State

Kendall: Martinez vs. Garcia Richard – Gotcha Politics or SOP?

by

Column by GREG KENDALL
Los Alamos

Did State House Rep. Stephanie Garcia Richard break her promise to voters? She vowed to help repeal the Richardson era driver’s license law that allows undocumented immigrants to obtain New Mexico driver’s licenses.  

Gov. Susana Martinez and anonymous robo-callers would like you to believe that Garcia Richard broke her promise.

Martinez went live on Los Alamos radio station KRSN AM 1490 March 7 to make that claim directly to local voters. But it is not that simple.

House Bill 606, sponsored by Rep. Paul Pacheco (R-Bernalillo & Sandoval-23), Read More

Canine Cruelty Victim Melts Hearts at Roundhouse

by

David Card and his dog Taffy attended Animal Protection Voters of New Mexico  Animal Lobby Day Feb 25 at the Roundhouse. Taffy was rescued after being abandoned and mistreated. Courtesy photo
 
By Robin Scoggins and Michelle Johnson

On Feb. 25, 2013 the Animal Protection Voters (APV) of New Mexico held Animal Lobby Day at the state capital.

APVNM is the first statewide animal advocacy organization in the country.

Canine guest, Taffy, was abandoned and found on the side of the road, scarred on his back, emaciated and blind. No one was ever held responsible for discarding him like trash.  Read More

LANL Foundation Names New Executive Director for Northwest New Mexico First Born® Program

by

LANLF News:

The Los Alamos National Laboratory Foundation announced its new executive director for the Northwest New Mexico First Born® Program at a press conference Tuesday at the State Capitol.

Regina Huffman, former director of the Family Infant Toddler Program (FIT) in Gallup, has been named executive director.

Huffman has a master’s degree in counseling from Western New Mexico University and a bachelor of university studies degree in early education and psychology from the University of New Mexico.

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation has announced a $1.8 million grant to the Los Alamos National Read More

LANL Economic Impact Focus of Successful House Memorial

by

RCLC News:

  • Memorial focused on the critical importance of New Mexico’s National Laboratories and DOE facilities to state’s economy

SANTA FE – Last week, House Memorial 71 introduced by Rep. Stephanie Garcia Richard (D- Los Alamos) won unanimous passage from the New Mexico House of Representatives.

The House Memorial recognized the critical importance of New Mexico’s National Laboratories and DOE facilities to the state’s economy.

The Regional Coalition of LANL Communities supported passage of the House Memorial and provided expert testimony on behalf Read More

‘Fair Pay for Women Act’ Heads to the Governor’s Desk

by

STATE News:

SANTA FE – House Bill 216, the “Fair Pay for Woman Act”sponsored by Rep. Brian Egolf (D-Santa Fe-47) received concurrence Sunday from the House to amendments added by the Senate.

HB 216 cleared the New Mexico Senate Saturday with a vote of 31-2 and with concurrence now heads to the Gov.ernor’s desk.

There has been wide-spread and bi-partisan support for the “Fair Pay for Women Act,” a key piece of legislation in the session.

“Today we have taken a major step in bringing wage equality to the women of New Mexico,” Egolf said. “I am excited that my colleagues in the Senate joined the Read More

New Mexico House Fights for Public Schools

by

STATE News:

SANTA FE – The News Mexico House of Representatives passed two bills Sunday aimed at protecting New Mexico’s public schools.

House Bill 460, “School Management Contracts & Charter Boards,” sponsored by Rep. Mimi Stewart (D-Bernalillo-21) passed the House with a vote of 34 to 33.

House Bill 392, “Public Education Commission as Independent”, sponsored by Rep. Mary Helen Garcia (D-Dona Ana-34) passed the House with a vote of 37 to 27.

There has been a recent outcry regarding the Public Education Department’s (PED) action to overrule the Public Educations Commission (PEC) Read More

More Details on Missing Hiker Found in Bandelier

by

BNM News:

Search and rescue teams found the missing 34-year-old Texas woman around 12:30 p.m. Saturday in good condition on the Ancho Canyon Trail on Department of Energy land at Bandelier National Monument.

The woman had hiked to the Upper Falls on the Falls Trail Thursday.

Although hiking to the base of the Upper Falls is prohibited, the woman wanted to search for treasure featured in Forrest Fenn’s book “The Thrill of the Chase.”

After realizing she could not hike down to the base, the woman returned to her car. On Friday, she parked at a gate on Department of Energy Land and hiked down to the Rio Read More

Rep. Stephanie Garcia Richard Votes on Driver’s License Bill and Urges Governor to Stop Playing Party Politics

by

STATE News:

SANTA FE – Saturday, March 9, the New Mexico State House Appropriations and Finance Committee convened to vote on HB 606 (driver’s licenses bill.)

After hearing testimony and expressing concern over the fiscal implications, the committee had a tied tabling motion on HB 606.

Democrat Rep. Stephanie Garcia Richard broke party rank and joined Republicans in voting against the tabling motion.

Garcia Richard again joined committee Republicans in voting in favor of passing the bill out of committee, but the vote failed through a second tie.

“I have been deeply concerned by Gov. Martinez’s Read More

State House Highlights: March 10

by

STATE News:

House Highlights

On the Senate Floor

● House Bill 273 (Public School Capital Outlay Lease Payments), sponsored by Rep. Sheryl Williams Stapleton (D-Bernalillo-19) and carried by Sen. John Sapien (D-Bernalillo, Sandoval-9) was passed in the Senate. HB 273 amends §22-24-4 to empower the Public School Capital Outlay Council to adjust grants for lease payments for classroom facilities concurrently with changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Charter schools are the primary recipients of the lease assistance program. Over 50% of program funds are used to pay to leases of privately Read More

Breaking News: Bandelier National Monument Searches for Missing Hiker

by

UPDATE: It was just announced that rescuers have found the missing woman and are “walking her out now.” The woman spent the night out in the elements, but appears to be okay now.

Upper Falls. Photo by Sally King/BNM

BNM News:

A search is in progress for a missing hiker at Bandelier National Monument.

The monument is working with New Mexico Search and Rescue under unified command.

The search involves dog teams, technical rescue, Los Alamos Police Department, Los Alamos Fire Department and three aircraft.

On Friday, March 8, Los Alamos County dispatch received a call from a man in Texas Read More