Crime

Monkey Business — County staff responding to a water leak at the former Blue Monkey salon and cosmetology school Tuesday morning found the interior trashed, covered in vulgar graffiti and reeking of hair dye that had been splattered over the walls and floors.

Santa Fe Police Deputy Chief Benjie Montaño said whoever vandalized the building caused about $40,000 worth of damage that could result in a felony charge of criminal damage to property for anyone convicted of the crime. Wednesday, C-1

S.F. detective pleads guilty — On Tuesday, former Santa Fe police Detective Danny Ramirez, 48, pleaded guilty to one felony count of theft of $5,000 from the city of Santa Fe and the city's Police Department. Though the charge dictates a prison term of up to 10 years and a $250,000 fine, prosecutors agreed not to object to a sentence that likely will be six months or less in prison, said Jason Bowles, Ramirez's attorney. Thursday, A-1

Ruiz says actions for Serna's OK — Before almost any of the actions he took as an insurance regulator, Joe Ruiz said, he got the go-ahead from his boss, former state Insurance Division Superintendent Eric Serna.

That included waiving a fine for an insurance company that agreed to settle a former state senator's insurance claim for $10,000, Ruiz said Wednesday, testifying as the final witness in his federal corruption trial. Thursday, C-1

Ex-treasurer gets four years in racketeering charge — Former state Treasurer Michael Montoya was sentenced Wednesday to four years in prison for racketeering in an investment kickback scheme he testified about in the federal government's prosecution of ex-Treasurer Robert Vigil.

The sentence on the state charge will run concurrently with a 40-month federal sentence Montoya is to begin serving soon.

He had pleaded guilty to racketeering last year in an agreement with state prosecutors and could have been sentenced up to nine years in prison. Thursday, C-1

Alleged bank robber makes it easy for police — Authorities say they arrested a
22-year-old Edgewood man Thursday shortly after he robbed a bank only a few blocks from the Santa Fe police station and then ditched the money at New Mexico State Police headquarters on Cerrillos Road.

Anthony Canales robbed employees at the First National Bank of Santa Fe, 4995 Governor Miles Road, at gunpoint about 1:45 p.m. Thursday, according to an FBI news release.

Bank employees called police immediately after the robbery and said the robber drove away in a silver Ford Taurus.

Police were searching for Canales within a few minutes of the robbery and found him nearby — at the state police office, 4491 Cerrillos Road, Wheeler said. Canales had parked the car in the parking lot at the state police office but left his driver's license and other identification in the car, police said.

Santa Fe police officers arrested Canales in the parking lot when they realized he matched the robber's description given by bank employees and turned him over to the FBI. He will be charged with bank robbery. Friday, A-1

Development

Tapping the unknown — Geologists remain divided about oil and gas reserves in the Galisteo Basin. Sunday, Jan. 20, A-1

Speculation swirls over Tecton's ultimate goal — Three months ago, Bill Dirks, president of Tecton Energy, told the people of Santa Fe his company wanted to drill for oil — light, sweet crude — in the Galisteo Basin.

But the buzz among anti-drilling activists has been that Tecton's oil talk is a red herring to divert attention away from the fact that the company is really looking for natural gas in the Galisteo Basin. Sunday, Jan. 20, A-1

Environment

Grocer gives plastic bags the sack — Would you like paper or ... paper?

Soon that will be your only choice at Whole Foods Market unless you bring your own plastic bags. The Austin, Texas-based natural-foods grocery chain announced this week that it will discontinue the use of plastic bags by April 22.

"By Earth Day, we'll be plastic-free," said Tim Lenihan, manager of the local store at 753 Cerrillos Road. Wednesday, A-1

Anti-smoking advocates trumpet smoke-free success — Seven months after the Dee Johnson Clean Indoor Air Act went into effect, smoke-free advocates have celebrated the law with the release of data showing that 88 percent of New Mexicans are willing to go to smoke-free restaurant and bars, and bars' and restaurants' sales haven't been hurt by the measure. Friday, A-1

General

PNM chief's pay is under scrutiny — Jeff Sterba isn't the highest-paid CEO of a regulated utility company in New Mexico but ratepayers in the state pay more for the Public Service Company of New Mexico chief than any other top executive of an investor-owned utility.

With some utility companies paying their executives two to five times more than in 1999, the state Public Regulation Commission has said it's time to look into whether compensation packages are reasonable. Monday, A-1

Clash of ideologies — Several hundred people from opposite sides of the abortion debate gathered at the Capitol on Tuesday, the 35th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision that legalized the practice.

Catholic religious leaders led a march from Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi to the Roundhouse to protest a bill that would allow embryonic stem-cell research in New Mexico. Many had anti-abortion signs, including two teenage girls carrying a 6-foot-long sign that showed a huge photo of a bloody fetus. Wednesday, A-1

Offer of stability — The exposure death of a homeless man sleeping outdoors on Christmas has inspired a woman's quixotic attempt to prevent more intoxicated people from freezing to death in Santa Fe.

Anne Fairchild said about 50 volunteers, some of them homeless, began soliciting donations this week for her proposed Casa de Shalom.

Santa Fe already has a half-dozen charities for the homeless. But Fairchild said hers would be different — it would take in people on cold nights even if they are drunk. Friday, C-1

Government

Short-term rentals back on council table — The Santa Fe City Council next week resumes a long-running debate over regulating short-term vacation rentals in residential neighborhoods. But it remains unclear whether any of the ideas floating around City Hall have enough support to become law. Wednesday, C-1

State failing on campaign finance disclosure — If you want to find out how much money a candidate in New Mexico has received from a certain company, forget it.

If you want to know how much campaign cash a state official has raised in the past six months or so, too bad. You'll have to wait till May.

Those are among the reasons New Mexico once again has received a failing grade in a national study of finance-disclosure laws. Thursday, A-1

Legislature

Governor rejects efforts to reform title insurance — Gov. Bill Richardson has turned down requests from state regulators, the attorney general and others to have the Legislature consider reforms of the title insurance industry, which contributed to Richardson's presidential campaign.

Advocates say legislation is needed to bring price competition to the title insurance system, which could lower closing costs for home buyers. Richardson will not put title insurance on the agenda of the 30-day session, but the industry's political contributions played no role in the governor's decision, according to a Richardson spokesman, Allan Oliver. Tuesday, A-1

Richardson blinks in health-plan standoff — Gov. Bill Richardson doesn't have a specific compromise in mind yet.

But he is willing to give a little on one part of his health-care plan — and that sign of movement just might be more important than the details themselves. Friday, A-8

House narrowly approves domestic partnership measure — Gay and heterosexual couples could form domestic partnerships and enjoy the same rights and benefits as married couples under legislation approved by the House on Thursday.

House Bill 9 passed by a two-vote margin. The measure, which is part of Gov. Bill Richardson's legislative agenda, also will recognize same-sex marriages from other states as having the same legal rights as a domestic partnership in New Mexico.

The bill goes to the Senate, where a similar domestic partnership proposal stalled last year. Friday, A-8