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.
New Mexico’s new area code — 575 — goes into effect Sunday, meaning callers will have to use the appropriate area code to complete a call. Santa Fe’s water rate may well rise at a faster rate. Police believe a woman faked her daughter’s cancer diagnosis to hold fundraisers, although her attorney disputes the accusation. And law enforcement authorities deal with “growing pains” after State Police pull out of local police radio network.
New area code goes into effect
The Albuquerque Journal reports today that the “The grace period when New Mexicans could call from 505 to 575 areas and vice versa using either area code ends Sunday, marking the state’s official shift to two area codes.”
The story goes on to say:
Callers will then have to use the appropriate area code to complete a call, the Public Regulation Commission says. The split was approved by the PRC in 2006 after multiple public hearings.
“I think New Mexicans will adjust well to the new area code changes, and the service providers have been very responsive in making this change a reality as well as making sure the transition period will be as smooth as possible,” PRC Chairman Jason Marks said in a statement. “Because of the area code split, New Mexico is now in a better position to handle the growth and demand for more telecommunications service.”
Santa Fe’s water rate may rise more quickly than originally planned
The Santa Fe New Mexico explains the situation in a story today:
The good news is that a new proposal from city staff now calls for rate increases over the next five years instead of the next seven years. The bad news is that rates would jump 9.5 percent each year instead of the 6.99 percent proposed earlier.
For city water customers, bills would increase faster but could stop growing — at least for a bit — after 2013.
Under the current proposal, in 2013 customers would pay 57 percent more than they paid this year. The former proposal would have topped out at a 60 percent increase above today’s rates by 2015.
Police accuse woman of faking daughter’s illness to hold fundraisers
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports in a story today:
Los Alamos police believe an Española woman faked her 7-year-old daughter’s cancer diagnosis and held fraudulent fundraisers last month on the girl’s behalf, according to court documents.
However, Tiffany Ortiz’s lawyer said her client never claimed her daughter had leukemia and merely asked Española and Los Alamos-area community members for money to pay for tests to determine whether the girl had the disease. Moreover, when Ortiz found out her daughter wasn’t sick two weeks ago, she returned all the money raised, said Sheri Raphaelson, Ortiz’s attorney. “There are no victims in this case,” Raphaelson said. “Not one person is out any money.”
Law enforcement authorities work through “growing pains” in radio network
The Farmington Daily Times reports today that the New Mexico State Police chief says his agency is working through a change that happened earlier this year, which has resulted in his officers not using a radio network local agencies use.
Since July 1, state police officers based in San Juan County have used a separate radio channel exclusive to the agency, dispatched and supervised by state police officials more than 100 miles away in Gallup.
The difficulty in communications between state police and other local agencies on separate channels was highlighted in August after one man was shot to death and another injured following an extended state police chase that led onto the Navajo Nation where only one officer was on scene to handle three suspects.
