Police seek south-side shooter

City police are looking for a young, petite man who shot another man several times at close range at a south-side apartment complex early Wednesday morning.

Capt. Gary Johnson said police responded to a report of gunshots fired at the Tuscany Apartments, 2218 Camino Miguel Chavez, about 3 a.m.

When officers arrived, he said, they found James Downs, 41, laying atop a stairway landing. Johnson said Downs was taken to Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center for treatment of several severe wounds. None of the injuries were life-threatening.

Johnson said at least four men came to the apartment unit where Downs was staying and knocked on the door. When he opened the door, Johnson said, they entered "in a very aggressive manner and began to have a verbal altercation" with Downs.

Johnson said one of the men, described as "very petite" and about 20 years old, pulled a handgun and shot Downs several times, then the men robbed Downs of cash and fled the area in a white car.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Detective Deanna Nava at 955-5038.

Shooting victim's identity released

A man found shot to death in an Airport Road apartment on Saturday has been identified as Vicente Anchondo Gomez, 45, of Mexico.

Undersheriff Robert Garcia said Wednesday that investigators recently reached Gomez's sister in El Paso, who was to notify his wife in Ciudad Chihuahua.

Deputies responded to a report of a bullet hole in the wall of a unit in the Cedar Crest Apartments on Saturday afternoon and found Gomez's body in the adjacent apartment unit.

No arrest has been made, though Garcia said an aggressive investigation may soon result in a suspect.

Garcia isn't saying where Gomez was shot or giving out other information about him.

Widow of crash victim sues bar

The widow of an Eldorado man killed early this year when his vehicle crashed as he drove home from a bar is suing the bar, claiming the business served him too much alcohol.

Maureen Rene accuses Brumby's Bar and Grill in Eldorado, owners Stacy and Allan Crossingham and two unknown bartenders of negligently serving alcohol to her husband, Michael Rene.

Stacy Crossingham, who obtained a divorce from Allan Crossingham on Feb. 6, did not respond to a message left at her office Wednesday.

Michael Rene, 54, who ran a photography and digital-image business out of his home, was killed in the early hours of Feb. 26 after his SUV flipped and ejected him. His body was not discovered until several hours later. He reportedly had been drinking the night before at a dart tournament at Brumby's.

According to a complaint filed in state District Court on Monday by attorney Randolph Felker, serving alcohol to Rene that night "was a direct and proximate cause of the accident and the death."

Meeting set on stimulus funds

The public will have a chance to learn more about money available to New Mexico under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act during a meeting today in Española.

Speakers from federal and state agencies will summarize the allocation of funds earmarked for New Mexico and give information on how communities and organizations can access grant funding. They also will take questions.

The meeting is from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Northern New Mexico College, 920 Paseo de Oñate.

"There are a lot of programs, funding sources and initiatives available for rural communities, small businesses and individuals — but you have to know where to look to take advantage of them," Rick Homans, secretary of the Taxation and Revenue Department and chairman of the Competitive Grant Advisory Team, said in a statement. "Gov. Richardson has directed the team to ensure New Mexico receives the maximum available federal grant funding to create and protect jobs and to help build a strong, prosperous economy for the future."

Slick to leave for Washington job

State Historic Preservation Officer Katherine Slick will soon leave her New Mexico position to head an international preservation office in Washington, D.C.

Slick, who previously worked as an adviser for the National Trust for Historic Preservation, will become executive director of the U.S. Committee for the International Council on Monuments and Sites, according to an announcement Wednesday by the state Department of Cultural Affairs.

She will complete her duties as director of the Cultural Affairs Department's Historic Preservation Division at the end of June. She has served as state historic preservation officer since 2003.

State Cultural Affairs Secretary Stuart Ashman has appointed Jan Biella, currently the deputy state preservation officer, as the interim state historic preservation officer. Ashman named Sam Cata, currently deputy director and tribal liaison, as interim director of the division.

Eight Northern arts show canceled

Citing the "current economic situation of our communities," the Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Council has canceled its annual summer arts and crafts show.

A news release said the council's governing board voted recently to postpone the event for a year, setting the new dates for July 17-18, 2010.

Any artist fees will be refunded "within 10 days of our office receiving the payment," the announcement said.

Organizers said the number of applications for booths this year was well below average.

Resolution aims to help contractors

City Council wants local contractors to bid on and successfully obtain contracts for city projects such as sidewalk improvements, streets and sidewalks, and building remodels.

A resolution unanimously approved Wednesday directs city staff to modify the purchasing procedures to the maximum legal limit, lower bonding requirements to "reasonable yet responsible levels," and devise methods to divide large projects into smaller projects. It also calls on them to inform local contractors about city projects and processes for bidding.

"We know that it has been hard for some of our local companies to bid on some of our larger (capital infrastructure) projects or road projects," said Councilor Miguel Chavez. "I hope this time around we can get a better handle on it."

Gardens get council's blessing

Public spaces can be used to grow food this summer following the City Council's approval of policies for the community garden pilot project.

About 3,800 square feet are dedicated to the project at Frenchy's Field Park and about 600 at Maclovia Park. The next step for those who want to use the spaces is to devise a plan on organization, paying for water and functional considerations.

So far, between 15 and 20 people have already said they want garden plots in the pilot project, said Fabian Chavez, Parks Division Director.

To get involved with a city park garden, contact Jessie Esparza in the city Parks Division at 955-2106.

Another community garden effort in the Railyard Park is also under way. For information on the Railyard community garden, call Railyard Park Stewards at 982-6975.


Valles Caldera grants grazing lease

The Valles Caldera Trust awarded a summer grazing lease for the 89,000-acre Valles Caldera National Preserve to a coalition that includes Jemez Pueblo and New Mexico State University.

The group, which also includes the New Mexico Beef Cattle Performance Association, will graze between 500 and 1,500 cattle on the preserve, in the Jemez Mountains west of Los Alamos.

The group will pay a flat fee of $52 per animal, or between $26,000 and $78,000 for the grazing lease. The exact number of cattle allowed will depend on available forage and summer moisture, according to the trust.

The group was one of five applicants for the grazing lease. WildEarth Guardians, an environmental group opposed to cattle grazing on public lands, had offered the Trust $50,000 to graze three to five cows on the preserve, saying the small number would better protect the preserve's natural resources.

Gary Bratcher, executive director of the trust, said all the applications were considered, but the joint proposal from NMSU and Jemez Pueblo included benefits that extend "beyond the borders of the preserve."

The applicants will provide cowboys for managing the herd and are responsible for protecting recourses. Minimizing grazing near riparian areas and streams will be a goal of the grazing program, said Manny Encinias, who will head the project for New Mexico State University.

David M. Toledo, governor of Jemez Pueblo, said the lease award shows the trust's commitment to working with the pueblo and local community. "The program not only improves our cattle and our cattle management over time but it also provides rest and enhances the condition of our rangelands on the Pueblo," Toledo said in a news release.