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Costner to film presidential election movie in N.M.

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As New Mexico’s film industry continues to grow, the newest project is interesting because of its subject. The state announced on Tuesday that Swing Vote, produced by and starring Kevin Costner, will begin filming in Belen and Albuquerque on July 23. The movie follows Bud Johnson, “an apathetic, working class, single father who is thrust onto the world stage after the presidential election comes down to a single vote – his,” a news release from the governor’s office states. “Prodded by his idealistic 12-year old daughter, Bud struggles to make the right choice while being pandered to by politicians who will say and do anything to win.” The movie is the first from Costner’s newly formed production company, Treehouse Films. “We warmly welcome Mr. Costner and Treehouse Films to New Mexico,” Gov. Bill Richardson said in the release. “The subject matter of this project is also of some interest to me.” I’m sure it is. Continue Reading

Governor’s ethics task force to meet May 22

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The first meeting of Gov. Bill Richardson’s reconvened ethics task force will be held May 22. The meeting is set to begin at 9 a.m. and will be held at the Roundhouse in Santa Fe. From Las Cruces, the task force’s membership includes co-chair Garrey Carruthers, dean of New Mexico State University’s College of Business, in addition to Rep. Jeff Steinborn and Doña Ana County Commissioner Bill McCamley. It is tasked with examining the resistance to ethics reform in the Legislature, coming up with new proposals and determining whether Richardson should call a special session later this year to deal with ethics reform. Continue Reading

Martin will likely get contract extension, pay raise

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Members of the New Mexico State University Board of Regents are expected to approve a contract extension for President Michael Martin on Friday that comes with a hefty salary increase. The regents will meet at 8 a.m. Friday in executive session and then are set to meet publicly at 9:30 a.m. to vote on the contract extension. This year, Martin was paid about $294,000. Last year, when approving that salary, the regents also gave him a bonus equal to 10 percent of his salary for outstanding work. They might do it again. Continue Reading

Open meetings, records request complaints are online

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Attorney General Gary King has set up a great Web site that contains all complaints about potential violations of the Open Meetings and Inspection of Public Records acts. The site includes the actual complaints filed and, at the conclusion of investigations, responding letters informing complainants of the results of investigations. The Web site increases the public’s ability to know about potential violations and encourages open government in New Mexico. Check it out when you get a chance by clicking here. Continue Reading

Racing league isn’t blasting off, but there’s still time

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The Rocket Racing League, which wants to host NASCAR-style races in the skies above Spaceport America and around the world, has lost one of the four teams that had signed on to participate. The Las Cruces Sun-News is reporting today that Leading Edge Rocket Racing, which was the league’s first announced team, has severed ties with the league. That leaves two independent teams and one team owned by the league. The former team’s Monday announcement is the latest setback for the racing league, which hasn’t drawn interest from potential team owners as quickly as officials hoped or originally told the public they planned. Leading Edge’s chief executive officer, Robert “Bobaloo” Rickard, told the Sun-News that his group’s “vision, business practices and communication standards are incompatible with those of the league.” League Chief Operating Officer Tim Gormley said the former team didn’t meet the league’s requirements and backed out, but said the news had no impact on the league’s plans. Continue Reading

Richardson to campaign in New York, Los Angeles

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After wrapping up a three-day trip to New Hampshire on Monday, Gov. Bill Richardson will spend the next couple of days in New York before heading back to the Granite State and then to Los Angeles. At a campaign stop Monday in Hooksett, N.H., Richardson said he’ll campaign in New Hampshire even if the state disregards the wishes of the Democratic Party and moves up the date of its primary, according to the Boston Globe. But, acknowledging that he has a way to go in the polls, Richardson asked that the state not move its primary up too much. “I will be here no matter what, but please don’t schedule it for July, because I need some time to compete,” the Globe reported him as saying. The protective New Hampshire and Iowa, which historically have held the earliest primary contests in January of presidential election years, may move up their contests to late 2007 because many larger states plan to move their contests into January and February of next year. Continue Reading

Security must be followed by comprehensive reform

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This is a guest column submitted by the Doña Ana County commissioner, who is challenging U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce. Read Pearce’s column, which ran Monday, by clicking here. Al Kissling, Pearce’s other announced challenger, is out of the state and was not able to write a column. By Bill McCamley As a commissioner in the largest border county in New Mexico, I see the obvious necessity of dealing with the immigration issue. It affects every aspect of life in Southern New Mexico. Continue Reading

Lyons should have stuck with bidding process for Las Cruces land, rejected PAC money tied to developer

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State Land Commissioner Pat Lyons told the Las Cruces Sun-News on Friday that his office made a mistake in agreeing in December to lease thousands of acres to developer Philip Philippou. He says he should have waited another month to sign the contract. That’s because he chose to seek bids for the state land and then, a little more than a month before the proposals were due, signed two contracts giving Philippou the lease on thousands of acres on Las Cruces’ north and east sides. Several factors add to the appearance of something suspicious. Lyons signed the contracts the week of Christmas when no one was watching. Continue Reading

Richardson gains in newest Nevada poll, but shifting primary calendar means he needs to climb faster

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A week after a poll showed support for Gov. Bill Richardson’s presidential run jump in Iowa, another finds him creeping up in Nevada. The new poll has Richardson at 6 percent in Nevada – better than the 2-3 percent reflected in previous polls, but still far short of any of the frontrunners in the race to be the Democrats’ 2008 presidential nominee. Last week, a poll showed support for Richardson in Iowa jump from 1 percent to 5 percent. The Nevada poll, conducted for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, had Hillary Clinton way ahead of everyone else with 37 percent. It had John Edwards at 13 percent and Barack Obama at 12 percent. Continue Reading

Councilor wants peer to abstain on development vote

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Las Cruces City Councilor Ken Miyagishima will ask one of his peers to abstain from voting on annexation and master-plan approval of The Vistas at Presidio later this month. Councilor Gil Jones disclosed at a meeting last month a relationship he has with the man who wants to develop 6,000 acres on the East Mesa. Jones’ brother and Philip Philippou are married to sisters. Councilors are scheduled to vote on the development at their May 21 meeting. In an e-mail sent Sunday to a listserve he maintains, Miyagishima wrote that he has known Jones for several years, and said he’s “very intelligent” and “hard working.” “However, on May 21, 2007 at our city council meeting, I will be asking Councilor Gil Jones to abstain from voting on this annexation,” Miyagishima wrote. Continue Reading

City considers annexing 8,400 acres on West Mesa

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Las Cruces city councilors are set to begin considering today what would be the largest annexation in the city’s history. The proposed Kennon annexation includes almost 8,400 acres of land on the West Mesa of the city. While most annexations are sought by developers, this annexation proposal was initiated by the city. Mayor Bill Mattiace has pushed for years for development on the mostly desolate West Mesa, where land is cheaper than other areas and affordable housing is feasible. In addition, development on that side of the city helps with the plan to grow the city’s West Mesa Industrial Park and connect it with a bypass highway to Santa Teresa’s industrial park in the south and Spaceport America in the north. Continue Reading

Immigration solutions must respect people and law

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This is a guest column submitted by the representative from Southern New Mexico. Since he already has declared challengers for the 2008 election, I invited both Democrats to write columns addressing this topic. Bill McCamley’s will run Tuesday. Al Kissling is out of the state and was not able to write a column. By Steve Pearce No issue facing America today is more emotional than immigration. Continue Reading

Most voters in poll dislike Pearce’s performance

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The majority of those who voted in last week’s non-scientific poll on this site disapprove of the job Steve Pearce is doing as a U.S. congressman. Of 169 voters, 110, or 65 percent, said they disapprove, while 49, or 29 percent, said they approve, and 10, or 6 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

Richardson has casual chat with California bloggers

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During his recent trip to California, Gov. Bill Richardson talked with liberal bloggers about a number of topics. The following videos are raw and reveal a very casual sit-down he had with the bloggers. It’s hard to hear Richardson, so you might have to crank up your volume. The video was taken by the group Working Californians. Here’s video of him talking about California issues, health care, education and balancing budgets. Continue Reading

Clinton takes up guv’s proposal to de-authorize war

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Now that President Bush has vetoed a funding bill that would have set a timetable for the withdrawal of troops from Iraq, Sen. Hillary Clinton proposed Thursday that Congress repeal the authority it gave Bush to invade Iraq. It’s not a new idea. In fact, Clinton’s opponent in the Democratic presidential primary, Gov. Bill Richardson, has been saying for quite some time that’s what should be done. The New York Times gave Richardson credit, too. In today’s article about Clinton’s proposal, the Times notes that Richardson, “beating Mrs. Clinton to the punch,” sent out a news release Tuesday calling for the de-authorization of the war and a schedule for a rapid withdrawal of troops. Continue Reading