Local news in brief Sept. 30

| The New Mexican

9/29/2008 - 9/30/08

Rescuers search for downed plane

Rescue units were looking for a private airplane that crashed west of Santa Fe late Monday, causing explosions.

Sheriff Greg Solano said witnesses reported seeing a single-engine airplane go down in rough terrain near the regional landfill about 10:30 p.m. He said all-terrain vehicles would be needed to reach the site.

Assistant Fire Chief Ted Bolleter said two units had been unable to locate the site by 11 p.m., after witnesses reported hearing two explosions. He said scanner chatter suggested the plane had only the pilot aboard.

Peter Olson of the state Public Safety Department said state police cut a lock on a gate to reach the scene by 11 p.m., but had yet to report back any information. He said he assumed the plane was trying to land at the nearby Santa Fe Municipal Airport.

Police look for missing disabled woman

The Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office was looking for a 36-year-old area resident reported missing Monday, according to a news release.

Kimberlee Gonzales left her mother's home off Old Las Vegas Highway about 8:30 a.m. Sunday, and was last seen by a tow-truck driver at the Phillips 66 truck stop in Socorro, the release says. Gonzales apparently called the tow truck Sunday afternoon after her car broke down, but when the driver arrived, she was not there, said Santa Fe County Sheriff Greg Solano.

The driver later found a disoriented Gonzales wandering in the desert and gave her a ride to the truck stop, Solano said. She told the driver she was heading for Las Cruces, the release states.

Gonzales' family told the Sheriff's Department that she is disabled and needs her medication. Anyone with information about Gonzales can call the Sheriff's Office at 428-3720.

See county's oil, gas plan

Santa Fe County will unveil its new draft oil and gas ordinance at today's County Commission meeting, which can be seen live beginning at 2 p.m. on Comcast Channel 28. Copies of the draft ordinance are slated to be released online at 1 p.m. today at santafecounty.org.

Folk art sale attracts vendors

Artists or representatives of artists who have participated in the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market will be in the courtyard of the new Santa Fe Community Convention Center today during the International Conference on Creative Tourism.

The artists will be selling a range of folk art including jewelry, baskets and textiles. They represent countries such as China, Peru, India, Mali, Chile, Mexico, Ecuador, Panama, South Africa, Niger and Nigeria. The market will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

'Taos News' wins national award

The Taos News did it again — won the national best weekly award for the second year in a row from the National Newspaper Association. The award is for weekly newspapers with a circulation of 10,000 or more.

Taos News publisher Chris Baker was at the ceremony in St. Paul, Minn., to accept the award on behalf of the paper and its staff, a story on the Taos News' Web site stated.

It was the first time the newspaper won the award two years in a row. The paper won the same award in 2000 and 2003.

"This award demonstrates the continued efforts of our news staff to achieve consistent journalistic excellence of the entire news product. This truly was a group effort," Baker said. "The real winners are the readers of the Taos News. This award is for all of us."

Robin Martin, owner of the Taos News, thanked the entire organization. "I'm very proud of the Taos News team," she said on the Web site. "So many won individual awards, and everybody who works with the newspaper helps make it the best weekly in the country."

For more information, visit taosnews.com.