Police see link in arson cases

Santa Fe police believe two fires that were intentionally set Tuesday night are probably the work of the same person or people, Deputy Police Chief Benjie Montaño said Wednesday.

Police officers and firefighters responded to the first fire about 9:30 p.m. in a Dumpster at Matheson Tri-Gas, 1600 Pacheco St., according to a police report. The fire was extinguished before it could ignite a tank of kerosene next to the Dumpster.

The second fire was reported about 20 minutes later and a half-mile away at a St. Michael's Drive strip mall, Montaño said. There, behind Small Smiles Dental Clinic of Santa Fe, 2008 St. Michael's Drive, police discovered a 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt on fire.

Firefighters told police someone poured a flammable liquid on the hood of the car and set it on fire. A group of shrubs near a fire hydrant about 100 feet west of the car also were on fire, Montaño said.

Police think the two fires are related because of their close proximity, he said. Police have no suspects in either fire, though firefighters saw a white car leaving the Dumpster fire as they arrived.

Study will look at septic impacts

The city is undertaking a four-month study of residential and city wells to investigate and measure potential contamination levels from individual septic systems in the area.

More than 2,000 city residents still rely on septic systems and are not tied into Santa Fe's wastewater treatment plant. The depth to groundwater in areas with the highest number of septic tanks is 150 to 200 feet.

Septic tanks, especially older ones, can contaminate groundwater with nitrogen, chloride, bacteria, surfactants, solvents and drug residues.

According to staff, the city's water supply from wells is "undoubtedly being affected by the septic systems shown in the eastern part of the city." The degree of the impact is one of the aspects the four-month study will measure.

Los Alamos National Laboratory will help the city analyze samples taken from the wells.

Reservoirs 95 percent full

Santa Fe's two municipal reservoirs are at 95 percent capacity as of this week, according to Victor Archuleta, the city's source of supply water operations supervisor.

Archuleta said the mountain snowpack is gone from the mountains now, and inflow into the reservoirs is beginning to slow. Recent warmer temperatures account for both the quick melt off and possibly for the increase in water use by city and county water customers. This week, consumption was running 13.3 million gallons a day compared to 10 million gallons of water a day last year at this time. Archuleta said the peak water use so far this year came on June 12, when customers and visitors used 13.9 million gallons.

N.M. gets funds for energy efficiency

New Mexico has been awarded more than $1.7 million from the federal government to help low-income residents make their homes more energy efficient and resistant to extreme heating and cooling costs, according to U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M.

"Weatherizing is a great way to cut energy costs. But many families don't have the resources to make such improvements," Bingaman said.

The funds, announced Wednesday, were provided through the U.S. Department of Energy and can be used for measures such as adding insulation, reducing air filtration, servicing heating and cooling systems, and providing health and safety diagnostic services.

Nominee Luján endorses Obama

Ben Ray Luján, the Democratic nominee in New Mexico's 3rd Congressional District, endorsed U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., for president Wednesday.

"Senator Obama has the vision, judgment and experience to solve the problems facing our families and our country in the 21st century," Luján said. "He was right from the beginning on the Iraq War, and he knows from firsthand experience as a community organizer the importance of putting people first."

He added: "I look forward to working with Senator Obama and Representative Tom Udall to stand up for the people of New Mexico and our great country. Juntos podemos (together we can)."

Luján, a member of the state Public Regulation Commission, seeks to replace Udall, a Democrat who is running for the seat being vacated by longtime Republican Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M.

County plans arts task force

Santa Fe County plans to create a new task force on arts, culture and entertainment.

A resolution to be considered Tuesday by the County Commission would create a nine-person task force with one member from each of the five commission districts plus four at-large members.

Its main focus would be to make recommendations to commissioners and develop policy that coordinates with county economic-development efforts, says the resolution sponsored by Commissioner Harry Montoya.

Shaun Parrish, a local businessman who put on the Santa Fe Muzik Fest at The Downs of Santa Fe last August, said he hopes to be appointed chairman of the task force.

Sheriff gets honor 92 years late

DEMING — A former Luna County sheriff killed in the line of duty has been recognized in a memorial service — 92 years after the shootout in which he died.

Dwight B. Stephens was killed while chasing escaped prisoners in February 1916.

The Luna County Sheriff's Office honored Stephens on Monday with a refurbished headstone in the family plot in a corner of Deming's Mountain View Cemetery. The words "Sheriff — Luna County" and "Killed in the line of duty" were added to his headstone.

The ceremony was organized by Sgt. Joy Mullins, whose research discovered that Stephens, who was sheriff from 1904 until his death, and a posse were responding to five men escaping from the Luna County jail.

The men overpowered a guard and fled in a vehicle toward Rincon, in Doña Ana County. A gunfight ensued when the escapees were surrounded in Rincon, and Stephens and one escapee were killed. A second escapee was recaptured when he was wounded. The others were caught later.

Those attending the ceremony included two of Stephens' grandchildren.

State agency shuts door company

LAS CRUCES — The state Workers' Compensation Administration on Wednesday shut down a Las Cruces business, alleging it was not complying with requirements to pay workers' compensation insurance.

Agency workers, accompanied by Doña Ana County sheriff's deputies, closed and locked Affordable Southwestern Doors.

The agency said business owner Robert K. Murray told state officials he wasn't paying insurance because he was closing down and no longer had employees. However, a later check by the agency discovered the business was still in operation.

The Associated Press could not leave a message Wednesday on the business' answering machine because its memory was full. A woman who answered a number listed for Murray's home answered with the name of another business and said the number was no longer his.