Textbook case

We can, but we don’t have to

Democrats and Republicans are at odds over a bill that would bar private schools from receiving publicly funded textbooks ($). The measure comes after the state Supreme Court decided the New Mexico Constitution doesn't specifically ban the state from providing textbooks to private schools. Democrats say just because it's allowed doesn't mean it's required. Republicans say it's likely to run afoul of the court's decision.

What happened?

CenturyLink says a faulty piece of technology sent its systems spiraling into chaos during a two-day outage after Christmas that stalled internet customers and tangled phone service for Verizon Wireless customers in New Mexico. The company explained itself during a Public Regulation Commission meeting yesterday.

APS talks racism

After a Cibola High School teacher's Halloween "prank" took a racist turn last fall, Albuquerque Public Schools took some lumps for its handling of the episode. The teacher resigned after calling one student a "bloody Indian" and cutting another's braid. Parents and students protested. The school district seemed caught on its heels. It's holding a community meeting tonight at 5 pm.

Growing home

SFR's cover story this week is an easy but enjoyable read about author Pam Houston's decision to buy a Colorado ranch a quarter century ago, and the woman she's become since. Houston splits time between writing gigs in California and, recently, Santa Fe. Elizabeth Miller tells her story.

Say what?

Writer Gustavo Arellano is accustomed to taking unpopular views. He's not a fan of In-n-Out burgers, for example. He also thinks Pueblo chile is better than New Mexico chile of all varieties. As usual, his chronicle of a chile-based road trip up I-25 is worth reading, though he mistakes the paltry Pueblo crop's 600-acre harvest for precious rarity. Actually, they grow so little of it because it sucks.

1 percent

Some really wealthy people sold the Gov. Dempsey mansion off Circle Drive in Santa Fe this month. The famed estate was set to go to auction Jan. 12, but the sellers came to terms with a potential bidder eight minutes before the auction. The 11-acre property above Santa Fe features a main home, three casitas, a pool, clay tennis court and an orchard for your fruiting needs. It sold for more than $5 million—making it the priciest purchase in two years around these parts—but the final price wasn't disclosed.

Another look

Chaco Culture Historic Park seems willing to reveal new parts of itself every time someone goes looking. That's the case with the Solstice Project from Santa Fe's School for Advanced Research. The project used LIDAR and 3D modeling to take another look at the renowned site. The team talks about its findings tonight at 6:30 pm at the James A Little Theatre. It's $10.

Winter

We're kind of muddling through it this week, with chilly temperatures, but clear skies. Expect highs in the 30s in Northern New Mexico today, 40s further south.

Thanks for reading! The Word is musing on how rare doesn't always mean precious. Like how deleted scenes from a movie aren't that special. There's a reason they were deleted, right?

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