Health
Hillary Clinton fights Bush administration on women's health
In an opinion piece published in The New York Times, Sen. Hillary Clinton again criticizes the Bush administration for what she says is an attempt to "undermine women's rights and women's health" by limiting access to birth control.
As NMI reported earlier this summer, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) attempted to revise some rules that would have dramatically increased the ability of health care workers to say they wouldn't perform certain duties, procedures or services because they object for moral reasons.
Robert J. Samuelson's warped economics
I told you so. And Robert J. Samuelson did not. Writing in the Albuquerque Tribune over the last few years I explained more than once that the Republican administration (abetted by corporate Democrats) was repealing New Deal regulations. If that succeeded (I worried), we might revisit what inspired the New Deal -- the Great Depression. Happily, we’re not there but if the free marketers at Treasury and the Federal Reserve are nationalizing one big chunk of Wall Street after another it’s because depression is possible.
TODAY'S TOP STORIES: Bern Co discovers potentially fraudulent voter registration cards
The Bernalillo County Clerk's Office reported yesterday that it has found more than 1,000 voter registration cards that may be fraudulent. The Farmington City Council is considering a ban on high-alcohol beer and fortified wine. In Roswell, a Catholic priest told KOBTV that he's heard from parishoners that local police are terrorizing illegal immigrants and that they're afraid even to go to Mass. And if you've been watching local TV this week then you might have seen Steve Pearce's new ad hitting opponent Tom Udall on late-term abortions. Also this week, local stations began airing a national ad targeting Obama with a disturbing and confusing ad from an anti-abortion group on a similar subject.
Mayor Chavez compromises on junk food ban
It looks like Albuquerque city workers fond of Snickers and Nutter Butters are in luck when it comes to finding their favorite snacks at work.
Mayor Martin Chavez has backed down on his proposed junk food ban. Chavez wanted to take out all junk food from vending machines and sell only healthy alternatives in all city buildings.
Sister food banks ask for N.M. help
Roadrunner Food Bank has issued an emergency call to New Mexicans to help with money and food donations as calls pour in for help from sister food banks in Texas and Louisiana, some of which have exhausted or nearly depleted all their food stock in the wake of Hurricane Ike.
Food is needed for evacuees and those returning to communities after the devastating storm, Roadrunner said in a statement.
TODAY'S TOP STORIES: Secretary of State's office botches voter info
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.
Beer still flowing in America -- but not in British pubs
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.
Medical marijuana hearing Monday
State public health officials will hold a hearing Monday in Santa Fe to gather public comment on proposed rules that will further streamline two aspects of the use of medical marijuana in the state: the licensure, distribution and manufacture of medical marijuana and patient identification cards.
More information about the hearing, which begins at 9 a.m. at the Harold Runnels Auditorium, 1190 St. Francis Drive, is available at this Department of Health site.
TODAY'S TOP STORIES: State Fair opens today
"A Fair to Remember" is the theme of this year's New Mexico State Fair, celebrating its 70th anniversary as it opens today.
In addition to the state's finest and biggest produce, exhibits, Midway rides and rodeo entertainment, this year's daily "spectaculars" include Olympic diving and aerial feats at the Mermaids & Mariners show (Friday through Sunday).
The state Department of Health says New Mexico ranked 31 in the nation in child immunization rates, up from last year's ranking at 40, and says it has a plan to improve those rates, according to the Associated Press.
The switch from area code 505 to 575 will officially be complete a month from now, the Las Cruces Sun-News reports. On Oct. 5, 505 will no longer be in service for
three-quarters of the state.
The New Mexico Gaming Control Board is investigating whether a Las Cruces Internet cafe was being used as a gambling operation, the Sun-News also reports.
Guv signs roads and health care bills
Without ceremony, Gov. Bill Richardson signed today a $200 million highway-construction bill approved during the recent special session of the Legislature.
Richardson also signed the health-care funding bill the Legislature sent him, with a partial veto.
The highway bill will help fund 13 projects across the state that are part of Governor Richardson’s Investment Partnership (GRIP).
“With this money we can address critical highway projects in rural New Mexico,” Richardson said in a news release. “These rural highways are the lifeline for thousands of our residents who use them everyday to commute, visit families and conduct their daily business.”
TODAY'S TOP STORIES: SWAT team barrage contributed to death
A man killed during a SWAT standoff with Albuquerque police in March died from a barrage of what police claim were normally nonlethal tactics, according to an autopsy obtained by the Albuquerque Journal.
The president and co-owner of Western Water and Power Production LLC, remains "optimistic" that his plans to build a biomass electricity generating plant near Estancia will succeed, despite termination of his company’s contract with Public Service Company of New Mexico in June, the Mountain View Telegraph reports.
The acting Surgeon General of the United States was in Shiprock this week, saying he came to show support for the emphasis Navajo country is putting on controlling childhood obesity by encouraging children to be active and eat right, the Gallup Independent reports.
Bush initiates new abortion regulation
The Bush administration is going forward in its final months with a new abortion regulation. The regulation, which was announced yesterday, is designed to allow health care workers to opt out of participating in or providing information about abortions if doing so violates their personal beliefs.
According to a report in the Washington Post, the regulation would allow federal officials to pull federal funds from more than 584,000 institutions if the regulation is violated.
TODAY'S TOP STORIES: Secrecy lifted on Sandia's anthrax scientists
Since February 2002, scientists at Sandia Laboratories have worked in secrecy to determine if anthrax that killed five people in the autumn of 2001 came from a terrorist group or foreign state. Now they're laying out the chronology of their research to the Albuquerque Journal's John Fleck.
Not only was New Mexico State University in Las Cruces host to retiring Sen. Pete Domenici's Policy Conference this week, NMSU is getting papers and memorabilia the senator accumulated over his 36 years in Congress, the Las Cruces Sun-News reports and which the Independent noted yesterday.
Analysis of June's 17-acre Ancho fire near a weapons test facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory has led to some changes to prevent recurrence, the Los Alamos Monitor reports.
Food bank to receive 15 tons of meat
Tyson Foods, which calls itself the world's largest producer of pork, chicken and beef products, is scheduled to donate 15 tons of food to the Roadrunner Food Bank in Albuquerque today.
In a partnership among Tyson Foods, the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and America's Second Harvest, of which Roadrunner is a network member, Tyson will donate more than 15 tons of "much-needed protein" to the food bank as part of its 1-million-pound, three-year commitment to fight hunger together, Roadrunner said in a news release.
TODAY'S TOP STORIES: Democrats rally behind a Green and it's not the presidential race
Democrats disgruntled with their own party's candidate in the Public Regulation Commission race are forming a political action committee to help Green Party candidate Rick Lass, the Santa Fe New Mexican reports. Apparently a few Democrats aren't smitten with Jerome Block Jr., who is the Democratic nominee.
Journal investigative reporter Thom Cole takes on a Los Lunas Municipal Court Judge who denied him access to a public court file last week in a doozy of an open letter that's one part chastisement and one part defense of the state's Public Records Act.. Click here to read Cole's open letter. Give 'em what for, Thom!
New Mexico State University police issued a warning to returning students to not travel to Juarez due to the spike in drug-related violence in the Mexican city, the Las Cruces Sun-News reports.
Santa Fe makes list of 'Healthiest Hometowns'
These cities have made robust living—and active retirement—a priority. After reading why, you might want to move there too.
Lashing out against Leavitt
Local reproductive rights activists are mobilizing against proposed Bush Administration rules that could limit access to birth control—and conflict with a state law requiring emergency rooms to provide rape victims with access to emergency contraception.
House passes health care bill
The House just passed by a vote of 47 to 19 a bill that would appropriate $32.5 million to help put more than 17,000 more children under the age of 18 on the rolls of Medicaid, the government health insurance program for low-income people.
The legislation now goes back to the Senate for approval. If that happens, it will go to the governor for his signature.
The money in the bill is significantly scaled down from the original version of the legislation, which Gov. Bill Richardson has touted as one of the major priorities of the special session. The original bill had appropriated $58 million. But many lawmakers around the Roundhouse worry that the state doesn't have enough money. And the governor's office trimmed the amount of money in the proposal to appease them. The money for the expansion will come from what economists say will be a surplus in the state's operating expenses at the end of this fiscal year, or June 30.
Senate debates health care bill
The Senate is debating legislation that would appropriate $32.5 million to help put more than 17,000 more children under the age of 18 on the rolls of Medicaid, the government health insurance program for low-income people.
The money in the bill is significantly scaled down from the original version of the legislation, which Gov. Bill Richardson has touted as one of the major priorities of the special session. The original bill had appropriated $58 million. But many lawmakers around the Roundhouse are worried that the state doesn't have enough money. And the governor's office trimmed the amount of money in the proposal to appease them. The money for the expansion will come from what economists say will be a surplus in the state's operating expenses at the end of this fiscal year, or June 30.
The Senate revolts against the governor
Sen. President Pro Tem Tim Jennings, D-Roswell, just sat down after giving a speech that stopped the Senate cold. Jennings, who often clashes with Gov. Bill Richardson, basically wondered aloud in sometimes colorful language what the Legislature is doing in Santa Fe.
"This whole process is just plain screwed up," Jennings said. "I just wonder why we are here. I have no earthly idea. Other than for political purposes of this governor. Damnit it is true. We all know it. But we're too afraid to say it."
Many around the Capitol, whether Democrat or Republican, will tell you in the hallways that they believe the governor called the Legislature into special session to give him some good news as he heads into the Democratic National Convention in Denver, where he is scheduled to speak.