Guv orders state police to block access to bingo parlor

By |

Gov. Bill Richardson has ordered the state police to block access to a planned “illegal casino” that an Oklahoma tribe is planning to open between Las Cruces and Deming. Richardson took the action against the Fort Sill Apache’s facility at Akela Flats, according to a news release, after receiving no assurance from the federal government that it would act on the tribe’s plans.The action comes after the state learned the facility could open for business as soon as Thursday. “We have emphatically stated our opposition to what clearly would be an illegal gaming operation in the State of New Mexico,” Richardson said. “Because the federal government is abdicating its responsibility, I have no choice but to take immediate and forceful action to protect the citizens of New Mexico and the integrity of our gaming laws.” The tribe plans to open a bingo parlor on land that was taken into federal trust in 2002 with the condition that it was not to be used for gaming. State police will block members of the public from entering the facility but not tribal members and employees. Continue Reading

Community leader wants to replace Carraro in Senate

By |

Sander Rue, a community leader on Albuquerque’s west side, announced today that he’s running for the District 23 state Senate seat being vacated by Joe Carraro. Carraro is running for Congress and has said he won’t seek re-election to the state Senate. “I’ve lived in Albuquerque for 45 years and in District 23 for 14 years, and I understand the challenges that our neighborhoods face,” said Rue, 54 and a Republican. “As our next state senator, I’ll fight to improve our roads, cut taxes to create more jobs and reduce overcrowding in our west-side schools.” Rue, a small businessman, is the founding president and current vice president of the Rancho Sereno Neighborhood Association. He’s also a member of the board of directors for Petroglyph Little League. Continue Reading

Newman cites son’s service in explaining war stance

By |

This is the seventh in an occasional series of articles based on conversations with the Second Congressional District candidates. Articles on each candidate who agrees to an interview will run before the parties’ preprimary nominating conventions on March 15. Monty Newman believes that America needs to stay in Iraq. So do many other Republican candidates for the Second Congressional District seat being vacated by Steve Pearce, but Newman’s view is perhaps unique because his son Ryan is an Iraq war veteran. “He felt strongly that you need enough boots on the ground in order to secure the country,” Newman said of his son’s experience. Continue Reading

Pearce claims preprimary victory, calls it a huge upset

By |

Steve Pearce is predicting that he will easily win the March 15 preprimary nominating convention in the GOP primary for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Pete Domenici, and claims that will be a huge upset because he’s the underdog in the race. The first half of that prediction – that he’ll win – didn’t come as a surprise to me. But the claim that he’s the underdog in the race I found to be a little bizarre. Preprimaries are about the party insiders – the most active, conservative Republicans in the state. Pearce is easily the more conservative candidate and most analysts have said he is the favorite not only in the preprimary, but also in the June 3 primary against Heather Wilson. Continue Reading

Luna County GOP will redo its convention

By |

The Republican Party of Luna County will have to redo its selection of delegates to the state preprimary nominating convention because some people were unfairly excluded last weekend from trying to become delegates. State GOP spokesman Scott Darnell said the county party chairman decided to redo the process after the state party discovered that this year’s convention chairman “improperly restricted who could run for and become a state convention delegate.” That happened because the convention chairman assumed “that a standing rule from a previous convention carried over to this year’s convention concerning who should be nominated and serve as a Luna County delegate, and that is an incorrect assumption.” Darnell said the problem was unintentional. Saturday’s 9 a.m. meeting to redo the convention means the delegate hunt for the GOP’s Second Congressional District candidates that has been unusual and drawn a lot of interest isn’t over. I’m not sure what it means for the congressional candidates, because at least two of them had been claiming they won all five delegates from Luna County at the county party’s first convention. A Republican candidate for the Second Congressional District seat needs 28 delegates to appear on the ballot. Continue Reading

State GOP says guv should not call special session

By |

The Republican Party of New Mexico says Gov. Bill Richardson should not call a special session for health-care reform. “The legislators and citizens of New Mexico spoke loudly and clearly during the past legislative session: Bill Richardson’s government-managed health-care plan runs the risk of driving doctors and insurance providers out of New Mexico and could bankrupt the state,” the party’s executive director, Adam Feldman, said in a news release. “For the sake of New Mexico taxpayers and small businesses, Richardson should not call a special session this year.” The governor has already said he will call a special session, and is meeting with Senate leaders on Thursday to discuss possible dates. The House approved a revised and watered-down version of Richardson’s universal health-care plan after much debate during the regular session that ended earlier this month, but the Senate refused to even consider it. Many lawmakers have said publicly that they see no point to calling a special session when there is no consensus on health-care reform. Continue Reading

Teague may have to take down signs for a few days

By |

Second Congressional District candidate Harry Teague’s campaign began putting up large signs around Las Cruces this weekend, but that appears to violate a city ordinance and the signs may have to be taken down for a few days. Many New Mexico cities have ordinances limiting the time that campaign signs can be displayed on public property, but Las Cruces is one of the few that also limits the time that campaign signs can be posted on private property. Signs can’t go up in Las Cruces until March 5, which is 90 days before the June 3 primary. City Manager Terrence Moore said staffers are “in the midst of checking into the locations of the respective signs. If violations exist, they will be dealt with accordingly.” You might recall that, because of the ordinance, state Land Commissioner Pat Lyons was ordered by the city to take down several signs that were put up on private property more than 90 days before the 2006 general election. Continue Reading

Wilson attacks Pearce for comments about England

By |

Heather Wilson is attacking Steve Pearce for claiming on Saturday that England is a bigger exporter of Islamic terrorists than any country in the Middle East. It’s the latest spat in what has become a contentious GOP U.S. Senate primary. “We must have a moral standard in this country. We cannot be a moral vacuum,” Pearce said at the Valencia County GOP convention on Saturday. “If we try to do that I will guarantee that the same thing will happen to us that happened in England. Continue Reading

Guv pushed on planned Cruces veterans museum

By |

Gov. Bill Richardson is drawing sharp criticism and heavy lobbying after saying on Friday that he hasn’t decided whether to sign a bill that would create a veterans museum in Las Cruces. Sen. Leonard Lee Rawson, R-Las Cruces and the sponsor of Senate Bill 349, said Richardson previously promised in front of several witnesses to sign the bill. In addition, he said, two of the governor’s cabinet secretaries testified in support of the bill during the session. “How can he not honor his word? This should in itself be the end of the discussion,” Rawson wrote in an e-mail. Continue Reading

Turnout high at GOP county convention in Las Cruces

By |

Almost 300 Republicans showed up to Saturday’s Doña Ana County party convention to select delegates to the March 15 state preprimary nominating convention, almost tripling the usual turnout at the county meeting. Several longtime Republicans said they had never seen more than 100 people at a county convention in Las Cruces. “Great turnout. Fantastic turnout,” was how the county’s interim party chair, Mark Van Dyke, characterized it. Republicans have reported similarly high turnout at county conventions across the state, which may suggest, coming on the heels of the record turnout for the Democratic Party’s Feb. Continue Reading

Most voters in poll say ‘no’ to special session

By |

The majority of those who voted in last week’s non-scientific poll on this site said the governor should not call a special session for health-care reform. Of 221 voters, 152, or 69 percent, said the governor should not call a special session, while 69, or 31 percent, said he should. The governor has already said he will call a special session. He’s meeting with Senate leaders this week to discuss the date. Don’t forget to vote in this week’s poll, located at the top of the right column on this page. Continue Reading

A jovial Richardson signs bills in Las Cruces

By |

Gov. Bill Richardson was all smiles and jokes today during a news conference and bill-signing ceremony in Las Cruces. Richardson was greeted warmly by lawmakers, local politicians and New Mexico State University officials during the ceremony at NMSU’s Business Complex. “The Legislative session wasn’t very good, but for New Mexico State, it was great,” the governor said with a chuckle in announcing more than $33 million in new funding for NMSU that came out of the legislative session and the creation of a new doctorate program in economic development. Richardson’s beard was the most mentioned subject at the event. Business Dean and former Gov. Garrey Carruthers introduced the governor as “Adjunct Professor Richardson” – a reference to his teaching a course at NMSU a couple of years ago – and joked about the facial hair the governor has been growing since he withdrew from the presidential race in January. Continue Reading

NMSU to honor Domenici at basketball game

By |

New Mexico State University will honor retiring U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici on Saturday by “retiring” a baseball jersey in his name during halftime of the men’s basketball game. The jersey will have the number 36 on it, for the number of years he will have as served as senator by the time he leaves office at the end of this year. NMSU President Michael Martin said in a news release that Domenici’s kindness and generosity make him a valuable friend to NMSU. He added that Saturday’s ceremony is an important and fun way for the university to show its appreciation. “Sen. Domenici has achieved a long and distinguished career of service, not only to New Mexico, but the nation and indeed the world. Continue Reading

McCamley pledges commitment, change and results

By |

This is the sixth in an occasional series of articles based on conversations with the Second Congressional District candidates. Articles on each candidate who agrees to an interview will run before the parties’ preprimary nominating conventions on March 15. Bill McCamley has said often on the campaign trail that politicians should be judged solely on results. “Have you made life better for the people you represent? If you can’t answer that question, you shouldn’t be re-elected,” the Democratic Second Congressional District candidate said. Continue Reading

Two announce bids for ABQ-area legislative seats

By |

A Democratic business-planning consultant and Republican who is a former chairman of the state Commission on Higher Education announced today their candidacies for Albuquerque-area seats in the state Legislature. Tim Keller, a Democrat who wants to “bring new and ethical leadership to Santa Fe,” is running for the state Senate District 17 seat currently held by Democrat Shannon Robinson. Ron Toya, a Republican who says he will focus on education issues, is running for the state House District 17 seat currently held by Democrat Ed Sandoval. “I am running for office because the needs of our district are substantial. As a state senator, I will fight for working families in our district,” Keller said in a news release. Continue Reading