MEDIA RELEASE
Date: Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Contact: Michelle Romero-Babcock or Shannon Cantu (505) 955-5010


Police Promotion and Awards Ceremony
Today 2:30 p.m. at the State Police Auditorium

A number of City of Santa Fe Police Department officers and civilian staff will be honored at a promotion and awards ceremony on Tuesday, May 13 at 2:30 p.m. at the State Police Auditorium, 4491 Cerrillos Road. Members of the media are invited to attend as these hard working people are recognized for their outstanding accomplishments.

The awards to be given are as follows:

PROMOTIONS: Captain Anthony Robbin, Lieutenant Gerald Solano, and Sgt. Louis Carlos

Employee of the 3rd Quarter 2007:
Supervisor of the Quarter- Sgt. Kyle Zuments
Officer of the Quarter-Adam Gallegos and Charles Lujan
Civilian of the Quarter-Lori Andrews

Employee of the 4th Quarter 2007:
1. Supervisor of the Quarter- Sgt. Dean Norris
2. Officer of the Quarter- Thomas Grundler
3. Civilian of the Quarter-Annamarie Bowen

Employee of the 1st Quarter 2008
1. Supervisor of the Quarter- Shannon Cantu, Office Manager
2. Officer(s) of the Quarter-Officer Corrine Jones, Officer John Van Etten, and Cadet Officer McClusky
3. Civilian of the Quarter-Miquela Gonzales, Crime Analyst

MEDAL OF DISTINGUISHED SERVICE – Deputy Chief Aric Wheeler, Capt. Gary Johnson, Lt. Dale Lettenberger, Sgt. Bryan Gonzales, Sgt. William Johnson, Sgt. Allan Lopez, Det. Robert Vasquez, Officer John Schraefl

POLICE CHIEF’S COMMENDATION
Officer Adam Gallegos, Cipriano Varela, and Joe LeBlanc

MEDAL OF MERIT
Sgt. Kyle Zuments

MEDAL OF VALOR
Officer Criag Ernst, Officer Anthony Tapia, and Officer Mike Lowe

SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS
Julio Estevan Rodriquez
Dr. Stertzer

Public Works Committee Meeting Canceled

The City of Santa Fe Public Works Committee will not meet tonight as scheduled due to lack of a quorum. The next regularly scheduled meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 27 at 5:15 p.m.

Bike to Work Week Kicks Off Today!
Unveiling of Bikeways and Trails Map at 12 noon

Mayor David Coss and other city officials will kickoff Bike to Work Week today with the unveiling of the long-awaited Bikeways and Trails Map. The event will take place at 12 noon at Mellow Velo’s new bike shop, located at 638 Old Santa Fe Trail.

The Bikeways Map is a valuable resource for planning safe and efficient bicycle routes; it indicates on-street routes with bike lanes, shared-lower traffic speed and shared higher-traffic speed as well as multi-use paths. A project of the Santa Fe Metropolitan Planning Organization, the map also includes important safety and bicycle resource information. Need to brush up on your hand signals? This map has it. Need to find a bicycle shop near your home or business? The Bikeways map has that information too!

The City of Santa Fe will hand out free maps at today’s event. The maps will also be available Friday, May 16 from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the Main Bike to Work Week Event on the Plaza.

The City of Santa Fe encourages residents to ride their bikes this week and participate in Bike to Work Week events. Bike to Work Week promotes bicycling as a healthy, fun and viable alternative mode of transportation. A poster with Bike to Work Week specials and events is attached. For more information visit www.santafenm.gov or NMBike.org.

The registration will take place Tuesday, May 20, 2008 from 8:30 am to 2:30 p.m. at the Monica Roybal Youth Center, 737 Agua Fria Street.

The gymnastics and tumbling for cheerleaders instruction is scheduled from June 9 through July 31, 2008 and is open to youth ages 5 and older. The tennis instruction will occur in two sessions. The first session will be from June 2 through July 1, 2008. The second session will take place from July 7 through August 5, 2007 and is open to youth ages 4 to 18.

Registration is $40 per child, per course and there are a limited number of slots available. Only cash or money orders will be accepted and is non-refundable.

For more information please contact the Monica Roybal Youth Center at 955-6751.

Therefore, on Monday, May 12th, eastbound traffic is scheduled to be shifted north to the median area which was recently paved for traffic use. Two lanes on Cerrillos Rd. will be open each direction from Richards Avenue to Cielo Court with left turn lanes provided at the Camino Consuelo and Calle del Cielo signals. All businesses on the north and south side of Cerrillos Road will have right turn access. No left-hand turns will be allowed, however motorists can make a legal U-turn at the nearest signalized intersection and approach the business from the right.

The contractor, A. S. Horner is scheduled to work 10-hour days, seven days per week, however the contractor has not scheduled any work for Sunday, May 11.

due to odors from the resurfacing of the natatorium. After consultation with Fire Department, Risk & Safety and Community Services personnel, Acting City Manager Robert Romero determined that the facility be closed for the remainder of the day.

For further information, contact the City Manager’s office at 955-6848.

MEDIA RELEASE
Date: Thursday, May 08, 2008
Contact: Laura Banish, City of Santa Fe Public Information Officer, (505) 955-6046

Political Sign Enforcement

Election season is in full swing and political signs are everywhere – including some places that are against the law. The City of Santa Fe is currently averaging about three to five complaints a day, mostly about political signs placed in public right of way, which is illegal.

Candidates running for office and their campaigns are asked to adhere to city law, which includes the following regulations pursuant to City Code 9-2.15:
• Each candidate must designate a liaison contact as responsible for the lawful placement and location of political signs
• Political signs may only be located on private property, with the consent of the property owner
• No sign shall exceed 32 square feet
• The City Manager shall request candidate liaison contacts to remove their own candidate’s unlawful political signs within 24 hours and upon their failure to do so shall impose a fine of $50

To register a complaint about unlawful political signs, call Constituent Services at (505) 955-6949 or file a complaint online by visiting www.santafenm.gov and selecting “One Click to City Hall.”

District 3 City Councilor Miguel Chavez Invites Constituents to Community Meeting

May 20 at Tierra Madre Common House, 4521 Calle Turquesa

District 3 City Councilor Miguel Chavez invites constituents to a neighborhood meeting May 20 at 7 p.m. at the Tierra Madre Common House, 4521 Calle Turquesa. During the meeting, community issues including crime prevention and graffiti will be discussed.

MEDIA RELEASE
Date: Thursday, May 08, 2008
Contact: Eliza Kretzman, Earth Works Institute Community Stewardship Coordinator, (505) 982-9806

Arroyo Community Meeting Monday, May 12

The City of Santa Fe has contracted with Earth Works Institute to initiate a pilot Adopt and Arroyo program, beginning with Arroyo de los Chamisos. Anyone interested in learning more about this initiative or Arroyo de los Chamisos is invited to attend a public meeting on Monday, May 12 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Genoveva Chavez Community Center, 3221 Rodeo Rd. A guided walk along the arroyo will be held at 5:30 p.m. just prior to Monday’s meeting. For more information, contact Eliza Kretzman, Earth Works Institute Community Stewardship Coordinator, at (505) 982-9806 or email eliza@earthworksinstitute.org.

MEDIA RELEASE
Date: Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Contact: (505) 955-6784

Santa Fe Public Library’s Main Library Media Services Now Open Sundays

Santa Fe’s Main Library has begun opening its Media Services area on Sundays. The area is open the same Sunday hours as the other parts of the Main Library, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The Main Library is located at 145 Washington Ave. Media is located on the second floor.

So when you’re downtown leisurely enjoying a Sunday afternoon or bringing your kids to the library to do homework, stop by to check out our DVDs, audio books, music CDS, and videotapes. This also means there are three more computers available for patrons.

For more information, please call the Media Department at (505) 955-6784.

MEDIA RELEASE
Date: Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Contact: (505) 955-6750

City of Santa Fe Summer Youth Program 2008 Enrollment Information

The City of Santa Fe’s Community Services Department will conduct registration of the 2008 Summer Youth Program on Saturday, May 17 beginning at 8 a.m. at the three locations listed below:

• Genoveva Chavez Community Center – 3221 Rodeo Road
• Sangre de Cristo Water Company – 801 W. San Mateo
• Santa Fe Trails Transit Facility – 2931 Rufina Street

Ongoing registration will be conducted at the Monica Roybal Youth Center beginning at 8:30 a.m. on May 19 for persons who cannot attend the May 17 registration. The program is available to children ages 6 to 12, and will operate from Monday, June 16 through Thursday, Aug. 7 from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Breakfast and lunch will also be provided to the children at no additional charge.

The City’s Summer Youth Program will be providing this program at eight sites:

Alameda Middle School
Cesar Chavez Elementary School
Chaparral Elementary School
De Vargas Middle School
Gonzales Elementary School
Kaune Elementary School
Wood Gormley Elementary School
Monica Roybal Youth Center

Space is available on a first come/first serve basis. An original birth certificate must be presented for children ages 6, 7 and 12. The fee is $80 per child.

For further information, please call 955-6750 or visit the City’s Website santafenm.gov and click on the Summer Youth Program link. Applications can be downloaded through the link.

MEDIA RELEASE
Date: Monday, May 05, 2008
Contact: Susan Sheldon, (505) 438-9273

Summer Vacation Half-Price Book Sale

May 17 at the Southside Library 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Friends of Santa Fe Public Library will hold a “summer vacation” half-price book sale on Saturday, May 17 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Southside Library, 6599 Jaguar Dr.

COSTS:
Paperback books, Audio music tapes, CDs 3/$1.00 or 50 cents each

Hardcover books @ $1.00

Audio books @ $2.00 per title

Videos @ 50 cents each

Phone Book Recycling

The City of Santa Fe Solid Waste Division is conducting its annual phone book recycling program. Collection dumpsters were set up this morning at La Farge Library, 1730 Llano St.; Ft. Marcy Sports Complex, 490 Washington Ave.; the Harold Runnels Building on Cordova; the City of Santa Fe yards off of Siler Road; the Southside Library, 6599 Jaguar Dr.; and the Buckman Road Recycling and Transfer Station (BuRRT), 1686 Paseo De Vista. The City will collect old phone books through June 30.

MEDIA RELEASE
Date: Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Contact:
Wendy Blackwell, CFM
City of Santa Fe
Technical Review Division Director
(505) 955-6127
E-mail: wmblackwell@santafenm.gov

New Floodplain Maps Issued

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has published new Flood Insurance Rate Maps for the City of Santa Fe. The maps will become effective on June 17, 2008. Until that time, the current adopted maps are considered the official maps for insurance purposes. The City is already using the new maps as the “best available data” for planning and permitting purposes.

The City will be conducting two community meetings to explain the new maps and answer questions. The meetings will be held on Tuesday, May 6 and Wednesday, May 14. Both meetings will be held at the Genoveva Chavez Community Center (3221 Rodeo Road) Community Room from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. If you bring a plat or survey and have the specific street address, we should be able to show you the difference between the current effective map and the map that will become effective on June 17.

Because the City of Santa Fe participates in the National Flood Insurance Program, you are eligible for flood insurance. Many people choose to secure a flood insurance policy because a regular home owner’s insurance policy does not cover all types of flood damage. The National Flood Insurance Program has grandfathering rules to recognize policy holders who have built in compliance with the FIRM in place at the time of construction or who have maintained continuous coverage. Please contact your insurance agent to discuss the new FEMA maps, the grandfathering rule, and how your property may be impacted by the new maps.

Newest Southside Library Art Exhibit Begins May 1

The City of Santa Fe is pleased to present the artwork of Patricia Conor Hodapp, which will be on exhibit at the Southside Branch Library May 1 through May 31. Hodapp is Director of Libraries for the City of Santa Fe.

“In second grade when asked what I would choose to be when I grew up, I listed artist and librarian. I became a librarian, but I have always been an artist,” Hodapp said.

In explaining her work, she said, “My paintings reflect one hour, one day. By painting ‘en plein air,’ I must work quickly and capture the light and shapes before they change. Each painting is just that, a snapshot of a specific time and place. I work in pastels and oils to capture the best in colors and light. If I can capture those two things, for me the form and composition fall into place. New Mexico is my canvas.”

Hodapp was born in Michigan. She was raised and worked on a subsistence farm. She holds a B. A. and an M.S.L.S. in Library Science. Her art background includes classes at the Denver Art Museum, Denver Art Students League and instruction from Chuck Ceraso and Tony Ortega. Her pastels have been juried into several Colorado Pastel Society shows and the Denver Art Students League’s “Paint Your Town.” Her pastels have won several Pastel Society Awards.

MEDIA RELEASE
Date: Friday, April 18, 2008
Contact: Julie Bystrom, Arts Commission, (505) 955-6707
E-mail: jmbystrom@santafenm.gov

The City of Santa Fe Arts Commission has chosen “If Clouds Could Dance…” a photograph by freelance photographer Thea Witt as the Winner of the 2008 City of Santa Fe Poster Competition.

The 65 entries submitted for this year’s contest were judged on overall artistic quality and ability of the artwork to represent, promote, and market the City of Santa Fe. This year’s poster will be given to international guests attending the first UNESCO Creative Cities Conference in the fall, assuring the winner of an even wider audience than in previous years. The poster will be used as a marketing tool to promote Santa Fe’s creativity and culture, internationally.

Thea Witt is a freelance photographer. Her publications include: Yoga for Midlife and Beyond, New Mexico Treasurers Calendar, New Mexico Regional Calendar, THE Magazine, and Santa Fe Symphony Poster. Ms. Witt’s work is represented in permanent installations in Aztec and Silver City, New Mexico, as part of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs – Art in Public Places Program. Past shows have included exhibitions at the Johnson Gallery, Madrid, New Mexico; PhotoArts Santa Fe, New Mexico State Capitol Rotunda Gallery, The Jean Cocteau Theatre and ArtSpace, The Bank of Santa Fe, Hotel Plaza Real, Luz Photography Gallery, Caffe Tazza, the Harwood Museum, Chiostro de San Francisco, Sorrento Italy, and Carmel Galleries and Coast Gallery in Big Sur, California.

The power of Thea Witt’s photograph emanates from her unabashed embrace of the art form’s essential paradox: every moment is unique, fleeting, and pregnant with possibility, yet every image is an intimate study of that moment’s highest meaning. Witt has had ample experience in the exploration of how relationships evolve in her personal and professional life. In her artwork, she draws upon this experience broadening her scope to include relationships not only between people, but also between people and their surroundings, between nature and architecture and between light and shadow.

The poster competition is an annual event of the Arts Commission. Artists living in Santa Fe County are invited to submit original two-dimensional works of art in any appropriate media. All entries in the 2008 competition, including Thea Witt’s winning image, are currently on display in City Hall, 200 Lincoln Avenue, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The show will be on display through May 16, 2008.

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The City of Santa Fe Arts Commission (SFAC), an agency within the municipal government of the City of Santa Fe, provides leadership by and for City government in supporting arts and cultural affairs. The SFAC also recommends programs and policies that develop, sustain and promote artistic excellence in the community. For more information contact the SFAC at 505.955-6707, email artscommission@santafenm.gov, or by fax 505-955-6671.

MEDIA RELEASE
Date: Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Contact:
Shannon Jones
Transmission and Distribution Manager
Sangre de Cristo Water Division
Public Utilities Department
(505) 955-4243

The city’s Water Division, Transmission and Distribution Section, is continuing water mainline flushing. The flushing will take place in the northeast sector of Santa Fe. The process will begin on Monday, April 14 through Thursday, May 22.

The process will take place daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and will include the following areas:

East Alameda between Camino Cabra and Paseo de Peralta, Paseo de Peralta between Alameda and Griffin Street, Otero Street, Old Taos Highway, Bishops Lodge, East Palace, Valley Drive, Loma Entrada, Los Arboles, and surrounding areas.

Water service should not be affected during the actual flushing process. During the flushing process, slightly discolored water may be observed at the tap. Should you encounter any discolored water at your residence, avoid using hot water and avoid washing clothes. Run your faucets, for a few minutes, until water runs clear. If you experience no water pressure, or if water does not clear, please contact our water customer service representatives for assistance at 955-4333.

Flushing of water mains is a vital part of a sound preventative maintenance program. The flushing of a water main prevents the buildup of sediments and other material that could cause taste, odor, and/or discoloration. Flushing actually conserves water by using both unidirectional flow and calculated velocities to achieve maximum efficiencies. The Water Divisions Transmission and Distribution Section appreciate your patients and support.

For any questions regarding the flushing process please contact Shannon Jones at 955-4243.