July home sales drop in city, county

Santa Fe real-estate sales trailed last year's numbers again in July, the Santa Fe Association of Realtors said.

In the city, a total of 64 home sales were reported last month, compared to 69 in July 2007. That's about a 7 percent drop.

In Santa Fe County, the number of homes sold fell a whopping 56 percent, from 66 last July to 29 the same month of this year.

As for median sales prices, in the city, it rose to $409,500 from $343,000, an increase of about 19 percent.

In the county, meanwhile, the median sales price fell to $377,000 from $448,800. That's a decline of around 16 percent.

Sales of condominiums and town homes in the city and county were off sharply — falling from to 17 from 32, a decline of 47 percent. Prices also fell, to $345,000 from $388,250, a fall of about 11 percent.

The association emphasizes not all real-estate sales are reported to the group.

The drop in July home sales in the city followed a 43 percent decline reported for the second quarter of 2008. The second quarter median sales price in the city was $344,000.

Nader, running mate to speak at CSF today

Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader and running mate Matt Gonzalez are scheduled to speak at the College of Santa Fe today.

The pair plan a 5 p.m. press conference at the college's The Forum, followed by a 5:30 p.m. campaign rally.

According to an announcement, they plan to speak about a variety of issues, including a withdrawal from Iraq, a living wage, an end to "corporate welfare," a carbon tax to fight global warming and renewable energy.

Earlier today, they are scheduled to appear at a 1:30 p.m. rally in Albuquerque at The University of New Mexico Student Union.

Nader, an attorney, consumer advocate and author, has mounted several campaigns for the presidency. Gonzalez, also an attorney, has served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

The campaign is asking for a $10 donation at the door, $5 from students.

Judge: DOT may condemn property for highway project

An Arroyo Seco couple have until early next month to object to a Santa Fe judge's decision to condemn their property to allow widening of a section of U.S. 84/285 between Pojoaque and Española.

The state Department of Transportation would pay Charles and Barbara Romero $172,700 under the terms of a preliminary order entered by state District Judge Daniel Sanchez.

DOT spokesman S.U. Mahesh described the property as the Romeros' residence and site of their business, a mobile-home transport and storage business on the west side of U.S. 84/285, near the intersection with County Road 88 to La Puebla.

The proposed work is part of the seven-phase, $16 million Pojoaque Project between Pojoaque and Española. Two phases are completed, the contract for a third recently was let, and the Arroyo Seco work probably will be let early next year, Mahesh said.

The Romeros didn't respond to a message seeking comment. Mahesh said he cannot discuss the negotiations other than to say they began in January and the Romeros rejected the DOT's initial offer. He said the Romeros have 30 days from Sanchez's Aug. 8 order to appeal.

Woman arrested at Buffalo Thunder

Valorie Valdez, 40, of Española was arrested around 7 p.m. Saturday outside the Blue Tower Lounge at the new Buffalo Thunder Resort and Casino at Pojoaque Pueblo after security personnel had removed her from the lounge for allegedly yelling and starting fights.

A report by Pojoaque Tribal Police said Valdez tried to invoke the name of Pojoaque Pueblo's governor during her arrest, telling the officer, "I hope you like smiling and greeting people at Wal-Mart because that is where you'll be working from now on after this gets out to him."

Valdez allegedly kicked the officer as he tried to arrest her, and he used a stun gun on her. Officers charged her with disorderly conduct, concealing her identify, battery on a peace officer and resisting arrest.

Pueblo of Pojoaque Gov. George Rivera said Monday that he didn't think he knew Valdez. "I don't really get involved with stuff like that," he said.

Report: Woman sold coke to police

Authorities recently arrested Marlon Rodriguez of Santa Fe on charges she twice sold cocaine to an undercover narcotics agent.

A report filed in Santa Fe County Magistrate Court by the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Department said Rodriguez first sold cocaine to an undercover officer Aug. 13.

The officer arranged to meet Rodriguez again Thursday in the parking lot of El Paisano market on Cerrillos Road for another transaction, the document said.

Rodriguez allegedly sold the officer 29.3 grams of cocaine before the arrest.

Streets may close for maintenance

This week marked the beginning of a city street-maintenance project that aims to add slurry seal to 65 streets.

The process, which consists of laying a thin polymer overlay to the existing street surface, should close each street for about one day, with the entire plan scheduled to take about 10 working days, according to a city news release issued Monday. The completion date should be Sept. 12.

During the roadwork, residents will be asked to seek alternate routes. The contractor, IPR Ltd., is supposed distribute information to residents door-to-door flyers with details about the work schedule. For more information, call 955-3000.

Meeting on river diversion tonight

A "town hall" style meeting is planned tonight regarding the Buckman Direct Diversion project and water quality.

The panel discussion from 6 to 8 p.m. at Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center's Southwest Conference Room will feature staff from the joint city/county project and a University of New Mexico civil engineer who performed an independent study on water quality for the project.

Panel members will make brief presentations on the project's history, water quality and treatment processes, and answer questions or address concerns.

The diversion aims to pull water directly from the Rio Grande into the community water system to allow less pumping of groundwater. Some area residents have raised concerns about its proximity to waste that originated at Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Three arrested at house party

Officers arrested two young women and a man just after midnight Sunday after Santa Fe police responding to a noise complaint said they found the trio partying in a home with four minors.

Everyone at the party, including two 14-year-old girls and two 17-year-old boys, were drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana, according to the report.

Ashly Sandoval, 18; Edward Torrez, 22; and Meredith Ritter, 19, all of Santa Fe, were each charged with four counts of contributing to the delinquency of minors.

Ritter and Sandoval also were charged with being minors in possession of alcohol.

Torrez was also charged with four counts of giving or selling alcohol to a minor and one count of possession of a controlled substance. Bond for Sandoval, Torrez and Ritter was set at $50,000 each.

Removed trees to be replaced

Trees removed from the 3000 block of Cerrillos Road last week will be replaced, says a representative of the road contractor.

Mike Martinez of A.S. Horner said the trees, which stood near Taco Bell on the northwest side of Cerrillos Road, across from Peerless Tyre Co., were in the path of the newly widened lanes on the major traffic artery.

About a half-dozen trees, some of them Russian olives, were pulled up and removed last week.

Parents sue over GCCC mishap

The parents of a child injured when a piece of equipment fell on him during an after-school program at Genoveva Chavez Community Center are seeking damages from the city of Santa Fe.

Augustine Carrillo, now 11, suffered unspecified damages in the accident involving a "free standing multi-station punching bag unit" on Oct. 24, 2006, according to the complaint filed in state District Court.

Lawyer Dennis Murphy filed the complaint on behalf of Carrillos' parents, Andres and Traci Carrillo of Santa Fe.

The complaint says the parties have settled all disputes in a mediation session and now want a judge to approve that settlement. The terms of the settlement are not spelled out.