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.
In the new edition of the Santa Fe Reporter that came out today, staff writer Dave Maass has an interesting story about local gang members on MySpace.
It appears that said gang members have little fear about publicizing assorted claims on the popular social networking site. Meanwhile, officials suggest weak gang laws may be helping provide a safe haven for gang activity.
Sticking with the crime and punishment beat, Bernalillo County is looking to save time and money by building a new booking center. Traveling to the county’s current booking center on the far West Side, sheriff deputies often waste time and gas (and tax-payer funds) by making the long trip out of the heart of Albuquerque with arrestees in tow. The new center would be located in downtown Albuquerque.
In other news, KUNM radio has a story on the use of the term Hispanic, as it’s been tossed around a lot this week with the U.S. Senate’s Sonia Sotomayor hearings. The report gives an overview of the word’s origins and its current social implications, especially as it relates to northern New Mexico.
In water news, the $34.5M coming to New Mexico from federal stimulus funds will be used to create water grants. The funding will pay for low-interest loans to complete local water projects. Most of the money will be used to construct drinking water infrastructure projects, according to a story in the New Mexico Business Weekly.
Lastly, the Associated Press is reporting that some state lawmakers are demanding an audit of ValueOptions, a Virginia-based contractor that used to be charge of a massive publicly-funded behavioral health care contract. The state has since inked a new contract with a different behavioral health contractor.
NMI’s Danielle Bauer contributed to this report.
