U.S. Govt. Has $61 Trillion in Unfunded Obligations

From usatoday.com -The government added $5.3 trillion in new financial obligations in 2010, largely for retirement programs such as Medicare and Social Security. That brings to a record $61.6 trillion the total of financial promises not paid for. This gap between spending commitments and revenue last year equals more than one-third of the nation's gross domestic product.  Medicare alone took on $1.8 trillion in new liabilities, more than the record deficit prompting heated debate between Congress and the White House over lifting the debt ceiling.  Corporations would be required to count these new liabilities when they are taken on — and report a big loss to shareholders. Unlike businesses, however, Congress postpones recording spending commitments until it writes a check. The $61.6 trillion in unfunded obligations amounts to $534,000 per household.  More News New Mexico

U.S. Govt. Has $61 Trillion in Unfunded Obligations

UN Agreement Should Have Gun Owners Up In Arms

From forbes.com -Under the guise of a proposed global “Small Arms Treaty” premised to fight “terrorism”, “insurgency” and “international crime syndicates” you can be quite certain that an even more insidious threat is being targeted – our Constitutional right for law-abiding citizens to own and bear arms. What, exactly, does the intended agreement entail? While the terms have yet to be made public, if passed by the U.N. and ratified by our Senate, it will almost certainly force the U.S. to: Enact tougher licensing requirements, creating additional bureaucratic red tape for legal firearms ownership. Confiscate and destroy all “unauthorized” civilian firearms (exempting those owned by our government of course).  More News New Mexico

UN Agreement Should Have Gun Owners Up In Arms

Double-dipping teachers face take-home pay cut

From KOB-TV.com - By Barry Massey (AP) - A new state law will take a big bite out of the paychecks of educators who retired and then returned to work for New Mexico schools and colleges while continuing to receive their pensions. About 1,300 public school teachers and other educators covered by the law must make payroll contributions - as much as 11 percent of their salaries next year - into the state's educational pension fund starting next month. However, the payments won't improve their future retirement benefits. The employee contributions will help the state permanently save nearly $5 million a year because employers, such as school districts, have been covering the pension costs. Read more

Double-dipping teachers face take-home pay cut

Green groups, GOP hopefuls oppose corn-based ethanol subsidies

From the New Mexico Independent - By Eartha Jane Melzer - Much of the attention on corn-based ethanol has focused on the role that this supposedly renewable fuel is playing in driving up global food prices. Now environmental groups and some conservative politicians are pointing out another problem — corn-based ethanol consumes the bulk of federal funding on renewable energy and the big oil companies that blend the ethanol into gasoline are collecting subsidies to the tune of about $6 billion a year. The Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (or VEETC) is a 45 cents per gallon credit that goes to the refiner that blends the ethanol into fuel. Because the government already mandates that ethanol be added to gasoline and bans the import of foreign ethanol, critics say that the VEETC is unnecessary to maintain supply and is now only a handout to the oil industry. British Petroleum has not been open about the benefits it receives from the credit, but is widely believed to be the largest recipient of the credit. Read more

Green groups, GOP hopefuls oppose corn-based ethanol subsidies

Shuckins, he got away

From the Rio Grande Sun - (NewsNM Swickard) An interesting Police Report, don't you think?
Española - A passenger in a truck threw a bag of fast food at a man in another vehicle, and that man responded by pulling out a .357 Magnum and shooting all three people in the truck, according to Española Police. Ricky Martinez, 24, of Chimayó, allegedly fired the shots May 27 at about 11:11 p.m., then fled from Rio Arriba County Sheriff’s deputy Isaac Martinez in a gray Audi at speeds over 100 mph before crashing into a tree Española Police Lt. Christian Lopez said. Ricky Martinez sustained serious head injuries, including bleeding in his brain, and was in a medically-induced coma Monday at St. Vincent Hospital. Lopez said.“He’s probably going to survive it,” Ricky Martinez later walked out of St. Vincent Hospital.,Lopez said he learned about this Monday. “We didn’t have anyone posted on him. According to what they told me, he jumped out a window.” Lopez said his department did not have the manpower to keep someone posted in his hospital room. He said police searched for him Tuesday in Chimayó and could not find him. Read more

Shuckins, he got away

Ear bitten off in jail fight

From the Clovis News Journal - (Swickard) NewsNM understands that Vincent Van Gogh went into to art because he didn't have an ear for music...
From CNJ - A Curry County inmate was taken to Plains Regional Medical Center Friday after part of his ear was bitten off during a fight over an MP3 player. The fight stemmed from an argument between two male inmates that began earlier in the day over the “ownership and possession” of an MP3 player and escalated into a physical fight, Curry County Undersheriff Wesley Waller said. Waller said the fight ended when one of the inmates bit off a portion of the other’s ear. Read more

Ear bitten off in jail fight

Lightning takes out Alamogordo power

From the Alamogordo Daily News - (Swickard) You never really think about electric power until it is not there, eh?
Sunday night's power outage was caused after lightning hit the main electrical circuit near Alamogordo that left about 1,618 customers without power for little over an hour, a Public Service Company of New Mexico spokeswoman said. PNM spokeswoman Maria Parra said she believes the blackout lasted about 61 minutes. "It hit our circuit No. 1203," Parra said. "It serves the area of Aspen north to Indian Wells and then Oregon and Scenic." Read more

Lightning takes out Alamogordo power

Delk and Wilmeth to Appear on NewsNM in Wake of Murder of Fellow Rancher

The terrible news of Hidalgo County rancher Larry Link’s passing this afternoon reached the News New Mexico desk just as we were looking at the guest list for tomorrow’s show. It is truly a sad coincidence that we have rancher Steve Wilmeth and Soil Conservation expert Joe Delk scheduled to appear on the show. They are prepared to discuss the negative impact a so-called "wilderness" designation to areas in Southern New Mexico. Both men will speak at length on the impact this proposal by Senators Bingaman and Udall will have on the already shaky border security conditions. No doubt one if not both of these gentleman knew fellow rancher Larry Link, and will be able to speak with even greater authority on the dangerous situations ranchers are facing in the southern portion of the state. They will join us in the 8:00 o'clock hour.

Delk and Wilmeth to Appear on NewsNM in Wake of Murder of Fellow Rancher

Who is Jim Hall?

Jim Hall

Susana Martinez named Los Alamos City Councilor Jim Hall to replace Jeannette Wallace in the New Mexico House of Representatives today. Who is Jim Hall? Here is what we found on the Los Alamos City Council website: Jim Hall grew up in Hobbs, New Mexico. He first lived in Northern New Mexico in 1961 when his parents moved to Ghost Ranch Conference Center (near Abiquiu). After being away in college, graduate school, and early careers in the Boston area, Jim and his wife Janet moved to Los Alamos in 1976. Jim and Janet raised four children in Los Alamos, have been employed here, owned small businesses here, and have been consistently involved in community and church affairs for over thirty years. Janet retired as a math teacher at Los Alamos High School. Jim has an undergraduate degree in Math and a Masters in Management. He has extensive experience both as a senior manager and working with senior managers in public and private organizations. These include those organizations most important to Los Alamos County.

Arial View of Los Alamos National Lab

LANL as a Staff Member, a Group Leader, then as a Division Leader for 12 years; DOE as a consultant; New Mexico State Government as a Cabinet Secretary; and Los Alamos County as a Manager. He also worked in private industry for small companies in Massachusetts and New Mexico. His most recent private sector experience was working for a small technology company in Albuquerque where he was Chief Technology Officer, then Chief Operating Officer. He has been a consultant in both the private and public sectors in the United States and overseas. The citizens of Los Alamos elected Jim to two four-year terms on the Los Alamos School Board and one previous term on County Council. He also served and continues to serve on several boards, both corporate and non-profit. Finally, as an organizational consultant, he has significant experience in building consensus among diverse groups and individuals with divergent interests.

Who is Jim Hall?

Jim Hall Named to Replace Rep. Wallace

Susana Martinez

Governor Susana Martinez announced today that she has appointed Jim Hall of Los Alamos to serve as State Representative from House District 43. Hall, a Los Alamos City Councilor who also served for eight years on the Los Alamos School Board, will fill the seat of former Rep. Jeannette Wallace, who passed away in April. “As we fight to turn New Mexico around by fostering economic growth, reforming education, and promoting public safety, I’m confident that Mr. Hall shares the hope of all New Mexicans to create a brighter future for our families and businesses,” said Governor Martinez. “His broad experience in both the public and private sectors means that the people of Los Alamos, Sandoval, and Santa Fe counties will be represented by someone who knows what it takes to get our state back on track.” 

Jeannette Wallace

Prior to his election to the Los Alamos City Council, Hall was the Vice President of Oso Grande Technologies, an Albuquerque-based IP technology company. He has also worked in the Nonproliferation and International Security Division at Los Alamos National Laboratory and served as the State of New Mexico’s first Chief Information Officer under Governor Gary Johnson. Hall is an experienced consultant in the fields of organizational strategic planning, information systems planning, and project management. He graduated from Macalester College and holds a Master’s Degree in Management from the University of New Mexico. “I look forward to joining Governor Martinez in the fight to turn our state around,” added Mr. Hall. “I will do my best to honor Jeannette Wallace’s outstanding record of public service and I’m honored to be selected to serve the people of the 43rd District. I’m eager to get to work to tackle the challenges in front of us."

Jim Hall Named to Replace Rep. Wallace