Local news in brief for Nov. 6

| The New Mexican and wire services

11/5/2008 - 11/6/08

Water-hike bid barely gets OK from panel

City councilors remain divided on a proposal that would substantially increase water rates for city customers.

The measure that would increase rates 9.5 percent over each of the next five years continued its voyage to the full City Council on Wednesday night when the Public Utilities Committee narrowly recommended its approval.

Two of the four measure sponsors — councilors Rosemary Romero and Rebecca Wurzburger — serve on the committee. Joined by Councilor Chris Calvert, they voted to recommend approval of the proposal 3-2.

Councilors Matthew Ortiz and Ronald Trujillo voted against the approval, which also made it out of the Finance and Public Works Committees on divided votes. If the full City Council agrees to advertise the proposal, a public hearing and possible final decision could happen as soon as December.

At a public hearing before the vote, only one city resident testified.

"I just think the 9.5 percent is a little steep to swallow for 5 years in a row," said Stan Cooper, who said councilors should consider that people are also experiencing drastic increases in electricity bills.

Forest's wild horses need homes

Wild horses collected in the Carson National Forest's Jicarilla Ranger District near Bloomfield are available for adoption. Forest officials want to reduce the current population of 428 horses to 100 or less. They have gathered 23 of 93 horses they plan to round up this fall. The horses are baited into a pen with hay and a gate automatically closes behind them.

Bob Browning, a well-known Farmington-based horse trainer, has been volunteering his time to work with the horses and get them used to people.

Horses are available for adoption on a first-come, first-served basis at $125 per horse. Qualified individuals will select a horse and complete an adoption application. The Forest Service will review the adoption materials with potential adopters and verify that adopters meet requirements, including facilities needed to care for a horse.

To see pictures of the horses and for more information on adoption requirements and adoption applications see the Carson National Forest Web site at www.fs.fed.us/r3/carson or call the Jicarilla Ranger District office on U.S. 64 in Bloomfield at 505-632-2956 or the Taos Supervisor's Office at 505-758-6200.

City crews out planting trees

Crews with the city's Parks, Open Space and Trails Division will be planting more than 200 trees in city parks, medians and facilities starting this week and continuing through mid-November.

The tree plantings are part of an ongoing effort to replace trees lost during the recent drought, replace trees removed as a result of damage or age, and additional plantings to improve the urban forest environment.

The plantings may force temporary closure of some portions of parks, streets or facilities. For more information, call the Parks Division at 955-2102.

Veterans Day parade set for Sunday

The son of a soldier killed in the Vietnam War in 1968 will be this year's parade grand marshal in Sunday's annual Veterans Day parade.

The 10 a.m. parade begins on Murales Road and continues on to Bishops Lodge Road, the Plaza, Old Pecos Trail, Water Street and along Don Gaspar. The parade concludes at the Veterans Memorial at the Bataan Building.

Harold Tharp Sr. from Alamogordo is the parade grand marshal. His father, Army Spc. 5th Class Harold Tharp Jr., a member of the 187th Assault Helicopter Company, was shot down near a rubber plantation southeast of Dau Tieng in Vietnam.

The company is having its annual reunion in Santa Fe this year, which will include 125 veterans from this company as well as their families. Members of the 187th Assault Helicopter Company will march in the parade alongside local veterans.

Agency clarifies snagging season

Snagging season for kokanee salmon opens at 12:01 a.m. Nov. 14 at Heron Lake, Willow Creek and the Pine River above Navajo Lake.

The Department of Game and Fish had conflicting opening dates in the 2008-2009 Fishing Rules book. State fishing rules always set the opening date as the second Friday of November.

Kokanee snagging season opened Oct. 1 at Navajo Lake, Abiquiú Lake, El Vado Lake, Eagle Nest Lake and the Chama River from El Vado Lake to the west boundary of the Rio Chama Wildlife and Fishing Area. The season ends Dec. 31 in all waters statewide.

The bag limit is 12 salmon per day, 24 in possession.

Only kokanee may be taken by snagging. Any other species caught by snagging must be immediately returned to the water.

For more information about kokanee snagging and fishing in New Mexico, go to www.wildlife.state.nm.us, or call 505-476-8000.

Find a furry friend at adoption event

A massive pet adoption festival Saturday will cap off a monthlong pet-food drive for the Española Valley Humane Society and Felines & Friends.

Up to 100 cats and dogs will be available for adoption at the 10 a.m. event at the Cerrillos Road Petco. The two groups are also hoping to end the pet-food drive with 3,000 pounds of pet food.

Reuseable shopping bags filled with coupons, samples and other goodies will be given away with the first 75 adoptions.

The economic downturn has put a squeeze on the shelter and other animal-welfare groups, organizers said, and the food drive is an effort to counter the slowing donations. Pet-food donations are accepted at Petco, Barkin Boutique or at the Española shelter.

Retired bishop leaving Gallup

GALLUP — The retired bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Gallup is leaving the area.

Former Bishop Donald E. Pelotte, who retired this spring, was preparing to move this week, diocese officials told the Gallup Independent in a copyright story Wednesday.

Diocese spokesman Lee Lamb said Pelotte is packing to move from his Gallup residence and has told diocese officials that for now, he's moving to his condo in Florida.

"However, Bishop Pelotte does not anticipate living in Florida full time," Lamb said in an e-mail to the paper.

Pelotte retired several months after being found seriously injured in his home in July 2007 after an apparent fall.

He was treated in out-of-state facilities before returning to Gallup in September 2007. Shortly after his return, he called police to report intruders in his home. Officers responded within minutes but found no one.

According to a police report, Pelotte told officers one male and three females between 3 and 5 feet tall were running through the home, wearing costumes and masks.

According to a police report, Pelotte told officers one male and three females between 3 and 5 feet tall were running through the home, wearing costumes and masks.

Vatican officials granted him a year's medical leave in January.

Woman charged in arson death

LAS VEGAS, N.M. — A 54-year-old Las Vegas woman is charged with murder after being accused of starting a fire that killed another woman.

Maria Esther Bartee-Ortega also faces four counts of arson in the death of Connie Vigil.

Police say Vigil was in a second-floor apartment when the fire started about 10 p.m. Saturday in a stairwell.