Johnnie come lately

Santa Fe college slashes tuition

Like it’s hot

We'll start with higher education this morning, because you just don't see this too often. St. John's College in Santa Fe has announced plans to decrease tuition ($) from a whopping $52,000 a year to a less-whopping $35,000. New Mexico students will pay $10,000 less than that. The college, which is known for its deep thinking, began mulling the idea earlier this year after receiving a rather large grant and mounting its own fundraising campaign. The new tuition rates go into effect next fall.

This word that you are using …

The federal government has expanded hunting opportunities at 30 sites around the country, including the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge. Staff there says new acreage has been opened up to hunt doves and quail. One might think "refuge" would include a safe space from bullets and bird shot, overpopulation and other valid reasons for hunting notwithstanding.

A new plan

Santa Fe National Forest is updating its forest management plan. The rewrite is the first full revision in 30 years. Federal forest officials are taking the plans on a road trip this fall to gauge public reaction and gather comments about its new ideas and alternatives to them. Santa Fe's chance to see the plans and what uses they emphasize will be at the end of the month.

Homegrown guys

The Santa Fe County Commission District 3 race got unexpectedly competitve this year when former Commissioner Mike Anaya jumped into the race as an independent. That as Rudy Garcia beat three other challengers in the June Democratic primary. Both men are intimately familiar with county government, and SFR examines the contest this week.

Everything is illuminated

Santa Fe-based Descartes Labs seems to have solved something of an identity crisis, at least as far as the city's infamous Historic Districts Review Board is concerned. The board voted yesterday to allow Descartes to put three signs on its downtown headquarters that will be illuminated ($) for at least part of the night.

Buy-in gathers steam

The Bernalillo County Commission has voted to ask New Mexico lawmakers to create a Medicaid buy-in option. That follows the Legislature's approval of a year-long study of the costs and benefits of such an option for people who don't qualify for the program but are still seeking affordable health care alternatives.

Federal grand jury indicts Amalia suspects

Firearms and conspiracy charges face the five adults from the Amalia compound, as their saga in both the state and federal justice systems continues. The feds say Jany Leveille and Siraj Ibn Wahhaj worked together with three other adults to create the remote compound where they trained for violent attacks. Relatives deny the charges, saying the group was trying to avoid the difficulties of living as Muslims in America.

Nerds

Trivia is fun. Ask anyone. Fun fact: The word "trivia" comes from Latin and, recently, Basque dialects … KIDDING. But if you've never stumbled upon a Geeks Who Drink trivia night at a local watering hole, you're missing out on either participating or some Grade A people watching. Second Stree Brewery's Railyard location has your back tonight, starting at 8 pm.

Thanks for reading! The Word had pumpkin bread yesterday. The not-too-sweet kind. It was a great starter item for the pumpkin onslaught of the next two and a half months.

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