Latest news with #SantaFeCounty
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
The Roundhouse Report: Stansbury trolls Trump over Epstein list
Stansbury trolls Trump on X over Epstein client list Democratic U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury, an ardent critic of Republican President Donald Trump, capitalized on the controversy surrounding Trump and a supposed client list involving sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the infamous late financier who owned a sprawling ranch in Santa Fe County. Stansbury, New Mexico's most social media savvy member of Congress, posted a meme on X that poked fun at Trump's efforts to rename the Gulf of Mexico the "Gulf of America." "Just going to leave this right here," Stansbury wrote on the post, which included a map that identifies the body of water as the "Gulf of Donald Trump is on the Epstein Client List." The post on X has garnered more than 44,000 views and hundreds of comments. APTOPIX Trump Speech (copy) (copy) President Donald Trump arrives to address a joint session of Congress in March 2025 as Rep. Melanie Stansbury holds a sign reading, 'This is not normal,' at the Capitol in Washington. It has generated mixed reactions. "You're still tied with [U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez] for the worst Rep. in the history of our State," commented Ricardo Romero. "But this is still really funny!" She posted the same image on Bluesky, where it has garnered fewer but more predominantly positive responses. "I should be allowed to retroactively vote for you a second time because you posted this a la verga," replied one New Mexico-based poster. Proposed transgender bathroom ban sparks backlash While advocating for a policy change that would prohibit transgender women from women's restrooms at the state Capitol, Senate Minority Leader Bill Sharer of Farmington cited a crime victimization survey in New Mexico that found more than half of respondents reported having been either raped or sexually assaulted within their lifetime. "I've seen these studies that say half of all [New Mexicans] have been sexually assaulted, and that came from Source New Mexico, by the way,' he said during a meeting of the Legislature's Facilities Review Subcommittee. "This isn't some right-wing nut job case that came up with these numbers." Senate Minority Leader Bill Sharer, R-Farmington, on the Senate floor in March 2025. The citation by Sharer, a conservative Republican, to make the case against transgender people's bathroom use didn't sit well with the New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs, which commissioned the survey. "We think it's important that your readers know these comments about the CSAP-commissioned survey are being taken out of context in ways that politicize survivors and attack transgender communities," Destiny Logan, a coalition spokesperson, wrote in an email Monday. The coalition's director, Alexandria Taylor, said in a statement the group wants "broad access to the data and report but it is imperative that the data is cited correctly, not removed from its context in an attempt to weaponize and politicize survivors while attacking transgender communities." She continued: "While the Crime Victimization report found that more than half of people in NM have experienced sexual violence, it also found that transgender New Mexicans were three times more likely to have experienced sexual violence than cisgender people. "Not engaging with the data as a whole prevents us from focusing on real solutions that address the root causes of sexual violence in our state. Misuse of the data risks perpetuating the very harm that the survey shows is experienced by so many New Mexicans of all genders. "We encourage anyone interested in the NM Crime Victimization Report, particularly policy makers, to read the full report at: "If you need support, the NM Sexual Assault Helpline is available 24/7. Call or text at 1-844-667-2457 or chat online at Reporter responds to 'incensed' reader As the state government reporter in the state's capital city, I'm used to seeing my name in the newspaper. Just not in the letters to the editor. The "peeing turns partisan" story about a proposed transgender restroom ban at the Roundhouse triggered a critical letter from reader Larry Weinberg, who wrote he was "once again" incensed by my reporting. Ouch. "Chacón gives Republicans the first and last word on this nonissue," he wrote, adding yours truly had failed to fact check Sharer's "ridiculous" assertion that half of all New Mexicans have been sexually assaulted. I take full responsibility for failing to provide a link to the survey that found a majority of New Mexicans have reported experiencing sexual assault, but I did review the survey ahead of filing the story to verify Sharer's claims. Weinberg also questioned "the details or even the existence" of an anonymous letter sent by legislative employees complaining about a transgender woman who was using the women's restroom at the state Capitol during the 60-day session. A lawmaker shared a copy of the letter with me during the session, and I saved it on my phone if anyone wants proof of its existence. Trump (copy) President Donald Trump speaks as first lady Melania Trump, left, and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott listen during a roundtable discussion with first responders and local officials at Hill Country Youth Event Center in Kerrville, Texas, during a tour to observe flood damage, Friday, July 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) Trump admin asks New Mexico to share voter info The U.S. Department of Justice is asking the New Mexico Secretary of State to turn over voter information and enter into a "potential information-sharing agreement" to crack down on illegal voting. According to an email DOJ lawyers Paul Hayden and Scott Laragy sent to Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver a week ago, any voter information the state turns over would be used to enforce Trump's executive order "Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections." Issued in March, the order calls for among other measures stricter rules and enforcement to ensure only U.S. citizens vote in federal elections. Hayden and Laragy also wrote they would like the state to provide DOJ "with information on, among other things, individuals who have registered to vote or have voted in your state despite being ineligible to vote, who may have committed other forms of election fraud, who may have provided false information to state authorities on voter registration or other election forms, or who may otherwise have engaged in unlawful conduct relevant to the election process. With your cooperation, we plan to use this information to enforce Federal election laws and protect the integrity of Federal elections." The Trump administration has sent similar requests to a number of other states. New Mexico has not yet decided how to respond, BC Nguyen, elections outreach coordinator for the Secretary of State's office, wrote in an email. "We are still in the information gathering phase and do not have more details to share as to a planned response at this time," Nguyen wrote. New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez answers questions after a news conference in April. Podcast hits pause after AG bails at last minute For the first time since its launch at the start of the 60-day session earlier this year, the Around the Roundhouse podcast went dark this week. New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez was scheduled — and confirmed — to be the guest. But Torrez had to cancel about an hour beforehand due to what his office called an unexpected scheduling conflict. Lauren Rodriguez, a spokesperson for the AG, apologized for the last-minute cancellation and indicated Torrez would be available for a future podcast. "The Attorney General is eager to reschedule and have a meaningful conversation about the issues that matter most to New Mexicans," she said.
Forbes
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Joaquin Phoenix Headed To New Mexico To Find His ‘Eddington' Character
Joaquin Phoenix as Sheriff Joe Cross in 'Eddington.' Richard Foreman/A24 When Joaquin Phoenix set out to play the small-town New Mexico mayor Joe Cross in Eddington , he didn't expect to be heading to the film's location for inspiration. "Honestly, it was an act of desperation," he tells me as we chat over Zoom. "I'd love to say that there was some great method or idea, but I was sitting here in my house in Los Angeles, holding the script, and saying, 'I need something tangible. How am I supposed to build the character? I have no idea. I need to be, and the landscape is important, and I need to be around people for whom this is their experience, or else I'm basing it off of reading." So, without hesitation in August 2023, the Oscar-winning actor and Eddington 's writer-director, Ari Aster, headed to Albuquerque, Santa Fe County, and Truth or Consequences, to get a feel for the people and places. While those three places are very real, Eddington is a work of fiction. "For me, it felt like it needed something more, and I think that was something that Ari had already been doing," the Joker actor explains. "He had been doing research in New Mexico, so I went with him, and we did ride-alongs with sheriffs and different police officers, and mayors, and it was absolutely vital. For me, I'm the kind of actor who wants to be able to touch something. I want to feel the environment." "Everyone was great and receptive, and kind of like the cliche of a small town in which everyone was friendly, and they didn't care. In the first five minutes, you took some pictures, and then all that celebrity attention went away, and we were able to spend time with them and ask anything. I found everybody to be open, receptive, not guarded and judgmental, but curious." Aster, known for acclaimed films such as Hereditary and Midsommar , describes Eddington as a "western-noir dark comedy ensemble piece set in a fictional copper mining town in contemporary New Mexico during the Covid-19 pandemic." Phoenix plays the town sheriff and a mayoral candidate running against Pedro Pascal's Ted Garcia, Eddington's incumbent mayor, who is running for reelection. Eddington lands in theaters on Friday, July 18, 2025. Students of cinema, both Aster, who is from New Mexico, and Phoenix, draw inspiration from a range of films and other art. Perhaps surprisingly, action movies from the 1980s, starring the likes of Sylvester Stallone and Chuck Norris, play a significant role in Eddington 's explosive finale. "I didn't make any conscious or considered effort to study any of those films, but I was born in '74, and I grew up with all of those images of those actors and iconic films. They're part of me. It's a part of my experience," Phoenix confirms. "I understood the humor of kicking open a door with me holding a massive machine gun and spraying the town. That was a part of me and Ari. I'm sure Ari had a more specific intention there, but it was nothing we discussed. There was no particular film that we talked about or looked at in terms of how I approached those moments." Forbes John Leguizamo And Anna Chlumsky On 'Smoke' And Her Hard No To 'My Girl 3' By Simon Thompson Eddington reunites Phoenix, known for standout performances in Walk the Line , Gladiator , The Master , Her , and C'mon C'mon , with Aster, who previously worked together on Beau is Afraid . He's one of only a handful of filmmakers that the actor has worked with more than once. So what is it about Aster that sets him apart? "There are probably several things, and maybe there's the professional side, but what I look for is a director who does something that no one else can do, and they have a very unique vision. Ari certainly has that," Phoenix shares. "There is nobody like him. Part of the personal side of it is that we want someone with whom we understand each other and can spend a lot of time together. Sometimes you're spending months with somebody. I like Ari as a person. I enjoy talking to him. I enjoy his observations and I like his humor." (Left to right) Writer, director, and producer Ari Aster and Joaquin Phoenix at the LA Premiere of ... More 'Eddington' at DGA Theater Complex in Los Angeles, California. A24 via Getty Images How does Aster challenge an actor with such a diverse and celebrated catalog of work that netted him four Oscar nominations and one win? "I love the question, I know he does, but it's tough to articulate," he muses. "Sometimes with the director and actors, the director needs to be sensitive to what's going on with the actor, and to sense whether there's something more or a different approach than the actor might have. Sometimes it's to ensure that you've fully explored every possibility of the moment. Sometimes it's more direct than that, and very simply, for instance, you will know that in certain scenarios you need an insert shot. You need to make sure that the actor looks at their phone so that you can cut to it." "Often, when there are more meaty scenes, in some ways, part of what I want is somebody that can help me to ensure that I'm fully exploring all the possibilities for that scene, and isn't going to be comfortable with just settling on the first thing that comes to mind or what comes easily. Ari has like an obsession, and hopefully I do too, with doing that, and I think that hopefully we challenge each other to go deeper." (Left to right) Pedro Pascal and Joaquin Phoenix pose during a photocall for the film 'Eddington' at ... More the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France. AFP via Getty Images There Are Two Big Reasons Why You Should Watch 'Eddington' In Theaters At a time when independent films need audience support at the box office more than ever, Phoenix implores people to experience Eddington in theaters. However, good box office is not the only reason. "It's vital, and I think that's true for most films, but with this film in particular," he concludes. "It's so much about this shared experience that we all went through, and yet we all went through it often glued to our own, individual screens, getting our version of events and of reality. There's something that feels corrective and right about going through this experience and watching this film as a collective, and to hear and feel the reaction of those around us, and hopefully people that have different political or philosophical leanings." "I think that's something really enjoyable about Eddington. There's something in which we can hopefully recognize a piece of ourselves in every character, and maybe laugh at ourselves a little bit, and forgive ourselves a little bit. Doing that in a collective experience feels important. There's something very fun about this film, and particularly the finale you mentioned, where you're in a room full of people, it's charged, it's electric, it's exciting, and it feels vital to have that experience versus sitting alone behind the screen."
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Past their due date'? Justin Greene's rivals in Santa Fe mayor's race call out his 'lack of experience'
Santa Fe County Commissioner Justin Greene came out swinging Wednesday when he formally announced his campaign for mayor. Though he didn't drop any names, Greene, now the seventh candidate to jump into the crowded race, asserted some of his rivals are "retired" and "just past their due date" — perhaps not the wisest choice of words in a city with an increasingly growing graying population. In a wide-ranging interview Thursday on The New Mexican's Around the Roundhouse podcast, Greene, 56, sought to clarify his remarks after being asked whether such a message would resonate in a city where a quarter of the population is over the age of 65 and among the most loyal voters. Santa Fe mayoral candidate Justin Greene shares his vision for the city and touts his experience "The point that I was making there is that we need an effective mayor, right?" he said. "Everybody, everybody — even kids that can't vote, right? — have a voice in our governance, right, and talking about the future and talking about things that are needed in the time right now. Right now, we need somebody that's effective, so somebody that's at the peak of their career with the knowledge base, you know, hasn't been sitting on the sidelines for a decade." Former councilors fire back Asked which candidates he was specifically referring to who are has-beens, Greene didn't call out anyone by name. "Some people had run for mayor in the past, and maybe this is time for some new blood," he said. Two of the candidates, Ron Trujillo and JoAnne Vigil Coppler, are both former city councilors who have unsuccessfully run for mayor. Both were defeated by Mayor Alan Webber, who announced in May he would not be seeking a third term. "Is that who we're talking about here?" The New Mexican asked Greene. "I'll let you. Yeah. OK. Thank you," he responded with a smirk. Vigil Coppler fired back at Greene with a retort reminiscent of former President Ronald Reagan when he was asked during a presidential debate in 1984 if he was too old to be president at age 73. "If Mr. Greene wishes to display his ego by making discriminatory remarks about a candidate's age, then I am free to exploit his middle-age youth and complete lack of experience," said Vigil Coppler, 71. During the 1984 debate against Democratic opponent Walter Mondale, Reagan, a Republican known for his sharp wit and sense of humor, quipped, "I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent's youth and inexperience." Vigil Coppler said Reagan's remark remains one of the best lines in American politics, though she noted her remark wasn't plagiarized because it was different. "I'll tell you something else," she added. "Perhaps Mr. Green is taking a line out of the current mayor's playbook [because] he told one of the department directors that she reminded him of an expired date on a milk carton on the shelf." Vigil Coppler declined to disclose the director's identity, saying she asked her not to. A spokesperson for Webber declined comment. Trujillo, who is the same age as Greene, swung back at Greene, too. "There's no expiration on fighting for Santa Fe or caring about its future," he said. Trujillo also noted Greene is campaigning for mayor while serving out his first term as a county commissioner. "Commissioner Greene serving half a term doesn't make him the expert on who's seasoned or who should run for mayor," Trujillo said, adding he delivered "real results" to his council district during his 12 years in office. "I fulfilled my commitment to the voters who elected me to three full four-year terms," he said. "I didn't quit on them to chase a higher-profile office." Greene said he has a responsibility to finish out his term as a county commissioner. "I'm sure that I can balance both of them," he said, referring to his mayoral campaign and his elective office. Not the only Spanish speaker During his campaign announcement Wednesday, Greene also said he believed he is the only mayoral candidate who speaks Spanish, which is false. At least two others, Trujillo and Oscar Rodriguez, a former Taos town manager and Santa Fe finance director, can speak the language. Rodriguez, whose Spanish is impeccable, unlike Greene's, said he's known Greene "as a friend" for years. "Now I'm thinking that I regret so much that I was not able to talk to him in Spanish. Had I known, I would have told him about all my consulting experience in Latin America, precisely in the area of city services," said Rodriguez, who repeated his response word for word in Spanish. Greene speaks closer to what is known as Portuñol in Latin America, or a mixture of Spanish and Portuguese. He said his first second language was Portuguese, which he said he is stronger in than Spanish, primarily because of his Brazilian wife. When informed by The New Mexican on Thursday that other mayoral candidates speak Spanish, Greene said it was good to know. "I think that is definitely an aspect that allows us to reach out to different communities across Santa Fe," he said. As far as saying some of the candidates are past their prime, Greene said he has friends who are seniors who say they wouldn't have the energy to be mayor. "This is going to be an energetic, hard job to do for four years," he said. "As a county commissioner, I'm super hardworking." Greene said he attends "meeting after meeting," routinely collaborates with county staff and responds to constituents at all hours of the day. "I get responses from constituents that are like, 'Wait, did you just email me [on] Sunday morning at three o'clock in the morning?' " he said. "If I'm up, and my phone is near me, I will respond as best I can, and that's just who I am, just a hard worker. "And so that was the point, there, right? You know, some people when they get to a point in their life, they should enjoy retirement. I'm just not there yet."
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Santa Fe businesses' frustrations grow as road project continues
SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) – More than a year into a road rebuild through a Santa Fe tourism hot spot, the city is getting an earful because of new construction twists that keeps affecting dozens of businesses' bottom line. Story continues below Community:ABQ bus driver speaks out on her experience of safety issues on Central route News:Homeland Security: 11 people arrested at New Mexico dairy were 'undocumented' Trending:Mexican gray wolf Asha gives birth to litter of pups Food: Two Albuquerque restaurants make Yelp's 'Top 50 Cheap Eats' list The Concrete Jungle smoke shop has spent 30 years on Guadalupe Street in Santa Fe. 'We're struggling just to make ends meet, I don't even see how we're gonna weather this storm,' said Rebecca Storm, the owner of the shop. But Garcia said the last year dealing with a road rebuild project has been one of the toughest. 'Now sales are down 40 percent, we've never ever experienced that in our history,' said Garcia. 'Had we known that is gonna be a two-year-plus project with no end in sight, we might of made additional moves to do something else. While the project is supposed to be done by August, crews just pushed back work again this week after finding a hidden gas line. Santa Fe city leaders heard some of the frustration at a meeting with businesses this week. 'We've been taking those ideas back, trying to figure out the logistics of how do we make this work,' said Johanna Nelson, Economic Development director for the City of Santa Fe. Some businesses said they want money for the losses the construction has caused, while others said they want crews to work later into the night past 7 p.m. The city said it's working on business boosting initiatives. 'We've got a promotional campaign, so if we're out hitting the streets interviewing businesses putting that on social media. We're working with the chamber of commerce, right, to explore ways to we can further promote and support the businesses,' said Nelson. She added they're also considering a possible benefit concert, even an organized bike ride through Guadalupe Street. 'It's going to be a great thing, we just gotta hang in there and let's figure out what we can do in the meantime,' said Nelson. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
