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.
Think New Mexico, a non-profit think tank, counts three Democratic state senators who voted for a budget package that included a food tax, but now say they’re urging Gov. Bill Richardson to veto the measure.
The lawmakers include Sens. Nancy…
A deal to balance the state’s budget fell apart in the early hours of the morning, and now some senators say that chamber has the signatures to call the Legislature into extraordinary session so lawmakers, not the governor, control the agenda. The question is whether the House will agree.
A bill that would require the Educational Retirement Board to publicly disclose the pension amounts for each of its 30,000 members passed the Senate Tuesday night and will now go to the governor for his signature.
Three Doña Ana County legislators who want to reform rules that govern the State Land Office have endorsed former Land Commissioner Ray Powell in his 2010 bid to regain the seat. Sen. Steve Fischmann and Reps. Jeff…
Annie got one step closer to being able to carry her concealed gun into a restaurant on Friday.
Senators voted 27-15 to approve Sen. George Muñoz‘ SB 40 that would allow those with concealed weapon permits…
The Senate Rules Committee tabled a bill Wednesday that would have banned people who have contracts with the State Land Office from giving campaign contributions to the land commissioner or candidates for that office.
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Here is a list of the seven bills, not including memorials, that were introduced yesterday during the special session in both chambers. We’ll start off with the Senate.
At least one state lawmaker who has been involved in attempts to reform the State Land Office is questioning whether an assistant commissioner’s disclosure of a conflict of interest on a 2003 form was sufficient. Several others say the state’s disclosure laws are in need of reform.
Gov. Bill Richardson has signed legislation that will require competitive bidding on all State Land Office development leases.
A bill that would require competitive bidding on all State Land Office development leases was the only legislation in a package of proposals made by three Las Cruces Democrats to gain approval in the session that ended Saturday.
State Land Commissioner Pat Lyons says a trio of Doña Ana County lawmakers proposing to reform his office have an “anti-growth agenda” and a plan to carry it out that includes electing one of them to replace him next year.
In response to a controversy involving the State Land Office and a Las Cruces developer, three Doña Ana County lawmakers are proposing reforms that would increase transparency and accountability in the land commissioner’s dealings.
Steve Fischmann says he’s taking “a positive view” of the economic woes New Mexico is facing because of the huge drop in oil and gas prices. The Democratic state senator-elect and businessman from Las Cruces says that such times force organizations to think creatively about what’s working and what isn’t.
Republican Leonard Lee Rawson sent an e-mail to supporters today conceding defeat in last week’s District 37 state Senate race against Democrat Steve Fischmann. “Our district, which is the third largest by number of registered voters, appears to have a new senator to represent us,” Rawson wrote.
Barring some sort of legal challenge, Democrat Steve Fischmann has unseated Senate Minority Whip Leonard Lee Rawson, R-Las Cruces. With only eight provisional ballots from Sierra County left to be considered, Fischmann leads Rawson by 544 votes. Fischmann has 13,131 votes, or 51.1 percent of the vote, to Rawson’s 12,587 votes, or 48.9 percent.
Doña Ana County commissioners asked today for an investigation into what caused the absentee ballot snafu; an unknown number of people who requested ballots weren’t able to vote in Tuesday’s election.
With all votes counted except whatever provisional ballots are deemed valid, it appears increasingly likely that state Senate Minority Whip Leonard Lee Rawson is going to lose, and that could mean a shift in the balance of power in Santa Fe.
The hottest race yet to be decided is the state Senate District 37 contest between Republican Leonard Lee Rawson and Democrat Steve Fischmann — and it may not be over any time soon.
With all…
In Doña Ana County, the only race that was expected to be close that, at least thus far, isn’t is the state Senate contest between Republican Leonard Lee Rawson and Democrat Steve Fischmann.
With 46 percent…
