Free Republic

SANTA FE – The U.S. Justice Department sided Monday with the father of a seventh grade prep school student in a lawsuit that challenges pandemic-related limits on classroom capacity at private schools in New Mexico as more restrictive than public school guidelines. Albuquerque-based U.S. Attorney John Anderson filed a statement of interest that argues the state is violating the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution by limiting attendance at private schools to 25% of building capacity under a public health order. The limit is set at 50% for public schools under guidance from the Public Education Department, though only...

The Department of Justice today filed a statement of interest in a New Mexico federal court asserting that the State's COVID-19 rules limiting private schools to operating at 25% of capacity but allowing public schools to operate at 50% of capacity violate the Equal Protection Clause of the United States Constitution. The brief, filed in the U.S. District Court in Albuquerque, explains that the Supreme Court has recognized parents’ educational choices for their children as a fundamental right under the Constitution, and that New Mexico has no grounds for abridging that right in adopting stricter rules for private schools than...

SANTA FE — Republican state Rep. David Gallegos and others filed a federal lawsuit this week challenging New Mexico’s refusal to authorize the reopening of schools in every county in the state, arguing it violates the constitutional right of students to an equal education. The lawsuit comes as Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s administration delays the return of in-person classes for students in some districts because their home counties exceed statistical thresholds on the spread and prevalence of COVID-19. Many of the affected districts are in the southeast quadrant of the state — a region with three times as many...

A newly-unsealed lawsuit is bringing up old allegations against former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and several other high-profile New Mexicans. The lawsuit claims Attorney General Hector Balderas benefited from Richardson's 2008 pay-to-play scandal. A lawsuit in 2008 alleged Richardson had been the mastermind of a complex operation that defrauded New Mexico's taxpayers. It states, "Richardson obtained money for himself; money for his campaigns; money for his political organizations; lavish meals, entertainment, and travel; wine and liquor, sexual services and sexual favors." Bill Richardson faces fresh calls for investigation into alleged pay-to-play schemes In 2009, the U.S. Attorney over New...

Screenshot from Youtube video of Protest for Freedom Rally, cropped and scaled by Dean Weingarten On Sunday morning, 19 July, 2020, a kindergarten teacher was organizing a Black New Mexico Movement protest at the Civic Plaza in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He had a firearm holstered across his chest. Police say he refused to disarm after they told him firearms were banned at the Plaza. A few minutes later they arrested him and two other armed men who were with him. Grady complained that members of the New Mexico Civil Guard, who attended a Protest for Freedom rally at the Civic...

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The unusually-early storm that is hitting New Mexico has been causing a lot of damage – there's power outages, flooding, downed trees, and slick roads across the state. The wind in the metro peaked Tuesday evening at over 70 mph. The intersection at 5th Street and Lomas was closed Wednesday because roof panels were blown off the district courthouse. PNM officials also said some of their power line poles just snapped or were lifted from their foundation altogether. But that's not all – a viral video shows a porta-potty on the move down Central near Tramway. Watch...

A series of forums on race offered at Sandia National Laboratories left at least one lab employee miffed enough to send an email blast to the entire staff voicing his displeasure. And the upset electrical engineer appears to have caught the attention of the White House, which last week in a memo told all federal agencies to stop hosting similar training sessions. Last month, Casey Petersen, an engineer, sent an “unauthorized” email to all lab employees denying the existence of systemic racism and aspects of white privilege and criticizing recent race-based training seminars at the labs. About two hours later,...

Over the past few weeks, various species of migratory birds are dying in “unprecedented” numbers of unknown causes. And this growing number of birds in southern New Mexico that have mysteriously died have wildlife experts scratching their heads. “It is terribly frightening,” Desmond said. “We’ve never seen anything like this. … We’re losing probably hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of migratory birds.“ In August, large numbers of birds were found dead at White Sands Missile Range and at the White Sands National Monument in what was thought to be an isolated incident, Desmond said. After that, however, came reports...

Another giveaway in 2018. Old white guy Steve Pearce would be a shoo-in but didn't know his limitations, giving up this seat twice in statewide runs for Senate and Gov. Xochiti Small filled the vacuum in 2018. Close call but a loss. Now there's a rematch. Our candidate lost last time due to dirty tactics but Trump won the WH in spite of them. Will Trump's coattails work? He won by 10% and Xochiti won by only 1.8%. Pearce is bald. That doesn't count? He lost to a young pretty boy(Senate). Tried governorship of a blue state. I'm just saying...

WASHINGTON—Today, Rep. Omar, along with U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Congresswoman Deb Haaland (NM-01) and a coalition of grassroots groups; labor unions; Black, Brown and Indigenous leaders from across the country to introduce a bold plan for economic renewal known as the Agenda to Transform, Heal, and Renew by Investing in a Vibrant Economy, or THRIVE Agenda. In the Senate the resolution is led by Senator Markey, Cory A. Booker (D-N.J.), Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Jeffrey A. Merkley (D-Ore.), and...

Copyright © 2020 Albuquerque Journal A strong majority of likely New Mexico voters across all age groups, regions of the state and political parties approve of the way the police in their communities are doing their jobs, according to a recent Journal Poll. And the majority said they oppose cutting some funding from police departments and shifting it to social services. “It’s consistent that if people have strong approval ratings for the police, they would also oppose (cutting) funding,” said Brian Sanderoff, president of Research & Polling Inc., which conducted the statewide survey. “If you’re very concerned about crime –...

Family is trying to contact Senator Sasse now. According to ICE, now the illegal immigrant is a danger to society. I would also suggest to Senator Sasse that if he dislikes Trump, he and his colleagues should put a stop to the problem.

Forrest Fenn, the Santa Fe author, artifacts dealer and creator of a mysterious treasure hunt that caught the imagination of thrill-seekers worldwide, died Monday at his home, a police spokesman said. Santa Fe Police spokesman Greg Gurulé said Fenn, 90, died of natural causes. A pilot in the U.S. Air Force, Fenn flew hundreds of combat missions during the Vietnam War. After his service, he was a gallery owner for decades in Santa Fe. He authored 10 books, including The Thrill of the Chase, which spurred interest in both the treasure hunt and his life. Fenn announced the treasure hunt...

SANTA FE – With Election Day less than two months away, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has a sizable lead over President Donald Trump among New Mexico voters, according to a Journal Poll. Fifty-four percent of likely general election voters surveyed recently said they would vote for Biden, while 39% said they would vote for Trump, the Republican incumbent. The remaining voters surveyed were undecided or said they did not plan to vote for either candidate. Biden’s commanding advantage in the Journal Poll was due largely to strong support among female voters, Hispanics and self-described moderates. Specifically, 67% of moderates,...

The coronavirus pandemic has hit Mexico so hard that the governments of several states ran out of death certificates. Officials said Friday the federal forms started running out about 15 to 20 days ago in at least three states — Baja California, the State of Mexico and Mexico City. Authorities say a million new forms have been printed and are being distributed. The certificates are printed with special characteristics because falsification has been a problem in the past.

Zozobra went up in flames Friday night at Fort Marcy Park in Santa Fe. The event did not have spectators because of a ban on mass gatherings due to COVID-19. Zozobra, which took nearly four months to construct, burned in a matter of minutes. Officials said they had thousands of people submit their grievances to burn along with Zozobra. Zozobra goes up in flames in Santa Fe This was the 96th burning of Zozobra, also known as Old Man Gloom.

Restaurants in New Mexico have been relying on take-out orders to survive. One Roswell woman didn’t want to pay for her food, even trying to convince authorities she was a famous, dead Tejano music star. On August 17, Roswell Police were called to Pizza Hut after a female ordered a pizza and refused to pay. She then requested it be put on her account and when workers told her she couldn’t do that, she took off with the food. Before she left, she even posed for a picture the manager took as she walked out of the store. Sofia Solis,...

On the fifth anniversary of the notorious spill of 3 million gallons of heavily contaminated acid mine water from the Gold King Mine in southwestern Colorado, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the State of Utah announced an agreement that ends the state’s lawsuit. Neither the EPA nor the contractors involved at the Gold King spill site are entirely off the hook for their alleged missteps that resulted in downstream damages. Lawsuits filed by the Navajo Nation, the State of New Mexico, and a group of Navajo farmers and ranchers have been consolidated, and discovery is proceeding, with a projected...

Lizer’s universally praised speech enraged Biden for President, the official organization helping to elect Joe Biden. In fact, Biden for President issued a prompt press release characterizing the speech as a disgraceful insult to the entire Navajo Nation. READ MORE.........

A federal judge found the federal government should not be forced to stop construction on the border wall along the U.S.-Mexico border in California despite claims human remains were bulldozed over. U.S. District Judge Anthony Battaglia, a Barack Obama appointee... hearing Thursday in a challenge brought by the La Posta Band of Diegueno Mission Indians. The tribe claims President Donald Trump and the federal government have failed to meet tribal consultation requirements regarding border wall construction, which cuts through Kumeyaay land in San Diego... The tribe and the federal government are at odds over whether the type of notices, given...