2019 Year in Review

Record Lightning

A new report said that U.S. weather satellites detected the longest lightning ever observed — a 300-mile bolt from Texas to Kansas. Other researchers measured the most powerful thunderstorm on record, with an electric potential of 1.3 billion volts in India.

Plastic Homes

A Mexican engineer has developed a process to recycle plastic into houses that may last for up to 150 years. Ramón Espinosa’s Eco Plastico Ambiental company converts the ubiquitous debris into strong sheets of “plastic wood” that can be used to build homes, furniture and other objects. Plastic is now one of the world’s most pervasive environmental pollutants.

Magnetic...

This year the Gallup Sun asked local leaders to think about the issues that concern them. They were asked how they planned to address those issues in the coming year, and what their biggest dream was for their organization, department or board for 2020.  Also, they were asked how they plan to achieve those results.

Here are their answers in their own words:



James Maiorano III, Undersheriff, McKinley County Sheriff’s Office



Issues and how we plan to address them:

“We at the Sheriff’s Office are always looking for ways to improve the quality of living in the community and the quality of service we provide. We pride ourselves in participating in community events...

Resigns chair positions, continues as senator

SANTA FE – Following his conviction for DWI, Senator Richard Martinez, D-Los Alamos, Rio Arriba, Sandoval, Santa Fe, resigned his positions as Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and Co-Chair of the Courts, Corrections and Justice Interim Committee.

In a letter dated Dec. 27, Martinez told N. M. Sen. President Pro tem Mary Kay Papen and Sen. Majority leader Peter Wirth, “After extensive thought and consideration and given my recent DWI conviction, I have decided to resign my position as Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and Co-Chair of the Courts, Corrections and Justice Interim Committee. I want to thank those who made it...

San Juan Generating Station abandonment

SANTA FE - Chairperson Theresa Becenti-Aguilar has announced plans to give her constituents the chance to voice their opinions about abandonment of the San Juan Generating Station when the Public Regulation Commission holds a Public Comment Hearing on the case.

The Public Comment Hearing will begin at 4 pm, Jan. 6 at San Juan College in the Henderson Fine Arts Building, Rm. 9008 at 4601 College Blvd., Farmington.

Comments will be limited to three (3) minutes per person.

Comments mailed to the PRC at P.O. Box 1269, Santa Fe, NM 87504 will also be taken into consideration by the PRC.

Please include San Juan Generating Station Abandonment case...