Hospital OKs new deal with Presbyterian Health

Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center has reached a new three-year agreement with Presbyterian Health Plan regarding all its Health Plan products offered in Santa Fe and Northern New Mexico.

"We enjoy a great partnership with Presbyterian on the insurance side in addition to partnering with their hospital services and medical group in Española," Christus President & CEO, Alex Valdez said in a statement. "We are very pleased to have reached this agreement."

Presbyterian Health Plan has more than 80,000 members in Santa Fe and Northern New Mexico.

Christus spokesman Arturo Delgado also said the hospital has been meeting with Lovelace Health Plan representatives about an impasse that left 14,000 Lovelace patients without access to Christus services.

The insurance provider and Christus have exchanged another proposal and "hopefully we'll have something soon," Delgado said Tuesday.

Ethics and Rules Committee lacks quorum

A meeting of the Santa Fe city Ethics and Rules Committee scheduled for Tuesday was canceled because of lack of a quorum.

The committee was scheduled to review several proposed amendments to the city's code of ethics as well as an ordinance that would eliminate the committee in the future.

Committee Chairman Carmichael Dominguez said the group met last week and decided to reconvene because "there is a lot more discussion that needs to take place with regards to the bills that are before us."

Dominguez said another meeting is likely to be scheduled in early September.

Police ready traffic plans for Zozobra

Santa Fe police say Fort Marcy Park area residents who plan to host parties on the night Zozobra burns should ask guests to make every effort to arrive before 5 p.m.

Because of the enormous number of pedestrians walking to the park, police will tightly control traffic on the afternoon of Sept. 9. A news release said officers will be posted along Paseo de Peralta at the intersections of Old Taos Highway and Washington Avenue/Bishops Lodge Road.

Area roads will be closed at 6 p.m. or earlier, depending on pedestrian volume. After the roads are closed, no motor vehicles will be allowed north of Paseo de Peralta or south of Murales Road on either Old Taos Highway or Bishops Lodge Road. Rosario Street between Griffin and Old Taos Highway also will be closed to cars.

Forty parking spaces for people with disabilities will be available at Fort Marcy Complex/Magers Field on a first-come, first-served basis. Vehicles with ADA parking permits may enter the main gate at Bishop's Lodge and Artist roads starting at 3 p.m. until area roads are closed.

Art exhibit to feature recycled trash

An exhibition of artistic works using recycled materials is scheduled to open Sept. 24 at the Community Gallery in the Santa Fe Community Convention Center.

The works incorporate at least 50 percent recycled materials whose final destination otherwise would have been a landfill, an announcement said.

The city's Solid Waste Division and the Recycle Santa Fe Art Festival are collaborating on the "Waste/Not" event, for which more than 20 artists were selected to participate "for both their aesthetic excellence as well as their commitment to the exhibit theme," the statement said.

Free appetizers and sparkling water will be served at the opening, scheduled from 5-7 p.m.

Commission alters county attorney's contract

From now on, Santa Fe County Attorney Steven Ross will report to the county manager instead of the County Commission.

The commission amended Ross' contract to that effect with no discussion on Tuesday after emerging from a closed-door executive session.

Ross confirmed Tuesday that the change was made at the request of incoming County Manger Katherine Miller, who will begin work Thursday.

Miller did not return calls seeking comment on her reason for requesting the change.