George Zimmerman to be Charged in Martin Shooting

From washingtonpost.com - Florida special prosecutor Angela Corey plans to announce as early as Wednesday afternoon that she is charging neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman in the shooting of Trayvon Martin, according to a law enforcement official close to the investigation. It was not immediately clear what charge Zimmerman will face.  Corey told reporters Tuesday night that she would hold a news conference about the case within 72 hours. A news release from her office said the event will be held in Sanford or Jacksonville, Fla.  More here

George Zimmerman to be Charged in Martin Shooting

Alb. Board to Vote on Employee Pay While Serving in Roundhouse

Sheryl Williams Stapleton

From capitolreportnewmexico.com -The question of public school employees who serve in the state legislature receiving paid leave is back — and this time, the state’s largest school district is considering ending the practice. In Wednesday’s edition of the Albuquerque Journal, education reporter Hailey Heinz writes that a majority of the school board of Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) have scheduled a vote for May 1 and that a majority of the board “made clear” they want to change the district’s policy:  Board member Martin Esquivel said the public wants APS to change its practice. “I just want to make it clear that I am not in favor of compensating for political leave with APS money,” Esquivel said. “I think people have spoken pretty loud and clear about this, and they are aghast at the idea that we pay people to serve in the Legislature.  Currently three APS employees serve in the Roundhouse and are eligible to take paid leave when they go to Santa Fe during legislative sessions, committee meeting hearings between sessions and attend to other legislative duties. They also receive $153 per diem for each day they work at the Roundhouse. The three are: Rep. Sheryl Williams Stapleton (D-Albuquerque) who is an APS administrator, Sen. Bernadette Sanchez (D-Albuquerque) who is an APS counselor and Rep. Tim Lewis (R-Rio Rancho) who is a teacher.   More here

Alb. Board to Vote on Employee Pay While Serving in Roundhouse

Indy 500 Winner Pleads Guilty for DWI in NM

Al Unser Jr.

From foxnews.com - Retired American race car driver and two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Al Unser Jr. has pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated and racing on a New Mexico freeway. Unser entered his plea Wednesday in Albuquerque Metro Court, a day before he was set to go to trial for aggravated DWI, drag racing and reckless driving. He was sentenced to 90 days in jail but a judge deferred jail time in favor of 364 days of supervised probation. Unser was arrested in September after he was accused of racing another car in his Suburban and driving over 100 miles per hour near Albuquerque. He was charged with reckless driving and aggravated driving while intoxicated.  His attorney, Sam Bregman, says Unser completed 30 days of inpatient treatment for alcohol abuse.

Indy 500 Winner Pleads Guilty for DWI in NM

3 NM Companies Win Spaceport Contracts

From elpasotimes.com -The New Mexico Spaceport Authority has awarded contracts to three New Mexico companies. Spaceport America, the first purpose-built commercial spaceport in the world, is situated on 18,000 acres adjacent to the U.S. Army's White Sands Missile Range about an hour's drive north of Las Cruces. Fiore Industries of Albuquerque was selected as the information technology services contractor. The contract has an estimated value of $310,000 over two years. White Sands Research and Developers of Las Cruces was awarded a $698,000 space operations services contract over the next two years. Parametrix of Albuquerque received a one year $192,000 contract for analysis work and to help prepare an environmental assessment for the spaceport's southern road, which is County Road 39 from the Interstate 25 Upham exit. Spaceport America officials said more than 1,000 jobs for New Mexicans have been generated to date.

3 NM Companies Win Spaceport Contracts

NM Cattle Association Pulls Out of Wolf Program

From wildlifenews.com -Withdrawal of a cattle association from a wolf restoration program hardly a sign of failure- If we look at the history of land use in the Western United States, we find many different political interests. Some are ideological, some economic, some are both. Historically the various statewide cattle associations and stockgrower associations have been the leaders of the conservative, or better termed “reactionary,” land use interests. In particular they have always opposed restoration of carnivorous animals such as lynx, cougar, wolves. More often than not they have opposed restoration of ungulates prized for their beauty and by big game hunters.  The fact that cattle associations have often been cooperators in wolf restoration programs run by state governments is a testiment to their political clout, not their desire to make the program work.  More here

NM Cattle Association Pulls Out of Wolf Program

Courtesy of Conservative Daily News

     

janice2012.us

State in midst of curriculum transition

New Mexico Education Department

Santa Fe New Mexican - In an effort to ensure that Johnny can not only read by the third grade, but be ready later on for college, New Mexico is implementing the Common Core Standards in kindergarten through grade three in school year 2012-13. The standards, which focus on English-language arts and math, will be implemented in grades four to 12 in 2013-14. Developed by the public-policy driven National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and the Council of Chief State School Officers, the 36 standards are designed to encourage critical thinking among students via a set of vertically aligned lessons -- that is, lessons that build on one another year after year. Some 46 states, as well as the District of Columbia, have adopted Common Core to ensure consistency in education across the nation. Want an example? One English-language arts requisite for understanding and explaining themes in text, for instance, looks like this: In the sixth grade, students analyze in detail how a key individual, event or idea is introduced and illustrated throughout the text. In the seventh grade, they look at the interactions between individuals, events and ideas within a text. In the eighth grade, they analyze how the text makes a connection or distinction between individuals, ideas or events. "Right now, our state standards are a mile wide and an inch deep, and the Common Core Standards are an inch wide and a mile deep," said Denise Johnston, associate superintendent for Santa Fe Public Schools, who is working on a transition to the new curriculum to support the new standards. Read More News New Mexico

State in midst of curriculum transition

Sitel Expands Business for Third Time in NM

From marketwatch.com -Sitel, a leading customer care outsourcing provider, today announced that it is expanding its customer care call center in the city of Las Cruces, New Mexico. The call center will be adding 200 positions for its retail banking and satellite television provider clients. This marks the third expansion at the Las Cruces facility in the past 18 months. In recognition of Sitel’s continued commitment to provide high quality employment opportunities for New Mexico residents, Governor Susana Martinez and Secretary of Economic Development Jon Barela will visit the Las Cruces facility on Friday, April 13 at 1:45 p.m. Governor Martinez and Secretary Barela will tour the facility with Site Director John Munoz and discuss the importance of fostering economic growth throughout the state. “Job creation and economic growth are among our highest priorities here in New Mexico,” said Governor Martinez. “We are working tirelessly to create an environment that encourages companies to hire new workers. We applaud today’s announcement from Sitel. With its third Las Cruces expansion in the past 18 months, Sitel has demonstrated its strong commitment to the Rio Grande Valley and the state of New Mexico.”   More here

Sitel Expands Business for Third Time in NM

City to consider possible purchase of LC Country Club

Las Cruces Sun-News -  It's still possible the next owner of the vacant Las Cruces Country Club could be the city of Las Cruces. On the heels of a private meeting late last week with some members of the country club's board of directors, Mayor Ken Miyagishima said Tuesday he is prepared to call a closed meeting of the Las Cruces City Council on April 23 to discuss the potential of tendering an offer for the approximately 110-acre property off of North Main Street. "It just seems natural that we be a part of it," Miyagishima said. "But the $64,000 question is how much are they willing to sell it for." Robert Caldwell, a member of the country club's board of directors, said he didn't participate in the meeting between other board members and the mayor. But if the city is willing to deal, he and other board members will listen. "As we've said all along, we're open to any offers, and willing to keep the city in the loop," Caldwell said. Miyagishima and Caldwell made it clear, no formal offers have been made. Miyagishima reiterated that any offer from the city would have to be at no cost to city taxpayers, meaning that if the city were to purchase the former country club it would not involve a tax increase. The city has had a prominent role in discussions about what will become of the country club property for almost six years. In 2006, a majority of the country club membership voted to exchange the property for a golf course and country club on the city's East Mesa. However, the exchange fell through in 2010. The country club ceased operations in November and its golf-playing members have been transferred to Sonoma Ranch Golf Course, a public golf course. Since then, country club leadership has been exploring possibilities of purchasing Sonoma Ranch so members can again have a permanent facility to use. Read More News New Mexico

City to consider possible purchase of LC Country Club

Vandals Destroy Pro-Israel Billboard in NM

From Gateway Pundit -The area is home to “Stop 30 Billion”, a far left anti-Israel group that ran “Israel war crimes” ads last year on buses in Seattle. The Free Beacan reported: Vandals destroyed a pro-Israel billboard erected outside of Albuquerque, New Mexico early Monday, raising concerns that Israel’s detractors are exacting revenge for an earlier run-in with the area’s pro-Israel community.  Located in an empty field alongside a road in the town of Deming, the sign declared, “Stand with Israel” and urged passersby to sign a pro-Israel pledge sponsored by Christians United for Israel, one of the nation’s largest pro-Israel groups.  More here

Vandals Destroy Pro-Israel Billboard in NM