Former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney stopped in New Mexico to help raise funds for Governor Susana Martinez in her re-election fight. Romney stumping for Martinez on Thursday at her Albuquerque headquarters and praised the nation's only Latina governor: *****102414-Romney-1 :14***** Martinez campaign spokesman Chris Sanchez said the former Massachusetts governor also appeared Thursday at a fundraiser at a private residence in Albuquerque. Martinez is running against Democratic challenger Gary King in the general election. She has a big fundraising advantage over King. Democrats responded, issuing a statement saying, “more money, more tax breaks for the rich and powerful, zero jobs for New Mexicans—top priority for Martinez and the Republicans.” Early voting continues through November first at locations across the state, and October 31st is the last day to request an absentee ballot.
The New Mexico Film Office has announced that the film, "The Scorch Trials," will soon be filming in Albuquerque. Produced by the Gotham Group and Temple Hill Entertainment for 20th Century Fox, "The Scorch Trials" is the sequel to the current hit film "The Maze Runner." Production will occur in and around Albuquerque next week through late January. The production will employ at least 250 New Mexico crew members, 18 New Mexico actors, and approximately18-hundred local background-talent personnel.
New Mexico State Police say they have busted an indoor marijuana grow in Pecos and arrested a man. They say 27-year-old Kyle Christiansen of Pecos has been booked into the San Miguel County Detention Center on suspicion of marijuana distribution. Police say they were tipped off about the situation Wednesday. Officers walked around the house and smelled the odor of raw marijuana through an open door. They obtained a search warrant from a county district judge and entered the home. Seized were more than 500 marijuana plants, about 1 ½ pounds of marijuana packaged in zip lock bags, $1,400 in cash and drug paraphernalia.
New Mexico Triple-A tells us the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded fuel in New Mexico is now just shy of three-dollars a gallon. The motor club’s New Mexico Weekend Gas Watch says the statewide average for a gallon of gas is two-dollars-96-cents, and that the Santa Fe average is at two-94 a gallon. It also says New Mexicans are paying 12 cents less than the national average of three-oh-eight.
A northern New Mexico ski resort will receive more than four-million dollars in guaranteed loans to improve its operations. The funding for Sipapu Recreational Development will go toward the purchase of equipment and machinery. It will also provide working capital and help pay off existing debt. The loans were made available through a U.S. Department of Agriculture program that provides loans to improve the economic and environmental climate in rural communities by bolstering existing private credit structures. U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich says placed like Sipapu attract visitors from across the country and contribute to the state's $6 billion outdoor recreation economy. The Sipapu Ski and Summer Resort was founded in 1952. It has more than 40 ski trails and claims itself home to the longest ski season in the state.
Sports-people have a chance next week for licenses for late-season bow hunting of trophy elk in New Mexico. The state Game and Fish Department says 275 archery hunting licenses for the bull elk will go on sale October 29th on the agency's web site starting at 10 a.m. The licenses will be available on a first-come, first-served basis for New Mexico residents for 24 hours and then on October 30th to out-of-state hunters if any licenses remain. Only hunters without a 2014-2015 elk license can buy the licenses, which are for hunts in November and December in parts of western and southern New Mexico. The department said it was making the late-season licenses available because biologists had assessed the elk population and determined that more hunting was warranted.
Santa Fe Weather: Sunny today and tomorrow with highs in the low-70s. Tonight, expect clear skies, with the overnight low, 46.