHumanPower.com

Jet engine plant to close in 2010

ALBUQUERQUE — General Electric plans to close a New Mexico plant that manufactures equipment for jet engines next year.

The operation has been open since the late 1960s.

GE spokesman Rick Kennedy said the company is experiencing a volume decline for equipment made in Albuquerque's South Valley. He says 400 employees have been notified of the closure, expected in the third quarter of 2010.

Kennedy says 275 of the workers are eligible for early retirement.

The cutbacks are being blamed on the economy. Companies like Boeing and Airbus are building fewer planes, and with jet engine orders dropping dramatically, GE says it has to make cuts to remain a healthy business.

Endowments show investment gains

New Mexico's investment funds increased in the last quarter despite a $300 million write-down on assets in securities lending arrangements.

Funds managed by the State Investment Council gained 3.7 percent from April through June as financial markets improved. The funds had a quarter-ending value of $11.8 billion.

Without the write-down, the funds would have increased 6.5 percent.

State Investment Officer Gary Bland said Tuesday the value of some assets received as collateral in securities lending deals was lowered to as little as 15 cents on a dollar. Many of those assets were securities tied to failed Wall Street investment firm Lehman Brothers.

The council invests the state's endowment funds and money for local governments.

Registration open for city sports camps

Registration is open for the city's summer sports camp at Fort Marcy Aug. 10 through Aug. 14 and for a 3-on-3 basketball tournament Aug. 15 at the Genoveva Chavez Community Center.

Day campers learn and play sports such as football, softball, swimming and basketball, and also take part in arts and crafts and other activities. Camp costs $70 per child ages 7 to 12 and runs 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday. Enrollment is limited to 15 participants per age group. Register at Fort Marcy, 490 Washington Ave., until the first day of camp.

The tournament, called "Rock the Rim" will take place in the GCCC gymnasium and offer 10 divisions, including separate contests for males and females ages 8-10, 11-12, 13-16 and 17-19, "Adult Open" and "Adult over 40." The entry fee is $50.00 per four-person team. Register at the front desk before Aug. 10.

Water tower to begin 'leaking'

A water tower in the Santa Fe Railyard will begin dripping water as it was designed to within the next few weeks. City Parks Division workers adjusted emitters under the tower last week to begin testing the feature that is supposed to mimic a leaking tank.

Water is harvested from all the Railyard building rooftops for an underground catchment system that provides irrigation to plants in the park and open spaces on the city-owned land.

A mosaic artwork beneath the tower represents the Santa Fe Watershed.

City facilities to close temporarily

Two city facilities will have alternate schedules in the coming weeks.

The LaFarge Branch of the Santa Fe Public Library will close at 6 p.m. today for electrical work. The library, at 1730 Llano St., will reopen on its regular schedule at 10 a.m. Thursday.

The indoor track at the Genoveva Chavez Community Center will be closed for maintenance from noon to 6 p.m. Sunday and all day Aug. 9. The track will be cleaned and repainted, according to a city announcement. The remainder of the GCCC will be open as usual.

Fair trade event scheduled

The Santa Fe Public Library will host an educational fair trade film and discussion at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 13 at the Southside Branch Library, 6599 Jaguar Drive. The 30 minute film, adapted from the hourlong documentary, BUYER BE FAIR: The Promise of Product Certification explores how consumers and businesses can use the market to promote social justice and environmental sustainability through product labeling, according to a city news release.

A discussion led by Steven P. Gloss of Sustaining Cultures will follow the film, which is offered free to the public.