Richardson turns 59 today

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Gov. Bill Richardson turns 59 today, and he has a lot to celebrate this year. He just won re-election with almost 69 percent of the vote – by far the greatest gubernatorial victory in the history of the state. The majority of New Mexicans believe he is ethical despite controversies that have colored his tenure as governor. His party recaptured last week the U.S. House, Senate and the majority of the nation’s governorships, and he had a hand in making it happen. He’s on the short list of Democrats who will likely run for president in 2008. Continue Reading

Legislators frustrated by school board’s inaction

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Two legislators say the Las Cruces Public Schools Board of Education’s inaction at today’s meeting is disappointing. The board scheduled Tuesday’s meeting a week ago, but one board member, John Schwebke, is out of the state on business and apparently wasn’t available by telephone. Another, President Sharon Wooden, is out of the country and apparently also not available by phone. Board Member Gene Gant, though he is in town, attended the meeting by phone. Instead of resolving the situation today, Gant and board Vice President Chuck Davis voted to postpone any action and keep Superintendent Sonia Diaz on paid administrative leave for at least another six days. Continue Reading

GOP declines chance to prove voter fraud

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Republicans who have alleged that there is voter fraud in New Mexico were invited to testify before a legislative committee on Wednesday. U.S. Attorney David Iglesias and State Rep. Justine Fox-Young were asked to provide evidence of past claims they have made about voter fraud. Both informed the Courts, Corrections and Justice Committee today that they won’t appear tomorrow, said State Rep. Joseph Cervantes, D-Las Cruces and the committee’s co-chair. “The panel begins tomorrow and we’re learning, for the first time, that not one wants to appear to substantiate their allegations,” Cervantes said. Fox-Young testified before a U.S. House committee in Las Cruces earlier this year that there was evidence dead people were voting in New Mexico. Continue Reading

Here are the final county election results

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The Doña Ana County Board of Commissioners certified its election results at a meeting today. The only change with the counting of provisional ballots is that Democrat Jim Baca won the county in the land commissioner race, albeit by a narrow margin. That didn’t affect the statewide results and Republican Pat Lyons’ victory. You can view the county’s results by clicking here. Continue Reading

BREAKING NEWS: Board delays Diaz decision

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The Las Cruces Public Schools Board of Education has extended the administrative leave of Superintendent Sonia Diaz until Monday. Because the investigation into allegations against Diaz is not complete, and because two board members could not attend the meeting, board Member Gene Gant, who attended today’s meeting by telephone, made the motion to reschedule the meeting for Monday and keep Diaz on paid administrative leave until then. “We have not completed our investigation and more time is needed,” Gant said. “I believe that this action would be in the best interest of all parties.” Gant and board member Chuck Davis voted to do that. Board Member Leonel Briseño voted against it, saying he is not questioning whether Diaz has made mistakes, but that “nothing I have heard warrants continuing Dr. Diaz on leave.” He asked the other members to considering going into executive session to discuss taking Diaz off administrative leave while the investigation is completed, but they were not willing to do that. Continue Reading

School board may postpone Diaz decision

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There’s a chance the Las Cruces Public Schools Board of Education will postpone later today a decision on whether to remove Superintendent Sonia Diaz from administrative leave. The board is set to meet at 1 p.m., but members John Schwebke and Sharon Wooden will be absent. The other board members will likely discuss in open session whether to move into closed session to discuss Diaz’s employment or whether to postpone the meeting. Continue Reading

School board must put aside politics, focus on kids

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Since Las Cruces Public Schools Superintendent Sonia Diaz was placed on administrative leave last week, I’ve spent hours talking with people about the situation. This community is incredibly divided. Good people, including many I know personally and respect deeply, are at odds over whether Diaz is the district’s savior or another devil, or something in between. In June, just before the school board voted to hire Diaz, I wrote that the next superintendent would have to reach out to all people in the school district, and that she would have to bring about massive change while also preserving our heritage and honoring our culture. I wrote that even those who are resistant to the change must be included in deciding how it happens, or the division that has consumed this district for years will continue to spread. Continue Reading

Kissling may not be the only Democrat to run in ’08

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It appears there may be several Democrats battling for the right to take on U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M. in 2008. In addition to Democrat Al Kissling’s announcement that he will run again, State Rep. Joseph Cervantes, D-Las Cruces, and Doña Ana County Commissioner Bill McCamley are considering running. Jeff Steinborn, who was elected last week to the state House, ran unsuccessfully for the congressional seat held by Pearce two years ago but was defeated in the primary. He said it’s too early to think about whether he’ll run again in 2008. Kissling didn’t face primary opposition this year. Continue Reading

Will Ellins stay on as elections supervisor?

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Now that the Nov. 7 general election has become the most successful operation run by Doña Ana County in recent years, many are wondering whether Elections Supervisor Lynn Ellins will stay on. Ellins said he hasn’t yet made a decision. “I’m hired here until approximately the middle of January, when all possible chances of appeal have expired,” Ellins said. “I’ll make a decision before then.” Ellins said he will spend the next few months helping further implement the recommendations of the county’s task force on elections. Continue Reading

Provisionals counted, don’t change outcome

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The Doña Ana County Bureau of Elections has finished sorting through and counting provisional ballots and, in case there were any doubters left out there, they didn’t change the outcome in any race. The county won’t release the actual numbers until the commission meets Tuesday to officially certify the results, said spokesman Jess Williams. He did say his understanding is that the provisional ballots didn’t affect the outcome of any race. The commission has a regularly scheduled meeting for 9 a.m. Tuesday. It will meet to certify the results immediately following that meeting, Williams said. The meeting is at the Doña Ana County Government Center on Motel Boulevard. Continue Reading

Kissling plans to run again in 2008

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Al Kissling, who scored just over 40 percent of the vote last week in his bid to unseat U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M., plans to run again in 2008. The Democrat made the announcement today in an e-mail to supporters. “When you consider we began the year with no funding, a minimal staff and even less experience, it is gratifying to see what we were able to accomplish together,” Kissling wrote. Before the 2008 campaign can get started, Kissling must raise about $35,000 to pay off debt from this year’s campaign. Kissling is asking for donations, and plans to hold a fundraiser on Dec. Continue Reading

House GOP picks Taylor as leader

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House Republicans on Saturday elected Rep. Tom Taylor of Farmington as minority floor leader. They also elected Rep. Dan Foley of Roswell as minority whip and Rep. Anna Crook of Clovis as chairwoman of the Republican caucus. I told you back in May that Foley would be whip, but predicted that Rep. Brian Moore of Clayton would be the minority leader. Moore decided not to seek the position after careful consideration of his position on the appropriations and finance committee and other issues. Rep. Terry Marquardt of Alamogordo planned to seek the leadership post, but he lost his bid for re-election last week. Continue Reading

Poll: Lawmakers should be paid

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The majority of those who voted in last week’s non-scientific poll on this site said state lawmakers should be paid. Out of 126 voters, 91, or 72 percent, said legislators should be paid, while 32, or 25 percent, said they should not. Three voters, or 2 percent, said they don’t know. Don’t forget to vote in this week’s poll, located at the top of the right column on this page. Continue Reading

Pearce seeks high GOP leadership position

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Two days after he won almost 60 percent of the vote in his bid for re-election, U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M., announced he wants to be vice chair of the GOP conference. That would make Pearce the fourth most powerful Republican in the House. In a letter Pearce plans to send to colleagues Monday, he wrote that he can lead the GOP to “refocus and refine its message so it resonates once against with the American people.” “Let’s not kid ourselves. Two days ago, we endured a crushing defeat that compels us to look deep within ourselves,” Pearce wrote. “As many pundits have commented, the American people did not vote for Democrats, they voted against Republicans. Continue Reading