Man held in restaurant burglary try

A 39-year-old local man climbed on to the roof of a central Santa Fe residence Sunday night after he was seen fleeing from a Cerrillos Road restaurant after a burglar alarm was tripped, according to a news release.

Officers saw Daniel Montaño running from the back of El Parasol, 1833 Cerrillos Road, about 9:40 p.m. and chased him through the yards of several nearby residences, the Santa Fe Police Department release says. He climbed on to the roof of one of the homes and officers were able to borrow a ladder from the homeowner and take Montaño into custody.

They later found that the restaurant's electrical box was damaged in an apparent attempt to disable the burglar alarm, the release states. In addition, police found two damaged windows. They also found a bag containing burglary tools near the restaurant.

Montaño was charged with breaking and entering, possession of burglary tools, tampering with evidence and resisting arrest.

Crews trying to patch potholes

With a series of winter storms and accompanying freeze-thaw cycles creating potholes on Santa Fe streets, city crews are trying to patch the worst of the tire-busting crevices.

The city is asking residents to report the location of potholes to the Constituent Services office at 955-6949 or online at the city's Web site at www.santafenm.gov. Click on "1 Click to City Hall" in the lower left corner of the home page.

A Monday news release said city street sweepers have been cleaning up sand and cinders left on streets after the last major snowstorm. "The streets are dry and the time is right to repair major potholes before the next storm," the announcement said.

City street crews will repair as many potholes as they can get to before the next storm, the statement said.

Santa Fe officer appeals DWI conviction

A Santa Fe police lieutenant convicted of aggravated drunken driving in November has appealed the conviction to state District Court, according to court records.

Lt. Stephen Ryan, 44, who headed the department's internal affairs division until he was placed on administrative leave following his June arrest, filed the appeal five days after his conviction in November. He is scheduled to appear in District Court in Sandoval County on March 19 so a judge can hear the appeal, according to online court records.

A Rio Rancho police officer pulled Ryan over about 1:40 a.m. June 28 after seeing his pickup truck weaving, according to a police report. He failed sobriety tests and later refused to take a chemical test. On the way to jail, Ryan told the police officer he'd taken four different kinds of medication and consumed one beer, the report states.

Santa Fe Police Chief Aric Wheeler said in November that an internal investigation into Ryan's arrest was complete, though the findings hadn't yet been confirmed. Wheeler said Monday that Ryan remains on paid administrative leave, but declined to comment further.

Not guilty verdict in road-rage case

A jury acquitted a 23-year-old Santa Fe man of criminal responsibility last week for firing a gun at another car in an alleged road-rage incident nearly a year ago.

The Santa Fe County jury deliberated only an hour and 40 minutes Wednesday before deciding that Gabryl Romero was not guilty of two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, shooting at or from a motor vehicle, criminal damage to property and negligent use of a firearm, said Dan Marlowe, Romero's attorney.

Romero allegedly shot twice through the windshield of his own car at another vehicle carrying Jason Anaya, his girlfriend and their then-7-month-old son, police said at the time. Romero, however, claimed that Anaya drove at his car twice and that he fired in self-defense.

The incident, which took place Feb. 28 on Cerrillos Road, ended in the parking lot at Jiffy Lube, 1975 Cerrillos Road, where police arrested Romero.

Ex-deputy gets jail time for robbery

A former Rio Arriba County sheriff's deputy will serve the next four months in jail and a year on electronic monitoring for pleading guilty to charges stemming from an armed robbery and a standoff with police in May.

Brian Vigil, 37, faced between two and 17 years in prison after pleading guilty in December to armed robbery, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a controlled substance and tampering with evidence. State District Judge Michael Vigil sentenced Brian Vigil to two years of jail, gave him credit for eight months previously spent behind bars and allowed him to serve the second year of his sentence on electronic monitoring, said Dan Marlowe, Brian Vigil's attorney.

Brian Vigil had a cloth over his face and a gun in his hand when he robbed Del Norte Pharmacy, 1691 Galisteo St., on May 11. He made off with narcotics then fled to a vacant lot between Harkle Road and St. Michael's Drive, where police spent the next 2 1/2 hours negotiating with him.

Marlowe blamed the incident on Brian Vigil's addiction to painkillers, which he incurred while nursing an injury sustained in the line of duty.

AG: Bidding in land swap a 'sham'

New Mexico Attorney General Gary King petitioned the state Supreme Court Monday to stop a land trade around Whites Peak between the State Land Office and private ranchers.

King said the trade violates the state enabling act and called the bidding process a "sham." He also has questioned the appraisals conducted for the exchange.

State Land Commissioner Patrick Lyons said the auctions did not violate state law and the Land Office followed the same process to exchange trust lands that every commissioner before him has used.

"We're not doing anything new," he said.

Mayoral candidate forum set

Candidates for mayor will be questioned about litter, graffiti and other environmental issues next week.

The forum sponsored by Keep Santa Fe Beautiful begins at 7 p.m. Monday in the Stiha Room of La Fonda at the corner of Old Santa Fe Trail and East San Francisco Street.

"Questions with regards to litter control and prevention, beautification, graffiti and weed eradication, recycling, and environmental education, as well as subjects related to solid waste practices and other environmental issues that are important to Keep Santa Fe Beautiful will be posed to the three candidates running in the March 2 mayoral election," says a news release from Gilda Montaño, director of Keep Santa Fe Beautiful.

Mayoral candidates also will square off tonight at a forum hosted by the League of Women Voters and the American Association of University Women from 6:30 to 8 tonight at the Santa Fe Preparatory School Auditorium, 1101 Camino de Cruz Blanca.

New arts school hires faculty

The New Mexico School for the Arts — a charter high school set to open in Santa Fe in August — has hired several faculty members and department chairs.

Joey Chavez, who has run the theater department at Santa Fe High School for 12 years, will join NMSA as head of its theater program. Benjamin Klemme, music director and conductor for the Santa Fe Youth Symphony Association, comes on board as chair of NMSA's music department.

Educator, music researcher, and singer Karen Hall will be the voice instructor, while painter Cristina González chairs the school's visual arts department. Head of School Jim Ledyard said the school is still working to hire faculty for its dance department.

Earlier this year, NMSA reached an agreement to lease the vacant St. Francis Cathedral School in downtown Santa Fe as its home. NMSA is scheduled to open in August with an estimated 120 students in grades nine to 11. Auditions for NMSA take place in March; the application deadline for is Friday. Visit www.nmschoolforthearts.org for more information.

Open house at S.F. Girls' School

The Santa Fe Girls' School, a small private girls school which serves sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders, holds an admissions open house, with refreshments, at 6 p.m. Thursday.

Attendees can meet students, alumni and teachers; tour the grounds; and explore curriculum options.

According to admissions director Janet Graham, enrollment capacity is 45 students, with no more than 15 students to the classroom.

The school, founded in 1998, is accepting applications for its 2010 school year. The school is at 310 W. Zia Road. Call 820-3188 or visit www.santafegirlsschool.org for more information.