Police investigate jewelry thefts

Nearly $50,000 worth of jewelry was stolen Wednesday in burglaries of two homes in the Seton Village area, sheriff's deputies said.

About $40,000 worth of various jewelry items was taken from a residence on Coyote Crossing, and jewelry valued at $8,000 was reported stolen from a home on Nine Mile Road.

The burglaries occurred between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., and the thief or thieves entered each home through a window, according to investigators.

Deputies were still searching for witnesses and suspects on Friday.

Crack cocaine dealer gets probation

A former Santa Fe auto salesman was sentenced to five years probation Friday for selling crack cocaine out of the Cerrillos Road car lot where he worked last year.

First Judicial District Judge Michael Vigil accepted a plea deal in which Walter Bailey, 46, pleaded guilty to two counts of trafficking in cocaine. He could have received up to nine years on each count, Vigil said.

Vigil noted that Bailey himself had a drug-abuse problem and was not "a big-time dealer," and has served 17 months of electronic monitoring.

Drug agents arrested Bailey in March 2009 at the Santa Fe Mazda-Volvo dealership in an undercover operation.

Bailey is now working for Builders Electric in Santa Fe and is studying to be an electrician, the defense told the court. He will be allowed to drive to classes in Albuquerque and to Taos for business purposes.

Road projects will get extra boost

Three local projects will get additional federal stimulus funding because several other projects cost less than expected, Gov. Bill Richardson's office announced.

The projects are the rehabilitation of Airport Road, and construction work on U.S. 84/285 in both Santa Fe and Rio Arriba counties. In all, 12 new projects will get the additional funding and six projects will get supplemental funds.

"The Recovery Act has given a boost to our state's infrastructure, including roads and highways," Richardson said in a statement. "The Department of Transportation should be commended for managing these projects well and using these funds wisely."

New Mexico is expected to get more than $3 billion from the federal recovery act. Some 90 highway and local road projects have gone out to bid since February.

Velarde woman dies after head-on collision

A Velarde woman died in a head-on car crash in Los Alamos on Friday morning.

According to the Los Alamos County Police Department, Matthew Vigil, 29, of Española was driving a 2006 Chevrolet pickup east on East Jemez Road at 7:40 a.m. when it collided head-on with a west-bound 2005 Nissan driven by Miranda Martinez, 29, of Velarde.

Martinez died from her injuries and Vigil was treated for injuries and released from Los Alamos Medical Center, according to Los Alamos police.

Police said an investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing.

Bull Riders at rodeo for one night only

The Professional Bull Riders Pro Touring Division will take over the Santa Fe Rodeo Arena at 7 tonight — for one night only. Some 45 riders are registered, including Pistol Robinson and Cord McCoy, and will take on top-ranking bulls for their 8-second ride.

Tickets range from $15-$25 and can be purchased at the rodeo grounds or at the Lensic box office.

Staff and wire reports