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Demonsâ new coach brings changes
December 10, 2023
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2023
River trail extension Work on long-awaited addition expected to begin as soon as May, but much depends on weather. LOCAL & REGION, C-1
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âSOMEONE TO LISTENâ AG awards
fire claims contract to 3rd-place bid
Navigator helps survivors of devastating blaze find way to much-needed relief, assistance
Deal worth potentially millions of dollars was already part of political controversy By Daniel J. ChacĂłn
dchacon@sfnewmexican.com
Calf Canyon Fire of 2022. âBut you can help them rebuild.â A âďŹeld navigatorâ for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Medina spends day after day with victims of the ďŹre, working to clear red tape and explain the sometimesdifficult process by which they can be reimbursed for their losses. He says there are days of success, but also struggle â largely because he knows there are limits to making people whole. And so it was last week in the small community of Tierra Monte as
A Chicago-based law ďŹrm that scored a distant third in its proposal to represent the state in litigation stemming from the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire ultimately was awarded the contract after an evaluation committee decided to embark on a two-step process and interview the bidders. Documents obtained under a public records request show Edelson PC scored a combined 2,350 points on its proposal, coming in third after ďŹrstplace ďŹnisher Singleton Schreiber LLP, which scored 2,895 points, and a consor- Hector Balderas tium that included Albuquerque-based Roybal-Mack & Cordova PC, which ďŹnished a close second with 2,890 points. The fourth bidder, Dallas-based Durham, Pittard & Spalding LLP, ďŹnished with a score of 2,210. The contract â potentially worth millions of dollars â has been shrouded in controversy with political overtones since former Attorney General Hector Balderas handed the work to an out-ofBrian ColĂłn state law ďŹrm in his ďŹnal days in office last year. That law ďŹrm subsequently subcontracted with another law ďŹrm where Balderasâ close friend and political ally â former State Auditor Brian ColĂłn â is a managing partner, prompting the new attorney general, RaĂşl Torrez, who ran for the seat against ColĂłn, to terminate the contract within the ďŹrst two weeks of his tenure and put it out to bid. RaĂşl Torrez Despite a bidding process designed for greater fairness, the contract is once again the subject of debate â and a formal protest by one of the losing participants. The ďŹve-member evaluation committee assembled by Torrez assessed the proposals on their level of compliance against criteria that included organizational experience and ďŹnancial stability.
Please see story on Page A-4
Please see story on Page A-5
ABOVE: Michael âMiguelâ Medina of the Federal Emergency Management Agency stands among the charred remains of Mario L. Quintanaâs home in Tierra Monte on Thursday afternoon. âI can help him build a new house, but it will never be the same,â Medina said. BELOW: Jacquee Gillespie, whose property was damaged in the ďŹooding that followed the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire of 2022, pets her miniature horse Robin at her home Thursday afternoon. PHOTOS BY GABRIELA CAMPOS/THE NEW MEXICAN
By Robert Nott rnott@sfnewmexican.com
TIERRA MONTE s Mario L. Quintana wandered around the ďŹrescarred remains of his familyâs adobe house, all Michael âMiguelâ Medina could do was look on. His face was marked by empathy, sadness and, maybe, resolve. âThey say you can never make them whole,â Medina said of the New Mexicans who lost property, land, businesses, animals and part of their cultural history in the Hermits Peak/
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State poised to kick off big fight over local control of schools Public Education Department pushing for longer school years, revamping accreditation By Margaret OâHara
mohara@sfnewmexican.com
In a meeting with lawmakers last week, Santa Fe Public Schools Superintendent Hilario âLarryâ Chavez made an
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unusual request: He asked for patience as legislators prepare to change educational policy during 2024âs legislative session. âIf you continue to change the game, youâre starting all over,â Chavez said.
âGive us some time to implement â implement with ďŹdelity â and make sure we have all of the supports needed.â But patience is something Chavez seems unlikely to get, as the rules of
Chanukah on the Plaza
Today
Obituaries
Annual celebratory lighting of the Giant Chile Menorah, with fire dancers and refreshments; 3 p.m. (downtown); santafejcc.com.
Sunny with some evening clouds. High 41, low 25.
Geraldine Nelson Aron, 101, Dec. 1 Ronald Riggs Ball, Nov. 23 Jo Anna Boor, Santa Fe, Dec. 2
More events Fridays in Pasatiempo
Index
Classifieds E-6
education in New Mexico are quite literally about to change. The stateâs Public Education Department is moving forward with proposals that are likely to prompt major shakeups for schools as soon as January â moves that may create a bitter ďŹreďŹght between the state and districts that fear
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Lotteries A-2
Opinion B-1
Real Estate E-1
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Pedro âPeteâ Boulton, Albuquerque, Nov. 20 Jerry Byrd, 87, Santa Fe, Nov. 23 Christopher Michael Canavan, Oct. 29 David Cost, Nov. 28
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they could lose treasured local control. In addition to requiring 180 days of instruction for all schools starting in the 2024-25 school year â a move that has drawn ire from teachers throughout the state â the departmentâs proposed Please see story on Page A-6
Stephen C. Joseph, Santa Fe, Nov. 24 George Lujan, Dec. 4 Alice Pino, 64, Santa Fe, Nov. 15 Marietta Rodriguez, 66, Nov. 30
Raymond Romero, Santa Fe, Nov. 17 Cindy Darlene Tafoya, Nov. 17 Truel West, Santa Fe, Nov. 27 PAGES C-2, C-3
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