Local news in brief Sept. 23

Staff and wire reports |

9/22/2008 - 9/23/08

Bandelier plans controlled burn

Bandelier National Monument will begin a 210-acre prescribed burn around the visitor center and main loop trail in Frijoles Canyon today.

Officials said the burn is intended to reduce fuels that increase the threat of catastrophic wildfire. The area previously was thinned of dense trees.

The burn is scheduled to begin near the Falls Trailhead and continue through the picnic area toward Alcove House today. The area and all trails near the burn will be closed. The visitor center and Main Loop Trail to Long House will remain open today, park officials said.

On Wednesday, crews will continue the burn around the main loop trail. Frijoles Canyon and all trails leading into it will be closed for the day, and visitors will be redirected to other park locations, such as Tsankawi.

"We are hoping that the burn will be completed on Thursday," said park Superintendent Brad Traver. "We plan to reopen the Main Loop Trail and to only maintain closures on the Long Trail, trail to Alcove House and above to Upper Crossing."

Visitors who are sensitive to smoke should avoid Frijoles Canyon for the next week or two.

Potential visitors are encouraged to check for daily updates on the Web at www.nps.gov/band/ or by calling the visitor center at 505-672-3861, ext. 517.

For more information regarding Bandelier's planned prescribed fires this fall, e-mail band_fire_comments@nps.gov.

Some homeowners can get tax break

City and county residents who purchased homes under subsidized affordable-housing programs have one more week to apply for a property tax break.

A law passed in March allows those homeowners — many of whom do not own 100 percent of the equity in their homes — to pay taxes based on what they actually paid for a home instead of on the property's market value.

Applications can be obtained from the city of Santa Fe's Affordable Housing Office at 200 Lincoln Ave. or the County Assessor's Office at 102 Grant Ave.

Those who think they may be eligible for the tax break have until 5 p.m. Sept. 30 to submit an application to the county assessor. The application requires submission of relevant documents, including liens and qualifying mortgages.

Homeowners who need help completing the application should call the city of Santa Fe's Affordable Housing Program at 955-6574 to make an appointment.

Fort Marcy Pool is back in business

Fort Marcy Pool has been thoroughly hyperchlorinated, inspected and approved for swimmers by the Department of Health after a brief closing last week because of the threat of cryptosporidium exposure, pool Manager Peggy Sanchez said.

A man who swam in the pool was infected with the parasite, which spurred the shutdown last Wednesday, Thursday and Friday mornings. The parasite can cause diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea and vomiting for up to 30 days.

The pool has been fully treated and is now safe to swim in, but few people have returned since it reopened Friday afternoon, Sanchez said.

"We didn't have as many people as we normally do since we reopened," Sanchez said. "I've gotten some concerned calls, too. It's just going to take some time for people to forget."

Pool officials have also put up extra signs in several locations about the importance of swimmers showering before entering the pool, she said.

Poor hygiene can spread the parasite.

National forest offers fee-free days

The Santa Fe National Forest is offering a fee-free weekend Saturday and Sunday to celebrate the 15th annual National Public Lands Day.

Fees at most picnic areas and campgrounds in the Santa Fe National Forest will be waived over the weekend. Fee waivers will not apply to forest group sites and some privately managed day-use areas.

San Antonio Campground on the Jemez Ranger district, which is undergoing construction, is closed.

Businessman picked for investment council

Gov. Bill Richardson on Monday appointed a business owner and former adviser to several investment firms to serve on the New Mexico State Investment Council.

Richardson said Thomas Bonafair, who owns and operates Pella Windows and Doors of New Mexico and Orlando, Fla., will bring a variety of experience to the council.

Bonafair, whose term will run through 2010, replaces Jim Rutt, who resigned in July.

Bonafair has run several other businesses in the state, including the New Mexico Beverage Co. He also has worked for Ford Motor Co., General Foods and Coca-Cola.

The State Investment Council manages New Mexico's permanent funds, which generate money for public schools, other state institutions and general government operations.

Group champions Utah prairie dogs

SALT LAKE CITY — A Santa Fe-based environmental group is suing the federal government to gain more protections for the Utah prairie dog.

WildEarth Guardians says the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was wrong in deciding last year not to change the classification of the animals from threatened to endangered.

Endangered status would provide additional protections along with restrictions on development in prairie-dog habitat. The group says it would also end a special rule allowing up to 6,000 prairie dogs to be shot each year.

The number of Utah prairie dogs in the southwest corner of the state in the 1920s was estimated at around 95,000, according to federal officials. Today, there are around 10,000 Utah prairie dogs.

Mistake a windfall for horse owners

CLOVIS — New Mexico horse owners will get a tax break this year because of a $72,000 oversight by the New Mexico Livestock Board.

Because of an accounting error, there will be no livestock-board tax on horses in New Mexico for 2008. The error will cut into the board's $6 million budget for 2009, said Myles Culbertson, executive director.

"This error will not affect our services, but it will reduce our budget," Culbertson said. "We have a large budget, but every dollar is spoken for."

Among the services the livestock board provides are the inspection of livestock brand registering and issuing of identification papers for horses during sales. Registering horses on the tax roll is voluntary, Culbertson said.

Dog-poisoning case leads to SWAT standoff

LAS CRUCES — A Las Cruces man who was charged with extreme animal cruelty in the deaths of five beagles later kept a SWAT team at bay during a seven-hour standoff at his home.

Mark Burbano, 47, was charged Friday with five counts of extreme animal cruelty and one count of obstructing an officer, Doña Ana County Animal Control Supervisor Curtis Childress said.

Burbano was being held at a hospital undergoing a psychiatric evaluation and will be arrested after being discharged.

Childress said the five dogs were poisoned sometime Thursday. Investigators are trying to determine what was used to poison them; the toxic substance apparently was mixed with dog food and fed to the beagles using a tin pan.

Meeting to focus on film industry

The Governor's Council on Film and Media Industries on Saturday will hold a town hall meeting for groups interested in the state's film industry.

Businesses, local governments and neighborhood groups are encouraged to attend.

"This is a great opportunity for the public to have input in updating the Governor's strategic plan for developing media opportunities and industries here in New Mexico," Council Chairman Michael Kaye said in a statement.

The meeting will focus on education and career training for film-related careers; the impact of the industry on local communities; and the economic impact of the industry.

The meeting is from 9:30 to 4 p.m. at the state Capitol. Attendance is free, but registration is required and can be done Saturday.

Call 476-5604 or e-mail rochelle@nmfilm.com for more information.

Construction worker killed at NM mall

LAS CRUCES — Authorities say a 48-year-old man fell to his death Monday afternoon as a result of an accident at a construction site at Mesilla Valley Mall.

Police said the man, whose identity was withheld pending family notification, fell about 30 feet while working at the shopping mall. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Representatives from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration arrived at the scene to investigate.