The Magnificent Seven
Entrepreneur and onetime Democratic gubernatorial candidate Alan Webber is running for mayor of Santa Fe. The co-founder of Fast Company magazine will privately finance his campaign instead of using the $60,000 provided by the city. In making his announcement yesterday, Webber also revealed he's gathered the endorsement of Public Regulation Commission Valerie Espinoza, who was considering a run of her own. Wesley Sandel, a social worker involved in elder care and, formerly, suicide prevention, also announced he's gathering signatures to run.
Trailer for sale or rent
Santa Fe's rental market is putting the squeeze on just about everyone. The city's vacancy rate hovers around a tiny 3 percent and there are hardly any new multi-family projects in the works. The city, real estate professionals and community development experts say that makes it harder to attract (and keep) the kinds of people who can grow Santa Fe's economy and contribute to a vibrant city.
Clean up crew
Los Alamos National Labs' operator has drawn a 6-month, $65 million extension to clean up waste at the nuclear site above Santa Fe and the Española Valley. The feds separated the contract to run the lab from its clean-up responsibilities after an improperly packed drum of waste caused a leak and subsequent shutdown of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in Carlsbad in 2014. The government will continue to search for a permanent waste contractor.
LANL suspends plutonium workers
The National Nuclear Safety Administration says plutonium workers at Los Alamos National Lab have been suspended and will undergo retraining after they placed two pieces of machined plutonium too near each other. The Defense Nuclear Safety Facilities Board said the mistake was critical and could have led to a chain reaction and the release of radiation. But both LANL and the NNSA have disagreed with that assessment, calling the proximity rules for plutonium "administrative" ones. Watchdog groups say the rules are likely in place for a science-based, not administrative, reason.
State Investment Council shakeup or shakedown?
The Word could use the rest of its allotted space describing the ins and outs of the State Investment Council and the controversy surrounding it. In the interest of letting you finish your breakfast (coffee, lunch, etc.), know that the group monitors and helps steer the investment of $22 billion in state funds. That money generates a lot of fees for third-party investment managers and has created pay-to-play questions about the past two governors. Yesterday, Gov. Susana Martinez said she'd change her mind and support taking the governor's seat off the council if two other elected officials—the state land commissioner and state treasurer—were also given the boot.
UNM's presidential search
The University of New Mexico's Board of Regents has begun interviewing candidates for the school's top job. It's been turnstile presidency in recent years as the school has repeatedly sought a successful, and new, way forward. Now, citing stability concerns in leadership and accreditation concerns, the faculty has asked the regents to suspend their search and extend the contract of interim president Chaouki Abdallah. The board planned to name finalists next month and select a president in November.
A mighty wind
Xcel energy wants permission to build two massive new wind farms to provide power to Eastern New Mexico and West Texas. One of the windmill arrays would be in Roosevelt County. The power company says the two wind farms could provide 40 percent of the power needs for the area in the next several years. They sit at the edge of the oil-rich Permian Basin, which is poised to see yet another boom in drilling.
Build the (model) wall
The federal government is asking contractors to start building prototypes for a border wall. Eight finalists are constructing their walls in an area near San Diego. The process is behind schedule after losing bidders protested the government's selection of the finalists. Four walls are concrete and four are built from other material, although President Trump said just yesterday he wanted the wall to be "see-through."
Thanks for reading! The Word digs the fall wind, but wants those leaves to stay on the trees for a while.
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