The past 100 years

From The Santa Fe New Mexican:

Aug. 9, 1917: Now is the time for all good men and true to come to the aid of the Scenic Highway and come across with the road tax. The powers that be have decided that the road tax may be applied to the small sum found to be necessary to improve and put in good shape for autos the magnificent scenic highway from this city up the beautiful canyon of the Santa Fe river, up the dizzy switchbacks to the top of Dalton Divide, where unfolds a view of peak and canyon and forest unsurpassed in New Mexico.

The auto ride to the top of the divide could be advertised from one end of the country to the other, truthfully, as one of the west’s greatest scenic attractions, at the very doors of Santa Fe.

Aug. 9, 1967: Lloyd Kiva New was today named director of the Institute of American Indian Arts, to head the five-year-old school’s move toward a new emphasis on experimental and research programs dealing with the problems and potentials of Indian culture today.

The Institute is to become, says New, who has directed its arts department for the past five years, more of an experimental school, working out techniques for relating education to the cultural force of the American Indian, developing a performing arts form based on the traditional and building the American Indian image.

Aug. 9, 1992: Pharmacist Chester Radecki wanted to help the woman he heard screaming. He lost his life in the attempt.

New Mexico State Police said Radecki was shot to death early Saturday as he approached a deputy on Rodeo Road to report the screams he heard in the night. A man standing by the deputy, who investigators say assaulted the woman, attacked the deputy, took his gun and shot Radecki to death, police said.

After firing at the deputy, the suspect sped off in the deputy’s car.

A Santa Fe police officer chased the suspect south on Old Pecos Trail until the suspect made a sudden U-turn and collided head-on with the officer, police said.

The suspect and the officer exchanged fire, and then the suspect fled away on foot, they said.