Capital strives to regain relevance on field Sports, B-1
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Wednesday, August 28, 2013
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Ex-county official admits paving bribes Lujan to be sentenced after September trial for guilty plea in fraud case
By Phaedra Haywood The New Mexican
Former Santa Fe County Public Works director James Lujan pleaded guilty Tuesday to demanding or receiving bribes and eight counts of conspiracy
to commit fraud in a case involving a paving company accused of embezzling about $1 million from Santa Fe County. Advantage Asphalt and Seal Coating, which performed more than $10 million worth of roadwork for the city and county
over the past decade, allegedly bribed public officials and falsified paperwork in order to be paid for work performed using the county’s own labor and materials. An investigation into the matter began in 2010. Charges against Lujan, Advan-
tage Asphalt and Seal Coating, company owners Joseph Anthony Montoya and Marlene Montoya, and former county employee Denice Sanchez were filed in February 2012.
James Lujan
Former public works director says he took bribes from Advantage Asphalt.
Please see BRIBeS, Page A-4
Council passes bag ban
Strike on Syria may draw U.S. into long war History shows limited military action rarely results in worthy gains By Ernesto Londono and Ed O’Keefe The Washington Post
Collins Couch of Santa Fe, dressed as a ‘bag monster,’ and Kim Kelly, with the Sustainable Santa Fe Commission, arrive at City Hall on Tuesday to voice support for the plastic bag ban. PHOTOS BY LUIS SÁNCHEZ SATURNO/THE NEW MEXICAN
Kids lead charge against plastic; paper bags will cost 10 cents when ban goes into effect By Chris Quintana The New Mexican
A
couple of dozen environmentally conscious children carried signs saying, “I support the bag ban.” And a man with a Big Bird profile draped in 500 plastic bags (the number an average person uses in a year) roamed the lawn in front of City Hall Tuesday night.
Obituaries Erlinda M. Baca (Cordova), 80, La Cienega, Aug. 23 Enrique “Ricky” Martinez, 61, Pueblo, Colo., Aug. 16 Frank Acosta, 76, Aug. 24, Santa Fe Olivia M. Garcia, 71, Aug. 24 The Honorable William Stewart Johnson Pauline Krissman, 75, Aug. 21
Index
An hour or so later, Santa Fe became the latest in a growing number of cities to ban plastic grocery bags. The ban, which covers carrier bags thinner than 2.25 mils, will take effect in six months. Ron Trujillo was the sole dissenter on the council, which passed the measure by a 7-1 vote. He argued that the
Please see BAG, Page A-6
Pasapick www.pasatiempomagazine.com
‘A Fowl Play & A Fracking Good Time’ The 2013 Fiesta Melodrama opening and street party honoring the Fiesta Court, 6:30 p.m., curtain 7:30 p.m., Santa Fe Playhouse, 142 E. DeVargas St., party and show $30, performance $20. More events in Calendar, A-2 and Fridays in Pasatiempo
Today Mostly sunny. High 85, low 56. PAGe C-6
PAGe C-2
Calendar A-2
Classifieds D-3
Josette Gurule, 9, a fourthgrader at Carlos Gilbert Elementary School, speaks to city councilors Tuesday in favor of a plastic bag ban.
Comics B-8
WASHINGTON — An imminent U.S. strike on Syrian government targets in response to the alleged gassing of civilians last week has the potential to draw the United States into the country’s civil war, former U.S. officials said, warning that history doesn’t bode well for such limited, retaliatory interventions. The best historical parallels — the 1998 cruise missile strikes on targets in Iraq, Afghanistan and Sudan — are rife with unintended consequences and feature no success stories. “The one thing we should learn is you can’t get a little bit pregnant,” said retired Marine Gen. Anthony Zinni, who was at the helm of U.S. Central Command when the Pentagon launched cruise missiles at suspected terrorist sites in Afghanistan and weapons facilities in Saddam Hussein’s Iraq. “If you do a one-and-done and say you’re going to repeat it if unacceptable things happen, you might find these people keep doing unacceptable things. It will suck you in.” Images of the glassy-eyed corpses of civilians, including children, killed in last week’s chemical attack in a Damascus suburb struck a powerful chord in Washington, where until now there has been little appetite for
Please see SYRIA, Page A-4
InSIDe u U.S. intelligence to reveal timeline of chemical attack. PAGe A-4
ANALYSIS: 2014 ELECTION
Gay marriage likely to have little impact at polls Experts say jobs, health care top state voters’ concerns
Dale Schuette, center, and his partner, Reg Stark, right, celebrate with Taos County Clerk Anna Martinez in District Court on Tuesday following Judge Jeff McElroy’s ruling allowing marriage licenses for gay couples. Taos County became the state’s sixth on Tuesday to allow the licenses. Read the story in Local News, Page C-1
By Steve Terrell The New Mexican
For years, politicians wouldn’t touch the issue of gay marriage. But in recent days, developments in New Mexico have been moving so fast that some officials have been forced to take a position. But how big of an impact will same-sex marriage have in the next election? At least two politicians directly involved in the gayrights issue this year could be running for state office in 2014.
Lotteries A-2
Opinion A-5
TINA LARKIN/THE TAOS NEWS
Attorney General Gary King — who filed a document in the state Supreme Court expressing his opinion that the prohibition against gay marriage is unconsti-
Police notes C-2
Editor: Ray Rivera, 986-3033, rrivera@sfnewmexican.com Design and headlines: Cynthia Miller, cmiller@sfnewmexican.com
Sports B-1
Time Out B-7
tutional — is campaigning as a Democrat for governor. Meanwhile, Bernalillo County
Please see POLLS, Page A-4
Taste D-1
Main office: 983-3303 Late paper: 986-3010
InSIDe u After celebrations, state’s gay newlyweds face financial plans. PAGe A-4
Four sections, 28 pages 164th year, No. 240 Publication No. 596-440