Republican candidates will appear first on the ballot in New Mexico's general election.A drawing last week determined ballot position. The secretary of state's office said a GOP candidate's name will be listed first in a contested race, and then the Democrat. A minor party candidate, if there's one, appears next and then an independent. There are no minor party candidates for statewide office in the November fourth election. About a dozen independents — those unaffiliated with a political party — are seeking legislative and county offices. Some political scientists contend that candidates listed first on the ballot have an advantage, particularly among voters making choices with little information about who is running.
Authorities say a small chapel in northern New Mexico has been hit by burglars. KRQE-TV reports the Santa Cruz chapel was struck recently when thieves took off with various religious items. Espanola police says the burglars stole statues of the Virgin Mary, wood carvings, embroidered curtains and historical photos. The chapel is a place of worship for the Catholic group known as Las Carmelitas. No arrests have been made.
Santa Fe Police are warning the public of a scam targeting local businesses while falsely claiming that SFPD would benefit. The Department says the scammers are claiming to be with the Santa Fe Police Department while soliciting sponsorships for a “Don’t Text” T-Shirt. The scammer tells the business if they donate 300-400-dollars, their name will be added to a T-Shirt with the Department’s logo. SFPD stresses that his is a scam, and that the police are not creating “Don’t Text” T-Shirts or asking for sponsorships. They ask that you notify SFPD if you have received a similar call.
Virgin Galactic has again pushed back its timeline for launching space tourism flights from southern New Mexico's Spaceport America. Virgin owner and British billionaire Richard Branson told David Letterman this week that he hopes to board the first flight early next year. The company previously said it wanted to get the first flight launched by the end of the year.The company has been pushing back its launch date for years as it works to overcome challenges developing its rocket. When New Mexico first agreed to build the quarter-billion dollar spaceport with Virgin Galactic as an anchor tenant, officials predicted flights would start in 2011. Virgin Galactic's plan is to take tourists into space for 250-thousand dollars a head.
U.S. wildlife officials are expanding protections for Canada lynx to include animals in New Mexico, while again denying critical habitat designations for the elusive wild cats in the Southern Rockies. Thursday's two-part finding from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service means the lynx will be protected as threatened throughout the lower 48 states. Lynx in New Mexico's San Juan and Sangre de Cristo mountain ranges previously were not protected. The new rule also designates new critical habitat for lynx in northern Maine and northwestern Wyoming. However, officials decided habitat in the Southern Rockies of New Mexico and Colorado is not essential to the species conservation. That means the lynx in that region will be protected, but there will be fewer requirements to preserve the dense forests they need to survive.
Two U.S. senators from opposite sides of the political aisle spent a week marooned together on a remote island for a new reality show, "Rival Survival." New Mexico Democrat Martin Heinrich and Arizona Republican Jeff Flake say they hope their adventure, which is scheduled to air in October on the Discovery channel, inspires their colleagues in Washington to work together. Discovery says the show was filmed during the August break in the Marshall Islands. In a statement, Discovery describes the island "as an utterly unforgiving deserted destination where the reefs alone are fraught with dangers that include venomous stonefish, lionfish and scorpion fish." Discovery says the senators came up with the idea to show their colleagues and the world that if you want to survive, you have to work together.
Santa Fe Weather: Mostly cloudy with isolated showers today and tonight—today’s high will reach 67, while the overnight low will drop down to 48. Tomorrow, expect partly sunny skies with a high near 70. There’s a 20-percent chance for showers today and tonight, it drops to 10-percent tomorrow.