ACLU accuses sheriffs of conducting immigration raids

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The American Civil Liberties Union is condemning recent actions by sheriff’s deputies in Doña Ana and Otero counties, saying they are irresponsibly and inappropriately acting as Border Patrol agents. In a news release sent today, the ACLU said deputies recently conducted “immigration raids” in Chaparral and Vado, which the organization claimed included “sweeps of immigrant neighborhoods, knocking on doors and checking identification… stopping motorists and entering private businesses” and possibly taking children from schools and entering homes without consent or warrants. “This is irresponsible policing,” said Maria Nape, Director of the ACLU’s Border Rights office. “Immigrants in these communities may never again trust that they can report crimes to sheriff’s deputies, even if they are the victims. When local police become border patrol agents, it rips a hole in the fabric of public safety that takes years to mend.” Sgt. Joe Reynaud of the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Department said two department deputies conducted an operation on Monday as part of a federal program called Operation Stonegarden. Continue Reading

Former PRC candidate to run for county commission

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Republican Doyle Pruitt has announced his candidacy for the District 4 seat on the Doña Ana County Board of Commissioners. The seat is currently held by Republican Kent Evans, who will leave the commission next year because of term limits. Evans’ wife Anna Mae, also a Republican, has already announced that she’s running for the seat next year. Pruitt said he’s running “to level the playing field and give better representation to the constituents of District 4 than has been given in the past.” “Someone is needed to look out for the safety issues of the county, which have been sorely overlooked in the past,” he said. “We are a flood-prone area, which is due to the lack of infrastructure mandated to the builders. Continue Reading

Audit helps prove case for recall of ABQ councilor

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By B. James Lowe, RADM, USNR (Ret.) In the solace and comfort of my family room I watched the recording of Eye on New Mexico on Sunday morning. Alas, if I had been evaluating it as a college debate, Albuquerque City Councilor Don Harris won going away. While I still had the comfort of home, solace was not afforded by the spectacle of my debating performance. I concede that Carter Bundy’s column that ran Wednesday on this site was not only well written but generally on-point. But personal ego demands that I invite to you that his assessment was made on viewing a 25-minute window in which Mr. Harris, and the moderator, pushed the drama of a hateful cabal from Four Hills who were conspiratorially plotting to remove him. Continue Reading

Mesilla trustee to take on Gutierrez in 2008 primary

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Mesilla Mayor Pro Tem Jesus M. Caro has decided to challenge state Rep. Joni Gutierrez in the 2008 Democratic primary. Caro began informing supporters of his decision on Thursday. “I really could do what I’m doing now at the town of Mesilla on a bigger scale, and invest in the long-term for us,” he said in an interview. “I want to keep trying to see what I can do to keep our values, our culture the way things are, and keep control of the growth.” Gutierrez could not be reached for comment. Caro’s candidacy could present a serious challenge to the three-year representative of District 33. Continue Reading

Local activist to challenge Frietze in city council race

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Ron Gurley, a local activist with 50 years of public service experience, has announced his candidacy for the Las Cruces City Council District 1 seat. A 14-year resident of the district, Gurley said he is running to assure meaningful involvement of residents in city policy-making. “One of the things I am most proud of is that people came to me to get the public involved in the decisions related to the transition of Memorial Medical Center to private ownership,” Gurley said, adding that he arranged public input, including electronically beaming a hearing to outlying communities. He said “public involvement resulted in certain guarantees to the public in the lease contract.” Gurley joins former Doña Ana County Commissioner Miguel G. Silva in challenging 12-year incumbent José Frietze for the District 1 seat on Nov. 6. Continue Reading

Sen. Garcia to face primary challenge from Butler

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Doña Ana County Commissioner Oscar Vásquez Butler has decided to challenge Senate Majority Whip Mary Jane Garcia in the June 2008 Democratic primary. Butler confirmed today his decision to take on the Democratic senator who has represented District 36 for 20 years. Both live in Doña Ana, a rural community a few miles north of Las Cruces. “I am running for Senate District 36,” Butler said. “I think we’re in need of a change and I think I can make a difference.” Butler’s decision is sure to rattle the county’s Democratic Party. Continue Reading

NMSU athletics organization’s debt nears $2 million

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New Mexico State University officials are trying to figure out how to restructure an athletics organization that was allowed to operate last fiscal year without an approved budget and ended the year with a $1.6 million deficit. They’re also trying to decide how to handle the debt, which has continued to grow this fiscal year. The debt incurred by the Aggie Athletic Fund (AAF), a charitable non-profit that is similar to the NMSU Foundation, continued to grow until at least Sept. 5, when it reached more than $1.75 million. Most of the debt comes from operations of the Aggie Sports Network (ASN), an organization under AAF charged with promoting the university’s athletics programs through television, radio and sponsorships. Continue Reading

In defense of the American Civil Liberties Union

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In a column published Wednesday on this site, Whitney Cheshire lauded the American Civil Liberties Union for our position on civic plaza surveillance cameras, but dismissed our free-speech lawsuit against state Sen. Rod Adair as just so much “politicking.” It comes down to this… Mr. Adair thinks his authority as a state senator trumps Mr. Beagle’s First Amendment right to take part in legislative committee hearings. He’s wrong. We would sue any state legislator, Democrat or Republican, to prove that, especially if he or she called upon state police to oust a citizen from the Roundhouse, as Senator Adair did. It’s the combination of arrogance and power that incites us, Whitney, not party stripe. You above many others should know that. Continue Reading

Former county auditor wants Schoonover’s job

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As the county’s internal auditor, Jill Johnson conducted the investigation that led the Doña Ana County Board of Commissioners to formally censure Treasurer Jim Schoonover earlier this year. Johnson left the position this summer. That’s because she wants Schoonover’s job, which is up for grabs in November 2008. “Because of the things that went on, I did learn a lot about the treasurer’s office,” Johnson said in a recent interview. “… I think I can do a better job.” Schoonover and his deputy, Jerry Wheeler, were censured on Feb. Continue Reading

Third candidate enters Las Cruces mayoral race

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Jon J. Mercurio has announced his candidacy for mayor of Las Cruces. Mercurio, 64, is a retired federal scientist who runs a small business in Las Cruces and has lived in the city since 1984. He said in a news release that he’s running on a platform of “fiscal responsibility that stretches across the spectrum from smart growth, participation of the average citizen in their government, open government, infrastructure improvement for the existing community, job creation and quality of life.” “We need a more diverse economic base. One cannot expect the current strategy of continual housing construction, as the only prop for the local economy, to have long-term success,” Mercurio said. Mayor Bill Mattiace is seeking re-election on Nov. Continue Reading

Denish endorses Montaño in city council race

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Lt. Gov. Diane Denish has decided to put the weight of her endorsement – and some cash – behind the campaign of Steven Montaño, who is running for an open seat on the Las Cruces City Council. “He understands economic development and he understands the city of Las Cruces,” Denish said. “He’ll work with the other councilors to make sure good things happen for the city.” Montaño is one of three candidates running on Nov. 6 for the seat being vacated by Steve Trowbridge, who decided against seeking re-election. Denish Campaign Manager Steve Fitzer said the lieutenant governor has “had the chance to work very closely with Steve (Montaño).” That’s at least in part because Montaño runs the Las Cruces office of the state’s Economic Development Department. Continue Reading

Mattiace formally announces re-election bid

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Las Cruces Mayor William “Bill” Mattiace announced today, at a news conference on the steps of City Hall, his re-election bid. He said several months ago that he would seek one more term, but today marked Mattiace’s official campaign announcement. “I have been honored and humbled to serve this city for eight years, more than four of them as mayor,” he said. “I have enjoyed facing the challenges of leading this council and the people of this city. This job requires more than just encouragement from friends or a simple lifelong dream to be mayor. Continue Reading

Bingaman encouraged by wilderness compromise

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U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman says he’s “encouraged” by the compromise between the Las Cruces Homebuilders Association and the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance on a proposal to protect almost 400,000 acres of land in Doña Ana County. Ultimately, only Congress can designate land as wilderness or a national conservation area. The wilderness alliance had been working for months to build additional consensus in its push for federal legislation. Its attempt got a huge boost Tuesday when a slightly reworked plan earned the endorsement of the homebuilders. “If we’re going to get a bill passed this Congress, it’s going to need widespread support in the community. Continue Reading

Judge agrees to discipline over role in housing scandal

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A judge who lived rent-free in a home owned by the Albuquerque-based Region III Housing Authority has agreed to a reprimand and to pay $17,000 in back rent, the Albuquerque Journal is reporting. The New Mexico Supreme Court has asked attorneys for Metropolitan Court Judge Theresa Gomez and the Judicial Standards Commission to explain why her punishment shouldn’t be harsher than a reprimand. The court could take action as severe as removing her from the bench. The news comes eight months after the Journal reported that the judge was living rent-free for 20 months in the $172,000 home, that she had dismissed traffic tickets issued to former Region III Director Vincent “Smiley” Gallegos, and that she didn’t likely qualify for low-income housing even if she had been paying rent. The newspaper also reported at the time that a top aide to the speaker of the House had been similarly living in a home owned by Region III without paying rent. Continue Reading