Crime achievement
New Mexico is hanging its hat this morning on two statistics that have it leading the nation. According to the FBI, our state is the nation's worst for property crime rates and second-worst for violent crime. Those numbers have had a boost from Albuquerque ($), which skew the state's totals, where many communities have seen numbers decline. And historically, the nation's murder rate is lower than it's been in half a century. Because of differences in reporting and classifying crimes between communities, the numbers don't make for a perfect comparison.
Land ho!
Patrick Lyons and Stephanie Garcia Richard have their sights set on the State Land Commissioner's office. Lyons has been there before, and Garcia Richard arrived to the race at the behest of former commissioner Ray Powell. The two have different views of how the powerful office should work and what the state's efforts toward renewable energy should be. Elizabeth Miller explains them.
Folk art pick
Stuart Ashman will lead the International Folk Art Market for the next three years. Ashman has a long history around the arts in Santa Fe, including a stint as Secretary of Cultural Affairs under Gov. Bill Richardson. Ashman will leave the Center for Contemporary Arts in December and start his new gig in January ($).
Day in court
State Rep. Monica Youngblood goes to trial today on drunk driving charges. Body camera video of Youngblood's stop by police at a DWI checkpoint shows her repeatedly telling officers about the work she's done to support them as a state legislator. At one point, she also appears to imply she's being targeted because of her race.
Sorority comments
The University of New Mexico's Black Student Alliance says members of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority were making racist comments during a presentation by Stephanie McIver, the school's counseling director. McIver is black.
That smell
You may have caught a whiff of smoke as you retired for the evening or got up this morning around Santa Fe. The Forest Service says it's done with a controlled burn of hundreds of acres inside the Santa Fe Watershed. The thinning is aimed at protecting the city's two reservoirs, which supply about 40 percent of Santa Fe's water in a typical year.
Vessel
The Santa Fe Women's Film Series at the Center for Contemporary Arts begins tonight at 7 o'clock with the documentary Vessel, which follows Rebecca Gomperts' Women on Waves project. To circumvent abortion laws she found too restrictive, Gomperts began offering abortion procedures to women on a ship in international waters. Tickets are $10.
Cool it
It's going to get rather crisp later today and tomorrow, as a cold front works its way into the state. Temperatures will still be warm today, but the eastern half of New Mexico will see a good chance of rain. Tomorrow will be markedly cooler.
Thanks for reading! The Word is deciding which sweater will be selected as fall's first.
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