New Mexico's 70 representatives and 42 senators will need to cut, chop and gouge almost half a billion dollars immediately from this year’s spending. Furthermore, they will do it under the watchful eye of Gov. Bill Richardson, whose decision to bow out of a cabinet appointment may thwart the best-laid plans of legislators and lobbyists.

Extra: Richardson's budget plans on video

Since 2002, 20 runners from around the world have paid nearly $1,000 to train for a week in the high, dry air of Santa Fe, at the beginning of each August, at Dr. Jon Woo’s high-altitude running school, Camp Marafiki.

Bigger did not seem better to many Santa Feans when confronted in 2008 by a merger and expansion impacting the city’s only hospital.

Sure, Javier Bardem and the Coen brothers won Oscars at the beginning of 2008 for No Country for Old Men. But the real film winner in 2008? New Mexico.

A breakdown of the biggest and boldest issues to grip Santa Fe in the past year.

A month by month recount of 2008's political slugfest.

Jerome Block Jr. lied, missued campaign funds and came under investigation by the offices of the Secretary of State and the New Mexico Attorney General. He still won.

Santa Fe is way ahead of the Obama administration's new New Deal. It has been a banner year for public works, infrastructure and significant new buildings in the City Different and Santa Fe County.

In New Mexico? Obesity is “epidemic,” the state Health Department reports. There are 3,030 hungry Indonesians for every obese adult in the City of Santa Fe. Still feeling poor?

Although energy and the environment remain hand-wringing issues for Santa Feans, 2008 was a pretty good year for local tree huggers, Prius drivers and canvas grocery-bag carriers.