Tecton caps Galisteo Basin well

Tecton Energy announced Wednesday that it has officially plugged and abandoned the only oil well it ever operated in Santa Fe County. The Black Ferrill No. 1 was drilled back in the 1980s, but Tecton had inherited the well when it leased about 65,000 acre-feet of mineral rights in the Galisteo Basin several years ago.

The plugging of the well marks the end of Tecton's activities in Santa Fe County, which began in 2007 with a public backlash against the company's plans to drill for oil in the basin. The county eventually passed one of the strictest oil and gas ordinances in the country, and Tecton put its leases up for sale in 2008.

In a statement released Wednesday, Tecton president Bill Dirks said a combination of factors caused the company to pull out of the Galisteo Basin, "including the depressed economy and the expense and difficulty of obtaining drilling permits. These factors make the project unviable for Tecton investors to pursue."

Dirks said the company still believes the basin contains a "large deposit of light, sweet oil" and hopes the state, county and residents "will work to find an acceptable way for future operators to develop the resource."

'Outside' staff on one-week furlough

Outside magazine staff had a little more time last week to spend — well, outside.

Employees of the Santa Fe-based magazine, which covers outdoor activities and travel, were on a one-week, mandatory furlough. Or, as editor Chris Keyes said in an e-mail, "We had an unpaid 'summer week' to enjoy the beautiful Santa Fe spring weather."

Like most newspapers and magazines, Outside, which moved its headquarters to the Santa Fe Railyard in 1994, has been looking for ways to cut operating expenses. In the last year, it laid off five to seven employees and reduced the number of annual editions of Go, its companion publication. Go, a more high-end publication, will come out in paper form twice a year and publish two annual online editions beginning this summer.

Farmers market opens south-side location

Locally grown produce will be available on the south side courtesy of the Santa Fe Farmers Market today. The weekly market will take place from 3 to 6 p.m. in the Santa Fe Place Mall parking lot in front of JCPenney, at Zafarano Drive and Rodeo Road.

Miguel Gallegos, operations manager, said about a half-dozen vendors selling greens, peas, onions, garlic and tomatoes plan to appear this week, with more showing up as the season continues.

"Our biggest number last year was close to 20 vendors in July, August and September," said Gallegos. "Right now it's still a little early. ... The first couple markets are always the smaller ones, and then we just keep growing."

The main markets are on Tuesday and Saturday mornings at the farmers market building on the Santa Fe Railyard.

Gas prices post 50-day uptick

Wednesday marked an unpleasant milestone for motorists in New Mexico and nationwide: 50 consecutive days of rising gasoline prices.

AAA New Mexico, which tracks prices at the pump, said that in April, a gallon of unleaded regular gas cost an average of $2.07 in New Mexico. Today, the statewide average is $2.67, the organization's survey said.

Santa Fe, as usual, has the most expensive gas in the state at $2.66. Las Cruces has the least expensive gas in New Mexico at $2.60. Albuquerque motorists are paying $2.62, the survey said.

Even with the recent increases, gasoline still remains well below where it was a year ago, when the statewide average was $3.97.

Health group calls for grant applications

The Northern New Mexico Health Grant Group, a joint initiative of Con Alma HEALTH Foundation and the Hospital Auxiliary for the Los Alamos Medical Center, will award $200,000 in grants to nonprofits this year.

Grants of up to $20,000 will be made to nonprofit organizations serving people who live in Los Alamos, Rio Arriba and northern Santa Fe counties. The application deadline is Aug. 21.

A pre-proposal workshop will be offered from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Mesa Public Library in Los Alamos. For more information on grant guidelines and to register for the workshop, go to Con Alma HEALTH Foundation's Web site at www.conalma.org and click on the options in the "What's New" section. To RSVP for the workshop, e-mail Amy Donafrio at grants@conalma.org or call 438-0776.

History museum selects coordinator

Carlotta Boettcher, the director of the Native American Artisan Program at the Palace of the Governors, is to be the new coordinator for public programming, lectures and film series at the New Mexico History Museum.

The opening of the new museum has expanded opportunities to present special events, especially in the 210-seat auditorium, according to a news release announcing the appointment.

Boettcher was born and raised in Havana and has a bachelor's degree from the University of Madrid. She studied graphic arts and printmaking at the Ecole Nationale des Beaux Arts in Paris and has a second bachelor's degree in fine arts and photography and a master's degree in visual anthropology from San Francisco State University.

The museum's deputy director, John McCarthy, will handle the portal liaison coordination duties in the future.

State confirms fourth human plague case

New Mexico health officials confirmed Tuesday that an 83-year-old Sandoval County woman is recovering at home after being hospitalized with the plague. The state Department of Health says it is the fourth human case of plague in New Mexico this year. The other cases have been in Santa Fe County and included an 8-year-old boy who died.

The department is conducting an environmental investigation at the woman's home to determine if there is any ongoing risk to people.

Health officials also have confirmed a plague case in a rock squirrel from the east side of Santa Fe and in a dog south of Santa Fe. State public health veterinarian Paul Ettestad says plague activity is usually higher in the late spring and summer months.

Santa Teresa trust land up for auction

New Mexico Public Lands Commissioner Patrick Lyons says 2,220 acres of state trust land in Doña Ana County will be sold in September to create a commercial and industrial zone in Santa Teresa.

Lyons said in a news release Wednesday that Union Pacific railroad has identified an area where it will build a train-to-truck transfer facility near the U.S.-Mexico border.

Lyons says Union Pacific intends to bid on the state trust property during a live auction.

The state is getting more than 1,800 acres from the federal Bureau of Land Management in exchange for nearly 10,000 acres of state land in Chaves and Doña Ana counties. The Land Office already owns the remaining 380 acres in Santa Teresa. It also will obtain 320 acres on Las Cruces' west side in the exchange.