Here’s a look at today’s headlines:
New Mexico Small Business Development Center at WNMU announced today the recipient of its Star Client Award: Little Toad Creek Brewery & Distillery, a beer and spirits service owned and operated by Teresa Dahl-Bredine and Dave Crosley. The Star Client Award recognizes a client of the Small Business Development Center that has demonstrated extraordinary commitment to the success of its business, as well as its community.
PNM recently donated $135,000 for MainStreet projects throughout the state by awarding nine grant recipients $15,000 each to invest in the Main Street in their community. The PNM MainStreet Grant recipients and their projects locally include Deming MainStreet, which will install shade sails for sun protection at the Leyendecker Park; and Silver City MainStreet, which will purchase digital projection and sound equipment, screen and acoustical treatment for the Silco Theater to operate as a movie theater again.
Grant County rancher and small business owner Billy Billings announced that he will be running for the District 4 County Commission seat, a seat newly created after the commission districts were changed, seeing an expansion from three to five commissioners. The election for County Commissioner will be held Tuesday, November 8, 2016 in conjunction with the General Election.
Masonic Lodge No. 55 in Hurley, No. 44 in Santa Rita and No. 8 in Silver City have banded together to donate $500 to Grant County Search and Rescue. The funds will be used throughout the year to buy items needed to complete Search and Rescue efforts in their much-needed volunteer work.
A Deming man pleaded guilty in federal court on Wednesday to methamphetamine trafficking charges. The 53 year-old was arrested after he attempted to sell to an undercover law enforcement agent. He remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing where he faces a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of 40 years in federal prison.
U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has allocated $58.25 million from Section 10007 of the 2014 Farm Bill. This money will support 434 projects that prevent the introduction or spread of plant pests and diseases that threaten U.S. agriculture and the environment and ensure the availability of a healthy supply of clean plant stock in the United States. Funding will be provided to 50 States plus Guam and Puerto Rico to implement projects suggested by universities, States, Federal agencies, nongovernmental organizations, non-profits and Tribal organizations.
In legislative action: he House of Representatives unanimously approved a bill to improve New Mexico’s campaign finance reporting system today. House Bill 105 passed on a vote of 65 to 0. The bill would require the Secretary of State’s office to develop new hardware and software solutions to make the campaign finance information system searchable and easier for the public to find information. Updating the system would also allow the Secretary of State to monitor compliance with campaign finance reporting requirements more effectively. Legislators, candidates, lobbyists and advocacy groups would be able to provide input on the design and implementation of the new system.
New Mexico is moving forward with a bill that would prevent employers from having to pay for medical marijuana under workers compensation claims, which could bring the state in line with recent federal court cases that allow employers to fire workers for marijuana use.
