Culture from New Mexico Independent

BBC: N.M. GOP leader says Hispanics 'won't vote for a black president'

Trip Jennings — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 22:12:01 GMT

A BBC reporter tooling through the state fair Thursday -- the same day that Democrat Barack Obama was in New Mexico -- was asking Hispanics their views on Barack Obama's presidential bid. Reporter Jon Kelly talked first to a young graduate student who said he was going to vote for Obama.

Then Kelly stumbled upon Fernando C de Baca, chairman of the Bernalillo County Republicans. According to Kelly, C de Baca said Hispanics were a naturally conservative group.

Then C de Baca offered Kelly a blunt assessment on why Hispanics wouldn't vote for Obama.

The reporter, John Kelly, quotes C de Baca as saying:

"The truth is that Hispanics came here as conquerors," he said. "African-Americans came here as slaves.

"Hispanics consider themselves above blacks. They won't vote for a black president."

Native American vote threatened by Secretary of State's inaction, officials say

Trip Jennings — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 19:30:22 GMT

New Mexico enters its most serious election season in decades without guidance from the Secretary of State’s office on how to ensure that all New Mexicans get to vote, county clerks and other local officials say.

Alamogordo doubles this week as a cultural hot spot and hot-air balloon mecca

Denise Tessier — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 17:15:00 GMT

Alamogordo is a cultural hot spot this weekend as the White Sands Hot Air Balloon Invitational kicks off in tandem with the Tularosa Basin Wine and Music Fest, the Las Cruces Sun-News reports. The image of colorful balloons against the white gypsum sands is said to be spectacular, and after the balloon launches visitors can listen to music, drink wine and view arts and crafts.

TODAY'S TOP STORIES: Financial losses and investigations

Denise Tessier — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 15:06:50 GMT

The Wall Street crisis has affected state and local governments, with Bernalillo County predicting a $2 million to $4 million drop in its annual investment income and the city of Albuquerque postponing a bond sale while the New Mexico Finance Authority might cancel its own bond sale scheduled for next Thursday. The state Attorney General says an investigation into the disappearance of 182 votes in Cibola County's June elections is a front-burner issue and still under investigation. Meanwhile, Curry County District Attorney Matt Chandler says he still has questions about last month’s escape .

Barack Obama stumps in northern New Mexico to woo Hispanics

Matthew Reichbach — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 03:11:12 GMT

Barack Obama went out of his way to fly his economic populism flag before thousands of supporters in Española on Thursday, reminding his audience that the economy is in a shambles.

Frost damages this year's apple harvest

Denise Tessier — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:30:00 GMT

Apple trees in a tiny orchard on the sunny south side of the Sandias are loaded with fruit, but for the first time in decades, another small orchard just a few miles north has none at all, thanks to a May frost. Other fruit farmers around the state are reporting no apples or a smaller crop as well.

TODAY'S TOP STORIES: APS super blasts federal education goals as unrealistic

Joel Gay — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 15:12:19 GMT

The head of Albuquerque Public Schools says federal No Child Left Behind goals are unrealistic. The state’s top game officer may lose his hunting privileges for two years. A former magistrate judge in Taos has sued a Taos newspaper for libel over an article published in May. And the much-discussed but long-delayed improvement to the road into Chaco Culture National Historical Park looks like it’s still a long way off.

Hispanics, this is your month

Barbara Armijo — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 16:30:00 GMT

The highest proportion of Hispanic residents in the nation is in New Mexico. Our population is about 44 percent Hispanic. When Hispanic Heritage Month kicks off today, it won't go unrecognized in this state.

The city and more than 30 other Hispanic serving organizations have collaborated for the second year on more than 60 events to honor state and national Hispanic culture. The alliance is an effort to continue to make Hispanic Heritage month more valuable to residents, said Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez recently during a kickoff event for the group effort.

TODAY'S TOP STORIES: It was a stormy weekend

Marjorie Childress — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 14:59:24 GMT

It was a stormy weekend on the national front. While Ike taught Texas a lesson, Wall Street banks “faltered.”. New Mexico’s congressional delegation views with skepticism John McCain’s pledge to veto earmarks. Meanwhile, there’s been a 30 percent drop in applications for drilling permits. Doña Ana County is in the top tier of small metropolitan areas for job growth and retention. Last but not least, the Albuquerque police chief has fired Daniel Guzman, the police officer who attacked and arrested a TV reporter for doing his job back in May.

Barack Obama hopes to lure Hispanics with new group

Matthew Reichbach — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 09:00:00 GMT

The Barack Obama campaign is launching Hispanics for Obama later today in New Mexico. And their most prominent Hispanic surrogate, Gov. Bill Richardson, will be the man launching the group.

TODAY'S TOP STORIES: Secretary of State's office botches voter info

Denise Tessier — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 15:29:21 GMT

Thousands of voters received incorrect information about where to vote from the office of Secretary of State Mary Herrera. Santa Fe will celebrate the opening this weekend of its long-awaited Santa Fe Railyard project. San Juan County's Boys and Girls Club in Aztec may receive federal funding to start an education program to fight methamphetamine use. And Republican candidate Jose Silva's name will remain on the ballot after a state court judge dismissed state Sen. David Ulibarri's suit to remove it.

You should check out the Southwest Gay and Lesbian film festival

Tracy Dingmann — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 22:36:15 GMT

Now that I'm all grown up, when I go to a film festival, I want to see thoughtful, well-made films that provoke, educate and stimulate me. That's why I appreciate the Southwest Gay and Lesbian Festival, now in its sixth year in New Mexico.

9/11 seven years later

Trip Jennings — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 16:36:44 GMT

I don't know if you recall where you were seven years ago today, but I remember standing in front of the TV in Naugatuck, Connecticut watching the first tower, and then the second, crumble. I thought to myself, This can't be happening.

The next 24 hours, followed by the next day, and the next and the next until we were into the fourth week-- was spent trying to track down people from that small town who had died, or who had lost a loved one in the attacks. As part of my job, I also interviewed a mortician who went to Manhattan in the days after the attacks as part of a federal team to identify victims from their remains. Over several decades, the man had seen the many ways that death can leave the human body broken. But his experience in Manhattan after the attacks shook him up.

The New York Times is following today's ceremony marking the seventh anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The paper also did a story on the skyline and how it has changed.

Hopefully we all can take a moment today to recall how unified we were as a nation in the aftermath of the attacks and remember it.

Conservative religious group hopes to rally supporters in Albuquerque

Heath Haussamen — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 21:45:44 GMT

A national group whose goal is to encourage Christians to vote in November plans to hold a rally at an Albuquerque church on Thursday -- the seventh anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks -- that will be attended by a prominent conservative actor and a controversial conservative military officer.

Thursday’s is the first of several rallies in Albuquerque, Roswell and Las Cruces that will be held by Vision America, whose stated mission is to “inform, encourage and mobilize pastors and their congregations to be proactive in restoring Judeo-Christian values to the moral and civic framework in their communities, states, and our nation.”

The Sept. 11 rally is being held at Legacy Church, located at 7201 Central Ave. NW, and will feature actor Stephen Baldwin and retired Three-Star Lieutenant General Jerry Boykin. Vision America is founded by conservative Christian leader Rick Scarborough.

Beer still flowing in America -- but not in British pubs

Denise Tessier — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 20:57:27 GMT

While Americans have tightened their belts on all kinds of spending, they've actually increased their consumption of beer in these tough economic times, according to a Washington Post story this week. Which renders all the more perplexing a report out of Britain that across the pond, British beer sales have slumped to their lowest levels since the Great Depression.