FUEL ECONOMY-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico will set its own fuel economy, emission standards
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham says her state will set its own fuel economy and pollution standards for vehicles in a break with federal authorities.
Lujan Grisham announced Tuesday while in New York for a climate-panel discussion that New Mexico will implement new restrictions on vehicle emissions starting with model-year 2022 autos.
The first-year Democratic governor criticized a rollback of federal fuel economy standards from the Trump administration as counterproductive. She says New Mexico fuel-economy standards will increase to an average of 52 mpg.
The Trump administration last week revoked California's authority to set its own, tougher emission standards under a waiver from the federal Clean Air Act.
Lujan Grisham's clean-car plan would bring New Mexico into alignment with at least 13 other states that have adopted independent standards.
SANTA FE-TOURISM CAMPAIGN
Santa Fe launching new tourism campaign aimed at 'emotions'
(Information from: The Santa Fe New Mexican, http://www.santafenewmexican.com)
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico's capital is launching a new tourism campaign aimed at convincing potential visitors that the city will give them an "emotional experience."
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports "Uncover Your Different" is the tagline for the new Tourism Santa Fe advertising campaign undertaken by an advertising agency in out of Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Vladimir Jones CEO Meredith Vaughan says the campaign seeks to tap into people's emotions by explaining what one can experience while in one of the oldest cities in North America.
The $1.5 million advertising campaign was launched Sept. 16 and will continue into 2020.
The campaign will touch on digital, social and print advertisements. The ad campaign will appear on social media outlets like Instagram and Facebook and on online TV services such as Hulu.
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JAGUAR RECOVERY
US appeals court to hear fight over jaguar habitat
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — It will be up to a federal appeals court to decide whether tens of thousands of acres in New Mexico should be reserved as critical habitat for the endangered jaguar.
The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver is scheduled to hear arguments Wednesday from environmentalists and from lawyers representing a group of ranchers and farmers.
The challenged areas were part of nearly 1,200 square miles (3,108 sq. kilometers) designated in 2014 as essential for the conservation of the jaguar. The critical habitat spans parts of Arizona and New Mexico.
Jaguars are found in 19 countries, but only seven male jaguars have been seen in the American Southwest since 1996. The animals have been protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act since 1997.
LAWYER DISBARRED-CLIENT MONEY
New Mexico attorney disbarred over handling of client money
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The New Mexico Supreme Court has revoked an Albuquerque attorney's law license, saying she mishandled client money and had a "dishonest and selfish motive."
The court's ruling Monday said Jennie Deden Behles violated attorney professional conduct rules by spending client money she'd been ordered to hold in trust and by failing to maintain complete records of her client trust account.
The court said Behles also failed to keep client money separate from her own and unreasonably charged a contingent fee on the return of her client's court bond.
The ruling says disbarment was appropriate because Behles had a prior discipline record, a pattern of misconduct involving multiple offenses and failed to acknowledge her conduct was wrongful.
Behles has been licensed to practice law in New Mexico for nearly 50 years.
OIL-COMMUNITY PROJECTS
Oil industry group starts $1M fund for community projects
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — An oil industry group has established a fund to boost economic opportunities, address child hunger and support science education.
The New Mexico Oil and Gas Association announced the Brighter Future Fund during a news conference Tuesday in Albuquerque, saying nonprofit and educational organizations will be eligible for grants through the fund.
The program will be administered by the Albuquerque Community Foundation.
The trade association and the American Petroleum Institution committed $1 million to the fund through 2024. The goal is to distribute $200,000 annually.
The association worked with the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber to host conversations with stakeholders to identify opportunities for supporting communities. The launch of the fund is a result of those efforts.
The partnership will focus on the Albuquerque area but also will consider regional and statewide proposals.
AVANZA-LATINO CONFERENCE
Journalist, poet to headline conference for Latino students
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New York Times correspondent Simon Romero and Albuquerque Poet Laureate Michelle Otero are among those headlining a national conference in Albuquerque aimed at encouraging Latino students to attend college.
Romero and Otero are slated to speak this week at the Avanza Network conference that begins Thursday. The conference seeks to pair Latino students with doctors, lawyers, journalists and entrepreneurs to foster students' path toward higher education.
Rene Gonzalez, an Avanza co-founder and current board member, says around 1,500 students from New Mexico are expected to attend. He said alumni for MIT, Purdue University and Stanford also planning to come to Albuquerque to speak to Hispanic youth.
Avanza was formed eight years ago by a group of Latino professionals. The group holds similar conferences around the county.
STATE FINANCES-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico improves financial disclosures as debts loom
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A watchdog group on public finances says the state of New Mexico is making progress toward more accurate accounting but still earns a "D'' grade largely because of unfunded pension and retiree health care obligations.
Chicago-based Truth in Accounting on Tuesday released an annual analysis of financial balance sheets for all 50 states that ranks New Mexico behind 33 others in terms of unfunded debts and obligations.
Truth in Accounting estimates New Mexico had $7.7 billion in unfunded financial obligations or about $13,300 per taxpayer for the most recently audited fiscal year. That doesn't include a current $24 billion stockpile in two state permanent funds that can only be spent for specific purposes.
CEO Sheila Weinberg says the state is reporting more timely and accurate information about its financial condition.
CHACO-CHOCOLATE MYSTERY
New Mexico professor traces chocolate's ancient path
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Chaco Canyon has fueled scientific curiosity for more than a century, with each discovery made at the world heritage site spurring only more questions about the people who lived there.
One thing is for sure: chocolate was part of life at the once-bustling ceremonial and economic hub.
By analyzing 1,000-year-old pottery sherds, archaeologist Patricia Crown solved that mystery in recent years when she and a chemist at Hershey Company uncovered the first evidence of chocolate consumption beyond the cacao-growing regions of Mesoamerica.
That work has since shed more light on early trade routes and on the widespread use of cacao in the American Southwest. Chocolate residue has been found on sherds collected in Utah, Arizona and northern Mexico.
Crown is after the details now. Who got to drink the frothy libations and did the size of the mug matter?
New Mexico will set its own fuel economy, emission standards
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham says her state will set its own fuel economy and pollution standards for vehicles in a break with federal authorities.
Lujan Grisham announced Tuesday while in New York for a climate-panel discussion that New Mexico will implement new restrictions on vehicle emissions starting with model-year 2022 autos.
The first-year Democratic governor criticized a rollback of federal fuel economy standards from the Trump administration as counterproductive. She says New Mexico fuel-economy standards will increase to an average of 52 mpg.
The Trump administration last week revoked California's authority to set its own, tougher emission standards under a waiver from the federal Clean Air Act.
Lujan Grisham's clean-car plan would bring New Mexico into alignment with at least 13 other states that have adopted independent standards.
SANTA FE-TOURISM CAMPAIGN
Santa Fe launching new tourism campaign aimed at 'emotions'
(Information from: The Santa Fe New Mexican, http://www.santafenewmexican.com)
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico's capital is launching a new tourism campaign aimed at convincing potential visitors that the city will give them an "emotional experience."
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports "Uncover Your Different" is the tagline for the new Tourism Santa Fe advertising campaign undertaken by an advertising agency in out of Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Vladimir Jones CEO Meredith Vaughan says the campaign seeks to tap into people's emotions by explaining what one can experience while in one of the oldest cities in North America.
The $1.5 million advertising campaign was launched Sept. 16 and will continue into 2020.
The campaign will touch on digital, social and print advertisements. The ad campaign will appear on social media outlets like Instagram and Facebook and on online TV services such as Hulu.
___
JAGUAR RECOVERY
US appeals court to hear fight over jaguar habitat
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — It will be up to a federal appeals court to decide whether tens of thousands of acres in New Mexico should be reserved as critical habitat for the endangered jaguar.
The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver is scheduled to hear arguments Wednesday from environmentalists and from lawyers representing a group of ranchers and farmers.
The challenged areas were part of nearly 1,200 square miles (3,108 sq. kilometers) designated in 2014 as essential for the conservation of the jaguar. The critical habitat spans parts of Arizona and New Mexico.
Jaguars are found in 19 countries, but only seven male jaguars have been seen in the American Southwest since 1996. The animals have been protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act since 1997.
LAWYER DISBARRED-CLIENT MONEY
New Mexico attorney disbarred over handling of client money
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The New Mexico Supreme Court has revoked an Albuquerque attorney's law license, saying she mishandled client money and had a "dishonest and selfish motive."
The court's ruling Monday said Jennie Deden Behles violated attorney professional conduct rules by spending client money she'd been ordered to hold in trust and by failing to maintain complete records of her client trust account.
The court said Behles also failed to keep client money separate from her own and unreasonably charged a contingent fee on the return of her client's court bond.
The ruling says disbarment was appropriate because Behles had a prior discipline record, a pattern of misconduct involving multiple offenses and failed to acknowledge her conduct was wrongful.
Behles has been licensed to practice law in New Mexico for nearly 50 years.
OIL-COMMUNITY PROJECTS
Oil industry group starts $1M fund for community projects
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — An oil industry group has established a fund to boost economic opportunities, address child hunger and support science education.
The New Mexico Oil and Gas Association announced the Brighter Future Fund during a news conference Tuesday in Albuquerque, saying nonprofit and educational organizations will be eligible for grants through the fund.
The program will be administered by the Albuquerque Community Foundation.
The trade association and the American Petroleum Institution committed $1 million to the fund through 2024. The goal is to distribute $200,000 annually.
The association worked with the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber to host conversations with stakeholders to identify opportunities for supporting communities. The launch of the fund is a result of those efforts.
The partnership will focus on the Albuquerque area but also will consider regional and statewide proposals.
AVANZA-LATINO CONFERENCE
Journalist, poet to headline conference for Latino students
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New York Times correspondent Simon Romero and Albuquerque Poet Laureate Michelle Otero are among those headlining a national conference in Albuquerque aimed at encouraging Latino students to attend college.
Romero and Otero are slated to speak this week at the Avanza Network conference that begins Thursday. The conference seeks to pair Latino students with doctors, lawyers, journalists and entrepreneurs to foster students' path toward higher education.
Rene Gonzalez, an Avanza co-founder and current board member, says around 1,500 students from New Mexico are expected to attend. He said alumni for MIT, Purdue University and Stanford also planning to come to Albuquerque to speak to Hispanic youth.
Avanza was formed eight years ago by a group of Latino professionals. The group holds similar conferences around the county.
STATE FINANCES-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico improves financial disclosures as debts loom
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A watchdog group on public finances says the state of New Mexico is making progress toward more accurate accounting but still earns a "D'' grade largely because of unfunded pension and retiree health care obligations.
Chicago-based Truth in Accounting on Tuesday released an annual analysis of financial balance sheets for all 50 states that ranks New Mexico behind 33 others in terms of unfunded debts and obligations.
Truth in Accounting estimates New Mexico had $7.7 billion in unfunded financial obligations or about $13,300 per taxpayer for the most recently audited fiscal year. That doesn't include a current $24 billion stockpile in two state permanent funds that can only be spent for specific purposes.
CEO Sheila Weinberg says the state is reporting more timely and accurate information about its financial condition.
CHACO-CHOCOLATE MYSTERY
New Mexico professor traces chocolate's ancient path
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Chaco Canyon has fueled scientific curiosity for more than a century, with each discovery made at the world heritage site spurring only more questions about the people who lived there.
One thing is for sure: chocolate was part of life at the once-bustling ceremonial and economic hub.
By analyzing 1,000-year-old pottery sherds, archaeologist Patricia Crown solved that mystery in recent years when she and a chemist at Hershey Company uncovered the first evidence of chocolate consumption beyond the cacao-growing regions of Mesoamerica.
That work has since shed more light on early trade routes and on the widespread use of cacao in the American Southwest. Chocolate residue has been found on sherds collected in Utah, Arizona and northern Mexico.
Crown is after the details now. Who got to drink the frothy libations and did the size of the mug matter?
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