Santa Fe officials say an episode of the next season of ABC's "The Bachelor" that features the city will air in February. The New Mexican reports that city tourism director Randy Randall made the announcement to the city council last week. Randall says the production behind the reality TV show promises to give an "authentic representation" of Santa Fe. The show is scheduled to film in the area later this fall. The City Council in July approved spending between 50-thousand and 100-thousand to offset "Bachelor" production costs. Randall says the money will come from the state tourism department and the state Lodger's Tax, which applies to hotel guests. The upcoming season will center on Chris Soules, an Iowa farmer who was sent home on "The Bachelorette.”
State transportation officials are channeling nearly one-million dollars toward safety-measures to protect bicyclists and pedestrians at Santa Fe train crossings. The New Mexican reports that crews began installing new equipment earlier this month at crossings used by Rail Runner trains. The boost in spending comes in the wake of two cyclists who were killed after struck by trains earlier this year. The new crossings will have more safety gates, flashing lights and other improvements. The Rio Metro Regional Transit District, which oversees the Rail Runner, estimates workers will complete installations in 45 days. The Federal Highway Administration is funding the cost—975-thousand dollars—in construction.
Authorities say a Santa Fe woman is accused of deliberately running over a paraplegic's foot with her car while under the influence of alcohol. The New Mexican reports that Santa Fe County deputies arrested 58-year-old Lynn Chapman on Thursday night after she ran over the foot of a woman she had been fighting with. Deputies say Chapman faces charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and DWI. Court records show this would be the fourth time Chapman has been charged with DWI since 2002. According to a criminal complaint, a breath test showed Chapman had a blood-alcohol level more than three times the legal limit for driving. Chapman was being held on a ten-thousand dollar bond in the Santa Fe County jail.
A state judge has denied a request by New Mexico taxi cab and limousine companies for a temporary restraining order against the ride-sharing services Lyft and Uber. District Court Judge Nancy Franchini wrote in her order denying the request Friday that the plaintiffs haven't met their burden of showing they'll suffer irreparable injury unless an injunction is granted.
Lyft officials called the ruling a positive step. The issue will continue to be dealt with by the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission. The Albuquerque Journal reports the PRC approved a cease-and-desist order against Lyft in May. But the commission has yet to enforce it and has scheduled a hearing for next month to amend some rules to accommodate ride-sharing firms. Lyft and Uber use smartphone programs to connect people seeking rides with people who have cars.
Federal regulators have signed off on a settlement that calls for shutting down part of a coal-fired power plant in northwestern New Mexico that serves more than 2 million customers in the Southwest. The Environmental Protection Agency approved the settlement agreement Friday, clearing a major regulatory hurdle for curbing haze-causing pollution at the San Juan Generating Station. The proposal was negotiated in 2013 by Republican Gov. Susana Martinez's administration, the state's largest electric utility and the Navajo Nation. State regulators previously approved the plan, which calls for PNM to retire two units at the power plant by the end of December 2017. The utility must also install pollution-control equipment on the plant's two remaining units. State Environment Secretary Ryan Flynn calls the agreement a win for customers and the environment.
The Valles Caldera National Preserve plans to ask Congress for more federal funding to manage operations for another five years. The preserve's board of trustees voted Wednesday to submit a recommendation for extending federal appropriations through 2020. Valles Caldera Trust Board chairman Kent Salazar says there are inherent government functions at the Trust that will likely require aid on the federal level. Those functions include compliance with historic preservation and environmental laws, forest restoration and infrastructure repairs. The 90-thousand-acre preserve in the Jemez Mountains was a private ranch with grazing and logging operations before the federal government bought it in 2000. If the trust is not financially self-sufficient by the end of this fiscal year, the board can request Congress for more funding under the Valles Caldera Preservation Act.
Santa Fe Weather: Mostly cloudy today with the high 72 and a 60-percent chance for showers and thunderstorms. Tonight, Partly cloudy with a 40-percent chance for scattered showers and thunderstorms before midnight, with the overnight low down to 42. Tomorrow: Sunny with a high of 72.