St. Vincent imposes guidelines during flu season

Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center has set some visiting restrictions at the hospital because of the flu outbreak.

Effective immediately, the following restrictions will be implemented:

• No one under the age of 14 is allowed in the hospital unless he or she is a patient.
• Each patient limited to two visitors at a time, except for patients in end-of-life situations.
• No sick visitors will be permitted, and the hospital urges others with any cold or flu symptoms to ask for a mask.

Visitors should wash hands frequently with soap and water or use hand sanitizer.
These restrictions will be enforced through the end of the influenza season or until further notice. The guidelines are based on the recommendations of the New Mexico Hospital Association.

Fires planned for forest lands

The Santa Fe National Forest plans to conduct two prescribed burns this week if weather conditions are favorable.

On the Coyote Ranger District, fire managers plant to burn about 100 acres a day on Mesa Camino, seven miles east of Gallina and 20 miles west of Abiquiú. Smoke from this burn may be visible from Gallina, Coyote, Abiquiú, Ghost Ranch, Forest Road 151, N.M. 96, Lindrith and possibly Española.

For updated information on planned and ongoing prescribed burns, call toll-free, 1-877-971-FIRE (3473), or visit www.nmfireinfo.com.

Event to benefit hospital's diabetes center

Tickets are on sale for Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center's annual Glamour and Gauze fundraiser.

The event — which will benefit the hospital's diabetes center — will feature a silent auction, a live auction and live music by Soulstice.

Auction items include a one-week stay at the Kapawi Ecolodge and Reserve in the Ecuadorian rainforest.

The event is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Eldorado Hotel and Spa.

Tickets are $250 ($175 of which is tax-deductible). To purchase a ticket, call 913-5209.

Quivira Coalition to hold conference

Conservationist Aldo Leopold's daughter and retired biologist Estella Leopold will be among a wide variety of speakers at the eighth annual Quivira Coalition conference scheduled Nov. 4-6 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Albuquerque.

Estella Leopold will be joined by Santa Fe author Bill DeBuys, rancher Linda Hasselstrom and ethnobotanist author Gary Nabhan to read excerpts of work about Aldo Leopold. Their free readings take place from 7-9 p.m. on Nov. 4.

The Quivira Coalition, a nonprofit founded by environmentalists and a rancher, looks for middle ground in the debate over livestock on rangelands. This year's conference features presentations by watershed restoration expert Bill Zeedyk, hydrologist Stephen Monroe, conservationist Peter Warshall and more.

For more information or to register for the conference, visit www.quiviracoalition.org.

Arts Fest slated for Oct. 28

The 10th annual Arts Fest takes place Oct. 28 at Santa Fe Indian School's Humanities Common Room beginning at 6:30 p.m. Students will present their poetry, music, singing, dance and films. Admission to the event is free.