Obituaries B-2 Police notes B-2 Travel B-4 Sports B-5
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 2014 THE NEW MEXICAN
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LOCAL NEWS
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Spartans are the team to beat in 2AAAA softball. Page B-5
Board OKs firm for dropout program No late MAYOR’S RACE
Teachers union, Wikle blast private contract for effort to give former students another shot at diploma
By Robert Nott The New Mexican
The Santa Fe school board, facing heated objections from teachers union representatives and one board member, voted Tuesday to move forward on a contract with a private, outof-state company that plans to recruit dropouts and offer them another chance to earn their high school diplomas. Board member Glenn Wikle, who cast the dissenting vote,
voiced concerns that the move equates to privatization of public schooling. His opposition sparked a spirited and sometimes contentious debate, with Wikle saying the district is violating the state constitution and board President Steve Carrillo suggesting Wikle was engaging in “borderline slander.” “There’s no public entity to privatize” in this situation, Carrillo said, since a similar public program does not exist in the district.
Under the contract, Floridabased Atlantic Education Partners will oversee the program, which will allow students to take classes at their own pace, both online and in a classroom. The district will turn over to the firm 90 percent of the money it receives from the state for those students — at an average rate of $6,700 per student. Atlantic would then hire staff to find and enroll the students and hire teachers for the program.
The plan also caused friction between Superintendent Joel Boyd and teacher representatives. In a letter Monday to Boyd and the five school board members, Bernice García Baca, president of NEA-Santa Fe, said the plan is unconstitutional because the money schools receive from the state cannot be used to support “any sectarian, denominational, or private
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Tomasita’s taps sun power
A new Tomasita’s Restaurant carport, made of 210 solar panels, does double-duty as shaded parking for 24 cars and a charging station for one electric car. The $325,000 system, shown Tuesday, is scheduled to be connected over the weekend. CLYDE MUELLER/THE NEW MEXICAN
Railyard restaurant’s carport shields customers’ vehicles while soaking up solar rays By Staci Matlock The New Mexican
T
omasita’s Restaurant in the Santa Fe Railyard expects to generate more than half its electricity with a new solar photovoltaic parking structure, while providing shade for 24 cars and a plug-in power spot for one electric vehicle. “The idea is it will be for customers,” said George Gundrey, the restaurant’s owner and manager. “The spirit behind it is someone can come in and have an enchilada while charging their car.” The 210 solar panels that create the restaurant’s solar carport, made by California-based SunPower, form a 68.67-kilowatt, grid-tied system, designed and installed by Positive Energy Solar in Santa Fe. Gundrey said the system is designed to produce 85 percent of the restaurant’s electricity between the peak power-use hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. He said he won’t know the actual solar power produced until the system has been in use for awhile. Public Service Company of New Mexico will inspect the final connection of the photovoltaic carport to the
In brief
Few DWI arrests on St. Paddy’s Day Local law enforcement agencies ramped up their patrols, but they had a quiet night in the Santa Fe area during St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office reported that two people were arrested at a multi-agency DWI checkpoint on U.S. 84/285 near The Santa Fe Opera. Additionally, the Santa Fe Police Department reported arresting two people on DWI charges between 3 p.m. Monday and 1 a.m. Tuesday. A news release from the department stated that officers didn’t respond to any alcohol-related crashes.
Police: Raton coach had sex with student New Mexico State Police reported they arrested a 26-year-old baseball coach in Raton on Saturday in connection with charges of criminal sexual penetration of a minor. In a news release, state police said
restaurant over the weekend. Gundrey said the drop in prices for solar panels in the last couple of years, combined with a 30 percent federal solar tax credit, made this the right time to invest in the system. He expects the payoff on the system’s $325,000 price tag to take seven years after the tax credit. The system is supposed to last at least 25 years, according to Positive Energy Solar. “It’s a really affordable time,” Gundrey said. “I’ve always cared about the environment and trying to reduce our footprint and be more efficient. We’re a solid business, and I’m confident the payout will be worth it.” Gundry said the system will offset the most expensive electricity the restaurant uses. He said PNM charges more for power used during peak daytime periods, exactly when the sun is shining and his solar panels will be producing electricity. Off-peak electricity, typically at night, costs the restaurant 3.93 cents per kilowatt-hour year-round, Gundry said. The cost during peak hours, from June through September, is 8.44 cents per kilowatthour. The restaurant pays 6.99 cents per kilowatt-hour for peak power October
Joshua Duran, 26, of Raton is accused of having sex with a 17-year-old female student who attends Raton High School. During the investigation, police discovered Duran Joshua Duran was a high school baseball coach and that he worked as a behavioral specialist with a nonprofit employed by the high school. The statement said Duran turned himself into authorities Saturday. He was released from Bernalillo County’s Metropolitan Detention Center on Monday on a $5,000 cash or surety bond. Raton Public Schools Superintendent Neil Terhune said as of Tuesday afternoon, Duran was still employed with the school. He added, however, that the protocol is to place staff who have been accused of sexual relations with a student on administrative leave.
6 hate groups in New Mexico LAS CRUCES — A national group that monitors hate groups says New
through May. The power generated by the panels will be credited against the electricity the restaurant uses through net metering. In addition, under state regulations, the restaurant will earn about a nickel per kilowatt-hour produced each month from PNM as a Renewable Energy Credit. The credits help PNM meet state-mandated requirements for renewable energy. “Our solar array will help us control our energy costs, but most importantly, it will mean cleaner air, decrease emissions of toxic chemicals and reduce our impact on climate change,” Gundrey said in a statement. Positive Energy Solar, which designed and installed the solar carport, has installed more than 1,000 residential and commercial solar systems across the state. Solar technology “is a smart investment that allows restaurant owners to hold energy costs down, while differentiating themselves,” Regina Wheeler, Positive Energy Solar’s chief executive officer, said in a statement. Contact Staci Matlock at 986-3055 or smatlock@sfnewmexican.com.
Mexico has six such active organizations operating in the state. The Las Cruces Sun-News reported that the Alabama-based Southern Poverty Law Center has identified two Ku Klux Klan cells, two antiMuslim groups, a skinhead group and an anti-Semitic group in New Mexico. The center named the groups in the agency’s 2013 report released this spring. SPLC lead fellow Mark Potok says one of the groups is a racist skinhead organization in northwest New Mexico. The report also says there are two active Loyal White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan groups in New Mexico, including one in Silver City.
TV series has sights on Albuquerque The New Mexico Film Office says CBS Television Studios is producing the television pilot The Messengers in Albuquerque for The CW. The show starts with a mysterious object crashing down to Earth. A group of seemingly unconnected strangers die from the energy pulse, but then awaken to learn that they have been deemed responsible for preventing the impending Apocalypse
Section editor: Howard Houghton, 986-3015, hhoughton@sfnewmexican.com Design and headlines: Cynthia Miller, cmiller@sfnewmexican.com
by the numbers
68.67
Kilowatts of power generated by the new solar array at Tomasita’s Restaurant.
85%
Restaurant’s peaktime power use that will be produced by system, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
$325K
Solar photovoltaic carport system’s price tag.
7
Number of years it will take the restaurant to get a return on the investment.
Principal photography will begin in mid-March. The production will employ about 150 New Mexico crew members, as well as more than 100 resident actors and background talent. The show is the latest among a half-dozen TV series that have been filming or have announced plans to film in Albuquerque.
Senator files to stay in governor’s race The Secretary of State’s Office reported that Democratic Sen. Linda Lopez of Albuquerque has filed the necessary nominating petition signatures to remain a candidate for governor in the June primary election. Lopez and Attorney General Gary King failed to earn ballot positions at the Democratic pre-primary nominating convention earlier this month. Lopez filed additional petition signatures Tuesday. King had taken steps last week to secure a place on the ballot. Also on the Democratic gubernatorial ballot are Sen. Howie Morales of Silver City, Santa Fe businessman Alan Webber and former Albuquerque city official Lawrence Rael. Staff and wire reports
flurry of outside spending By Daniel J. Chacón
The New Mexican
There was no last-minute surge in spending by outside groups in Santa Fe’s March 4 municipal election, according to final campaign statements filed by Tuesday’s deadline. The reports show that two political-action committees, a nonprofit and an umbrella organization for more than two dozen labor unions spent a combined $64,421 supporting the candidacy of Javier Gonzales, who won the mayor’s race. The biggest outside spenders were the Santa Fe Working Families PAC, which spent $30,393, and Working America, a nonprofit that poured $30,148 into the race. Gonzales, who publicly disavowed the involvement of independent expenditure groups, was criticized by his opponents, City Councilors Patti Bushee and Bill Dimas, for benefiting from outside spending despite receiving $60,000 in public financing. All three mayoral candidates ran their campaigns under public financing. It’s unclear whether Bushee, who came in second in the mayor’s race, spent the entire $60,000. The City Clerk’s Office was still waiting for Bushee to file her final campaign statement at 4:45 p.m. Tuesday. Unlike all the other candidates and outside groups, Bushee’s report was not posted on the city’s website by 5 p.m. Gonzales spent the entire $60,000. In the last reporting period, Gonzales spent his remaining $2,323 primarily on canvassers, consulting fees and printing costs. Dimas, who finished last, spent all but $2,472. In the last reporting period, Dimas spent nearly $7,000, including nearly $2,500 on drinks and food, $600 on music and $1,315 on cleanup and to remove and dispose of campaign signs.
Burglar hits Old Pecos Trail offices By Chris Quintana The New Mexican
Someone broke into two offices near Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center overnight Sunday, stealing cash and causing thousands of dollars worth of damage. The Santa Fe Police Department reported that the break-ins occurred at 1751 Old Pecos Trail, part of the Pecos Trail Office Court. The owner of one business told police that about $10 in change was stolen from the office suite. A police report said the burglar also caused $1,000 in damage to the office’s front door. The burglar broke three separate doors with what appeared to be a crowbar at another business, the offices of Martha Davis and Genevieve Davis, both psychotherapists. The two are not related. The burglar ransacked the women’s offices and stole some cash. The police report said there also was about $1,000 worth of damage to the doors. The psychotherapists said they had to cancel most of their Monday morning appointments so they could clean up the office. But both said they were grateful the burglar didn’t cause more damage. Genevieve Davis said police collected a fingerprint at the scene. She also said she and Martha Davis have been in the building for about seven years, and this is the first time they have been burglarized. They said they asked police if a security system would have helped, but officers told them the burglar was in and out of the building within minutes. In order to protect the privacy of their patients, they do not have security cameras at the offices. “It’s unnerving,” Genevieve Davis said. “We understand the world has challenges, but it’s tough when it walks through the front door.”
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