State

Los Alamos Officials Attend 2014 Chamber Legislative Reception in Santa Fe

by

Los Alamos Commerce and Development Board Chair Bill Wadt, left, and LANL Community Programs Office Executive Director Kurt Stenhaus joined a number of Los Alamos officials at Monday’s 2014 Chamber Legislative Reception together with legislators, business people, chambers and business groups from around New Mexico. The event was held at the Santa Fe Convention Center at which guests sampled hors d’ouvres from Santa Fe’s finest restaurants, made connections and networked. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Dist. 43 Rep. Stephanie Garcia Richard of White Rock Read More

$3.7 Million Aimed at Turning Around New Mexico’s Lowest Performing Schools

by

Rep. Ben Ray Luján

U.S. CONGRESSIONAL News:

WASHINTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico’s Third highlighted Monday that New Mexico has been selected to receive funding under the U.S. Department of Education’s School Improvement Grant (SIG) Program. A grant of $3,754,213 will help in the effort to turn around persistently low achieving schools in the state.

“There is no better investment we can make in our young New Mexicans than providing them with a good education,” Luján said. “We have the responsibility to ensure that our children have proper support Read More

Lujan Grisham Invites Unemployed New Mexican to State of the Union Tonight

by

U.S. CONGRESSIONAL News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham, N.M.-01, has invited Coby Messier of Albuquerque to be her guest at President Obama’s State of the Union Address tonight. Messier is a long-term unemployed sheet metal worker recently cut off from federal emergency unemployment insurance due to Congress’s failure to extend the program.

Since the program expired Dec. 28, 1.6 million Americans, including 7,492 New Mexico jobseekers have lost access to this vital economic lifeline.

“The House of Representatives has taken 25 roll call votes since emergency unemployment Read More

Senators Make Initial Motion to Override Governor’s Veto on Two Bills

by

NM SENATE News:

SANTA FE–Senate Majority Whip Tim Keller (D-17-Bernalillo) and Senator Howie Morales (D-28-Catron, Grant & Socorro) successfully removed two bills – Senate Bill 7 (SB7) and Senate Bill 588 (SB588) from the Secretary of State’s office and placed them on the Senate agenda for the purpose of an Override of the Governor’s Veto.

“Without this bill [Senate Bill 7 (SB7)] creating a tax expenditure budget, meaningful tax reform and business incentives are impossible to evaluate,” Keller said. “The result of this veto is a preemptive strike against meaningful efforts to bring Read More

Journalist Cynthia Barnett Headlines Summit

by

Cynthia Barnett/Courtesy photo

XERISCAPE COUNCIL News:

The Xeriscape Council of New Mexico presents the annual Land & Water Summit for 2014: Drought as an Opportunity for Change. The Land & Water Summit is 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 20-21 at the Sheraton Albuquerque Airport Hotel (2910 Yale Blvd. SE.)

See the Summit agenda here.

Visit https:////xeriscapenm.com/event-registration/?ee=6 to register online.

The keynote speaker at the Summit is award winning journalist Cynthia Barnett. Barnett is a long-time journalist who has reported on freshwater issues from the Suwannee Read More

2014 Legislative Veteran-Related Legislation Update

by

NMDVS News:

The New Mexico Department of Veterans’ Services (NMDVS)  is providing an update on veteran related bills for the duration of the 2014 Legislative Session, which concludes at noon Feb. 20.

The update contains information about all introduced Bills/Memorials/Resolutions–and show their status in the legislative process.

The veteran related bills most likely to be introduced today:

  • Military Retiree PIT Deduction–allowing for military retirees who chose to make their home in New Mexico to take a 25 percent deduction of their tax liability on their military retiree

Read More

More Than 1.6 Million Americans; 7,400 New Mexicans Have Lost Unemployment Insurance

by

U.S. CONGRESSIONAL News:

SANTA FE – U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico’s Third District highlighted a new report on how many Americans have seen their unemployment insurance run out since Dec. 28, 2013.

The analysis by House Ways and Means Committee Democrats found that more than 1.6 million Americans, including 7,492 New Mexicans have lost these important benefits. Without Congressional action, on average, nearly 72,000 people are losing unemployment insurance every week.

“It was disappointing that once again Republicans recessed the House without addressing Read More

Governor Announces Extradition of Fugitive Child Killer

by

STATE News:

SANTA FE — Gov. Susana Martinez and District Attorney Matt Chandler announced that fugitive child killer Edward Salas has been extradited to New Mexico where he will spend life in prison, plus 56 years, for the murder of 10-year-old Carlos Perez in 2005.

After fleeing to Mexico more than five years ago, Salas was recently brought to New Mexico by U.S. Marshals and placed in the custody of the New Mexico Corrections Department.

“Eight years ago, Carlos Perez lay sleeping in his bed when he was shot and killed. Nothing will ever bring back Carlos, but his family can take comfort in Read More

NMDOT Gears Up for Winter Weather

by

NMDOT snow removal equipment.

NMDOT News:

SANTA FE – The New Mexico Department of Transportation is responding to the latest round of wintery weather that is moving across New Mexico. 

Crews are plowing, salting and cindering portions of Interstates 25 and 40 as well as several other roads in the areas of Mora, Las Vegas and Raton. Workers across the state are closely monitoring the weather and are ready to clear the roads should the need arise.

To get updated road and weather conditions across the state, visit the New Mexico Department of Transportation’s road conditions website, www.nmroads.com Read More

Legislative Jobs Council Recommends New Legislation

by

The New Mexico State Capital/Courtesy www.newmexico.gov‎

N.M. LEGISLATURE NEWS:

SANTA FE–With a blueprint in hand, the bipartisan Legislative Jobs Council has started the legislative process of creating jobs in New Mexico. A legislative package based on the recommendations of the Jobs Council has been drafted and is ready to be introduced in the House of Representatives.

The legislative package includes:

  • Appropriations to improve economic development efforts toward job creation which includes significantly more funding for the Economic Development Department and the State Tourism
Read More