New Mexico Mercury

Hualapai Canyon: A hard paradise

The preposterously vivid green-blue river flows wide and fast. Lush groves and gardens fill the canyon between red ferrous walls rising nearly vertically for thousands of feet. Two horses leisurely bathe and play in the river. Butterflies flit among purple aster, red penstemon, giant white cholla blossoms, orange globe mallow, purple lilac and yellow prickly pear blossoms, and large feathery yellow plants I can’t identify.

Life in paradise is not easy. The scenic beauty of Hualapai Canyon, part of the Grand Canyon, is about as close to paradise as you are likely to find in the United States...

Humphrey’s World: Ethical Dealings

Ethical Dealings

Weekly Poem: City Life

Bent screws.
Yard bricks displaced.
Wooden fence posts splintered.
A late night car hopped the curb,
ramped up my neighbor's driveway
and took out the corner of our fence.
 
A short fence, anyone could step over it with almost no effort,
but it kept people out,
kept us safe from bums,
random drunks, and passers through
that call this part of the city home
too...

Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks designation would boost economy in southern NM

Recently I had the privilege of participating in a convening of business owners from the Taos area to celebrate the first anniversary of the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument in northern New Mexico. The consensus among these business owners was clear: just one year in and the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument has been good for local businesses.

As our community discusses the prospect of a new national Monument in the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks region, I think it’s important to look at the data and lessons from our neighbors in the north...

El Machete: Oil Nightmare

Oil Nightmare

Dispatches from the DOJ community meetings: Part 2

Editor's note: We received this dispatch from a person who wishes to remain anonymous. Their previous dispatches from the two earlier public meetings can be found here.

The so called "war zone"  showed they know how to organize a meeting and keep order as the DOJ passed out numbers for people to wait in line to tell their stories in private with top DOJ officials who sat in another room.  Women from the Peace and Justice Center - Maria Bautista & Dinah Vargas took the lead in keeping order.  About a hundred people at the Cesar Chavez community center gathered to meet with the DOJ tonight.  Compared to the meetings at Alamosa & Palo Duro Centers the crowd was patient and peaceful...

Legislation would take aim at foreign gender based violence

The International Violence Against Women Act (IVAWA), introduced by Congresswoman Jan Schokowsky (D-IL), would be a significant advancement for women and girls as participants in humanitarian crisis situations and the future development of their communities.  Gender identities, violence, and gender inequality should be essential considerations for foreign aid and development.  Gender Based Violence (GBV) is both highly personal and individually devastating, and is a community, public health, and global economic and humanitarian issue...

There Must be a Better Idea for Expo New Mexico

The audit findings recently released regarding EXPO New Mexico presents still more documentation of the mismanagement and lack of vision and leadership that have plagued one of New Mexico’s most valuable “commons” for at least the last several years.

How can we, as responsible citizens, continue to stand by and do nothing about the misuse of this public asset, an asset that has become a financial millstone around our collective necks? Shouldn’t this 236-acre resource that is so strategically located in the middle of the State’s largest city and in the middle of our State be the “pearl” of New Mexico, a thriving site that provides a year-round venue where citizens can gather to recreate, relax and enjoy some respite from today’s pace of life?...

Dispatches from the DOJ community meetings

Editor's note: We received these dispatches and images from a person who wishes to remain anonymous.

Monday, April 28th - Alamosa Community Center DOJ Meeting

Last night at the DOJ community meeting Berry-Perry consultant (Scott T. Greenwood) was present at the back of the room.  At a point in the meeting as people were presenting their grievances to Martinez and Saucedo, the consultant moved up to the front and began responding to the expression of grievances.  Of course, his goal is to craft Berry-Perry remedies to behaviors Berry-Perry allowed to happen.   The consultants responses were therefore hopeful and promises.  Promises that no one has confidence will happen.   Another way of saying it is that his responses were PR spin and bullshit...

The Susana Martinez Bitchslap

Yo, little bitches, behind the scenes our sainted governor sure sounds like Breaking Bad’s Jesse Pinkman, always having to drop more dough in the cuss jar, Susana’s cuss jar that holds more money than New Mexico Social Services.

Don’t let that fool you, though. Not only does Suze not like social services, she still doesn’t like Hollywood either and she wants to make NM less attractive to these glamorous types.  They are not her business friends, all those actors and filmsy folk. That’s why she slashed the NM film budget, I guess.

Susana has a long list of stuff she doesn’t like and she wants to go all green eggs and ham on everything she hates just like Sarah Palin, her predecessor and mentor, just like Ted Cruz, her idol she adores...