Tis the Season for Conventions

Looks like everyone's off to one convention or another. Governor Richardson made a quick visit to the Yearly Kos convention last Friday. Our fellow blogger and local alternative paper editor Julia Goldberg is on her way to Arkansas to attend the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies where she is not only an attendee but a speaker as well. I will be attending the New Mexico State Fraternal Order of Police Conference which is being held right here in Santa Fe this year. Our own local F.O.P. President Michael Salazar is making his bid for the State Presidency of the F.O.P.. I will also be attending the Buckaroo Ball on Saturday night where my wife and I will join many attendees who will enjoy a concert by Wynonna while a lot of money will be raised for local charities.

On Tuesday its off to Taos where the New Mexico Association of Counties will have their conference. The great thing about this conference is that a majority of the Sheriff's from around the state get together and it allows us to discuss issues occurring in Sheriff's Offices throughout the state. I find these meetings to be among the most productive I attend each year. So tis the season for conferences. And yes in between all the serious stuff there is a little fun also. Many times the media portrays some of these as junkets especially when they are held in exclusive places, however, I really believe that a lot of information and networking is obtained from these meetings and they are well worth the expense and time. Which by the way is why all the media has their own conferences whether its alternative newspapers, mainstream media or even special conferences for left or right wing media.

One last note, I want to congratulate the Santa Fe County Reserve Program who's deputies are to be honored at the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office on Friday with a Volunteers excellence award which was sent to me to present to the deputies by none other than President Bush himself. These volunteers do a great job for Santa Fe County and place their lives on the line (for free even!). I am very proud of their work and their great accomplishments.