New Mexico Independent: Stories by benito aragon

Pride parade

benito aragon — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 18:15:10 GMT

South Valley test

benito aragon — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 06:00:00 GMT

The South Valley is known for its rough edges. Rustic building facades and wooden corrals meld with unpaved roads and century-old homes. But the same South Valley may soon be known as home to one of the nation's most innovative approaches to primary health care.

Talking Stick Film Festival

benito aragon — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 21:44:36 GMT

More than a hundred works of storytelling on film, through the eyes of Native American and indigenous filmmakers from around the globe, in Santa Fe June 21-28.

UNM hospital one of the top in the nation

benito aragon — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 21:11:22 GMT

Less may equal more in terms of quality health care for some New Mexicans.

The University of New Mexico Hospital has been ranked 3rd in the nation for conservative patient care by Consumer Reports. The findings stemmed from a 2008 Dartmouth Atlas of Care study of more than 4.7 million Medicare patients at 2,878 hospitals nationwide.

Study: Albuquerque, cities in general pay big part of health care costs

benito aragon — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 18:50:22 GMT

Albuquerque and metro areas around the country seem to be paying a disproportionate amount of money for health care services within their cities, including that of the uninsured.

Families USA, a non-profit health care consumer advocacy group, just released a national survey of mayors which highlights the impact of the growing health care crisis on city budgets and services. According to the survey:

State spreads message on veterans' benefits

benito aragon — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:29:01 GMT

In a recent interview with Secretary of Health Alfredo Vigil, he noted to me that "the biggest issue we face with our returning veterans is making them aware of all the services that are available to them when they come home, wherever they live in New Mexico."

This Saturday, veterans and their spouses in the Las Cruces, Alamogordo, Deming and Silver City areas will have a chance to learn more about the benefits and services available to them at the Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Welcome Home Conference in Las Cruces. The conference is being held at the Ramada Palms de Las Cruces on 201 E. University Ave. and will run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. with registration beginning at 7 a.m.

Author warns against Blackwater

benito aragon — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 21:08:50 GMT

Albuquerque a good place to get rich

benito aragon — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:13:09 GMT

If you're looking to get rich, Albuquerque might be a good place to set up shop. According to Salary.com Albuquerque ranks as one of the "top US cities for building personal net worth." The site's 2008 Salary Value Index took into account: local salaries, cost of living, and unemployment relative to the national average. This year's list also factored in qualitative measures including diversity of industry, education level of the cities' population, proximity to post secondary institutions, percent of population below poverty level, and median travel time to work.

Beef recall during holiday weekend

benito aragon — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 02:12:22 GMT

New Mexican's may want to request their burgers well-done during this holiday weekend's barbecue festivities.

Kroger has announced a voluntary recall of ground beef in its New Mexico Smith's and City Market stores due to an E Coli scare which has has harmed 40 people in Michigan and Ohio. The recall comes after a nation-wide recall by Nebraska Beef, Ltd "expanding a recall announced earlier this week to include all 5.3 million pounds of meat it produced for ground beef between May 16 and June 26." Although none of the tainted meat has been found in New Mexico, Kroger is taking precautionary measures because of its distribution of Nebraska Beef, ground beef products.

NM solicits perceptions of Los Alamos from those who live nearby

benito aragon — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 13:56:09 GMT

The State of New Mexico has organized "listening sessions" to evaluate the issues and perceptions of residents who live near Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Notice of these sessions appeared a week after an AP story reported northern New Mexico resident's concern over the U.S. Department of Energy proposal to increase plutonium pit production at the nuclear weapons lab by over 800%. Plutonium pits are the core of nuclear warheads.

NM teen pregnancy rate prompts calls for mandatory sex ed in schools

benito aragon — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 23:01:43 GMT

In light of a new study that ranks New Mexico and Texas dead last in teen pregnancies by state, the Doña Ana Teen Prevention Work Group is calling on legislators to mandate sex education as part of a health class requirement.

The Kids Count 2008 data book released June 12, states that the New Mexico's teen birth rate was 62 teen births per 1,000 females ages 15 to 19 compared to the national average of 40.

Doña Ana County ranked worst in New Mexico with 606 of Las Cruces' hospital births belonging to school-age mothers.

NM gives war veterans a hand up

benito aragon — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 21:59:29 GMT

While on a road trip to Phoenix with friends about a year and a half ago, former army staff sergeant Stephen King realized cars were passing him on the freeway. A simple fact of day-to-day life for the majority of drivers in the U.S. caused an adrenaline-fueled fear to course through the 35 year old.

From prisoner to renowned poet

benito aragon — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 20:29:37 GMT

In introducing Jimmy Santiago Baca this past Saturday, V.B. Price proclaimed to a packed house: "Many of us here would agree, poetry has saved our lives.

For Baca, a native New Mexican, few words are more true.

The native New Mexican left prison nearly 30 years ago to pursue a life of writing verse -- and to pass on his passion to others. The New Mexico Independent caught up with him this past Saturday as he spoke to a rapt audience at UNM's Summer Sunset Lecture Series.

Playing to win

benito aragon — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 08:00:00 GMT

A modern sound is set to ring through an ancient land in New Mexico come October. The ratcheting and chiming of hundreds of slot machines will echo throughout the Navajo Nation, as the Firerock Casino in Churchrock marks the Navajo's foray into the realm of Indian gambling.

Ex-N.M. deputy insurance superintendent sentenced

benito aragon — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 02:14:20 GMT

The former state Deputy Insurance Superintendent Joe Ruiz was sentenced yesterday to 48 months in prison. A federal judge also ordered him to pay $103,000 in restitution and $2,000 in special penalties.

Accusations against Ruiz, who was the deputy superintendent from June 2001 through July 2006, involved pushing insurance companies to donate to charities and non-profit organizations that he was involved with in exchange for reduced regulatory fines.