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Three more added to NMSU prez search committee

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The New Mexico State University Board of Regents announced today that it has finalized the membership of its presidential search committee with the addition of three more members. The new members are Michael Johnson, vice president of the NMSU Foundation’s board of directors; Delano Lewis, director of NMSU’s International Relations Institute; and biology professor Elba Serrano, according to a letter Regents Chairman Blake Curtis sent to the NMSU community this afternoon. The committee will be chaired by former Regents President Adelmo “Del” Archuleta. The other nine members announced last week are College of Business Dean Garrey Carruthers, NMSU Grants President Felicia Casados, Las Cruces City Councilor Dolores Connor, student body President Travis Dulany, Faculty Senate Chair Chris Erickson, New Mexico Association of Counties Director Paul Gutierrez, former basketball coach Lou Henson, NMSU Cooperative Extension Service Eastern District Director Bruce Hinrichs and College of Agriculture Assistant Dean Tim Nesbitt. You can find more information on the search from NMSU’s Web site. Continue Reading

Taxpayers deserve to see what they’re paying for

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By Rep. Dennis Kintigh As a first-time state legislator, I have been surprised by the intensity of the interest in my position on the film industry subsidy, or as some call it the “film incentives.” The film-subsidy program requires the state to pay film-production operations 25 percent of their qualifying expenses. This program will cost New Mexico over $50 million. The question is whether this is worth it. When my legislation to repeal the film industry subsidy died in committee on March 3, I expected that to be the end of the matter. However, a few days ago, Mr. Eric Witt, the governor’s deputy chief of staff, published an essay critical of my position. Continue Reading

Smith ’embarrassed’ by scandal: I would be too

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State Sen. John Arthur Smith said on Tuesday at a legislative hearing about the controversy plaguing the state’s investment boards that he’s “embarrassed” to be a public official in such a scandal-plagued state. No kidding. I would think all public officials in New Mexico would be embarrassed. Officials convicted of corruption-related felony crimes in the last few years include two former state treasurers, a former deputy insurance superintendent and a former Senate president pro tem. Those currently caught up in controversies — some involving criminal probes — include the governor, the land commissioner, the former head of the state’s affordable housing system, the former secretary of state and the investment boards. Continue Reading

Cornelius plans to run for land commissioner or PRC

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Former congressional candidate Bob Cornelius says he’ll be on the ballot next year, running either for land commissioner or a seat on the Public Regulation Commission. Cornelius is a Republican, so running for the District 2 PRC seat would pit him in a primary against Land Commissioner Pat Lyons, who is term-limited from seeking re-election and announced earlier this week that he’s running for the PRC seat. Cornelius said that doesn’t worry him. “No matter which seat I choose to run for, I don’t plan on losing,” he said in an interview. Cornelius said he’s met with GOP leaders and other Republicans around the state about his consideration of both races. Continue Reading

Invest in commuter rail only where it makes sense

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I’m a big fan of programs that reduce our dependence on foreign oil and our impact on the environment. I’ve become more impressed with the Rail Runner Express — the commuter train that runs from Belen through Albuquerque to Santa Fe — over time as significant numbers of people have continued to ride and expressed satisfaction with the system. And, because of that, I like the idea of another commuter train between El Paso and Las Cruces, connecting communities in this populated region like the Rail Runner has done in north-central New Mexico. But, as an El Paso-Las Cruces train continues to be discussed, another idea keeps coming up that makes no sense to me. First, it was state Rep. Jeff Steinborn, D-Las Cruces, who, earlier this year, publicly floated the idea of funding a study on the possibility of extending the state’s commuter train from Belen to Las Cruces. Continue Reading

Kilmer says he’s not running for governor

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It’s starting to look more and more likely that Lt. Gov. Diane Denish won’t have a challenger next year when she runs in the Democratic primary for governor of New Mexico. That’s because actor Val Kilmer told New York Magazine he isn’t running. “No, I’m not,” he was quoted as saying. That came after he gave a goofy answer when first asked about whether he would run. “Well, I’m running. Continue Reading

Probate judge out for a month on medical leave

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Doña Ana County Probate Judge Alice Salcido announced today that she will be on medical leave for about a month starting Thursday. She’ll return to work on June 15, according to a news release from the county. The reason for her medical leave was not disclosed. Salcido said her assistant, Lydia Chaparro, will keep the office open to update open cases. Salcido said new cases will either have to wait until she returns or be filed in Third Judicial District Court. Continue Reading

Lyons to run for Public Regulation Commission seat

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New Mexico Land Commissioner Pat Lyons announced today that he’ll run for a seat on the Public Regulation Commission next year, when term limits oust him from his current job. As one of the most powerful regulatory boards in the nation, the PRC regulates utilities, telecommunications, transportation, railroad safety, natural gas and hazardous liquid pipelines and insurance industries. It also oversees business and industry compliance, organization and registration. Lyons, a Republican, will seek to replace District 2 Republican Commissioner David King, who is also term-limited from seeking re-election. “Infrastructure is vital for society and the economy to function, and should be governed to protect the interests of the public. Continue Reading

Early voting to start in county beer and wine election

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Early voting starts Tuesday for voters in unincorporated areas of Doña Ana County who get to decide whether to allow the sale of beer and wine in areas outside incorporated municipalities. The deadline to register to vote in the June 9 election is also on Tuesday, at 5 p.m. Alcohol is already sold in incorporated areas of the county. Only county residents who don’t live in Las Cruces, Hatch, Mesilla and Sunland Park are eligible to vote on whether to also allow the sale of beer and wine outside of those cities. Early voting will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays (through June 5) and on Saturday, June 6, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Doña Ana County Government Center, 845 North Motel Boulevard. The deadline to request an absentee ballot is 5 p.m. on June 5. Continue Reading

Richardson to visit Las Cruces again this week

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Gov. Bill Richardson, who was in Las Cruces last week to help educate the public about swine flu, will be back here on Wednesday to meet with community leaders as part of a “statewide listening tour,” according to a news release from his office. The meeting will be held at 5 p.m. in the commission chambers at the Doña Ana County Government Center, 845 North Motel Boulevard. At the meetings, according to the release, the governor “will meet with invited local leaders, county officials, community leaders and lawmakers to discuss issues facing their communities as well as their stimulus needs.” Richardson will also hold meetings this week in Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Santa Fe, Ft. Sumner, Clovis, Portales, Hobbs, Carlsbad, Roswell, Alamogordo, Moriarty, Mora and Mosquero. Continue Reading

Obama’s town hall to be held at Rio Rancho HS

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Rio Rancho High School will be the site of President Barack Obama’s Thursday town-hall meeting in New Mexico. The event, which will focus on credit card debt and coincides with related legislation Obama is seeking, is scheduled to last from 10-11:15 a.m., according to a news release from the White House. Those who are interested in attending must register by clicking here or calling (505) 896-5640 before 5 p.m. on Monday. While you can already register via the Internet, the phone line won’t be available until 10 a.m. Monday. Tickets will be randomly given out to some of those who register. Continue Reading

Kilmer ‘probably not’ going to run for governor

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“No, probably not,” is the answer actor Val Kilmer gave this weekend when asked if he was going to run for New Mexico governor. That’s not too surprising, since Kilmer’s level of activity related to the 2010 race has dropped and he has put his Pecos ranch up for sale in recent months. It was a reporter from The Politico who caught Kilmer on video telling a woman at an event this weekend that she could not call him governor and then saying he’s probably not going to run. See for yourself: If Kilmer, a Democrat, stays out of the race, it’s possible that Lt. Gov. Diane Denish won’t have a primary challenge. Meanwhile, a number of Republicans are preparing to battle for the right to take on Denish next year. Continue Reading

NMSU presidential search committee members named

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The New Mexico State University Board of Regents announced most members of their presidential search committee on Friday. The committee will be chaired by former Regents President Adelmo “Del” Archuleta. The other nine members who were announced on Friday were College of Business Dean Garrey Carruthers, NMSU Grants President Felicia Casados, Las Cruces City Councilor Dolores Connor, student body President Travis Dulany, Faculty Senate Chair Chris Erickson, New Mexico Association of Counties Director Paul Gutierrez, former basketball coach Lou Henson, NMSU Cooperative Extension Service Eastern District Director Bruce Hinrichs and College of Agriculture Assistant Dean Tim Nesbitt. State Rep. Mary Helen Garcia called me Friday to express frustration with the fact that the percentages of Hispanics and women on the committee don’t equal the percentages of Hispanics and women at NMSU, and also complained that there are no American Indians on the committee. “We’re a multicultural state,” she said. Continue Reading

Most voters in poll not too concerned about swine flu

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The vast majority of voters in last week’s non-scientific poll on this site said they are either not concerned at all or only a little concerned about swine flu. Of 217 voters, 102, or 47 percent, said they aren’t concerned at all about the virus, while 93, or 43 percent, said they’re concerned a little. Meanwhile, 20, or 9 percent, said they are concerned a lot, and two, or 1 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

Hawaii proves the point

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By Carter Bundy The Hawaii Legislature made a mistake this week in proclaiming September 24 “Islam Day,” but not for the reasons bigots would have you believe. I said bigots. Yup. The outcry that we can’t respect a religion because a handful of wackjob extremists is bigotry, pure and simple. We have anywhere from two to seven million American Muslims, depending on whose estimates you believe — somewhere between just over half a percent to just over 2 percent of all Americans. Continue Reading