
Locals want to move on up
Santa Fe City Councilor Renee Villarreal could want to make a run for it. Congress, that is. She said she has an eye on the seat vacated by US Rep. Ben Ray Luján as he runs for the Senate. Local political consultant Robert Apodaca says he also is considering taking the leap. We'll believe all this when we see it.
More reason to drive carefully
According to newly reviewed police reports, there were witnesses in the Santa Fe accident in which a snow plow driver hit two pedestrians, causing serious injury. Witness reports contradict the plow driver's statement, so it seems we haven't heard the end of this.
National news affects New Mexico
For the sub-rock-dwellers among us, US Department of Homeland Security head Kirstjen Nielsen is out, and Kevin McAleenan is in for the Sisyphean task. The latest shakeup in Washington, DC, could affect New Mexicans more closely than some others, as this one has greatly to do with the US-Mexico border. McAleenan is the current commissioner of Customs and Border Patrol; USA Today can tell you all about about his policies and actions, which have mostly been in lockstep with the president's so far.
Not just for the birds
A victory for seed-savers, not to mention for anyone who likes it when a government listens to them a little: Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham vetoed language in the annual budget ($) that anti-GMO advocates were nervous could loosen heirloom seed protections in New Mexico. Heirloom seeds are a particularly hot topic in New Mexico, where pueblos and allies take great stock in local and independent seed libraries and pre-contact foods.
Dubious victories
There was much talk about the gains made by renewable energy this Legislative session, but to be honest, the oil and gas industry held its ground. Democrats spent the session juggling the positive economic impact of the industry with the dire environmental one. While everyone tooted a bunch about the Energy Transition Act and other energy laws, other would-be wins for the climate, such as a fracking ban and environmental reviews of new wells, died before the gov could consider them.
Goin’ dark
Yet another power outage at the Sunport over the weekend didn't last long and its cause is still unclear, but it's still a little weird. Note: SFR staffers at the Society of Professional Journalists regional conference at UNM this weekend listened to part of a panel discussion in the dark due to a similar "PNM issue." Clearly journalists are willing and able to do their jobs in all conditions, unlike pinche airplanes.
In memory of Toby
The New Mexican published a touching remembrance of Toby Williams, the young city worker killed by an accident at the convention center last week. He was a thoughtful and beloved person, and this well-written story ($) will probably make anyone who didn't know him wish they did.
Sundress season
We could get winds and stormy stuff on Wednesday, but don't think about that yet. It's gonna be a nice day today, maybe even into the 70s. The Word nearly typed "the '70s," but no, we don't mean that '70s.
Thanks for reading! The Word wishes she could tell her 8-year-old self that potato chips and Pop-Tarts for dinner is not nearly as great as it seems.