NM Drought worst in the nation

New Mexico is currently experiencing the worst drought in the country according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

 In just the past week the percentage of New Mexico under extreme drought shot up from 4 percent to 25 percent. The U.S. Drought Monitor map shows the state blanketed in red. This is the third consecutive year of historic drought nationwide.

 In the southwest New Mexico and Texas have been hit the hardest. Average rainfall in New Mexico is down by more than half.

 For cattle ranchers that means high feed costs and reducing their herd size. Farmers across the region are switching to crops that require less water like cotton. 

Also the danger of wildfire will only intensify as high winds and hot temperatures combine in the coming weeks.

NM Drought worst in the nation

NMSU to announce new president Monday

New Mexico State University's next president is set to be announced next week.  

Regents plan tentatively to reveal their pick on Monday. 

Finalists include NMSU business dean and former Gov. Garrey Carruthers, former Texas Tech University president Guy Bailey, former University of Nevada, Las Vegas president David Ashley, former Texas A&M University president Elsa Murano and University of Colorado Denver Dean Daniel Howard. 

Regents chair Mike Cheney says the bulk of deliberations about the candidates will happen today.

NMSU to announce new president Monday

Fire in Sandia Mountains

There is a fire burning in the Sandia mountains four miles southeast of Bernalillo.

 The fire, which has been named the Piedra Fire, is approximately 50 acres in size, according to Fire Information Officer Karen Takai. 

The fire, which began around 2:30 a.m. Thursday, is burning in ponderosa pine and fir. Several spot fires to the east of the main fire have been located. The cause of the fire is unknown. Officials say no structures are in danger and the cause of the blaze near the historic village of Placitas is unknown. 

Hotshot crews and Bureau of Indian Affairs crews are onsite, helicopters are making bucket drops, and two air tankers and two air support modules are at the fire. 

As a precaution, Loop Road has been closed has the Piedra Lisa trail at the south end off of the FR 333. 

Albuquerque health officials issued a health alert due to wildfire smoke until Friday morning.

Fire in Sandia Mountains

What it means to be an American

© 2013 Michael Swickard, Ph.D. “We have not passed on what it means to be an American to the next generation.” Dennis Prager on the biggest threat to our countryWhen people ask my fears for the future I quote Dennis Prager. My future and the future of my country are the same. But the America to which I was born is not the same country today. My grandparents would not recognize this country. Over the last fifty years our unique American values have been intentionally destroyed.

These next generations have not been taught what it means to be an American. They are not conversant with the American value systems of their grandparents. Therefore, lacking a grounding in American values, they feel free to adopt values from Europe or Asia.

When I was a child the purpose of our country was understood. Also there were obligations each American had to our country. I grew up understanding the sacrifices made so I could have liberty and the obligations of a free country. I understood that America became America by the ideals of personal liberty, responsibility and that our country was and is guided by a higher power. 

Years ago I had a clear picture of our country as to purpose: protect the world and ourselves from evil. Live a God-Fearing life and to make sure this country gave equal opportunity to every citizen. During my lifetime the words, “…Under God…” were added to the Pledge of Allegiance. 

 Starting in the 1960s, however, came the attack from within on American values. Over these last five decades God is no longer welcome in our schools and workplaces. God is no longer centric to our country. We did not seem to notice this loss of a core value in our society. It changed without a vote and without the consent of the governed. Next went our liberty. A coincidence? 

 During the Civil War President Abraham Lincoln wrote: “...I know that the Lord is always on the side of the right. But it is my constant anxiety and prayer that I and this nation should be on the Lord’s side.” Read column

What it means to be an American

Neighbors react to home invasion shooting

From KOB-TV.com - By: Maria Guerrero, KOB Eyewitness News 4 - A South Valley Homeowner apparently decided to take matters into his own hands and shot a suspected intruder early Wednesday morning.

     "No I didn't hear it," said Juanita Balulis as she walked down her driveway. Balulis said she had no idea there was a crime scene right down the street from her home. "That's really scary," she said looking at the police tape.
     Bernalillo County Sheriff’s deputies were called to the 5300 block of Southfort Drive early Wednesday morning. They found a man in a home with a gunshot wound to the chest.
     Investigators say the homeowner told them the man broke into his home so he shot the intruder. Deputies say the intruder, who they are not naming, even drove up to the home in his black car. The sheriff’s office had the suspect’s car, which has a license plate, towed from the home.
     Neighbors described the homeowner as a good man with a wife and a little girl. "They are really good neighbors. Very calm," said Chaviera. “I love this area out here,” said Balulis. “I moved here from Virginia. I've liked it so far but now I don't know if i'm going to like it too much anymore after this or not.”
     The suspected intruder wasn’t killed. He’s still in the hospital after being shot and is the only person facing charges right now. The sheriff’s office says the suspect could be charged with burglary. The homeowner isn’t facing any charges at this point. Read more

Neighbors react to home invasion shooting

Farmers resume "water bank" use

Farmers using the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District’s “water bank” had their irrigation supplies turned back on Monday, but the district’s water manager said it is not clear how long they’ll be able to water. 

Water bank farmers are the lowest priority water users on the farm water system. Two weeks ago, with Rio Grande levels falling because of the drought, the district cut off water bank users, the first time that had happened in the history of the district. With warmer weather, snow melt has increased flows in the river enough to supply the low-priority water bank customers for now. 

But they could be cut off again any time over the next two months, said conservancy district water manager David Gensler.

Farmers resume "water bank" use

Orangutan born at ABQ zoo

Officials at the Albuquerque BioPark say a baby orangutan that was born at the zoo this week is alert, has been nursing and has a strong grip.

 The zoo says Sarah the Sumatran orangutan gave birth to the healthy baby sometime late Thursday or early Friday. Zookeepers have yet to determine the baby's gender. They say Sarah and her baby are behind the scenes but will soon rejoin the rest of the orangutans. 

The zoo's primate supervisor, Debbie Wiese, says the first few days after birth are the most critical and the mother and baby will be closely monitored to make sure development progresses normally. Sarah's pregnancy surprised zookeepers last November, making it difficult to determine a due date. 

This is the first orangutan birth at the zoo since 2008.

Orangutan born at ABQ zoo

Carlsbad Caverns pipeline needs repairs

Park officials say a pipeline that stretches more than a mile to provide Carlsbad Caverns National Park with drinking water needs to be replaced. 

Officials say some sections of the pipeline were damaged by freezing temperatures. A wildfire also destroyed much of the line's insulation along with many of the wooden blocks used to support it. 

The pipeline provides water to the visitor center, employee housing and park offices. Officials say repairing or replacing the line is necessary to ensure a permanent, reliable source of water. 

The park will consider a range of alternatives to accomplish the work as part of an environmental assessment. It will also evaluate potential issues and effects on park resources as part of the process.

Carlsbad Caverns pipeline needs repairs

NM Supreme Court allows water manager to decide rights

New Mexico's highest court is allowing the state's top water manager to decide proposed water rights transfers to increase flows in the drought-stricken Pecos River. 

The state Supreme Court ruled Monday the state engineer's office can move ahead with an administrative hearing on a proposal to transfer water rights to allow more pumping of groundwater near Carlsbad in southeastern New Mexico. The water will go by pipeline into a reservoir to boost river flows.

The justices rejected arguments by a ranching family that State Engineer Scott Verhines has a conflict of interest in deciding the water proposal by the Interstate Stream Commission. 

The Supreme Court tossed out an Eddy County district court judge ruling that stopped the state engineer from holding a hearing, which now will start in June.

NM Supreme Court allows water manager to decide rights

Economic decline hurts El Paso airport

NewsNM Swickard - Nope, not just economic decline. The TSA has caused some people, myself included, to prefer to drive rather than fly, an odd change for someone like me who loves to fly. I have not been up in a commercial aircraft for six years. From the El Paso Times - by Evan Mohl - The El Paso International Airport is facing a decline in passenger traffic and additional cancellations of flights -- something that is causing growing concern among city leaders. Tight economic times and ongoing challenges of airline companies have caused city officials and leaders to search for ways to maintain and increase the airport's flights and passenger traffic.
     The airline industry's struggles with profitability, increasing fuel costs and mergers have drastically affected small and midsize airports that depend on airlines for business, said Brent Bowen, professor and head of aviation technology at Purdue University.
     The El Paso airport, with a taxpayer-funded budget of about $48 million, is not immune. The airport's traffic is down 15 percent since 2010, said Monica Lombrana, the city's director of aviation. Lombrana also said Southwest Airlines, which operates more than half of El Paso's daily flights, plans to stop its direct flight to San Diego in the near future. The announcement comes a few months after the airline stopped its two nonstop flights to Albuquerque.
     "It's a pretty stark situation for medium-sized airports," Bowen said. "And it has pretty much everything to do with the airline industry, which those airports have little or no control over." Read more

Economic decline hurts El Paso airport