Albuquerque East Mountains primed for wildfire disaster

From KOB-TV.com - By: Stuart Dyson, KOB Eyewitness News 4 - There is potential for another wildfire disaster like the Little Bear fire near Ruidoso - and it's right in Albuquerque's backyard, in the Sandia and Manzano mountains east of the city. The East Mountain area is what foresters call an "urban interface" - the place where civilization meets the wildernress. When enough people move into a heavily forested region, the risk of catastrophic wildfire goes through the roof. Think Ruidoso. Think Los Alamos. Think East Mountains, where thousands of people live in the cool upland forests, with their houses surrounded with trees and brush. In a prolonged drought like this one, it's like living between a blowtorch and a barrel of gasoline. "We basically have our mountain surrounded with homes," said Sunbear Vierra of the Sandia Ranger District, a fire management specialist for the U.S. Forest Service. "We look at it as a high probability that there will be a lot of damage done if something happens and if a wind event does take place." All it would take is a breeze and a spark. The fine fuels on the forest floor are more than ready. On a visit to Pine Flats picnic area south of Tijeras we found three fairly fresh cigarette butts in the dry pine needles under a tall Ponderosa. Read more

Albuquerque East Mountains primed for wildfire disaster

Bingaman's Wildfire Assistance Bill Signed

Jeff Bingaman

Washington DC - President Obama today signed legislation U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman cosponsored to make it possible for the Forest Service to add more air tankers to their wildfire suppression fleet.  The bill was sponsored by Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR). While the U.S. Forest Service has made decisions regarding contracts for seven next-generation air tankers, those contracts cannot be awarded until after a 30 day waiting period. The new law expedites the contracts by waiving the waiting period and getting the planes into service as soon as possible. “In New Mexico, firefighters are continuing to battle several ongoing wildfires,” Bingaman said.  “I am pleased Congress and the President were able to act in short order to get this bill passed and signed so the Forest Service can move more quickly to secure much-needed air tankers,” Bingaman said. The Forest Service notified Congress on May 25 that it intended to award four contracts for seven planes to partially fulfill the government’s need for large air tankers. The Forest Service also requested that Congress waive the 30 waiting period. That was a week before two accidents involving Forest Service air tankers left one plane totaled and another likely out for the season with landing gear damage. Read More News New Mexico

Bingaman's Wildfire Assistance Bill Signed

What New Mexico can teach us about storing nuclear waste

courtesy of Patricia Leyba

Washington Post - The nation’s nuclear waste is piling up. The proposed storage site at Nevada’s Yucca Mountain has been nixed — possibly for good. And the problem is only growing more acute: On Friday, a D.C. federal appeals court ruled that the current strategy of keeping waste on-site at power plants around the country may not be viable. So what can the United States do instead? One place to look for inspiration might be out in the New Mexico desert. At least, that was the suggestion from Allison MacFarlane, President Obama’s nominee to head up the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. At her confirmation hearing on Wednesday, MacFarlane was grilled by senators about her views on how best to dispose of the nation’s nuclear waste. As a possible model for future repositories, she pointed to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in Carlsbad, N.M., which opened in 1999 and now handles the radioactive leftovers from U.S. defense facilities. Any long-term storage facility for nuclear waste will have to overcome local unease and opposition — that’s what’s bogged down Yucca Mountain, after all. But Carlsbad’s $2.5-billion plant was actually welcomed by local residents, who were worried about what would happen to the area’s economy once its potash mines ran out. As Roger Nelson of the Energy Department’s Carlsbad office told me, Carlsbad’s residents managed to lobby wary state legislators in New Mexico to drop their opposition. Since the plant opened, the small desert town of 27,000 has been teeming with high-tech jobs. Read More News New Mexico

What New Mexico can teach us about storing nuclear waste

PEARCE: NEW MEXICANS FOUGHT, WASHINGTON LISTENED Applauds the Decision to Save Thousands of Jobs

Steve Pearce

Washington DC - Today, Congressman Steve Pearce released the following statement regarding the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s announcement that the dunes sage brush lizard will not be listed as endangered:

 “For over a year, New Mexicans have fought against the unnecessary listing of the lizard,” said Pearce. “They have demanded that the lizard not be listed without accurate science or at the expense of jobs for hardworking people. Finally, Washington listened, and the lizard will not be listed. This is a huge victory for the people who have so tirelessly fought to save their jobs and their way of life. I extend my gratitude to the New Mexicans who came to the table, and through good faith efforts, voluntarily protected the lizard’s habitat.”

 “Local and state officials, private stakeholders and conservationists put millions of dollars and acres into this balanced approach that saves both the species and jobs,” Pearce continued. “This is undoubtedly one of the most successful CCAAs ever. The willingness of New Mexicans to conserve the habitat and species serves as a fine example of what we can do when the federal government takes input from all sides, and tries to find common ground. I am proud of the hard work that went into this effective and efficient solution, and I am pleased that oil and gas jobs in New Mexico will not be killed at the hand of Washington bureaucracy.” Read More News New Mexico

PEARCE: NEW MEXICANS FOUGHT, WASHINGTON LISTENED Applauds the Decision to Save Thousands of Jobs

Crews, DC-10 continue to fight Little Bear Ruidoso fire

From KRQE-TV.com - by Nancy Laflin and Gabrielle Burkhart - RUIDOSO, N.M. (KRQE) - At least 234 structures have burned in the very big Little Bear Fire in the Lincoln National Forest. Officials say 224 residential structures have burned and 10 outbuildings have been destroyed. Teams were on the ground Tuesday surveying the damage which means that number will likely grow.  Governor Susana Martinez has declared a state of emergency in Lincoln County, freeing up emergency funding and making additional state resources available for the community and for the firefight. Nearly 1,000 people fighting this fire and a DC-10 jetliner that can lay down 12,000 foot path of retardant has arrived from Arizona.  Officials say 36,000 acres have burned, which has not changed from Tuesday morning.  They also say anywhere from 154 to 175 structures have been destroyed. Those structures include homes, barns even dog houses.  Approximately 200 homes have been evacuated, mainly north of Ruidoso.  The town of Ruidoso is fine.  The incident commander says weather is a huge factor and that there's more moisture in the air Tuesday afternoon.  However, they are worried about lightning strikes and wind that come with that storm. Read more

Crews, DC-10 continue to fight Little Bear Ruidoso fire

Lee: Can't Say All Unhappy With Obama Are "Racist"

Spike Lee

Politico - Spike Lee is predicting a tough road to reelection for President Obama. “This thing is not a lock,” the filmmaker told GQ in a recent interview. “It is not a lock that President Obama is getting a second term and people have to really rekindle the enthusiasm that we had the first time.”
Lee, who hosted a fundraiser for the president in January, said that he “just had a meeting with somebody high up in the Obama campaign” to discuss the race. “I can't say to all the people that are unhappy with him that they're racist people,” Lee said of Obama’s critics. “People ain't got jobs, people are hurting. So I don't care what color you are, if people are out of work, it's tough. And then when you're the first African American president, that's not helping either.” Still, Lee doesn’t sound too worried about Obama’s Republican rival, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. Read full story here: News New Mexico

Lee: Can't Say All Unhappy With Obama Are "Racist"

Courtesy of Conservative Daily News

     

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Centennial Duck waddles in for 33rd annual duck race

From the Deming Headlight - New Mexico celebrates its 100th year as the 47th state of the Union and what better way to honor the state's 100th birthday than with a "Centennial Duck." The Great American Duck Race Committee has unveiled the logo for the 33rd edition of the "World's Richest Duck Race," designed by Deming High School Art Teacher Jesse Kriegel. This is the fourth year Kriegel has taken on the prestigious assignment." Centennial Duck" is featured on a replica of a New Mexico commemorative license plate. The duck is dressed in period attire from the turn of the 20th century - complete with walking cane, overcoat, spats and a moniker -and is carrying a state flag. Above the duck is the time span, "Centennial 1912-2012" and the spot for the registration sticker denotes the GADR's annual race number: "33rd." The Luna County Courthouse Park is transformed into McKinley Duck Downs, in memory of former GADR Artist Bill McKinley who designed most of the 33 logos. Read more

Centennial Duck waddles in for 33rd annual duck race

Federal Agents seize horses at track

Federal officials escort seized horses allegedly owned
 by the Los Zetas drug cartel. (Mike Curran/photo)

From the Ruidoso News - by Chris Roberts -  Federal agents seized dozens of racehorses at Ruidoso Downs Race Track early Tuesday after alleging they were part of a money-laundering scheme involving millions of dollars in Mexican-cartel drug profits. Locations in three other states were also raided as part of a Justice Department crackdown on the Los Zetas organization. At 3 a.m. more than 15 vehicles loaded with armed personnel, including members of the FBI and U.S. Border Patrol, poured through the gates to the backside of Ruidoso Downs Race Track. They seized valuable quarter horse stock from a private barn and two horses from two rented barns. The seizures were based on a federal search warrant. The raid resulted from an indictment issued by the U.S. District Court's Western District of Texas, Austin Division. The indictment charges 14 people with money laundering. Officials with the IRS, New Mexico police, the New Mexico Racing Commission, and the Drug Enforcement Administration were also involved in the pre-dawn raid, according to sources who asked to remain anonymous. By 12:45 p.m., they had secured dozens of horses in two large horse trailers and were reportedly transporting them to Arizona. The indictment named 14 people and numerous racing entities, including Tremor Enterprises and Bonanza Racing.  Read more

Federal Agents seize horses at track

Local fire crews waiting to fight Little Bear fire

Dion Reynolds

From KOB-TV.com - As the Little Bear fire devastation continues to be tallied up, KOB 4 On Your Side has learned that New Mexico fire crews that are just minutes away from the fire lines have not been allowed to help. Dion Reynolds with a Ruidoso fire crew have been watching this fire burn for about a week and said they have been ready to battle the blaze since day one. He and his crew are certified government contractors with red cards that allow them to fight fires, and they were told they are on rotation to be called to the fire. Now, fire crews as far away as Idaho are being mobilized in the area, and the Ruidoso fire crew has yet to be called in. "We've laid down, we've let it happen, we've let it go, we're not doing it no more…if it ruins my fire career, so what?" Reynolds said. "We live here, we're watching our families' houses burn, we're watching people we know houses burn." The incident commander said he is looking into why the crew was not called in. Meanwhile, 4 On Your Side was told other certified crews from places such as Alamogordo are in town, staying at hotels, and waiting to be called in as well. Last year, a 4 On Your Side investigation found National Guard Blackhawk helicopters, sitting 15 minutes away from the Las Conchas fire, were never called to fight the fire. Forest Service officials said the Blackhawks were ordered by the state for MedEvac, but were not officially listed as a MedEvac air asset for the Las Conchas Fire, and therefore were grounded. Read more

Local fire crews waiting to fight Little Bear fire