State

Senator Bingaman`s Farewell Speech

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U.S. SENATE News:

Retiring Democratic Sen. Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico delivered a speech Thursday Dec. 13, reflecting on his 30-year tenure in the U.S. Senate and thanking those who supported him throughout the years. He wanted to share that speech with his constituents:

 

In 1981, in his first inaugural address, President Reagan said, “Government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.”

I came to the Senate two years later in 1983 with the firm belief that in most cases his statement was wrong.

I believed then and I believe now that the federal government

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NMDOT Update on N.M. 502

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NMDOT News:

The New Mexico Department of Transportation reports that N.M. 502 is open at the present time.

 

Inclement weather forced the closure of N.M. 502 for a short time earlier today.
 
Because the situation can change at anytime, NMDOT is asking motorists to check with nmroads.com before traveling to determine which roads are closed.
 
To learn changes to New Mexico Park and Ride bus schedules, visit nmparkandride@state.nm.us.
 
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Human Rights Organization Receives the FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award

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FBI Special Agent in Charge Carol K.O. Lee presents the 2012 Director’s Community Leadership Award to Regina Turner, founder and executive director of New Mexico Human Rights project. Courtesy/FBI

FBI News:

Albuquerque FBI Special Agent in Charge Carol K.O. Lee presented the 2012 FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award today to New Mexico Human Rights Projects.

Each of the FBI’s 56 field offices annually selects an individual or organization to receive this award, which honors efforts in combating crime, terrorism, drugs and violence in America.

“I am proud and humbled to accept the Read More

Luján Urges Congressional Leaders to Support Labs During Fiscal Cliff Negotiations

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  • Lujan Will Co-Chair New National Lab Caucus to Highlight Importance of Labs to National Competitiveness

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico’s Third District sent a letter to Congressional leaders today urging them to resolve the fiscal cliff in a manner that prevents damaging funding cuts to the national laboratories, including Los Alamos and Sandia National Laboratories.

In the letter, Luján highlights the important role these labs have played in providing cutting-edge research and innovation for applications ranging from national security to the Mars rover and Read More

NMOHVA Files Lawsuit Against Santa Fe National Forest Travel Management Decision

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NMOHVA News:

The New Mexico Off Highway Vehicle Alliance (NMOHVA) filed a lawsuit against the Santa Fe National Forest Dec. 11 in Federal District Court.

The lawsuit contests the Forest’s Travel Management decision signed by Forest Supervisor Maria T. Garcia June 12 and upheld by the Region 3 Appeal Deciding Officer Oct. 2.  

Filing a lawsuit is a major commitment of NMOHVA’s time and money. The NMOHVA Board thought long and hard about this and then voted unanimously to go ahead with legal action.

“NMOHVA filed this lawsuit on the behalf of our members but it really Read More

Panel Breaks Down Leadership Changes for NM Democrats and Republicans

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PBS News:

New Mexico PBS’ Public Affairs Series, “NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS” airs at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 14 on Ch. 5.1 and repeats at 7 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 16 and at 5 p.m. on Ch.9.1, Saturdays.

This week’s topics:

1.) The Line Opinion Panel Breaks Down Leadership Changes For Both Democrats & Republicans In The State

a.) With A Vacancy In The Office of The Senate President Pro Tem, Democrats Announced Their Caucus Will Run Senator Pete Campos For The Position

b.) Republicans Have A New Party Chair – John Billingsley

c.) In Albuquerque, Mayor Richard Berry Appointed Roxanna Read More

Udall and Lujan Garner New Committees

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U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., will begin serving on the Senate Committee on Appropriations in the new year, his office reported Wednesday.
 
“A seat on the Appropriations Committee is very meaningful for New Mexico,” Udall said. “From the labs, to the military bases and our public lands, we have a large federal presence in our state. I have no illusions about the difficult economic times and budgetary constraints our nation is facing, and I am eager to do my best and defend New Mexico through the appropriations process.”
 
Udall was an appropriator in the House of Representatives from
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Taxpayer Losses, Lack of Needed Data Revealed in New Oil and Mining Report

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Illustration of an oil rig. Courtesy photo
 
GAO News:
 
WASHINGTON D.C. – A report released this morning by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), originally requested by U.S. Sen. Tom Udall and Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva, D-Ariz., describes glaring shortfalls in the data publicly available on hardrock minerals and highlights lost revenue from extraction on federal lands.
 
In 2011, Udall and Grijalva requested the report from GAO to identify the amount and estimated dollar values of minerals extracted from federal land.
 
The report examined available data on minerals
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State GOP Elects New Officers

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John Billingsley

Staff Report

New Mexico Republican Party leaders elected retired businessman John Billingsley as state party chairman during Saturday’s biannual meeting in Albuquerque of the state party’s central committee. He replaces outgoing Chairman Monty Newman.

Billingsley has been chairman of the Lincoln County GOP as well as the state party’s first vice chairman for the last two years. He also served as U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce’s 2008 Senate race campaign manager.

Party leaders also elected Rube Render as 1st vice chair, Rick Lopez as 2nd vice chair, Charles Christmann as congressional Read More

Letter to the Editor: County Has Reached Drop-Dead Point

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By Joel M. Williams
Los Alamos
 
County Council members and administrators,
 
The county has finally reached the drop-dead point with regard to the redo of N.M. 502 from Knecht to Tewa Loop.
 
The hastily generated design created by PW (Public Works) in January was done without serious critiquing, endorsed by the Transportation Board under questionable circumstances, and approved quickly by the Council as it “needed to rush this through urgently to insure funding,” even as some of us indicated that it would not meet LOS.
 
This design has now been soundly rejected by state
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