"There's still a lot of time for it to change," Martinez said at the Capitol Monday afternoon. "That's my big concern - that there's lots of time. We're halfway through the session, so four more weeks - lots could happen to the bill."

"Are we competitive, as far as our tax structure, or are we so high and so costly and have such a poor education system that they don't want to live here," Martinez said. "We can't keep doing the same things over and over and overtaxing business so they can't keep their doors open and they move and they take their families with them."

"The city and the police department are cooperating,” Luis Saucedo, acting director of the Justice Department’s Special Litigation Unit, told the crowd. “So we’ll be hearing their side of the story, their version. It’s also important for us to hear from you. … If we do determine there has been a pattern or practice violation, and we need to file a lawsuit (against APD), then we need to have evidence."

On the Senate floor, no one but the Senator can sit in his or her seat. You cannot read newspapers. You must not walk between speakers when debate is happening. You can’t introduce the same interim committee bill in two houses…. and much much more.

Karis Begaye of the Navajo Nation Department of Justice updated tribal officials this week on the negotiations.

The Legislature would have to approve any agreement. It would then be sent to the U.S. Department of Interior to ensure its provisions meet federal laws.

Senator Hagel conveyed that if confirmed, he will be committed to keeping safe, reliable and secure nuclear deterrent. We also discussed the need to modernize the national laboratories and diversify the work being done there.

“During our conversation about New Mexico’s military bases, I was interested to learn that he was stationed at both White Sands and Fort Bliss before serving in Vietnam. He is well aware of the important contributions our bases make in our national security efforts, and spoke highly of the communities and geography -- which are second to none for training.

“Finally, I emphasized my desire to see a successful and accelerated drawdown of U.S. combat forces in Afghanistan. I believe he is committed winding down the war in the most responsible way possible and understands the logistical challenges to making this a reality.”

The resolution states, "Bloomfield will uphold the Second Amendment of the Constitution of the United States, and will act in conformity with our sworn duties as duly elected officials charged with public trust, and will, in conjunction with prior decisions by the United States Supreme Court, not enforce any statutes, edicts, Presidential directives, or other regulations and proclamations which conflict — and are expressly preempted by — the U.S. Supreme Court's rulings."

Lujan Grisham, an Albuquerque Democrat, said that if sequestration cuts go into effect on March 1, if congress can’t pass a budget, New Mexico could lose between 20,000 and 28,000 jobs by the end of the year. The Senate has a budget proposal on the table, but the House has yet to approve a budget. The federal government has been operating under a continuing budget resolution since 2011.

Lujan Grisham says the spending cuts are across the board with no regard to what’s working and what’s not.

"Contracts are not going to be renewed, positions are being cut, and more New Mexicans are going to be unemployed. Let me repeat that this is one of the only states, maybe the only state, with negative job growth. And the CBO - the Congressional Budget Office- estimates that up to 1.4 million jobs are at risk because of sequestration."

Grisham said most members of Congress agree spending must be reduced, especially on health care, but that the automatic cuts, known as sequestration, “is like taking a meat cleaver to the budget.” Sequestration will affect not only defense and energy spending, but spending on education, nutrition, environment and virtually every other federal program, she said.

“I first heard about it at 4:12 this morning when my cousin texted me,” said the Rev. Adam Lee Ortega y Ortiz, rector of the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. “I looked at it and said, really? Then I went back to sleep.”

Sheehan says Benedict’s legacy will be one of sensitivity to people, as an author and for canonizing the first Native American saint.

About 1,000 Native Americans from New Mexico traveled to Rome for the canonization.

Chavez believes Benedict was a blessing to the church and gave its members his best. He also credited Benedict for the position he took when the Catholic Church went under fire for problems such as sex abuse scandals and communication gaffes that outraged Jews and Muslims.

“I’m grateful for him being strong during times when there was a lot of tension in the church,” Chavez said.

In 2007, New Mexico instituted a medical marijuana law to “allow the beneficial use of medical cannabis in a regulated system for alleviating symptoms caused by debilitating medical conditions and their medical treatments.” However, our law is clear that authorized marijuana possession or use does not preclude penalties for impaired driving and other proscribed conduct.