APS, City Council clash over loop road

From KOAT-TV.com - ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. —A traffic jam at an Albuquerque middle school is causing a crash between the school board and City Council.Monday, city councilors voted to block Albuquerque Public Schools from getting the curb cut it needs for a proposed loop road. The council said more community input is needed.

     Tuesday, cars stretched out of the Jefferson Middle School parking lot into oncoming traffic. The line of cars spills into traffic at the intersection of Lomas and Girard boulevards. APS was close to a fix in its plan to create the loop road, but as of Monday isn’t allowed to cut curbs to complete the loop project. City council said the school needs to work with the community during the next 60 days to find other options.
     Albuquerque City Counilor Brad Winter said so far, no one has brought a plan better than the loop project. APS board members said they’re green lighting the project with or without the council’s blessing.
     The superintendent of schools said he believes the city is playing politics with children’s safety, and are blocking the curb cut because of the upcoming election. Opponents of the proposed loop are concerned it would lower neighbors’ property values and create a safety hazard for children who walk home. More

APS, City Council clash over loop road

Beware: The Foolish Politics Of Climate Change

Commentary by Marita Noon - Last week, while America dithered over whether or not to depose Syria’s president, an ocean away, a different leader was decisively dumped. The election of Australia’s new prime minister has international implications.
     On September 5, in a landslide election, Tony Abbot became Australia’s new Prime Minister restoring the center-right Liberal-National coalition after six years of leftward economic polices. Conservatives the world over are looking to learn from Abbott. In the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Tom Switzer, sums up the “resounding victory” this way: “Abbott did the very thing so many US Republicans and British Tories have shied away from in recent years: He had the courage to broaden the appeal of a conservative agenda rather than copy the policies of his opponents. As a result, Australians enjoyed a real choice at the polls.”
     While this should sound alarms for liberals, the real panic is with the global warming alarmists. It is not just the politicians who are “looking on in horror.” It is everyone who has bought into, as the WSJ calls them, “the faddish politics of climate change”—those who believe we can power the world on rainbows, butterflies, and fairy dust are panicked. Their entire world view is being threatened.
     This was clearly evident at last week’s hearing in Santa Fe, New Mexico, regarding the proposed change in compensation for electricity generated by rooftop solar installation. The hearing was scheduled in a room typically used for Public Regulatory Commission meetings. Well before the scheduled start time, it became clear that a bigger auditorium was needed—and it was filled to capacity. The majority was, obviously, there in support of solar—they were carrying signs. Thirty-nine of them gave public comment in opposition to the proposed rule changes. After each comment, they hooted, cheered and waved their signs—until the Chairman prohibited the sign waving. Two of the women went by only one name “Lasita” and “Athena,” with no last name—linking themselves to some goddess. Several referenced Germany’s success with renewable energy.
     They were organized, rabid in their support, and intimidating to anyone who dared disagree. At one point, the Sierra Club representative, took control of the hearing and, completely ignoring the Chairman’s instructions, stood in the front of the room and, with hand-waving gestures, got everyone who was there in opposition to the proposed change to stand up and wave their signs. A smattering of individuals remained seated. Three of us spoke in favor of the proposed change. I brought up those who’d held up Germany as a model to follow and posited that they didn't know the full story. Read full column

Beware: The Foolish Politics Of Climate Change

National monument in the Gila closed

From KRQE-TV.com - GILA NATIONAL FOREST, N.M. - According to a news release, the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument and the Gila Visitor Center have been closed due to damage and debris from heavy rain in the area.
     A portion of N.M. 15, which provides access to the national monument and visitor center, has also closed north of Doc Campbell's Post in Gila Hot Spring. The monument and center are both expected to reopen this week after water levels decrease and the highway reopens.
     Volunteers from the Mesilla Valley Search and Rescue helped clear out debris that had been washed over a bridge near the visitor center Sunday. Grapevine, Lower Forks and Lower and Upper Scorpion campgrounds are also closed. Upper Forks campground is open, according to the release. More

National monument in the Gila closed

Alamogordo moves closer to legalizing beekeeping

From KOB-TV.com - By: Jeffery Gordon, KOB.com - The city of Alamogordo is moving closer to legalizing beekeeping. The city commission has taken steps to approve an ordinace that will allow people to keep bee hives on certain sized properties
     Beekeepers will have to register their hives with the city and notify their neighbors. Those critical of the plan say it could endanger people who are allergic to bees. More

Alamogordo moves closer to legalizing beekeeping

Swickard: Surprise, you’re in the Army now

© 2013 Michael Swickard, Ph.D. Last week two young college men were in front of me in a grocery store line. I asked them, “What do you think about the conflict in Syria? Is America about to get embroiled?” One student shrugged, “I don’t know or care since it doesn't concern me.”
     “Really,” I exclaimed, “Did both of you register for the Selective Service when you turned eighteen? They both nodded a bit puzzled. I continued, “The whole reason for Selective Service registration is so they can draft you if our country needs you to serve in the military.”
     After a pause, one said, “You can’t get college financial aid unless you register.”
     “So you had a good reason to register with Selective Service,” I said. “That’s the same Selective Service I registered with in 1968. They registered me so that later then President Richard Nixon sent me greetings.”
      I had their attention. “Didn't it occur to you that if our country gets into a big shooting war young men like you are just what our Army needs?”
     One student protested, “No that is not right. Our country has an all-volunteer military. Our country does not conscript people against their will into war.”
I smiled, “Then why did your country need you to sign up for Selective Service in the first place? They spent years pushing you to do so when you turned eighteen. They made sure you knew bad things would happen if you did not. The way I see it, our country has two more draft eligible soldiers if needed.”
      Panic crept into their eyes and I went on. “I’m 63 so they do not want me. They need young men.” I sang a verse from long ago, “You’re in the Army now, you’re in the Army now… you’ll never get out, you’ll never get out, you’re in the Army now.”
     Two geezers behind me laughed loudly. They sang that same verse again.
      Finally I asked, “Did you vote in the last election?” Both shook their heads no, “We not registered.”
      I could not help observing, “Then there is no political reason for any politician to save your butts.”
They paid at the register and hurried out. The geezers behind me laughed, “Bet they now pay attention to the world news.” Read full column

Swickard: Surprise, you’re in the Army now

Helicopter rescues Artesia residents from flood

From KOB-TV.com - By: Lauren Hansard, KOB Eyewitness News 4 - Rain flooded SKP RV Park south of Artesia, leaving the people living there with no way out. Local runoff from storms caused the camp to be surrounded by water on all sides.
     Sixty residents were airlifted from the camp, three at a time. Altogether, 73 people were evacuated. KOB Eyewitness News 4 was there when the residents arrived on safe ground. One evacuee said it was an uncomfortable journey. "My husband had surgery last weekend. They evacuated the medical people first. He would have rather stayed in our rig, laying on the bed. He's quite uncomfortable in the bus now," Marg Schinke said.
     The evacuees were placed on buses and sent to Carlsbad, where the Red Cross has set up an evacuation center. More

Helicopter rescues Artesia residents from flood

NM Law Enforcement Academy changes rules

The board that oversees the New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy has adopted a new curriculum that will mean trimming the academy to 16 weeks for basic police officer training. 

It was a unanimous decision by the boarding during a meeting Wednesday in Santa Fe to approve the new curriculum and trim six weeks from the current program. Officials say the new academy will feature more dynamic training and less redundancy to create a more fluid learning environment for cadets. They say this will help agencies around the state get their officers trained and on the street in a more efficient manner. 

The next basic training academy will begin in January. Classes are limited to 50 cadets.

NM Law Enforcement Academy changes rules

Railrunner ridership is down

Ridership on New Mexico's commuter rail system dropped last year, and officials attribute part of that to the weak economy and job losses reducing the pool of passengers. 

Rio Metro Regional Transit District Director Terrence Doyle told a legislative panel Tuesday that Rail Runner Express ridership declined by about 9 percent in 2012, but fare revenues grew 10 percent because of higher ticket prices. He said lower gasoline prices and the higher fares contributed to the ridership decline. 

About 1.1 million riders boarded the train last year and 734,000 through August of this year.  

Rail Runner officials said they're looking for ways to boost ridership, such as shortening travel times.

Railrunner ridership is down

NM reaches settlement with Chevron

New Mexico officials say Chevron Corp. will pay $5.2 million to settle the state's claims that the energy company improperly applied for money from a state environmental cleanup fund. 

The state says the company allegedly said it didn't have and didn't collect on insurance to pay for cleaning up petroleum contamination from Chevron's leaking underground storage tanks at gas stations around the state. 

According to the state, those statements were untrue because the company got payments from insurers through secret settlements and didn't tell the state. The state says it paid $4 million to Chevron. 

The settlement was announced Wednesday by the offices of Gov. Susana Martinez and Attorney General Gary King and by the state Environment Department.

NM reaches settlement with Chevron

Loving football calls it quits

From KOB-TV.com - By: Lauren Hansard, KOB Eyewitness News 4 - Across New Mexico, high schools are preparing for Friday night football, but one high school has cancelled its’ varsity program just weeks into the season. For the Loving High School varsity football team, last Friday was their last game under the lights.
     “Somewhat kind of expected it, but I didn't expect to not have any more Friday night lights," said senior Gabriel Morales. “I just feel a little disappointed knowing like we have so many people in our school that aren't willing to play football."
     The team only has 22 players, half of them freshman. After losing 51-0 to Hagerman last Friday, the school district decided to call it quits. They said it’s for the player’s safety. “I think coach made a decision, and he did what was right for the team and what’s going to keep the boys healthy, so injury free," said parent Sonia Guzman.
     But the boys will get to keep playing. The rest of the season they will play against JV teams on Saturdays. “I just feel a little depressed knowing that this is my last year, and I’m basically going to be playing JV all over again," said Morales. More

Loving football calls it quits