Appealing work

Jay’s judges

All four Republican men running to keep their seats on the New Mexico Court of Appeals have enlisted the help of conservative political consultant Jay McCleskey. The judges have sent almost $80,000 to McCleskey and his wife for media and other campaign work. That's small potatoes for McCleskey, who's made hundreds of thousands, if not millions, for his work helping Susana Martinez get elected and stay in office. The judicial money comes from public financing accounts, and those Martinez-appointed judges are required to run one partisan election to stay on the court. That info is part of SFR's cover package this week on the political—and gender—stakes at the state Court of Appeals.

Making Medicaid work

Can New Mexico figure out a way to make Medicaid premiums work for some who qualify under the Affordable Care Act? Can it also open up the federal program for those who wouldn't normally meet income limits, turning the public program into something more closely resembling (at least for those people) a traditional insurance program? Aaron Cantú explains for SFR this week.

Peña plea

The mother of Jeremiah Valencia is expected to take a plea deal in the murder case of the 13-year-old. Tracy Ann Peña's attorney has indicated a plea agreement is in the works, though terms haven't been disclosed. Meanwhile, the son of Peña's boyfriend still faces charges in the killing. Prosectuors think Jordan Nuñez played the key role in Valencia's killing. That's a change from the original theory that Thomas Wayne Ferguson tortured and killed the boy last November. Ferguson committed suicide in jail earlier this year.

Debate

We can't promise it will be great—that's up to the candidates and the moderator—but Steve Pearce and Michelle Lujan Grisham will engage in what's billed as a televised, free-flowing conversation about issues. But it's a debate. Expect some clear differences tonight on FOX at 6 pm, though the positions are a bit more nuanced when it comes to UNM athletics.

‘Dishonest and dirty. Shameless and corrupt.’

Those serious charges are leveled at Michelle Lujan Grisham by Steve Pearce in his new television ad. Pearce goes after his rival's contract to run New Mexico's high-risk insurance pool, which critics have said became unnecessary and an added cost for the state after the Affordable Care Act banned denying coverage for preexisting conditions.But in citing news reports, it appears Pearce has run into a fake news problem: His ad picked a report that never used the quotes he claims ($). His campaign says the ad is a typo, but also says it will correct the inaccuracy.

Idea man

Daniel Libit was the bane of UNM athletics during the year he ran his muckraking website, NM Fishbowl. He had his sources, but few (any?) ever went on the record. Head hoops coach Paul Weir decided to try a different tactic. The result is a lengthy phone call with Libit, which has been turned into a podcast.

Farm to table

Think of the Wednesday afternoon farmers market as a summertime happy hour for produce. From 3-6 pm, you can peruse and pursue all the goodies you're normally after on a Saturday morning, with less of a crowd. It's at the Railyard and it's free until you buy something.

From hot to wet

It's finally going to start cooling down today, as a storm system moves in from the southwest, with little regard for international borders, and drops what's looking more and more like some serious rain on New Mexico. That system will continue through the state until about mid-day Thursday, cooling things down 10 degrees or so. The heaviest rains for most of New Mexico's populations will be this evening into tomorrow morning.

Thanks for reading! The Word got waylaid by office donuts. The hunt for pumpkin continues.

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