Politics

Regional Economic Development Targets Rural Counties

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USDA Rural Development Acting State Director Eric Vigil. Courtesy photo
 
USDA News:
 
ALBUQUERQUE ― USDA Rural Development Acting State Director Eric Vigil announced Feb. 16 applications are now being taken for the Stronger Economies Together (SET) program.
 
The SET program is a collaborative initiative between New Mexico State University (NMSU) and USDA Rural Development to provide training and technical assistance to rural counties seeking to strengthen existing regional economic development efforts.
 
Thursday’s announcement is one
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Bill Against Conversion Therapy Passes Committee

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STATE News:
 
SANTA FE ― The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization, and Equality New Mexico, hailed a vote Friday by the New Mexico Senate passing SB 121, legislation that would protect LGBTQ youth in the state from the practice of conversion therapy.
 
“No child should ever be subjected to the incredibly dangerous practice of so-called conversion therapy,” HRC Legal Director Sarah Warbelow said. “This crucially important legislation will help protect LGBTQ youth
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Bill Curbing Use Of Solitary Confinement Advances

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Rep. Antonio ‘Moe’ Maestas
 
STATE News:
 
SANTA FE ― Feb. 16 in the House Consumers and Public Affairs Committee, Rep. Antonio “Moe” Maestas (D-Albuquerque) presented House Bill 175.
 
It passed unanimously in a 4-0 vote. HB 175 seeks to ban solitary confinement for inmates under the age of 18, pregnant women, and those with known serious mental illnesses.
 
“There is a growing body of literature about the disturbing use and effect of solitary confinement on people with mental illness. This bill will put an end to this inhumane and outdated practice
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Heinrich Leads Group Of Senators Questioning Reorganization Of National Security Council

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U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich
 
U.S. SENATE News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, led a letter to Secretary of Defense James Mattis requesting information on the recent reorganization of the National Security Council (NSC) to include President Trump’s chief political strategist Steve Bannon as a regular attendee of NSC Principals Committee.
 
Heinrich was joined by U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Jeffery Merkley (D-Ore.), Al Franken
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‘Three Strikes’ Bill Advances To House Judiciary

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STATE News:

SANTA FE – A bill sponsored by Rep. Nate Gentry (R-Bernalillo) to reform New Mexico’s “three strikes” law advanced Friday through the House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee on a unanimous vote. The legislation, House Bill 54, moves next to the House Judiciary Committee.

Gentry’s bill would expand the list of offenses that would qualify violent repeat offenders for mandatory life sentencing. Currently, only five crimes are included in the existing three strikes law. The list is so excessively narrow that no criminal has ever been prosecuted under the statute since it was enacted Read More

Ambassador Vicki Huddleston Discusses Cuba March 7

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Ambassador Vicki Huddleston

COMMUNITY News:

Ambassador Vicki Huddleston presents a talk, “Our Woman in Havana”, 7-8 p.m. Tuesday, March 7 at Mesa Public Library.

Huddleston’s talk is based on her years as one of America’s top Cuba hands. She has been an eyewitness to key moments of history as well as to backroom policy debate, in her roles as a principal policy maker on Cuba at the State Department and as the chief of the U.S. Interests Section in Havana.

Huddleston will provide a behind-the-curtain view of such controversial episodes as the Elián González custody saga and the post-9/11 decision Read More

Los Alamos Family YMCA Honored At Legislature

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Dist. 43 Rep. Stephanie Garcia Richard, center, welcomes Los Alamos Family YMCA members from left, CEO Linda Daly, Board member Eric Vasquez, Garcia Richard, Board President Lou Santoro and Senior Program Director Diana Martinez to the legislature Thursday, Feb. 16 in Santa Fe for ‘YMCA Day’. This day is set aside each year to honor YMCA organizations across New Mexico for the work they do serving youth. Courtesy photo Read More

Bill Making Teacher Evaluations More Fair Advances

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STATE News:

SANTA FE — Today, Rep. Debra Sariñana’s (D-Albuquerque) bill to make teacher evaluations more fair, HB 163, passed the House Education Committee.

The bill specifically ensures a teacher’s evaluation is not disproportionately affected by students who have too many absences, and therefore have far less classroom hours with that teacher.

“Teachers want evaluations to be fair, and this provision will ensure our educators are not unfairly judged,” Rep. Sariñana said. “Attendance impacts a student’s performance and it’s important that teachers are evaluated fairly based Read More

Letter To The Editor: Time To Shed That Whiney Thin-Skined Arrogance…

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By GERALD M. ANTOS
Los Alamos

I’m sorry Ms. Schick but, I don’t need or want your history lesson (link).

As a veteran, and having been born and raised in Los Alamos, I find that maybe you and Mr. Reilly (link) need to shed your whiney thin-skinned arrogance and get down to some real serious reality.

More celebrities and supposed stars have claimed that they would leave if Trump was elected and we are still waiting. We have umpteen thousands of liberal pukes rampaging in the streets about their need for safe space and free speech and black lives matter yet it is they who are the ones rioting in the streets Read More