SantaFe.com

Coming from as far as Switzerland and Canada, a few hundred people gathered Sunday afternoon at the College of Santa Fe to celebrate the life of Tibetan Buddhist scholar and northern New Mexico "living treasure" Lobsang Lhalungpa, 80, who died last week in a car crash.

The drab interior of Alumni Hall was transformed into a riot of color with prayer flags and banners, reams of soft fabric and Asian rugs. On a small central stage sat monks from the Drepung Loseling Monastery in India, surrounding a photograph of a serenely smiling Lhalungpa.

"I want to thank you all in this community for...

Monday, May 5, 2008
by Kiera Hay • Journal Santa Fe

Thornburg Mortgage is under investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and is being reviewed by the New York Stock Exchange, according to a regulatory filing posted by the troubled company on Monday.

"It is significant, and it is something for the company to worry about, but it doesn't necessarily mean there was any violation of the law," said Erik Gerding, a business law professor at the University of New Mexico.

In the filing, Thornburg said it received a letter from the New York Stock Exchange, dated March 6, that said the agency is reviewing stock transactions made...

Wednesday, April 30, 2008
by Kiera Hay • Journal Santa Fe

Forget the world-class skiing and art. There's a new reason to visit Taos: The small northern New Mexico burg was recently designated a "Fair Trade Town."

The recognition, awarded in March by the nonprofit Asheville, N.C.-based Fair Trade Towns USA, came a month after the Taos Town Council approved a resolution "recognizing the value of 'Fair Trade' in vastly improving the lives of farmers and crafts people around the world, and encouraging all Town of Taos businesses and institutions to sell and use Fair Trade products whenever possible."

"There are a lot of people here already involved...

Tuesday, April 29, 2008
by Kiera Hay • Journal Santa Fe

Ah, Mount Everest. Prize of the "Land of Snows" and beguiler of an exponentially increasing number of adventure seekers following the siren call of their own particular muse.

Yet, it's not the majesty of the peak that has taken center stage over the last decade or so, but rather the sometimes soulless antics— viewed by many as a warped morality play— of corrupt outfitters and an increasing number of part-time climbers willing to pay up to $60,000 for a little glory. The 2006 climbing season, in which 11 people died during what constituted Everest's second deadliest stretch ever, did little...

Sunday, April 27, 2008
by Kiera Hay • Journal Santa Fe

A world-class film studio proposed for construction in south Santa Fe took a major step closer to reality Tuesday with the purchase by Santa Fe County of 65 acres from the State Land Office.

The move clears the way for the county to begin negotiations with Santa Fe Studios, which is hoping to build a 172,000 square-foot, eco-friendly facility on the land off N.M 14 south of town.

Officials at the Land Office Tuesday accepted a $1.82 million check from the county. An additional $480,000 was credited toward the purchase for infrastructure improvements on the site, which has been leased by the...

Wednesday, April 23, 2008
by Kiera Hay • Journal Santa Fe

Apparently, the "Family Guy" is no laughing matter at St. Vincent Regional Medical Center.

A picture of the animated television show's diabolical, British-accented baby, Stewart Gilligan "Stewie" Griffin, has hospital officials, well, stewing.

Three hospital workers were placed on administrative leave Tuesday after a security camera caught them inserting a picture of Stewie onto the wall space formerly occupied by a photo of recently departed St. Vincent chief operating officer Rick Crabtree.

"It was just meant to be a joke," said technician Mary Smith, one of the employees involved in the...

Wednesday, April 23, 2008
by Kiera Hay • Journal Santa Fe

Baby steps, Carolyn Lee is convinced, is the best path to sustained environmental friendliness at her small Santa Fe hotels.

Over the past year, the Santa Fe businesswoman has gradually upped the green ante at two of her downtown properties, Hacienda Nicholas and The Madeleine Inn, using a piecemeal approach of a water-conserving washing machine here and cloth bin liner there.

"Basically, now every time I go to buy a new appliance or product, everything is done as an eco-friendly purchase," Lee said.

Lee has been running Hacienda Nicholas and The Madeleine Inn, located near each other at...

Tuesday, April 22, 2008 at 2:52 PM
by Kiera Hay • Journal Santa Fe

Expired medicine. Acrylic Enamel Reducer. "Old, old, old" paint. From the mundane to the flammable, it was collected Sunday during the once-a-year Household Hazardous Waste Drop-off Day at the Buckman Road Recycling and Transfer Station west of downtown.

"There's lots of things the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has banned. Grandpa dies and his family cleans out his garage," said Kaye Schneider, a worker helping sort materials at the site.

About 900 cars were expected to make the trek this year to the free drop-off, which was sponsored by the city and county of Santa Fe and Santa...

Monday, April 21, 2008
by Kiera Hay • Journal Santa Fe

One of Santa Fe's more high-profile fundraisers kicked off Thursday, as a press conference at Vanessie of Santa Fe heralded the start of the fifth annual Health and Human Services Week.

The "week" technically runs from April 20-26, but events began Thursday and continue through May. They include five free health fairs, educational programs and a fashion show luncheon on April 25.

"We are at a very exciting moment in the evolution of this event," said organizer Fran Mullin, owner of Vanessie.

Health and Human Services Week, designed to raise both money and awareness of local nonprofits and...

Friday, April 11, 2008
by Kiera Hay • Journal Santa Fe

Santa Fe's housing slump continued during the first quarter of 2008, with the latest statistics from the Santa Fe Association of Realtors showing declines in both median home prices and total sales.

Home values were hit particularly hard. Median prices January through March in the Santa Fe area— within the city limits and in county territory nearby— clocked in at $353,900, down from $433,500 in the fourth quarter of 2007 and $425,000 from the same period last year.

That's a drop of about 17 percent year to year.

"In every area, the median price has more or less gone down," association...

Thursday, April 10, 2008
by Kiera Hay • Journal Santa Fe