Harris cancels today's concert

Because of a death in her family, singer/songwriter Emmylou Harris has canceled her concert set for 7:30 p.m. today at Paolo Soleri Amphitheater in Santa Fe.

Refunds for the Fan Man Productions event will be given at the point of purchase. Tickets purchased online through Tickets.com will receive automatic credit card refunds.

The Lensic Performing Arts Center box office plans to begin offering refunds Monday for tickets purchased there. For more information, call 988-1234.

Body found on Alto Street

Santa Fe police were investigating the death of a man whose body was found on the floor of his home Friday afternoon in the 400 block of Alto Street.

"There doesn't appear to be foul play," Assistant Chief Benjie Montaño said.

Details were still sketchy late in the evening, but Montaño said the man appeared to be in his mid- to late-30s. His name and details of the discovery of the body were not released.

Police were still seeking a search warrant for the home late Friday night, and the Medical Examiner's Office was continuing its investigation before turning the scene over to police, Montaño said.

Man arrested on assault charges

A 31-year-old man was arraigned Friday in Santa Fe County Magistrate Court on two counts of aggravated assault for allegedly threatening two customers with a knife outside the Conoco Service Station, 907 St. Francis Drive, on Thursday.

Carlos Hernandez Murrillo, no address given, was booked into Santa Fe County jail in lieu of $25,000 bail. Police said Murrillo, in separate incidents, demanded money from two female customers about 2:45 p.m. Police responded to a 911 call from the service station and arrested Murrillo. A discarded knife was recovered at the scene, police said.

Mailboxes hit in Eldorado

Four mailboxes and two driveway lights at houses in Eldorado were smashed early in the morning Thursday and Friday, Santa Fe County Sheriff Greg Solano said Friday.

However, Solano said his office has received calls from other area residents who've seen broken mailboxes in the last couple days so he thinks other similar incidents may have occurred that weren't reported.

Two of the mailboxes were run over by a car, while the other two and the driveway lights were smashed by another object, Solano said. Frank Schober, who lives off Torreon Road, said his cast iron mailbox was "brutally vandalized" and mail was scattered on the ground some time between midnight and 4 a.m. "It was wrecked. They worked hard at it," he said.

Solano said he plans to increase patrols in the area around 2 a.m., the time they believe the vandalism is happening.

No dog return without inspection

An Ilfield, N.M., woman who surrendered 67 Afghan hounds to authorities last month will not be able to recover any of her dogs until her home is inspected by San Miguel County and she pays licensing and permit fees, according to Heather Ferguson of Animal Protection New Mexico.

Ferguson said that Terry Gonzales must also show that she has the capacity and money to care for up to four dogs. The dogs she has identified will remain at the Santa Fe Animal Shelter until that happens. The other surviving dogs have been adopted or transferred to the care of rescue organizations.

Ferguson also said that Gonzales is receiving help from a son and counsel from state agencies.

Health firm seeks millions from N.M.

ALBUQUERQUE — A national health care company has sued the state of New Mexico, contending its contract was terminated without fundamental fairness or due process.

ResCare had provided services to the state's developmentally disabled for more than a decade. The state abruptly canceled ResCare's state provider agreement in July 2006 and moved clients to other providers.

ResCare's lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Albuquerque last week, says the state has failed to pay for $5 million in services the company provided, and it is owed $3 million for costs related to canceling the contract. The Louisville, Ky.-based company also seeks a judge's ruling to bar the state from bringing any action to recover certain payments.

Medical providers whose contacts are terminated without cause are entitled to notice of alleged wrongdoing, an administrative hearing and an appeal of any adverse decision to state district court, the lawsuit states.

The state Departments of Health, Human Services, and Children, Youth and Families are named as defendants in the lawsuit. A spokeswoman for the state Health Department said state officials had not been served with the complaint.

Police 'National Night Out' set

The Santa Fe Police Department invites the community to "National Night Out" from 6 to 10 p.m. Tuesday on the Plaza in downtown Santa Fe.

National Night Out is held annually and is designed to heighten crime and drug-prevention awareness, generate support for local anti-crime programs and send a message to criminals that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back, according to a city announcement.

Several area law enforcement agencies will display their police equipment and hand out literature and stick-on badges as well as answer questions from the public. In addition, there will be games, popcorn, snow cones and door prizes. This event is free to the public.

PNM now thinking big in solar

Public Service Company of New Mexico has applied to the state Public Regulation Commission to establish a large solar photovoltaic program.

Since 2006, PNM has had a small solar photovoltaic program for residential and business customers that install rooftop solar systems no larger than 10 kilowatts. An average home can meet its daytime energy needs with a 2-kilowatt system.

The large photovoltaic program would be aimed at commercial, industrial and government customers that install or interconnect to a solar system between 10 kilowatts and 1 megawatt, a PNM news release says.

PNM's application seeks to establish a system of renewable-energy certificates that would allow firms that install large photovoltaic systems to sell the excess electricity to PNM.

Jerry Neal, manager of the Large Customer Support division for PNM, said the 300 customers participating in the small photovoltaic program already exceed what was predicted so it is difficult to predict how many customers will be interested in the large program, which could be implemented in early 2009.

Drip-irrigation classes offered

The city of Santa Fe's Water Conservation Office is offering free water-savvy drip-irrigation classes for Sangre de Cristo water customers.

The two-hour classes will cover the basics of design, scheduling and maintenance, including details about efficient new drip systems and maintenance of existing systems.

Each participant will receive tools for their water conservation toolbox valued at about $52, including a training guide and handouts about efficient watering and xeric landscaping.

The classes are offered Thursday, Aug. 14 and 21. For more information or to sign up, call 955-4225.









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