FORMER GOVERNOR SUSANA MARTINEZ HAS BEEN NAMED TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF JEB BUSH’S FOUNDATION FOR EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION. BUSH CALLED MARTINEZ A VISIONARY LEADER WHO ADOPTED STRONG EDUCATION REFORMS WHEN SHE WAS GOVERNOR. THE APPOINTMENT COMES AS THE NEW LUJAN GRISHAM ADMINISTRATION LOOKS TO ROLLBACK POLICIES ON TEACHER EVALUATIONS AND SCHOOL GRADES. AND…… MORE
House Votes “Yes” on Gender Neutral Bathrooms
IN SANTA FE, A GENDER-NEUTRAL BATHROOM BILL HAS BEEN GIVEN APPROVAL IN THE HOUSE AND NOW HEADS TO THE SENATE. IF IT BECOMES LAW, ALL BUSINESSES AND PUBLIC FACILITIES WITH SINGLE-OCCUPANCY RESTROOMS WOULD HAVE TO MARK THEM AS GENDER NEUTRAL, AVAILABLE TO ANYONE REGARDLESS OF GENDER IDENTITY OR SEX. THE BILL PASSED ON A VOTE…… MORE
NM Delegation Secures Funds for SW Chief
MEMBERS OF NEW MEXICO’S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION SAY THEY’VE SECURED THREE MILLION DOLLARS IN MATCHING FUNDS TO HELP COMPLETE SAFETY UPGRADES AND MAINTENANCE ALONG AMTRAK’S SOUTHWEST CHIEF ROUTE. THAT ROUTE CONNECTS CHICAGO TO LOS ANGELES, AND HAS SEVERAL STOPS IN NEW MEXICO. SENATOR TOM UDALL SAYS THE FUNDING MARKS A MAJOR INVESTMENT IN RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND…… MORE
Leave Your Visa Credit Card at Home
STARTING APRIL THIRD, YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO USE YOUR VISA CREDIT CARD AT SMITH’S FOOD AND DRUG STORES. THE COMPANY SAYS EXCESSIVE FEES CHARGED BY VISA WERE RESULTING IN HIGHER FOOD PRICES FOR CUSTOMERS. VISA DEBIT CARDS WILL STILL BE ACCEPTED…AS WILL MASTERCARD, DISCOVER AND AMERICAN EXPRESS CREDIT CARDS. SMITH’S, WHICH IS OWNED BY…… MORE
NM Ski Season Could be Extended
SNOWFALL TOTALS AT NEW MEXICO SKI RESORTS THIS WINTER HAVE BEEN MORE THAN DOUBLE THE NUMBERS FROM A YEAR AGO. THAT ACCORDING TO GEORGE BROOKS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SKI NEW MEXICO. AND HE TELLS NEWSRADIO KKOB THAT COULD LEAD SOME OF THE SKI AREAS TO EXTEND THEIR SEASONS: BROOKS SAYS, ON AVERAGE, THE SKI RESORTS…… MORE
NM Long on Solitary Confinement
THE AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION ENDORSES A STUDY DONE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO THAT SUGGESTS THIS STATE IS HIGHEST AMONG THE 50 STATES FOR CONFINING PRISON INMATES IN SOLITARY. A DIFFERENT ASSESSMENT WAS MADE BY THE STATE. THE STUDY WAS DONE BY UNM GRADUATES, WHO TALKED WITH INMATES BEFORE MAKING THEIR CONCLUSION. AND…… MORE
Metro Detention Center Cooperated with ICE
OFFICIALS AT THE METRO DETENTION CENTER ADMIT THAT THEY’RE COOPERATING WITH IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT IN SOME CASES. JAIL SPOKESWOMAN CANDACE HOPKINS TELLS THE ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL THAT THEY’VE OCCASIONALLY CALLED ICE ABOUT CERTAIN INMATES AT THE MDC. BUT HOPKINS SAYS THOSE INSTANCES ARE EXTREMELY RARE. SHE COULDN’T SAY HOW MANY TIMES THE JAIL HAS COOPERATED…… MORE
Teacher Raises Included in Education Bill
A BIPARTISAN EDUCATION BILL DESCRIBED AS “LANDMARK LEGISLATION” GETS A PASSING VOTE IN THE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE THURSDAY. THE MEASURE INVESTS 330-MILLION DOLLARS INTO PUBLIC SCHOOLS … RAISING TEACHER PAY, SUPPORTING AT-RISK STUDENTS, AND EXPANDING EXTENDED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES. THE MEASURE WOULD MAKE BASE PAY FOR TIER ONE TEACHERS 40-THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR … 50-THOUSAND DOLLARS…… MORE
Bill Lets Voters Recall Candidate
A REPUBLICAN STATE LAWMAKER HAS INTRODUCED A RESOLUTION ALLOWING FOR VOTERS TO RECALL AN ELECTED OFFICIAL …SOMETHING THAT’S NOT CURRENTLY ALLOWED BY STATE LAW. UNDER THE PLAN FROM ALBUQUERQUE REPRESENTATIVE BILL REHM, VOTERS COULD FILE A PETITION CITING SPECIFIC ACTS OR FAILURES. THE PETITION WOULD REQUIRE THE SIGNATURES OF AT LEAST 25-PERCENT OF THE VOTERS…… MORE
Mistrial Declared for Man Charged with Prostituting Daughter
AN ALBUQUERQUE JUDGE HAS DECLARED A MISTRIAL IN THE CASE OF JAMES STEWART… ACCUSED OF FORCING HIS YOUNG DAUGHTER INTO PROSTITUTION. DISTRICT JUDGE CINDY LEOS RULED THAT PREJUDICIAL TESTIMONY HAD BEEN GIVEN WEDNESDAY BY A WITNESS IN THE CASE…THE LITTLE GIRL’S GRANDMOTHER. A NEW TRIAL DATE OF APRIL FIRST HAS BEEN SET. STEWART ALLEGEDLY FORCED…… MORE
