
Deja vu all over again
The city has announced that it's accepting development plans ($) for the Midtown Campus (the former College of Santa Fe and Santa Fe University of Art and Design), and are looking to make it a mixed-use area with entertainment, businesses and residences. These priorities were identified last summer with input from the public.
It was nice while it lasted
While a glimmer of hope could be seen when a recreational marijuana bill passed the House last week, the bill really wasn't all that great after edits, and it looks dead in the water anyway. Lawmakers say it's a long shot to get it passed with only one week left in the legislative session.
Wilkommen, bienvenue, welcome
Around 300 migrants are hanging tight in Albuquerque, awaiting asylum applications to be processed. While requesting asylum is not a crime, migrants are still often treated like criminals upon entering the US, so local residents are stepping up with donations of clothes and hygiene products to attempt to make them feel more at home. All members of the group in Albuquerque have US sponsors and will travel to them in coming days.
Changes afoot at UNM
The gov's appointment of new regents at the University of New Mexico is shaking some stuff up down there, including a question of whether or not UNM profs will be able to unionize, as Danielle Prokop at the Daily Lobo reports. Another topic that came up during a spring break meeting this week was the beleaguered state of UNM athletics; a budget wending through the Legislature right now would bring back soccer (among other sports), which seems to cheer some lawmakers, but that UNM has rallied against.
De facto disenfranchisement
High Country News reports on the inequality in Santa Fe's school system ($). New Mexico is ranked worst in the country for children's well-being by the Annie E Casey foundation, and as Shannon Whitney reports, struggles in our public schools exemplify some of our state's difficulties. She writes, in short: "If you are white or wealthy, you have a significantly better chance of receiving a quality public education, here as elsewhere."
Even more contaminated groundwater
With the toxic plume under Clovis on everyone's mind now, we direct our attention to jet fuel leaking out of Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, as well as old chlorinated solvent lagoons at the Eagle Picher Carefree Battery Superfund site in Socorro. That second link also includes a list of Superfund sites in New Mexico to satisfy your morbid curiosity. Cool cool.
Micronews round-up
Your wee criminal-ish round-up today doesn't include anything too gnarly, so never fear. A 23-year-old Santa Fe man was arrested after being accused of attacking ($) an Alamosa Drive man and assaulting officers; three teens from Youth Shelters & Family Services have disappeared with a car ($) and are still on the lam; and yeah, it's not in New Mexico, but over in Arizona, the woman who was attacked by a jaguar while trying to take a zoo selfie has apologized, and says she doesn't blame the big cat. We applaud her late-onset sanity.
Sleepytime songs
Did anyone else sleep extra-well last night? That rain was nice. Good news is, there's even more on the way. We don't even mind the damaging winds and lower temps as much if it means we might get that bedtime soundtrack again.
Thanks for reading! The Word is wondering where the sunrise is this morning. It's usually peeking out by the time we get this far…