RichardsonWatch: Gov. makes stop in Florida

By |

Note: This is the first in an occasional series documenting out-of-state travel by the governor, just to get it on the record. Gov. Bill Richardson was in Florida on Saturday speaking to state Democratic Party activists, according to the Associated Press. The group was also visited over the weekend by 2008 presidential hopefuls Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut and retired Gen. Wesley Clark, who are also considering presidential runs. It was Dodd’s first major appearance since announcing recently that he’s exploring a White House run. Update, 12:40 p.m. Richardson is in Denver today, along with many other Democratic presidential nominee hopefuls, attending a national party convention. Continue Reading

Poll voters optimistic about spaceport

By |

The majority of those who voted in last week’s poll are optimistic about the creation of Spaceport America, the newly renamed facility being constructed at Upham. Of 94 voters, 59, or 63 percent, said the spaceport will benefit the state and its residents. 31, or 33 percent, said it will not, and four voters, or 4 percent, said they don’t know. Be sure to vote in this week’s online poll, located in the right column near the top of this page. Continue Reading

BREAKING NEWS: High court says Galvan can’t be a judge ever again

By |

The New Mexico Supreme Court has issued an order barring former Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Reuben Galvan from ever again holding judicial office. Galvan had a chance to defend himself in the matter, but he let pass a June 16 deadline to respond to the Judicial Standards Commission’s petition seeking a permanent ban from office. The high court issued its order Thursday. Galvan resigned last year amid allegations that he raped and solicited a bribe from a Las Cruces woman in August 2004. After two hung juries, prosecutors dropped the criminal charges. Continue Reading

City manager says he never promised to reimburse judges’ legal fees

By |

Las Cruces City Manager Terrence Moore disputed a claim by the attorney for the city’s two municipal judges that he promised to pay the cost of their legal defense against an ethical complaint, which the city is now refusing to pay. Melissa J. Reeves, attorney for municipal judges Melissa Miller-Byrnes and Jim T. Locatelli, said during Friday morning’s court hearing that “the city manager originally told the judges their defense would be paid … and then he reneged on that.” Moore said that’s untrue. “I’ve never made that type of commitment,” he said. “I don’t have the authority to do so.” The city manager can spend up to $35,000 without council approval. The judges are seeking more than $100,000. Continue Reading

District judge asked to dismiss Las Cruces municipal judges’ lawsuit against city

By |

A district judge was asked Friday to dismiss a lawsuit against the City of Las Cruces by the city’s two municipal judges, who are seeking reimbursement for the cost of defending themselves against an ethical complaint filed in 2004 by the city attorney’s office. District Judge Jerald A. Valentine gave both sides a week to provide him with documentation for their arguments before he decides whether to dismiss the lawsuit. The lawsuit is part of an ongoing battle between the judges and the city attorney’s office over problems at the court. Because of the lawsuit, city prosecutors have put on hold dozens of pending drunken driving and domestic violence cases. The dispute began when the judges, Melissa Miller-Byrnes and James T. Locatelli, complained to city management about the handling of cases by prosecutors and police. Continue Reading

Stewart/Colbert in 2008 gains momentum

By |

For anyone who doesn’t know, this bumper sticker is referring to The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert of The Colbert Report, a couple of comedians on Comedy Central who make fun of the politicos who make the news. I first saw this bumper sticker in Las Cruces about a week ago. I’ve seen Stewart/Colbert ’08 bumper stickers four times now. I didn’t think much of it at first. I live in a college town, after all. Continue Reading

Former Las Cruces councilor wants state law changed to keep county tax increase out of cities

By |

A former Las Cruces city councilor wants to change a state law that allows Doña Ana County to tax him. Woodie Jenkins has convinced State Sen. Mary Jane Garcia, D-Doña Ana, to get involved, and asked the New Mexico Municipal League for help. At issue is the passage by the Doña Ana County Board of Commissioners of two gross receipts tax increases of one-sixteenth percent each that went into effect July 1. The increased revenue is being used to raise salaries and increase other funding for the county’s jail and sheriff’s and fire departments. In addition to unincorporated areas, the tax applies in the four municipalities in the county – Hatch, Las Cruces, Mesilla and Sunland Park. Continue Reading

Richardson says Dendahl started negative attacks

By |

Gov. Bill Richardson took issue today with me saying he started the negative campaigning in the gubernatorial race. Along with Doña Ana County Commissioner Bill McCamley, I was a guest host on the Michael Swickard radio show this morning, and interviewed the governor. I asked the Democrat about his campaign’s decision to air a negative ad days after Republican John Dendahl jumped into the gubernatorial race last month. Richardson pointed out that Dendahl, for several years before becoming a candidate, repeatedly attacked him in a column he wrote for three state newspapers. “His whole life is attacking me,” Richardson said. Continue Reading

Land commissioner spat comes to an end

By |

Land Commissioner Pat Lyons fired what I’m going to call the final shot in the back-and-forth attacks this week on my blog, but not before a conservation group got involved in the fray. Lyons’ campaign responded to challenger Jim Baca’s accusations that he is owned by special interest groups by saying Baca “is clearly angry that these industries don’t support him. He would be singing an entirely different tune if the money was rolling into his account.” Democrat Baca started the attacks earlier this week by releasing an analysis of Republican Lyon’s campaign contributions that showed he has taken hundreds of thousands of dollars from development and oil and gas companies. Baca said Lyons is selling the land office to special interest groups. In response, Lyons said he is business friendly and Baca is antagonistic. Continue Reading

NMSU provost may be interested in Highlands job

By |

New Mexico State University Executive Vice President and Provost William Flores says he has had no discussions with Highlands officials about replacing Manny Aragon on an interim or permanent basis, but he might be interested. “I would be interested in talking to them, just like I always do,” Flores said. Headhunters have recruited Flores to apply for several university president positions around the nation in recent years. He has applied for a few but not been hired. Flores also had the support of Gov. Bill Richardson to become NMSU’s next president when the regents instead hired Michael Martin in 2004. Continue Reading

BREAKING NEWS: Aragon agrees to step down

By |

New Mexico Highlands University President Manny Aragon has agreed to step down, the university’s president announced today. Details were not immediately released, and the agreement is pending a proposed settlement’s approval by the board of regents, the Associated Press reported. The regents are set to meet on Saturday. Gov. Bill Richardson was pleased, a spokesman said. “The governor is pleased that the instability at Highlands is over, and the university can move forward with a renewed focus on improving educational opportunities for Northern New Mexico,” said spokesman Gilbert Gallegos. Continue Reading

City denies National Guard access to border area

By |

The Sunland Park City Council voted 4-2 Tuesday to keep the National Guard away from Mount Cristo Rey, a religious site along the U.S.-Mexico border. The federal government had requested a right-of-way permit that would allow patrols on the mountain. Part of the mountain is owned by the city, and part is owned by the Catholic Church, according to KFOX-TV in El Paso. Border Patrol spokesman Doug Mosier told KVIA-TV in El Paso that troops will still patrol areas near the mountain. Sunland Park, located in New Mexico just west of El Paso, has about 13,000 residents. Continue Reading

Dendahl now has campaign Web site

By |

Republican gubernatorial candidate John Dendahl now has a campaign Web site, though some sections on the site are not yet complete. You can visit the site by clicking here. I share this because, earlier this year, I provided addresses of the Web sites for all candidates who will be on the ballot in Doña Ana County this year (or at least those candidates who have Web sites). At the time, Dendahl was not a candidate. For the record, you can visit Gov. Bill Richardson’s campaign Web site by clicking here. Continue Reading

Baca calls Lyons ‘special-interest friendly’

By |

State Land Commissioner hopeful Jim Baca is firing back at incumbent Pat Lyons, calling him “special-interest friendly.” Democrat Baca started the round of attacks earlier this week, releasing an analysis of Republican Lyon’s campaign contributions that showed he has taken hundreds of thousands of dollars from development and oil and gas companies. Baca said the land office is being sold to those who have leases from it, and said Lyons would have a hard time remaining independent. Lyons responded by saying he is “business friendly” but also has allies who are conservationists. He said Baca “has admitted that he is antagonistic and it appears he alienated the people who did business with him at the land office. (Baca is a former land commissioner.) If those industries aren’t contributing to his campaign, he has only himself to blame.” Baca wasn’t impressed. Continue Reading

Politicos should return money from casino owner who admits trying to buy their support

By |

Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino owner Stan Fulton is continuing his admitted pay-to-play campaign against the proposed Anthony casino. The Santa Fe New Mexican reported today that Fulton gave $100,000 last month to the Democratic Governors Association, which is chaired by New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and frequently pays for his out-of-state travel. The proposal by the Jemez Pueblo and Santa Fe art dealer Gerald Peters to build the casino in Anthony became public in August 2004. Since then, Fulton has been on an admitted campaign to buy opposition to the casino. He started by giving $1 million to the Gadsden Independent School District while a newspaper photographer and I watched. Continue Reading