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Albuquerque NM Apartments And Finding The Right One

How do you find the right Albuquerque NM apartments for you and your family? It’s not that difficult if you use the internet to research your options a little. Here are some tips that will help you find your next apartment in the Albuquerque NM area.

You want to rent an apartment that’s in great shape. If you go to visit one and it’s dirty and/or has other problems, you shouldn’t rent it. It’s only wise to rent from a person that takes good care of their apartments at all times. So, before you rent a place you need to check it out carefully in person. If you notice an issue or two, let the owner know about it. If they don’t agree to fix up the apartment before you rent it, then you should avoid renting it altogether so its problems don’t become yours.

Are you going to be able to afford the apartment that you’re interested in? Know that you don’t just have to pay the rent because you generally also have to pay for things like your electricity usage. So, do the math to figure out what it’s going to cost you overall to live in a certain apartment. If you can barely afford it or not afford it at all, you should try to find another option. You don’t want to end up living somewhere that takes all of the money you have coming in from work.

Apartments need to be in a complex that has amenities that you’re interested in. For instance, there may be a laundry facility on site so you don’t have to go to a laundromat when you want to clean your clothing. You may also want to rent a place that has a pool if you have kids and want them to be able to have fun there during the summer. If there are any amenities included with an apartment, make sure you go to check them out in person. That way, if anything is out of order for whatever reason, you’ll know it before you rent the apartment.

Figure out if the area you’re going to live in is nice or not. If you notice that the apartments in a certain area are less money than other areas, it’s generally going to be due to the fact that the apartments are not in nice areas. You don’t want to rent a place that’s not in a nice area if you want to feel safe about where you are living. You should especially be careful if you have a family that you want to be safe. Some neighborhoods are just not that nice to live in.

You now know how to find good Albuquerque NM apartments that will suit you the most. You’ll learn quickly that there are quite a few options in this city. When you find the right place it will be clear that it’s right for you because you will have done your research on it before renting it.

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Federal judge sides with New Mexico ranchers in water case

A U.S. court has sided with a New Mexico ranching family in a decades-long battle over access to water on national forest land, providing more certainty that state law allows for the protection of water rights dating back more than a century.

The case of the Goss family has been closely watched by thousands of ranchers who hold grazing permits across the West.

Attorneys and others say the outcome could have ripple effects on ranchers and rural communities that have often complained about federal land managers trampling property rights.

The Goss family claimed the federal government violated its constitutional rights by not providing just compensation after condemning property — in this case water rights that had been established before Lincoln National Forest was created.

U.S. Court of Federal Claims Chief Judge Susan Braden agreed. On Friday, she ordered the family and the U.S. Forest Service to determine whether alternative water sources are available that can allow the family — operating as the Sacramento Grazing Association Inc. — to operate a viable cattle business.

Braden must still determine how much compensation the family is owed.

Regional officials with the U.S. Forest Service declined to comment pending a final judgment.

Michael Van Zandt, a California attorney who represents the family, said Tuesday the family has been working for the past few years with the U.S. Forest Service to find alternative sources of water but those efforts have not always been successful.

The grazing operation was forced to decrease its herd as forest officials fenced off more areas over the years due to habitat concerns and endangered species.

"It’s been a huge financial burden to the Gosses," Van Zandt said, noting that his clients were ecstatic about the ruling.

Ranchers around New Mexico said they were excited but cautious given their somewhat tumultuous history with federal land managers. Hispanic ranchers in the north have often complained that federal officials have discriminated against them despite policies that recognize their cultural and traditional ties to the land. Some families have worked the land since the Spanish colonized what is now New Mexico hundreds of years ago.

Braden’s ruling made reference to several dozen ranchers who unsuccessfully attempted to find common ground with environmental groups and officials from Oregon’s Malheur National Wildlife Refuge for over a decade.

The ruling noted that in January 2016, the ranchers decided to take up arms to protest federal policy and regulations that prioritize water habitat for migrating birds by limiting the number of cattle that historically grazed and used water in the area.

Rather than take up arms, the Sacramento Grazing Association filed a complaint in federal claims court to affirm its right to the beneficial use of stock water on the grazing allotment in Lincoln forest — a right that predated federal control, the ruling said.

The judge found that the Forest Service has responsibility for managing national forests, including the habitat of endangered species, but that a small, family-owned cattle ranch should not be forced to bear the entire financial burden of the agency’s management choices where they interfere with property rights recognized by state law.

The Office of the State Engineer, which handles water rights issues, said the ruling recognizes that over the past 110 years, New Mexico has lived under the doctrine that beneficial use of water makes for the establishment of a water right.

"The decision affirms this doctrine and gives certainty to ranchers in the state that protects their water rights and the way they have been ranching in New Mexico since before statehood," water agency spokeswoman Melissa Dosher-Smith said.

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Arizona vs. Eastern New Mexico open thread, live stream, TV channel, starting lineups

Come chat with us!

The Arizona Wildcats will be taking on the Eastern New Mexico Greyhounds in McKale Center on Wednesday in their first of two exhibitions.

The Wildcats will be without Parker Jackson-Cartwright (ankle), Rawle Alkins (foot), and Dylan Smith (suspension for violation of team rules).

We will be chatting about the game below. Join us!

Here are some things to watch for, and here’s how you can tune in.

Tip time: 7:06 p.m. (MST)

TV: Pac-12 Network

Live stream:Pac-12.com/live

Announcers: Ted Robinson (play-by-play) and Bill Walton (guy who talks about a lot of things and sometimes basketball)

Radio stream: Arizona IMG Sports Network (Brian Jeffries/Ryan Hansen)

Satellite Radio: Sirius 126, XM 198

Audio Stream:arizonawildcats.com

Live Stats:arizonalivestats.com

As always, make sure to follow us on Twitter at @AZDesertSwarm and like us on Facebook at Facebook.com/azdesertswarm

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New Mexico moves to defuse outrage over science standards

SANTA FE, N.M. — New Mexico’s public education secretary said the state will adopt widely used school science standards in their entirety in response public outrage over proposed changes that omitted references to global warming, evolution and the Earth’s age.

In an interview Wednesday night, Public Education Secretary Christopher Ruszkowski said a final version of the New Mexico standards would replicate Next Generation Science Standards developed by a consortium of states, with a half-dozen added passages tied to local accomplishments in science and industry.

An earlier proposal contained about 35 New Mexico-related passages — detracting from the core mission of science education in the eyes of many critics.

A public hearing on the earlier version of standards drew scores of impassioned pleas for the state to reconsider and adopt an unedited template. The critics included leading scientists from Los Alamos National Laboratory, science teachers associations, faith leaders, as well as teachers and administrators from several New Mexico school districts.

Ruszkowski said he hoped to channel the passions from that hearing into efforts to help children live up to expectations in the new teaching guidelines.

“We as New Mexicans, as a community, are going to have to be equally fired up about how are kids are doing in terms of mastering the standards,” he said.

The final state standards will carry a distinctly New Mexican title — the New Mexico STEM-Ready Science Standards — while automatically incorporating future updates and amendments to the widely used Next Generation Science Standards.

One new component of the standards asks students to “obtain and communicate information about the role of New Mexico in nuclear science and 21st century scientific innovations, including how the national laboratories have contributed to theoretical, experimental and applied science.” Another asks students to describe the advantages and disadvantages of technologies associated with the state’s energy production.

The new standards are scheduled to take effect in July 2018. Student testing under the new guidelines would begin in 2020.

Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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3 Reasons To Visit New Mexico Today

New Mexico is one of those places you have to go to at least once in your life. There are so many reasons why you should go. Below, we will discuss three reasons why you need to visit New Mexico.

Santa Fe You can easily spend a week or two in Sana Fe, the capital of New Mexico. The city is rich with history, which isn’t surprising because it has been around for over 350 years. While there, you can visit the city’s museums, gourmet restaurants and Native American galleries, as well as stay in one of its many B&Bs. It doesn’t matter how much time you spend in Santa Fe, you will create memories that will last a lifetime.

Biking In Albuquerque There are many places to cycle throughout New Mexico, but one of the best places is Albuquerque. The city has cycling lanes, which connect downtown to residential neighborhoods, which means you will have the chance to explore a lot of things the city has to offer. However, if you want to be treated to breathtaking views, then head down the Paseo del Bosque River Trail.

The Rio Grande Trails Hikers love flocking to New Mexico, especially to Rio Grande. If you head to Kasha-Katuwe park, there is a trail that leads you to a spot that will offer you amazing views of the valley. If you head north, there you’ll find the Rio Grande Del Norte National Monument, which is where you’ll have the chance to hike to the gorge’s bottom.

There is nothing like hiking the trails of the Rio Grande or cycling in Albuquerque. Santa Fe is also a great place to visit while in New Mexico. With that said, all you have to do now is book a trip to New Mexico and explore all it has to offer.

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New Mexico Wavered on Evolution and Climate Change in Science Education

A Roman Catholic pastor, Vincent Paul Chavez, right, protested proposed New Mexico science standards on behalf of the Santa Fe Archdiocese outside a public hearing in Santa Fe on Monday.

An apparent attempt to water down language about evolution and climate change in the guidelines for science education in New Mexico met with protests this week at an eventful public hearing at the Public Education Department’s offices in Santa Fe.

Hundreds of people — some of them demonstrating outside with signs — showed up to the event. The meeting lasted for hours, well past its noon deadline. At one point, someone interrupted the proceedings by setting off a fire alarm.

The attendants overwhelmingly called for officials to include evolution and climate change in proposed standards that would guide science education for public school students. That was on Monday, and it appears the New Mexico Public Education Department heard their complaints; on Tuesday, it announced that it would incorporate the public’s suggestions.

But some say that still wasn’t enough.

All of this began last month, when the state’s education department unveiled a proposal to update its standards for science education for students in kindergarten through 12th grade.

It borrowed language from the Next Generation Science Standards, a set of education guidelines that was released in 2013. (The standards, meant to be adopted — or at least adapted — by state-level education departments, were developed by a consortium of states and some national organizations like the National Research Council and the National Science Teachers Association.)

But there were some notable differences between those standards and the ones that ended up in New Mexico’s original proposal. As Mother Jones reported last month, a mention of “the rise in global temperatures” was changed to: “the fluctuation in global temperatures.” A reference to “4.6 billion years” as the approximate age of the earth was erased. So was at least one mention of “evolution,” though other references to it remained.

Suddenly, the rather bureaucratic process of updating educational standards became a hot-button issue, one with statewide implications for political discourse and religious freedom. “It’s the latest battlefield in an ongoing war about to what extent we’re actually going to let children learn about what scientists say about climate change,” said Glenn Branch, the deputy director of the National Center for Science Education.

New Mexico’s two senators, Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich, both Democrats, wrote in an article on Medium last month that they were “disturbed” by the original language in the proposal. “If we weaken our science standards to advance an ideological agenda at the expense of scientific facts, we will put New Mexico at a distinct disadvantage,” they said.

Eileen Everett, the executive director of the Environmental Education Association of New Mexico, was at the public hearing on Monday. She said her organization, a nonprofit that promotes environmental education, has been pushing state officials to adopt the Next Generation Science Standards because New Mexico’s existing science education guidelines have not been updated since 2003.

Residents concerned about the proposed standards gathered at a public hearing in Santa Fe on Monday.

“One thing our organization has said since the beginning of this is that science is science,” she said. “And evolution and climate change — using terms like that is rooted in science.”

Ms. Everett said she was happy that so many members of the public had come in person to Monday’s hearing, and that the public education department responded so quickly with revisions.

But as of Friday, the revised language still deviated from the Next Generation Science standards a little bit, according to analysis from the Environmental Education Association. For instance, a line about middle school students using pictures to study embryonic development has been scrubbed.

And a line about high school students using computers to show the changing “relationships among earth systems” omits the phrase: “due to human activity.”

The proposal, which was to take effect next year, has not been finalized yet. It is unclear whether there will be further changes.

Climate change has become a politically charged issue, but a majority of scientists, as well as governmental and scientific organizations like NASA, the American Meteorological Society and the International Panel on Climate Change agree that warming temperatures are existentially dangerous and caused by humans.

The theory of evolution is supported overwhelmingly by scientific consensus, but some people who believe in intelligent design claim that the theory is fundamentally flawed, and that the earth is thousands of years old rather than billions.

The Public Department of Education did not respond to questions about why the language about evolution and climate change was watered down in the first place.

“Our goal in holding a public hearing is to ensure all those who wanted to discuss these proposed standards would be heard,” said Christopher Ruszkowski, the state’s education secretary, in a statement on Wednesday. “We have listened to the thoughtful input received and will incorporate many of the suggestions into the New Mexico Standards.”

Mr. Branch of the National Center for Science Education said the proposed standards “remain inadequate” even after changes were made this week, and he questioned officials’ transparency on the issue.

“The origin of the changes is mysterious,” he said, adding that Mr. Ruszkowski “has been very vague about the source of the changes, and public records requests have met with stonewalling from the department.”

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New Mexico St. rallies to down Georgia Southern 35-27

STATESBORO, Ga. — Tyler Rogers threw for 382 yards and three touchdowns and wide receiver Conner Cramer threw a go-ahead touchdown off a lateral early in the fourth quarter to lead New Mexico State past Georgia Southern 35-27 on Saturday night.

Trailing 27-21 to start the fourth quarter, Cramer’s 17-yard scoring toss to Bryce Roberts occurred when the Eagles’ defense got drawn in on the lateral and allowed Roberts to get behind it.

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Freeze Warning Issued for parts of New Mexico: Info you should know for freeze warnings

A freeze warning has been issued by the National Weather Services for Albuquerque. Strong winds with a cold front are expected Monday and Tuesday, along with freezing temperatures. The first freeze of the season is also expected for central and eastern New Mexico Monday night. The freeze warning is in effect starting 8 p.m. Monday night until 9 a.m. Tuesday morning. Below are some tips and tricks on how to keep your pipes from freezing.

Prevent freezing of water lines and pipes

When the weather is very cold outside, let the cold-water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes. Running water through the pipe – even at a trickle – helps prevent pipes from freezing.

Drain water from swimming pool and water sprinkler supply lines following manufacturer or installer’s directions. Do not put antifreeze in these lines unless directed. Antifreeze is environmentally harmful, and is dangerous to humans, pets, wildlife, and landscaping. Remove, drain, and store hoses used outdoors. Close inside valves supplying outdoor hose bibs. Open the outside hose bibs to allow water to drain. Keep the outside valve open so that any water remaining in the pipe can expand without causing the pipe to break. Look in the basement, crawl space, attic, garage, and under kitchen and bathroom cabinets. Both hot and cold water pipes in these areas should be insulated. Keep garage doors closed if there are water supply lines in the garage. Keep the thermostat set to the same temperature both during the day and at night. By temporarily suspending the use of lower nighttime temperatures, you may incur a higher heating bill, but you can prevent a much more costly repair job if pipes freeze and burst. If you will be going away during cold weather, leave the heat on in your home, set to a temperature no lower than 55° F.

Consider installing specific products made to insulate water pipes like a “pipe sleeve” or installing UL-listed “heat tape,” “heat cable,” or similar materials on exposed water pipes. Newspaper can provide some degree of insulation and protection to exposed pipes – even ¼” of newspaper can provide significant protection in areas that usually do not have frequent or prolonged temperatures below freezing.

Heating Checklist

Turning on the stove for heat is not safe; have at least one of the following heat sources in case the power goes out:

Extra blankets, sleeping bags, and warm winter coats Fireplace with plenty of dry firewood or a gas log fireplace Portable space heaters or kerosene heaters Check with your local fire department to make sure that kerosene heaters are legal in your area. Use electric space heaters with automatic shut-off switches and non-glowing elements. Never place a space heater on top of furniture or near water. Keep heat sources at least 3 feet away from furniture and drapes.

Invest in a carbon monoxide detector (Check prior to winter storm season and change batteries, if needed.)

Never use an electric generator indoors, inside the garage, or near the air intake of your home because of the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Do not use the generator or appliances if they are wet. Do not store gasoline indoors where the fumes could ignite. Use individual heavy-duty, outdoor-rated cords to plug in other appliances. Have chimney and flue inspected. Prepare your Car for winter

Keep your car fueled and in good working order. Be sure to check the following:

Antifreeze Windshield wiper fluid (wintertime mixture) Heater Defroster Brakes Brake fluid Ignition Emergency flashers Exhaust Tires (air pressure and wear) Fuel Oil Battery Radiator Know this…

Leaving your car unattended to warm up is not only making it an easy target for thieves, according to Popular Mechanics, warming up your car in the cold harms the engine because it strips the oil away from the engine’s cylinders and pistons.

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New Mexico Becomes First College Team To Protest During National Anthem

New Mexico football makes national news for the second week in a row.

New Mexico Football Draws National Attention

Due to a pregame lightning delay, the National Anthem was postponed to halftime during the Air Force and New Mexico game on Saturday. New Mexico had five players partake in the National Anthem protests that have been seen all over the NFL over the past few weeks. Halftime was reduced to just five minutes because of the delay, which kept both teams on the field for the singing of

"The Star-Spangled Banner." Not many college teams have had opportunity to partake in the protests, this is mainly due to most teams staying in the locker room until the colors have been presented.

The five Lobos that took a knee included: senior defensive end Garrett Hughes, senior safety Stanley Barnwell Jr., senior linebacker Kimmie Carson, junior safety Michael Sewell Jr., and sophomore cornerback Elijah Lilly. Other team members chose to lock arms during the presentation.

UNM head coach Bob Davie touched on the confusion the weather delay brought to the game.

"I didn’t even know that it was going to be played when it was played. I’m not sure our players knew," Davie said via the Associated Press. "So again, I’d like to have the opportunity to visit with our players, talk about what our stance would be, unify it as a football team. I kind of got shocked by that." (Via Washington Post).

There were no participants in the protest from Air Force. The Falcons head coach, Troy Calhoun, spoke on the decision of the New Mexico players to take a knee.

"That’s their right, they live in a country where they are allowed to do that," Calhoun said. "… We got service members all over the world currently that have served, so if somebody chooses not to stand, they are allowed to. There is no law and there should be no law." (Via The Colorado Springs Gazette).

None of the participants in the protest have spoken out on the topic. New Mexico is on a bye week and will have a couple days off from practice.

New Mexico will travel to Fresno State in two weeks, to take on the Bulldogs in their third conference game of the season.

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New Mexico officials fighting monument changes

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Some of New Mexico’s delegation is fighting the possible changes to two of the state’s national monuments.

Tuesday Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich along with members of Congress Ben Ray Lujan and Michelle Lujan Grisham sent a letter to White House Chief of Staff John Kelly.

They urged him to keep New Mexico’s national monuments the same, saying Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke’s report had factual errors.

Zinke recommended that six monuments including the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks and Rio Grande del Norte national monuments be reduced in size.

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Did Gov. Susana Martinez Break SEC Rules In New Mexico Pension Deals?

When federal regulators in 2010 instituted new ethics rules to prevent Wall Street executives from using campaign contributions to influence government investments, they pointed to New Mexico as an example of a state mired in pay-to-play practices. Just after those rules were enacted — with New Mexico still reeling from an influence-peddling scandal involving state investments — voters elected a new Republican governor promising a swift crackdown.

“Corruption is a crime, not an ethical dilemma,” declared Gov. Susana Martinez in her first state of the state address. “Those guilty of corruption are criminals and they should be treated as such. First, we must institute criminal penalties for public officials who know about, but fail to report, pay-to-play activity. Public officials don’t have the luxury of turning a blind eye.”

And yet as the Republican’s second term in office draws to a close, an IBT/MapLight investigation shows that when it comes to campaign cash from managers of state investments, Martinez turned a blind eye to the ethical standards she championed. During her tenure, New Mexico has been giving lucrative investment deals to financial firms whose executives have delivered big campaign donations to Martinez and to groups that have supported her election campaigns — a situation that may have violated the very pay-to-play rules that were passed in the wake of New Mexico’s previous scandals.

Under Martinez, two state funds managing more than $33 billion have shifted more money into higher-risk investments — resulting in below-average returns, but generating at least $729 million worth of fees in just the last four years. Amid that shift, New Mexico committed at least $757 million to eight financial firms while donors linked to those firms have collectively given more than $1.2 million to Martinez and political groups supporting her.

Martinez’s office did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

In some cases, New Mexico investments flowed to firms whose top officials gave directly to Martinez — even though the Securities and Exchange Commission’s pay-to-play rule aims to prevent such donations. Some investments went to donors to the Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) — which delivered money to Martinez-linked super PACs. Other investments went to donors to the Republican Governors Association (RGA), which Martinez chaired after it spent $2.5 million in New Mexico to boost her campaigns. RGA donors whose firms got investment deals include Wilbur Ross, who is now the U.S. Commerce secretary, and Republican megadonor Harlan Crow.

The SEC’s 2010 pay-to-play rule was designed to prevent any relationship between campaign donations and investment decisions. It bars financial firms from being paid fees for managing public money for two years if the firms or their executives donate to officials — such as Martinez — who serve on or appoint members of public investment boards. New Mexico also has a separate state pay-to-play law designed to restrict donations by companies as they bid on and negotiate state contracts.

“These funds are huge piles of money and the fees that investment advisers can earn are enormous, which is part of why these pay-to-play rules were put in place,” said Ciara Torres-Spelliscy, a Stetson University law professor who has studied the SEC’s donation rule. “You want the investment decisions made by the fund adviser to be market-based and not based on attempts to curry favor with whoever happens to be in the governor’s mansion.”

When they wrote the rule, SEC officials said contributions to “independent expenditure” groups would not be covered. However, the rule includes provisions intended to prevent financial firms from circumventing the prohibitions by routing campaign cash through third parties.

The SEC declined to answer IBT/MapLight questions about the situation in New Mexico.

The SEC rule has not deterred the RGA and RSLC from raking in money from financial firms and then bankrolling public officials who influence investment decisions. While the groups openly touted their spending on specific state races, spokesmen for the two organizations told IBT/MapLight that they do not allow donors to tell them how their contributions must be spent.

In response to questions about the donations to Martinez, the New Mexico Educational Retirement Board’s (NMERB) general counsel, Rod Ventura, told IBT/MapLight that state pension officials are not required to follow the SEC’s pay-to-play rule — because, he argued, the rule only restricts the investment firms, not the pension funds.

“Those rules, to the extent that they are out there, don’t apply to us,” Ventura said, adding that “the majority [of the firms] haven’t made any political contributions.”

In light of the new revelations about investment deals going to donors, State Auditor Tim Keller, a Democrat, told IBT/MapLight that New Mexico should pass legislation to close a “gaping huge loophole” by applying the state’s pay-to-play prohibitions to contributions to groups that support candidates.

“Our law should cover direct contractors and political groups that are relevant to the contract at hand — and that would certainly include governors associations, congressional committees and different interest groups that are explicitly politically affiliated,” said Keller, whose August report found that state agencies under Martinez have not been adequately complying with campaign finance disclosure laws.

New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez speaks during the third day of the Republican National Convention at the Tampa Bay Times Forum on August 29, 2012 in Tampa, Florida. Photo: Getty Images

“Political Influence Should Not Dictate Investment Decisions”

Over the last decade, state and local pension funds across the country have expanded their investments in private equity, hedge funds, real estate and other so-called “alternative investments.” In many cases, those investments — whose details are often shrouded in secrecy — have generated huge fees for Wall Street firms but have delivered weak returns for taxpayers and pensioners. While alternative investment firms argue that their offerings diversify portfolios and provide less volatile returns than traditional stocks and bonds, critics like Warren Buffett have derided the investments’ high costs — and the SEC warned in 2014 that it found “ violations of law or material weaknesses in controls” in more than half of private equity investments it surveyed.

New Mexico is an example of the investment trends. The NMERB — whose board includes two gubernatorial appointees — manages a $12 billion pension fund for more than 100,000 current and retired educators. When Martinez won office in 2010, less than a quarter of the fund’s assets were in alternative investments. During Martinez’s tenure, that share rose to almost a third of the portfolio, and New Mexico officials said last year they want to have 40 percent in alternatives — more than double the average for major public pension systems.

A similar story unfolded at the State Investment Council (SIC), which Martinez chairs and which oversees a $21 billion endowment funded by taxes, leases, and royalties from oil and gas production. State records show that since Martinez became chair of the council, the SIC has increased its investments in various high-fee alternative investment classes, while decreasing its investments in traditional stocks.

“This strategy shift away from equity volatility toward income-generating assets has been years in the execution,” SIC spokesman Charles Wollman told IBT/MapLight. “There is significant history and very-well documented process behind this investment strategy shift.”

During her governorship, Martinez has worked to preserve her power over state investment funds’ financial decisions — and to loosen restrictions on high-risk investments.

In the aftermath of the state’s previous pay-to-play scandals, Martinez in 2011 vetoed bipartisan legislation to remove her seat on the SIC. In 2016, while she was serving as the national chairwoman for the RGA, Martinez signed a Republican bill giving the SIC more latitude to invest state money in Wall Street’s alternative investment firms.

As New Mexico investment funds have poured more and more money into the Wall Street firms, returns have lagged. Over the last five years, NMERB has reported an average 8.7 percent annual return, while the SIC has reported a 7.7 percent average annual return.

By comparison, in the same time period, the average annual return was 14.6 percent for the S&P 500, 10.8 percent for a traditional index fund comprised of 70 percent stocks and 30 percent bonds, and 9.3 percent for the typical large public pension plan, according to investment analysis firm Wilshire. The underperformance means New Mexico retirees and taxpayers missed out on billions of dollars of investment gains.

“New Mexico is learning the hard way that the siren song of high-fee alternatives hasn’t panned out,” said Jeff Hooke, a former investment banker who is now a Johns Hopkins University finance professor. “New Mexico followed its peers onto the conga line, but the statistics show that beneficiaries would have been better off with simple indexes.”

U.S. President Barack Obama is greeted by Governor of New Mexico Susana Martinez as he walks from Air Force One in Roswell, New Mexico, U.S., June 17, 2016. Photo: Reuters

New Mexico taxpayers and retirees have shelled out big money to financial firms for the weaker returns. From 2013-2016, NMERB reported paying more than $540 million in investment fees. The SIC — which only began disclosing the total amount of fees it paid to investment advisers in 2016 — reported paying $189 million in fees in a single year. As a percentage of total assets, the annual fee rates rank among the highest of any public investment fund in the country, according to Hooke’s research for the Maryland Public Policy Institute.

The neighboring public pension fund in Republican-run Nevada, which invests far less in alternatives, has reported 9.5 percent average annual returns over the last 5 years — solidly outpacing the New Mexico funds. Meanwhile, between 2013 and 2016, Nevada reported paying a combined total of just $167 million in fees — far less than New Mexico’s funds, even though the Nevada system is larger.

“Pickens And His Organization Have Made Campaign Contributions To Susana Martinez”

IBT/MapLight’s review of state investments and campaign finance records found that as New Mexico began shifting more money into alternatives, three firms linked to Martinez donors received more than $182 million worth of state investments. Some of the donations flowed to Martinez around the same time that the investments were made.

For instance, in March 2015, NMERB committed $37.5 million to EnerVest, a private equity firm that recently made headlines when one of its $2 billion funds lost all of its value due to bad bets on oil and gas. Prior to New Mexico’s investment, EnerVest and its top executive, John Walker, steered more than $61,000 to Martinez-linked groups. The haul included $5,200 direct to Martinez’s campaign and $10,000 to Advance New Mexico Now, a pro-Martinez super PAC, in the year before the state’s investment.

The EnerVest PAC also delivered $10,000 to U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce as he glided to reelection in 2016 — and soon after launched a gubernatorial bid for the GOP nomination to succeed the term-limited Martinez. Pearce plans to finance a 2018 campaign with help from his congressional campaign war chest.

In July of 2012, Dallas real estate scion Harlan Crow’s company gave $50,000 to the RGA — which at the time counted Martinez as one of its executive board members. Months later, Crow appeared before the NMERB’s board to personally pitch officials on investing pensioners’ savings in his real estate fund. The board approved a $50 million investment.

In late 2013, Crow’s mother, Margaret, donated $10,400 to Martinez’s campaign. Crow Holdings followed up with a $100,000 check to the RGA, which was then supporting Martinez’s 2014 reelection bid. In the closing months of the election, NMERB approved a separate $35 million investment in another Crow Holdings fund. In 2016, while Martinez was chairing the RGA, Crow Holdings gave the organization an additional $100,000. That same year, NMERB approved a $30 million investment in another Crow fund, bringing the pension fund’s total investment in Crow funds to $115 million.

Meanwhile, in November 2013, T. Boone Pickens gave Martinez $10,400. A year and a half later, NMERB approved a $30 million commitment to Pickens’ energy investment firm, BP Capital. According to meeting minutes of the investment deliberations, pension officials were told that “Pickens and his organization have made campaign contributions to Susana Martinez, but the BP Capital Partners individual team members have not.” However, pension overseers were also told that Pickens would own 50 percent of management’s portion of the fund.

In the case of EnerVest, Crow and Pickens, donations directly to Martinez and Advance New Mexico Now were made within two years of the state committing to invest in the financial firms, as were six donations from Crow to the RGA. The SEC’s rule requires a two-year “cooling off” period between donations and firms earning fees from state investments.

EnerVest and Crow did not respond to requests for comment.

A spokesperson for BP Capital told IBT/MapLight: "BP Natural Gas Opportunity Partners was aware of the SEC’s ‘pay to play’ rules and its obligations under the rules prior to NMERB’s commitment to the Fund. The Fund had at the time (and continues to have) appropriate compliance policies and procedures to avoid violations of this and other SEC rules."

The firm additionally stated that BP Capital "did not accept NMERB’s commitment to the Fund until November of 2015, after the two-year ‘cooling off’ period in the pay to play rules had expired. In addition, the Fund did not charge NMERB any fees or carried interest with respect to any part of that ‘cooling off’ period."

Pension officials were made aware of some of the donations by NMERB portfolio manager Mark Canavan, who was at the agency during a 2006 pay-to-play scandal. According to court records, Canavan admitted that he let politically connected brokers see bid information before awarding state contracts — and that he lied to federal investigators about one such case.

While Canavan informed board members of some donations to Martinez and Martinez-linked super PACs, he nonetheless recommended approval of the investments — and board members agreed.

NMERB officials do not publish the fees paid to individual managers, including EnerVest, Crow Holdings and BP Capital. They asserted that the governor’s appointed board members do not find or present investment opportunities, and therefore donations do not influence investment decisions.

“Whether somebody makes a campaign contribution or not is not a part of our investment process,” NMERB chief investment officer Bob Jacksha told IBT. “We are after the best balance of risk and return, the best manager in the space we can get, and the best performance.”

Other RGA Donors Also Received New Mexico Investments

Under New Mexico law, prospective NMERB investment managers are required to complete a form disclosing their campaign donations. The form says it covers donations directly to statewide officials, to any “political committee that is intended to aid or promote” the election of statewide officials if that committee is controlled by those officials or their agents.

While direct donations to Martinez and Martinez-linked super PACs were disclosed, NMERB officials told IBT/MapLight they didn’t believe investment managers had to report contributions to groups like the RGA that aren’t controlled by a single candidate. The RGA works on behalf of Republican gubernatorial candidates nationwide, but Martinez has been part of the group’s leadership since she was first elected governor.

“The question is whether contributions were made to a committee ‘controlled’ by an applicable public official,” Ventura, the NMERB’s general counsel, told IBT/MapLight in an email. “Although Governor Martinez was the chair of the RGA in 2015/2016, it is unlikely that she was the sole decision maker there.”

Campaign finance records independently reviewed by IBT/MapLight show that other RGA- and RSLC-linked donor firms received state investment contracts:

– Invesco — The firm received a $150 million from the SIC in June 2015 — less than a year after Wilbur Ross gave the RGA $150,000 during Martinez’s reelection campaign. Ross sold his firm, W.L. Ross & Co., to Invesco in 2006; he continued to lead the Invesco subsidiary until he became Trump’s commerce secretary this year. A Commerce Department spokesperson told IBT/MapLight that “Secretary Ross requested and received preclearance from the compliance department at Invesco” to make the RGA donation and that the RGA told Ross his donation would be used in a manner consistent with election laws.

– Apollo Global Management — The firm received a $50 million investment from NMERB in 2013. The investment occurred after Apollo executive Josh Harris gave the RGA $25,000 in 2010 during Martinez’s first election run, and another $25,000 in 2012 while Martinez was on the RGA’s executive committee. New Mexico taxpayers have given Apollo more than $2.4 million in fees on the investment, according to state records. An Apollo spokesperson declined to answer IBT/MapLight’s questions about the donations.

– Macquarie Capital — The Australian firm received $200 million worth of commitments from the SIC between 2014 and 2015. The firm and its affiliates have donated $200,000 to the RGA since 2011, including $50,000 last year while Martinez chaired the organization. In 2013, Macquarie Capital hired Public Opinion Strategies, a consulting firm whose partner, Nicole McCleskey, served as a senior advisor to Martinez’s 2014 reelection campaign. McCleskey’s husband, Jay, ran the pro-Martinez super PACs. In 2016, the SIC reported paying Macquarie $323,519 in fees. Macquarie declined to comment on the record.

– Prudential — The firm received a $50 million NMERB investment in 2011. It received another $35 million NMERB investment during Martinez’s reelection campaign in 2014. During Martinez’s tenure, Prudential has given $200,000 to the RGA and another $50,000 to the RSLC — organizations that funded the Martinez-linked super PACs.

– Bain Capital — The firm received a $40 million NMERB investment in February 2014. Less than three weeks later, Bain’s founding partner, Robert White, gave $50,000 to the RGA, which was supporting Martinez’s reelection campaign. White remains a special limited partner at Bain, but a source familiar with the firm said he retired in 2002 and has no active role there. While Bain requires employees to seek approval from compliance officials before making political donations and bars them from giving to state or local candidates, the source said those guidelines don’t apply to White since he is not an active employee. Bain has been paid more than $1.2 million in fees by the NMERB. The firm received another $50 million NMERB investment in July.

In recent weeks, as New Mexico’s previous influence-peddling scandals continue to be litigated in court, a fight over secrecy has broken out at the investment council. Some panel members refused to sign a Martinez-backed ethics pledge that they said would bar them from disclosing details about their work to the public. At the same time, lawmakers voted to put a measure on the 2018 ballot that would create an independent ethics commission, and they have begun scrutinizing the fees being paid to Wall Street firms.

“If the goal is to stop pay-to-play, and make sure tax dollars are being invested fairly and not just to the highest political bidder, then all of these contributors need to be part of the rules,” Democratic Rep. Bill McCamley, who recently led a hearing on investment fees, told IBT/MapLight. “In a state with staggering unemployment, devastating poverty, and one of the lowest rates of child well-being, we need every dollar of public money to be used as efficiently and effectively as possible. In this regard, Martinez has failed over, and over, and over again, and New Mexicans suffer while her friends get rich.”

Alex Kotch and Jay Cassano contributed reporting to this story.

Update at 4:36pm ET: This story was updated to include comment from BP Capital.

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Jake Roh’s 3 TDs lead Boise State past New Mexico

BOISE- Jake Roh caught two touchdown passes and took a direct snap for a 6-yard TD run, and Boise State pulled away in the fourth quarter to beat New Mexico 28-14 on Thursday night in the Mountain West Conference opener for both teams.

Playing five days after losing a triple-overtime heartbreaker at Washington State, the Broncos (2-1) used two big special teams plays early in the fourth quarter to setup Roh’s touchdown run that finally gave Boise State some cushion. Joel Velazquez had a 63-yard punt downed at the New Mexico 1. After the Lobos went three-and-out and punted from their end zone, Avery Williams returned a short punt 29 yards to the New Mexico 17. Three plays later, Boise State’s versatile tight end rumbled into the end zone for a two-touchdown lead.

Montell Cozart was 15 of 19 for 137 yards passing, and added 71 yards rushing including a 28-yard TD run in the first quarter. He threw a 5-yard TD to Roh in the first half and flipped a 15-yard TD pass to Roh in the fourth when it appeared Cozart was going to run. Cozart got the start with Brett Rypien out due to injury. Rypien went through some throwing work pregame but did not suit up. Rypien appeared to suffer a concussion in the loss to Washington State.

New Mexico (1-2) was forced to use third string quarterback Coltin Gerhart after starter Lamar Jordan was knocked out late in the first half with a concussion. Jordan was hit by Boise State’s Chase Hatada after throwing the ball away. Hatada was flagged for targeting and ejected.

Gerhart was 7-of-13 passing for 67 yards and threw a 14-yard touchdown to Anselem Umeh late in the fourth. Gerhart added 49 yards rushing. Jordan rushed for 20 yards and completed one pass before being injured. New Mexico was without backup Tevaka Tuioti, who did not make the trip due to injury.

Tyrone Owens added 46 yards rushing and a 5-yard touchdown for the Lobos.

THE TAKEAWAY

New Mexico: The Lobos were held to 198 yards rushing as the triple-option offense had its inconsistencies. It was the second straight week the Lobos run game was held under 200 yards after rushing for 176 in last week’s loss to New Mexico State.

Boise State: While the Broncos got the victory, it was an offensive struggle for much of the night. Boise State finished with 264 total yards and had just two plays of more than 20 yards. The short week likely played a part in the problems, but the offense will be worth watching the next few weeks.

UP NEXT

New Mexico: The Lobos travel to Tulsa on Saturday, Sept. 23.

Boise State: The Broncos host Virginia next Friday.

© 2017 KTVB-TV

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New Mexico files suit against opioid makers, wholesalers

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The New Mexico attorney general’s office has filed a lawsuit accusing major manufacturers and distributors of prescription opioid medication of exacerbating the state’s drug addiction crisis.

Attorney General Hector Balderas on Thursday announced the filing of the lawsuit in state district court against five of the nation’s largest opioid manufacturers and three major wholesale distributors.

The suit accuses opioid manufacturers of aggressively pushing highly addictive and dangerous drugs and falsely representing to doctors that patients would rarely succumb to addiction. It accuses distributors of failing to monitor, investigate and report suspicious orders of prescription opiates.

Balderas said the lawsuit is modeled after past litigation against tobacco companies to funnel private profits toward drug treatment and law enforcement.

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New Mexico’s drug overdose death rate is far above the national average.

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New Mexico State’s Jaleel Scott Makes Incredible 1-Handed TD Catch

It’s only August 31, but New Mexico State wide receiver Jaleel Scott may have already made the offensive play of the college football season.

Roughly four minutes into the second quarter of Thursday’s game versus the Arizona State Sun Devils at Sun Devil Stadium, Aggies quarterback Tyler Rogers lofted a pass toward the corner of the end zone.

Scott positioned himself in front of a defender and made an acrobatic one-handed catch before planting a foot safely in play to complete one of the best 15-yard touchdowns you’ll see at any level.

Take a bow, Mr. Scott.

[ESPN]

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The State Of New Mexico

Admitted to the United States on January 6, 1912, New Mexico is the 47th state. It’s long been considered a Mountain State and if the fifth largest sized state when compared to the other states, however, it’s far less densely populated.

Long inhabited by Native Americans, it was colonized by Spanish in 1598 and considered to be one of the Imperial Spanish Viceroyalty in New Spain. At one point in time, it was part of the Independent section of Mexico and soon became a United States territory.

At present, it has the highest population of Hispanics and many of these are descendants of the Spanish colonists who originally settled in the area in the 1500s.

It also has the fourth largest number of Native American’s after California, Oklahoma and the state of Arizona. Tribes such as the Navajo, the Pueblo, and the Apache are dominant for the Native American tribes.

New Mexico has a culture that has largely been shaped by the Hispanic and the Native American influence and the flag itself is representative of this with scarlet and gold which are the colors of royalty for Spain.

Located in the southwestern portion of the United States, it enjoys a diverse terrain that includes the Chihuahuan Desert as well as the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Santa Fe is the capital and was founded in 1610.

Renowned for upscale spas and fantastic Spanish Colonial architecture, it enjoys a vibrant art scene and has the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum that features many great paintings and even an open-air opera.

With rose colored desert and broken mesas, it also boasts high snow capped peaks. In spite of the fact that many consider New Mexico to be arid, it also has a heavily forested mountain wilderness that covers the state near the north. New Mexico has very little water for the size of the state that it is.

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Supporters of New Mexico monument areas vow to keep pushing

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Tribal leaders, conservationists and elected leaders gathered Thursday to express their frustrations and keep pressure on the White House to ensure two national monument areas in New Mexico remain intact.

U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich and several dozen people packed an REI store in Albuquerque while others took to the historic Mesilla plaza in southern New Mexico to show their support for Organ Mountains-Desert Peak and the Rio Grande del Norte.

"These places aren’t just about outdoor recreation. They’re not just about land. They’re about our culture and history and trying to live up to the greatest potential of that culture and history," said Heinrich, a Democrat.

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has said he won’t seek to rescind any of the national monument designations that were reviewed, but he will press for some boundary changes.

Twenty-seven monument areas were identified for a review by President Donald Trump, who insisted that the millions of acres designated for protection by the Obama administration were part of a massive federal land grab.

Some New Mexicans agree, including Hispanic ranchers who argue that the designations attack grazing rights and water access while discounting historical connections from Spanish colonial land grants.

The ranchers said they were encouraged about the possibility of changes. Monument supporters dug in their heels.

Near the southern New Mexico border, Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks was established in 2014. It’s home to desert grasslands, rugged mountain peaks and historic sites, including a volcanic crater used by Apollo astronauts for lunar training and the tracks of the Butterfield Overland stagecoach route.

It also features thousands of petroglyphs, areas visited by outlaw Billy the Kid and the stone ruins of the Dripping Springs mountain resort founded in the late 1800s.

Rio Grande del Norte encompasses rugged terrain near the New Mexico-Colorado border, with the river cutting a deep gorge through the plains and volcanic cones such as Ute Mountain providing markers along the horizon.

"The president’s executive order in this sham of a review process is not only an assault on our nation’s historic, cultural and natural history, it’s an insult to the local communities who worked for decades to protect these iconic landscapes," said Michael Casaus, head of The Wilderness Society in New Mexico.

He praised tribes that have worked to keep sacred places from being looted or vandalized and small businesses that have grown thanks to increased visitors.

He suggested any change would result in the loss of jobs and tourism.

"We’re gathered here today to say that an attack on one of our national monuments is an attack on all of them," he told several dozen supporters.

Marc Berejka, head of government affairs for outdoor retail giant REI, was at the rally in Albuquerque.

"People in Washington, D.C., they need to make no mistake that we are united in our shared passion for our public lands," Berejka said.

Dave Sanchez, a member of the Northern New Mexico Stockmen’s Association, said his fellow ranchers aren’t against tourism or a monument area but that designations should be limited to what needs protection. He pointed to the gorge lining the Rio Grande.

"Tourism is based on people coming out here to see unique things. They come out here to see the Native American stuff, they come out here to the cowboys, they come out here to see the footprints that people like Kit Carson and Billy the Kid made on the land, and those things exist because people had access to those lands," Sanchez said.

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Eye on New Mexico: Spotlighting the opioid addiction crisis

Kai Porter

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The country has been struck by an opioid epidemic recently, and New Mexico is no stranger to the addiction crisis.

For this week’s Eye on New Mexico, KOB’s Kai Porter discusses the issue from a variety of angles with the executive director of a local youth rehabilitation center and a behavior health program manager, including some of the roads that lead to addiction and how the support system for addicts has evolved.

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