Midtown housing plan gets green light
In the first bit of actually-good news we've gotten about housing in a while, New Mexico Inter-Faith Housing has just received a $10 million federal grant to build its Siler Yard project, which will include affordable (but, like, truly affordable) housing for artists, as well as live-work spaces, art studios, performance facilities and micro-retail space. Folks making 60% or less than the median area income will qualify to apply to live there, and it should be ready for residents in 2021. The downside is it's only 65 units.
Women above water
Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver, whom everyone has been saying for a week will be running for Senate, made it official Wednesday. She who would be New Mexico's first female senator is pro-Medicaid-for-all and anti-family separation on the border, not surprisingly. She's so far be running against Democrats Rep. Ben Ray Luján and Giovanni Alexander Haqani of Albuquerque, and Republican Gavin Clarkson. In other women-in-politics news, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham reportedly has a tepid 41% approval rating; higher than both our sitting senators (who each have 39% approval ratings). A huge chunk of those polled (28%) said they are unsure or have no opinion of the gov.
Eat for good
Looking for lunch this afternoon? Head down to the Santa Fe Community Convention Center courtyard between 11 am and 1 pm for a Frito pie fundraiser for Toby Williams ($), the city worker killed on the job earlier this month. A pie and a drink is yours for a $5 donation, all of which goes to Williams' family.
I hear that train a’comin’
Did you catch a glimpse of SFR on newsstands yet this week? If you did, you saw a really cool cover image of the tracks of the New Mexico Rail Runner; both the photo and the story about the train are by SFR editor and publisher Julie Ann Grimm, and she takes a look at the state of the rails. The commuter train is seeing declining ridership due to low gas prices and a schedule most deem not frequent or convenient enough, but the operations remains in the black. Improvements likely won't come soon, however, because a large safety project will suck up any funds in the near future. So it'll be status quo for a bit.
Misdirected demands
Otero County (which includes Alamogordo) has declared a state of emergency, demanding staffers for the US Customs and Border Patrol checkpoints within its boundaries, which were closed last month in order to send those agents to the border to handle an influx of migrants. Otero County Commission Chairman Couy Griffin says that if they don't get the checkpoints open in a week, the county will take legal action against the state. Gov. Lujan Grisham's spokesman says the county would be better served to direct its ire to the federal Department of Homeland Security because the state does not control these federal checkpoints.
Strangers from the internet
Kevin Hill of Albuquerque went to the fifth floor of Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino to meet a date he arranged online, but ended up getting robbed ($) and bleeding all over the hotel hallways instead. He was attacked by Joseph Raymond, and when cops came to the scene, they found all the makings for an identity theft operation that Raymond, of Rio Rancho, was allegedly running.
Bringing them home
The Gathering of Nations powwow starts today in Albuquerque, and is one of the biggest gatherings of Indigenous peoples in the United States. This year's event, which is open to the public, will reportedly train a special focus on missing and murdered Indigenous women, a topic that has been getting more attention recently but will likely never have enough. Rep. Deb Haaland (Laguna) is also an outspoken advocate for MMIW justice. If you want to go, it's at Tingley Coliseum today through Sunday, and tickets start at $19 per day.
Drop me in the water
Rivers could be at a 20-year high this year, a hydrologist tells KOB. Laura Paskus reports for New Mexico Political Report that the Rio Grande is already looking nice and swift, and tells us what that means for water storage and endangered species. This isn't really "news" in the urgent sense of the word, of course (I think we all knew we were going to see healthy streams and rivers this summer), but it's exciting and we hope you are excited too.
Thanks for reading! The Word is particularly looking forward to the poetry reading at Collected Works on Sunday, but there's tons more going on this weekend. What are you up to?
