IN BRIEF.

Byline: THE NEW MEXICAN 

Gallina prescribed burn under way

Firefighters are currently conducting a two-day prescribed burn of up to 100 acres one mile south of Gallina off of N.M. 96 in the Coyote Ranger District. Ninety-five acres were treated Monday.

Smoke may be visible from Gallina, Lindrith, Regina and Llaves.

Firefighters decided the moisture levels in the forest, the weather forecasts and current air quality were at the right levels to start burning. Depending on how the burn goes, it may take firefighters two days to complete the job.

For more information, call the fire management hotline at 1-877-971-FIRE or go to the Santa Fe National Forest website at http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/sfe.

PNM proposes pay-as-you-go for renewable energy 

Public Service Company of New Mexico proposes charging customers extra on their bills as electricity generated from solar, wind and geothermal systems becomes available. The proposal is part of the 2013-14 renewable energy procurement plan PNM filed with the Public Regulation Commission on Monday afternoon.

New Mexico requires public and investor-owned utilities to meet standards for renewable energy every year. PNM, the state's largest utility, lags in meeting the standards currently.

Among PNM's proposed sources of renewable energy through 2014: PNM would buy geothermal energy from Lightning Dock Geothermal Project near Lordsburg, N.M., under a proposed 20-year contract, and would add 20 megawatts of new solar energy capacity by adding photovoltaic panels to the company's facilities in Los Lunas, Alamogordo and Deming. Currently, the company owns 22 megawatts of solar capacity. Customers could install up to 9 megawatts of solar capacity on their rooftops, tied into the electric grid, under the plan and receive renewable energy credits from the company.

Rio Grande Gorge Bridge closures announced

The Rio Grande Gorge Bridge on U.S. 64, northwest of Taos, will be closed at night in both directions from Wednesday through May 20. The closures are to permit demolition of the existing bridge deck and placement of a new polyester concrete surface.

First responders will be permitted to cross the bridge during the construction closure, which will run from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily. Pedestrians will not be permitted to use the bridge during closure periods.

For more information, call Rosanne Rodriguez at the New Mexico Department of Transportation, District 5, at 476-4205.

New parking kiosks at cathedral lot

Five pay-and-display parking payment machines have been installed in the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi parking lots at 215 Cathedral Place and 251 E. Alameda St. The parking machines are clearly marked with a "Pay Here" sign.

The machines are intended to make parking easier by permitting drivers to pay in advance for parking using cash, or credit and debit cards. Once payment is made, a ticket is issued, which drivers place on their dashboard. The rate is $2 per hour up to a maximum of $10 per day per space used.

Automobiles can be parked in both lots. Buses, RVs and trailers can park in the Alameda lot, and must pay according to the spaces taken up. In addition, drivers now can find a city parking facility using Google Maps from a cellphone or other device with navigation capabilities.

For more information on the city Parking Division, call 955-6581.

New Mexico Voices for Kids hires Garcia

New Mexico Voices for Children, an Albuquerque-based nonpartisan nonprofit that advocates for the well-being of New Mexico's children and families, announced last week that it has hired Veronica C. Garcia as its new executive director. Garcia was appointed as New Mexico's first Cabinet Secretary of Education in 2003. She begins her new job in June.

El Dorado hosts art show

El Dorado Community School invites the public to its annual Rock the Arts 2012 show, featuring a student art gallery, interactive art tables where people can make creative projects, musical performances, and a silent auction, among other offerings. This free event, which includes light refreshments and snacks, takes place from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 1, at the school, located at 2 Avenida Torreon in Eldorado, 467-4900. Artwork and T-shirts are for sale, with proceeds benefiting the arts and music programs at the school.

The school has been undergoing an extensive remodel that will continue through the summer, although teachers and students moved into their newly renovated class rooms in mid-April.

School board votes on super salary

Santa Fe Public Schools' Board of Education is slated to vote on the salary of the next school superintendent at a board meeting scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 1, at the district's Educational Services Center, 610 Alta Vista St. The agenda, available at sfps.info, includes a public forum.

The board voted to buy out current superintendent Bobbie Gutierrez's contract in late February. It hired the Iowa-based search firm Ray and Associates to recruit and hire a new superintendent for the 2012-13 school year. The board plans to offer the new superintendent $190,000 a year. Gutierrez earns about $115,000 per year.

Also on Tuesday, a meeting of the district's new superintendent search advisory committee and Ray and Associates is set for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the library at Santa Fe High School, 2100 Yucca Road. The committee has 19 people on it. A second advisory committee meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the library at Ortiz Middle School, 4164 South Meadows Road. Both meetings are open to the public.