AltWeeklies Wire
Recent Raids Shed Light on New Mexican Looting Syndicatenew
Using undercover sources, agents from the FBI and the US Bureau of Land Management spent more than two years infiltrating a tight-knit community of looters in New Mexico who dig up graves and pillage archaeological sites on public lands, then sell the items they find to dealers and collectors.
Santa Fe Reporter |
Laura Paskus |
08-20-2009 |
History
The Early Birds: New Mexico Pols Build Momentum for 2010new
With nearly 1.2 million registered voters in the state of New Mexico, it would take a statewide candidate 833 days working around the clock to spend a personal minute with each one of them. And you wonder why candidates are announcing more than a year ahead of the 2010 election.
Santa Fe Reporter |
Dave Maass |
07-31-2009 |
Politics
Underground Filmmaker Jon Moritsugu Talks About His Move to New Mexico and His New Projectnew
The do-it-all DIY filmmaker has a body of work that floats somewhere in the artistic ether between the pop art obsessions of Andy Warhol and the trashy aesthetics of John Waters.
Weekly Alibi |
Devin D. O'Leary |
07-28-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Cannabizness: New Mexico's Medical Marijuana Industry is About to Bloomnew
Want to break into the marijuana business? You too can learn how to grow it, cook it, distribute it and, best of all, it's 100 percent legal. If Canntechs were to advertise on late-night television, that might be the pitch.
Santa Fe Reporter |
Dave Maass |
07-24-2009 |
Drugs
Health Care on Life Support: New Mexicans Tell Us What Reform Looks Likenew
Froozan Parwana is one of more than 400,000 New Mexicans without health insurance. Her trip to the emergency room last summer, which cost more than $300, was a harsh introduction to what awaits patients without medical coverage. The hospital bill forced Parwana to take fewer college classes.
Weekly Alibi |
Simon McCormack |
07-20-2009 |
Science
Will Wolves Be Saved Under New Mexico's Recovery Program?new
Under a questionable partnership, the Fish and Wildlife Service has managed to give away its statutory responsibility to recover endangered species to a consortium of agencies, allege critics of the way wolf introduction is being managed in the southwest. Wolves are being removed -- or killed -- by the very people charged with reintroducing the animals to the wild.
Santa Fe Reporter |
Laura Paskus |
07-16-2009 |
Animal Issues
Medical Marijuana Martyr Grinds New Mexico's Programnew
Epidemiologist and longtime pot grower Bernie Ellis has concluded that the policy makers in the New Mexico Department of Health are either uninformed or in passive opposition to the state's medical cannabis program.
Santa Fe Reporter |
Maassive |
06-04-2009 |
Policy Issues
What's a Feminist Like You Doing in a Place Like This?new

Feminist art icon Judy Chicago now lives in Belen, New Mexico, long considered by this reporter to be the worst place on earth.
Weekly Alibi |
Erin Adair-Hodges |
06-01-2009 |
Art
A Bill to Repeal Capital Punishment in New Mexico Breathes New Life into a Fierce Debatenew
Albuquerque Rep. Gail Chasey’s bill to replace the death penalty with a sentence of life without parole made it past the New Mexico House in 2005 and 2007. Chasey expects her legislation to clear the House again this year. Several new senators, Chasey says, should vote in favor of her bill.
Weekly Alibi |
Simon McCormack |
02-03-2009 |
Crime & Justice
Tags: New Mexico, death penalty
An A-to-Z Guide to Gov't Contracting Under Bill Richardsonnew

The following guide to pay-to-play is not meant to be complete. Why focus on Richardson? Simple: He is the state's top dog. And his administration is already under investigation for possibly rewarding campaign donors.
Santa Fe Reporter |
Corey Pein |
01-29-2009 |
Politics
Report Says Prison Phone Companies Still Gouging Familiesnew
Phone companies providing jail service depict happy scenarios on their websites. A recent report suggests the situation may not be so rosy for inmates’ families.
Santa Fe Reporter |
Dave Maass |
01-29-2009 |
Crime & Justice
Contractor That Ended Bill Richardson's Cabinet Bid Has Burned New Mexico Beforenew
So far there's no proof Gov. Bill Richardson had a hand in a suspected "pay to play" scheme involving a state contractor, California-based CDR, and campaign contributions from its founder, David Rubin. Nevertheless, the DOJ's investigation into CDR aborted Richardson's appointment as President-elect Barack Obama's commerce secretary.
Santa Fe Reporter |
Corey Pein |
01-08-2009 |
Politics
Power Plant Opponents in New Mexico Say it's Time to Get Over Coalnew
Proponents of the Desert Rock power plant say it will create 1,000 construction jobs and then approximately 200 permanent jobs once it's up and running. But the region already has three coal-fired power plants which are considered among the dirtiest plants in the country.
Santa Fe Reporter |
Laura Paskus |
12-18-2008 |
Environment
Tags: New Mexico, energy, environment, pollution, power plants, Navajo, coal, Desert Rock, Indian reservations
New Mexico is Not Ready for Digital TVnew
In May, Nielsen Company rated the Albuquerque-Santa Fe media market as the 9th worst prepared for the transition. By October, the ranking had actually worsened: the region's audiences are the 6th worst prepared of the nations top 56 media markets. Nearly 13 percent of households in the area are "completely unready" and 10 percent are "partially unready."
Santa Fe Reporter |
Dave Maass |
12-11-2008 |
Movies
As Recession Spreads, Santa Feans Buy Gold, Guns and Generatorsnew
Even Barack Obama says the economy will get worse before it gets better. In the meantime, freaked out New Mexicans are putting their money where they can see it: at home, under lock and key. And they're packing heat, just in case.
Santa Fe Reporter |
Corey Pein |
12-11-2008 |
Economy