Mesquite leads the way in empowering south valley

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The powers-that-be in New Mexico should take note: The people of Mesquite are becoming a force that can’t be ignored. Were there any doubt, their growing level of activity and organization was apparent on Thursday evening, when more than 65 people showed up to a community meeting to discuss the possibility of suing Helena Chemical Company in an apparent attempt to chase it out of town. That’s 65 people in a community that, as of the 2000 census, had a population of 948 – 95 percent of them Hispanic and speaking primarily Spanish in their homes, and 43 percent of them living below the poverty level. Mesquite is a community that has historically allowed itself to be ignored by government. That began to change a few years ago when a handful of educated individuals in the area decided to stand up to perceived problems with Helena. Continue Reading

Denish helps unite wounded Iraq veteran with family

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Lt. Gov. Diane Denish has stepped up in a big way to help unite a wounded Iraq veteran with his family this Christmas. Army Private James Browning was wounded during a firefight in Iraq earlier this year. Twelve of his fellow soldiers died; only two survived. Since then, Browning has battled post-traumatic stress disorder and a traumatic brain injury. He’s currently at Fort Hood in Texas and was recently granted holiday leave. Continue Reading

Arnold-Jones will seek re-election, not Congress

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State Rep. Janice Arnold-Jones, R-Albuquerque, has decided she won’t run for the First Congressional District seat being vacated by Heather Wilson but will seek re-election next year. Arnold-Jones made the announcement on Sunday. “Ultimately, money was the deciding factor,” she wrote in an e-mail. “The answer to that question – ‘Can we raise money?’ – is yes, and I am grateful and humbled beyond words for the support of so many.” But the money she raised was apparently not enough. Arnold-Jones had previously sent a letter to potential supporters stating that she needed to raise $200,000 by Saturday. Continue Reading

Non-scientific poll could indicate tight District 6 race

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If last week’s non-scientific poll on this site is any indication, two of the candidates running in the Las Cruces City Council District 6 special election on Jan. 15 have a lot of support. Of 253 voters, 104, or 41 percent, said Karen Trujillo will win the race, while 102, or 40 percent, said Sharon Thomas will win. Meanwhile, 30 voters, or 12 percent, picked Patrick Curran to win; 15 voters, or 6 percent, picked Lawrence Joy; and two voters, or 1 percent, picked Berchard Ray Shipley. Don’t forget to vote in this week’s poll, located at the top of the right column on this page. Continue Reading

Commissioners act with integrity on Verde proposal

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Members of the Doña Ana County Board of Commissioners, in their dealings with a company that wants to build a new city west of Sunland Park, have acted with integrity and in the best interest of their constituents. Theirs is an example other government officials should follow. The El Paso-based Verde Group withdrew this week its request that the commission create three tax increment development districts to fund infrastructure in Santa Teresa. The decision was made after the company and commissioners reached an impasse on several key issues. Verde must now decide whether to seek funding for the project in another way, give in to commissioners’ demands or scrap its plans altogether. Continue Reading

Debate won’t give Richardson the boost he needs

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Gov. Bill Richardson had more time to speak than any other Democratic presidential candidate during the last debate before the Iowa Caucus on Jan. 3, but he squandered much of that time and failed to give the performance needed to turn around his sinking campaign. Richardson wasn’t terrible during today’s debate in Iowa. But, while others were great, he was not. Back were his refusal to respect time guidelines and his reliance on canned answers that sometimes didn’t address the questions he was asked – two problems that characterized his earlier debate performances but had been absent during recent contests. Continue Reading

Heinrich secures first union endorsement in race

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Martin Heinrich has won the first union endorsement of the 2008 race to replace Heather Wilson in Congress. The United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1563 informed Heinrich in a letter last week that its board members voted unanimously to endorse him. The union represents thousands of grocery, retail and food-industry employees in New Mexico and is headquartered in the First Congressional District. “Martin is honored to have the support of hardworking members of the UFCW,” a statement posted on his campaign blog read. In the letter, the union’s president wrote that Heinrich’s “leadership in the successful effort to secure a living wage for the citizens of Albuquerque is not forgotten and our members appreciate your efforts.” “There is much work to be done in Washington and we firmly believe that you are the right person for the job,” the letter states. Continue Reading

Domenici wants to pay legal fees with campaign cash

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U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici wants to use campaign funds to pay legal bills stemming from an inquiry into his October 2006 phone call to former U.S. Attorney David Iglesias, and he’s asked the Federal Election Commission for an opinion on whether he can do that. According to an article published on The Politico’s Web site, attorneys for Domenici’s campaign have formally sought an advisory opinion from the FEC. The ethics inquiry into Domenici’s actions came after Iglesias alleged earlier this year that the senator pressured him during the October 2006 phone call to speed indictments in a case involving high-ranking Democrats to sway voters in the November 2006 election.Iglesias was fired weeks later, he claims as a result of refusing the pressure. Domenici admits the call but insists he didn’t pressure Iglesias. Though there were reports that the inquiry was dropped shortly after Domenici announced in October of this year that he won’t seek re-election next year, Domenici’s office indicated to The Politico that the inquiry has not formally ended. Continue Reading

State agrees to delay collection of spaceport tax

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The state Taxation and Revenue Department has agreed to delay collection of the spaceport tax in Doña Ana County after the Attorney General’s Office said doing so was appropriate. The AG opinion, which you can read by clicking here, concludes that the tax “may not be imposed, collected or enforced absent the formation of a regional spaceport district to which the proceeds of the tax can be allocated.” The Taxation and Revenue Department has agreed, because of that, to delay collection, the Las Cruces Sun-News is reporting. “I believe our plan is to defer collection, as the attorney general said we could do,” Carolyn Wolf, chief counsel for the Taxation and Revenue Department, told the newspaper. Voters in Doña Ana County narrowly approved earlier this year the 1/4 percent increase in the gross receipts tax to help fund Spaceport America, but later voted to delay collection, which had been scheduled to start on Jan. 1, until at least July because voters in Sierra and Otero counties haven’t yet decided whether to implement the tax. Continue Reading

Dems’ last debate before Iowa to be held today

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Today is the last opportunity for Gov. Bill Richardson and other Democrats seeking their party’s nomination for president to make an impact in a head-to-head setting before Iowa caucus goers pick their candidate on Jan. 3. The final debate between Democratic presidential candidates will be held in Iowa beginning at noon New Mexico time. It’s sponsored by Iowa Public Television and The Des Moines Register and will be broadcast live on CNN, C-SPAN3, Fox New Channel, C-SPAN Radio and Fox News Radio. You’ll be able to watch it live online by clicking here or here. Continue Reading

PRC chairman to announce run for Udall’s seat

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Public Regulation Commission Chairman Ben R. Luján will announce Friday that he’s running for the Third Congressional District seat being vacated by Tom Udall. Luján will hold a news conference at 11:45 a.m. at the Roundhouse in Santa Fe, and a second event at the Best Western Hotel, 1465 Rio Rancho Boulevard in Rio Rancho, at 6 p.m. On Saturday and Sunday he plans to visit Las Vegas, Mora Taos, Española and Pojoaque. Luján, the son of House Speaker Ben Lujan, said in a news release that 2008 is “one of the most important elections of our lifetime.” “This election will impact generations to come. Together we can make a positive difference that will benefit the citizens of New Mexico and hold the Bush Administration accountable for its disastrous policies,” he said. “New Mexicans want to change the misguided policies and uncompromising opposition to our Democratic ideals and principles so that we can make positive progress to take America in a new, improved direction.” “With the help of New Mexico’s voters, I will continue to keep fighting for and protecting the interests of the people of New Mexico in Congress,” he said. Continue Reading

Forum reveals wide-open race for GOP in CD2

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A Tuesday forum for actual and potential Republican candidates for the Second Congressional District seat being vacated by Steve Pearce revealed a wide-open race with at least nine people running or seriously considering running. Those who had publicly declared that they’re running before the forum in Alamogordo were former Bernalillo County GOP Executive Director Bob Cornelius, rancher and retired banker Aubrey L. Dunn Jr. and restaurant-chain owner and rancher Ed Tinsley. Joining the list at the forum was Greg Sowards, a Las Crucen who ran unsuccessfully against Joe Skeen in 1996. Sowards, who secured 30 percent of the vote at the preprimary nominating convention that year, said after Tuesday’s forum that many high-profile Republicans tried to keep him off the ballot, and after losing to Skeen he switched his registration to independent. He switched back to Republican on Friday. Continue Reading

Mayor endorses Thomas in District 6 special election

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Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima is backing Sharon Thomas, former head of the Quality Growth Alliance, in the Jan. 15 special election for the District 6 seat on the city council. Miyagishima is listed as a co-host for a fundraiser for Thomas that will be held Monday at the home of former state Rep. J. Paul Taylor in Mesilla. Miyagishima was the District 6 councilor until he was elected mayor last month. “While I was running for mayor I had promised my District 6 residents that I would let them know who I support for my former office,” Miyagishima said today. Continue Reading

Religion isn’t reason enough to pick a president

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With the presidencies of Jimmy Carter and George W. Bush as examples, evangelical Christians should have figured out by now that sharing their religious beliefs doesn’t necessarily qualify someone to be president. The first was completely ineffective; the second is so bullheaded that he will leave office having done more harm than good. Though I’m not really a fan of his candidacy for president, that’s why I’m frustrated that some evangelicals won’t support Mitt Romney – who shares many of their political views – simply because he’s Mormon. As an active participant in an evangelical church, I’ve watched with interest the reaction of many evangelicals to Romney’s candidacy. My best friend is Mormon, and I’ve always been fascinated by the dynamic of the relationship between the two faiths. Continue Reading

Clerk certifies candidates for District 6 election

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The five Las Crucens who filed last week to run for the open District 6 seat on the Las Cruces City Council all qualified to appear on the ballot, Las Cruces City Clerk Esther Martinez announced today. Candidates must submit 25 signatures of registered voters living in District 6, and themselves be registered voters living in the district, to qualify for the ballot. The candidates are former Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Patrick J. Curran; Lawrence Joy, the owner of a direct mail advertising firm and the voice of NMSU’s marching band; Berchard Ray Shipley, who has a background in the military, commercial property management and community planning; Sharon Thomas, former head of the Quality Growth Alliance; and Karen Trujillo, a real-estate broker and president of the Hispano Chamber of Commerce de Las Cruces. Candidates will draw for ballot position at 5:01 p.m. today. The election is Jan. Continue Reading