KSFR News Audio
(2012-06-12)
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SANTA FE
(KSFR) -
The Little Bear Fire burning down Ruidoso way is now 30% contained. Some 1000 personnel made good progress yesterday on the 35,000 acre blaze as weather conditions improved with less wind and higher humidity readings. The fire has prompted a number of evacuations in the area, mostly consisting of campground areas and nearby summer homes. About 35 structures have been destroyed. Governor Martinez, along with state and local officials, will hold a regional press conference in Ruidoso later this morning.
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Meanwhile...the state's largest wildfire ever, the Gila region's Whitewater Baldy Fire, is reported to be 37% contained. That fire has now charred 278,000 acres with no significant growth in the past 24 hours.
State agencies are adopting a plan that could save their budgets a combined $670,000 a year over the next three years. But it will cost the state an average of $48,000 a year for the contract with a computer-software company to implement the plan. The proposal involves bids for state contracts coming in on a new paperless system. After the initial bids are made, the system will track delivery and completion dates as well as other documents that now are done on paper. A North Carolina company will get the contract to set up and run the system.
The new president of the University of New Mexico says increasing foreign enrollment in the school is one of the steps that should be taken to make UNM stronger. Bob Frank says UNM now has a foreign enrollment population of about 800 students. He says tripling that number could be one of the factors in making UNM a more powerful economic force in the state. According to today's Albuquerque Journal, Frank also wants to improve UNM's graduation rate which now stands at 45 percent. The national average is 55 percent.
Santa Fe police have crafted a plan to stem the city's rising tide of property crimes and burglaries. The six-month initiative, called "Full Court Press," will see a concerted effort by teams of street, property and narcotics personnel sharing information. Property crimes in the first half of this year far exceed the numbers from last year and police say much of the activity can be attributed to drug abusers. Patrols will be increased in areas deemed "hotspots" for criminal activity. Police are also asking the public to be vigilant in reporting any suspicious activity.
The Santa Fe County Board of Commissioners today hears comments on a Public Safety Department resolution which would proclaim severe or extreme drought conditions - that could trigger a ban on the sale and use of some fireworks in unincorporated areas. That matter also receives attention at tomorrow evening's meeting of Santa Fe City Council.
Law enforcement will be at several Santa Fe intersections today, on the watch for motorists ignoring rules that protect pedestrians. It's part of the Transportation Department's "Look For Me" campaign which will also be watching foot traffic for those who needlessly put themselves in harms way. Both uniformed and plain-clothes patrols will be issuing citations and warnings to those drivers observed not to cede right-of-way to pedestrians in crosswalks and other infractions.
Weather for Santa Fe - partly sunny today with a high in the low 80s and a 30% chance for an isolated shower or thunderstorm this afternoon. That decreases to 20% this evening. Sunny and dry for Wednesday through Friday with highs in the mid 80s. © Copyright 2013, KSFR
