Seattle Seahawk Charly Martin returns to Farmington for free camp

Charly Martin at his football camp - FDT photo

From the Farmington Daily Times - by John Livingston - Charly Martin is busy immersing himself in his new Seattle Seahawks playbook, but nothing could take him away from Farmington when it is time for his annual football camp. Martin returns to Piedra Vista High School — where he graduated in 2003 on June 19-20 for the Third Annual Charly Martin Football Academy, a free camp for any second through eighth grader in San Juan County. "This is huge. It is one of my favorite times of year, coming back to Farmington and giving back to the youth and showing them that anything they want they can achieve and encouraging them to dream big," Martin said. Second- through fifth- grade campers meet before kids in grades six through eight. The emphasis with the younger group is to encourage them to get out and have fun while being active and introducing them to football, while the older group will focus a bit more on skill development and fundamentals, Martin said.  Read more

Seattle Seahawk Charly Martin returns to Farmington for free camp

Akela casino proposal ignites NM turf wars

Fort Sill Apache Chairman Jeff Haozous

From the Deming Headlight - AKELA FLATS, N.M. (AP) - It's a 30-acre tract along Interstate 10 with a temporary building where travelers can stop for a burger and beer. It's also the nation's newest Indian reservation, designated as such last year for the Fort Sill Apache. But as the tribe moves forward with controversial plans to use the reservation to build a casino that could capture truckers and drivers ready for a break halfway between Los Angeles and Dallas, it has reignited old turf wars with the state and with other tribes concerned about competition for gamblers. The tribe recently won a first hurdle in its quest to build the casino with a ruling from the Bureau of Indian Affairs that the 30 acres the tribe has been trying to develop into a gambling operation for years is indeed eligible. Fort Sill Apache Tribal Chairman Jeff Haozous says it's a bit of chicken-and-egg question. The tribe, currently based in southwest Oklahoma, needs the casino to get income to buy more land to help its members return, he said. "The goal is to repatriate the tribe," Haozous said. "Obviously that would require more than 30 acres. But that would also require more economic resources. With more resources, we can buy more land and develop more businesses." The Fort Sill Apache Tribe has roughly 685 members. Gov. Susana Martinez opposes the casino, saying the tribe agreed it would not attempt to build a casino in Akela Flats when the land was put into trust about 10 years ago. Read more

Akela casino proposal ignites NM turf wars

Ruling on dunes sagebrush lizard probably will be made Thursday

From the Alamogordo Daily News - By Milan Simonich, SANTA FE A day of decision is finally near for the West's most-publicized reptile. The Obama administration probably will announce Thursday if the dunes sagebrush lizard will be listed as an endangered species, said Tom Buckley, a spokesman for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Albuquerque. An occupant of wind-swept dunes in oil country, the lizard exists only in four counties of southeastern New Mexico and four others in West Texas. Buckley said today the announcement on the lizard's status probably would be made in Washington. He expects either Interior Secretary Ken Salazar or Daniel Ashe, director of the Fish and Wildlife Service, to make the finding public. Debate over whether the lizard should receive federal protection has raged for 18 months. Ashe in December postponed his scheduled ruling on lizard, saying he wanted another six months to consider scientific data. Numerous Republicans in Congress, especially Rep. Steve Pearce of New Mexico, have argued against endangered status for the lizard. Pearce said thousands of jobs in the oil and gas industry would be in jeopardy if the lizard were listed. The Center for Biological Diversity and other environmental groups then accused Pearce of spreading misinformation to scare the public.  Read more

Ruling on dunes sagebrush lizard probably will be made Thursday

48 Years Ago Sunday

NewsNM note - (Spence) Does anyone remember being taught this little jewel of history in our public education system?

Everett Dirkson

Gateway Pundit - June 10, 1964, was a dramatic day in the United States Senate. For the first time in its history, cloture was invoked on a civil rights bill, ending a record-breaking filibuster by Democrats that had consumed fifty-seven working days. The hero of the hour was minority leader Senator Everett McKinley Dirksen (R-Ill.).

Dirksen (R-IL), the Republican Leader in the U.S. Senate, condemned the Democrats’ 57-day filibuster against the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Leading the Democrats in their opposition to civil rights for African-Americans was Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV).

Robert Byrd

Byrd, who got into politics as a recruiter for the Ku Klux Klan, spoke against the bill for fourteen straight hours. (later Byrd rose to the position of Senate Minority Leader) Democrats still call Robert Byrd “the conscience of the Senate.” In his speech, Senator Dirksen called on the Democrats to end their filibuster and accept racial equality. Michael Zak wrote about this in his book Back to Basics for the Republican Party and reminds us that Democrats, the party of Slavery, Secession, Segregation and the KKK… fought against equality. Read full story here: News New Mexico

48 Years Ago Sunday

Gila Fire 32% Contained Winds Still a Problem

KRWG - Crews on the eastern flank worked near the West Fork of the Gila River Saturday to keep the fire in check utilizing helicopters for aerial ignitions and water drops. In the Wilderness on the southern flank of the fire there was increased fire activity. Crews were out scouting to prepare containment lines in this area. Lines held strong on the western flank despite the increased wind
Hotshot crews will remain in the Wilderness area through Monday on the eastern flank to monitor and keep containment lines in check. Along the southern fire edge engine crews and hand crews are still working to secure the area and strengthen containment lines. Patrolling and mop up will continue on the western flank through out the day.
With increased fire behavior on the south and southwestern flank of the fire, more fire resources will be on the roads. For your safety and safety of the fire crews please avoid traveling on Sacaton Road and Moon Ranch Road. Read full story here: News New Mexico

Gila Fire 32% Contained Winds Still a Problem