Politics

Rep. Stephanie Garcia Richard Revives DWI Bill

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Rep. Stephanie Garcia Richard

STATE News:

Today, State Rep. Stephanie Garcia Richard went before the House Transportation Committee and successful revived HB 10, the DWI reform bill that had stalled in that committee last week.

Garcia Richard highlighted the bill’s focus on closing loopholes in existing law and giving judges the tools they need to deal with complicated cases. The bill passed out of the Transportation Committee on a 6-0 vote and now goes to the house Judiciary Committee.

Background

New Mexico has some of the strictest DWI laws in the nation and was one of the first states Read More

SM81 Would Establish Albuquerque Brewery District

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NM LEGISLATIVE News:

SANTA FE–State Sen. Tim Keller, D-Bernalillo and Daniel Ivey-Soto, D-Bernalillo co-sponsored Senate Memorial 81 (SM81), which officially calls to establish a Brewery District in Albuquerque. Breweries named in the memorial are Nexus, La Cumbre and Il Vicino because of their close proximity to one another.

According to the New Mexico Brewers Guild (NMBG), there are more than two dozen established microbreweries across the state. NMBG also estimated that more than 65,000 barrels of beer were produced in 2013. The local economic stimulus these breweries bring to small Read More

Sanchez: Give Credit Where Credit is Due on Education Reform

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Give Credit Where Credit is Due on Education Reform
By Sen. Michael Sanchez, D-Bernalillo & Valencia

Last year, high school graduation rates in New Mexico improved 10 percent over recent historic rates, from the low 60 percent range up to 70 percent.

 
For the second year in a row, Hispanic New Mexican students enrolled in Advanced Placement (AP) classes have the highest completion and graduation rates of all AP students in the country.

These are fantastic developments that are justly lauded, and which the current governor is rightly touting – for which she is incorrectly taking credit.

Read More

Los Alamos County Assessor’s Office Officials Speak at Feb. 18 ‘Lunch with a Leader’

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Los Alamos County Assessor JoAnn Johnson and Chief Deputy Assessor Joaquin Valdez brief County Council members during a meeting in Council Chambers. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

LWV News:

County Assessor JoAnn Johnson and Chief Deputy Assessor Joaquin Valdez are the speakers at the League of Women Voters’ monthly Lunch with a Leader.

The talk is 11:40 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18 at Mesa Public Library and the public is invited to attend.

Johnson has lived in Los Alamos for 50 years. She was a stay at home mom until her children graduated from high school. She completed Read More

Omaree’s Law Introduced to Protect Children

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The State Capitol in Santa Fe. Courtesy photo

Bill Requires CYFD to Take Custody of Children Showing Specific Injuries of Abuse

SANTA FE–House Bill 333, sponsored by Speaker W. Ken Martinez, D-Bernalillo, Cibola McKinley, Socorro, San Juan, Valencia and co-sponsored by Rep. Emily Kane, D-Bernalillo, Rep. Stephanie Garcia Richard, D-Los Alamos, Santa Fe, Sandoval, Rio Arriba and Rep. Liz Thomson, D-Bernalillo, requires New Mexico’s Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD) to immediately take custody of children showing specific injuries of abuse, and requires the parents, guardians Read More

‘Take Back Our Public Schools’ March & Rally Feb. 15

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EDUCATION News:

The entire New Mexico community is urged to stand with teachers and other education employees and students by participating in: Take Back Our Public Schools: NEA-NM & AFT NM Rally at the Round House.

The march and rally begins at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, at the Santa Fe Plaza and concludes at the Rotunda in the Capitol. It’s time for all voices to be heard. If you’re not marching, meet at the Roundhouse about 2 p.m. Direct lobbying with legislators after the rally is encouraged. Register for the event so the coordinators can prepare appropriately – click here.

All Read More

House Budget Stalls on 34 to 34 Tie

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STATE News:

SANTA FE – After a lively three-and-a-half hour debate on the House floor, the substitute for House Appropriations and Finance Committee House Bills 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 did not pass.

The substitute appropriations bill totaling $6.174 billion, prioritizes education with $2.7 billion for public education – a spending increase of $150 million or 5.8 percent; and an increase in higher education up to $42 million, or 5.3 percent.

An amendment was proposed by Minority Leader Don Bratton that also failed on a 34-34 vote.

The bill was placed back on the Speaker’s table for future consideration. Read More

Resolution Filed Requiring Advanced Education for County Treasurers

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STATE News:

SANTA FE–State Sen. Jacob Candelaria, D-Bernalillo, has introduced Senate Joint Resolution 19, requiring that county treasurers in New Mexico have increased educational qualifications, as well as continuing to receive related education throughout their tenure.

“The reality is that the job of county treasurers has gotten more complicated since 1912 when New Mexico became a state–they manage hundreds of millions of dollars by investing public dollars, in sometimes complex investment instruments,” Candelaria said.

This comes on the heels of a decision that the recall election Read More

Los Alamos AP Students and Staff Honored at State Capitol

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Los Alamos Public Schools students and staff honored Tuesday on the floor of the Senate at the State Capitol. Photo by John McHale/LAPS

Los Alamos Public Schools students and staff honored Tuesday at the State Capitol Rotunda. Photo by John McHale/LAPS

Gov. Susana Martinez congratulates Los Alamos students for their hard work in the classroom. Photo by John McHale/LAPS

By Dr. Gene Schmidt, Superintendent
Los Alamos Public Schools

Los Alamos Public Schools students and staff were honored at the State Capitol Rotunda and on the floor of the State Senate Tuesday, Feb. 4. Senate Education Chair Read More

Los Alamos Municipal Judge Alan Kirk Seeks Fifth Term

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Judge Alan Kirk. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

 
By CAROL A. CLARK
Los Alamos Daily Post

Judge Alan S. Kirk told the Los Alamos Daily Post this morning that he will seek a fifth term as Municipal Judge of Los Alamos County.

“I want to continue providing services to the community through the professional staff of the court that we have developed,” Kirk said. “This includes community service programs, probation programs and our extremely successful teen court program.”

Kirk moved to Los Alamos in 1958 and graduated from Los Alamos High School and Eastern

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