LUNA COUNTY LEADS THE STATE WITH HIGHEST UNEMPLOYMENT AGAIN

05/21/2012

 
Picture
(Deming) -- Luna County's  unemployment rate remains below 20-percent -- but just barely.  Preliminary April figures from  the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions show Luna County with an  unemployment rate of 19-point-five percent.
That figure is down from the  March revised rate of 20-point-five percent, and also down from last April's  rate of 21 percent.
Following Luna County in the  list of New Mexico counties with the worst unemployment is Mora County with 13-point-one percent unemployment. Those were the only two counties in the state  with unemployment greater than 10-percent.
Rounding out the top five are Guadalupe at nine-point-five percent... Taos at nine-point-one percent... and  McKinley at seven-point-eight percent. 
In our area... Grant County was  at five-point-nine percent unemployment in April... Hidalgo County was at  five-point-six... and the Las Cruces area was at six-point-six.  The county with the least unemployment remains Los Alamos with two-point-seven percent.
The state unemployment rate for  April-- at six-point-nine percent -- was down from the March rate of  seven-point-two percent. 
The New Mexico labor force  estimates show Luna County with a labor force of 11-thousand-786 -- with  nine-thousand-482 employed... and two-thousand-304 unemployed.
 

LUNA COUNTY UNEMPLOYMENT NEARLY 21%

04/04/2012

 
_Preliminary figures from the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions show Luna County with a February unemployment rate of 20.7% -- up from the January revised rate of 20% but down slightly from last February's rate of 21.1%.

Following Luna County in the list of New Mexico counties with the worst unemployment is Mora County with 15.3% unemployment and Guadalupe at 12.1% percent. Those were the only 3 counties in the state with unemployment greater than 10%.

Rounding out the top 5 are Taos at 9.6% and Catron at 9.5%.

In our area, Grant County was at 8.3% unemployment in February, Hidalgo County was at 6.6%, and the Las Cruces area was at 8.1%.

The county with the least unemployment remains Los Alamos with 4%.

The state unemployment rate for February -- at 7.8% -- was up from the 7.3% rate in January.

The New Mexico labor force estimates show Luna County with a labor force of 12,160 -- with 9,644 employed and 2,516 unemployed.

 

DELANY RECCOMMENDED FOR JUDGESHIP

03/23/2012

 
_The District Court Judicial Nominating Commission has forwarded only one name to Governor Susanna Martinez to fill the vacancy on the Sixth Judicial District Court created by the retirement of Gary Jeffreys.

Sandra Baumann, Coordinator of the Judicial Nominating Commission, said the commission members recommended that Jennifer DeLaney be appointed to the bench.

DeLaney was one of four applicants for the vacancy -- the same four who filed declarations of candidacy for the position: DeLaney and Michael Renteria, who are Democrats, and Jarod Hofacket and Cynthia Patterson, who are Republicans. A fifth applicant, Gerald Byers, withdrew his name from consideration.

DeLaney has been practicing law in Deming for 10 years, and has served as the District Court's Special Master since 2009. She has passed the bar in New Mexico and Florida.

Governor Martinez can either accept the commission's recommendation of DeLaney, or ask the commission for additional names.
Once appointed, the successful applicant will serve on the bench through the end of the year, when the elected candidate assumes the bench.

 

LOCAL CANDIDATES FILE FOR OFFICE

03/21/2012

 
Tuesday was the deadline for most candidates for state office to file for election, and all local races are contested.

Incumbent Senator John Arthur Smith, a Democrat, drew a fellow Democrat and a Republican opponent in his race for re-election to the Senate District 35 seat. Smith, from Deming, will face Democrat Larry Martinez of Lordsburg in the June primary, with the winner taking on Republican Russell Allen of Las Cruces in the November general election.

Incumbent District 32 State Representative Democrat Dona Irwin of Deming will face Democrat Louis Luna of Deming in the primary, and the winner will take on Republican Thomas Guerra of Deming in the general election.

Three democrats and one Republican filed for Sixth Judicial District Attorney. The Democrats -- Francesca Estevez, Nathan Gonzales and Armand Velez -- will compete in the June primary for the opportunity to face Republican Gabor Zsoka in the November general election for D-A.

And two Democrats and two Republicans filed to fill the Sixth Judicial District Court judgeship vacated with the retirement of Gary Jeffreys. Democrats Jennifer Delaney and Michael Renteria... and Republicans Jarod Hofacket and Cynthia Patterson with be on the primary election ballot for the judgeship.