Albuquerque Journal from Albuquerque, New Mexico • Page 33

METRO NEW MEXICO E2 A LBUQUERQUE OURNAL ATURDAY ULY 8,2006 AROUND THE METRO AREA Journal Staff and Wire Reports Double Slaying In SW Albuquer que A possible case of domestic violence claimed two people Friday in Southwest Albuquerque, police said. Police had no identities late Friday of the pair killed in the 7700 block of Javelina SW, authorities said. The two may have been shot to death, police said. Police received calls about the incident before 10 p.m., authorities said. Investigators were trying to learn what caused the double slaying, police said, mentioning domestic violence as a potential cause.

Road Racers Lead Officials to Drugs An East Mountains drag race this week led authorities to more than 250 marijuana plants at a Sandia Park home. A Bernalillo County sergeant was nearly driven off La Madera Road north of N.M. 14 near Sandia Park by two northbound vehicles Wednesday, according to court documents. Authorities pursued the two drivers, arrested them and searched their home in the 4900 block of La Madera, reports state. On the property, authorities found 269 marijuana plants, another 12 pounds of the drug and some heroin, reports state.

The two arrested drivers are identified as David Galvez, 24, and James Niemi, 23, reports state. For um Featur Duke City Of ficials City officials will be available to discuss issues today from 10 a.m. to noon at Manzano Mesa Multigenerational Center, 501 Elizabeth SE. The to event will be hosted by Mayor Martin and Councilor Don Harris. It will include directors of city departments, who will listen to concerns, tackle problems and provide information about services.

Rescuers Locate Missing Hunter ASPEN, Colo. Rescuers found a 57-year-old Albuquerque man who had been missing since Monday. He had set out into the wilderness to scout out hunting locations and gotten lost. Kerry Garcia was suffering from exposure, sunburn and dehydration when he was found Thursday in a remote area in the Maroon Bells- Snowmass Wilderness. He was last seen Monday morning at the Avalanche Creek campground, according to the Pitkin County Sheriff Office.

Garcia, who was searching for hunting spots for a future trip, was reported missing by his wife on Wednesday. Garcia was prepared with emergency gear. Ante Upped or We stland HARON ENDRIX Of the ournal A Nevada developer has until July 17 to match or better a bid from a California developer to buy Westland Development Co. and its holdings, a Westland official said Thursday. Westland announced Wednesday that its board of directors had determined the latest offer from SunCal Companies of Irvine, is superior to one submitted by Sedora Holdings of Las egas, Nev Now the proposed sale, or merger, is in court.

On June 26, SunCal tendered the latest high bid of $315 per share for 794,927 shares, or about $250million, for the company. That topped offer of $305. board of directors reached that determination June 30, according to Robert Simon, corporate counsel with Westland. done, (Sedora) has until July 17 to match it or better he said. Then, under the merger agreement with Sedora, have to be negotiations and agreement (with Sedora) so SunCal is not deemed superior.

They have to up the ante or get at least If Sedora does not revise its agreement to match or better by the deadline, Westland is free to enter into an agreement with SunCal, a Westland news release states. In the past year, Westland, the corporate successor to the Atrisco Land Grant, has become the target of a bidding war for its acquisition. It owns about 55,000 acres on the West Side. Three companies have made offers. The first was ANM Holdings, which offered $200 per share in August.

Early this year, Sedora stepped in and upped the price to $266. In late May SunCal made an offer of $280 and Sedora came back with its $305 per share counter. In its latest proposal, SunCal also offered to furnish at closing $2million of an offered $1million annual payments to be made to the Atrisco Heritage Foundation, a nonprofit entity yet to be formed. Additionally it would create a New Mexico limited liability company to be named Atrisco Oil Gas LLC, into which Westland would assign 100percent of all rents, royalties and other benefits to which Westland is entitled under current oil and gas leases, and 50 percent of We existing mineral rights, the news release states. The other terms of the Sun- Cal offer are nearly identical to the merger agreement entered with Sedora, the release says.

Sedora, in addition to paying $305 per share, has offered payments of $1million a year to the Atrisco Heritage Foundation for 100 years. July 17 Deadline To Bid MARLA Children and staff from Santa Barbara-Martineztown Learning Center summer program jump one long rope together Friday at the Santa Barbara-Martineztown Park in Albuquerque. ALL TOGETHER NOW Two in Treasurer Scandal Arraigned Attorney Office in fact has jurisdiction in the case, Farrah said after the arraignment. He said researching the issue and anticipate filing motions to dismiss this summer. Pfeffer set $20,000 signature bonds for both Garcia and Sandoval.

The indictments, highly unusual but constitutionally permissible, came after the four men testified under federal plea deals in extortion trial. Vigil is charged with taking over and refining a kickback scheme created by his predecessor, Montoya, in exchange for commissions on state investments. The trial ended in May when jurors deadlocked, 11 to 1, and Senior U.S. District Judge James A. Parker declared a mistrial.

Soon after the trial, New Mexico Attorney General Patricia Madrid announced her office used the federal testimony to obtain state grand jury indictments against the four men, saying gotten off too lightly. In the federal case, Sandoval was granted immunity, and the other three pleaded guilty to single felony counts. They are awaiting sentencing, which take place until testified in second trial. The counts to which they pleaded carry statutory penalties of up to 20 years in prison, but they could expect to receive less based on sentencing guidelines and their cooperation. treated their testimony as confessions to these Attorney General spokeswoman Sam Thompson said when the state charges were unsealed.

trial, now assigned to U.S. District Judge James O. Browning, has a firm start date of Sept. 5. But that, too, could be affected by federal plans to go back to the federal grand jury possibly to add charges or defendants.

Court watchers and the defense have said the indictments obtained by Madrid could jeopardize the federal case. from PAGE E1 Double-Fine Zones There Protect Drivers, Not Just orkers HY DOUBLE FINE ALL THE TIME: Vern called with a suggestion to get more drivers in line with the double-fine work zones. He says many drivers ignored the reduced speed limit at the zone he drove through the 25 mph on Candelaria between Tramway and Juan Tabo for median work that wrapped up in May and it may be in part because crews always there. So what about only enforcing the reductions and double fines during working hours? That median work was a city project, but for the work zone fyi we turn to Tony Abbo, District 3 traffic engineer for the state Department of Transportation. He says work zones a 9-to-5 kind of thing.

when there is no ongoing work within the construction project area and there are no construction personnel within the work he says, condition of the roadway narrow lanes, shoulders, roadside area under construction, etc. through the construction zone, may dictate warrant the reduced speed, and thus the presence of the double-fine zone is required to make sure that people speed through the construction zone even though no construction activity is In other words, just because the road crews need protecting, construction conditions mean drivers still do. LOMAS SCHOOL ZONE SHORT ON INFO: Cynthia Dorl e-mails that she recently received a speeding ticket in the mail. Unknown to me, I went through a school zone on Lomas and Edith, April 24, 2006, at 3:31 p.m. Why? Because there (were) no flashing lights or crossing guard on southbound Edith traffic to indicate a school Cynthia says that school is on the south side of Lomas.

I was traveling southbound on Edith from Mountain Road. Turning west onto Lomas, the only indication of a school zone is a(n) of School sign a few feet from the corner of Lomas and Edith on the north side of Lomas, opposite the sign. The flashing school zone lights are on both sides of Lomas before the Edith intersection. So the only way to see these lights (is) to travel east or west on Lomas before Edith. Those traveling southbound from Edith get no warning they are entering a school Pointing out that some drivers are being cheated on the information front, Cynthia suggests needs to post lights on southbound traffic on Edith and more signs on Lomas.

Maybe you can let someone know about the situation, so this will not happen to someone Apparently it already has. Albuquerque Police Department Lt. Robert Haarhues says are aware of the problem and are in the process of adding additional FREE CAR-CARE CLINICS: AAA New Mexico is offering a free right, free 38-point inspection to make sure vehicles are ready for New summer heat. From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

next Saturday at West district office at 9231 Coors NW, Suites 5 and 6, experts will provide the inspections and are available to provide information about car according to a news release. free Car Care Clinic is designed to help motorists understand how basic car maintenance saves money, increases safety, prolongs the life of the cars and helps reduce air AAA membership is not required. Journal editorial writer Westphal tackles commuter issues for West Siders on Tuesdays and the rest of the Metro area on Saturdays. Reach her at 823-3858 (phone), 823-3994 (fax), (e-mail) or P.O. Drawer Albuquerque, NM 87103.

Check out previous columns at abqjournal.com/traffic. TRAFFIC AT CH Rainbow These road construction projects could affect daily commutes in Albuquerque this week. Projects marked on the map are either long-term or high impact for a short period of time. For more information call 242-road (242-7623) For information on I-25 or I-40 projects, call 1-877-i40-GRIP (1-877-440-4747) 528 448 Gibson Lomas Indian School Menaul Candelaria Comanche Montgomery Spain Academy San Antonio Paseo del Norte University Ventura Holbr ook Tennyson Jef ferson San Mateo Tramway Souther Golf Course Ellison Ir ving Tr amway Juan Tabo Eubank Wyoming Louisiana San Mateo Carlisle City of Albuquer que Constr uction Gun Club Blake Griegos Candelaria Ellison Osuna 25 Sunport CORRALES 25 40 40 Universe 2 miles Dennis Chavez Pajarito Raymac Los Padillas Paseo del Norte Unser State of New Mexico Construction AL WESTPHAL Of the Jo urnal Road Wa rrior State Favors Energy Corridor Plan Wildlife Refuge north of Socorro. Corridors also seem to intersect historic and scenic trails and potential wilderness areas, Culver said.

All the corridors south of Albuquerque generally follow existing rights of way but would likely be widened from as little as 100 feet to 3,500 feet, BLM officials said. The process addresses only federal lands so the map shows the corridors as broken lines as they cross state, private and tribal land. have no authority on private said Scott Powers of the Bureau of Land Management. That also explains why no corridors are proposed to move electricity from New eastern plains where new wind farms are springing up: less federal land there compared with other parts of the state. Public Service Company of New Mexico supports the corridor process.

It has the potential to give companies more certainty and head off conflicting uses of federal land, said David Eubank, PNM manager of transmission contracts and policy analysis. The We stern Association, which has pushed for dramatic increases in renewable energy, believes the process to be very constructive for the said Doug Larsen, executive director of the Western Interstate Energy Board, the energy arm of the WGA. Congress mandated in last sweeping energy bill that the corridors be adopted by 2007. The next step will be development of an environmental impact report. Information is available at corridoreis.anl.gov and public comments are due Monday.

from PAGE E1 Carlsbad Roswell Socorro Las Cr uces Gallup Albuquer que Farmington Santa Fe 285 285 60 10 25 550 25 POTENTIAL ENERGY CORRIDORS IN NEW MEXICO Potential Energy Corridors.