New Mexico stands to lose as much as $25 million a year in mineral royalties unless Sen. Tom Udall is successful in stopping it. He's introducing legislation that would remove that budget item from the sequester cuts. The royalties typically are shared by the federal government with states where there's oil and gas development on federal land. After Wyoming, New Mexico gets the most mineral royalties in the country.
A popular Santa Fe eatery is set to close in early June. The operators of the Bobcat Bite restaurant say they have been in a dispute with the owner of the property and have no choice but to shut down. The restaurant has been operated by Bonnie and John Eckres for 12 years. They tell the New Mexican that they were under the impression they owned the business, but that claim is being disputed by the owners of the land.
Santa Fe city councilor Patti Bushee has formally announced she will run for mayor in 2014. Her announcement comes after Mayor David Coss said last week that he will not seek another term. Bushee has been on city council since 1994 when she was appointed to fill the seat left vacant when Debbie Jaramillo was elected mayor. Since that time, Bushee has won 5 re-election campaigns.
Santa Fe County’s Friday and Saturday reduced fare CADDY cab program aimed at curbing drunk driving is being pared back for the end of the fiscal year. From May 24 to the end of June, the reduced fare rides will be available from 10 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. instead of beginning at 5:30. Ridership has exceeded expectations, depleting the $156,000 in annual funding from the State’s liquor excise tax. Normal hours return July fifth.
Tourism in Santa Fe may be on the rebound, beginning this summer. That's the consensus of hospitality industry representatives attending the city's tourism expo. The event wrapped up yesterday. Studies show that 10 to 20 percent of jobs in Santa Fe are in the tourism industry.
A Santa Fe jury has convicted two brothers on 10 felony charges each for stealing $440,000 in life savings from an elderly Edgewood couple in a real estate investment scheme. Michael and Steven Maxwell befriended the couple through a family member and offered a real estate scheme to develop land in Edgewood. The couple used their savings and mortgaged their home to make the fraudulent investments with the brothers. A sentencing date has not been set yet.
The Office of the Medical Investigator has issued a report on the death of a patron at Tiny's restaurant in Santa Fe back in January. 42-year-old James Rochford was involved in an altercation and was restrained by other customers until police arrived. He was pronounced dead shortly thereafter. The report indicates he died from suffocation caused by pressure on his chest. The report also says the man was overweight and had hypertensive heart disease. Besides alcohol, blood tests revealed use of both marijuana and amphetamines. No criminal charges have been filed in the case.
Weather for Santa Fe – mostly cloudy today, highs in the low 60s and a 60% chance for showers and thunderstorms, says Jennifer Paluki with the National Weather Service Office in Albuquerque….*****clip Mostly sunny Saturday and Sunday with slight chances for some afternoon showers each day, highs from the mid-to-upper 60s.