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.
While we at the New Mexico Independent are sending tweets on our Twitter account about the state Legislature, we aren’t the only ones. Legislators, media and even the House GOP are sending out updates on the 2009 special session.
There are five legislators using Twitter to communicate with media and constituents, according to the New Mexico Independent’s count.
Representative Brian Egolf, D-Santa Fe, (@BrianEgolf) Tweeted that he was unsuccessful in getting his revenue bills through the House Rules Committee.
Senator Dede Feldman, D-Albuquerque, (@senatorfeldman) used Twitter to criticize the scope of the special session, writing, “Looks like legislators are handcuffed into doing some minor bandaids on our gaping revenue wound thanks to the Gov. and conservatives.”
Other legislators making occasional use of Twitter are Senator Tim Keller, D-Albuquerque, (@tk4nm) and Al Park, D-Albuquerque, (@al_park).
While there are five Democrats on Twitter, the entire Republican Party in the House is on Twitter — kind of. @NMHOUSEGOP is the “official Twitter page of the NM House GOP.”
Governor Bill Richardson, D-N.M., is also on Twitter, with the account @GovRichardson. However, Richardson’s account hasn’t sent a tweet since the beginning of the special session.
Some in the media, and not just at NMI, have embraced the microblogging service.
KOB-TV reporter Gadi Schwartz (@GadiRoget) is one of the most active Twitter users in the Roundhouse. He used the service yesterday to inform followers that Governor Richardson was “sticking with his 1.5% cuts to edu[cation].”
Other media to follow for updates on the special session including Santa Fe New Mexican political reporter Steve Terrell (@steveterrell), Terrell’s employer the Santa Fe New Mexican (@thenewmexican), New Mexico Independent editor Gwyneth Doland (@gwynethdoland) and yours truly, Matthew Reichbach (@fbihop).
A good way to sift through what is relevant to the special session and what isn’t is the hash tag #nmspecial — that is, a phrase that is added to tweets about the special session to make it easier to search for them.
