Buckman project launches today

Construction is scheduled to begin today on the most expensive public infrastructure project in the region. Although a formal groundbreaking is set for 10 a.m., Buckman Direct Diversion Project Manager Rick Carpenter said construction crews will begin laying pipeline first thing this morning.

The diversion project aims to draw water off the Rio Grande into the city and county drinking-water delivery systems and will include a new water treatment plant and miles of pipeline. It has a total price tag of about $215 million, most of which will come from publicly financed bonds and water rate increases.

Las Campanas luxury development also is a partner in the project and will build and manage its own delivery and treatment system.

The diversion west of the city limits is scheduled to come online in 2011 and has the capacity to deliver more than 5,605 acre-feet of water per year. To attend the groundbreaking, take Camino La Tierra to Las Campanas Drive, turn left on Caja del Rio Road and follow the signs.

Transit funding to appear on ballot

Santa Fe County Commissioners voted 3-2 Tuesday to ask voters to approve a 1/8 percent tax in November to fund regional transportation.

Commissioner Jack Sullivan argued at length against passing the tax, saying the North Central Regional Transit District, which will administer it, has a track record of unethical and disorganized management.

The county recently withdrew from the four-county transit board, but rejoined weeks later when transit board officials agreed to the county's terms on how the tax money would be allocated. Commissioner Paul Campos joined Sullivan in voting against placing the tax question on the ballot. Commissioners Mike Anaya, Harry Montoya and Virginia Vigil voted for it. Vigil said she disagreed with "about 85 percent" of Sullivan's criticisms of the district.

The tax would generate about $4.5 million per year in Santa Fe County. Half would fund operations of the Rail Runner commuter train. Eighty-six percent of the other half would be spent as Santa Fe County and the city of Santa Fe see fit. The remainder would go to the transit district.

Red-light idea on tonight's agenda

The City Council is scheduled to hear public input tonight about a proposal to implement automated traffic enforcement at some of Santa Fe's most dangerous intersections.

If approved, the enforcement effort presumably would occur through a contract with an Arizona company that has been courting the city. Redflex Traffic Systems works with police to issue citations when cameras capture footage of drivers running red lights or speeding.

Proposed fines for violations range from $66 to $456.

Albuquerque already uses the camera system, and the city of Española is also considering a similar program.

The public hearing is listed on the council's 7 p.m. agenda for its meeting at City Hall, 200 Lincoln Ave.

NBC sets Udall, Pearce debate

NBC has set Oct. 12 as the date for a debate on Meet the Press between New Mexico U.S. Senate candidates, Democrat Tom Udall and Republican Steve Pearce.

The two New Mexico congressmen earlier had agreed to square off on the nationally televised Sunday talk show, and executive producer Betsy Fischer announced the date in an e-mail Tuesday.

News anchor Tom Brokaw will moderate the debate, which will be broadcast live from NBC's Washington, D.C., studios. The program airs locally at 9 a.m. on Sundays on KOB-TV, Channel 4.

Pension, permanent funds take hit

New Mexico's pension and permanent funds suffered more than $2 billion in losses during the past year as financial markets struggled.

The state's permanent funds and the pension funds of the Public Employees Retirement Association and the Educational Retirement Board had combined asset values of $35.6 billion as of June 30. That's down 6.6 percent or $2.5 billion from a year earlier, according to the Legislative Finance Committee. The change in value includes not only investment returns but also contributions flowing into the funds and disbursements out of them.

All the funds experienced investment losses during the past 12 months.

The PERA fired two of its outside investment managers because of the poor performance of the portfolios they handled, the legislative Investments and Pensions Oversight Committee was told Monday.

PERA, which offers retirement plans for state and local government workers, had investment losses of 7.4 percent during the past year.

The ERB, which administers pensions for school and college employees, lost 6.2 percent on its investments.

Capitol exhibit features water, art

A celebration of water and art is planned at the New Mexico State Capitol Rotunda Gallery from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday.

"Water Planet: Beauty, Abundance, Abuse" is a photo, video and other art show honoring water around the world. The opening night performance at 5:30 p.m. Friday is called 60 Water Weaving Women.

The show features the works of Diane Armitage, Besold, Scott Campbell, James Coker, Natalie Fobes, John Guider, Susanna Carlisle and Bruce Hamilton, Victor Masayesva and more.

On Sept. 22, the artists will celebrate "Waters of the World: Community Equinox Water Ritual" at noon at the Rotunda featuring the film Flow: For the Love of Water with Maude Barlow.

The exhibit continues through Dec. 12. Gallery hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

State approves WIPP permit

CARLSBAD — The state has renewed a five-year groundwater discharge permit for the federal government's nuclear waste dump in underground salt beds east of Carlsbad.

The Environment Department permit for the U.S. Department of Energy's Waste Isolation Pilot Plant is valid until 2013.

It allows the plant to discharge sewage effluent, storm water and nonhazardous wastewater to lined beds and sets limits on those discharges.

The permit also was modified, primarily to include changes in some monitoring requirements and to increase the amount of wastewater that can be discharged.

WIPP first received a permit in January 1992.

Cops: DWI suspect has lame excuse

ALBUQUERQUE — A man with four previous drunken driving convictions who was stopped for weaving in and out of traffic on Interstate 40 was ready with an excuse for his poor driving: His passenger spilled his beer.

Not surprisingly, Christopher Lucero was arrested just before midnight Saturday, said state police officer Kurtis Ward, who added he initially thought the driver was joking. "He was so matter of fact about it, like it wasn't a big deal," Ward said.

Lucero, 31, was allegedly too drunk to perform field sobriety tests and was arrested on aggravated drunken driving charges, court records said.

Ward found four opened bottles of beer in the car, court records showed.

It was Lucero's sixth DWI arrest. He had been found guilty of four of five previous drunken driving charges and has paid $1,750 in fines, the DWI Resource Center said.







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