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Volume 3, Number 108
July 10, 2008
July 10, 2008
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Special weather information
provided by:
Wendell L. Malone,
Area Skywarn Coordinator
Eddy & Culberson counties
provided by:
Wendell L. Malone,
Area Skywarn Coordinator
Eddy & Culberson counties
| THE WEATHER BOX www.eddycountyskywarn.blogspot.com A FLASH FLOOD WATCH is in effect until 3 p.m. for portions of southeast New Mexico and southwest Texas including the following areas: the Eddy County Plains, the Guadalupe Mountains and the following locations: Artesia, Carlsbad, Queen, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Guadalupe Mountains National Park and Pine Springs. Heavy rainfall has saturated the ground overnight across Eddy County and the Guadalupe Mountains. Additional heavy rainfall today will likely result in additional flash flooding across these areas. Today: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 84. South wind between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Tonight: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66. South wind between 5 and 10 mph. Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 93. South wind between 5 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Friday Night: Isolated showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 69. South wind between 10 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 10%. Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a high near 91. South wind around 10 mph. Saturday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 69. Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 91. Sunday Night: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68. Monday: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 93. Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 69. Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 99. Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 69. Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 97. |
| The United States government's national threat level is Elevated, or Yellow. The U.S. threat level is High, or Orange, for all domestic and international flights. Only small amounts of liquids, aerosols and gels are allowed in carry-on baggage. See the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) website for up-to-date information on items permitted and prohibited on airlines. |
Sports facilitiy funds score Senate approval
WASHINGTON – Federal FY2009 funding sought by U.S. Senator Pete
Domenici for a Carlsbad recreation facility took an initial step toward reality
Wednesday with the approval of a key Senate subcommittee.
Domenici serves on the Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban
Development and Related Agencies (THUD) Appropriations Subcommittee
that today approved the FY2009 THUD Appropriations Bill. The bill is
expected to be given Senate Appropriations Committee approval Thursday,
making it ready for consideration by the full Senate.
Domenici requested and gained a $200,000 earmark for continued
construction of the Carlsbad Youth Sports Complex, for which the city
purchased land and water rights in 2002. The FY2009 funds would
supplement significant federal, state and local funds and help complete the
junior and senior Little League baseball fields, as well as required
infrastructure at the complex, which expects to accommodate over 1,500
local youth.
“In a difficult appropriations year, I am encouraged we’ve overcome a
significant hurdle in achieving FY2009 funding for this Carlsbad youth
recreation facility,” said Domenici, who requested the funding in April. “I am
optimistic and will work to ensure it is included in the final federal spending
measure.”
Related to air service needs in southeast New Mexico, the subcommittee
also supported Domenici’s request for increased funding for the federal
Essential Air Service (EAS) program. The Senate bill provides $125 million
for EAS in FY2009, well above the $50 million budget request and $15
million over the $110 million provided in FY2008.
EAS provides subsidies to communities in outlying areas to help maintain
commercial air service. New Mexico is expected to receive $2.4 million this
year in EAS funding to support air service to Silver City and the nearby
communities of Hurley and Deming, as well as Alamogordo, Carlsbad,
Hobbs, and Clovis.
In announcing his appropriations requests, Domenici cautioned that he
expects a complicated House and Senate process for dealing with so-
called earmarked projects, which could make securing such FY2009
funding more competitive and difficult for specific programs in New Mexico.
Safe & sober summer
Summer is upon us and with that; traveling and summer activities are
inevitable. Officers throughout the state, including those from the New
Mexico State Police will be conducting checkpoints and saturation patrols
during July and throughout the summer, as part of the “100 Days and
Nights of Summer” campaign, in addition to the “Superblitz” DWI and
seatbelt patrols. “We will issue citations and arrest people for driving under
the influence, so designate a driver or stay sober”, warned Sergeant
Moncada of the New Mexico State Police.
Drinking and impaired driving is a serious crime, with serious
consequences. A driver’s first DWI offense could cost up to $500 in fines in
addition to other fees, time in jail, community service, Ignition Interlock,
license revocation and mandatory DWI school.
Thus far in 2008, there have been 151 fatalities from traffic crashes. Of
those, 40 were alcohol involved. Even though the fatality numbers are
down in New Mexico, the drinking and driving is ever present. So far this
year, the New Mexico State Police have arrested 1,020 drivers for DWI.
108 of those arrests have been made in Chaves, Eddy and Lea Counties.
Sergeant Moncada has some advice, “Don’t drink and drive, designate a
driver if you plan to drink, the lives you save may include your own, and
remember to wear your seatbelt and buckle up your passengers – it’s the
best defense against drunk and unsafe drivers.”
The New Mexico State Police and the Department of Transportation work in
partnership to make driving safe for all travelers, by enforcing traffic laws
and raising public awareness to prevent traffic-related crashes, injuries and
fatalities.
FISA passes, pleasing president, splitting NM senators
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman said Wednesday that he is
disappointed that the Senate failed to adopt an amendment he wrote to
significantly improve the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA)
legislation. The vote was 42-56.
The FISA bill gives the U.S. government more power to legally monitor
foreign communications. But it also gives blanket retroactive immunity to
telecom companies that assisted with the Bush administration’s unlawful
warrantless wiretapping program. While the bill orders a federal
investigation into the companies’ actions, these telecom companies would
be granted liability protection before the investigation would be completed.
Bingaman’s amendment would have put on hold all pending civil cases
brought against the telecom companies while the investigation is ongoing.
If Congress took no additional action 90 days after the completion of the
investigation, the telecom companies could seek the dismissal of the
lawsuits. But the amendment would have ensured that Congress has an
opportunity to review the findings of the review before any companies are
given blanket protection for their past actions.
“I believe the American public expects Congress to act in an informed
manner. And quite frankly, other than select members of the Intelligence
and Judiciary committees, this Congress hasn’t been fully informed about
the circumstances surrounding this program. That is precisely why the
investigation required under this legislation is so important,” Bingaman said.
“We are talking about a program that was not conducted in accordance with
the law, and from what we do know, may have violated the constitutional
rights of innocent Americans. I believe the only reasonable thing to do was
to keep these suits from being dismissed until at least we have a complete
picture of what actions we are shielding from liability,” he said.
Bingaman pointed out that although he is opposed to retroactive immunity
his amendment would have maintained the overall structure of the bill and
would simply allow Congress to consider the results of the investigation
before companies are able to seek immunity for any past violations of the
law.
Bingaman ultimately voted against the bill because he believed it was
flawed.
U.S. Senator Pete Domenici joined the Senate in approving a House-
Senate compromise to extend and reform the Foreign Intelligence
Surveillance Act (FISA).
The Senate passed the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 (HR.6304) on a 69-
28 vote. The measure is a compromise FISA reauthorization that was
negotiated by the House, Senate and White House to extend surveillance
authority and address concerns raised about U.S. electronic foreign
surveillance activities.
“The necessity to provide for our nation’s safety and security should be
balanced with our approach to American civil rights. I believe this
legislation will give our intelligence community the tools it needs to pursue
foreign enemies and address some of the concerns raised by those who
don’t like this necessary law. I am glad it was approved by the Senate, and
only regret that this Congress allowed the FISA law to lapse while we
worked on a compromise,” said Domenici, who is a member of the Senate
Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee.
Among other things, HR.6304 establishes procedures and safeguards for
federal authorities to authorize surveillance targeted at individuals located
outside the United States—including a new requirement for court review of
certifications and procedures with an exception in the case of emergency
circumstances. Existing FISA law expired in February of this year following
Congressional disagreements related to the original FISA definition of
“electronic surveillance.”
The measure was sent to the president Wednesday, who said, "Today the
United States Congress passed a vital piece of legislation that will make it
easier for this administration and future administrations to protect the
American people. This vital intelligence bill will allow our national security
professionals to quickly and effectively monitor the plans of terrorists
outside the United States, while respecting the liberties of the American
people."
"This legislation is critical to America's safety; it is long overdue. Months
ago my administration set out key criteria that this intelligence legislation
would have to have before I would sign it into law. The Attorney General
and Director of National Intelligence report that the bill Congress passed
today meets these criteria, and therefore, I will soon sign the bill into law.
"This bill will help our intelligence professionals learn who the terrorists are
talking to, what they're saying, and what they're planning. It will ensure that
those companies whose assistance is necessary to protect the country will,
themselves, be protected from lawsuits for past or future cooperation with
the government. It will uphold our most solemn obligation as officials of the
federal government to protect the American people.
"I want to thank the members of my administration who worked hard to get
this legislation passed. I thank the Democratic and Republican leadership in
the Congress for their efforts, particularly House Majority Leader Hoyer,
House Republican Whip Blunt, Senators Bond and Rockefeller,
Congressmen Hoekstra, Reyes and Smith.
"This legislation shows that even in an election year we can come together
and get important pieces of legislation passed."
Veteran Museum Task Force seeking ideas
SANTA FE - Governor Bill Richardson's Veteran Museum Task Force is
seeking ideas from communities. The Veterans Museum Task Force met
recently and they are looking for local input to choose a location for the
new State of New Mexico Veterans Museum.
The 20 member Task Force has invited interested communities to present
their proposals on July 30th at 10:00am at the Wells Fargo Theater at the
National Hispanic Cultural Center. Each community will have thirty minutes
to present. Criteria identified by the task force that are necessary for a final
recommendation to the Governor include population, local support, existing
facilities and local veteran population. In their proposals, the task force is
also asking communities to provide a “dream sheet” image of the size of the
proposed museum, the number of expected visitors per year and a
projected budget.
A final meeting of the Veterans Museum Task Force will be held in early
August to order to vote on a recommendation. A written report on the
activities of the task force and the recommended site for the museum will be
submitted to the Governor no later than August 20, 2008.
Governor Richardson has said that he will support legislation in the
upcoming 2009 session to create a Veterans Museum once a suitable
location has been selected.
Communities looking for information please contact Ana Canales,
Department of Cultural Affairs at 505-827-8425 or via email at
ana.canales@state.nm.us.
Council addresses several issues at Tuesday's meeting
ARTESIA – Darrell Moore appeared before the Artesia City Council at its
regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday night. Moore, the Environmental
Manager at Navajo Refining, requested a water monitor well surface
easement for installation of three water monitoring wells.
The New Mexico Environment Department has instructed Navajo Refining to
install the wells upstream of the plant, the purpose of which is “to
determine/establish background concentrations in groundwater...to
determine whether there are upgradient sources of contamination.” Moore
explained that the wells will serve as an initial baseline and testing results
will be compared with those of monitoring wells existing at Navajo and
downstream.
Monitoring and comparing results will allow technicians to better pinpoint
the source of any foreign substances that may be detected. However, in
the ensuing discussion, council expressed concern over the proposed
locations of the wells, especially in areas that are watered with non-potable
water.
Moore informed council that the NMED has given the refinery a deadline of
July 31st to bring these wells online, but that if the city did not grant the
easement, he would be able to approach NMED to identify different site
locations for the wells, which would extend the deadline. Council did agree
that alternate locations would provide more accurate results and requested
that Moore return to NMED for alternate locations, at which point he may
return to council for the easement.
Dennis Maupin, speaking on behalf of his father, James Maupin, brought a
complaint to the council regarding the erection of a mailbox at the senior
Maupin's new home on Runyan Avenue. Other homes in the area sport the
large brick edifices enclosing a mail receptacle, similar to that which the
Maupins were constructing. However, their effort was thwarted when a “red
tag” was issued, ordering them to stop construction.
Community Development Director Tina Torres, Code Enforcement Officer
Cheryl Hinkle and the Artesia Postmaster Tom Bishop explained to council
that this type of ornamental mailbox could be considered an obstruction of
the sidewalk.
The municipal code states, “It is unlawful to hinder, annoy or molest
persons passing along any street, sidewalk, crosswalk or other public way,
or to lie, sit or stand around the entrance of any church, theater, public
building or other place of public assemblage in any manner so as to
unreasonably obstruct such entrance, or to place or erect upon any public
way an obstruction of any type except temporary barriers or warning signs
placed for the purpose of safeguarding the public against any hazard.”
Hinkle also added that in cooperation with the United States Postal Service,
her office invited Bishop to present information from the postal service to
area contractors and developers last fall. New postal regulations are
requiring multiple receptacle “clusterboxes” in new developments. Maupin
argued that the wording of the mandate indicated that clusterboxes would
be the delivery method for rural delivery. Bishop acknowledged this and
explained that determination of “city” and “rural” for postal service purposes
was not defined by municipal boundaries and that the area in question is
designated as rural.
Other federal agencies differentiate on criteria such as population, for
example, and consider Artesia to be a rural area and not urban or
suburban.
Maupin had offered to extend the sidewalk around the mailbox in order to
comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Maupin himself is sensitive
to the issue as he has health concerns and uses a walker to aid in his
mobility. Council was amenable to considering a variance for Mr. Maupin,
but City Attorney John Caraway pointed out that a variance request must
go through the Planning and Zoning Commission.
In other matters, council considered four items in public hearings, including
an amendment to Chapter 9 of the Artesia Municipal Code regarding dust
control at construction sites. The Building Inspector has been requesting
that contractors make a considerable effort in controlling dust when they
disturb the earth, but several complaints lead the Planning Department to
present an ordinance for consideration.
There have also been instances where homeowners have bladed large
sections of their properties, causing significant problems with dust for their
neighbors. The new ordinance will prohibit blading of an entire lot for any
purpose and instruct construction crews to take efforts to keep blowing dust
to a minimum. Many of the complaints were addressed by asking
contractors to water as they removed ground cover to hold down the dust.
Human Resources Director Bill Thalman presented several names to
council for hire and promotion, all of which were approved. Lorenzo
Onsurez, Alejandro Martinez and William Melton were hired as Water
Technicians in the Water Department. Russel Lesley and Frank Ruiz were
hired as Equipment Operators in the Streets Department. Gabriel Herrera
was promoted to Wastewater Assistant in the Wastewater Department and
Cammie Agour was promoted to Graffiti Eradicator in the Infrastructure
Department.
WASHINGTON – Federal FY2009 funding sought by U.S. Senator Pete
Domenici for a Carlsbad recreation facility took an initial step toward reality
Wednesday with the approval of a key Senate subcommittee.
Domenici serves on the Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban
Development and Related Agencies (THUD) Appropriations Subcommittee
that today approved the FY2009 THUD Appropriations Bill. The bill is
expected to be given Senate Appropriations Committee approval Thursday,
making it ready for consideration by the full Senate.
Domenici requested and gained a $200,000 earmark for continued
construction of the Carlsbad Youth Sports Complex, for which the city
purchased land and water rights in 2002. The FY2009 funds would
supplement significant federal, state and local funds and help complete the
junior and senior Little League baseball fields, as well as required
infrastructure at the complex, which expects to accommodate over 1,500
local youth.
“In a difficult appropriations year, I am encouraged we’ve overcome a
significant hurdle in achieving FY2009 funding for this Carlsbad youth
recreation facility,” said Domenici, who requested the funding in April. “I am
optimistic and will work to ensure it is included in the final federal spending
measure.”
Related to air service needs in southeast New Mexico, the subcommittee
also supported Domenici’s request for increased funding for the federal
Essential Air Service (EAS) program. The Senate bill provides $125 million
for EAS in FY2009, well above the $50 million budget request and $15
million over the $110 million provided in FY2008.
EAS provides subsidies to communities in outlying areas to help maintain
commercial air service. New Mexico is expected to receive $2.4 million this
year in EAS funding to support air service to Silver City and the nearby
communities of Hurley and Deming, as well as Alamogordo, Carlsbad,
Hobbs, and Clovis.
In announcing his appropriations requests, Domenici cautioned that he
expects a complicated House and Senate process for dealing with so-
called earmarked projects, which could make securing such FY2009
funding more competitive and difficult for specific programs in New Mexico.
Safe & sober summer
Summer is upon us and with that; traveling and summer activities are
inevitable. Officers throughout the state, including those from the New
Mexico State Police will be conducting checkpoints and saturation patrols
during July and throughout the summer, as part of the “100 Days and
Nights of Summer” campaign, in addition to the “Superblitz” DWI and
seatbelt patrols. “We will issue citations and arrest people for driving under
the influence, so designate a driver or stay sober”, warned Sergeant
Moncada of the New Mexico State Police.
Drinking and impaired driving is a serious crime, with serious
consequences. A driver’s first DWI offense could cost up to $500 in fines in
addition to other fees, time in jail, community service, Ignition Interlock,
license revocation and mandatory DWI school.
Thus far in 2008, there have been 151 fatalities from traffic crashes. Of
those, 40 were alcohol involved. Even though the fatality numbers are
down in New Mexico, the drinking and driving is ever present. So far this
year, the New Mexico State Police have arrested 1,020 drivers for DWI.
108 of those arrests have been made in Chaves, Eddy and Lea Counties.
Sergeant Moncada has some advice, “Don’t drink and drive, designate a
driver if you plan to drink, the lives you save may include your own, and
remember to wear your seatbelt and buckle up your passengers – it’s the
best defense against drunk and unsafe drivers.”
The New Mexico State Police and the Department of Transportation work in
partnership to make driving safe for all travelers, by enforcing traffic laws
and raising public awareness to prevent traffic-related crashes, injuries and
fatalities.
FISA passes, pleasing president, splitting NM senators
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman said Wednesday that he is
disappointed that the Senate failed to adopt an amendment he wrote to
significantly improve the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA)
legislation. The vote was 42-56.
The FISA bill gives the U.S. government more power to legally monitor
foreign communications. But it also gives blanket retroactive immunity to
telecom companies that assisted with the Bush administration’s unlawful
warrantless wiretapping program. While the bill orders a federal
investigation into the companies’ actions, these telecom companies would
be granted liability protection before the investigation would be completed.
Bingaman’s amendment would have put on hold all pending civil cases
brought against the telecom companies while the investigation is ongoing.
If Congress took no additional action 90 days after the completion of the
investigation, the telecom companies could seek the dismissal of the
lawsuits. But the amendment would have ensured that Congress has an
opportunity to review the findings of the review before any companies are
given blanket protection for their past actions.
“I believe the American public expects Congress to act in an informed
manner. And quite frankly, other than select members of the Intelligence
and Judiciary committees, this Congress hasn’t been fully informed about
the circumstances surrounding this program. That is precisely why the
investigation required under this legislation is so important,” Bingaman said.
“We are talking about a program that was not conducted in accordance with
the law, and from what we do know, may have violated the constitutional
rights of innocent Americans. I believe the only reasonable thing to do was
to keep these suits from being dismissed until at least we have a complete
picture of what actions we are shielding from liability,” he said.
Bingaman pointed out that although he is opposed to retroactive immunity
his amendment would have maintained the overall structure of the bill and
would simply allow Congress to consider the results of the investigation
before companies are able to seek immunity for any past violations of the
law.
Bingaman ultimately voted against the bill because he believed it was
flawed.
U.S. Senator Pete Domenici joined the Senate in approving a House-
Senate compromise to extend and reform the Foreign Intelligence
Surveillance Act (FISA).
The Senate passed the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 (HR.6304) on a 69-
28 vote. The measure is a compromise FISA reauthorization that was
negotiated by the House, Senate and White House to extend surveillance
authority and address concerns raised about U.S. electronic foreign
surveillance activities.
“The necessity to provide for our nation’s safety and security should be
balanced with our approach to American civil rights. I believe this
legislation will give our intelligence community the tools it needs to pursue
foreign enemies and address some of the concerns raised by those who
don’t like this necessary law. I am glad it was approved by the Senate, and
only regret that this Congress allowed the FISA law to lapse while we
worked on a compromise,” said Domenici, who is a member of the Senate
Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee.
Among other things, HR.6304 establishes procedures and safeguards for
federal authorities to authorize surveillance targeted at individuals located
outside the United States—including a new requirement for court review of
certifications and procedures with an exception in the case of emergency
circumstances. Existing FISA law expired in February of this year following
Congressional disagreements related to the original FISA definition of
“electronic surveillance.”
The measure was sent to the president Wednesday, who said, "Today the
United States Congress passed a vital piece of legislation that will make it
easier for this administration and future administrations to protect the
American people. This vital intelligence bill will allow our national security
professionals to quickly and effectively monitor the plans of terrorists
outside the United States, while respecting the liberties of the American
people."
"This legislation is critical to America's safety; it is long overdue. Months
ago my administration set out key criteria that this intelligence legislation
would have to have before I would sign it into law. The Attorney General
and Director of National Intelligence report that the bill Congress passed
today meets these criteria, and therefore, I will soon sign the bill into law.
"This bill will help our intelligence professionals learn who the terrorists are
talking to, what they're saying, and what they're planning. It will ensure that
those companies whose assistance is necessary to protect the country will,
themselves, be protected from lawsuits for past or future cooperation with
the government. It will uphold our most solemn obligation as officials of the
federal government to protect the American people.
"I want to thank the members of my administration who worked hard to get
this legislation passed. I thank the Democratic and Republican leadership in
the Congress for their efforts, particularly House Majority Leader Hoyer,
House Republican Whip Blunt, Senators Bond and Rockefeller,
Congressmen Hoekstra, Reyes and Smith.
"This legislation shows that even in an election year we can come together
and get important pieces of legislation passed."
Veteran Museum Task Force seeking ideas
SANTA FE - Governor Bill Richardson's Veteran Museum Task Force is
seeking ideas from communities. The Veterans Museum Task Force met
recently and they are looking for local input to choose a location for the
new State of New Mexico Veterans Museum.
The 20 member Task Force has invited interested communities to present
their proposals on July 30th at 10:00am at the Wells Fargo Theater at the
National Hispanic Cultural Center. Each community will have thirty minutes
to present. Criteria identified by the task force that are necessary for a final
recommendation to the Governor include population, local support, existing
facilities and local veteran population. In their proposals, the task force is
also asking communities to provide a “dream sheet” image of the size of the
proposed museum, the number of expected visitors per year and a
projected budget.
A final meeting of the Veterans Museum Task Force will be held in early
August to order to vote on a recommendation. A written report on the
activities of the task force and the recommended site for the museum will be
submitted to the Governor no later than August 20, 2008.
Governor Richardson has said that he will support legislation in the
upcoming 2009 session to create a Veterans Museum once a suitable
location has been selected.
Communities looking for information please contact Ana Canales,
Department of Cultural Affairs at 505-827-8425 or via email at
ana.canales@state.nm.us.
Council addresses several issues at Tuesday's meeting
ARTESIA – Darrell Moore appeared before the Artesia City Council at its
regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday night. Moore, the Environmental
Manager at Navajo Refining, requested a water monitor well surface
easement for installation of three water monitoring wells.
The New Mexico Environment Department has instructed Navajo Refining to
install the wells upstream of the plant, the purpose of which is “to
determine/establish background concentrations in groundwater...to
determine whether there are upgradient sources of contamination.” Moore
explained that the wells will serve as an initial baseline and testing results
will be compared with those of monitoring wells existing at Navajo and
downstream.
Monitoring and comparing results will allow technicians to better pinpoint
the source of any foreign substances that may be detected. However, in
the ensuing discussion, council expressed concern over the proposed
locations of the wells, especially in areas that are watered with non-potable
water.
Moore informed council that the NMED has given the refinery a deadline of
July 31st to bring these wells online, but that if the city did not grant the
easement, he would be able to approach NMED to identify different site
locations for the wells, which would extend the deadline. Council did agree
that alternate locations would provide more accurate results and requested
that Moore return to NMED for alternate locations, at which point he may
return to council for the easement.
Dennis Maupin, speaking on behalf of his father, James Maupin, brought a
complaint to the council regarding the erection of a mailbox at the senior
Maupin's new home on Runyan Avenue. Other homes in the area sport the
large brick edifices enclosing a mail receptacle, similar to that which the
Maupins were constructing. However, their effort was thwarted when a “red
tag” was issued, ordering them to stop construction.
Community Development Director Tina Torres, Code Enforcement Officer
Cheryl Hinkle and the Artesia Postmaster Tom Bishop explained to council
that this type of ornamental mailbox could be considered an obstruction of
the sidewalk.
The municipal code states, “It is unlawful to hinder, annoy or molest
persons passing along any street, sidewalk, crosswalk or other public way,
or to lie, sit or stand around the entrance of any church, theater, public
building or other place of public assemblage in any manner so as to
unreasonably obstruct such entrance, or to place or erect upon any public
way an obstruction of any type except temporary barriers or warning signs
placed for the purpose of safeguarding the public against any hazard.”
Hinkle also added that in cooperation with the United States Postal Service,
her office invited Bishop to present information from the postal service to
area contractors and developers last fall. New postal regulations are
requiring multiple receptacle “clusterboxes” in new developments. Maupin
argued that the wording of the mandate indicated that clusterboxes would
be the delivery method for rural delivery. Bishop acknowledged this and
explained that determination of “city” and “rural” for postal service purposes
was not defined by municipal boundaries and that the area in question is
designated as rural.
Other federal agencies differentiate on criteria such as population, for
example, and consider Artesia to be a rural area and not urban or
suburban.
Maupin had offered to extend the sidewalk around the mailbox in order to
comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Maupin himself is sensitive
to the issue as he has health concerns and uses a walker to aid in his
mobility. Council was amenable to considering a variance for Mr. Maupin,
but City Attorney John Caraway pointed out that a variance request must
go through the Planning and Zoning Commission.
In other matters, council considered four items in public hearings, including
an amendment to Chapter 9 of the Artesia Municipal Code regarding dust
control at construction sites. The Building Inspector has been requesting
that contractors make a considerable effort in controlling dust when they
disturb the earth, but several complaints lead the Planning Department to
present an ordinance for consideration.
There have also been instances where homeowners have bladed large
sections of their properties, causing significant problems with dust for their
neighbors. The new ordinance will prohibit blading of an entire lot for any
purpose and instruct construction crews to take efforts to keep blowing dust
to a minimum. Many of the complaints were addressed by asking
contractors to water as they removed ground cover to hold down the dust.
Human Resources Director Bill Thalman presented several names to
council for hire and promotion, all of which were approved. Lorenzo
Onsurez, Alejandro Martinez and William Melton were hired as Water
Technicians in the Water Department. Russel Lesley and Frank Ruiz were
hired as Equipment Operators in the Streets Department. Gabriel Herrera
was promoted to Wastewater Assistant in the Wastewater Department and
Cammie Agour was promoted to Graffiti Eradicator in the Infrastructure
Department.
Picnic & concert to highlight Conference
By Justin Bannister, NMSU
LAS CRUCES - New Mexico State University is
set to play host to a collection of local, state and
national leaders, as well as hundreds of
attendees to the inaugural Domenici Public
Policy Conference, Aug. 20-22, at NMSU. The
conference will conclude with a free picnic and
free concert performed by Randy Travis.
New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson is
expected to lead off the conference. Former U.
S. Secretary of State James A Baker, III, U.S.
Senator Jeff Bingaman, former U.S.
Representative Manuel Lujan, Jr. and U.S.
Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman have
all agreed to speak during the event.
“Sen. Domenici is a visionary,” said Garrey
Carruthers, NMSU vice president for economic
development and chair of the Pete V. Domenici
Legacy. “It’s because of his vision that New
Mexico looks the way it does today. This
conference will celebrate his vision and his
impact not only on New Mexico, but on the entire
country.”
“This project is incredibly important – not just to
New Mexico State University, but to the entire
country,” said Waded Cruzado, NMSU’s
executive vice president and provost. “The work
done by Sen. Domenici and those who research
his legacy will guide us for years to come.”
The Domenici Conference is part of the Pete V.
Domenici Legacy, a statewide effort led by
NMSU to honor the senator’s historic tenure in
the U.S. Senate. Domenici will retire this year as
the longest serving senator in New Mexico
history.
Domenici Conference sessions will focus on
topics important to the senator during his time in
office, including behavioral health, national
security, the federal budget and nuclear
nonproliferation.
Registration is available online at the
conference Web site, http://domenici.nmsu.edu.
The registration fee is $200 and $100 for
students, with scholarships available.
Registration is required for most conference
events. The opening ceremony Thursday
morning, a plenary session Thursday evening,
the picnic Friday morning and the Randy Travis
concert Friday afternoon are free and open to
the public. A complete conference agenda can
be found on the Domenici Conference Web site,
where the public is encouraged to sign up for
public events.
“We plan to make this an annual event where
scholars, leaders and friends of Sen. Domenici
gather to share their stories of his contributions
to public policy,” said Christina Chavez Kelley,
project manager for NMSU’s Domenici Legacy
activities.
Other confirmed conference speakers include
Paul Robinson, former ambassador and
president emeritus of Sandia National
Laboratories; Michael J. Fitzpatrick, executive
director of the National Alliance on Mental
Illness; William Hoagland, a former member of
Domenici’s staff; and Siegfried Hecker, co-
director of the Center for International Security
and Cooperation. Other speakers will be
confirmed later this summer.
While the conference will take place at NMSU,
Chavez Kelley said it is a statewide effort, with
support and participation from universities
around New Mexico. Students from NMSU, Dona
Ana Community College, New Mexico Tech, the
University of New Mexico, Eastern New Mexico
University and Western New Mexico University
will have a chance to review academic papers
written by presenters and ask questions of their
research.
Additional Pete V. Domenici Legacy activities will
include housing the Domenici Archives at the
NMSU Library, the planning and construction of
a building on the NMSU campus to honor the
senator and the formation of the Domenici
Public Policy Institute. For more information on
the conference, e-mail pdl@nmsu.edu.
Gas-saving tips
With the national average price of regular gas
up to $4 a gallon, and New Yorkers and
Californians paying far above that amount,
people are scrambling to find ways to conserve
gas. Want to save 20% or more on fuel costs?
Follow these 10 simple tips from the Consumer
Federation of America.
Check Your Air Filter
A clean air filter can improve gas mileage by as
much as 10%, and nearly one in four cars
needs an air filter replacement.
Cost Savings: 28 cents a gallon.
Straighten Up
Poor alignment not only causes tires to wear out
more quickly, but also forces your engine to
work harder, which can reduce fuel economy by
as much as 10%.
Cost Savings: 28 cents per gallon.
Tune Up
A properly tuned engine can improve mileage
by 4%.
Cost Savings: 11 cents a gallon.
Pump 'em Up
More than one-quarter of vehicles have
improperly inflated tires. The average under-
inflation of 7.5 pounds causes a loss of 2.8% in
fuel efficiency.
Cost Savings: 8 cents per gallon.
Check Your Cap
It is estimated that nearly 17% of cars on the
road have broken or missing gas caps, which
not only reduces gas mileage but may harm the
environment.
Cost Savings: 2 cents per gallon.
Slow Down
For every 5 mph you reduce highway speed,
you can reduce fuel consumption by 7%.
Cost Savings: 19 cents, by reducing speed from
70 mph to 65 mph.
Drive More Smoothly
The more smoothly you accelerate and
decelerate, the better your gas mileage, with
potential gas savings of 33% on the highway
and 5% around town.
Cost Savings: 48 cents a gallon.
Don't Give Your Foot a Brake
Riding with your foot on the brake not only
wears out brakes but can also increase gas
consumption by as much as 35%.
Cost Savings: 96 cents per gallon.
Lighten Up
For every 100 extra pounds carried around,
your vehicle loses 1 to 2% in fuel efficiency.
Cost Savings: 4 cents per gallon, per 100
pounds of weight removed.
Don't Be Idle
Besides causing pollution, idling wastes gas. If
stopped for more than 30 seconds, turn off the
engine, and don't bother to 'warm up' your car
before driving -- it is not necessary.
Cost Savings: 1 cent per gallon, for every two
minutes you avoid idling.
For more information, tips and ideas, visit
DoSomething.org.
By Justin Bannister, NMSU
LAS CRUCES - New Mexico State University is
set to play host to a collection of local, state and
national leaders, as well as hundreds of
attendees to the inaugural Domenici Public
Policy Conference, Aug. 20-22, at NMSU. The
conference will conclude with a free picnic and
free concert performed by Randy Travis.
New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson is
expected to lead off the conference. Former U.
S. Secretary of State James A Baker, III, U.S.
Senator Jeff Bingaman, former U.S.
Representative Manuel Lujan, Jr. and U.S.
Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman have
all agreed to speak during the event.
“Sen. Domenici is a visionary,” said Garrey
Carruthers, NMSU vice president for economic
development and chair of the Pete V. Domenici
Legacy. “It’s because of his vision that New
Mexico looks the way it does today. This
conference will celebrate his vision and his
impact not only on New Mexico, but on the entire
country.”
“This project is incredibly important – not just to
New Mexico State University, but to the entire
country,” said Waded Cruzado, NMSU’s
executive vice president and provost. “The work
done by Sen. Domenici and those who research
his legacy will guide us for years to come.”
The Domenici Conference is part of the Pete V.
Domenici Legacy, a statewide effort led by
NMSU to honor the senator’s historic tenure in
the U.S. Senate. Domenici will retire this year as
the longest serving senator in New Mexico
history.
Domenici Conference sessions will focus on
topics important to the senator during his time in
office, including behavioral health, national
security, the federal budget and nuclear
nonproliferation.
Registration is available online at the
conference Web site, http://domenici.nmsu.edu.
The registration fee is $200 and $100 for
students, with scholarships available.
Registration is required for most conference
events. The opening ceremony Thursday
morning, a plenary session Thursday evening,
the picnic Friday morning and the Randy Travis
concert Friday afternoon are free and open to
the public. A complete conference agenda can
be found on the Domenici Conference Web site,
where the public is encouraged to sign up for
public events.
“We plan to make this an annual event where
scholars, leaders and friends of Sen. Domenici
gather to share their stories of his contributions
to public policy,” said Christina Chavez Kelley,
project manager for NMSU’s Domenici Legacy
activities.
Other confirmed conference speakers include
Paul Robinson, former ambassador and
president emeritus of Sandia National
Laboratories; Michael J. Fitzpatrick, executive
director of the National Alliance on Mental
Illness; William Hoagland, a former member of
Domenici’s staff; and Siegfried Hecker, co-
director of the Center for International Security
and Cooperation. Other speakers will be
confirmed later this summer.
While the conference will take place at NMSU,
Chavez Kelley said it is a statewide effort, with
support and participation from universities
around New Mexico. Students from NMSU, Dona
Ana Community College, New Mexico Tech, the
University of New Mexico, Eastern New Mexico
University and Western New Mexico University
will have a chance to review academic papers
written by presenters and ask questions of their
research.
Additional Pete V. Domenici Legacy activities will
include housing the Domenici Archives at the
NMSU Library, the planning and construction of
a building on the NMSU campus to honor the
senator and the formation of the Domenici
Public Policy Institute. For more information on
the conference, e-mail pdl@nmsu.edu.
Gas-saving tips
With the national average price of regular gas
up to $4 a gallon, and New Yorkers and
Californians paying far above that amount,
people are scrambling to find ways to conserve
gas. Want to save 20% or more on fuel costs?
Follow these 10 simple tips from the Consumer
Federation of America.
Check Your Air Filter
A clean air filter can improve gas mileage by as
much as 10%, and nearly one in four cars
needs an air filter replacement.
Cost Savings: 28 cents a gallon.
Straighten Up
Poor alignment not only causes tires to wear out
more quickly, but also forces your engine to
work harder, which can reduce fuel economy by
as much as 10%.
Cost Savings: 28 cents per gallon.
Tune Up
A properly tuned engine can improve mileage
by 4%.
Cost Savings: 11 cents a gallon.
Pump 'em Up
More than one-quarter of vehicles have
improperly inflated tires. The average under-
inflation of 7.5 pounds causes a loss of 2.8% in
fuel efficiency.
Cost Savings: 8 cents per gallon.
Check Your Cap
It is estimated that nearly 17% of cars on the
road have broken or missing gas caps, which
not only reduces gas mileage but may harm the
environment.
Cost Savings: 2 cents per gallon.
Slow Down
For every 5 mph you reduce highway speed,
you can reduce fuel consumption by 7%.
Cost Savings: 19 cents, by reducing speed from
70 mph to 65 mph.
Drive More Smoothly
The more smoothly you accelerate and
decelerate, the better your gas mileage, with
potential gas savings of 33% on the highway
and 5% around town.
Cost Savings: 48 cents a gallon.
Don't Give Your Foot a Brake
Riding with your foot on the brake not only
wears out brakes but can also increase gas
consumption by as much as 35%.
Cost Savings: 96 cents per gallon.
Lighten Up
For every 100 extra pounds carried around,
your vehicle loses 1 to 2% in fuel efficiency.
Cost Savings: 4 cents per gallon, per 100
pounds of weight removed.
Don't Be Idle
Besides causing pollution, idling wastes gas. If
stopped for more than 30 seconds, turn off the
engine, and don't bother to 'warm up' your car
before driving -- it is not necessary.
Cost Savings: 1 cent per gallon, for every two
minutes you avoid idling.
For more information, tips and ideas, visit
DoSomething.org.