Ray Powell announced on Nov. 15 that he is leaving the race for New Mexico State Land Commissioner due to health issues.

The Democrat, who previously served in that position from 1993-2002 and 2011-2014, said he made the difficult decision after being diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis, an autoimmune disease.

He explained that after complications from dental work he had a hard time speaking, and knew he should see a doctor. Unable to get an appointment with a neurologist within the next few months, he went to the emergency room instead.

“You just can’t run a statewide campaign, or I can’t, with this condition,” Powell told NM Political Report. He’s confident that with...

Sham charity raised money, but had no local programs

ALBUQUERQUE – Attorney General Hector Balderas announced Nov. 6, a settlement between 27 states and VietNow National Headquarters, Inc., an Illinois nonprofit corporation, resulting in the organization’s dissolution.

The states alleged thousands of deceptive solicitation violations against VietNow for misrepresenting its charitable programs to donors, including in New Mexico. The investigations of VietNow by Attorney General Balderas and other states led to the present negotiated resolution.

“Preying on New Mexicans’ generosity and desire to help our veterans is disgusting and I pleased to say we have shut down this sham...

Impacts San Juan County

Staff Reports

On Nov. 6, the Utah Federal District Court held a status conference in Navajo Nation v. San Juan County. After the conference a minute entry was entered scheduling two public meetings in San Juan County on Nov. 16. One meeting will be held at the Hide Out Community Center in Monticello, UT from 10:30 am -12:30 pm. The second meeting will be held at Bluff Community Center in Bluff, UT from 3:30 - 5:30 pm.

These meeting will provide San Juan County community members an opportunity to comment on the proposed School Board and County Commission election districts. Each site will have tables for the public to submit comments and a court staff...

“I’m openly skeptical we’ll ever be able to fill Elephant Butte Reservoir again,” Dr. David Gutzler told attendees of a recent climate change conference. That’s given the trend toward diminished flows in the Rio Grande resulting from the continued global rise in temperature.

The University of New Mexico Earth and Planetary Studies Department professor delivered the grim news on a crisp, yellow and blue fall morning along the bosque in Albuquerque.

Since the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation completed the reservoir in 1916 to supply farmers in southern New Mexico and Texas with water, the reservoir’s levels have fluctuated—from highs in the 1940s to lows in the 1950s...