Ives ideas
City Councilor Peter Ives, an attorney from District 2, says he plans to run for mayor. A reliable ally of Mayor Javier Gonzales, Ives says he plans to try to carry on some of the progress made by the current mayor. The councilor says he'll focus on clean job development and early childhood initiatives. He has no issue with councilor and mayoral candidate Ron Trujillo's back-to-basics campaign, but says "the spirit of a community is a fundamentally important thing as well."
SFCC names leadership finalists
The Santa Fe Community College says two administrators from Minnesota and California are its finalists to guide the school as interim president while it completes a national search for a permanent head. They could serve for up to a hear and each will have a public meeting with the community next week. Current president Randy Grissom retires at the end of October.
Keep it tight
State agencies are once again being told to expect little in the way of budget increases as lawmakers work toward a spending plan for the next legislative session. There's only about $25 million in revenue predicted above and beyond what the state took in this year. That's called "new money," but the flat-spending admonition is an old tune.
Meanwhile, in Medicaidland, the state's Human Services Department says it needs $84 million in the next budget year. The Word is no mathematician, but that seems like what scientists call "more." The low-income program, through which the vast majority of births in the state are paid, has been growing at a pace outstripping revenue for years.
Three-wheeled fuzz
Santa Fe police have their new Segway scooters for patrolling downtown. Instead of spending $27,000 for a three-year lease, the city has paid more than $34,000 for a one-year lease with the only company that makes the scooters. The city's lodgers tax is providing the money for them. They are supposed to ease foot and other fatigue for police. They don't have suspensions, though, so officers have to bend their knees to absorb bumps.
Domenici memorial service
A public service for the late US Senator Pete Domenici will be
in Albuquerque. The service starts at 3 pm. There's also a rosary tonight and funeral mass tomorrow morning at Our Lady of Fatima Church in Northeast Albuquerque.
Lobos lose conference opener, starting QB
New Mexico's football team lost the first game of its Mountain West Conference schedule last night to Boise State, 28-14. The team also
late in the first half after Lamar Jordan sustained a concussion following a late hit. Boise State was also without its starting quarterback. He suffered a concussion in the previous game.
Pride weekend
Santa Fe's pride festival kicked off last night with a documentary screening at the Santa Fe University of Art and Design. The city is
to a late-summer festival instead of the previous one-day-in-June plan. There's an exhibit at the New Mexico History Museum, a parade today, a festival tomorrow and a brunch on Sunday.
Thanks for reading! The Word is in love with Friday, and also determined to make up for not getting something pumpkin-spicy earlier this week.
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