
Raiders
Yesterday, agents from the Office of the Attorney General raided the home of Las Vegas (as in, Li'l Vegas) Mayor Tonita Gurule-Giron. The search warrants were based on possible collusion ($ TNM) between Gurule-Giron and Marvin Salazar, the owner of Gemini Construction, for the purpose of "mutual financial benefit" in which Gemini was awarded city contracts despite not being the lowest bid—and Salazar has also been described as Gurule-Giron's boyfriend. The Las Vegas Optic has the whole story.
Try to smoke, they’ll tax your pack
Cigarettes, cars and online purchases will cost more starting next week thanks to tax changes that go into effect starting July 1. A hike in taxes on cars will help fund road improvements; online retailers with sales over $100,000 a year to New Mexico customers will have to start charging taxes; and the tax on a pack of cigarettes will go from $1.66 to $2.
Do more
An anonymous gift of $150,000 ($ TNM) to the local Fund for Refugees and Asylum Seekers has enabled the Santa Fe Community Foundation to think in bigger and better terms about how Santa Fe can help refugees. Those managing the fund say they work with nonprofit partners on "shifting sands" to figure out how to best aid migrants in New Mexico.
Bring them in
Have a gun lying around that you don't want lying around? Could you also use a grocery gift card? You're in luck this weekend, as the Santa Fe Police Department and New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence have teamed up for a gun buyback program at the police department tomorrow.
Read up and celebrate
It's Pride Weekend, and what better way to celebrate equality than, after your parades and pool parties and drag shows, to sit down and read a bit about the issues queer folks still face, despite our illusions of progressiveness? SFR's Pride issue is on newsstands this week (with a killer cover by artist Shelby Criswell that offers a queer-cutie twist on a Norman Rockwell painting). Inside, find plenty of celebration, but also plenty to chew on about how far we still have to go, particularly in regards to trans issues.
Debate rundown
SFR took a little trip over to the Center for Progress and Justice last night to watch the second round of Democratic primary debates between presidential hopefuls. We chatted with Santa Feans about who they think would be good for America, and gave a rundown of candidates based on which ones Santa Feans liked versus didn't.
It’s better to know
Yesterday was National HIV Testing Day, and while you may have missed the occasion, it's still a good idea to get tested. SFR's Katherine Lewin takes a look at HIV and hepatitis C in New Mexico and Santa Fe in particular, as well as the options folks have for treatment and prevention.
Suing the school
A parent's suit against the New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell says his 14-year-old daughter was sexually assaulted by a fellow student ($ TNM) on a class trip. The suit contends that the school has fostered an environment in which assault and deviant behavior was tolerated.
Steamy
Yikes. Supposed to get up to 90 or so today in Santa Fe. We also have a chance of thunderstorms, apparently, but judging from how threatening the sky was yesterday and how little moisture we had to show for it, the Word will believe that when she sees it. The weekend looks like more of the same. Have fun and be safe.
Thanks for reading! The Word is bummed to be missing the Zia Regional Rodeo (aka the gay rodeo!) this weekend, but you should definitely go and, on Monday, tell her how awesome it was.