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Check out profiles of three races on ballot

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Profiles of three races that will be on the ballot in Doña Ana County ran in area newspapers this weekend. Click here to read the Las Cruces Sun-News’ profile of the Doña Ana County Commission District 1 race between Democrat incumbent Oscar Vasquez Butler and Republican challenger John Zimmerman. Click here to read the Associated Press’ profile of the secretary of state race between Democrat Mary Herrera and Republican Vickie Perea, which was published in the Santa Fe New Mexican. Click here to read the Associated Press’ profile of the U.S. Senate race between Democrat incumbent Jeff Bingaman and Republican challenger Allen McCulloch, which was published in the Albuquerque Journal. Continue Reading

Richardson’s new position is that he will take a position on cockfighting, but not yet

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It would seem that Gov. Bill Richardson is almost ready to show the world he isn’t afraid to take a stand on the issue of cockfighting. But we’ll have to wait until just before the legislative session to learn what position he’ll take. According to a column in the Las Cruces Sun-News, Richardson told the newspaper’s editorial board last week that he will have a position by the start of the session. “My position is that I will have a position, very clear, and I’ll announce it right before the legislature,” the newspaper quoted him as saying. Richardson drew national ridicule from Jay Leno and others in April, when he said during a visit to Las Cruces that he hadn’t made up his mind on cockfighting and said there were good arguments on both sides of the issue. Continue Reading

Goddard finally responds to Whitley e-mail attack

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Less than five weeks before the election, Doña Ana County Republican Party Chair Sid Goddard has finally responded to the Democratic Party chair’s attempt to politicize the county election task force. In a guest column published Sunday in the Las Cruces Sun-News, Goddard attacks what he calls “eight decades of failed Democratic leadership” in New Mexico and writes that the Democratic Party lacks vision and keeps power by spreading fear. The column is in response to an e-mail Doña Ana County Democratic Party Chair Melinda Whitley sent to her party’s supporters at the beginning of August urging them to attend meetings of the county election task force. “We need to have a big Democratic presence,” Whitley wrote in the email. “… The Republicans are working very hard to totally discredit our clerk through attacking the bureau of elections. Continue Reading

Dendahl on spaceport and commuter rail

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Since Gov. Bill Richardson has still not agreed to debate Republican challenger John Dendahl, I’m continuing this week to publish articles written by Dendahl on various issues. Here’s a column published Dec. 16, 2005 in the Albuquerque Journal about the spaceport and commuter rail, taken directly from Dendahl’s Web site: Spaceport Is Richardson’s Latest Boondoggle By John Dendahl “Another day, another road-to-higher-office boondoggle at New Mexicans’ expense. Now Gov. Bill Richardson is proposing to dump $100 million or so into a ‘commercial spaceport.’ “No wonder this man has a perpetual grin on his face. Despite the intensity with which he seems to despise it, the oil and gas industry is pumping money a politician could only dream of into pockets Richardson controls as if they were his own! Continue Reading

Poll: Schultz has lead in district judge race

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The district judge race between Democrat Lisa Schultz and Republican Janetta Hicks will be close, if a non-scientific poll on this site is any indication, but Schultz has the lead. Of 310 votes cast in last week’s poll, 166, or 54 percent, went to Schultz, while 144, or 46 percent, went to Hicks. Don’t forget to vote in this week’s poll, located near the top of the right column on this page. Continue Reading

New Mexico women join others across the nation to host discussions and encourage voting

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Thousands of women in New Mexico and around the nation plan to gather around kitchen tables, at coffee shops, and in break rooms and bars on Tuesday to talk about important issues and encourage voting on Nov. 7. Called Stirring the Pot, the event is designed to mobilize women to vote though gatherings with friends, neighbors or coworkers in casual settings to talk about issues. Results of an online survey completed this summer showed that women believe politicians are out of tough with the concerns of women and families throughout the nation, according to a news release about the events. In New Mexico, events are planned in Las Cruces, Albuquerque and Farmington. Continue Reading

Union voting on once seemingly dead agreement

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Weeks after the prospect of an agreement appeared to be dead, Doña Ana County’s jail and blue-collar workers are voting today on whether to accept a tentative bargaining agreement. The union and county representatives came close to an agreement in August, but a deal seemed to fall apart when the sides failed to reach an agreement on whether to include a “fair-share” clause that would require the county to fire workers who didn’t agree to join the union. At that point, the county announced that arbitration would begin. The union then dropped the demand for fair share because arbitration would have delayed pay raises for several more months, Ed Misquez, the union negotiator, told the Las Cruces Sun-News. There are about 220 employees in the union. Continue Reading

Audio reports on debates are worth your time

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KUNM-Radio in Albuquerque recently put together audio reports of debates between candidates in the races for secretary of state and lieutenant governor. You can listen to the report on the debate between Lt. Gov. Diane Denish, a Democrat, and Republican challenger Sue Wilson Beffort by clicking here. You can listen to the debate between secretary of state candidates Vickie Perea, a Republican, and Mary Herrera, a Democrat, by clicking here. The reports are each about five minutes long and include lengthy quotes from the candidates. Both are worth your time if you’re an undecided voter. Continue Reading

UP Aerospace still seeking cause of anomaly

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UP Aerospace has completed a preliminary analysis of its Sept. 25 launch from Spaceport America. It didn’t identify what went wrong, but eliminated many major problems as possible causes. “The entire vehicle – from nosecone to airframe to motor to fins – remained structurally sound throughout the entire flight,” company President Jerry Larson said in a news release. “Everything was fine from launch, through apogee, back through the atmosphere, to landing. Continue Reading

Upcoming election dates

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Here are the important upcoming election dates in Doña Ana County. Oct. 10 (Tuesday): Voter registration ends. Early voting begins at the Doña Ana County Government Center, 845 N. Motel Boulevard in Las Cruces, Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 21: Early voting starts at Hatch High School, Anthony Community Center, Sunland Park Library and Highland Elementary School in Las Cruces. Continue Reading

Vigil’s attorneys challenge conviction

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Former state Treasurer Robert Vigil’s attorneys are challenging the guilty verdict that was handed down Saturday on a sole count in the federal racketeering and extortion case. They claim the guilty verdict isn’t based on sufficient evidence, according to the Albuquerque Journal. The request was expected. Vigil was convicted on one of 24 counts – attempted extortion – but acquitted on the other 23. Sentencing has been set for Jan. Continue Reading

McKenzie’s condition upgraded to serious

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Paige McKenzie’s condition was upgraded from critical to serious condition Thursday night, according to the Albuquerque Journal. Police say they have no leads in the case of the brutal beating of the spokeswoman for Republican gubernatorial candidate John Dendah’s campaign. But they’ve not yet been able to talk to McKenzie, who still has a breathing tube in her throat. McKenzie’s family has arrived in Albuquerque and released a written statement thanking the Sandoval County emergency medical technicians who helped her, the Journal reported. “We hope that those responsible for this despicable act will be brought to justice soon,” the statement said. Continue Reading

Dendahl on our bilingual (or not) state

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Gov. Bill Richardson has still not agreed to a debate with Republican challenger John Dendahl, so here is Dendahl’s stance on whether the state is officially bilingual, taken from his Web site. It was originally published in the Albuquerque Journal on May 6, 2006. N. M. Constitution Backs Bilingual — To a PointBy John Dendahl “Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chávez needs remedial training in New Mexico history and constitutional law. “Along with the many audacious claims of ‘rights’ for the flood of migrants illegally in the United States, the reconquerors have written something they purport to be our national anthem in Spanish. Chávez reportedly thinks this is terrific. Continue Reading

Former judge a finalist for CYFD job

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Former District Judge Larry Ramirez is one of the finalists for administrator of the J. Paul Taylor Juvenile Justice Center west of Las Cruces. The 36-bed, medium-security facility, run by the Children, Youth and Families Department, has been without an administrator since Angelo Vega resigned in June. Ramirez was one of several applicants and has interviewed, sources tell me. An announcement on the new administrator is expected soon. Ramirez resigned from the bench in June during a Judicial Standards Commission investigation into allegations that he engaged in an ongoing pattern of sexual harassment and making inappropriate comments in the courtroom. Continue Reading