Waning river
Sections of the Middle Rio Grande always dry in the summer, but to have six miles go dry in April south of Socorro is earlier than any other time in the river's history. Snow didn't fall this winter, and didn't pack down to offer important runoff. That spells big trouble for the state's biggest river.
This is ground control
Four years after a fatal crash grounded test flights, Virigin Galatic succeeded Thursday in a successful rocket-powered space flight ($). They did better than that flat earth guy this time, and say the milestone moves the company closer to space tourism operations at the Spaceport near Truth or Consequences.
Back to earth
Home prices in Santa Fe aren't rocket-high, but they're still up there. A first quarter sales report ($) from the Association of Realtors shows homes in the city went up by an average of 12 percent in the first three months of the year, putting the median price on a single-family home at $360,000.
In his blood
On the heels of this week's cover story about how ICE raids have hit businesses in Santa Fe, SFR's Aaron Cantú yesterday tracked down one of the local men who's working for the federal agency. Meet a former State Police officer who says he's glad to be back in the game.
Ballot fight
A legal challenge intended to bump Joseph Cervantes from the ballot during June's Democratic gubernatorial primary hit a wall Thursday when a state District Court judge threw it out ($) over a procedural issue. The judge says attorneys for Jeff Apodaca, who is also running for governor, should have served notice of the action to the attorney general. Watch for an appeal.
Getting connected
Rural internet cooperatives are doing much more than deliver juice to far-off homes. KUNM joins with Solutions Journalism on a deep dive about how co-ops are helping to bridge the digital divide. The stories are part of the State of Change project about small towns in the West.
At the helm
Meanwhile, Española's new mayor Javier Sanchez is the face for change in the community. KSFR's Ellen Lockyear talked with him this week as he looks at helping the city manage growth, revitalize its agriculture connection and spruce up main street. Sanchez is a Texan and a Republican, and also a gay man—all of which he says came up during the nonpartisan election.
Local yocal
Thanks to blogger Joe Monahan and his team of hungry alligators for pointing out another blog that might suck up some of your time this weekend from Sam Donaldson. The former national TV news journalist is retired in Albuquerque. This week, he wrote about another US-Mexico militarized border flap: General John J Pershing takes on Pancho Villa. (Although he spells the name Pauncho. Does anyone else do that?)
Thanks for reading! The Word loaded up on free pens and lip balm yesterday at the Chamber of Commerce expo and needs to find a place to stash them.
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