with the Clean Energy Coalition of Santa Fe County the project developer for the AES Rancho Viejo solar project Wednesday during a public hearing at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center Claudia Nelson of Eldorado takes notes during a presentation by Joshua Mayer during a public hearing on the proposed Rancho Viejo Solar Project listens to a presentation by Joshua Mayer of AES during a public hearing on the proposed Rancho Viejo Solar Project answers questions at a public hearing last month about the Rancho Viejo Solar development 3 Planning Commission meeting on the project will be to address statements made by a hearing officer and to show the strength of its fire suppression system A Wednesday hearing on a solar and battery storage development proposed near Eldorado was dominated by foes of the project Email notifications are only sent once a day Well over 100 people packed into a meeting room in downtown Santa Fe on Wednesday to register their opposition to a proposed solar power and battery storage development near Eldorado let’s band together against this potential environmental disaster in what is clearly a fight for our lives,” Patricia Sill an Eldorado resident who drew a heavy round of applause said at Wednesday’s Santa Fe County land use hearing is proposing the high-profile and ambitious Rancho Viejo Solar project which has drawn considerable scrutiny as concerns about fires from lithium battery storage linger But proponents have said it could play a major role in the state’s efforts to curb climate change “This project can produce the equivalent of the entire residential load of Santa Fe,” Joshua Mayer this represents 1% of getting to that 100% [clean energy] goal by 2045.” the hearing dragged on in the Santa Fe Community Convention Center until around 5 p.m as a hearing officer prepares to make a recommendation to the county’s Planning Commission The project is moving through the county’s conditional use permit process “We are opposed to this project on several legal grounds Specifically it will be a detriment to the health It will create a potential hazard for fire and panic,” said Catherine Babbitt of the Clean Energy Coalition of Santa Fe County a group with about 1,200 members who oppose the project “The only thing green about their project is the money they hope to extract from the citizens of New Mexico,” said Lee Zlotoff of the Clean Energy Coalition calling the project “corporate profit at our expense.” the hearing officer assigned to the conditional use permit application will make a written recommendation before the end of the month to the county’s Planning Commission The panel could then make a decision on Rancho Viejo as early as February So the high stakes of the Wednesday hearing were obvious to all even if no real revelations emerged about the project or the positions of locals tensions came to the fore when Mayer argued the development would not impact residential property values a source of concern for those who live near the project Cynical laughter rang out from the audience comprised largely of older people who live in the Eldorado and San Marcos areas the hearing officer urged the crowd to stop applauding speakers who slammed the project on multiple occasions Aiming to generate 96 megawatts of power and roughly 45 megawatts of battery storage at a site about two miles east of N.M the project would cover 680 acres of a roughly 800-acre parcel and include a solar facility a 3-acre battery storage system and a 2.3-mile generation line The target customer would be Public Service Company of New Mexico maintain they support the transition to clean energy but have concerns about AES and the project including about past fires at AES facilities such as in Chandler “What I think is missing in all of this is this is not a normal fire These are chemical fires that we worry about “They can cause a chain reaction called a thermal runaway fire which has happened a few times in the last few years.” it could really be a massive nightmare,” Welch added But AES officials have characterized the project as a “moonshot” for New Mexico The officials have sought to assuage concerns about the project “This project will allow Santa Fe County to be a leader,” said Mayer “This project is located in one of the lowest wildfire categories for Santa Fe County,” Mayer said Wednesday showing images that he said “exemplify the very low amount of vegetation that is in this area.” Ashton Thornhill called the project a major concern for those who live in the area in terms of insurances costs as well as property and home values “They are just saying this is a fire area,” Thornhill said of insurance companies While it would seem many have views that are entrenched on the matter attended Wednesday’s hearing with an open mind noted it seemed as if many of the opponents of the project were around her age with communities south of Santa Fe such as Eldorado being home to many retirees “I want to hear the facts,” Van Sickle said “I think what will be most interesting besides the facts are these older people getting up and being activists like they were in the ’60s.” PNM is seeking approval for new renewable and gas generation projects that will meet projections for higher electricity demand in the years to come The integrated resource plan PNM recently filed requests approval for three new solar and battery storage projects as well as an extension of a contract with a natural gas power plant for more than 10 years The plan will require approval by the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission PNM’s plan does not include mention of Rancho Viejo Although AES initially expressed plans for the project to begin operation in 2026 the estimated date has been steadily pushed back amid a battle that has spilled into the courts “Past selection or non-selection is irrelevant to a future procurement,” Mayer said after this was raised during public comment They may or may not select this project in the next [request for proposals].” Santa Fe County residents still fearful sprawling solar and battery storage project would pose "fire risk" and "explosion risk."  A bitter fight between county residents and AES Corp over a proprosed solar and battery facility is set to resume in the coming months The 30-acre parcel is next to the Santa Fe Rail Trail and about a mile south of Avenida Eldorado A consultant told the County Commission the emergency operations document has not been updated since 2007 But officials say preparations have been undertaken A nonprofit organized by residents will be able to argue for full release of public records about the Rancho Viejo Solar project Many residents implored the county to require sufficient detail from AES to properly review the large-scale project Residents of communities south of Santa Fe have said lithium-ion battery storage is risky but a Sandia lab scientist says failure rate for cells is 1 in 10 million As the Rancho Viejo Solar project continues to generate opposition Sandoval County residents have a fight of their own Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Receive a list of headlines from the latest edition of The New Mexican in your inbox every morning get a preview of The New Mexican's big Sunday stories and review highlights from the week Stay informed of the latest local news by receiving emails as soon as news is posted online Stay up to date with news from the Capitol during the legislative session and follow New Mexico politics throughout the year A guide to outdoors opportunities and profiles on peoples' connections with places Keep up with what's going on in the local business scene Receive the latest episode of "Conversations Different" in your inbox every Tuesday.  Taking the temperature of New Mexico's environmental issues local prep sports and more every Wednesday Contests and special offers from The Santa Fe New Mexican and advertising partners Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account The ever-popular Eldorado Trivia Nights are back in 2025 All proceeds benefit Vista Grande Public Library independent library serving Southeastern Santa Fe County Three things we love about Eldorado’s Carmelita’s—and two we don’t While I was busy doing literally anything but driving to Eldorado—not counting the most excellent Café Fina which I wouldn’t really call Eldorado anyway—the Santa Fe subdivision went and turned itself into a little town I’m sure all the folks who live out there are gasping at that sentence like I’m some sort of villain but I’ve rarely had a non-food reason to head out that way and still don’t but I have to hand it to the people of Eldorado in that their little plot of heaven seems more self-sufficient and livable than ever it feels like I have food reasons to visit Eldo on the regular now And after a number of readers basically screamed at me about the burgers at Carmelita’s (7 Avenida Vista Grande I coaxed a companion into the car using lies about heading someplace closer and I should have put it on my list sooner Carmelita’s has a few options on its burger menu from a simple hamburger and plain options for the kids to double patties; chile or no chile; bacon; cheese; onions; etc so I obviously opted for a green chile bacon cheeseburger—the pride of our state might just be green chile cheeseburgers the portion was thick and cooked by someone who clearly knows how to do it but Carmelita’s clearly uses high-quality beef as the patty was both juicy but solid—an undercooked and falling-apart burger is always so disappointing and everything from the satisfying cheese to the flavorful and just-spicy-enough chile and chewy bacon was just right Carmelita’s price point is honestly unexpected but majorly appreciated Perhaps this is why we observed customers popping in and out at a regular clip despite having arrived a little later in the day similar-sized burgers in other restaurants (read anyplace within spitting distance of the Plaza and even sometimes not) would easily cost more Everything on the Carmelita’s menu seemed fairly priced That’s why we also ordered a $10 Cubano sandwich was excellently seasoned and slightly crisp at the edges despite the incredibly tender overall texture The bread was not quite right for a Cubano but still tasty in its own right and likely just the thing to elevate most any other sandwich And though our companion said he wished Carmelita’s went harder on the mustard and pickles for that extra bit of tang one wants from a Cubano we’re hearing that Maggie’s in Eldorado—formerly The Brunch Box Blue—might have the most authentic and delicious Cubano in town there’s no shame in eating every Cubano one ever encounters in a quest for excellence Carmelita’s has an extra crisp fries option which the counter worker described to us as “a little thicker was the crispiness factor in a town that seems enamored with those flaccid skin-on fries (you heard me) And though an extra $4 for the extra crisp fries isn’t a huge expense (regular fries run $3 I still had to return to the counter to order them after our food came While I intellectually grok that Carmelita’s is first and foremost a to-go sandwich joint (the gyros and BBQ sandwiches will absolutely pull me back to Eldorado soon) digging a greasy wrapped sandwich out of a bag while dining in felt strange Not only did it create waste to put each sandwich and the fries in bags of their own a plate or a tray or something would have been nice The Agora shopping center in Eldorado that also houses the supermarket and numerous other shops has a nice little patio/courtyard seating area going so I simply must assume folks like to take their lunches there I further assume that Carmelita’s is responsible for quite a few single-use paper bags going in the trash Do I think it’s the best burger in the area SFR Culture Editor Alex De Vore has written about the Santa Fe culture scene for over a decade and won awards for doing so He's pretty tired of Americana and still hopes new punk bands might happen If you're considering a move to the Santa Fe area do you know the best areas for families t… A huge part of being a parent is finding the best place for your children to grow up in What are the top-rated small towns and suburbs in New Mexico it provides narrative coverage of local trends going beyond the headlines to keep you informed Stay informed with the latest top headlines from your trusted local source the Albuquerque Journal—delivered to your inbox every day Stay in the loop with the top stories of the week delivered straight to your inbox every Saturday Sign up to see what’s trending and get the latest on the stories that matter most to our readers Get breaking news and important alerts sent straight to your inbox as they happen Stay up-to-date with the latest sports headlines and highlights from the Albuquerque Journal Get the latest on local happenings delivered straight to your inbox farmer and developer died in 2021 at age 90 Three of Joe Miller's sons are among seven trustees suing in state district court to have their sister removed as a trustee Longtime rancher and developer Joe Miller was known for controlling key portions of land as well as his uniquely ambitious vision for how the Eldorado area should develop often clashing with county government and some neighbors Miller, who died at the age of 90 at his Lamy Ranch in 2021 held a position of prominence in the local psyche for his nearly 30-year battle to develop hundreds of acres he had purchased in the 1980s between Lamy and Old Las Vegas Highway The proposed project was involved in a series of lawsuits and faced a 13-year water-use moratorium with Miller at loggerheads with Santa Fe County an ugly legal fight is shaping up among Miller’s relatives over aspects of his valuable estate Three of Joe Miller’s sons are among the seven beneficiaries petitioning to have their sister Kathy Miller removed from managing the assets and overseeing three trusts 17 in Santa Fe’s First Judicial District Court they argue Kathy Miller should be compelled to complete an accounting of the assets and “to invalidate transfers of assets” that were intended to be a part of the trust but which she The petition maintains the plaintiffs received a letter from Kathy Miller’s lawyer dated January of 2021 stating the believed value of the three trusts were “in excess of $20 million.” But while the now 4-year-old letter promised an appraisal of the trusts no such appraisal has been provided to the seven plaintiffs who have not received any form of income or distributions from the trust or its assets the petition alleges Kathy Miller used her influence on an ailing Joe Miller to arrange pre-death transfers of assets that Her legal counsel has not filed a response to the allegations outlined in the petition Some of the properties held by the Northern New Mexico developer are alluded to in the petition the petition states Kathy Miller used her position of “control over” Joe Miller when he was aging to obtain “a grant of properties that she should not have received,” such as 155 acres of land in the Lamy area off of River Bank Road Also referenced in the petition is a “country store” and Cimarron Self storage located on 12 acres of land at Colina Drive in Eldorado Eldorado — along with the area southeast of Santa Fe overall — has experienced a jump in residential development in recent years is still under construction north of Eldorado closer to Santa Fe Just the name Joe Miller was enough to arouse ire in a vocal subset of residents along the U.S 285 corridor near Eldorado who fiercely opposed his development plans But Miller was also known for his affable personality and well-known in communities south of Santa Fe recently discovered Kathy Miller exercised undo influence on Miller before he died and “arranged pre-death transfers of assets that were part of the Trusts or that were meant for inclusion in the Trusts.” Joe Miller suffered a broken pelvis and blood clots following a fall in November of 2019 “When family members tried to visit Decedent after his fall Respondent would almost always show up to ‘supervise’ the visit within minutes of the family members’ arrival,” states the petition Respondent almost never allowed members to see Decedent in private.” blocked family members’ calls from going through to the Northern New Mexico developer’s phone by October of 2019 An attorney for the plaintiffs couldn’t be reached this week Joe Miller is known for spending more than a quarter of his life trying to develop 50 acres of nearly vacant land along U.S the highway that leads to the Eldorado subdivision and Lamy Santa Fe County gave tentative approval to the initial master plan for Cimarron Village in 1994 and it was set for final consideration by the Board of County Commissioners when the panel switched its agenda to first vote on an emergency water moratorium for the entire U.S Then there was the matter of a lawsuit Miller brought against the county after sheriff’s deputies entered his ranch property near Lamy to investigate a gravel mining operation and arrested him He was taken to jail and eventually received a $100,000 settlement from the government for violating his constitutional rights A news obituary for Joe Miller published by The New Mexican noted family and others who knew Miller considered him a self-made man someone who saw the beauty and potential of Eldorado and its people was accused of stabbing a woman Saturday at the Eldorado Hotel & Spa A man from South Dakota is accused of stabbing and injuring a woman at a downtown Santa Fe hotel over the weekend faces a felony charge of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon following the alleged incident late Saturday night at the Eldorado Hotel & Spa according to a criminal complaint filed Monday in Santa Fe County Magistrate Court Wheeler is listed as the vice president of a Sioux Falls-based company called Wheeler Tank Manufacturing Inc. He was arrested at the scene and booked into the Santa Fe County jail early Sunday and he was scheduled to be arraigned on the charge Tuesday afternoon Police allege in a statement of probable cause Wheeler stabbed a woman in the doorway of his room at the Eldorado The woman — who was apparently staying in the hotel while also visiting the city from out of town — suffered wounds on her hand that required stitches Wheeler told a security guard the woman had “gone to his room” and he “defended himself” by pulling out a knife according to the statement of probable cause When officers encountered Wheeler in his hotel room he “struggled to maintain his balance and had slurred speech,” the statement says Santa Fe police Deputy Chief Thomas Grundler said in an interview Monday officers did not know what might have motivated Wheeler to stab the woman noting he refused to speak to investigators without an attorney Police were dispatched to the hotel around 11:30 p.m writing in the statement Wheeler was found in his room holding a white The woman told police she had not said or done anything to provoke the attack She had helped walk Wheeler back to his room after having drinks with him and his daughter at several bars downtown He then “pulled the knife and tried to kill me,” she said The woman told investigators she had met Wheeler and his daughter at the hotel bar earlier that evening and accompanied the two She told officers she then walked back to the Eldorado with the father and daughter because Wheeler was drunk and “could not walk on his own,” the statement says She didn’t hear him say anything before or after he pulled out a large pocket knife and stabbed her adding she grabbed the knife so she wouldn’t get stabbed anywhere else on her body Police noted she had deep lacerations on her hand and she was taken to a local hospital for treatment Officers wrote in the statement there was blood on the doorway of Wheeler’s room and a large pocket knife in the room had blood on the blade Police believe Wheeler’s daughter was inside his hotel room during the incident but she told officers she did not see the stabbing She thought the woman had “targeted” her father earlier in the evening noting he has been approached in the past “because he is wealthy.” do you know the best areas for families to live in Niche, an online data collection site that gathers and analyzes public data sets from the Department of Education, U.S. census and FBI has ranked the top places for families to live in Santa County Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content Los Alamos is a town of 13,460 residents that offers a dense suburban feel and tons of parks and is known as being a safe area with great trails and wildlife The public schools in Los Alamos are highly rated and many families live here The median household income in Los Alamos is $130,342 and the median rent is $1,222 White Rock is a smaller town in Los Alamos County with a population of 5,592 and is ranked #2 on Niche's best places to buy a house in New Mexico list The median household income in White Rock is $144,661 and the median rent is $1,356 Sandia Heights is a suburb of Bernalillo County in Albuquerque known for having a rural feel and being a great place for retirees and families The population in Sandia Heights is just 3,205 and most residents own their homes The median household income here is $151,991 and the median rent is $2,567 Nob Hill is a neighborhood in Albuquerque with an urban suburban mix feel Nob Hill offers lots to do for young people and families including restaurants The public schools here are above average and Nob Hill is listed as the best neighborhood to live in in Albuquerque The median household income is $84,617 and the median rent is $1,219 Eastside is a neighborhood in Bernalillo County in Albuquerque with high diversity and a unique feel with lots of places to visit Eastside offers a dense suburban feel and has highly rated public schools The median household income is $83,334 and the median rent is $1,287 This neighborhood is described by several residents as being safer than other nearby areas Rio Rancho is a suburb in Sandoval County with high diversity and great housing opportunities for families and young professionals The population of Rio Rancho is 104,351 and it is described by residents as being mostly peaceful and friendly The median household income is $78,978 and the median rent is $1,357 Westside is a neighborhood in Bernalillo County with a sparse suburban feel Westside has a population of 132,492 and is described as being diverse and comfortable with a great community The median household income is $79,567 and the median rent is $1,324 Artesia is a town in Eddy County with a sparse suburban feel Artesia gives a comfortable small town feel and is described as having rich culture and diversity The median household income is $75,389 and the median rent is $850 Corrales is a suburb of Albuquerque in Sandoval County that offers a rural feel There are lots of parks and public outdoor spaces in Corrales and the public schools are highly rated Most residents own their own homes and in addition to families there are also many retirees residing here.The median household income is $94,966 and the median rent is $1,201 Corrales is described as a nice and quiet place to live and is an "oasis" outside the city Downtown is a neighborhood in Albuquerque with lots of restaurants is known for being great for walking and biking and is listed as one of the best neighborhoods to live in in Albuquerque The median household income is $36,777 and the median rent is $819 The population is 10,278 and residents have positive things to say about living in Downtown Its signature windmill still spins along the highway like it did when Eldorado was mostly ranch land but as it now holds more than 2,500 homes and a smattering of businesses the community has become more than just spacious bedroom estates for people who do most of their shopping and eating out in Santa Fe The 2010 census put the population for the subdivision at 6,100 and that's not counting surrounding areas that are just a stitch more rural It feels to us like the region's restaurateurs seem to finally be settling in with a critical mass some are even drawing diners from the city instead of vice versa Renée Fox and Dave Readyhough opened a new restaurant in the summer of 2017 at the Agora Center It's a spot that has long been a revolving door of short-lived concepts—but this time 303-3816) is a 46-seat restaurant that's gained a loyal following from both patrons of the couple's Loyal Hound in Santa Fe and from Eldorado's residents Fox says it's also because of a willingness to ride out the first year with vigor "I think you have to have a commitment to what you are doing to what your vision is and be able to respond to the community," she says but people come in here with the expectation of having we altered the menu to make sure that we were being inclusive regardless of if that's our eating style or not So we want to be able to feed everybody as much as possible." but they're still working on luring brunchers Harry's Roadhouse (96 B Old Las Vegas Hwy. but lays claim as one of the closest long-term food and drink providers The sprawling restaurant's brunch game remains strong It also recently enclosed its front porch patio adding more tables that serve as overflow for the nearly-always-a-waitlist favorite that's been in business for about 25 years 466-3886) operates from the site of a former Fina gas station for brunch and dinner Watch for the friendly restaurant cat who lounges all over the place including on SFR's distribution box outside serving food with Salvardoran flare for more than five years and both are have operations that are popular inside the city limits The Agora location for Pizza Centro (7 Avenida Vista Grande 466-3161) was actually Nathan Aufrichtig's first of what became three storefronts; others are downtown and on the Southside While having competition from Upper Crust (5 Colina Drive Pizza Centro opens Wednesday through Sunday and is going on 10 years in business Aufrichtig has weathered the storms of opening up shop with a limited pool of customers "A new place opens up and it hits you for about six months and then it goes right back to the way it was features and reviews when she's not planning changing lightbulbs or ordering Post-It notes The location of the proposed Rancho Viejo Solar facility near Eldorado at Santa Fe Santa Fe County residents still fearful sprawling solar and battery storage project would pose 'fire risk' and 'explosion risk.'  As a Virginia-based energy giant seeks to move forward with plans to construct a sprawling solar power and battery storage development south of Santa Fe attorney Ashley Schannauer described the neighborhood where he lives — with its high grasses including my wife and I here in Eldorado,” Schannauer said of the solar project proposed for a site about 2 miles east of N.M has been delayed amid fervent opposition from nearby residents It likely will again be scrutinized by opponents during a Santa Fe County land use hearing Wednesday the developer behind the project known as Rancho Viejo Solar were grilled by residents at a tense community meeting in August Most of the concerns at the time centered on the plan for a battery storage facility Residents are now voicing dismay about a new county report on the project which they said was published after the deadline for them to provide testimony and evidence in their case While they have long been told the project would be built nearly a mile and a half from Eldorado the county report notes the property line lies closer to 4,000 feet from the subdivision AES says the facility itself will not use all of the lot and still be 1.3 miles from Eldorado they come out with a whole bunch of information Seems kind of like dirty pool to me,” said Lee Zlotoff of the Clean Energy Coalition of Santa Fe County Zlotoff said the Clean Energy Coalition is asking the county to postpone the hearing on the basis that the group cannot adequately respond to the changes it hasn’t made any recent changes to the site plan Santa Fe Green Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Glenn Schiffbauer, 350SantaFe.org President Robert Cordingley and John Buchser chair of the Northern Group of the Sierra Club’s Rio Grande Chapter wrote in a recent op-ed published in The New Mexican there are numerous reasons to support Rancho Viejo Solar economic benefits and environmental stewardship The project would generate an estimated $33.7 million in investment in the community according to an email from Kate Peters of RenUSA which represents energy companies in the U.S Aiming to generate 96 megawatts of power and roughly 45 megawatts of battery storage a 3-acre battery storage system and a 2.3-mile generation line about four miles east of La Cienega “This is a project that effectively can generate enough clean energy here within Santa Fe County within 7 miles of the downtown part of Santa Fe .. to power the entire residential load of the city for the entire year,” said Joshua Mayer He said the target customer of the project would be Public Service Company of New Mexico The parcel’s proximity to the Zia substation on Richards Avenue and an existing transmission line means it is aptly positioned for a power project of this scope Mayer called the project “appropriately sized” for the energy demands of Santa Fe “That is one opportunity to make a huge leap forward for the city county and the state to try to meet its [clean energy] goals,” he said Opponents of the proposal continue to rail against it who said she lives about a quarter mile from the proposed facility Wednesday for a public hearing before a special sustainable land development code hearing officer The meeting will be held at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center but if you put industrial facilities like this with faulty technology — because a lot of accidents happen — this close to residential areas it’s a time bomb waiting to go off,” said Eikelenboom She and other concerned residents of Santa Fe County have noted fires have ignited at battery storage facilities in recent years “The technology is not ripe enough for these kinds of big installations in between residential areas,” Eikelenboom said “The short answer is that safety is AES’ number one priority and as a global power company that supplies power to over 22 million customers not just in the U.S but in large parts of Latin America There’s very awesome responsibility that comes with ensuring the lights turn on for people.” “Being at the forefront of new technologies as we transition to a clean energy future we use those opportunities to work as an industry to evaluate how that happened and what can be avoided in the future.” Opponents of the project are now concerned the county included new information about the solar installation’s site plan the county released new information,” he said He noted his group was asked by the hearing officer to submit testimony — witnesses and exhibits — by Nov County spokesperson Olivia Romo wrote in an email the staff report — which bears the date Dec But Zlotoff said the Clean Energy Coalition checks the county website daily Zlotoff is concerned about how the Santa Fe County staff report uses the phrase the “most easterly corner of the subject parcel being more than 4,000 feet away from the community of Eldorado.” He said his impression had been that the development would be positioned 1.3 miles from Eldorado Mayer said AES has not changed its plans since the community meeting held in August though there have been some adjustments since the original application to the county While AES’ proposed project would be built on an 828-acre tract only 680 acres would be devoted to the development itself noting the lot line may be 4,000 feet away from Eldorado but the actual facility would still be about 1.3 miles from Eldorado “The facility is remaining in the same location,” Mayer said Our project footprint is the same as it’s been now for well over a year.” Under plans revised for the project prior to the August meeting the facility would have lower solar panels a new access road around the perimeter of the site a 30,000-gallon water storage tank and an office with staff during working hours for mitigation of any fire that might spark at a battery storage facility AES’ first attempt to get a county permit began in early 2023 and drew opposition from many residents including those in the Clean Energy Coalition The company filed a lawsuit against the group and the county in state District Court last year over attempts to force it to disclose redacted details about the project in its permit application Zlotoff said he isn’t claiming AES is being untruthful “I’m just telling you we have such an incomplete picture about what this project is ultimately going to be that it is sort of specious to say that nothing has changed because everything and anything in this project could potentially change,” he added Eikelenboom expressed concerns about how large portions of the project — 70% she said — have not yet been designed or are unclear to her What: Hearing on AES’ proposed Rancho Viejo Solar project before a Santa Fe County special sustainable land development code hearing officer Where: The Santa Fe Community Convention Center Photo By Jack Arnold via Wikimedia Commons From ancient pueblos and Spanish land grants to great cattle ranches and now Eldorado at Santa Fe these vast acres 20 minutes south of Santa Fe boast a rich and sometimes complex history Just west of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains Eldorado is home to thousands of residents from around the world we’re also very accessible to the city,” says Pam Henline “And we’re ideally situated to enjoy views of seven mountain ranges in all directions.” Eldorado has evolved from 20 square miles of vacant land to nearly 3,000 homes Architecture and design are decidedly Southwestern many early homes feature berms and trombe walls Eldorado is still considered the largest passive-solar community in the country Forty-two homes are on the market in Eldorado and are priced from $204,000 to $675,000 Thirteen residential lots are also for sale for $45,000 to $100,000 including more than 150 miles of hiking and riding trails “I love our wide-open skies,” says Noreen Perlmutter who moved to Eldorado from New York several years ago I wake up early to take pictures of the amazing sunrises This is a place of heart and soul — the views outside our windows bring an enormous sense of peace.” Ancestral Puebloans (the Anasazi) settled the area in the seventh century until a drought forced them to abandon their homes and farms around the 1400s The Spanish later created a land grant that was bought in 1901 by a development company to raise cattle the Simpson family purchased the land as a working family ranch the American Realty and Petroleum Corporation bought the ranch for $3.2 million and soon began converting a large chunk of that land into a subdivision — the first lots were sold in 1972 dividing residents over whether covenants allow the keeping of chickens (are they livestock or pets?) and whether they ban ground-based solar panels Though neither issue has been fully resolved most residents feel the community is friendly Eldorado offers a well-regarded kindergarten through eighth-grade school as well as its own library there is also a Fourth of July pancake breakfast ice cream social and many other popular social events “I don’t think there is any place we’d rather be at this point in our lives,” Perlmutter says but we love coming home to Eldorado even more.” Rebecca Clay is a Realtor with Evolve Santa Fe Real Estate. She can be reached at 629-6043 or rebecca@evolvesantafe.com A Public Service Company of New Mexico 9.5-megawatt solar array in 2015 A new community solar project is being proposed near Eldorado on about 50 acres of vacant land Solar panels could pop up on about 30 acres of vacant land in the Eldorado area within a year an outcome of state leaders’ push for renewable energy After lawmakers passed a bill in 2021 enacting the New Mexico Community Solar Program intended to make renewable energy more accessible the Denver-based company SunShare began looking for sites to build community solar farms across the state One such site the company identified: A parcel of vacant land at 100 Rancho Verano Road next to the Santa Fe Rail Trail and about one mile south of Avenida Eldorado The parcel is south of the area governed by the Eldorado Community Improvement Association The site lies next to a Public Service Company of New Mexico substation which will lower costs to build the project said SunShare development director Salina Derichsweiler Derichsweiler said the proposed location in a residential area is an added benefit because “that’s part of what community solar is really helping people understand where their energy comes from.” Community solar programs allow utility customers to buy subscriptions to small solar projects in return for credits off their monthly utility bills The programs aim to allow people otherwise unable to access the benefits of solar energy such as renters or people who cannot afford the up-front costs of solar panels to participate in the transition to renewable energy The New Mexico Community Solar Act requires companies operating the solar farms to carve out at least 30% of the electricity produced from each farm for low-income customers Community solar projects generally save subscribers at least 10% per year on their electricity bills over the 25- to 40-year lifespan of the projects a 2021 fact sheet from the state Legislature said SunShare was one of several companies InClime a renewable energy-affiliated company administering the New Mexico Community Solar Program with the state Public Regulation Commission selected last year to build community solar farms in New Mexico including its “Juniper Sol” project near Eldorado The company bought a 50-acre parcel of land — 26 acres of which would have solar panels as proposed — in August and is now working to get signatures from surrounding residents to change neighborhood covenants governing the area allow only residential uses of the land; a change would carve out an exception for a solar array Owners of at least 75% of the land governed by the covenants — which includes SunShare with its 50-acre parcel — must agree to the change That means about 35 to 40 residents need to agree to the project and the company is “90% or 95% of the way there,” she said describing neighbors as “very supportive of the work we’re doing.” SunShare expects to meet the required threshold soon A letter from SunShare provided by a resident offered neighbors who approved the project the incentive of a free subscription to the solar garden which could save them an expected 85% on their electricity bill for up to 25 years The state Public Regulation Commission is still determining the rate at which community solar subscribers will be reimbursed for the solar energy generated which should be finalized by the end of the month Anyone who receives a bill from PNM could subscribe to the community solar garden but the project is expected to first attract interest from people living nearby The 5-megawatt project should power an estimated 400 homes though that number could fluctuate between 250 to 700 depending on the amount of power each subscriber uses Residents have had a lot of questions about how the community solar project compares with a much larger project proposed by AES Clean Energy in the vicinity that has spurred significant opposition a 25-year nearby resident who declined to sign SunShare’s petition to change neighborhood covenants said she doesn’t “know enough about the project to consent,” given the host environmental-related concerns people have raised about the larger AES solar project “What would that [project] mean when it comes time to sell my home?” she said noting the site sits outside the stricter homeowners association covenants of Eldorado at Santa Fe Eldorado Community Improvement Association board President Amelia Adair said she had not heard of SunShare’s project but given the sheer volume of concerns the homeowner’s association has received about AES’s solar project “I’m sure people will want to drill into the details of it and whether it’s friend or foe “We’re a very environmentally sensitive community Eldorado was originally developed as a solar community — one of the first in the country is the community solar project would not include battery storage Other neighbors have asked about noise and environmental effects of the panels A solar project of the size proposed will generate very little noise — about 58 decibels which is roughly the equivalent of a household refrigerator All energy sources come with possible risks to the environment Energy Information Administration noted solar panels often incorporate heavy metals harmful to the environment if leaked and thus must be carefully disposed of at the end of their useful life Derichsweiler said SunShare is not only committed to properly decommissioning the panels after 25 to 30 years but also aims to improve the health of soil on the site by combining agriculture and solar energy generation That will involve seeding the land at Juniper Sol with native grasses and collaborating with the New Mexico Healthy Soil Working Group to develop plans for the site a Rancho San Marcos resident who started a grassroots group called New Mexicans for Responsible Renewable Energy in opposition to AES’s project expressed tentative support for SunShare’s It’s important people understand the difference between community solar and utility-scale solar Community solar projects with smaller acreage and without batteries minimize environmental hazards whereas savings from utility-scale projects simply factor into utility rates “I’m not an expert on community solar,” said Brom who did not know the details of SunShare’s project that’s the way we should be doing things.” People will have further opportunity to comment on the project when SunShare applies for a conditional use permit from Santa Fe County SunShare hopes to begin a two-to-four-month construction process on the solar project late this year or in early 2025 the citizens' group won public access to information leaders of the global energy company AES Corp aims to build a 26-acre community solar garden in Eldorado — outside of the neighborhoods subject to Eldorado Community Improvement Association covenants SunShare must garner approval from a few dozen neighbors to change neighborhood covenants to allow the solar project in a residential area The company will also apply for a conditional use permit from Santa Fe County the community solar garden could be constructed by early 2025 and provide a limited number of PNM customers credits off of their utility bills A burger and the Greek Feast salad from Carmelita’s A jambon beurre with pommes frites by Le Pommier Bistro The Bougie from The Brunch Box Blue in Eldorado features a butter-and-cream-poached egg The Brunch Box Blue opened in Eldorado in mid-March Eldorado features a lineup that ranges from Greek There’s perpetual chatter in this town about our best-kept local dining secrets — those off-the-beaten-path culinary spots tourists will never find But there’s one path even the locals too often forget: For food lovers There are several stalwarts just south of town (though you take Interstate 25 north to get there) that have been serving great food for a while now Among them are farm-to-table standout Arable locals’ favorite Cafe Fina and the venerable Upper Crust There’s also a popular outpost of the Santa Fe Brewing Co located in La Tienda shopping center just inside the entrance to the Eldorado community a few dining and drinks places have come and gone from La Tienda and The Agora (the grocery store-anchored complex on the opposite side of Avenida Vista Grande) But the latest lineup — which ranges from Greek cheese and food truck comfort food — is varied enough to give Eldorado residents plenty of options while making the neighborhood a destination for city-dwelling food lovers Make your first stop The Brunch Box Blue, a beguiling, bright-blue stationary food truck that formerly housed Mami & Papi’s. Opened in mid-March, the truck is serving a svelte menu of elevated comfort foods, including loaded biscuits, burritos, sandwiches and bowls. (Another comfort food-focused truck, Mas Chile, maschilesantafe.com When I called to order from The Brunch Box Blue for the first time the friendly voice on the other line steered me toward one of the two buttermilk biscuit creations: the Bougie ($12.50) wilted spinach and tomato; or the Country ($8.50) I opted for the Bougie — and I’m already primed to follow that advice It’s the kind of dish where every discrete component holds up on its own I imagine the same can be said for the sandwiches which include one with red chile-braised chicken mango habanero salsa and avocado cilantro crema and another with brown sugar-glazed pork belly that come in both vegan and meat lover’s varieties and incorporate hash browns and spiced black beans perfectly round sweet potato tots with a tangy peach ketchup ($3.50) and a chewy delicately salted slice of almond butter tart that managed to be both simple and complex I paired this brunch of kings with an Americano from the Eldorado Coffee Corral (eldoradocoffeecorral.com) just inside the main building a coffee shop that serves made-in-house pastries and sells real-deal bagels shipped fresh from New York Then I stopped in next door at El Sabor Gourmet Cheese a charming shop that sells a careful curation of cheese sandwiches and even ice cream by the scoop I bought a slim wedge of the award-winning Humboldt Fog and left with a promise to come back on a slower day to sample more of the shop’s enticing offerings it’s worth noting the former Thai Bistro has just launched a soft opening as Thai on Canyon at Eldorado a counterpart to its downtown restaurant (call 505-466-3535 for hours) I stopped by the beautifully transformed space occupied by Le Pommier Bistro Le Pommier serves a rich tapestry of classic French cuisine ranging from crepes and quiche to steak tartare But I kept it simple for my to-go order: a jambon beurre with pommes frites ($14) and a perfectly flaky croissant plucked from the display case out front cornichons and a generous slick of butter on a soft well-structured baguette — what more could you want in a satisfying dinner is serving some of the best burgers around toppings extra) with a choice of cheeses and optional additions like thick-cut bacon a hefty salad topped with falafel (or lamb and beef shawarma tzatziki and served with red wine vinaigrette One of the best things about Carmelita’s: Many of the items can be made vegan for no additional charge Near Carmelita’s, you can grab gourmet foodie gifts from the Enchanted Leaf Gift Shop, pantry provisions and craft ice cream by the pint from Arable, and everything else from the thoughtfully stocked Eldorado Supermarket. Starting April 5 (according to nativewingscoffee.com) stop by the Native Wings Coffee Shop to raise a mug to the newest piece of the Eldorado culinary scene you might catch Eldorado’s own farmers market in the La Tienda lot; here in the spring one recent afternoon I bought a dozen local eggs from the back of a truck before heading home a simple French dinner in the other — now that’s my idea of treasure Where: Look for the bright blue food truck on the back side of La Tienda More info: Find them on Facebook and order by phone at 505-660-7052 More info: Visit lepommierbistro.com Owner and chef Paul Wireman plates sea bass with black garlic butter as another photographer shoots advertising photos Wednesday at the new Fable Restaurant and Market in the Agora Shopping Center in Eldorado Nathaniel Squires restocks the pastry warmer at the new Fable Restaurant and Market in the Agora Shopping Center in Eldorado The restaurant is waiting for its liquor license to open buys an Italian sub and soup at the new Fable Restaurant and Market in the Agora Shopping Center in Eldorado Fable Restaurant and Market's market side is open already while the restaurant is expected to open in coming weeks House meats dried for 28 days with green chile chimichurri and mole rojo complete with oyster mushrooms and local beans for the Eldorado area south of Santa Fe about three years ago Paul Wireman is poised to open a restaurant with a flexible menu that will offer meats and produce from the southern Rocky Mountains and a modern American style of cuisine The new Fable Restaurant and Market is slated to open its doors in the Agora Shopping Center at 7 Avenida Vista Grande it will become one of several restaurants in a growing residential area A sample menu teases a variety of entrees and starters featuring strong regional influences "We're really trying to be connected to this community There's definitely a need for some more food choices out here without having to drive into Santa Fe," Wireman said "We're just excited to be offering a delicious product to the community." Wireman is waiting to secure a liquor license before opening the restaurant which will have the capacity to sit about 60 people indoors along with an outdoor patio that could hold about 40 people sandwiches and other goods is already open We bake focaccia and cookies everyday," Wireman said of the market from Monday through Friday and offers "grab-and go lunch" each day from 11 a.m The restaurant aims to have a smaller menu that changes often The Fable Restaurant and Market will open in the space that was occupied by Arable "You can come in and have a drink and a casual meal If you want to have a more elevated experience we will have those options as well," Wireman said Wireman has cooked professionally since the early 2000s He was the co-owner of Trio: An American Bistro in Jackson Hole before opting to move to Lamy with his family a couple of years ago He was also the co-owner of a modern American steakhouse on the Jackson Hole town square called Local Restaurant & Bar The Fable Restaurant and Market marks the latest chapter for Wireman Wireman's family embarked on a road trip across 30 states but kept circling back to the Santa Fe region lured by the high desert landscapes; his children go to school in Eldorado He characterized the restaurant as a family operation will play a role in the front of the house and develop the restaurant's wine list while a friend from Jackson Hole will help lead the restaurant's kitchen An application for the restaurant received by Santa Fe County related to the liquor license request seeks to define what the sensibility of the restaurant will be "The menu will feature local produce and proteins sourced directly from the farms and ranchers of the southern Rocky Mountains we are proud to work with small family farms and feature specialty items grown in fresh mountain soil,” states the application Other culinary options in the Eldorado area include Upper Crust Pizza Eldorado Taste of Maggie's Cocina and Fusion Tacos El Dorado Entrees included on a sample menu for the Fable Restaurant and Market include beef filet priced at $42; red chile beef short ribs with scallion gnocchi and Tucumcari cotija cheese priced at $32; and a summer vegetable pasta A burger is priced at $18 on the sample menu The interior of the restaurant features a green motif on the walls as well as faux brick — "farmhouse meets modern," Wireman said What: The market side of the Fable Restaurant & Market is now operating The restaurant is expected to open in the coming weeks The restaurant plans to be open from 4:30 p.m More information: fablesantafe.com Ana Montalvo prepares orders for customers at Fusion Tacos in January 2022 The owners plan to open an Eldorado location April 1 which started as a food truck and now has a dozen sites is expected to open April 1 at La Tienda at Eldorado The 13th Fusion Tacos is expected to open April 1 in Eldorado if all permits are in place which began as a food truck on Airport Road serves breakfast and lunch and offers a menu with a mix of tacos "fusion bowls," smoothies and protein shakes The new location will be at La Tienda at Eldorado and will be operated by Lopez's siblings Rene and Rita Lopez “I think it will be our biggest one,” Ramon said Ramon has not decided yet if the Eldorado site will offer counter service as it will be established in a full-fledged restaurant setting Ramon and Pedro Lopez started their Fusion Tacos food truck in November 2019 The business now has five locations in Santa Fe four in Albuquerque and locations in Española Ramon is venturing beyond Fusion Tacos with her daughter Daniella Lazoya to open Delicias Cafe in the former Santarepa Cafe space on Johnson Street in Santa Fe The 37,000-square-foot La Tienda at Eldorado retail center is fully occupied owner of La Tienda at Eldorado and its hardware store and their dog Wonder outside the shopping center they bought in 2009 ABOVE: Jeremy Myer makes a cup of hot cocoa for a costumer last week at The Coffee Wheel at La Tienda at Eldorado decorate the Christmas Tree at La Tienda on Thursday Throwing events has been the vehicle for Destiny Allison and Steve Ewers to transform the retail center from a nearly vacant property in 2009 into a fully occupied hub Throwing events has been the vehicle for Destiny Allison and Steve Ewers to transform La Tienda at Eldorado retail center from a nearly vacant property in 2009 into a fully occupied hub that is the pride of Eldorado also haven’t hurt in building business at the three-building 19-tenant center across from the Agora Shopping Center The center’s first Festival of Trees holiday celebration at 4:30 p.m Friday may just sound like the umpteenth event the couple has staged over the past 10 years it’s Allison’s next step in turning La Tienda into a regional destination The event will take place among 20 trees decorated by artists — among them a 9-foot menorah made of Legos Most of the trees will be auctioned off to benefit El Dorado Community School and Ken and Patty Adam Senior Center live music and a theatrical reading of A Christmas Carol by the Upstart Crows a youth Shakespeare troupe that has its office and rehearsal space at La Tienda and is an offshoot of the International Shakespeare Center Santa Fe “We’ve never had a holiday event out here,” Allison said Allison and Ewers purposely call it the “first annual” Festival of Trees They have done plenty of one-off events or activities for a few years “We want to do larger events that become annual,” she said “We are trying to assure how La Tienda can survive long-term Can we can create a core for this to be a regional destination?” annual events will bring more people to La Tienda They hope new visitors will see the unique retail center the couple have created buy something during an event — and come back again “It’s long-term awareness and short-term transactions,” Ewers said about attracting people from beyond the U.S The goal: “I would like Santa Feans to drive out here more often.” of a town village rather than a generic center with national retailers There is an eclectic mix among its 19 tenants one-stop-shop dynamic not typically found at shopping centers and there’s even a spot for goat yoga — where tiny goats walk on your back There also is a new food pantry (literally a pantry with two wood cabinets) and a variation on the Little Free Library concept — a pair of community bookshelves where people can take and leave books “We looked at what is missing in the community “I opened a hardware store because the only hardware store [in Eldorado] was closing and Utopia Salon as well as the Eldorado Fitness Studio an offshoot of his Eldorado True Value Hardware The couple still can build another 27,000 square feet “That would be our top priority: a market,” Allison said Allison and Ewers were new to commercial real estate when they bought the center a decade ago Allison was a sculptor and Ewers owned Santa Fe Computer Works They got to know the owner of what was originally “The Village of Eldorado,” built in 2006 but many interiors had never been finished and there was only one tenant The property was in foreclosure and Ewers bought the first note days before the public auction “We just saw it as an opportunity,” Ewers said and we want to make a difference in the community,” Allison added They didn’t immediately know what they were going to do with the center but they were certain of one thing: “This center has to have a soul because shopping centers are a soul-sucking business,” Allison said “We knew we needed to come up with a different way of doing business The concept I came up with was three words: community and had a grand opening that December with 13 tenants ‘We made this work.’ They take ownership in the success.” Simon Boses nearly three years ago opened Make Time “La Tienda reflects the community we live in,” Boses said “You can see parents talking with retirees while their children play at Make Time La Tienda is a place I see different generations interacting.” San Jose resident Joe Walfish was eating lunch at the Thai Bistro and said he was thrilled by the experience “I don’t think it’s as well known as it deserves to be In Eldorado there’s a shortage of restaurants Nam and Joe Lovato recently moved to Eldorado after previously owning Thai Cuisine Restaurant in Los Alamos and J&N Thai Bistro in Santa Fe newsletters and a determined focus on local businesses “We are going to be about building community,” Allison said La Tienda retail center tenants in Eldorado Detail: Holiday celebration among 20 trees decorated by artists Brian Berry’s company has installed auxiliary water storage tanks throughout Northern New Mexico ‘It’s getting to be a common thing,’ he says ‘I think the water table’s dropping a little bit and this is the most efficient and certainly the most economical way to assure you have enough water.’ Courtesy Brian Berry Brian Berry's company has installed auxiliary water storage tanks throughout Northern New Mexico ‘It's getting to be a common thing,’ he says ‘I think the water table's dropping a little bit and this is the most efficient and certainly the most economical way to assure you have enough water." Courtesy Brian Berry A large cistern ‘will solve the problem without drilling a new well which probably costs five times as much,’ says Brian Berry The water table in the Eldorado area is dropping according to two different kinds of experts general manager of the Eldorado Area Water & Sanitation District said water levels are declining in the area The district is operating a dozen of its own wells but it also is pursuing a connection to the Santa Fe County water system and a long-term service agreement for a share of that resource The other authority services private wells in the area owner of Puncher’s Supply Water Well Service and Repair also said he believes the water table is declining That could mean problems for private well owners in the case of a few hundred homes in western Eldorado four houses share a well that was dug in 1984 The residents had an infrequent but chronic problem of running out of water probably when all happened to be doing laundry at the same time That was solved by Puncher’s — a name held over from Berry’s previous business that made saddles and other cowpuncher equipment Berry installed and plumbed a 2,500-gallon water- That cost each of the four houses about $2,500 and a second pump inside the cistern delivers water to the houses has installed such auxiliary storage tanks in Tesuque and he is preparing to do another one in Los Cerrillos I think the water table’s dropping a little bit and this is the most efficient and certainly the most economical way to assure you have enough water,” Berry said “This will solve the problem without drilling a new well Asked if there are other strategies to fix such water-supply problems It’s easy to assume that with the higher amounts of rain and snow seen in the past year “The hydrogeologists say we’re extracting more water from the aquifer than is naturally replenished even when there aren’t drought conditions,” he noted King said there are just under 300 private wells in the Eldorado area which extends north of Old Las Vegas Highway and to Lamy and Galisteo He had just been to the Office of the State Engineer the day before trying to investigate what the state does regarding monitoring private wells the Eldorado water district’s administrative manager said the agency had learned from one of its board members “that the monitoring of private wells is done only the honor system That water is coming from the same source as ours is so it would be nice to know that no one is drawing more than they’re supposed to “We just want to get a better handle on what’s being used by private wells,” she said King said the state routinely monitors the district’s wells Those houses at the western end of the subdivision could get Eldorado Area Water & Sanitation District water extended to them “A new water-service connection for a property where we have an actual water line in front of property is $15,000,” King said adding the cost of extending the water main would be additional “The property owner would have to pay for the design and secure a contractor to install the pipeline to our standards.” It could all amount to as much as $300,000 — basically Powerball territory “And if you won the Powerball and installed the water line and you had neighbors who were interested we could figure out some kind of reimbursement Eldorado Coffee Corral gets bagels shipped in fresh from a bakery in Queens Eldorado Coffee Corral gets bagels shipped in fresh from a bakery in Queens A sampling of the in-house offerings at Eldorado Coffee Corral Let’s get right to the point: East Coasters You’ll find them just outside of Santa Fe at Eldorado Coffee Corral in La Tienda at Eldorado shopping center They’re individually wrapped and stacked in a small display case featuring a mix of the bagels Whoo’s Donuts and a range of other house-baked goodies they’re the real deal: This upstate New York transplant can vouch for it the hand-rolling or the boiling that gives them that signature glossy these bagels are all that and a side of schmear (here made in-house with cream cheese who owns the coffee shop with wife Kathleen King and son Sam King has them shipped in fresh from a bakery in Queens and we both missed a good bagel,” said Hawrylak They’d been ordering bagels shipped by the dozen to enjoy at home so when they began building the concept for the Coffee Corral they decided to add the bagels as an option Whether you miss the incomparable mouthfeel of a true New York bagel or you’ve never had one and just want to finally understand all the angles of the Great Santa Fe Bagel Debate $3 is all you need to pick up a plain or everything bagel or one of a rotating selection of other flavors You can also preorder a dozen or half-dozen from among some 20 flavors The family opened the Coffee Corral on April 1 in the space formerly occupied by The Coffee Wheel A chef who spent 16 years working for Sysco Hawrylak retired in October and soon realized he wasn’t ready to slow down completely “Being around the food industry all my life … there was some osmosis there as to what I felt would work as a coffee shop,” he said “My business plan was to have a locally roasted coffee that was organic and fair trade and to have as much food as possible that was made in-house.” They settled on coffee from local roaster Agapao as well as a medium roast from a small Colombian plantation owned by a friend’s family An inventive hot and cold coffee menu features classics as well as drinks like the Metro ($4.50) — a refreshing mix of iced sparkling water espresso and vanilla syrup — and the cheekily named Naughty Babysitter ($5) — a Cubano with honey The scones ($3) are a standout and can show up in flavors such as cranberry Highly recommended: adding housemade clotted cream and jam for an extra $1 as well as a savory offering that uses prosciutto and Gruyere from the new cheese shop “I feel like our businesses complement each other well,” he said then come get a bagel and I’ll put it on there for them.” most of the shop’s customers have come from Eldorado and Lamy and some have told him they appreciate not having to travel into town for one of those signature Whoo’s blue corn blueberry lavender doughnuts Santa Feans can find authentic New York bagels just down the road Where: In La Tienda retail area in Eldorado find them on Facebook or visit eldoradocoffeecorral.com Marco Rodriguez points out sections on a map of Eldorado for volunteers to canvass Monday in the search effort for his stepfather Jose Orozco-Montijo was last seen Friday walking on Torneo Road in Eldorado Family members have not found Jose Orozco-Montijo who has been missing from his Eldorado home for more than four days Family members of Jose Orozco-Montijo said despite a massive search effort Monday was last seen Friday afternoon walking on a street near his home in Eldorado About 100 people had taken part in a search for Orozco-Montijo including volunteers and search and rescue groups from around the state that used drones Search and rescue crews had also been deployed Saturday night to search who moved to the area from Gómez Farías in Chihuahua said Tuesday that family members felt like they had hit a “dead end” in their search and they no longer believe her grandfather is in Eldorado Some family members have begun to look for him in Santa Fe In spite of the large coordinated effort Monday with dozens of volunteers there have been no leads in the search for Orozco-Montijo who had been missing for four days — including some of the coldest nights the area has seen this winter Search and rescue groups were not likely to return to continue the search Orozco and another woman who has helped to organize the search for her grandfather said there are “gaps” in the public safety response to missing elderly people A Silver Alert was not issued by New Mexico State Police until Orozco called them and asked for such a notification Bolen and Orozco believe the state’s Silver Alerts should be distributed to people more urgently — perhaps as emergency text messages the same way Amber Alerts for missing children are issued and when I posted on [the social media site] NextDoor that’s when a lot of people in the neighborhood were asking me if I had done a Silver Alert if I had reached out to search and rescue,” Orozco said I had never been in a situation like this before.” Orozco-Montijo’s family members called the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office at 8:30 a.m but search and rescue crews were not deployed in Eldorado until about 12 hours later losing time they believe could have been critical to finding him but they returned to search for about seven hours Monday Orozco said her family members will continue to search She said a unique feature of her grandfather’s is his eyes are different colors Orozco-Montijo cannot see out of his left eye which appears as light blue while his right eye is brown “I feel like that is important information because you’re just not going to see a lot of people with only one working eye,” she said Almost 100 people took part in a search for Jose Orozco-Montijo who wandered away from his home in the community Friday afternoon Lawmakers are considering a handful of bills related to Silver Alerts missing elders and search and rescue procedures pose for a portrait at their home in Eldorado on Friday checks out the work in progress at his new Eldorado restaurant Friday barista and owner of Eldorado Coffee Corral Swiss cheese at El Sabor in Eldorado on Friday “We want people to come here and feel like we’re going to spend two hours in the French countryside,” co-owner Suzanne Eichler said French restaurants are thin pickings in Santa Fe and French restaurants that serve dinner are even thinner Soon-to-be-married couple Alain Jorand and Suzanne Eichler will go full-blown French with their Le Pommier They won’t be fortifying the French offerings in Santa Fe proper instead opening a bistro at La Tienda at Eldorado retail center Le Pommier will be in the former La Plancha de Eldorado restaurant space “We want people to come here and feel like we’re going to spend two hours in the French countryside,” Eichler said If you want to sit on the patio with your dog Jorand is from Reims in the Champagne province northeast of Paris He has owned French restaurants in Quebec; Florida; Buffalo N.Y.; and the non-French Flying Fish Café in Aspen He briefly was part of the Palace Restaurant ownership group in 2002 but hasn’t owned a restaurant since then She is already using his name on the Alain and Suzanne Jorand business card even though the wedding isn’t until Sept “The menu will be in French with English underneath,” Eichler said One of my favorites is the jambon beurre — baguette with ham and butter.” steak tartare and lamb stew curry and apples (le pommier translates to apple tree) Bouillabaisse and pot-au-feu will make guest appearances on the menu One menu item specifically reads Chef Alain’s Salade Niçoise He said so often salade niçoise strays from the traditional recipe Among the traditional ingredients are tomatoes this is what you are going to get,” Jorand said of his eponymous salad niçoise Le Pommier will open first for lunch and add dinner about a month later Jorand worked for 14 years at Peter Dent‘s Adobo Catering before taking three years off and now getting back into restaurants He left France in 1976 and made his first stop in Quebec opened Restaurant Enchanté and was introduced to the beef on weck sandwich that now defies the very French flavor of Le Pommier’s menu he heard about Palace Restaurant & Saloon being for sale in Santa Fe He and two partners bought it from Lino Pertusini Jorand stepped away a short while later but stayed in Santa Fe “We took a house in Eldorado in the past year,” Eichler said “We have a little community of friends here already We were looking to open a breakfast and lunch cafe Le Pommier will join the already-eclectic dining options at La Tienda “It’s a wonderful affirmation of the vitality of this community,” La Tienda co-owner Destiny Allison said of Le Pommier “We are offering a diverse array of food that is designed to entice and titillate your taste buds.” Married couple Kathleen King and Mark Hawrylak opened Eldorado Coffee Corral on April 1 at La Tienda The fair-trade organic coffees and teas are from Santa Fe roaster Agapao Coffee and Tea breads and sweet empanadas from Whoo’s Donuts Sweets and Meats opened in April at La Tienda Owner Ashley Scott carries about 20 varieties of cheese from Spain “I’m fifth-generation Santa Fe,” Scott said then moved to Colorado for a little bit and had a restaurant Eldorado Hotel & Spa’s Agave might be pricey—but it’s worth the splurge (505) 995-4530) might just be the most splurge-worthy restaurant in Santa Fe right now a number of readers reached out with some semblance of the same message I dropped by the restaurant on a recent blustery night and I might just need everyone to try and do the same if my insistence it’s an underrated joint is to carry any weight Agave’s ambiance impressed from the moment my companion and I entered the door a minimalist bit of Santa Fe-ish decor (which I mean that it’s almost like a one-time visitor’s understanding of what design should look like; but Agave’s in a downtown hotel so of course it is) and welcoming fireplaces The massive bar itself looms wrap-around style in the next room and in the center of everything—trés Cheers; no Woody—and the friendly wait staff greeted us with sincere vigor With the exception of a young family—whose discussion of their day skiing I overheard—and a couple of bar patrons along with fewer hotel guests in the shoulder season but a quiet night never bothers me when dining Our server Allison appeared almost immediately and proved exactly my kind of server: a student of human behavior who at first dips a toe in banter-wise but comfortably tells you and your date she thinks you’re super-cool She also had that earnest friendliness that’s so valuable in a waiter coupled with easily the most comfortable chair I’ve ever found in my life—restaurant or no—and the meal was off to a good start Agave’s menu teems with exciting options courtesy of chef Sandoval We could easily have made a meal from the starters alone which include a charcuterie board with fresh meats and cheeses ($25); crispy brussels sprouts with bacon ($12); and asparagus wrapped in prosciutto ($14) Something about the sweet chili-garlic shrimp with chorizo called our name and our server’s insistence that it’s the best starter on the menu had merit Sandoval must be some kind of shrimp genius because his lightly-seared version ranks among the most expertly cooked I’ve tasted—and I’ve lived near the sea they came served with two chunks of grill-kissed bread that added a slight crisp to the overall dish (crisp is the best texture it might be my new favorite chorizo of all time and its particular tang and salt counterbalanced the richness of the shrimp we scarfed an order of phenomenally tasty $6 fries Agave also boasts three classic salads: The house with fresh greens plus queso fresco and an avocado ranch dressing ($14); the classic Caesar with red chile-infused croutons ($15); and the wedge with heirloom cherry tomatoes and that’s precisely what my date did with the wedge salad “This salmon is cooked perfectly,” she noted “I’ve never had a piece of salmon this delicious.” I opted for the Kurobuta pork chop with creamy cheddar polenta and crispy brussels sprouts served atop a red chile demi-glace ($43), and I’m glad I did. Regular readers will no doubt be familiar with the time I sang the praises of a similar dish at downtown eatery La Mama from chef Jordan Isaacson (Mama Mia and though that tender sous vide number still haunts my dreams Sandoval’s—which could not have been more different—will live alongside it in infamy A firmer cut of bone-in pork served grilled Agave’s version helped create interlocking flavors with the sprouts and red chile demi by adding a little bit of creaminess to the dish Sandoval’s chop was also an excellent size especially for someone who’d already eaten fries and shrimp Sandoval sidestepped the most common brussels sprouts pitfalls—his has enough snap to be demonstrably fresh We closed the meal with the mango crème brûlée which came warm and topped with a generous bit of whipped cream Crème brûlée remains one of those restaurant litmus tests—if you can’t serve up a good one Agave’s had obviously been brûlée’d mere moments before it hit the table and as the refreshing mango flavors met with the sweet kiss of the crunchy top and the brilliantly thick whipped cream we had difficulty answering our server Alison when she came back to check on us but that tiny bit of pork chop sitting in my fridge today should tamp down at least some of the craving I’m still feeling Agave is a beautiful restaurant with a fine dining air and a menu to match And though I know it’s more of a splurge than everyday folks might be able to swing WebsiteVisit Website Two Rhode Island red hens wander around a yard of an Eldorado home in 2011 After thousands of dollars spent in a lengthy legal battle the New Mexico Court of Appeals reversed a judge’s decision to prohibit Eldorado residents from owning chickens The Eldorado Community Improvement Association filed suit against several Eldorado residents in 2012 to enforce covenants prohibiting animals The Eldorado subdivision’s years-long court fight over whether residents should be allowed to have backyard chicken coops which has cost tens of thousands of dollars in legal expenses the homeowners association board announced Friday it will accept an appeals court decision that overturned a judge’s order that had virtually banned live poultry in the community of about 2,650 homes southeast of Santa Fe birds or poultry except for “recognized household pets.” But the covenants do not specify what animals count as “recognized household pets.” A state district judge acknowledged the covenants are ambiguous but sided with the association in 2014 ordering residents to get rid of their backyard chickens The New Mexico Court of Appeals reversed that order in an 18-page decision issued March 28 citing a state Supreme Court ruling in a 1996 case that set a precedent for interpreting ambiguous subdivision covenants “in favor of the free enjoyment of the property and against restrictions.” The board’s announcement Friday confirmed it will not ask the New Mexico Supreme Court to take up the chicken-coop issue “The board has made this decision despite serious concerns about the arguments presented by the appellate judges but on general procedures relating to the interpretation of restrictive covenants,” the board’s statement said “A majority of the board feels that the ruling may have unintended consequences for all of us who own property in Eldorado and for other homeowners associations throughout the state.” The board said it nonetheless agreed it would be unfair for Eldorado residents to “bear the financial burden” of further pursuing the case The board signaled it will not seek to change the covenants and ban hens outright from the subdivision the board indicated it will “initiate a good faith process” to create guidelines for keeping hens in the subdivision while addressing issues such as the sizes of flocks architectural and environmental concerns as well as the process for handling nuisances “The board will also engage with the community about the possibility of adopting an amendment to our covenants allowing hens while averting similar conflicts in the future,” the statement said “We hope this will allow the community to come together again.” said she was thrilled by the board’s announcement Eigner does not raise chickens but fought when she lived in University City to change the town’s laws on keeping ducks Residents typically have room to accommodate a dozen chickens which in turn provide nutrients for the soil “They’re just part of what’s beautiful in life.” Andrew Oxford can be contacted at 505-986-3093 or aoxford@sfnewmexican First public hearing for controversial Rancho Viejo Solar project likely remains months away A large solar and energy storage facility south of the city of Santa Fe remains under review nearly one year after it was proposed The first public hearing on the development which has already sparked opposition from some residents of nearby Rancho San Marcos and Eldorado applied for a conditional-use permit for the Rancho Viejo Solar facility in January 2023 The proposed facility includes 96 megawatts of solar generation and 48 megawatts of battery storage on about 800 acres — enough to power 30,000 homes annually to provide a third-party review of the AES application asking AES for more detail on several parts of the application Santa Fe County staff members are in the process of hiring another third-party consultant to review the proposed battery energy storage system county spokeswoman Olivia Romo wrote in an email in December AES then will respond to questions from both reviews and update its application senior manager for project development and lead developer for the Rancho Viejo Solar project Once county staff has reviewed AES’ response it will submit a report to the Sustainable Land Development Code hearing officer and county Planning Commission to begin the “quasi-judicial public hearings,” Romo wrote The application would only go before the County Commission on an appeal While AES previously set a target construction date of April 2025 Mayer wrote the company no longer has a timeline for the facility’s construction as it focuses on getting the project approved Some nearby residents have organized in opposition to the project mostly over concerns about the risk of a thermal runaway fire caused by its lithium-ion battery energy storage system Thermal runaway is a process by which lithium-ion cells heat up uncontrollably Residents’ other concerns about the project include excessive water use and effects on wildlife such as migratory birds and burrowing owls Construction would require approximately 32.6 million to 48.9 million gallons of water over a one-year period and maintenance would require about 650,000-980,000 gallons per year “I am all for renewable energy, but it needs to be in a rational, responsible location,” said Camilla Brom, a Rancho San Marcos resident who started a website called “New Mexicans for Responsible Renewable Energy” with information about the project and people’s concerns about it The open area where AES proposed the facility which is about one mile south of Santa Fe city limits is dry and windy “almost on a daily basis,” she said “Putting something that is a fire risk into an already-known [area of] fire risk is just ludicrous; it doesn’t make sense,” she said “If there’s a fire and it gets out of the facility I’m pretty certain it would get to our neighborhoods before the fire department could get here just because of the winds that we have out in this area all the time.” She and other concerned residents have pointed to battery fires at two AES facilities in Arizona in 2019 and 2022 Mayer contends AES has been operating a “global fleet” of battery energy storage systems for over 15 years at which fire incidents have been “rare occurrences.” have reshaped the energy storage industry’s approach to … system design and safety,” and the “technology planned for the Rancho Viejo project will look and operate very differently from the technology used just a few years ago,” he wrote adding the project will have advanced safety monitoring The company’s application received a preliminary approval “with conditions” from the county fire department in September and its engineering process would include another hazard mitigation analysis with a site-specific fire risk assessment and first-responder plan The battery storage is a critical component of the project for reducing reliance on fossil fuels noting the facility would help New Mexico reach its goal of having 50% renewable energy by 2030 County commissioners voted unanimously last month to adopt more stringent fire safety standards for energy storage systems The county fire department had recommended the change after Eldorado resident Ashley Schannauer wrote a letter to the county calling energy storage system standards commissioners had adopted in August outdated The National Fire Protection Association updated its fire safety standards this year in response to “international incidents” of energy storage systems fires Public Safety Department Director Jaome Blay told commissioners The new standards include clearer requirements that energy storage systems will be able to detect and suppress fires control explosions and address thermal runaway The county also updated its definition of commercial solar facilities earlier this year to include energy storage — a change that led some to allege a violation of the Open Meetings Act Brom — who thinks the county should be categorizing the project as utility-scale solar rather than commercial solar — said the county should ensure it has thoroughly updated relevant ordinances and regulations before reviewing AES’ application the county decides this isn’t a good place [for it],” she said anticipates submitting an updated conditional-use permit application for its Rancho Viejo Solar project — a large solar and energy storage facility proposed south of the city of Santa Fe — after the county completes a third-party review of the project focused on its lithium-ion battery energy storage system • The project has already sparked opposition from some nearby residents mostly due to concerns the lithium-ion batteries would present a fire hazard • AES project leaders say advancing technology has increased the safety of battery energy storage systems and the project will help New Mexico reach its renewable energy goals Before construction can begin on the Rancho Viejo Solar facility the project must gain approval from county officials A global energy company planning a large and controversial solar development south of Santa Fe faces a delay that could mean breaking ground in 2025 if the project gains approval with operations expected to begin by early 2027 Construction on the Rancho Viejo Solar facility is expected to take a year Amid pushback from residents who live near the proposed industrial development — which would be built on 800 acres of private land about a mile off N.M northeast of the Rancho San Marcos subdivision and west of Eldorado — Santa Fe County is enlisting outside help for review of plans by renewable energy firm AES Corp This could add months to the county’s land use approval process AES Development Manager Jonathan Moore wrote in an email last week the company hopes to have the commercial operation running by Nov with a “guaranteed start date” in May 2027 The company adjusted the project’s schedule to align with Public Service Company of New Mexico’s energy procurement plan for 2026 to 2028 “and to better accommodate completion of detailed design acquisition of building permits and approvals and material procurement.” PNM and AES do not have a contract in place for the project PNM spokeswoman Kelly-Renae Huber wrote in an email Although PNM has seen delays in recent years on solar facilities to replace electricity generated from fossil fuel-powered plants that have shut down the utility anticipates “the delays on renewable projects clearing up in the coming years and not impacting PNM’s 100% carbon-free electricity goals.” More than three months have passed since the company submitted an application seeking a conditional-use permit to build and operate the commercial solar energy generation and storage facility in the county’s “Rural-Fringe” zoning district south of Santa Fe The facility would generate 96 megawatts of power and include a 48-megawatt battery energy storage system along with a 2-acre substation onsite “The project anticipates a fenced boundary of approximately 688 acres,” Moore wrote in an email “of which 233 acres will be covered by solar modules suspended on east-west trackers along with 4 acres for battery energy storage pads and 2 acres for a project substation sited in the northeast corner of the Project area Residents of nearby Rancho San Marcos and Eldorado have expressed safety concerns — particularly the potential for the lithium-ion battery system to overheat in a “thermal runaway” event They have cited thermal runaway and battery fire incidents at other solar farms in recent years including one at an AES facility in Chandler The county initiated a contract Tuesday with Terracon Consultants Inc a third-party review agency to examine AES’ application they will have twenty-five working days to conduct a complete review with a concentration on the environmental impact report that addresses the battery storage,” Romo wrote in an email AES will have an opportunity to respond to recommendations from the third-party review and amend its application before the document is brought before a staff hearing officer for a recommendation to the county Planning Commission An initial public hearing on the application may not occur until August A third-party review is common for such permit applications county Planning Director Robert Griego said Tuesday we identify which agencies need to review it,” Griego said it is an application for a project that we do not have the expertise to review internally.” 26 application for a conditional-use permit included several reports a site development plan and summaries of two 2022 meetings between AES staff and neighboring community members Battery storage at Rancho Viejo Solar would allow power to be generated during the day and stored until evening In a February letter to the Planning Commission resident Selma Eikelenboom-Schieveld asked the project be moved or that the county put firm rules in place to prevent the company “from cutting corners and endangering life Eldorado resident and wildlife biologist Carol Beidleman said she believes the county should consider approval of large developments like the proposed Rancho Viejo Solar facility with “rigorous evaluation.” Specifically large commercial projects should be reviewed as “developments of countywide impact” or those that have potential for far-reaching effects on the community we should look at where these sorts of facilities should be placed,” Beidleman said “and not have them placed where it’s opportunistic because a private company and a private landowner want to make a deal.” and it could be like the sort of fire that ran through Boulder [Colo.,] and caused millions in damage,” she said “Outside of the environmental aspects of it that A March letter from San Marcos Association President Dennis Kurtz argues the facility should not be eligible for a conditional-use permit He calls the planned solar farm a “utility-scale” project as opposed to the “neighborhood-scale” commercial solar operations that should be allowed in the sustainable land development code Kurtz said his organization has not taken a position on Rancho Viejo Solar but believes the proposed facility deserves the amount of countywide discussion that would come from the project qualifying as a development of countywide impact “Let everyone in the county have their say you only have to notify people within 500 feet We feel a larger discussion should happen.” A report included with AES’ application addresses the company’s plans for preventing a fire in the battery system the enclosures planned for this site will release fire suppressant in large concentrations directly into the initiating cell removing heat and preventing thermal runaway throughout the enclosure,” the fire protection plan states The company pledges to perform a hazard mitigation analysis along with a “site and product specific fire risk assessment and a first responder plan,” the report states The project is planned to be built in the county’s District 5 Hughes said he is prohibited from engaging in ex parte discussions about AES’ application which could come before the County Commission for a decision I really can’t comment on it,” Hughes said Thursday and I will consider everything when it comes before us A new road project is extending Avenida Eldorado in the Eldorado subdivision south of Santa Fe through an easement of state trust land is raising concerns that the road eventually will connect the semi-rural Eldorado with Rancho Viejo Rancho Viejo Limited Partnership's plan to build an extension of Avenida Eldorado the third entrance from Santa Fe to the subdivision of 2,650 homes south of the city Or the differences between neighbors about ground-based solar panels This is about a new concern among Eldorado residents: construction vehicles on Avenida Eldorado and a new locked gate at the cul-de-sac at the end of the road Rancho Viejo Limited Partnership is building an extension of Avenida Eldorado And that has stirred up a community that in recent years has fought over backyard chicken coops and has debated whether arrays of reflective surfaces following the sun across the sky to generate power are offensive in this neighborhood of widely spaced dwellings The roadwork is rekindling fears among Eldorado residents that their semi-rural community will be connected with Rancho Viejo a growing neighborhood on the city’s south side But landowner Warren Thompson sought to dismiss those worries saying the new roadway is nothing more than a driveway to a large parcel he’s hoping to sell as ranch land The road extension crosses state trust land and then goes south toward Thompson’s 1,083-acre parcel which lies just south of the Community College District and borders the Galisteo Basin Preserve Thompson’s father was a partner in a group that bought a vast tract of land and envisioned the sprawl of rooftops still underway in Rancho Viejo Leland Thompson and some partners purchased 23,000 acres south of Interstate 25 In what a consultant at the time called “enlightened altruism,” they donated some of their land for the Santa Fe Community College campus They also gave land to the Institute of American Indian Arts and Santa María de la Paz Catholic Community then developed 2,500 acres of what is now Rancho Viejo Thompson said Friday he wants to improve his vacant parcel to raise cash and hopes to sell it to someone who would like a ranch close to town The value of the parcel was listed as $166,000 in the Rancho Viejo group’s permit request for the road extension “I don’t see this as a development parcel,” Thompson said quite frankly.” Accessing the parcel from Avenida Eldorado rather than N.M “I understand people getting excited,” Thompson said but he only wants to provide access to his land when there was talk of connecting Richards Avenue which thrusts south of the Santa Fe city limits many residents worried that home burglaries and other crime would increase in their community It will be many years before this new extension of Avenida Eldorado could connect with N.M the Eldorado Community Improvement Association said the homeowners’ group has been receiving lots of calls from people concerned about the work the association’s board and staff didn’t know anything about it really,” said association President Dag Ryenn ‘What in the world is this?’ ” And they are worried that the new road could end up being a busy shortcut between N.M One homeowner said a permit notice for the work didn’t go up until a couple of days into the construction project said his property backs up to state trust land that lies just west of the Eldorado subdivision “It’s nice having all that open land back of us,” he said Ryen said Eldorado was not notified about the project by the property owner state land trust officials or county officials prior to the beginning of construction Rancho Viejo Limited Partnership paid $233,898 for a right of way from the State Land Office for an access road and utility easement “to service the lots being developed as Rancho Viejo,” according to a document The easement says the partnership intended for the new road to “eventually connect to all subdivided lands in Rancho Viejo and become a public road.” Rancho Viejo Limited Partnership applied for the latest road permit in May The county issued a permit to extend Avenida Eldorado in July The road is described as 20 feet wide and covered with base course The area on both sides of the road will be seeded with grasses such as blue grama Documents say the work is estimated to take about a month Thompson is to bring utilities to the ranch parcel and dig a domestic well which would entitle the buyer to 1 acre-foot of water per year He said there are good water supplies in the Galisteo Basin Preserve “I’m not doing anything anyone should be alarmed about,” he said Contact Anne Constable at 986-3022 or aconstable@sfnewmexican.com Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly spelled Dag Ryen's last name Marion Underwood was charged with multiple charges after allegedly shooting through a glass door A domestic dispute escalated to shots fired at a home in Eldorado and a 74-year-old woman faces several felony charges is accused of shooting through a glass door at her home pointing a pistol at a family member and threatening to shoot herself late Thursday night according to a statement of probable cause filed in Santa Fe County Magistrate Court Underwood was charged with aggravated assault shooting at an inhabited dwelling and property damage The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office said the incident occurred just after 11:30 p.m The pair had been in an argument earlier that evening The family member was alone in her bedroom when she heard two gunshots and breaking glass The family member told deputies she came out of the bedroom to see Underwood armed with a pistol She returned to the bedroom and tried to shut the door pointed the revolver at her and then threatened to shoot herself Underwood retreated to the casita next door Responding deputies found Underwood in the casita called her cellphone and ordered her to come out with her hands up She was booked later that night into the Santa Fe County jail Underwood entered no plea for the three fourth-degree felony charges and was released on $2,500 bond She is set to appear before Judge David Segura on Jan but you’re not sure about living in Santa Fe’s city center At Redfin we’ve collected 4 of the best Santa Fe suburbs to consider moving to And the best part is that they’re all less than 35 miles away from the city center You’ll be close enough to explore all of Santa Fe’s best activities Española is the first spot on our list of Santa Fe suburbs About 10,500 people live in this suburban area and you’ll only be about a 26 mile drive away from downtown Santa Fe you can grab a meal at one of the many local restaurants and explore what the town has to offer The second suburb on our list is Los Alamos Only 34 miles from the city center you can visit the Santa Fe Plaza in no time Some popular things to do in Los Alamos include checking out one of the historic spots in town like Los Alamos History Museum where you can find the Manhattan Project National Historical Park There are also plenty of outdoor activities like hiking the Los Alamos Mesa Trail or seeing the picturesque views from Anderson Overlook With a median home sale price of $582,400 and only about a 25 minute drive away Eldorado at Santa Fe is the next suburb on our list there are plenty of cool areas to explore in Eldorado at Santa Fe make sure to hike the Galisteo Basin Preserve Only slightly more expensive than Eldorado at Santa Fe is the suburb of White Rock About 5,900 people live in this Santa Fe suburb where you can hike the Big Enchilada Trailhead or the Blue Rock Trailhead and enjoy the beautiful views at White Rock Overlook Methodology: Whether a suburb was under a 35-mile drive from downtown Santa Fe. Median home sale price data and average rent price from the Redfin Data Center during December 2023. Population data sourced from the United States Census Bureau Alison is part of the Content Marketing team as a Content Marketing Manager Alison has written a variety of articles ranging from home design tips to housing affordability Alison currently resides in Seattle where you can find her catching a concert or exploring farmers’ markets Her dream home is a cottage-style house with a chef’s kitchen and a cozy room to store and play vinyl records 🇨🇦 Canada Updated January 2020: By searching, you agree to the Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy REDFIN IS COMMITTED TO AND ABIDES BY THE FAIR HOUSING ACT AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY ACT. READ REDFIN’S FAIR HOUSING POLICY NY Standard Operating Procedures TREC: Info About Brokerage Services, Consumer Protection Notice please call Redfin Customer Support for help at 1-844-759-7732 Nurse practitioner Warren Goldenberg of Eldorado Family Health examines Eben Cahan on Thursday Nurse practitioner Warren Goldenberg of Eldorado Family Health greets his patient The new family health center will focus on prevention services Nurse practitioner Warren Goldenberg of Eldorado Family Health takes Eben Cahan’s blood pressure Thursday Family nurse practitioner Warren Goldenberg is bringing his experience in illness prevention to his latest venture in Eldorado Family nurse practitioner Warren Goldenberg is bringing his experience in illness prevention and community mindedness to his latest venture in Eldorado last week opened his Eldorado Family Health center in La Tienda at Eldorado shopping center a pediatric nurse practitioner and a mental health counselor as well as a receptionist Goldenberg most recently worked as a nursing instructor at Santa Fe Community College and at Southwest Care Center in Santa Fe he provided medical care to the homeless on the streets of San Francisco “Primary care is very important,” Goldenberg said “It’s about preventing disease and distress and keeping people well “I don’t think there is enough access for people in Santa Fe (or anywhere in the area) to a primary care provider,” he said And that seemed to be the case in Eldorado the health center’s pediatric nurse practitioner said the Eldorado community and the area surrounding it have been growing and that the number of health providers has lagged behind the population Estimates of the area’s population range between 15,000 and 19,000 said several residents have told him they were leaving the community because of a lack of nearby medical services “Residents literally are saying there are not enough providers,” he said “The family health center and the opening of the Del Norte Pharmacy next door in the last few months has been a big deal for us,” Ewers added The only providers of any kind of health services have been a general practitioner in The Agora Shopping Center across Avenida Vista Grande from La Tienda The addition of the health center and pharmacy “fills in a big hole for us,” Ewers said “And we have not had a pediatrics specialist ever.” Goldenberg said the medical team will provide chronic and acute illness diagnoses mental health counseling (including substance-abuse issues) referrals to specialists and general primary and preventive care “We are trained and independently licensed and certified to do everything that a physician does in an outpatient setting,” Seluja said “We have master’s degrees in our nursing specialties.” emphasized that the center is not certified as an urgent care facility He and Seluja said nurse practitioners pooling their talents and resources to create a wellness center like Goldenberg’s reduces time and money spent complying with government and insurance regulations Setting up a private medical practice is riddled with expenses and cumbersome government and insurance bureaucracies A major reason for the failure of many startup medical-related businesses is failure to account for the expense and work hours that go into the “nightmare” of billing and insurance if you talk to any health care facility and the many many physicians who used to be in private practice in the last two decades what brought them down was the money and business end,” Seluja said “You can be the most amazing clinician and diagnostician in the world most health care people are not also accountants or have MBAs.” That also has resulted in major medical centers gobbling up the foundering small private practices Goldenberg hopes to expand further into the community offering educational programs and workshops on a medical topics ranging from diabetes awareness to early childhood development When: Same day appointments available from 8 a.m For information: Call 505-216-7772 or visit www.eldoradofamilyhealth.com The Eldorado Hotel & Spa in Santa Fe has been purchased by a group of New Mexican families has announced the purchase of the legendary Eldorado Hotel & Spa in Santa Fe by a group of New Mexican families led by native New Mexicans The Eldorado Hotel & Spa will join the other three Heritage Hotels & Resorts in Santa Fe including Hotel St Hotel Chimayo de Santa Fe and the Lodge at Santa Fe to create a very strong lodging presence in Santa Fe This will be the first time in its history that New Mexican families will own the property “The Eldorado Hotel & Spa is one of the premier properties in Santa Fe and New Mexico We are excited to add this property to our collection of culturally designed New Mexico hotels,” said Jim Long “All of our Heritage Hotels & Resorts offer guests an authentic New Mexico cultural experience and tell a unique story about our rich heritage and history The Eldorado Hotel will remain the premier Santa Fe property and enhance our presence in Santa Fe.” “Santa Fe is a world class traveler destination We feel very fortunate for the opportunity alongside the high quality and tenured Eldorado staff to provide an experience at the very top of expectations during our visitors stay in this beautiful city and state.” plan to keep the history and character of the Eldorado Hotel & Spa while expanding amenities and adding modern conveniences and improvements The hotel was built in 1986 and was designed by Santa Fe architect Financing for the acquisition was provided by Washington Federal and First National Bank of Santa Fe will serve as the hotel management company.  Copyright © 2012-2025 The Los Alamos Daily Post is the Official Newspaper of Record in Los Alamos County This Site and all information contained here including graphs and graphics is the property of the Los Alamos Daily Post Permission to reprint in whole or in part is hereby granted provided that the Los Alamos Daily Post and author/photographer are properly cited columnists and other contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of the Los Alamos Daily Post The Los Alamos Daily Post newspaper was founded Feb a third-grade teacher at El Dorado Community School high-fives some of her students Monday at the campus during a field day Gallegos was a recipient of Teachers Who Inspire for doing ‘incredible things within her classroom with student leadership.’ Luis Sánchez Saturno/The New Mexican a choir teacher at El Dorado Community School smiles after becoming a recipient of Teachers Who Inspire awards by Partners in Education a choir teacher at Eldorado Community School stands with his students Monday during the school’s field day Prenevost was a recipient of Teachers Who Inspire for empowering students and helping to grow the choral program is greeted by some of her students Monday at Eldorado Community School El Dorado choir teacher Galen Prenevost and third-grade teacher Josie Gallegos are recipients of 2017 Teachers Who Inspire awards the children of El Dorado Community School gathered Monday in rows on the football field for a surprise announcement executive director of Santa Fe Partners in Education told the students she was at the school to dole out Teachers Who Inspire awards granted every year to six or seven outstanding teachers in local public schools The award comes with a $1,200 check for the recipient El Dorado Community School had not one winner Almost as soon as Greeley started reading about the first recipient excited third-graders stood on the field and pointed toward their teacher G!” students chanted as she stood to receive her award El Dorado choir teacher Galen Prenevost was the sixth and final recipient of a 2017 Teachers Who Inspire award She was nominated by her peers at the school for her classroom dynamic Gallegos’ students rotate as assistant teachers in her classroom She uses the CHAMPs classroom management tool to teach children how to be successful in class “I think that relationship building is very important That’s something I really work on with the kids,” Gallegos said “We’re all in this together and there is this mutual respect with all of us We just want to help each other every day.” Principal Anne Darnton said each year she watches third-graders develop a better understanding of themselves as they progress through Gallegos’ classroom “She knows her craft incredibly well and does incredible things within her classroom with student leadership,” Darnton said Greeley said El Dorado school had two choirs when Prenevost arrived six years ago all of which received superior ratings at state performance assessments music education is all about helping students realize their potential and self-worth He teaches them that everyone has the potential to be a good singer and often stays late to help children with voice coaching “I empower them to believe in themselves as people through their voice,” Prenevost said that they are worthy and they deserve respect.” He’s noticed that when he praises students on their performances The confidence spreads and before too long Darnton said she always has tissues on hand for Prenevosts’ students choir performances which she said are always impressive and rather emotional I introduce concepts to them and if they’re getting them It matters how ready they are,” the choir teacher said “It’s important not to sell the kids short.” “They always meet my expectations and surpass them,” Prenevost said Contact Sami Edge at 505-986-3055 or sedge@sfnewmexican.com opened their doors in Eldorado about a month ago places sliced apples on a wedge salad Tuesday ABOVE: Grilled Kyzer bone-in pork chop with warm potato salad and bourbon carrots one of the specialties at the newly opened Arable restaurant in Eldorado of the new restaurant Arable gets salt ready for fresh schnitzel on Tuesday afternoon August 15 2017 Loyal Hound owners Renée Fox and Dave Readyhough serve up more ‘homemade comfort food’ favorites And if you already have a bona fide following which had its soft opening about a month ago is Restaurant 2.0 for Renée Fox and Dave Readyhough owners-masterminds of beloved Santa Fe gastropub Loyal Hound Arable is like the spinoff they always wished for “We have a lot of people who go to Loyal Hound who live out here,” Readyhough says “We see them at lunchtime and then we see them for dinner at Arable.” For those who live the 15 or so miles away having two of their three meals a day provided by Readyhough and Fox is a dream situation and they’ll invite friends from in town to come out for dinner The couple were approached by the landlord of Eldorado’s Agora (translation: the place where all the stuff is in Eldorado) to fill and transform the space vacated by Chez Dré The couple weren’t planning on opening a second place at all (except maybe a food truck) but anyone who’s a fan of Loyal Hound will appreciate It is a bit of a balancing act for Readyhough and Fox who don’t even live in Eldorado themselves (although Readyhough did live there years ago when he was an elementary school teacher) the bedroom community southeast of Santa Fe sometimes feels worlds away to people who have no reason to go there a coffee cart and its own grocery store but apart from a few places situated in between it and Santa Fe (Cafe Fina has never really had a culinary destination of its own “Loyal Hound is a gastropub and [Arable] is a farm-to-table restaurant,” Fox says but it’s a different style.” The vibe is the same living room-comfortable but still polished with all the careful attention to hospitable details managed or served at some of Santa Fe’s best restaurants; Readyhough opened the Bull Ring and Rio Chama The food is basically the same at both restaurants in most tangible ways Both feature upscale comfort food made with Readyhough and Fox’s obsessive attention to ingredients has a degree in culinary arts from Chicago and has worked both back and front of house in some of Santa Fe’s signature restaurants so people always ask us if we’re from the South,” says Readyhough “These menus are modern takes on the food I grew up eating,” Fox says It’s worth the short drive (and it is a lovely drive The menu at Arable is approachably small (and subject to lots of seasonal changes) and will be comfortably familiar to anyone who is a Loyal Hound devotee — Fox and Readyhough have replicated the farm-to-table just with different menu items (there are no repeats Some items are reminiscent of their Santa Fe restaurant: Small plates but Arable’s iteration is crafted with house-made tater tots green chile-roasted vegetable gravy and Old Windmill Dairy cheddar curds — a very different animal barbecue pork nachos with house-braised pork and even baby octopus on light mixed greens and baby potatoes The curried chicken hand pie is made with classic butter pie dough and filled with roasted like the “Knife & Fork Grilled Cheese” with green chile an Old World-sounding chicken schnitzel sandwich on a pretzel (!) with cider mayonnaise a gastropub-style burger with green chile peach butter and house-smoked pork belly on an English muffin expect meat-and-potatoes things like a grass-fed ribeye steak or a grilled pork chop The meat speaks for itself — Readyhough and Fox care as much about the quality of the ingredients as they do the preparation much of what they serve doesn’t need very much in the way of getting dressed to wow them at the ball “We try to balance the texures and the flavors There’s sweet elements in the savory items and savory items in the sweet food Arable is open only for dinner on weekdays but also serves brunch from 11 a.m on weekends with additional menu items that fit as much on the lunch side of the portmanteau as breakfast like the buttermilk biscuits that come with an utterly drinkable coffee-laced mushroom cream gravy and crispy onion strings (pro tip steak and eggs (I love the smell of ribeye in the morning) and a smothered breakfast burrito filled with house-made tater tots and local bacon And from the people who brought you Santa Fe’s best beignets there is a pecan sticky bun with fresh berries or dark chocolate olive oil cake There’s also a caramel ginger Belgian waffle the sweet version of the cult favorite waffles at Loyal Hound “We became famous for waffles at Loyal Hound,” Fox says “But this is a sweet waffle instead of a savory waffle and aside from the curated beers and bottled wines Arable features seven carefully selected wines and one cider from all over the country on tap which according to Readyhough is the city’s biggest selection of tapped wines But you should expect nothing less from two people who met over beer and wine — Fox worked for Fiasco Fine Wine when Readyhough worked at the Sleeping Dog Tavern and they met over his twice-a-week liquor order “He said I was stalking him because I was doing my job,” Fox says “When someone comes up once or twice a week with beer and wine in hand More information: Call 505-303-3816 or visit www.facebook.com/ArableSantaFe/ which left Tull in a coma for several months and resulted in the amputation of his legs an Eldorado resident who used humor and optimism to help him survive the painful effects of bubonic plague which took Tull’s legs and caused great pain “He was so happy to be alive each and every day,” she said “He would wake up in the mornings and be grateful for everything he had every day — for the birds and practiced law in both Texas and New Mexico with the plague in a much-publicized case in 2002 Doctors amputated both his legs to keep him alive and he underwent extensive physical therapy to regain basic motor skills “It’s not like I just had to get a regular plague … I had to get the worst kind of plague,” Tull said in a BBC interview bit the couple as they walked their dogs near their home before they embarked on a November 2002 trip to New York City The couple’s story attracted worldwide media attention Talitha Arnold of The United Church of Santa Fe said Tull was much more than a symbol of heroism in his battle against the disease “Part of being a heroic kind of person is that you are also a human being with the challenges that we all have with being a human being,” she said who was a volunteer with Atalaya Search and Rescue had also been part of the United Church’s “Pretty Good Guys” group comprising retired men who supported one another and their community Marker recalled meeting him for the first time on July 4 the day after he had taken part in his first search-and-rescue mission in Santa Fe “I guess I knew there were some of those but … He was intelligent and had beautiful blue eyes but Marker said Tull had three children from previous marriages He did not enjoy watching television but was a voracious reader he boasted to Arnold of a major literary accomplishment: “I read Proust!” and he had a tremendous compassion and empathy,” Arnold said Marker said the exact cause of Tull’s death is unclear but said he had been diagnosed with cancer a month ago The couple had been working together on a memoir The Plague: One Couple’s Journey to Hell and Back Marker said they were halfway done with the book She said a memorial celebration is planned for Aug Contact Robert Nott at 986-3021 or rnott@sfnewmexican.com LymeLine.com July 13, 2021 by Editor’s Note: This Op-ed was submitted by Alan Sheiness of Lyme How often have you stopped to notice how wonderfully bright and alive the stars are in our peaceful town of Lyme especially once turning off one of our ‘major thoroughfares’ like Rte That dark sky up there is a part of our world It is as much a gift to us as are the forests and everything else that makes Lyme special As part of the Sustainable CT effort (sustainablect.org) we seek to inform the public about light pollution and how to arrest its insidious spread across our region Light pollution is what occurs when a preponderance of lighting create a glare both locally and across entire swaths of geography which renders the night sky as a dim shadow of itself The universe is ours to behold just for the simple act of looking up at night in so many places all over the country and indeed the world light pollution is removing those vistas much as deforestation and asphalt and other aspects of modern life remove the natural wonders that are part of our terrestrial consciousness Guarding against light pollution really comes down to two simple principles: do not light what does not need to be lit do it with a source that is effective and efficient because of its almost non-existent commercialization and heavy forestation is indeed a miraculous enclave from the typical onslaught of ineffective lighting We can do so by ensuring that all new lighting projects no different than protecting a watershed or any other natural habitat To the extent that existing installations are night sky-unfriendly we should consider replacing those fixtures over time with ones that do a better job pointing down with an efficient light source and we can be a leader in the sky just as we are on the ground Please endeavor to learn more about the beauty of the night sky and the threat of light pollution A great place to start is here: International Dark-Sky Association.  Also, you can experience the splendor of our night sky first-hand, with experienced astronomers as your guide, by signing up for future observing sessions hosted by the Lyme Land Trust at lymelandtrust.org That look up there is through a window into our universe and it should be our intention to keep that window pristine for ourselves and our future generations Filed Under: Lyme, News, Op-Eds, Outdoors, Top Story Alan Sheiness – Thank you for your efforts to lead on this badly neglected issue Though the largest light polluters can do the most to reduce their output No one has to lose in order for US to all win on this issue Copyright © 2025 · Magazine Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in will host the annual meeting of the Society for Applied Anthropology starting Tuesday The five-day conference returns to Santa Fe for a fifth time Guests stop in at the Eldorado Hotel on San Francisco Street on Friday The company that owns the Eldorado has an agreement to sell the property to Heritage Hotels and Resorts a New Mexico-based chain that owns other historical properties in state A guest looks around the Eldorado Hotel on San Francisco Street The company that owns the Eldorado has an agreement to sell the property to Heritage Hotels which was originally developed by the late Manhattan real estate scion Bill Zeckendorf Jr. is under contract to be sold to Heritage Hotels and Resorts a New Mexico-based company that prides itself on owning properties that promote local culture and history Heritage Hotels and Resorts opened Hotel Albuquerque It has since taken over The Lodge at Santa Fe also has assumed ownership of the Garduño’s restaurant chain and the Keva Juice franchises in the Duke City Heritage President Adrian Perez is originally from Peñasco He graduated from The University of New Mexico and started with Long as a company intern corporate marketing and creative director for Heritage Hotels many of our employees are from New Mexico and have a long history of family roots in New Mexico and want to see New Mexico thrive,” Thompson said She said the hotel chain is proud of New Mexico culture and strives to get tourists and visitors to embrace “the steep cultural history of New Mexico.” Thompson said Long strives to celebrate the state traditions through his hotel designs is when the company purchased what was the Hotel Plaza Real on Washington Avenue and converted it into the Hotel Chimayó which showcases a Northern New Mexico theme The hotel features eight individual guest rooms that tell the stories of famous Taos women Heritage also owns Hotel Encanto de La Cruces The Eldorado is currently owned by a partnership led by the Guardian Life Insurance Co but the equity was sold to Guardian several years ago were the driving force behind the Eldorado Hotel Zeckendorf relocated to Santa Fe and met his wife here when she performed with The Santa Fe Opera The Eldorado development came about when he visited Santa Fe during Indian Market one year and couldn’t get a hotel room “We figured Santa Fe needed a new hotel,” he said when the hotel was celebrating its 25th anniversary But the project was not without controversy Many thought it was out of proportion with other downtown buildings and the $26 million project opened in April 1986 The Eldorado has 219 rooms and 22,000 square feet of meeting and event space a rooftop pool and several retail operations within the lobby and perimeter The Eldorado Hotel is managed by Benchmark Hospitality and the general manager said he could not comment on any sale as both parties were under a confidentiality agreement pending due diligence Heritage said it could not discuss the status of the transaction though some employees have been told about it Heritage now has 600 employees at its seven properties Randy Randall served at the general manager of the Eldorado Hotel from 1994 to 2005 and now heads the Santa Fe Convention and Visitors Bureau If the Heritage ownership comes to fruition he sees that as a positive for Santa Fe as the company can market all its properties in Santa Fe “Heritage already has a presence here and certainly having a significant hotel to add to their other three fine properties should be a benefit,” he said Contact Bruce Krasnow at brucek@sfnewmexican.com Los Alamos’ Jaiya Daniels wins the 100 meters in April at the Richard Harper Memorial track and field meet at Albuquerque Academy Daniels has transferred to Albuquerque Eldorado for her senior year Los Alamos’ Jaiya Daniels lands the winning triple jump April 15 during the Marilyn Sepulveda Meet of Champions at the UNM Track Complex The now-former Hilltoppers track and field star said this week she is attending Albuquerque Eldorado for her senior year Jaiya Daniels knew her future was no longer at Los Alamos High School It took the senior a couple of months to decide where she would make her next home Daniels is a state champion in multiple events at Los Alamos She also was a part of two Class 4A championship teams She joins a program that won the Class 5A title in the spring and features one of the best distance runners in the state Daniels began attending the school Wednesday I was able to feel real comfortable there in a new environment and feel confident,” Daniels said Comfort was a significant detail for Daniels no longer felt Jaiya was safe at Los Alamos The elder Daniels filed a lawsuit against Los Alamos Public Schools in November over what she claimed were the district’s repeated failures in responding to her equity complaints that created such a hostile environment that it amounted to discrimination a violation under the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 was subjected to several readings of a racial slur from John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men during her English class Jaiya said she told her mother the teacher repeated the slurs when confronted about using them Luckie Daniels also claimed in the suit she volunteered to run Los Alamos High’s equity council an advisory committee required at all New Mexico school districts and charter schools during the 2022-23 school year But officials kept her from participating in it for much of the year even after she was hired by the district as an equity The Los Alamos Superintendent Jennifer Guy did not comment for the December story “The Los Alamos Public Schools is committed to nondiscrimination and works to ensure our educational environment is free from harassing or discriminatory conduct.” Luckie said the only time Jaiya felt safe at the school was when she was at practice with the track and field team It made her daughter’s junior year a challenging one Jaiya said her emotional well-being might have contributed to some of the injuries she suffered during the spring She injured her left ankle early in the season then dealt with a left IT band injury for the final three weeks It forced her to withdraw from the finals of the 100 and 200 at the 4A state meet after she claimed the long and triple jump titles you can’t separate the impact of your environment and what it has on you,” Jaiya said sometimes athletes don’t think about what mental stress does to your body Both of the Daniels said the coaching staffs of the boys and girls track program were instrumental in helping Jaiya nurse her body and mind throughout the season Luckie said girls head coach Ernie Martinez has a special relationship with Jaiya because they knew each other when she was growing up in Taos and Ernie coached at the high school before going to Los Alamos in 2019 Jaiya said she felt a connection with Eagles head coach Chokri Dhaouadi and jumps coach Fanoy Walters that made Jaiya feel at ease at the school “She liked the cultural diversity of Eldorado and the campus feels a bit grittier,” Luckie added Jaiya also said she will attend the University of Houston on a track scholarship The program is coached by legendary Olympic sprinter Carl Lewis When she attended a track camp at the school in 2023 Lewis spent time with Jaiya on her jumping technique and offered her a few pointers “It’s a huge weight off my back,” Jaiya said “I know there are a lot of athletes right now here who haven’t decided on a school It’s something that’s off my plate for my senior year.” Susana Martinez makes her way out of a Yellow Ribbon Ceremony at the Santa Fe Readiness Center Aviation Support Center where she helped welcome 38 National Guard soldiers on Tuesday Martinez was hurried away afterward as reporters tried to ask her about the latest recording from a hotel disturbance in Santa Fe Governor's critics call her a liar after a new police recording reveals Martinez saying bottles were thrown off the balcony and other discrepancies in Eldorado Hotel incident After her holiday staff party last weekend at the Eldorado Hotel & Spa in downtown Santa Fe Susana Martinez learned of a disturbance complaint about her hotel room and personally intervened She told a hotel desk clerk and police dispatchers that law enforcement officers did not need to respond to the call and demanded to know who made the complaint Susana Martinez have long considered her a dirty fighter in campaigns and a politician with misguided policies But Tuesday marked the first time that Martinez’s political opponents attacked her personal integrity — calling her a liar based on a newly released police audio recording that revealed discrepancies in her first version of a disturbance at a hotel in Santa Fe this is not about the governor enjoying a few too many at her holiday party This is about her breathtaking lack of honesty and her appalling treatment of our law enforcement officers and the workers of the Eldorado Hotel,” said House Minority Leader Brian Egolf “Instead of taking responsibility for her action The Santa Fe police audio recording made public Tuesday includes Sgt Anthony Tapia saying Martinez was “inebriated” during a holiday party for her friends and staff that escalated to complaints that members of her entourage threw bottles from a fourth-floor balcony Martinez had said that she consumed only one and a half alcoholic drinks across several hours But the greater credibility issue for Martinez based on Tapia’s recording was that she admitted someone had thrown bottles from a room that she and others occupied at the Eldorado Hotel the night of Dec in her first public statements about the disturbance Martinez and her spokesman had insisted snowballs — not bottles — were thrown Tapia’s four-minute recording starts with a hotel employee talking with the governor The employee tells Martinez that he went to a room occupied by members of Martinez’s group The employee said he “personally heard how loud it was.” Martinez tells the employee she had been to the room two hours earlier and it was empty She also suggests she had been in the room even earlier when there was someone throwing bottles Do not be doing what you’re doing,’ ’’ Martinez tells the employee ‘Get the hell out and stop.’ But now the complaint is with the balcony and I am in there And there are no bottles being thrown over.” This differed from the account that her press aide gave after earlier police dispatch recordings were released to the New Mexican and other media outlets last week there had been complaints about noise and someone throwing what turned out to be snowballs from the balcony of that room earlier in the night while the governor was in the ballroom,” Sanchez said in a statement on Dec she was informed a complaint had been recently made and was also made aware of the earlier complaints the other guests left and the governor went downstairs to the front desk to find out more information about the complaints and assure the hotel staff that those who had caused those issues had long ago left Questioned Tuesday about the latest recording Sanchez repeated the original statement that nobody in Martinez’s group threw bottles from a balcony Sanchez said Martinez had only said that someone threw bottles because she was repeating the complaint made by the hotel staff the governor apologizes for the conduct of her staff the night of the holiday party She finds it absolutely unacceptable and plans to address this with her staff — which could include disciplinary action,” Sanchez said He also said police found no evidence of bottle throwing Martinez herself declined to answer questions about the hotel confrontation and the police investigation that she sought to halt She made a public appearance Tuesday in Santa Fe to welcome home soldiers who had been deployed to Kuwait and Iraq but she hurried away afterward as reporters tried to ask her about the latest recording a member of her security detail pushed away the hand of a KOB-TV cameraman and shoved a door closed as the cameraman tried to follow Martinez to her vehicle Although the Republican governor said nothing to the press Tuesday said in an interview that Martinez may have broken the law by telling Santa Fe police officers and dispatchers to end their investigation of the loud disturbance that may have included members of her party throwing bottles “If anyone tries to misdirect a criminal investigation she or he is subject to a criminal investigation,” said Sen “If this had involved a call to any other room in the hotel or any home there would have been a police report and an investigation.” knows well that the subject of a police inquiry should not be able to stifle that investigation Martinez used her position as governor to tell police to back off “Any regular person who tried to do what she did would be subject to a charge of obstruction disorderly conduct or interference” with police Attorney General Hector Balderas’ spokesman could not be reached Tuesday night regarding Sen Sanchez’s call for an investigation over whether the governor violated the law The episode at the hotel came just weeks after Martinez was touted as potential contender for vice president by Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio Martinez is scheduled to give her State of the State speech on Jan opening day of New Mexico’s legislative session The recordings from the Eldorado Hotel and dispatch calls have added a raw intensity to criticisms of Martinez and led many residents to say she is unfit to lead the state An online petition seeking her removal is but one of the public stands against Martinez Democratic legislators are among her harshest critics “New Mexico deserves leaders who do not bully citizens and public safety officers who acts arrogantly and brazenly believes she is above the law,” state Sen posted a public message saying Martinez had been dishonest in her account of what happened putting out misinformation in her response or the fact they spent $8,000 [of taxpayer money] on a holiday party He was reacting to reports of how much the function at the Eldorado cost Chris Sanchez of Martinez’s staff did not respond to a question about whether the figure was correct but he told television station KRQE that the figure was about right Sanchez said the governor’s contingency account paid $7,900 for rental of the hotel ballroom paid for the hotel room with her own personal funds Steinborn also zeroed in on how Martinez conducted herself at the hotel Martinez demanded to know who made the noise complaint about her group before saying police should leave because they weren’t needed along with her disabled sister and some six other people The New Mexican pointed out to aide Chris Sanchez that Martinez said in the recording released Tuesday that someone was throwing bottles off the balcony He said she had heard an earlier account of snowballs being thrown but said the difference was inconsequential “The governor does not believe that throwing snowballs off a 4th story balcony at night is somehow less serious than throwing a bottle,” he said in an email “Either behavior is dangerous and entirely unacceptable.” which was made by a standard device on his belt but the City Attorney’s Office said it didn’t exist City spokesman Matt Ross said Tuesday that he and the city’s records custodian were both out of the office Monday creating “some confusion about whether or not there was audio responsive to your request.” hotel employees told Martinez that her group was so loud it had driven a guest from her room The woman was in a hallway with her laptop when the governor spoke to hotel employees about disturbance complaints against her group Martinez asked who the woman in the hallway was and why she was in a corridor instead of her room obviously we’re not going to be able to move her,” Tapia told the employee I’ve only been really working here for like a month and a half,” the employee responded this actually is my first run-in with this sort of thing I would never expect the first time to be the governor I really don’t know what to do in this situation because like I can tell that she’s Tapia then offered his card to the employee and suggested the employee call if someone else made a noise complaint “We really can’t get them to leave,” the employee told Tapia I’ll see if I can get ahold of her security detail The officer also told the employee the trouble appeared resolved “at least for a little bit.” I’m hoping they like realize that they were loud and at least keeping it down,” the hotel employee said Chacón and Justin Horwath contributed to this report Contact Uriel J. Garcia at 986-3062 or urgarcia@sfnewmexican.com After her raucous “pizza party,” Martinez’s enduring image will be for bossism and bad manners Criticized for confronting a clerk at the Eldorado Hotel and a police dispatcher after a holiday party saying she wasn't trying to abuse her power Martinez-themed memes quickly spread online in wake of controversy Slow and sometimes incomplete responses to public records requests have undermined Martinez’s claims of transparency [Roundhouse Roundup blog] Just when the national publicity about Gov. Susana Martinez's infamous Christmas party after-party seemed to be dying down now the incident is making the papers again — on the comics page Artist often juxtaposing them with geometric abstract forms in a dream-like vision Todd Ryan White works from his Eldorado home studio Todd Ryan White moved to New Mexico to practice "Desert Solitaire." Literally the title of his latest solo exhibition at Santa Fe's Hecho Gallery White once taught graphic design at Boston's Museum School of Fine Arts these watercolors represent an extreme post-COVID shift from excess to simplicity Now living in Eldorado outside of Santa Fe White explores the landscapes and animals surrounding his home often juxtaposing them with geometric abstract forms in a dream-like vision These aren't the warm-and-fuzzy critters of Beatrix Potter fame White instead focuses his gaze on snakes and moths "I felt like the moth kept coming back as a symbol of transformation," White said in a telephone interview "The butterfly is the transformation of the day; the moth is the transformation of the night I felt like I was turning the moth into a butterfly "It really wasn't good enough." [gallery size="full" ids="2538569,2538568,2538566,2538565"] The detail is reminiscent of botanical prints The landscapes sprang from photographs White took at Ghost Ranch His mother was an art school student who dropped out when she gave birth to him But she gave her son private lessons beginning in the fourth grade White cites influences ranging from the late Arroyo Hondo artist Ken Price known for his abstract clay figures and prints "I've been to Ghost Ranch multiple times," he said His last extensive show took place at Santa Fe's Form & Concept in 2019 Those pieces were large – one spanned 10-by-15-feet – and dense with detail The pandemic allowed him to slow down and reflect "My artwork has always been volatile; always trying to say a lot about culture and violence," he said like an alien pulling the plant from the ground," he said More than three dozen Eldorado households were notified that another resident wants to add them as defendants in a lawsuit she filed against the Eldorado Community Improvement Association to force them to remove the ground-based solar collectors More than three dozen Eldorado households got some surprising wants to add them as defendants in a lawsuit she filed against the Eldorado Community Improvement Association to force them to remove the ground-based solar collectors they have installed to help power their homes in the subdivision southeast of Santa Fe Daigle also wants to add to the case all of the volunteers who served on the association’s board of directors and the association’s architectural committee since 2011 who were involved in approving some 40 such installations Daigle says the ground-based arrays violate the subdivision’s covenants A hearing on her motion is scheduled for April 22 who did not return a phone call seeking comment on her case She was among residents who strongly opposed allowing Eldorado lot owners to raise chickens under a “household pet” provision in the subdivision’s covenants When a judge ruled last year in a case brought by the association that homeowners do not have a right to keep hens in their backyards The chicken owners are appealing the decision the association spent more than $35,000 last year on the poultry covenant litigation and another nearly $37,000 on the case the year before is asking the court to determine that only roof-mounted solar equipment is allowed in Eldorado and to make everybody who has installed ground-mounted arrays to remove them there are about 200 solar installations in the community which was founded in the 1970s and adopted many passive solar techniques such as siting About 20 percent of the solar arrays are ground-based most visible arrays are drawing the ire of residents who value their views above many other Eldorado amenities Many of those people are urging homeowners in the market for solar to consider the advantages of rooftop solar equipment And many commenters on the website for Action Eldorado a group formed to defend the subdivision’s covenants The Eldorado Community Improvement Association has filed a summary judgment motion to dismiss Daigle’s lawsuit saying that solar is not prohibited in subdivision documents and that state statute says any covenant that effectively prohibits solar collectors is void “We’ve argued that the remedy she’s seeking would violate New Mexico statute.” The association also is arguing that it is too late for Daigle to bring other parties into the case said there are some very big installations in the community New Mexico’s Solar Rights Act says solar energy is a property right Homeowners associations can impose some conditions on solar collectors but can’t effectively prohibit them Eldorado’s covenants allow solar panels on roofs but do not specifically mention ground-based collectors include a section on solar collectors that allows property owners to seek variances to take advantage of natural screening on their lots and minimize the impact on their neighbors Some Eldorado residents were hoping the Legislature would clarify state law on solar installations in the most recent session property owners with ground-based solar systems are sitting tight until the court rules on the association’s motion 3-plus-kilowatt solar system when he built his house in Eldorado about four years ago said he “wasn’t very pleased” about the letter notifying him of Daigle’s intention to name him as a defendant in her suit He said based on his understanding of the case “Nothing in the covenants says you can’t have it,” Rodney said of ground-based solar who owns two properties in Eldorado and pays assessment fees on both said he is concerned about spending on legal fees “That money is spent not to improve Eldorado but to pay for frivolous lawsuits,” he said If she said the panels were giving her backaches But [the array] doesn’t affect her at all.” He likened the idea of banning ground-based arrays to prohibiting residents from using cellphones “We’ve wasted all this money on the chicken thing and now they are going after solar trackers,” he said “It’s a big waste of time and money for everybody.” another Eldorado property owner who has a 16-panel solar array on a tracker we have the right to have the solar,” she said and her installation was approved by the association I’m not sure how [Daigle] could even pursue it.” For people looking to find a home to raise a family in choosing a county is an important decision and family-friendly activities at the top of their wish lists Stacker compiled a list of the best counties to raise a family in New Mexico using data from Niche Niche ranks counties based on a variety of factors including cost of living The list features counties that boast some of the top schools and fun family-friendly activities for every season Keep reading to explore the best counties to raise a family Maybe you'll find one that suits your brood - Population: 20,084- Median home value: $171,400 (79% own)- Median rent: $763 (21% own)- Median household income: $47,247- Top public schools: Capitan Elementary School (grade A minus) Ruidoso Middle School (grade B+)- Top private schools: Ruidoso (grade B) Carrizozo (grade B+)- Top places to live: grade B  - Population: 48,716- Median home value: $139,300 (57% own)- Median rent: $917 (43% own)- Median household income: $51,199- Top public schools: Texico Middle School (grade A) Texico Elementary School (grade A)- Top private schools: Clovis Christian School (grade A)- Top places to live: Clovis (grade B minus) - Population: 218,157- Median home value: $162,200 (65% own)- Median rent: $785 (35% own)- Median household income: $47,151- Top public schools: Arrowhead Park Early College High School (grade A) White Sands Elementary School (grade A minus) Paul Taylor Academy (grade A minus)- Top private schools: Mesilla Valley Christian School (grade A minus) Calvary West Christian High School (grade B+)- Top places to live: Mesilla (grade A) - Population: 153,632- Median home value: $315,100 (71% own)- Median rent: $1,164 (29% own)- Median household income: $64,423- Top public schools: Turquoise Trail Charter School (grade A) Mandela International Magnet School (grade A) Academy for Technology & the Classics (grade A)- Top private schools: Santa Fe Preparatory School (grade A+) Santa Fe Waldorf School (grade A)- Top places to live: Eldorado at Santa Fe (grade B+) - Population: 67,298- Median home value: $123,000 (65% own)- Median rent: $826 (35% own)- Median household income: $46,949- Top public schools: Cloudcroft Elementary School (grade A) Cloudcroft Middle School (grade A minus)- Top private schools: Imago Dei Academy (grade A minus) Hay School (grade unavailable)- Top places to live: Boles Acres (grade B+) - Population: 19,223- Median home value: $117,600 (59% own)- Median rent: $769 (41% own)- Median household income: $47,897- Top public schools: Floyd Elementary School (grade A minus) Valencia Elementary School (grade B+)- Top private schools: Eastern New Mexico University Child Development Center Laboratory (grade unavailable)- Top places to live: Portales (grade B) - Population: 65,014- Median home value: $117,100 (67% own)- Median rent: $819 (33% own)- Median household income: $47,620- Top public schools: Sidney Gutierrez Middle School (grade A minus) New Mexico Military Institute (grade B+)- Top private schools: Gateway Christian School (grade B+) All Saints Catholic School of Roswell (grade unavailable) Immanuel Lutheran School (grade unavailable)- Top places to live: Roswell (grade B minus) - Population: 674,919- Median home value: $216,200 (63% own)- Median rent: $934 (37% own)- Median household income: $56,920- Top public schools: La Cueva High School (grade A+) Albuquerque Institute of Math & Science (grade A) Nex+Gen Academy (grade A)- Top private schools: Albuquerque Academy (grade A+) Menaul School (grade A+)- Top places to live: Sandia Heights (grade A+) - Population: 61,096- Median home value: $166,900 (71% own)- Median rent: $1,040 (29% own)- Median household income: $67,759- Top public schools: Roselawn Elementary School (grade A) Yeso Elementary School (grade A)- Top private schools: Artesia (grade B+) Carlsbad (grade B)- Top places to live: grade A minus - Population: 19,169- Median home value: $343,100 (74% own)- Median rent: $1,143 (26% own)- Median household income: $123,677- Top public schools: Mountain Elementary School (grade A+) Chamisa Elementary School (grade A)- Top private schools: Ponderosa Montessori School (grade unavailable) Canyoncito Montessori School & Child Care Center (grade unavailable)- Top places to live: Los Alamos (grade A+) Mesilla is a suburb of Las Cruces in Doña Ana County that has a population of 1,647 Mesilla offers a rural feel and is home to many young professionals and retirees The median household income is $65,809 and the median rent is $916 San Ysidro is a suburb of Las Cruces in Doña Ana County and has a population of 2,205 San Ysidro offers a suburban rural mix feel and many young professionals and retirees reside here The median rent is $847 and the median household income is $126,500 Santa Teresa is a suburb of El Paso in Doña Ana County with a population of 6,396 Santa Teresa offers a sparse suburban feel and many young professionals reside here The median rent is $934 and the median household income is $58,320 Sunland Park is a suburb of El Paso in Doña Ana County with a population of 16,773 Sunland Park offers a suburban rural mix feel and there are lots of parks The median rent is $718 and the median household income is $45,545 Chaparral is a town in Doña Ana County that offers a suburban rural mix feel and has many families residing there The population is 15,290 and the public schools are above average The median rent is $754 and the median household income is $44,219 Vado is a town in Doña Ana County with a population of 3,386 Vado offers a suburban rural mix feel and has many retirees residing there The median rent is $471 and the median household income $46,380 Anthony is a suburb of El Paso in Doña Ana County with a population of 8,708 Anthony has a suburban rural mix feel and the public schools are above average The median rent is $591 and the median household income is $27,406 Berino is a suburb of El Paso in Doña Ana County with a population of 1,250 Berino offers a suburban rural mix feel and the public schools are above average  The median rent is $478 and the median household income is $26,477 Dońa Ana is a suburb of Las Cruces that offers a suburban rural mix feel There is a population of 1,344 and the public schools are above average The median rent is $705 and the median household income is $26,223 San Pablo is a suburb of Las Cruces with a population of 449 San Pablo offers a suburban rural mix feel and the public schools are above average The median rent is $606 and the median household $50,717 Politicians know public ridicule is sometimes part of the job especially in the age of social media and viral memes Susana Martinez would trend nationally online for the way she says “pizza” As details emerged of Martinez’s confrontation with law enforcement officers and hotel staff following a boisterous party at the Eldorado Hotel & Spa on Dec New Mexico social media users eyed a target ripe for satirical skewering Within hours of The New Mexican’s first report Thursday fictitious images of Martinez throwing extravagant parties eating pizza and drinking proliferated throughout Facebook and Twitter They were typically accompanied by witticisms or other captions poking fun at the governor’s behavior Many of the memes focused on Martinez’s unusual pronunciation of the word pizza Some say she said “Puh-eet-za,” while others say it was closer to “pee-zah.” One of the first memes to pop up was a quickly constructed image of Martinez in a diaper partying with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles by Albuquerque artist Michael Wieclaw “We are in a room eating pizza,” Wieclaw’s depiction of Martinez said referring to the governor’s conversation with hotel employees and police dispatchers who runs an Albuquerque apparel shop called Metal the Brand said he was inspired to create the image after listening to the 911 calls I pictured the scene and how ridiculous the situation was It reminded me of something playfully animated.” Another user created an image featuring the image from Dos Equis beer’s The Most Interesting Man in the World advertising campaign Instead of the most interesting man’s usual tag line “I don’t always not throw bottles off the balcony it was six hours ago” — a jab at Martinez’s conflicting narratives of what happened at the Eldorado Hotel & Spa One Twitter user created an account with the name of SusanaPizzaMartinez and the Twitter handle “nmpartygirl.” The Twitter user has been sending out humorous messages about pizza partying and the news media’s treatment of Martinez which contained pizza and clinking beer glasses emojis read: “Ain’t no party like a Susana pizza party because a Susana pizza party is funded by taxpayer dollahs.” One of the more popular images features a Photoshopped image of Martinez’s head atop a man wearing a fur coat and holding a bottle of alcohol in each hand The image is captioned: “#partylikesusana” Another image features what appears to be the aftermath of a raucous party young adults are passed out in their underwear and covered in streamers The caption reads: “Susana Martinez be like we’re having only pizza.” But the satire wasn’t always just for laughs created an event to protest Martinez called “Impeach Her (Pizza) Party.” The same group has launched a petition calling for the ouster of Martinez Contact Chris Quintana at 986-3093 or cquintana@sfnewmexican.com Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly spelled Michael Wieclaw's last name Mandela International Magnet School’s Soloman Ehlers hugs his mother after receiving his award at the Super Scholars event hosted by Century Bank and The Santa Fe New Mexican on Wednesday at Eldorado Hotel & Spa smiles between her mother and sister before the presentation of awards at the Super Scholars event hosted by Century Bank and The Santa Fe New Mexican on Wednesday at Eldorado Hotel & Spa New Mexico School for the Arts’ Noelani Van Loon embraces her friend Loulee Wilson from Santa Fe Waldorf School while waiting in line to check in for the Super Scholars Wednesday at Eldorado Hotel & Spa Glass Star trophies were given to Super Scholars on Wednesday night during the awards ceremony one of the night’s presenters from Century Bank double checks the colleges the night’s Super Scholars would be attending before the the event hosted by Century Bank and The Santa Fe New Mexican on Wednesday at Eldorado Hotel & Spa makes the opening remarks for the Super Scholars event hosted by Century Bank and the newspaper Wednesday at Eldorado Hotel & Spa More than six dozen of the city’s most accomplished high school seniors were lauded for their achievements they are scholars — and they are much more More than six dozen of the city’s most accomplished high school seniors were lauded for their achievements at the 37th Super Scholars event held Wednesday night at the Eldorado Hotel & Spa Century Bank and The New Mexican sponsor Super Scholars which returned after a three-year absence due to the coronavirus pandemic many of the city’s top teachers also are lauded picked by the students as their most influential instructors It was an evening of celebration — and of eye-popping possibilities — as student after student heard an impressive list of their successes read to a ballroom full of parents Almost all are headed to college somewhere; some as close as Santa Fe Community College and others as far away as Massachusetts and Washington state parochial and charter schools were represented Some of the seniors starred on athletic fields or the stage in high school Others worked in finance or volunteered to help younger kids Still others simply tried to make things better for their schools future — was packed into a 2½-hour ceremony There was laughter and celebration and encouragement families and ancestors are all counting on you not only to become those doctors but to be poll workers and jurors and coaches and mentors in your communities and be part of something bigger than yourselves,” said New Mexican publisher Pat Dorsey a former speaker of the state House of Representatives encouraged students in the audience to hold onto the joy they found in high school “Don’t lose sight of what you’re passionate about,” he said At least that was the case for Santa Fe Indian School’s Hailey Capitan who came to the ceremony still dressed in her softball uniform SFIS defeated West Las Vegas in the state tournament Wednesday but Capitan — her cheekbones covered with gold glitter where eyeblack would normally be — said the Super Scholars honor helped make her day I represent my community and it’s really an honor,” said Capitan who grew up in the small northwestern New Mexico town of Crownpoint Those who helped the students get to graduation and beyond also were honored as teachers took center stage for a moment “The biggest honor,” said Monte del Sol teacher Elizabeth Tidrick “is watching them come into class every day.” The three-year absence of the event due to the pandemic was noticeable said Century Bank President and CEO Max Myers who said his organization had missed putting it on and kiddingly told the crowd that as a high school student he wouldn’t have been part of a Super Scholars group “It is such a classic opportunity to salute not just the students but the teachers,” he said in an interview Following are Santa Fe’s graduating high school seniors named as Super Scholars for 2023 and the teachers they named as their most influential instructors The Academy for Technology and the Classics The church is celebrating its 25th anniversary and will be consecrated this weekend Elias the Prophet Church in Eldorado is celebrating its 25th anniversary and will be consecrated this weekend This holy relic case will be part of a procession Friday at St and Dimitrios Alex Pappas prepare the altar Thursday at St The church’s pastor said such services normally are held once the building has been paid off but even though the final payment was made about 20 years ago previous pastors “just never seemed to have gotten around to it.” Twenty-five years after its doors opened to Santa Fe-area members of the Greek Orthodox faith — and anyone else who came calling — St Elias the Prophet Church in Eldorado will be consecrated this weekend — a baptism of sorts that a church official said “formally gives the church back to God.” said such services for Greek Orthodox churches normally are held once the building has been paid off His wife and three children remain in Athens Friday with Great Vespers and a procession of relics of “the three holy martyrs” into the church also will commemorate the church’s 25 years of service to the community and completion of the iconography on the walls and ceilings by specially trained artists from Athens The dozens of colorful depictions of Christ saints and angels on canvasses along the walls and ceilings were begun in 1998 and finally finished in May 2016 “We don’t have statues,” explained the Rev a monk on hand to assist Metropolitan Isaiah head of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Denver who will lead celebrations Saturday morning each of the iconographs represents a story depicting a holy event Pappas said each iconograph must be depicted in exacting detail according to traditions that go back hundreds of years followed by a procession three times around the church commemorating Joshua’s actions in the biblical battle of Jericho followed at 10 by liturgy services and then a luncheon Pappas said the parish — which today has 30 members — was founded in 1988 by the families of area land owners Alex and Niki Constantaras and Frank and Alice Carris Services originally were held in the Episcopal church on East Palace Avenue in Santa Fe until the church in Eldorado constructed in the shape of a Byzantine cross and visible from U.S said the church reminds her of one “like you would see in the hills above a village in Greece.” President April Dellas said she expects the parish will soon become more involved in the activities of the Eldorado community Orthodox Christians celebrate religious holidays according to the Julian calendar which put Pascha nearly a month after Western Easter this year Lena Hakim was hit by a car Friday south of Eldorado. She is in critical but stable condition at Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center. Photo courtesy of LinkedIn.com The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Department identified a woman hit by a car Friday evening south of the Eldorado subdivision as Lena Hakim An Eldorado resident contacted deputies after reading .. An Eldorado resident contacted deputies after reading descriptions of Hakim in news media reports Mendoza said the homeowner had been out of town for several months and had hired Hakim as a housesitter Hakim was in critical but stable condition at Christus St Vincent Regional Medical Center as of Tuesday evening and remained nonverbal because she was heavily sedated Mendoza said Hakim sustained multiple fractures during the accident Hakim is an environmental scientist, according to her LinkedIn.com profile and works as a research associate at Consortium for Capacity Building a program at the University of Colorado at Boulder Hakim earned a master’s degree in environmental science and regional planning from Washington State University She also studied at The University of New Mexico Authorities said Hakim was walking on unlit Ranch Road at about 9 p.m Friday when she was hit by a car driven by a 33-year-old man on his way home from a grocery store “The driver stated that it was dark and initially thought it was possibly an owl,” Mendoza said Monday Mendoza said the two-door car sustained damage to its driver’s-side headlight whose name wasn’t released because he has not been charged with a crime rushed a quarter-mile to his home and told his roommate to call 911 He then went back to the scene with a flashlight and found a shoe on the road and the woman on the side of the road Attempts to reach a relative of Hakim in Albuquerque on Tuesday were unsuccessful Hakim has family in Albuquerque and in Austin has worked as a senior scientist and project manager at Tetra Tech a California-based sustainable energy company that has an office in Santa Fe She also has contributed articles to the Green Fire Times Contact Nico Roesler at 986-3089 or nroesler@sfnewmexican.com owner Dean Alexis and general manager Ted Vigil sit at the serving counter last week at the soon-to-be-opened pizzeria in Eldorado A sign advertising the new location of Upper Crust Pizza in Eldorado where the former Blue Moon Cafe was located there seems to be agreement on something: Upper Crust Pizza The downtown pizza restaurant has been planning its expansion to the corridor for months and owner Dean Alexis said residents have been encouraging him to hustle along as work crews finish turning what had been for nine years the Blue Moon Cafe at U.S 84/285 and Avenida Vista Grande into the second Upper Crust outlet So far no one has erected protest signs or sued anybody the Upper Crust site isn’t within the borders of Eldorado next to the Phillips 66 gas station and convenience store owned by developer Joseph Miller which will include sales of locally brewed craft beer and wines The service is expected to start early next week Alexis also said the restaurant would feature live music on the patio during the summer Alexis said he expects his home-delivery market will include about 9,000 people from the approximately 3,000 homes in Eldorado and the rest from nearby areas of Los Vaqueros mountain ridge residences and the KOA campgrounds “We can then expand based on our ability to get the food out,” he said Alexis said the site seemed to be an obvious choice for such a restaurant because he already owned the building and the area has a large population that is not being served by restaurants that keep regular “people won’t have to go on Google to find out if a restaurant is open any particular day or time … We will be open regular hours every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas.” Initial plans are for Upper Crust to be open from 11 a.m with the possible expansion of night hours especially on weekends if it appears the customer traffic will support it Alexis also said that he already has a reliable contingent of knowledgeable workers at the downtown location who can initially help staff the new site and train new employees including adding a service and wine and beer counter but is not expanding the overall space from the current 1,250 square feet — except for the outside dining area The restaurant will be able to accommodate 40 people on the patio and about 45 customers inside Alexis said they expect to employ about 16 people including co-manager Ted Vigil a long-time assistant manager at Tortilla Flats Alexis has had his hands in the pizza business since his law school days in 1979 at the University of New Hampshire in Concord when he began making pizzas with a recipe from a roommate He has owned the Upper Crust Pizza at 329 Old Santa Fe Trail for 37 years as well as being the longtime owner of Tortilla Flats restaurant He and a boyhood friend also owned a pizza restaurant in Jackson Alexis purchased the new Eldorado site at 5 Colina Drive in 2007 and leased the building to husband and wife Buddy Merrell and Melinda McMillin who ran the Blue Moon Cafe there until health issues forced them to close last December “It was a good location for us,” Merrell said “We got a lot of travel traffic … a lot of regular summer business But over time my knee kept getting worse and worse.” The couple plan to return to their home in Austin the site had been home to Mariana’s Barbecue restaurant Alexis said he had wanted to find a credit union for the site but there were no bites “All there is [in Eldorado is] First National Bank It would seem like that would be a good balance He said the new Upper Crust will feature three types of crust — traditional Italian whole wheat and one made from a gluten-free recipe at no extra cost “I think it strengthens the community,” she said “We’re able to access a lot of people who might not want to leave their homes.” Website: uppercrustpizza.com LAS CRUCES - The timing could not have worked out any better for Steve Castille.  Castille was looking for a job in the Las Cruces area after his wife recently accepted the Office of Institutional Equity Director position at New Mexico State University Castille wasn't looking for a head coaching job but it just so happened the Oñate football coaching position was open after Scott Veliz stepped away after two seasons.  "My wife is from the area and she had moved with me to Santa Fe for me so I was happy to support her," said Castille who had head coaching experience at Santa Fe Capital and has been at Eldorado for the past nine seasons.  Oñate has proven to be a challenge for many a football coach.  But it typically it is not for a lack of community support.  "If you have been around high school football in New Mexico there are certain cities that do things right and Las Cruces is always right at or near the top," Castille said "They treat youth sports well with high school football at the top of the list Castille spent Friday in Las Cruces meeting with the Knights and interviewing assistant coaches.  "I met with a few of the assistant coaches  and many of them will have a job but right now I don't know in what capacity," said Castille who hopes to have 11 coaches on his staff.  Castille has spent the past nine seasons as the offensive coordinator at Eldorado High in Albuquerque The Eagles have won seven playoff games during that span with two big school semifinal appearances and a runner-up finish in 2015 The Knights were 3-17 under Veliz and have not made the playoffs since 2016 "They have more kids on the roster and in the program than at Eldorado and they have all the facilities that you need for success," Castille said "I told the team that we will keep grinding away and the wins are going to come." Castille was also the Santa Fe Capital head coach for six seasons with four state playoff appearances before stepping away in 2010.  "What I would say for him is that he has rebuilt programs before," said longtime Eldorado head coach Charlie Dotson "He understands process and getting numberrs He has done that before so it's not something different for him." Dotson gave Castille autonomy over the Eagles spread offense He expects Castille to adapt the Knights system to fit their roster.  "He will get down there and see what he has and kind of go from there," Dotson said.  Sports Editor Jason Groves can be reached at 575-541-5459 or jgroves@lcsun-news.com Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker