Hands Off

Public defender accused of groping attorney

The state's chief deputy public defender has been accused of groping, choking and harassing ($) another public defender, who says she reported the case to her supervisor. Another prosecutor says Chandler Blair rubbed up against her inappropriately in open court. The state's disciplinary board has refused to take action, a decision that's being appealed by one of the alleged victims. The other has filed a case with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Blair denies the charges.

Protesting a father

A group from Madrid held a small protest at the Santa Fe District Court yesterday, saying a Madrid man shouldn't have rape charges dismissed because his daughter died. Geoffrey Stewart is accused of sexually assualting his daughter between the ages of 3 and 7. She was 18 when she died at college last October of an epileptic seizure. Stewart's attorney filed a motion to dismiss the case because the man can no longer face his accuser.

Yellowstone fall linked to Fenn treasure

It appears the hunt for Forrest Fenn's elusive treasure chest has claimed a fourth victim. A Montana TV station says a report by Yellowstone National Park officials on the June death of an Illinois man reveals he had contacted the elderly Santa Fe art collector in the days before he fell to his death. His wife tells the Albquerque Journal that she doesn't blame Fenn, who has reminded people he was 80 years old when he hid his treasure chest.

Galisteo Basin Preserve falls into foreclosure

An innovative vision for the preservation of open space alongside housing development is dimming, as Los Alamos National Bank says the group that owns the Galisteo Basin Preserve is more than $5 million dollars behind ($) on its loan. The preserve, near Lamy, boasts a limited number of large home sites amid more than 28 miles of trails. However, ony a handful of homes have actually been built.

Round two

The State Land Office has opened its second round of bids for a group to manage the Garrett's Desert Inn property ($) in downtown Santa Fe. The state agency acquired the property, which is right across the street from its headquarters, in a land swap involving the old Dixon Apple Orchard property. The first bid fell apart when the winner was unable to come up with financing to secure its contract.

Your kid sucks

Ah, sports parents. What the hell is wrong with you? The New Mexico Activities Association is looking into a brawl that broke out between parents and fans and who knows who else at the state wrestling champsionship over the weekend. It happened when the mothers of boys from St. Pius X, a Catholic school, and Belen High School started throwing verbal jabs, then real ones. It spilled into the parking lot and involved coaches and rocks and a whole lot of championship-caliber poor decision-making.

Griego goes to prison

And just in case you checked out over the holiday weekend, a judge sentenced former state Sen. Phil Griego to nine years in prison, then suspended all but 18 months. He'll likely serve nine months at a medical facility in Los Lunas. District Court Judge Brett Loveless called Griego "part of the problem" when it comes to distrust in government. Griego read a lengthy statement to the judge, painting his felony conviction as a mistake. "Even as I accept the verdict of my fellow citizens that I have violated that law, I also believe this is not the story of my life. My path is littered not with violations, but with honest effort," he said.

Snow big deal

It snowed again. All over the place. Sipapu Resort is claiming a foot, and Taos and Angel Fire say they got about half that. In Santa Fe proper, there's an inch or two on the ground, and there's a dusting down in Albuquerque. So you're not alone, and hopefully your commute was a safe one. It's going to be colder the next couple of days, with another storm expected Wednesday. Santa Fe will be in the 30s and Albuquerque in the 40s until everyone jumps a few degrees toward the end of the week. This is winter, people! Enjoy!

Thanks for reading! The Word could totally smell this storm coming last night, and fancied itself a sort of all-knowing weather-predicting wild creature.

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