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.
A few weeks ago, I had no idea what a torreón was (it means tower). But the torreón which bore the name of former state Sen. Manny Aragon became the center of a mini-controversy when people began debating whether or not his name should be yanked off the tower after Aragon pleaded guilty to three felony counts of conspiracy and mail fraud. Aragon accepted a plea deal that included five and a half years in prison.
And now Aragon will no longer have his name on a torreón at the National Hispanic Cultural Center (NHCC).
Department of Cultural Affairs Secretary Stuart Ashman issued a statement where he said, “The NHCC board and its naming committee have studied their clearly defined policy 
and made this decision based on serious deliberation. It was the board that voted to put Mr. Aragón’s name on the torreón, and it has now voted to remove it. The department will honor the board’s decision.”
The NHCC board voted 7-2 last week to remove the Albuquerque Democrat’s name.
Aragon, while still a state senator, fought for millions in funding to build the NHCC.
Albuquerque Democratic state Rep. Miguel Garcia was perhaps the first to call for the removal of Aragon’s name from the torreón back in March, weeks before Aragon was sentenced — though well after Aragon was convicted.
