Endorse some Democrats
That's the advice outgoing Republican House Minority Leader Nate Gentry has for his colleagues. After shepherding his party to its first majority in 60 years, then seeing Republicans lose their advantage just two years later, Gentry says it doesn't seem likely they'll take back the House this year. So, Gentry tells SFR, "if the alternative is a fringe progressive, I think it makes sense to support the moderate Democrat." The Albuquerque Republican decided he won't run for reelection this year, and this week's article explores why his party might miss the fundraising prowess of the Domenici disciple.
We’re paying to recycle
The rising cost of sorting all our recyclables and weeding out all the garbage you think should be recyclable, but isn't, is now costing the city of Santa Fe money. That's right, we used to get paid for our recyclables by the industry that sorted them and shipped them to China. But China is sick of how bad we are at keeping trash out of our recyclables, so it's demanded a higher "purity" standard. That's forced recycling companies to slow down their sorting lines and hire more people.
Secret stash
Santa Fe's new acting police chief has no problem talking about how the department arms its officers or what kind of weapons it maintains in its armory. When SFR asked police for a weapons inventory last fall, though, the department said it was akin to a tactical plan that terrorists could use to attack the city. An assistant city attorney backed up the department, producing a laughably short list of weapons that implied officers would have to be sharing guns while on duty. We finally won the battle, and this week, the chief talks about why officers carry the guns they carry.
Sweet Sixteen
The University of New Mexico women's basketball team moves on to the Sweet 16 in the WNIT tournament. The Lobos dropped Rice last night at the Pit, which means they'll host another Texas team, TCU, at the Pit tomorrow night. Neither of the state's two men's basketball teams is still playing, so this is the only game in town right now and it's proving to be entertaining.
Meanwhile, in the accounting office …
The UNM Lobos athletics budget is about $7.5 million in the hole. That deficit has been growing for years as the university has tried to build a flagship sports program, without success in any of the major moneymaking sports like football or men's basketball. The department will ask the board of regents tomorrow to forgive $6 million of that debt and let the program pay back about $110,000 a year for a decade.
Dreams of public bank fade
One of former Mayor Javier Gonzales' marquee programs, creating a public bank for Santa Fe, is all but dead. The city group impaneled to explore the idea says there are too many regulatory and legal issues ($) with the idea. Instead, the task force will recommend Santa Fe work with the state to create a Public Bank of New Mexico.
Court orders former Lujan Grisham intern to keep her distance
Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham keeps seeing the same face in her run for governor. Riley Del Ray, a transgender former intern who claims she was fired after the congresswoman found out about her sexual identity, has loudly protested Lujan Grisham at several recent events, going to jail after the latest one. The congresswoman pleaded her case to a Bernalillo County District Court, which granted her a restraining order against Del Ray.
Dunns running
Maw, Paw and Blair Dunn are all running as Libertarians in various statewide races this year. Aubrey Dunn, Jr. is the state's current land commissioner and a former Republican. He's running for Senate. Robin Dunn has thrown her hat in the ring for lieutenant governor. And Blair Dunn, their son, is running to be the next attorney general. Andrew Oxford has the story over at The New Mexican ($).
Thanks for reading! The Word is enjoying sunrise on this lovely spring morning.
Spread the Word! Forward this to a friend or enemy. And subscribe at sfreporter.com/signup.
The dollar signs ($) are links that require a paid subscription to the news source.
