Morning Word: Martinez Doesn't Want to Win a Burrito

The

first of four winter storms has slammed into the New Mexico. There are almost 250

around the state and icy slick roads are making

. If you have

you better check online before heading to the Sunport.

It's Friday, February 27, 2015

It doesn’t look Gov. Susana Martinez wants a chance to win a breakfast burrito. She’s turning down Sen. Michael Sanchez’, D-Belen, challenge to take the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) test. Read more at Roundhouse Roundup. Maybe Martinez knows that those standardized tests are “no day at the PARCC.”

Read it at the Taos News.  We’re pretty sure that former Gov. Gary Johnson wants a breakfast burrito and a healthy heaping of green chile before he leaves the state to run for president in 2016. Read it at Reason.com   While Johnson will probably have to sue to get into televised campaign debates, he got to debate marijuana legalization at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington DC yesterday.

Read more at The Blaze.  La Frontera New Mexico, an Arizona-based behavioral health care provider, is also poised to head out of state after less than two years.

Read more at the Santa Fe New Mexican. While everyone is racing for the exits, at least 102,000 New Mexico children have inched above the poverty level with the assistance of some government programs, according to the Annie E Casey Foundation.

Read more at KOB. New Energy Economy, the nonprofit solar advocacy group leading the opposition to the Public Service Company of New Mexico’s power replacement plan, says the utility’s current proposal “shifts the burden of PNM’s toxic assets from shareholders to ratepayers.” Read my story at SFR.  New Mexico Legislative News:

• Agriculture has always been big business in New Mexico. Now it looks like hemp has a good chance to become the state’s next cash crop –
• New Mexico Political Report
• .  
• While the Hemp Research and Development bill is advancing, so is a bill that would limit the amount of lottery scholarships –
• Santa Fe New Mexican
• . 
• Jerks who beat or abuse their kids could face tougher penalties soon –
• Albuquerque Journal
• . 
• Sen. Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe, doesn’t want publicly financed candidates, like those running for the public regulation commission, to be able to pay themselves with the money. He also wants to limit how much unopposed candidates receive –
• Deborah Baker has details
• . 
• Smokers are going to have to take a deep breath and wait before they light up in a car with children in it. The House has approved the ban, 34-23 –
• Albuquerque Journal
• . 
• First responders, like firefighters and police officers, could get additional assistance if they’re injured on the job –
• D’Val Westphal
• . 

A nurse hotline in New Mexico is being touted as one of the best in the nation.

Read more about the service here.  A group of Native Americans wants the City of Albuquerque to abolish Columbus Day. Leaders of a group calling itself Red Nation, say “Columbus Day celebrates genocide.”

The group plans a drumming event and demonstration rally downtown tonight, beginning at 4:30 pm.

Read it at Native News.

Enjoy your weekend. Hope you get to play in the snow. Stay safe and keep warm.

Santa Fe Reporter