WASHINGTON, D.C.–US Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) is urging the National Guard Bureau near Washington D.C. to conduct an audit. This is to ensure all New Mexico National Guardsmen are being properly compensated for their service. After a New Mexico National Guardsman, who said he wasn’t fully compensated for his re-enlistment bonus, contacted Heinrich’s office. Heinrich received confirmation that there was no record of his payment being processed. In response, Heinrich sent a letter to the National Guard asking that it immediately rectify the situation.

“My staff inquired about the status of this payment and we have since received confirmation from the Army National Guard that...

Secretary of State Dianna Duran plead not guilty to 64 counts Sept. 15. The charges related to using campaign finance money for her personal use: including fraud and money laundering.

Duran appeared in person in district court in Santa Fe. She was released on her own recognizance.

The courtroom filled with a small crowd of about 15 people, mostly media, watching from monitors in the hallway.

Duran’s attorney asked the court to dismiss 15, of the 64 charges, for on a variety of reasons ranging from the location of the hearing to how the New Mexico Attorney General filed the charges.

First Judicial District Court Judge Glenn Ellington denied the motions to dismiss the charges.

An...

As a report from the New Mexico State Auditor’s Office reaffirmed, New Mexico has had serious problems with funding special education in recent years.

But the state’s ongoing struggles with special education go deeper than the audit, which found the state underfunded the program by $110 million from 2010-2012.

Throughout the years, state lawmakers have clashed with Gov. Susana Martinez on how to fix the problem.

The issue goes back to the federal Individuals with Disabilities Act, a landmark federal law passed in the 1970s that mandated public education access to special-needs students. Part of the law requires that every state increase special education money each year, or keep...

The regular City Council meeting on Sept. 8 was smoothly handled by the mayor and councilors, with no feathers ruffled on either side. That doesn’t mean it was boring though, as agreements were reached on several important items.

Street closures on Coal Avenue from 9th to 1st Streets - Sept. 18 for Miyamura High and Sept. 23 for Gallup High – for homecoming parades were quickly approved. Miyamura will begin their parade at 4 pm while Gallup High will start theirs at 4:15pm, respectively.

Another street closure request was made by the Gallup Film Festival 2015 of Coal Avenue between 2nd and 3rd Streets will last from 4 am Sept. 19 until 5 pm Sept. 20. This approval is...