Local news in brief

Staff and wire reports |

10/8/2008 - 10/9/08

Firefighters don pink for cancer research

City of Santa Fe firefighters are tough enough to wear pink.

For the second year, on-duty firefighters will don T-shirts with the pink breast cancer ribbon on the back to support cancer research. The effort, from Friday to Oct. 31, will raise awareness and money.

"As firefighters, we take pride in knowing that we serve the public by putting our lives on the line to save others. This is another way for us to save lives and raise awareness of a very important issue," said Santa Fe Fire Chief Chris Rivera.

Pink ribbon T-shirts will go on sale to the public Friday for $12 each from 8 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 5 p.m. at Fire Station 1, 200 Murales Road, and Fire Station 5, at the corner of Agua Fría Street and Siler Road. All proceeds from the sales will go to breast cancer research within the state of New Mexico through an organization called "Cowboys for Cancer."

Councilor still pushes for park caretaker housing

City Councilor Ron Trujillo still favors building affordable rental houses for police officers and other city employees in city parks.

Trujillo told a group of 50 south-side residents Tuesday that because of their objections, he will ask city staff to pull back on plans for two houses in Candelero Park.

But he said Wednesday that he is still committed to "caretaker housing" in other city parks, like Ragle and Franklin Miles, "where we've got the most crime and vandalism," and the Municipal Recreation Complex west of the city off N.M. 599.

Trujillo said he does not expect similar objections from residents near these parks because the rental houses would be away from other residences.

Having police live in parks would deter crime, he said, citing an incident in Franklin Miles Park in which 20 young men, armed with guns and baseball bats, attacked a group of teenagers one evening in May 2007. Two teenagers were seriously wounded by gunshots. Police later arrested three teenagers and a 20-year-old man. The gang-related incident resulted in calls for curfews at city parks.

National Guard unit created in Farmington

FARMINGTON — A new military police battalion is being created in Farmington.

The New Mexico Army National Guard plans to employ 73 guardsmen by the end of the year and 78 more two years from now in the 226th Military Police Battalion.

The National Guard will recruit in the Four Corners area for the battalion, which was introduced in a ceremony Tuesday.

The head of the battalion, Lt. Col. Rick Ryczkowski, says Farmington and San Juan County have tremendous potential.

Military police have provided security after hurricanes in the Gulf Coast and at refugee and detention camps, and have worked to secure routes for convoys in Iraq.

Tell us who made an impact

Each year, The New Mexican recognizes 10 people in Northern New Mexico by writing about them in a special section, 10 Who Made a Difference.

Those chosen must live in Northern New Mexico and be involved in one or more volunteer activities that made a difference in their community. To nominate an individual, write a letter or e-mail describing the person and his or her accomplishments. Tell us how to contact you as well as the nominee.

Letters must received by The New Mexican by 5 p.m. Wednesday.

Send nominations to: 10 Who Made a Difference, The New Mexican City Desk, P.O. 2048, Santa Fe, NM 87504. Or e-mail nominations to brucek@sfnewmexican.com.

Profiles on those honored will be published Thanksgiving Day.

Man pleads guilty of posing as cop

LAS CRUCES — A Las Cruces man accused of posing as a police officer and raping a woman motorist has pleaded guilty.

Joshua Ray Garcia, 23, also pleaded guilty to another rape and an incident in which he beat and attempted to rape another woman.

Court records show he entered his pleas Tuesday to three counts of first-degree kidnapping, two counts of third-degree aggravated battery and two counts of second-degree criminal sexual penetration.

The charges stem from a six-month period starting in November 2005 during which Garcia beat and raped two women and attempted to rape a third.

Garcia is being held at the Doña Ana County Detention Center pending a sentencing date.