Santa Fe police investigate shooting

A 19-year old man was shot on Miramonte Street Friday evening, a Santa Fe police deputy chief said. At press time, no information was available whether the shooting took place on the street or in a residence, or on the victim's condition, presumably at Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center.

A neighborhood resident told The New Mexican that a number of police cars and an ambulance were in place on Miramonte, and that yellow crime scene tape was being put in place around 8:45 p.m. Later, the resident reported that police cars had left the area.

Reached by phone around 8:50 p.m., Santa Fe Deputy Police Chief Abram Anaya said, "It's way too early in the investigation to comment on anything. We just got officers on-scene."

City scores in new reader poll

Santa Fe was rated third most popular U.S. travel city in the latest Condé Nast Traveler reader poll. It's the 18th year that Santa Fe has been listed among the magazine survey's top travel destinations.

Santa Fe ranked behind San Francisco and Charleston, S.C., but edged out New York in the list appearing in the November issue. Santa Fe held the fourth spot in the 2008 poll.

Completing this year's ratings of "Top Eight U.S. Cities" by more than 25,000 respondents were Chicago; Honolulu; Carmel, Calif.; and Savannah, Ga.

Criterion included atmosphere/ambience, culture/sites, friendliness, lodging, restaurants and shopping, among other categories.

Earlier this month, a Travel + Leisure magazine survey rated Santa Fe among the 30 most popular cities for "peace and quiet" and No. 2 for having "independent boutiques" and being a "relaxing retreat."

But Santa Fe came in 30th or last in categories including "big-name restaurants," business hotels, luxury hotels, singles/bar scene, and live music and concerts.

State no longer at top of DWI ranking

Statistics released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show New Mexico has dropped out of the Top 10 in national rankings for drunken-driving fatalities.

New Mexico once had the worst DWI problem in the nation.

According to the report, New Mexico was 11th for the number of DWI fatalities per 100,000 population in 2008. New Mexico ranked ninth for DWI fatalities in both 2006 and 2007.

Gov. Bill Richardson says state officials and residents have worked very hard to keep drunk drivers off streets and highways, and the rankings reflect progress.

The national study included any crash where a driver's blood-alcohol level was .08 percent or higher.

Since taking office, Richardson's administration has implemented several anti-DWI initiatives, including increased law enforcement, public-awareness campaigns and making ignition interlocks mandatory upon first-time convictions.

Oil and gas mineral leases up for bids

The Bureau of Land Management will offer oil and gas mineral leasing rights on 21,250 acres of federal lands in New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas Oct. 21 at the Courtyard by Marriott, 3347 Cerrillos Road in Santa Fe.

The sale will begin at 9 a.m. Only oral bids offered at the sale will be accepted.

Parcels will be awarded to qualified bidders offering the highest acceptable bid. The minimum acceptable bid is $2 per acre.

Firm lands grants for rural broadband access

ALBUQUERQUE — An Albuquerque business, Agavue, will receive $1.12 million to build computer centers in Cerrillos and Manzano that will offer broadband Internet access and provide technical support for rural areas of New Mexico.

The funding comes from two grants administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., who announced the award Thursday, said broadband access is essential for rural economic development.

The sites will have 10 computers with printers, and staff members will teach new users how to navigate the Internet.