NM AG Rebrands Office as “Department of Justice”

NM AG rebrands office

New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez yesterday announced he has rebranded the AG’s office as the New Mexico Department of Justice. The change involves a new logo that “embodies the spirit of justice, reflecting the diverse and dynamic essence of New Mexico. Bold, modern, and symbolically rich, our logo communicates strength, fairness, and inclusivity.” The office’s website also has been redesigned with a “user-friendly interface that facilitates easy navigation and access to information.” The physical office will have new signs that “proudly display the New Mexico Department of Justice, creating a cohesive and recognizable identity.” As for the reason behind the rebranding, a news release from the office says the name change aligns with other state Attorneys General and with the New Mexico statute that names the AG’s department as such. “In our steadfast commitment to championing justice and safeguarding the rights of every New Mexican, we proudly announce our agency’s transformation from the Attorney General’s Office to the New Mexico Department of Justice,” Torrez says in a statement. “This evolution reflects our unwavering dedication to upholding and protecting the civil and criminal liberties of our citizens. As the Department of Justice, we stand as a beacon of integrity, ensuring that justice prevails for all, exemplifying our tireless efforts to build a safer, fairer, and more just society for every individual within our great state.”

Former principal steps in at Santa Fe High

Today marks the last day for Santa Fe High Principal David Vincent, who leaves the position after little more than a year, but will be replaced temporarily by former El Camino Real Academy Principal Jack Lain. “I’m excited,” Lain tells SFR. “I missed being a principal, and I’m glad I’m able to offer help to Santa Fe High School at this time.” Vincent did not respond to a request for comment about his departure. Lain, who left El Camino Real Academy after eight years in June of 2022, said at the time he hoped to return to the district in some capacity after he did some traveling. “One thing I do like about retirement is the flexibility of travel,” Lain says. “But, I like this opportunity to be a principal again. I see myself as the bridge from Mr. Vincent to whoever they hire, which I suspect will be in a month or two.” Indeed SFPS Superintendent Hilario “Larry” Chavez issued a statement that the district has already begun a search to replace Vincent and anticipates “a smooth transition in leadership over the next 30 days.” Lain says helping with that smooth transition is his “mission” as well: “I really do want people to know I think Santa Fe High School is in a good place, even during this transition, and we’ll have someone more permanent on board shortly.”

City scales back Safe Outdoor Space plan

The City of Santa Fe has authorized operators for a pilot project to provide both shelter and services to the city’s unhoused residents, but at a reduced scale than originally anticipated. Last March, city officials approved a plan to purchase 25 pallet homes using $1 million from the American Rescue Plan Act, and opened requests for proposals from religious organizations to host the homes and nonprofits to provide support services and security. However, only 10 structures will be available late next month when the Safe Outdoor Space initiative commences, and modest interest from religious organizations and nonprofits casts doubt on how the program might expand in the future. The City Council and mayor unanimously approved contracts last month with Christ Lutheran Church and The Life Link. The Interfaith Community Shelter, which runs the Pete’s Place shelter on Cerrillos Road, also applied to oversee operations; Executive Director Korina Lopez tells SFR she’s unsure why the city did not end up selecting the organization for the pilot. St. Elizabeth Shelter Executive Director Edward Archuleta says the city approached the 37-year-old organization in the early stages of planning for the pallet home project, but he and the board of directors did not consider it a good fit. Nonetheless, Mayor Alan Webber tells SFR he still expects additional hosts to step up down the line and “we’ll be able to get these remaining pallets into use as housing previously homeless people.”

Report: Lower well-being for most children of color in NM

A new Annie E. Casey Foundation report released yesterday, “Race for Results,” provides statistical analysis for children of color across the US. In New Mexico, where children of color make up the majority of children, they fare worse than their peers in other states and fall behind Asian and Pacific Islander and white children, when it comes to the 12 child and youth well-being indicators, which are grouped into four areas: early childhood; education and early work experiences; family resources; and neighborhood context. As New Mexico Voices for Children points out in a news release, New Mexico’s children of most races and ethnicities “are lagging behind when compared to the nation overall,” with the exception of New Mexico’s Black children, whose overall well-being is slightly higher than the national figures in the report. “Although New Mexico still lags behind the nation and experiences disparities in child well-being by race and ethnicity, we have seen some notable improvements over time,” Emily Wildau, KIDS COUNT coordinator for New Mexico Voices for Children—which is funded by the Casey Foundation—says in a statement. “These indicators show us that we still need to strengthen policies like our state Child Tax Credit to further address family and child poverty, to continue to focus on closing the opportunity gaps for our students, and to increase our focus on policies that address racial inequities in our communities.” The foundation, which published its first report examining race and youth well-being a decade ago, says overall there has been “progress in some areas but persistent disparities for children of color in the United States.” The report provides an overall index score out of 1,000 broken down by race for the country overall and each state, which can be viewed on page 15 of the report.

Listen up

Today’s offerings in the 2024 Morning Word Playlist Project (please submit! It’s easy.) come from SFR’s publisher and editor, Julie Ann Grimm: “I have blown several speakers in several vehicles and I love to sing the harmony line,” she writes.

1. “Forgive” by Trevor Hall: “While lots of our journalistic attention focuses on accountability, it’s important to acknowledge that humans make mistakes. This song reminds me to be gentle with myself and others. What a relief.”

2. “There’s Hope” by India Arie: “This song from 2006 takes me back to some good times with smart, strong women who were all soaking up new books and music. ‘So you act, so you feel, so you are.’”

3. “Talk to Me” by Run the Jewels: “Sometimes one needs to play hip-hop at a loud volume. It’s hard to pick just one RTJ track, but I love this one for its First Amendment shout-outs and so much more: ‘Brave men didn’t die face-down in the Vietnam muck so I could not style on you.’”

4. “Coming in from the Cold” by Bob Marley and the Wailers: “A head-bobbin’ tune that warms my heart with its call to keep at it.”

5. “Hold you Dear” by the Secret Sisters: “For every sacred, fleeting moment with friends and family. I’m not crying. You’re crying.”

Oppenheimer continues awards season streak

Following its slew of awards at the Golden Globes, Oppenheimer (along with Barbie) also leads in nominations from the Hollywood’s Screen Actors Guild, announced yesterday: four, for best actor (Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer); supporting actor (Robert Downey Jr. as Lewis Strauss); supporting actress (Emily Blunt as Kitty Oppenheimer); and for cast performance. With continued attention for the film that depicts J. Robert Oppenheimer’s development and testing of the atomic bomb in New Mexico, nuclear tourism in Los Alamos has risen significantly, the Daily Mail reports. Los Alamos Historical Society Executive Director Todd Nickols says the number of visitors has surged: rising from the approximately 22,000 visitors typically seen each year to around 35,000 last year, which he characterized as “probably one of our best years.” New Mexico Magazine also turns its attention to the city on the hill, with a guide to its winter outdoor recreation offerings. Also on the Los Alamos tip, Oppenheimer Production Designer Ruth De Jong shows Vanity Fair how she went about creating the 1945 film version of the town, while Director Christopher Nolan breaks down the movie’s opening scene for The New York Times. Another film about the events that transpired here in 1945, First We Bombed New Mexico, just finished its screenings at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, with more dates and times in the coming months. Lois Lipman’s documentary gives voices to the victims of Oppenheimer’s Trinity test, who remain uncompensated for decades of illnesses and death that ensued.

Everyone (still) loves Santa Fe

While it’s challenging for us to view Santa Fe as an “emerging city,” given its advanced age and popularity, Seen in the City, a United Kingdom lifestyle magazine, includes it in its roundup of five “emerging destinations” in the US (Philadelphia also made the list, so it’s possible “emerging” means something different in the UK). Santa Fe, the story pronounces, is “both mystical and eclectic,” and “the land has become renowned for its healing qualities and is a spiritual haven while its varied terrain has lured artists from all over the world. Native American, Spanish and Anglo-American cultures seamlessly blend forming a thriving creative community.” Plus you can visit the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum (we’re paraphrasing…slightly). Closer to home, Samantha Brown, host of Samantha Brown’s Places to Love on PBS, recently spoke to Forbes magazine about travel, with the magazine asking Brown: “Do you have a city that you find yourself wanting to return to again and again?” Yes, you guessed it: Santa Fe. “I’ve been there four times, shooting different episodes,” Brown says. “I love it because it’s this confluence of American, Native American and Spanish history altogether. The margaritas are phenomenal. Art is everywhere, and it’s accessible. Whereas in New York City, where I live, an art gallery may seem intimidating to go to. Speaking of that, they have the capitol building, which has one of the largest collections of art—over 900 works—in Santa Fe. It’s beautiful and open to the public.” You can watch Brown visit the New Mexico Capitol Art Collection in this episode from 2019.

What freezings have I felt, what dark days seen!

Santa Fe may have snow by the time this newsletter arrives: The National Weather Service forecasts a 90% chance of precipitation today, with scattered snow showers before 11 am, followed by snow after 11 am, a high temperature near 31 degrees and south wind 10 to 15 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Chances for more snow drop tonight to 30%, as the temperature plummets to a low of 7 degrees, with wind chill values as low as -9.

Thanks for reading! New ice sculptures notwithstanding, The Word does not understand the appeal of an ice hotel (at least not at the moment).