New Mexico’s Democratic convention delegation officially endorses Harris - By Nash Jones, KUNM News
Since President Joe Biden announced he’d discontinue his reelection bid, Democratic delegates to next month’s national convention have been sorting out how to respond. New Mexico’s Democratic Party announced Wednesday evening that its delegation as a whole is officially endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris for president.
State party Chair Jessica Velasquez told KUNM that all of the delegates who attended a Monday meeting “wholeheartedly” supported Harris, but that four were absent. The delegation had to hold off on its unanimous endorsement until the party received written confirmation of all of their positions.
New Mexico’s convention delegation now joins at least 43 others in backing Harris’s nomination, according to tracking by the New York Times.
The Democratic Party is set to officially nominate its presidential candidate early next month in a virtual roll-call vote ahead of the party’s convention. Harris has received well over the amount of support she would need to secure the nomination.
Federal court won't block New Mexico's 7-day waiting period on gun purchases amid litigation — Morgan Lee, Associated Press
A federal judge has ruled that New Mexico can continue to enforce a new, seven-day waiting period on gun sales while a court challenge backed by the National Rifle Association moves forward.
In a ruling Monday, Albuquerque-based U.S. District Court Judge James Browning denied the NRA's request for a restraining order or injunction that would block the extended waiting period.
Democratic state lawmakers enacted the restrictions earlier this year in hopes of ensuring more time for the completion of federal background checks on gun buyers.
Only three states have longer waiting periods — California, Hawaii and Washington, along with the District of Columbia — that range up to 14 days, according to the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. Rhode Island also has a seven-day wait.
"The defendants adduce significant evidence that waiting period laws may help reduce this tidal wave of gun violence," Browning said in a ruling of more than 100 pages.
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Tuesday applauded the ruling as an indication that the waiting period is constitutional and will be able to remain in effect.
"This 7-day cooling-off period makes our community safer by providing a critical buffer against impulsive firearms purchases and ensuring comprehensive background checks are completed," the Democrat said in a statement.
The NRA and Mountain States Legal Foundation, an advocacy group for gun rights, filed the lawsuit on behalf of two New Mexico residents, citing concerns about delayed access to weapons for victims of domestic violence and others. The Supreme Court in June upheld a federal gun control law that is intended to protect victims of domestic violence.
Robert Welsh, an associate attorney for the foundation's Center to Keep and Bear Arms, said the judge's order allows the case to proceed and include additional evidence.
He described state waiting periods for gun purchases as "increasingly prevalent."
"The Supreme Court is eventually going to be asked to weigh in on these arbitrary waiting periods," he said.
New Mexico's new waiting period holds an exception for concealed permit holders and went into effect in May.
Threat of violence prompted brief lockdown at federal wildfire claims office in northern NM - By Patrick Lohmann, Source New Mexico
A man seeking compensation for losses he suffered in the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire threatened to shoot up a federal claims office last week in northern New Mexico, according to the local sheriff’s office.
The threat Thursday prompted a brief lockdown at the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire Claims Office in Mora, according to a claims office spokesperson. The man also made similar threats to the Roybal Mack & Cordova law firm, the firm representing him as he seeks compensation, according to a letter she sent to clients over the weekend.
“This week, we had to close our offices in Mora and Las Vegas based upon threats of physical violence directed toward our law firm,” lawyer Antonia Roybal-Mack wrote in the letter provided to Source New Mexico.
Her letter also noted the threat against the claims office, which is overseen by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Roybal-Mack noted frustration has been rising over more than two years after the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire began, but she urged her clients to be patient and productive in their criticism.
“I must emphasize that such actions are not only counterproductive, but also illegal,” she wrote. “I understand the anger, and frustration, but the threats cannot and will not be tolerated under any circumstances. The cursing and anger towards us is simply misplaced.”
The Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire started due to botched prescribed burns ignited by the Forest Service in early 2022. The fire, the state’s biggest-ever, burned about 1,000 structures and a 534-square-mile area. Congress in late 2022 created a nearly $4 billion fund to “fully compensate” victims for the losses they incurred in the fire and tasked FEMA to administer the funds.
Joey Romero, undersheriff for the Mora County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday that the sheriff’s office is still determining whether to file charges, but deputies talked to the man and deemed him “not a threat at the time.” He said the man threatened to kill his lawyers and shoot up the claims office.
The undersheriff could not say what might have prompted the threat, but he said more information might be available later this week.
A claims office spokesperson would say only that a “threat” was made to the Claims Office and that the incident was “swiftly resolved” after a brief lockdown early on Thursday. The office reopened by 12:30 p.m. on July 18, according to the spokesperson.
The lockdown happened around the same time other FEMA claims office locations were closed due to maintenance and other reasons. The office in Las Vegas, N.M., closed July 16 and has yet to reopen due to maintenance, spokesperson Danielle Stomberg said.
But she stressed that claimants can still make appointments with navigators. The office also provided regular updates about the closures on its Facebook page.
As of July 16, the office had paid out about $940 million of the $3.95 billion awarded by Congress, or about 24% of the total, to 6,010 claimants. The pace of payments and the damage claims FEMA declined to pay for have prompted more than a dozen lawsuits and continued frustration among those who lost their homes, property or livelihoods to the fire.
Roybal-Mack said in her letter to clients that the office is moving faster because it added additional personnel, and some of her firm’s lawsuits could be settled this week.
The process is still going slower than she would like, but she used her email to clients to call for a “reset button” that would restore respect and civility between claimants, their lawyers and the federal claims office.
“Anger towards us will not move things faster,” she wrote. “Thankfully, no one was hurt and everyone is safe.”
Brian Colón, a lawyer for another firm representing more than 1,000 clients seeking compensation, said he is urging his clients to “take a deep breath” and give the claims process a chance to work, especially in light of the hiring in April of Jay Mitchell, a new director of the claims office from New Mexico.
“There has been a change since Mitchell hit the ground. I’ve seen it firsthand,” he said. “Accordingly, everybody needs to pump the brakes, take a deep breath and give us a chance to continue making progress on these very, very important claims.”
After more than a year sitting vacant, International District Walmart may get new owner - By Elizabeth McCall, City Desk ABQ
The Walmart in Albuquerque’s International District has been closed for more than 16 months — but the 206,000-square-foot building may not remain vacant much longer.
On July 5, a commercial real estate website updated the listing of the former Walmart on San Mateo Boulevard near Central Avenue SE to “under contract.” The supercenter was built in 1994 and was added to the website on May 1, 2023.
The listed broker, however, said he could not confirm or deny anything about a potential sale.
The International District has lost multiple grocery stores over the past several years and is now considered a “food desert.” The neighborhood’s John Brooks Supermarket closed in 2013 and a Fair ‘N’ Square Food Store closed in 2016.
With Walmart’s closure in March of last year, residents said goodbye to one of the last options they could rely on for food and medication. Now, the largest grocery store on Central is Talin Market World Food Fare on Louisiana Boulevard — about a mile and a half from the former Walmart.
City Councilor Nichole Rogers — who represents the district — said she does not know who is buying the property but she wants to make sure it is developed into something the “community can be proud of.” Rogers said the community needs housing, food, pharmacies, clinics and daycares.
“I think for me, it’s something that’s top priority,” Rogers said. “I came in [to City Council] asking for updates, finding out what’s happening, who’s going to get it.”
While it’s still unclear who may be trying to buy the property, it is not the city, said Terry Brunner, director of the Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency.
The city received $2 million from the state Legislature to use in the International District for the redevelopment of properties like the Walmart after the store closed in 2023.
Mayor Tim Keller announced in a press release last April that the funding could be used to repurpose the site to serve local residents.
“We’re working hard to bring together community leaders, elected officials and Walmart to create a path forward for this property so that it can be a community asset and provide critical access to food and other essentials for the International District,” Keller said in the release.
Brunner said the city has not made an offer on the property since the listed asking price was approximately $10 million — significantly more than the the city received. He said the funding is still available and there are no immediate plans to use it.
“That is restricted funding so it can be used for a public use…,” Brunner said. “There are some restrictions… We do have to make the right kind of deal to use those funds.”
Residents in the International District not only have limited options for grocery stores, but also pharmacies.
Along with Walmart, the area once had a CVS — which closed in 2019 — and a Walgreens — which closed months after Walmart.
Enrique Cardiel, director of the city’s Health Equity Council, said the closed store needs to be repurposed into something “that can help out the area.”
“Definitely another grocery store, something with a pharmacy attached to it, there’s just a ton of options that are better than just letting it be,” Cardiel said.
NM governor to hold public safety town hall in Las Cruces Thursday - By Leah Romero, Source New Mexico
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham will hold the first in a series of town halls on public safety this week in Las Cruces following what she described as a “disappointing” special legislative session.
State legislators met for only five hours July 18, with a directive from Lujan Grisham to pass several public safety laws.
Instead, lawmakers approved just House Bill 1, which will provide an additional $100 million in monetary assistance to people affected by the South Fork and Salt fires in the Ruidoso area. The bill also provided $3 million for outpatient treatment pilot programs facilitated by the Administrative Office of the Court.
Both legislative chambers adjourned sine die almost immediately after unanimously passing House Bill 1.
“This first special session of the 56th Legislature could have been handled in an email,” said Sen. Cliff Pirtle (R-Roswell) of the unanimous vote on wildfire relief.
Other lawmakers said Lujan Grisham’s proposals needed more time to craft, and that the legislation they did pass is the first step to meeting her goals.
“From that vantage point, in my opinion, we did move the ball considerably further than it’s ever been moved on these issues,” House Speaker Javier Martínez (D-Albuquerque) said in a press conference after the special session.
Lujan Grisham disagreed.
“The legislature should be embarrassed at their inability to summon even an ounce of courage to adopt common-sense legislation to make New Mexicans safer,” Lujan Grisham said in response to the brief session. “This was one of the most disappointing days of my career, and the public should be outraged.”
The governor’s office announced the Las Cruces town hall on Monday, adding that it will be followed by similar public meetings around the state in the “near future.” Tuesday morning, meetings in Albuquerque and Española were added for next week.
Thursday’s town hall is open to the public and will be held at 5:30 p.m. at the Las Cruces Convention Center, 680 E. University Ave. It will also be live streamed from thegovernor’s Facebook page.
“The town hall in Las Cruces this Thursday is an opportunity to hear directly from New Mexicans grappling with the state’s crime problem and collaborate as a community on effective strategies to enhance public safety statewide,” Lujan Grisham’s office said.
Ruidoso Downs is moving to Albuquerque for the remainder of the season– KUNM News
After the battering natural disasters that hit this summer, the Ruidoso Downs horse race track has been left in shambles. The track has been deemed unsafe for the public and unusable for riders.
But this isn’t the end for the 2024 Ruidoso horse race season. The Albuquerque race track has agreed to host the riders for the remainder of this year!
The new location comes with challenges of space to keep the horses and the adjustment to new terrain, but nothing that the riders can’t handle.
Now that the races have been relocated, Ruidoso has begun work on restoring their track.
Races in Albuquerque will start up next weekend.