DEA: Pence Attends $569 Million Cocaine Offload
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on July 15, 2019
DEA News:CORONADO, Calif. ― Vice President Mike Pence, Office of National Drug Control Policy Director James W. Carroll, Drug Enforcement Administration Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon and Vice Admiral Linda Fagan, commander of Coast Guard Pacific Area, attended a United States Coast Guard drug offload July 11 at Naval Base Coronado.
Agents with the DEA, FBI, Customs and Border Protection and the crew of the USCG Cutter Munro offloaded more than 39,000 pounds of cocaine and 933 pounds of marijuana, worth a combined estimated $569 million, which was seized in international
Read More LANL Director Thom Mason Shares Plans For Working With Local Communities During RCLC Board Meeting
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on July 15, 2019
LANL Director Thom Mason briefs board members Friday during the Regional Coalition of LANL Communities meeting in Council Chambers at Española City Hall. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com
Los Alamos County Councilor and RCLC liaison David Izraelevitz, right, speaks with LANL Director Thom Mason, left, as RCLC Executive Director Eric Vasquez, second from left, and Santa Fe City Councilor Peter Ives listen. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.comBy BONNIE J. GORDON
Los Alamos Daily Post
bjgordon@ladailypost.com
ESPAÑOLA — “It’s a scary world out there,” Los Read More
SFCC Announces Election For Two Board Seats
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on July 15, 2019
SFCC News:SANTA FE ― Two positions on the Santa Fe Community College Governing Board will be determined during the election Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Those interested in becoming a candidate for the college’s Governing Board must file a declaration of candidacy and sworn statement of intent with the County Clerk between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 27. Forms may be obtained at www.santafecountynm.gov/clerk or at the Santa Fe County Clerk’s office, 102 Grant Ave. Call 505.986.6280 for more information.
A letter from former Interim President Cecilia Cervantes, Ph.D.,
Udall, Heinrich, Torres Small: Over $3.2 Million To Help Modernize Pueblo Of Laguna Wastewater Systems
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on July 15, 2019
CONGRESSIONAL News:WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich and U.S. Rep. Xochitl Torres Small have announced that the Pueblo of Laguna was awarded $3,242,000 in funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development for three projects to renovate and improve wastewater infrastructure in Seama Village, Paquate Village, and New Laguna Village.
The funding will help modernize the Pueblo of Laguna’s wastewater systems, eliminating the use of septic tanks and connecting residents to sewer services.
The projects will benefit
Read More New Report Card From Retake Our Democracy Reveals Who Has Real Power In State Legislature
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on July 15, 2019
Courtesy/Retake Our Democracy
From Retake Our Democracy:
SANTA FE – We can no longer tolerate New Mexico’s 49th or 50th place on so many social and economic indicators.
We did well in the 2019 Legislative Session, but we can do much better.
The 2019 New Mexico Legislative Report Card from Retake Our Democracy reveals the inner workings of our state’s legislature––the good, the bad, and the mind-boggling. This report will inspire people to show up, speak up, and take action to make the changes we need in our state. Read the full report here.
Retake Our Democracy volunteers tracked 46 bills during Read More
New Mexico Congressional Delegation Fights For Communities Impacted By PFAS Contamination
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on July 15, 2019
Congressional Delegation News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich and U.S. Representatives Ben Ray Luján, Deb Haaland and Xochitl Torres Small continued to fight last week for communities and businesses impacted by PFAS contamination in groundwater around Air Force bases in New Mexico and across the country.
Earlier this year, the New Mexico delegation introduced the PFAS Damages Act to provide relief to communities and businesses affected by PFAS, including farms and ranches in New Mexico that have been upended by PFAS contamination from
Read More RSF Demands Chinese Authorities Release Former Beijing News Editor-In-Chief
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on July 15, 2019
Dai ZigengRSF News:
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls on the Chinese authorities to release Dai Zigeng, a former Beijing News editor-in-chief, who has been detained since earlier this month for unclear reasons.
Dai Zigeng, 55, a former editor-in-chief of state media group Beijing News, has been detained since earlier this month. The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) only posted a short notice June 10 stating that Dai was under investigation due to suspected “serious violations” of the Party’s discipline.
Assistant Speaker Ben Ray Luján Named REFORMA Legislator Of The Year
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on July 15, 2019
REFORMA named U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján Legislator of the Year. Courtesy photo
U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján addresses the crowd at the REFORMA event in which he was named Legislator of the Year. Courtesy photoCONGRESSIONAL News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― REFORMA – The National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-Speaking has named Assistant Speaker U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico Legislator of the Year for his ongoing commitment to improving library services at the national and local levels.
Luján gained the attention
Read More Visitor Spending At National Wildlife Refuges Boosts Local Economies By $3.2 Billion
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on July 14, 2019
DOI News:WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt has announced that 53.6 million people visited national wildlife refuges in 2017, which had an economic impact of $3.2 billion on local communities and supported more than 41,000 jobs.
The figures come from a new economic report by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service titled Banking on Nature 2017: The Economic Contributions of National Wildlife Refuge Recreational Visitation to Local Communities. The report is the sixth in a series of studies since 1997 that measure the economic contributions of national
Read More Senators Request Feedback From American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian Community Leaders On Effects Of Climate Change On Native Communities
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on July 14, 2019
U.S. SENATE News:WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.), vice chair of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), chair of the Special Committee on the Climate Crisis, along with U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), John Tester (D-Mont.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Jeffrey A. Merkley (D-Ore.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Edward Markey (D-Mass.), and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), asked for input Wednesday from American Indian, Alaska
Read More Udall Calls For Action On PFAS In Senate Floor Speech Opposing Nomination Of Peter Wright To EPA
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on July 13, 2019
U.S. Sen. Tom UdallU.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, the lead Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee overseeing funding for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), spoke Thursday on the Senate floor to call for action for New Mexico farmers, businesses, and families affected by exposure to toxic PFAS chemicals.
Udall outlined his opposition to the nomination of Peter Wright to serve as assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM), which oversees the Superfund program that is responsible
Read More Serna Raises Nearly Quarter Of A Million Dollars
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on July 13, 2019
District Attorney Marco SernaFrom the Marco Serna Campaign:
SANTA FE ― Friday, Marco for Congress announced the candidate for the Third Congressional District of New Mexico raised $232,940 in the second quarter, which was Serna’s first finance reporting period for the congressional campaign.
“I’m focused on improving the livelihood of all New Mexico children, families, and small businesses from Raton to Gallup, Santa Fe to Taos, Española to Las Vegas,” Serna said. “We are working hard for the entire district, and by raising nearly a quarter of a million dollars for our
Read More Assistant Speaker Luján Secures Major Environmental And Scientific Investments For New Mexicans
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on July 13, 2019
U.S. House Assistant Speaker Ben Ray LujánCONGRESSIONAL News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. House Assistant Speaker Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) announced Friday that he secured major environmental and scientific victories for New Mexican families in the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, which Friday passed the House.
“As President Trump continues to undermine our country’s national security and economy, House Democrats took the responsible step to keep Americans safe, invest in our communities, support our servicemembers, and protect our environment. I am proud
Read More Governor Announces 1st New Mexico STEM Challenge
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on July 12, 2019
NMDWS Secretary McCamley flanked by Santa Fe High School computer science teacher Brian Smith, School of Dreams student Annalicia Sena, and Victor Reyes from the Office of the Governor. Courtesy/Governor’s Office
From the Office of the Governor:
Albuquerque – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced today the first ever New Mexico Science Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Challenge program.
High schools that elect to participate will use a question formulated by Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) as a problem-solving tool in science classes and will receive funding Read More
NM Delegation Applauds Senate Passage Of Bipartisan Bill To Reauthorize Native American Language Programs
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on July 12, 2019
Congressional Delegation News:WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.), vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Representatives Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Deb Haaland (D-N.M.) and Xochitl Torres Small (D-N.M.) applauded the Senate passage of the Esther Martinez Native American Languages Programs Reauthorization Act to strengthen Tribally-developed Native American language revitalization programs.
The bill is named after Esther Martinez, an Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo traditional storyteller and Tewa language
Read More U.S. Climate Alliance Governors Issue ‘Nation’s Clean Car Promise’
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on July 12, 2019
NMED News:SANTA FE — New Mexico joined 23 other states of the U.S. Climate Alliance Tuesday in condemning the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed Safer Affordable Fuel Efficient (SAFE) vehicle rule.
The rule would replace national car emissions standards enacted in 2012. Rolling back these standards will result in increased greenhouse gas emissions and weakened environmental protections.
“States have been stepping up to protect our environment and our citizens and will continue to do so until we have a viable partner at the federal level,” Gov. Michelle
Read More American Statistical Association Pleased With Decision To Leave Citizenship Question Off 2020 Census
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on July 12, 2019
ASA News:The American Statistical Association (ASA) supports the conclusion of the 2020 census citizenship question debate, as the President announced in a White House news conference this evening that the administration will not further pursue its efforts to include the question on the form.
This decision puts at ease the most immediate threat to the data integrity of the 2020 census. However, the ASA emphasizes there is still much work to be done.
“We are reassured that the form for the decennial Census has been decided. Now we all must make every effort to communicate
Read More IG Report Clears RCLC And DOE Employees Of Accepting Inappropriate Gifts
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on July 12, 2019
Staff Report
A U.S. Department of Energy Inspector General’s report released July 2 has found “no evidence” that DOE employees inappropriately accepted meals or tickets to a Major League Baseball game purchased by the Regional Coalition of LANL Communities (RCLC). The report also states that a separate inspection is underway over RCLC’s use of grant funds.
The RCLC is a consortium of nine northern New Mexico communities that advocates for jobs and federal environmental cleanup funding at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The coalition is comprised of Los Alamos, Rio Arriba, Santa Fe and Taos Read More
U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich Delivers Opening Remarks In Key Energy Subcommittee Hearing
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on July 12, 2019
U.S. Sen. Martin HeinrichU.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Energy, delivered opening remarks during today’s hearing on a number of important issues, including energy efficiency, energy storage, artificial intelligence, and carbon capture.
Heinrich called for increased research, development, and deployment of long-term energy storage capabilities and to strengthen the U.S. Department of Energy’s role in utilizing artificial intelligence and supercomputing applications for
Read More AG Balderas Files Court Brief To Protect New Mexicans From Opioid Overdoses
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on July 12, 2019
Attorney General BalderasAG News:
ALBUQUERQUE ― Attorney General Balderas joined a coalition of eight states in filing a brief Thursday supporting the rights of states to enact public health policies that can prevent opioid overdoses, save lives, and treat those suffering from opioid use disorder.
The amicus brief, filed today in United States v. Safehouse before the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, opposes a Trump administration effort to stop Safehouse, a Pennsylvania nonprofit, from operating a life-saving “safe injection
Read More 
