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 is not the only state trying to crack down on double dipping. As USA Today reports, states from Utah to Florida are trying to figure out how to deal with government employees who retire, then return to their old jobs (or other government jobs), collecting both a salary and a pension. Today, the Taos News has a story about a retired county manger who may have initiated his retirement with full knowledge that he could return to collect both retirement and a salary. As of Dec. 1, Sammy Pacheco has entered into a 90-day contract “not to exceed $45,000″ while receiving his pension.
The Santa Fe New Mexican has a piece tracking the spending of New Mexico’s congressional delegation.
The Rio Grande Sun has a interesting story on “out of whack water bills.” One section of an Espanola neighborhood recently saw its water usage sky rocket unexpectedly. City officials claim water meters are “never wrong,” but residents disagree. The Sun then looks at other jumps in usage that also seem unexpected and unexplained.
Unemployment rates in the Farmington area have increased to 8.7 percent in October, reports the Farmington Daily Times. Albuquerque was the only metropolitan statistical area state-wide to keep a steady unemployment rate, while other areas continue to report growing unemployment.
And in more economic bad news, Western Dairy in Portales has laid off about 75 employees after the expiration of a large contract, says the Clovis News Journal. The contract involved the Dairy Farmers of America and deals with local hauling, including 30 drivers and 45 support personnel.
