The parent companies of the Albuquerque Journal and Rio Rancho Observer have announced a partnership that will mean a closer working relationship between two of New Mexico's leading newspapers.
The newsrooms and editorial pages of the two newspapers will remain separate and independent, although cooperative efforts in news-gathering will enhance the ability of both the Journal and the Observer to serve their readers. Read more
This has been an award winning year with The Taos News receiving recognition from the Local Media Association, which named it the best non-daily in the nation with up to 10,000 circulation, "Community weeklies in general, and The Taos News in particular, have a lot to be proud of, as they continue to improve to meet community needs." according to the official statement made by the contest's judges.
Free Press celebrates third anniversary
While the delivery of newspapers throughout the United Sates has changed dramatically during the last few years, skeptics have declared newspapers as a dying industry. Community newspapers have defied that label and amidst a national recession, the Ruidoso Free Press was founded Nov. 17, 2009. Read more
Bulletin project earns regional book awards
Las Cruces Centennial publication honored
"Las Cruces: A Photographic Journey" won two awards at the sixth annual New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards banquet Friday, Nov. 16, in Albuquerque.
"A Photographic Journey," a 300-page color book produced by the staff of the Las Cruces Bulletin, celebrates the New Mexico centennial through the eyes of Las Cruces. One hundred years and more of Las Cruces history are told through stories and photographs. Read more
Levine credits Observer for launching NASA career
ALBUQUERQUE - It was a classic case of déjà vu for Jay Levine Wednesday afternoon, as he walked into the Cibola High gymnasium.
Déjà vu not only because he'd once been a student, sitting in the very bleachers some current CHS students were assembled in to hear about where his path has led since he graduated Cibola in 1986, but déjà vu because this was the site of the first step of his career path.
Almost three decades ago, Levine had been first an intern and then an employee of the Rio Rancho Observer. He started with the newspaper in October 1985. Read more
Sun-News readies transition to new building
LAS CRUCES - Development isn't just happening along the former downtown "racktrack." While the opening of Main Street has captured most of the attention, head west a block and you'll see another institution near completion.
The Las Cruces Sun-News, a downtown landmark for decades, expects to occupy its new digs by early next year.
Publisher Frank Leto said the construction timetable for the approximately $1.2 million building should allow the city's only daily newspaper to return to 256 W. Las Cruces Ave. almost two years since a fire displaced the operation.
The Las Cruces Bulletin purchased by S.C. company
The Las Cruces Bulletin, along with the award-winning newspaper's affiliated specialty publications, has been acquired by a family-owned media company in South Carolina. OPC News, LLC, owned by members of the Osteen family in Sumter, S.C., purchased the weekly newspaper from David and Jacqueline McCollum of Las Cruces. The sale closed Monday, Nov. 5.
OPC News is owned by three members of the Osteen family, brothers Graham, Kyle and Jack Osteen.
In a statement, the brothers said they were attracted to the Bulletin because of the quality of the Las Cruces community and the paper's strong brand. "Las Cruces is a great community with a large audience that traditionally loves to read newspapers. David and Jaki have put together a superb organization over the years, and we are thankful they selected us to keep their tradition of newspapering alive," the brothers said in a statement.
Richard Coltharp, general manager of The Las Cruces Bulletin since 2010, has been named publisher of the newspaper. Coltharp has 27 years of experience at six different newspaper organizations, and has worked in southern New Mexico since 1995.
Read more Sandoval Refuses School Board Closed Session
GRANTS - Veteran Grants/Cibola County School District board member Dion Sandoval walked away from an executive session closed board meeting on Monday. The meeting was to discuss the salary range for the new superintendent who is expected to start early next year. - said he felt that they were violating the Open Meetings Act and was going to go home and have dinner.
Salary Database To Have Names
Bernalillo County commissioners reversed course Tuesday and narrowly agreed to add employee names to the county's online salary database.
Until now, the county has identified most employees only by job title in the county "Transparency Portal," where salaries are listed on the Web. Department heads and above, however, are mentioned by name.
Tuesday's 3-2 vote was a victory for the commission's new GOP majority, which said it would make transparency a priority. Republicans Wayne Johnson, Simon Kubiak and Michael Wiener supported the addition of names.
Cop files complaint after text probe
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.-An officer accused of exchanging sexually charged text messages with an underage girl filed a racial discrimination complaint against the Albuquerque Police Department.
Deputy Chief Alan Banks said the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaint had nothing to do with the decision to suspend Tillman instead of firing him.
"The information is from his internal affairs file and we cannot release it under the (collective bargaining agreement between the city and the police union,) and it is exempt under (the New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act) as it is part of the deliberative process and a matter of opinion," Banks wrote in an email to the Journal.
Questa Schools' Case Delayed
Attorneys who were representing Questa Independent School District school board members in a dispute with the New Mexico Public Education Department are no longer doing so, and a public hearing to address PED's suspension of the school board has been postponed.
The hearing, originally scheduled for Monday in Taos, is now set for Dec. 10.
A PED spokesperson would not provide a reason for the postponement. PED officials did not respond Friday to emails and phone messages seeking comment.
New officers elected for Association, Inland Press FoundationDes Plaines, Ill.--Lloyd Case, president and CEO of Fargo, N.D.-headquartered Forum Communications, was elected Inland Press Association president at its 127th Annual Meeting in Chicago Oct. 29.
Elected to the Foundation Board of Directors:
Robin Martin, owner, The Santa Fe New Mexican
