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.
Former mayor of the border town of Columbus, Eddie Espinoza, 51, pled guilty Tuesday to charges that he helped smuggle guns to Mexico to drug gangs. He faces 65 years in prison. He pled guilty on one count of conspiracy, three counts of making false statements in the acquisition of firearms and three counts of smuggling firearms from the United States.
The AP talked to officials in Columbus who weren’t caught up in the ring that caught national attention last March:
“I am glad to hear about it,” said Rosemary Zamora, who lost her job as a town police officer earlier this week because of the town’s dire financial condition, which current officials blame on the indicted men.
“It’s affected the whole community. We can’t even get any grants because the government doesn’t trust Columbus anymore,” she said.
The former Mayor added:
Former Mayor Martha Skinner said she was surprised anyone would plead guilty, and she speculated that Espinoza did so because he has kidney problems and is on dialysis. Skinner said she anticipates it will take the town five to 10 years to recover financially.
“We have had a terrible time trying to reorganize,” she said. “There is no money. He spent every single dime we had. So things have not been good.”
Columbus has dismantled its police department because of the financial situation and scandal, leaving the Luna County Sheriff’s Office to patrol.
The Obama Administration also recently required gun dealers to report multiple semi-automatic gun purchases in border states to the ATF to deter smuggling.
