News in brief, 09/30/2007

City economic division to regroup

All of the Santa Fe city employees who made up the Economic Development Division this summer have left their jobs, according to their former boss.

Kathy McCormick took the reins of the newly formed Community Services and Development Department when city officials reorganized staff this summer and the former department director was asked to resign.

McCormick inherited three workers who were part of what used to be the Economic Development Department and all of those employees have since moved on, she said Friday. She said the turnover isn’t a problem, but rather a chance to regroup and hone in on key elements of the city’s economic-development needs.

McCormick said she plans to hire three new employees as well as some outside firms to take on special projects.

Madrid says U.S. Senate race cloudy

Gov. Bill Richardson has flatly denied speculation that he would consider running against U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., if the governor’s bid for the Democratic presidential nomination falters early next year.

But Congress Daily reported last week that former Attorney General Patricia Madrid, a Democrat who unsuccessfully ran for Congress last year, said the possibility Richardson “might abandon his (White House) bid to run for (Senate) is clouding the political picture for other prominent Dems.”

The subscription-only online publication of The National Journal quoted Madrid as saying “I don’t think anyone of us has expected (Domenici’s) polling to go so low,” apparently referring to a SurveyUSA poll that showed Domenici dropping to a 41 percent approval rating statewide. “We’re at a crossroads here — the party must run a strong candidate against him.”

Madrid has herself been mentioned as a possible candidate against Domenici. Two Democrats have filed paperwork to run against Domenici — Don Wiviott and Jim Hannan, both of Santa Fe.

Police: Driver faces sixth DWI charge

A 42-year-old Santa Fe man with five prior arrests for drunken driving was arrested again Friday night, state police said Saturday.

Officers stopped Santiago Garcia at about 7:40 p.m. during a “saturation patrol” at an unspecified location in Santa Fe, according to a news release.

Garcia’s blood-alcohol level was measured at .17 and .18, the statement said, more than twice the legal limit for drivers in New Mexico.

Nonprofit that helps homeless wins grant

Youth Shelters and Family Services, a Santa Fe nonprofit that works with at-risk teens, has been awarded a $100,000 federal grant for a program that helps homeless youth.

A news release said the First Contact Street Outreach Program had been struggling in recent months after losing its downtown resource center, where homeless teens could go to get a variety of services.

For several months, the program operated out of the back of an old Volvo before being offered space at the Fort Marcy Complex.

The grant will allow the program to reinstate many services and possibly find a new space to operate from, according to Melissa Frank, development director.

The outreach program provides food, clothing, other supplies and basic care to homeless youth in Santa Fe.