Mr. Hoover
Back in March 2018, employees of Santa Fe Bar & Grill in the DeVargas Center filed complaints of wage theft at the restaurant, but eventually withdrew the complaints and said they'd reached a confidential private settlement. Yet, the Department of Workforce Solutions has continued investigating ($ TNM) the restaurant's owner, Rob Day. Workforce Solutions Cabinet Secretary Bill McCamley said that his office will be aggressive in pursuing these kinds of claims; Day says that McCamley is "a J. Edgar Hoover type" who is "kind of harassing me."
Look into it?
A GOP lawmaker has called for an investigation into the firing of Education Secretary Karen Trujillo after just six months on the job, saying that "it will be hard to recruit top-tier candidates unless they know they'll have the necessary support to make needed changes and the criteria for their success is clearly defined." Meanwhile, The New Mexican reports that the state has not implemented the K-5 Plus program as quickly or effectively as it should have ($), echoing one of the governor's concerns about Trujillo's leadership.
Too big to go on
Local residents have mixed reactions that the Marigold Parade, a Bernalillo County celebration of Dia de Los Muertos held in the South Valley, has been canceled. Last year the event drew nearly 17,000 people, growing to a size that the organizing committee says was totally unexpected. The parade had been held annually for more than 25 years.
The gang’s all here
SFR caught up this week with all the folks running for City Council. It was an unofficial tradition that candidates would announce they're running after Fiestas, but now that voters have chosen to move elections from March to November, candidates had to step up their game. Meet the field here.
Clean it up
Attorney General Hector Balderas says he is "extremely frustrated" with the US Air Force in its response, or lack thereof, to a plume of toxic chemicals seeping underground near Holloman and Cannon bases. Air Force spokesman Mark Kinkade countered that the USAF provided clean drinking water and alternate water solutions to people affected, but the Albuquerque Journal did not quote him addressing the issue of environmental contamination. As of March, the plume was 4 miles long ($ TNM).
No witnesses
Heath White, a former Torrance County sheriff (that's east of Los Lunas) who is now a Magistrate Court judge, is being charged with 11 felonies, including embezzlement of over $20,000 for reportedly using taxpayer dollars to buy tools, guns, trailers and tires for his personal use. White's attorney says there are no witnesses to any untoward behavior and that no evidence points to his client.
Travelin’ gov
Yesterday, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham traveled to Salt Lake City to participate in the summer meeting of the National Governors Association to talk more about how to protect and capitalize on outdoor recreation. Her administration established an outdoor recreation office in New Mexico this year. SFR is bummed that this means she is unable to participate in the dunk tank at our Best of Santa Fe Party, but we've got some other good folks in there (the mayor, for one), so you should come by.
Chance of rain
Temps will get close to 90 again today, with about a 30% chance of rainfall. That thunder yesterday sure was something, wasn't it? Just wish those clouds had produced more.
Thanks for reading! The Word always wonders who's being honored when she sees a state flag lowered to half-staff; tomorrow it will be for the Roswell firefighter who recently died after a June 5 fireworks explosion.
