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 New Mexico Legislature goes into special session Saturday to address a yawning budgetary shortfall of around $700 million for the year that ends July 1. And Gov. Bill Richardson and powerful state lawmakers are still debating how exactly to close a gap between revenues and expenses that represents more than 10 percent of state’s $5.2 billion budget. Along the lines of misery loves company — I know this is a hackneyed cliche and my overuse of it may approximate the epistolary equivalent of running fingernails down a chalkboard, so sorry — Mississippi’s top financial official predicted Tuesday that that state’s agencies will likely see across-the-board 7 percent cuts, which would dramatically affect Mississippi’s public education system, among other key programs, reports The Clarion Ledger.
For New Mexico state workers and contractors who have suffered through a roller-coaster of a learning curve with SHARE, the state’s much-maligned computer system, here’s a story from the Washington Post that demonstrates that the Land of Enchantment ain’t alone when it comes to tech problems. Virginia tried to outsource a $2 billion upgrade to that state’s computer system, with dismal results. “The problems have affected almost every state agency that uses a computer — a prison was left without inbound phone service for hours, the Virginia State Police in Newport News lost Internet access for more than three days and computers in DMV offices crashed,” according to the Post, referring to a scathing legislative audit released publicly Tuesday.
Meanwhile, our neighbor to the north, Colorado is in a fix. More accurately, that state’s low-income workers are. Colorado voters approved tying the state’s minimum wage to inflation a few years back, which in normal times would help push the wage to keep up with rising prices of commodities and other goods year to year. But now, with inflation dropping due to the recession, Colorado may see its minimum wage decrease to $7.24 from $7.28, becoming the first time to lower its minimum wage, the New York Times reports.
Yesterday I wrote about state workers in New Hampshire bracing for layoffs after they rejected a new contract agreement that would have cut $25 million. Pink slips went out to 250 New Hampshire state workers on Tuesday, according to the Concord Monitor.
New York’s mayor, Michael Bloomberg, extended his media empire, reports Fishbowl NY. Bloomberg LP purchased BusinessWeek magazine from McGray-Hill Cos.
