Straight-party shutdown

High court nixes secretary of state's gambit

Voted down

In a unanimous decision, the state Supreme Court blocked a move by Democratic Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver that would have returned straight-ticket voting to ballots in New Mexico. Republicans and Libertarians howled over the relatively last-minute decision by Toulouse Oliver, made with just over two months left until election day. Registered Democrats far outnumber both parties put together. The court (which is majority Democratic) said the decision on being able to cast a single vote for all of a party's candidates is up to the Legislature, not the secretary of state.

Held

A federal magistrate judge has ordered all five of the Amalia compound defendants held until their trial ($) on federal gun law and conspiracy charges. A federal indictment of Jany Leveille, Siraj Ibn Wahhaj and three other adults claims they were training some of the 11 children at the compound for jihad.

Council licks lengthy liquor law hearings

Santa Fe's governing body passed a measure last night that will create public hearing officers for the often prosaic liquor license or dispenser changes at every City Council meeting. Usually, the hearings take just a few minutes. Sometimes, though, they're more controversial and add time to lengthy meetings, delaying debate on other issues. The change means all those alcohol-related hearings happen before the City Council gets down to business, with the opportunity to vote on all the hearings in one fell swoop.

How they feel

As Bernalillo County did earlier this week with its show of support for a Medicaid buy-in option, the Santa Fe City Council and mayor passed a measure voicing their support for aid-in-dying legislation ($). Several such bills, which would allow terminally ill patients to choose to end their lives, have failed at the Legislature. Supporters point out it often takes a few years of trying controversial legislation before it passes. Two councilors voted against the opinion.

Mysterious shutdown

The Sunspot Observatory perched on an escarpment almost 20 miles south of Cloudcroft has been suddenly closed by the FBI. The story is straight movie-script stuff, complete with an information black hole, Blackhawk helicopters and a local sheriff who feels jilted by the feds jumping his turf. Just all the way yes on this one.

Rocket, man

They might have been able to see the rocket launch from the Spaceport from the observatory yesterday. UP Aerospace shot a solid-fuel, suborbital rocket into the atmosphere (or some part of it that The Word can't readily name) filled with three NASA technologies. All went according to plan, including a carbon-weave thing that would protect entry to other planets for payloads and, perhaps, flight crews.

Everyone knows the guitar man

Man, that was a bad song about something—a guitar—that is inherently good. So forget your troubles and that song and head down to Candyman Strings & Things tonight to meet the folks from Taylor Guitars. They're having a road show tonight in two places in this fine country: Santa Fe and Asbury Park. So we're in decent company. It's free, and you don't have to be a pro to show up. Starts at 7 pm.

Second verse, same as the first

If you're wondering how long it's going to stay warm, your answer is at least a few more days. Balmy conditions are expected across the state, with highs remaining in the mid-80s or closer to 90 (plus) if you're catting around the southern part of the state.

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