Feds Now the Enemy of Local Law Enforcement

Sheriff Paul Babeu

(CNSNews.com) – Pinal County (Ariz.) Sheriff Paul Babeu is hopping mad at the federal government. Babeu told CNSNews.com that rather than help law enforcement in Arizona stop the hundreds of thousands of people who come into the United States illegally, the federal government is targeting the state and its law enforcement personnel. “What’s very troubling is the fact that at a time when we in law enforcement and our state need help from the federal government, instead of sending help they put up billboard-size signs warning our citizens to stay out of the desert in my county because of dangerous drug and human smuggling and weapons and bandits and all these other things and then, behind that, they drag us into court with the ACLU,” Babeu said. Read more here:

Feds Now the Enemy of Local Law Enforcement

Fewer NM Schools Meet Goals

State officials say New Mexico students have improved their performance in math, reading and science during the past six years, but about three-fourths of schools missed this year's goals for boosting student achievement. Public Education Secretary Susanna Murphy released the latest testing information on Monday that showed 644 schools — or 78 percent — didn't reach state-established improvement goals this year. That's up from 560 schools, or 68 percent, in 2009. Read more here:

Fewer NM Schools Meet Goals

Rains Delay Mesa Middle School Opening

Mesa Middle School

LAS CRUCES -The opening of the new Mesa Middle School will be delayed until at least early October, Superintendent Stan Rounds announced Monday. The delay is due to recent rain storms hindering construction, and the October opening remains contingent upon the weather. Until the classrooms are ready, students who will attend Mesa this school year will temporarily attend other schools. Sixth-graders will attend Monte Vista Elementary School, located near the middle school, and seventh-graders will attend Camino Real Middle School. In March, LCPS announced that Mesa eighth-grade students will attend their same school for the upcoming year. Herb Torres, associate superintendent for operations, said the media center, cafeteria and multipurpose facility and the gym will likely open at the start of the second semester. Read more here:

Rains Delay Mesa Middle School Opening

City Uses Eminent Domain to Seize Moongate Water

Las Cruces City Hall

LAS CRUCES - If you are a customer of Moongate Water Co., you're water bill could drop, or so claims city Utilities Director Jorge Garcia.Mayor Ken Miyagishima, an insurance agent by trade, added that home owner insurance for Moongate customers could also also be cheaper if the city were to acquire the utility by condemnation through eminent domain, as the city council voted unanimously to do Monday.
    But the response from numerous Moongate customers who attended Monday's city council meeting was a flat, resounding "No."
    "We are appalled by the city's brazen move to steal our water company," said Ruth Barker, a 12-year Organ resident. "By taking this action, the city of Las Cruces is implying that they are running low on water. It is well known that the city has long since exhausted its surface water resources, which recharge slowly in this desert environment." Miyagishima and councilors Sharon Thomas, Gill Sorg, Nathan Small, Olga Pedroza and Dolores Connor listened politely to the naysayers, many who do not live within the city limits. But the council listened most to the advice of Kurt Wihl, an Albuquerque lawyer hired to represent the city in legal matters that deal with water. Read more here:

City Uses Eminent Domain to Seize Moongate Water

Maxine Waters Facing Ethics Charges

Rep. Maxine Waters (D- Cal)

The U.S. House ethics committee announced a charge against Democratic Representative Maxine Waters of California, who is alleged to have intervened to help a bank in which her husband held stock. The allegation marks the second time in two weeks that the ethics panel announced charges against a House Democrat. Last week the panel outlined 13 charges against Representative Charles Rangel of New York. Both likely will face trials this fall as the November elections approach. Read more here:

Maxine Waters Facing Ethics Charges

Thomas Sowell - Democrats Fighting Openly

Thomas Sowell

You expect Republican politicians to criticize Democratic administrations and vice versa. But when Democrats start criticizing Democratic administrations, that is news. Someone once said that the headline "Dog bites Man" is not news, but "Man bites Dog" is. We are now starting to get "Democrat bites Democrat" news. Long-time Democratic pollsters Patrick Caddell and Douglas Schoen last week took on one of President Barack Obama's most bitter betrayals of his campaign rhetoric and the high hopes of people who voted for him. Read more here:

Thomas Sowell - Democrats Fighting Openly

Garcia Calls for New House Speaker

Rep. Mary Helen Garcia

    Long time New Mexico House of Representatives member Mary Helen Garcia of Dona Ana County called for a change in the "speaker position" on News New Mexico a week ago during her guest appearance on the show. Of course she was referring to the Speaker of the House in New Mexico, Ben Lujan.

    In the days and weeks ahead we will report on the reactions of lawmakers around the state including any comments from Speaker Lujan. Garcia indicated during the interview, which can be heard in its entirety by clicking the KSNM logo on this website, that there are many other members in the house who share her view that it is time for a change.

House Speaker Ben Lujan

Lujan, (D- Santa Fe) struggled to win versus a Democratic opponent in the June primary election. His margin of victory was just 71 votes. Lujan has been in hot water with members of his own party since 2006 when he quietly slipped a $75 million capital outlay provision into the budget without letting many of his own party members know what he did. Since that incident Lujan has been plagued by accusations of impropriety and double-dealing. Rumors circulated in Santa Fe earlier this year of attempts by fellow Democrats to remove Lujan in favor of Dona Ana County house member Joseph Cervantes. Lujan has already survived an open challenge which came from Ken Martinez not long after the $75 million back room deal.

Garcia Calls for New House Speaker

Bill Gross - Spending to Maintain Consumption a Waste

Bill Gross

Pacific Investment Management Co.’s Bill Gross said deficit spending by governments that seek to maintain artificial levels of consumption “can be compared to flushing money down an economic toilet.”  Without acceleration in population growth, developed countries finance more consumption to maintain economic growth, the world’s biggest bond-fund manager wrote in his August commentary today on Newport Beach, California-based Pimco’s website. Leveraged spending, he said, is not a substitute for demand created by people. Read more:

Bill Gross - Spending to Maintain Consumption a Waste

Virginia AG Rules Officers Can Check Immigration Status

Virginia's top prosecutor, after issuing a legal opinion that seemed to align his state with Arizona in the battle over local immigration enforcement, told Fox News on Monday that the two states' policies aren't a perfect match. Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli issued a legal opinion Friday saying state law enforcement officers are allowed to check the immigration status of anyone "stopped or arrested." Read more here:

Virginia AG Rules Officers Can Check Immigration Status

Diane Denish to Appear on NewsNM Tuesday

Diane Denish

New Mexico Lieutenant Governor and Democratic Party Gubernatorial candidate Diane Denish will appear as a guest on News New Mexico Tuesday August 3rd. From Hobbs, Denish faces Dona Ana County District Attorney Susana Martinez in the November general election.

Diane Denish to Appear on NewsNM Tuesday