NMSU gets algae research funding

Research into the potential of algae-based fuel is getting a $5 million boost from the U.S. Department of Energy.

New Mexico State University recently announced the funding, saying it will go to a research effort aimed at improving fuel that's compatible with existing refineries.

 NMSU is working on the project along with Los Alamos, Argonne and Pacific Northwest national laboratories, Washington State and Michigan State universities and four companies. 

Key goals of the project are to improve the yields and stability of algal biomass and cultivation systems while also improving oil content at harvest. 

NMSU officials say the award follows other federal funding announcements for the university's algal bioenergy team, including money for the algal cultivation test bed at the Fabian Garcia Science Center.

NMSU gets algae research funding

Catwalk trail reopens

A scenic tourist attraction in southwestern New Mexico has reopened after repairs required by a rock fall. 

The Gila National Forest says the Catwalk Trail underwent repairs required by damage from a June 2 rock fall. The repairs included blasting to remove an outcrop and then removal of rock debris. 

The Catwalk is a trail within Whitewater Canyon. Part of the trail is suspended on the side of a cliff in the canyon The trail is only open until 1 p.m. daily. 

Forest officials say that's because of the continued threat of unpredictable monsoon thunderstorms causing flooding of low crossings of New Mexico Highway 174.

Catwalk trail reopens

First human plague case this year

The New Mexico Department of Health has confirmed the first human case of plague this year. 

State health officials said Monday a 15-year-old boy from Torrance County currently is hospitalized in stable condition. His name hasn't been released. 

Health officials say an environmental investigation will take place at the teen's home to look for ongoing risk to others in the area.

 Plague is a bacterial disease of rodents and is generally transmitted to humans through the bites of infected fleas. It can also be transmitted by direct contact with infected animals, including rodents, wildlife and pets. 

There was one human case of plague in New Mexico last year, a 78-year-old man from Torrance County.

 There were two cases in 2011 and none in 2010.

First human plague case this year

Marita Noon - Ronald Reagan: The Sagebrush Rebel

Commentary by Marita Noon - “An economy in distress, vast natural resources locked up with no plans to put them to use, and a regulatory regime that inhibits the development of resources and the creation of jobs.” Sound familiar? These words were written by William Perry Pendley, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Energy and Minerals at the Department of the Interior under Ronald Reagan. They describe the America that Reagan encountered when he became president in 1981. But, they could just as well be about 2013.
     In his new book, Sagebrush Rebel: Reagan’s battle with environmental extremists and why it matters today, Pendley points to the similarities of the economic climate that both Reagan and Obama had to take on at the start of their presidencies—but their approach to addressing the problems have been very different, as have been the results.
     The campaigning Senator Obama had it right. In a January 15, 2008, interview, Obama said: “I think Ronald Reagan changed the trajectory of America ... He put us on a fundamentally different path because the country was ready for it. …government had grown and grown but there wasn't much sense of accountability in terms of how it was operating. I think he tapped into what people were already feeling. Which is we want clarity, we want optimism, we want a return to that sense of dynamism and entrepreneurship that had been missing.”
     In the same interview Obama said he shared personal similarities to Reagan. While he does like to compare himself to Reagan (just search: “Obama compares himself to Ronald Reagan”), the contrast on energy policy couldn't be more stark. Pendley explains that Reagan adhered to the “human exceptionalism paradigm”—which asserted that “human technological ingenuity can continually improve the human situation.” Coming before Reagan, Carter embraced an “environmental paradigm”—that placed environmental limits on growth. Carter’s America is the one about which Obama stated: “…we want optimism, we want a return to that sense of dynamism and entrepreneurship that had been missing.” Yet, Obama has followed Carter’s direction, not Reagan’s and the results are Carter’s, not Reagan’s.Read full column

Marita Noon - Ronald Reagan: The Sagebrush Rebel

NM hunters must pay child support

From KRQE-TV.com - Millions of dollars are owed to New Mexico children for child support, and a new system is making it easier for children to actually see that money. If parents don't pay up, they will now be denied hunting and fishing licenses in the state. New Mexico is a hub for big game hunting and fishing. And for many, the incentive to hunt may be enough to help make good in supporting their kids.
     Applying for a hunting or fishing license is now easy online. "Now they can just go directly to our website, and they can fill that all out by themselves and then they can also print their license right there in real time," said Rachel Shockley, spokesperson for New Mexico Game and Fish.
     The process may be simple, but those who haven't paid child support will come across a screen blocking them from doing so because their names have been flagged. Matt Kennicott of the New Mexico Human Services Department believes this system will help kids receive the help they deserve.
     "I think it would definitely serve as a good incentive knowing how much people like to go out there and hunt to get their child support paid off so they can receive their licenses. It would definitely be a motivator," Kennicott said.  According to the Child Support Enforcement Division, more than $17 million is owed for child support across the state. In one case, someone owes more than $321,000 in child support.
     A long list of bench warrants show the number of cases outstanding. "We've got I think just over 600 outstanding warrants right now," said Kennicott.  Friday was the last day of amnesty week, where people could take care of delinquent payments and get their bench warrants cleared. Soon law enforcement across the state will begin warrant round-ups and start making arrests.
     Game and Fish officials said this is the second most effective way of bringing in collections, next to the New Mexico Department of Motor Vehicle's license suspension program. More

NM hunters must pay child support

Swickard: Our special kind of stupid

© 2013 Michael Swickard, Ph.D. I was listening to an Immigration “Expert” on a radio program who was giving the audience his take on what the Immigration Reform legislation in Congress will do if passed. A question occurred to me so I called into the show, “Could you tell me what the Congress got wrong in the Immigration Bill of 1986 that the Congress today wants to reform?”
     The “Expert” paused and then blurted, “No, I know nothing about the law they are trying to reform.”
I said the next day on my talk radio program that it takes a special kind of stupid to reform a bill that no one has read with a bill that none of the legislators will read because it has too many pages. Yep, a special kind of stupid has taken over our country.
     So everyone is arguing about the Immigration reform bill of 2013 without anyone actually reading it. Much like ObamaCare, which also was not read because it had too many pages, this legislation will have to be passed to see what is really in it and what it all means. That is a very bad way to do government.
     Of the people in our country, some are legal and some do not have legal status. In 1986 a stab was made at dealing with immigration because at least three million people were in the United States illegally. So they were given Amnesty and the 1986 act made it illegal to hire people without legal status. Further the act mandated intensification of the Border Patrol so that no new people could come into our country illegally.
     So now we have a reform of that legislation to mandate making sure people can no longer come into our country illegally and to give amnesty. Wait, how is that reforming the 1986 bill? There is exactly no reform, that is what the 1986 legislation mandates. So is the problem that we did not have the right law or that we did not enforce the law?
     The issue before the Congress is to decide if the failing of the Immigration Act of 1986 that people today want to reform is a failure of law or enforcement. If the failure was enforcement then passing new laws will have no effect on the problem.

     I like people from other countries. Americans need them in our country. We also need to uphold our laws.Can we do both? Read full column

Swickard: Our special kind of stupid

HS students forced to take classes at elementary

From KOB-TV.com - By: Lauren Hansard, KOB Eyewitness News 4 - In one New Mexico district, this year high school students are being put in the elementary school with the much younger kids. The Capitan School Superintendent said a wall will be separating the elementary school students from the high school students, but some parents say that's not enough.
     Rita Dickinson has a child at the high school and middle school. She said she’s concerned about her daughter being peer pressured. “We try to obviously raise our kids right at the house and tell them wrong from right and smoking, and drugs, and sex and everything else so that introduces another new peer pressure to these younger kids," said Dickinson.
     The renovations to the high school won’t be completed until next August. Until then nearly two hundred high school students will take classes in the elementary school. “It will be interesting to see how teachers are going to handle that and handle the noise from high school students being in the elementary and keeping the elementary kids focused because they’re not very focused at that age," said Dickinson.
     Superintendent Shirley Crawford said they are just trying to make it work. “You move, you make do. If you've ever been involved in a renovation in your own home you know it makes you want to pull your hair out and you always run into things you didn’t think we’re going to happen, but we're doing our best to keep it safe and make the best of the situation," said Crawford.
     The Superintendent said the district looked into buying portables for the high school students but decided to use that money for the renovations. More

HS students forced to take classes at elementary

Group wants to feed bears in Sandia Mountains

From KOAT-TV.com - Members of the Sandia Mountain Bear Watch want to put out food in the mountains to help the animals survive. — An organization is calling the bear population in New Mexico a crisis situation. "We've got a big problem. I think we are on the verge of losing our bear population in the Sandia," said Jan Hayes, of Sandia Mountain Bear Watch.
     Hayes believes the drought plays a big role. "When it gets to this point, we don't believe there is anything here for them to eat. That's why everyone is seeing bears," said Hayes.
     Hayes is going straight to the governor and asking that the Department of Fish and Game start giving the bears supplemental food. "What will help is diversionary feeding. That means to divert them away from the homes, and just to feed them to get them over this starvation hump," said Hayes.
     The Department of Fish and Game does not support supplemental feeding of wildlife. Officials said they are concerned that supplemental feeding is not a long-term solution. Read more

Group wants to feed bears in Sandia Mountains

ABQ Mayor looking into homophobic bus incident

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Albuquerque’s mayor is ordering an official inquiry into a strange incident on an airport shuttle bus involving a driver who ordered a gay couple to sit in the back of the bus. 

The story is getting national attention. The couple’s offense? They were holding hands. Now the two men, from Portland, Oregon, are considering legal action.

 It happened June 28 aboard a Standard Parking shuttle bus at the Sunport. The driver told the Alibi weekly newspaper that he didn’t want women and children to see the couple’s “inappropriate” behavior. 

Mayor Richard Berry says the driver was the one who was inappropriate.

Berry says this does not reflect Albuquerque, New Mexico, and as the mayor he’s upset about it and wants to make sure they get to the bottom of it. 

Standard Parking is a private business working under a vendor contract with the city. The company has issued a public apology to the gay couple. 

The driver has been suspended since early July.

ABQ Mayor looking into homophobic bus incident

State to see food assistance cuts

This fall, hundreds of thousands of New Mexico residents could see a cut in their food assistance benefits. 

The USDA released data showing 442,000 residents would be impacted when a temporary boost to a supplemental nutrition assistance program, known as SNAP (formerly food stamps), expires this fall. 

Across the country, an estimated 47 million Americans will see a reduction in their benefits. 

According to New Mexico Voices for Children, 42 percent of the state's children are on food stamps. The news comes on the heels of another report by Feeding America that found New Mexico has the highest rate of child hunger in the nation. 

When the benefit boost expires on Oct. 31, NM Voices for Children says a family of three would see a reduction of $29 a month, averaging less than $1.40 per person per meal.

State to see food assistance cuts