Morning Word: Glass Recycling Hits Roadblock in SF

Bushee skeptical people will use drop-off locations

By Peter St. Cyr

It's Thursday, July 2, 2015

A plan to streamline glass recycling with five new convenient drop-off sites in Santa Fe hit a roadblock, but the proposal isn't dead yet. TS Last reports.  Santa Fe's Public Utilities Committee, according to Daniel Chacón, shot down a request to borrow money from the Water Division to offset the recycling program's implementation costs. Read it at the Santa Fe New Mexican.  Meanwhile, KRQE's Alex Goldsmith has an interesting story about Santa Fe trying to change the perception that it doesn't have a nightlife. See his story here.  Donald Trump's derogatory comments about Mexican immigrants aren't going over well with Gov. Susana Martinez. Read more at the Albuquerque Journal.  Russell Contreras has a big story on some of the state's newest laws that went into effect on Wednesday, including the changes to civil forfeitures. Read the AP story here. After seeing a tough new vaccination law get passed in California, State Rep. Debbie Armstrong, D-Albuquerque, tells New Mexico Political Report 's editor that she plans to rewrite her legislation to make exemptions harder to get in New Mexico. Matthew Reichbach has the quick read.  A Santa Fe cardiologist is facing serious felony charges after being accused of fraudulent Medicaid billing.Dr. Roy G. Heilbron, 51, entered a not guilty plea in federal court on Wednesday. Mark Oswald has the story.  After a fuel-cost adjustment, we should see our electric bills drop a couple of bucks each month. But don't plan on racking up a bunch of summer vacation money; the Public Service Company of New Mexico still plans to file an updated rate hike application. Read it at the Santa Fe New Mexican.  In the meantime, PNM officials don't want their new coal supply agreement made public.

Kevin Robinson-Avila has more.  Robinson-Avila also covered an oil- and gas-funded energy summit in Albuquerque on Wednesday, and reports environmentalists were there to protest the lack of opposing views represented on the panel. According to Rep. Steve Pearce (R, NM), the state needs to “balance environmental goals while protecting economic development and jobs.”

Read more at the ABQ Journal.  Speaking of summer vacations, if you're still looking for something to do over the Fourth of July weekend, you might want to head to Roswell for the 20th anniversary of its infamous UFO Festival. See more at KRQE.  For most of us, a trip to the Gila Wilderness would make a perfect summer vacation; for a young bear, getting relocated to the Gila is just part of the risk of rummaging through homeowners' trash cans in Deming.

Check out the bear's cute face as he was caught posing for a surveillance camera. 

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