I am writing today to announce the closure of the New Mexico Independent. After three and a half years of operation in New Mexico, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news…
While environmental activists played their part yesterday during demonstrations at the capitol building, going so far as to dress up as solar panels and to sing the tune of “You Are My Sunshine,” their counterparts, the anti-cap-and-trade contingency who has…
Roughly one quarter of University of New Mexico students are unimpressed with the state’s flagship public school, according to a survey that questioned college students about their higher education experiences.
The biggest news this Labor Day weekend is Hurricane Gustav bearing down on the gulf coast. The storm is expected to cross the Louisiana coast mid-day today, to the west of New Orleans. As of this morning Gustav was downgraded to a Category 2 storm because its winds have slowed to 110 miles per hour, according to the Associated Press reports that FEMA officials say there are only about 10,000 people left in the city and that they don’t expect the massive loss of life that occurred during the Katrina tragedy, due to three years of preparation and infrastructure upgrades.
The Albuquerque Journal reports today that New Mexico is preparing for gulf coast evacuees and has also sent the NM Disaster Medical Assistance Team to a Texas medical station. Gov. Bill Richardson has also placed the state’s national guard on standby.
Gustav has caused the Republican party to cancel much of its convention activities today. President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney canceled their planned speeches set for tonight, and the program for today was largely curtailed. It seems the Republican party will play the rest of the week by ear.
In other news, John Fleck has an excellent article about PNM’s future energy plans in this weekends ABQ Journal. The power company projects that restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions, in the form of a carbon tax or a carbon cap and trade program, will make it more economical for the company to incorporate a higher percentage of renewable energy in the future.
The Gallup Independent reports that a guard has been dismissed from the McKinley County Adult Detention Facility for having a sexual relationship with an inmate. This is the second time this year that a guard has been accused and dismissed for this reason. “There’s no such thing as consensual penetration between a guard and an inmate inside a jail due to the guard’s position of authority,” MCADF Director told the Gallup Independent.
