Friday Funny- The Election Ballot of Tomorrow, Today

Another General Election is coming this November. In this Friday Funny, Stephen Colbert teaches Jon Stewart about 2002 election reforms. Includes the now famous Ta-Da ballot. I understand that New Mexico Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil-Giron is considering the Ta-Da Ballot and is looking into cloning Joe Monahan to be placed in Ta-Da ballots in all 33 counties throughout New Mexico. I suggest that if Joe is unavailable or unwilling perhaps our own Steve Terrell would donate his DNA to the cause.

Enjoy.

Armijo Resigns

Right after I posted my last blog post I received a phone call that Jeff Armijo has dropped out of the race. I received the call from one of his disappointed campaign workers. The only word of advice I could give them was "it's not about right or wrong, it's about politics." Jeff had to make a political decision and this will give him time to deal with the charges that may still come in the future. I am really sure that this hurt his core supporters as much as it did Jeff. I hope that they will not give up on politics and will work for another candidate someday with as much hope and heart as they did Jeff Armijo's race.

The Saga of Jeff Armijo

Today as I write this State Auditor Candidate Jeff Armijo is meeting with the Governor to discuss his political future. As a politician things like this bring chills to all who have run for office. What do you do when an allegation is made with no charges being yet brought? Or may never be brought for that matter. Jeff is adamant about his innocence. I have know Jeff and have met the alleged most recent victim and the unfortunate thing about this kind of case is that they are hard to prove without physical evidence. Not to say that there may not be some as I am not privy nor would I want to be to the Albuquerque Police Departments case. Witnesses in these kinds of cases are usually non existent and unless physical evidence is present it becomes ones word against another's.

A mutual friend of Jeff and mine asked me "what if the D.A. announces she will not press charges or that Jeff is innocent? Shouldn't he wait to drop out in case that happens ?" The truth is because of the politics involved expect no decision on charges to come before Novembers election. Even after November normally these cases if they are not prosecuted just fade away without any announcement. Because I expect the press to continue to ask for an answer, sometime after November the D.A. will either prosecute or announce that there was insufficient evidence to do so.

So what do you do as a politician when this kind of charge is leveled against you and you are innocent? You can not prove your innocence in most cases and your guilt goes unproven as well. You might be the nicest and most honorable guy or gal but how do you escape the cloud that this kind of allegation may bring? In smaller local races you may decide to march ahead and let the voters decide. However, in State wide races your election or loss and the surrounding turmoil can affect the party you belong to as well as other candidates aligned with your party. Do you give up your aspirations for the benefit of the greater good of your party? What must be going through Jeff's mind is what if I drop out and I would have won anyway? And if I run and lose isn't it my race to win or lose? Should I be responsible for other candidates races or just my own? A whole lot of questions that a candidate in this situation must ask his or herself. If you are innocent how does one set that fact aside and resign the race anyway?


I know some campaign workers and true believers in Jeff Armijo. This is becoming very hard for them. They know him or have come to know him personally and they are very distraught over the fate of their candidate. I watch their angst and can't help but admire their loyalty. They truly and with all their heart believe in their candidate. I have seen tears well up in their eyes as they discuss the situation and it put a lump in my throat as I spoke to them. There are those who really put their heart and soul into their candidate and as they work the campaign they truly become personally involved in the fight to get their candidate elected. It becomes a passion and the ups and downs of a campaign affect them as much as the ups and downs of loving relationships affect all of us. It reminds me of the movie primary colors which was not really about the candidate " Jack Stanton" and his run for office but about those around him and how the ups and downs of the campaign effect them. They will do almost anything for their candidate and if their candidate lets them down its not unlike a son or daughter who lets their parents down.

The proverbial "between a rock and a hard place" doesn't give justice to the predicament that Jeff Armijo and the Democratic Party is in right now. I shudder to think if some kind of accusation was leveled against me. In my case not so much for my political career which is secondary to my family. I would hate for my wife and kids to face such a private matter in the public eye. That is really the hardest thing about being in politics. The fact that if and allegation such as this is leveled against the average citizen only the victim and suspect and very few others would ever know about it. For those who chose public service you give up the right to have a private life and that is just something that goes with the territory. Parts of my private life and my families lives have made the front pages or the ten o-clock news and it is just something my family has had to deal with. I do always tell my wife and myself that I had a job and a life before public life and I will have one afterwards. I knock on wood as I thank God I am not in the position Jeff Armijo is in right now. I say a prayer for both Jeff and his alleged victim and hope that however this works out that they will find some kind of peace when this is all done.

Off to the Opera

It was a real busy week as you can tell by my week of no blogging. This week was sandwiched between some play time as well. Last weekend I hit the trails, horseback riding in the Chama area, we went from New Mexico, across into Colorado and back. I really enjoyed this and it was the perfect getaway after the prior weeks distressing news stories. It was kind of a City Slickers weekend and I was pretty sore after two days of riding as I don't get to ride to often.















Sheriff Greg Solano on "Apache"
















Break time on the Trail Ride
















One of Twenty lakes in the area we traveled.

After a week of one busy day after another in which we interviewed candidates for the jail administrator my wife Antoinette and I were off to the Opera to see Jules Massenet's "Cendrillon (Cinderella). I got into trouble with my wife for calling it "hokey" during intermission. The Santa Fe Opera puts on some great shows and even this one had some great costumes, props and scenery. This was probably a woman's opera since it seemed to appeal to my wife and a female friend of ours. My male companion and I thought it was kind of like a Hee Haw Opera. The two ladies seated behind us really enjoyed it since they were laughing as though Rodney Dangerfield was on the stage. Are you really supposed to laugh that hard at an Opera? I found myself nodding off during the third act however the fourth act was a bit more interesting and woke me up. This is not the Disney version of Cinderella, there was no mice, and this version has a father who's role is very prominent in the storyline. There was a Fairy godmother who sang very well and played a good role. Over all it was ok, and I can't ask for too much, we knew going in that it was Cinderella.













A scene from Santa Fe Opera's Cinderella

I have received this same question from a lot of people today so I thought I would answer it here.

NewMexiKen said...

While I understand you are doing as other officials, including Gov. Richardson, have done, I do not understand your motives. Mr. Epstein has been accused of a victim-less crime. He did not earn the money he donated to you or others from this crime. He has not, so far as I know, been convicted. And even if convicted, can a "bad" man do no good?

I for one would be interested in your thinking on this.

I could give you the politically correct answer but I don't work that way. The truth is that Republicans and other political attack dogs are criticizing me heavily on this issue. I know that this is something they will try and use against me and something that could haunt me for a long time to come. I decided it was better to just put this behind me and move on. The best way was to go ahead and make this symbolic donation and move on. I call it symbolic because of course the election is over and the campaign has ended, the money is all spent. So there is no way to give back or donate the actual money instead we will just have to come up with money and donate it so as to put the issue to rest and take it away from the attack dogs as an issue. Such is life when you go into public service.

It is true that these moneys are not alleged to be the fruits of any crime. If Mr. Epstein is guilty of what he is accused then even though the current charge is solicitation of a prostitute, the actual allegations are that the young girls he paid for sex and massages were actually as young as 14 and usually in the 16 to 17 year age. I have read the police affidavit for the arrest and was pretty disgusted by what I read. He also donated millions to charity and I hope the charities will not be pressured into returning the money. Thank you for the question and Thank you to all who have called, written and even sent in donations to assist me.

P.S. (if you sent a donation please don't get arrested !)

Sheriff Solano to donate funds to Charity

Sheriff Solano to donate funds to Charity
August 17, 2006
Sheriff Greg Solano will be donating $1000 to Mothers Against Drunk Driving and $1000 to Challenge New Mexico both local charities doing important work for citizens of New Mexico. The money represents money donated by Jeffrey Epstein to Sheriff Solano’s Campaign in 2005. Although the money had been spent and the election over in June of 2006 Sheriff Solano felt it was the right thing to do in this circumstance. Sheriff Solano will make the donations using a combination of new donations and his own money.

Republican Hack at it again.

Republican hack Whitney Cheshire, AKA The Wednesday Morning Quarterback is at it again not only criticizing my political life but taking digs at my personal life including calling me a wannabe blogger. That hurts, LOL. Whitney has to understand that I have thicker skin than to succumb to childlike name calling.

In a November 2005 Press Release Whitney Republican Hack Cheshire stated the following:

“I've found that liberal bloggers - with a liberal agenda - hit local candidates the hardest,” said Cheshire. Those candidates don‚’t have thousands of dollars to spend on radio and TV to counter the punches being landed on the Internet,” said Cheshire. Bloggers don’t have to be correct, and they don'’t have to be fair. And sometimes, it takes too much money to set the record straight, she said.



“Blog postings land in the press and have an effect on campaigns” said Cheshire. “That’s why it is irresponsible when bloggers refuse to seek comment from the candidates and people about whom they are writing. With The Wednesday Morning Quarterback, we’ll work to report fairly and present more than one side of the story,” she said.

As I read that press release and read her blog I realize, and I wonder if she realizes she has become that which she once criticized. She does nothing but bash Democrats in her blog whether deserving or not. The truth is unimportant to her. Even those whom she as a resident of Albuquerque are not even part of her voting districts are not safe from her pit bull attacks. I don't remember her asking me for comment before writing (or bashing) me on any of the occasions which she has done so. I give her the Fumble of the year award for her unabashed Democrat bashing and childlike behavior on the field.

Political Campaign Financing

Jay Miller has a thought provoking blog post which discusses campaign financing and the governor candidates views on the subject on his blog Inside the Capitol.

While I think voter participation in the process is important and many voters and supporters feel good about helping their candidates whether it is $10 or $1000 or by holding a sign or selling a raffle ticket. There is still a lot to be said about public campaign financing. It would allow candidates a chance to just get out and speak to the people instead of spending so much time fundraising. It would also remove any allegations of favoritism or special access for donors. But as advertising and media expenses rise and rise can the costs get too high for taxpayers to bear? Are they already too high? What do you think?


Cast Your Vote

Free Vote Casters by Bravenet.com

Billionaire Donor In Palm Beach Sex Scandal

Jeffrey Epstein a Billionaire with a 27,000-square-foot hilltop mansion on a 10,000-acre ranch outside Santa Fe has been indicted for felony solicitation of prostitution by a grand jury following accusations by teen girls. Many believed his home in Stanley to be the largest home in the state. Beginning in mid-March 2005, Epstein became the target of a sexual battery probe conducted by the Palm Beach Police Department, according to the affidavit, which alleges that Epstein, 53, paid a series of underage girls to engage in sexual activity with him.

Mr. Epstein is a donor to many democratic candidates across the nation and was considered an upstanding citizen. He has helped such candidates as John Kerry's presidential bid, the Senate bids of Joe Lieberman, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Christopher Dodd and Charles Schumer, and Bill Clinton. In New Mexico he has donated money to many statewide candidates such as Gary King, the reelection campaign of New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and many other local politicians, Including my 2006 Primary Election Campaign. Most of these donations were in the $100,000 dollar range.

I am not sure if I ever met Mr. Epstein, I may have met him at one of many political or charitable functions I attend. I had heard of him and his large home in Stanley New Mexico. In August of 2005 I received a $2000 check in the mail from Mr. Epstein. I knew he lived in Stanley, one of the rural areas of the county where we provide almost exclusive police protection, with some occasional assistance from the state Police. So when I received the check I thought it was just a nice donation from someone who appreciated our services. I received several such checks in the mail although most were in the $100 to $500 range. In 2005 there was no such allegations and Mr. Epstein was still well respected. I learned of the indictment in late July of 2006 when I read about it on The Smoking Gun Website. I was very disappointed and it bothered me greatly that even though someone is innocent until proven guilty, I would never have accepted the donation if I had known the allegations.

Steve Terrell, political reporter for The Santa Fe New Mexican called me tonight to get my comments on the indictment. He asked me whether I would be returning the money he donated to my campaign. I received the $2000 donation in August of 2005 and used it for the June 2006 Primary Campaign. I completed the June Primary having spent all donations and actually ending the campaign over $2000 in debt. That debt means that the remaining money was paid out of my pocket. So the short answer is there is nothing left to return. It is now nearly a year since I recieved the donation and the campaign for Sheriff is over and done. As I have no Republican opponent I will not have to wage a General Election Campaign. I did not plan on any further fundraising although some who read in my campaign reports that I had ended with a debt offered to raise some additional money to clear the debt. If I did have the money I probably would return it or give it to a charity as the $2000, returned to Mr. Epstein who is a billionaire would probably not mean much to him.

Running for office and gathering donations to run a campaign is one of the hardest parts of public service. My opponent and myself each spent about $30,000 on the primary Sheriff's campaign. Other offices easily spend a million dollars or more in today's day and age. Publicly financed campaigns would remove this burden and perhaps remove the accusations that this money buys influence. In my case that would be a lot of money to just try and get out of a speeding ticket or buy influence in the few areas where I could really do anything. Of course I would never let donations influence my decisions.

So all I can do now is trust that the public will believe in me still and understand that there is no way when a donation like Mr. Epstein is received that you could ever know that something like this indictment could come a year or two later.

Senator John Edwards- The Road to the White House

I was watching "The Road to the White House 2008" on C-Span Sunday night and it featured Senator and former Vice-Presidential Candidate John Edwards recent event in Cornish, NH. I first met John Edwards when he was introduced to me by Attorney General Patricia Madrid who was heading up his New Mexico Campaign for President prior to John Kerry winning the nomination. He impressed me and seemed to have the ideals and energy of a John F. Kennedy. Even though John F. Kennedy died as my mother was bringing me home from a week in the hospital after my birth, my family worshiped him. I remember growing up there was a Saint Jude Statue right next to the statue of John F. Kennedy in my home. There for I was often told, read about and watched with my family the TV specials on John F. Kennedy as I grew up.


Back to C-Span, Senator Edwards spoke about raising minimum wages, about the Bush administrations support of the big Oil interests while inadequately supporting the efforts to rebuild hurricane ravaged areas. He spoke about poverty in America and the failures of our educational system. I still have not made up my mind about the Democratic nominee of my choice in the primary's to come but Senator Edwards impressed me again as he did the first time I met him.

It would be nice to see our own Governor Bill Richardson in the White House and that would do a lot for New Mexico. I still remember the days when the Clinton White House had economic stability and growth combined with a balanced budget plan. A time when the C.O.P.S. programs helped small departments like Santa Fe County's to hire personnel and buy much needed equipment. Perhaps Hillary Clinton could lead the country in that direction again? Any of these candidates would be better than another Republican Administration. Combine that with the Democrats re-taking congress this November and I believe our country will be back on the path to prosperity. After watching Senator Edwards speak again I think he will be one to watch in the 2008 race. He continues to impress me and seems to get better and better in delivering his message. Finally, for those of you in Rep. Heather Wilsons District, Please elect Patricia Madrid and take one giant step towards a democratically controlled Congress.

"Note: the opinions expressed on this blog are mine and only mine however, keep reading and maybe they will be yours too, if they are not already." :-)

Friday Funny- Santa Fe County Field Sobriety Test

Here is the proposed new Santa Fe County Field Sobriety Test.

My Trip to the World Series of Poker Part 3

Here is part 3 of my trip to the World Series of Poker.


After a little sleep (very little) I went back to the Rio arriving by 9 am because I was told Doyle Brunson would be at the Doyles Room Hospitality suite between 10 and 11 am before he was scheduled to play in the 11 am $1500 buy in Holdem tournament. I got there and found out that there was an early satellite tournament with a $175 buy in. The winner would get a seat in the $1500 tournament which included Doyle and Todd Brunson, Phil Hellmuth, Jennifer Tilley, John Juanda, Mike The Mouth Matasow, Phil Hellmuth and about 340 others. I decided to give up meeting Doyle in the hospitality suite and play in the satellite tournament.














Here I am playing in the WSOP Satellite tournament.

So I sat down put on my sunglasses and got set to play my first game in the same room as the greatest players in the world for a seat in a WSOP tournament and a chance at a World Series of Poker Bracelet. The first hour went well, I held my own and had nearly doubled my chip stack. The Main event was getting re-started at 11:00 so our table was moved to the other end of the room. I think this began a change in luck or my playing. Which ever it was I began to lose hands or be forced to fold when the turn or river killed me.

I received pocket kings and went all in pre-flop hoping to at least pick up the blinds and maybe get one caller with A,K or a smaller pair. I got two callers and immediately got nervous. One lady turned over pocket twos which made me sigh with relief and the other player turned over K,Q unsuited. I thought I had it won. The flop turned with only rags (low cards that did nothing for any of us). The turn came and it stung like a thousand bees. It was a two, I knew I was sunk but still held out hope as I asked the dealer to turn over a king. No king came and I was out of the tournament. I congratulated the lady and got up from my seat. I kept thinking to myself, HOW COULD SHE GO ALL IN PRE FLOP WITH TWOS! Oh well now I know how Phil Hellmuth and Mike the Mouth feel the only difference is I held the anger in.

I walked away and decided to go back to trying to meet as many big name poker players as I could. First to come within my radar screen was Jennifer Tilley. I was really happy about this after missing my chance for photo's and an autograph yesterday when I ran into her at Binions. Not to be shy I stalked her for about 30 minutes as I watched her play until a break. I then approached her introduced myself and gave her one of my Sheriff's Pins. I secured an autograph on an article about her in ALL IN Magazine and a photo with her. Much to my surprise she put the pin on a green sweater she had previously had hanging on her chair and then she put the sweater on. Late that night I ran into her again and she was still wearing the pin but had been knocked out of the tournament.

Next I hooked up with Todd Brunson and retrieved an autograph from WSOP Champions Johnny Chan, Barry Greenstein, Chris Jesus Ferguson, Mike Caro, Greg Raymer, Clonie Gowen, Daniel Negreanu, Mike Matusow, Amir Vahedi, T.J. Cloutier, Kathy Liebert,Cindy Violette, and finally the grand daddy of them all Doyle Brunson. I actually got to spend a few minutes with Doyle and felt truly honored to have spent that time with a living legend. After Stalking all these players, watching the main event all day and spending more time collecting free stuff, I headed back to Binions at about 11:30 at night, still excited about my two days at the World Series of Poker.

Here are some of the pics with the players.













Cindy Violette and Me.













Barry Greenstein and I with the card he signed for me.












Greg Raymer and Greg.


















Chris Jesus Ferguson and Me.
















Daniel Negreanu and I.

















The Grand Daddy of them all Doyle Brunson and an Ecstatic Me.

My Trip to the World Series of Poker Part 2

My Trip to the World Series of Poker Part 2














Day one of my trip to the World Series of Poker began with my arrival at Binions Hotel and Casino on the old strip. It was our home for the next few days. I headed to the poker room where the World series of poker was held for years before bieng moved last year to the Rio. While I was looking at the gallery of World Series of Poker previous winners in walks Jennifer Tilley and the Unibomber Phil Laak. I did not have a camera or anything to autograpgh so I just shook thier hands and said hello and how much I enjoyed thier poker playing skills. No one else recognized them so they looked at the photos on the wall then picked up some poker magazines and began flipping through them. Phil Laak remarked that he was not as well loved in the media at the time as he looked at all the other players in the magazines. They then headed out on to Freemont Street. I have always liked Jennifer Tilley as an actress and as a poker player after she won the ladies World Series of Poker Bracelet last year. I was kicking myself for not having my usual sharpie and camera.


Next it was off to the Rio Pavillion. It is a huge convention center at the back of the casino with the entire center booked with all things poker. Each online poker site had a hospitality room where givaways included, dvd's, t-shirts, hats, Special edition chips, books, poker diarys, pins, posters and probrably a lot of other things that I still havent realized I brought home with me.

Of course there was booths selling stuff but why buy anything when you got armloads of free stuff. Once I made my way through the hospitality rooms and after meeting my first Poker Celebrity Joe Hachem last years main event winner. I got an autograph but no photo. This was one of the few which I did not get a photo with on the trip. Next I ran into Phil Helmuth who was on a break in the Ultimate Bet Hospitality Room. I was the only one in a shirt and tie so I think when I walked past the public area and into the private breakroom I was probrably mistaken for an employee or security. I walked over to Phil and asked him for an autograph and a photo. He gave both and then we had a cup of coffee and talked strategy for about 20 minutes.















Phil Helmuth and Me.

Now it was off to the big show. Inside a large convention floor were over 200 poker tables. There were approxametly 300 players left from the 8700 which started at the begining of the main event. There were also cash games bieng played on one corner and a smaller tournament in another corner. This is truly heaven for a serious poker player and the greatest poker players in the world were seated in this one room. I walked around and gawked for a while before I had to leave. I had come to Vegas for a friends wedding and although I attended the wedding earlier in the day I had to meet the wedding party at Gilleys Western Bar.



So off to Gilleys where soon after we walked in we meet none other than Bill Engvall the comedian from the Blue Collar Comedy show with Jeff Foxworthy and Larry the Cable Guy. I had my trusty sharpie and camera and not one to be shy my wife and I walked up introduced ourselves and got a photo and two autographs. He offered me a shot of Crown Royal from his own bottle he had with him but I can't drink hard liquor so I declined. He was appearing over the weekend at The Orleans hotel and casino but he brought his wife to Gilleys for her birthday. The birthday was announced and the whole bar joined Bill in singing happy birthday.














Bill Engvall my Wife and I

That Concluded my first day at the WSOP. Stay tuned for day two and my first day playing at the WSOP.

My Trip to the World Series of Poker

My Trip to the World Series of Poker.



















This was photoshopped and given to me by the folks at the Full Tilt Poker Hospitality Room.

A couple of my good friends got married in Vegas on Friday (congrats Steve and Pam), and my wife and I attended the wedding. The trip coincided with the main event at the World Series of Poker and I could not pass up the chance to attend. Of course since I did not have the $10,000 entrance fee I attended as a spectectator for the most part. I say for the most part because I did play in a $175 satellite event which the winner would then be given a seat in the $1,500 holdem event. The $1,500 event had many notables in it also including Jennifer Tilley the actress and WSOP bracelet holder, Phil Hellmuth (the Poker Brat), Mike (the Mouth) Matusow, Johnny Chan, Barry Greenstein, and most famous poker player of all Doyle Brunson and his son Todd Brunson . Oh and I was eliminated from the Satellite event with pocket kings against trip twos when the ladies pocket twos held up with a third two on the turn. That's my bad beat story for the 2006 WSOP.















Doyle Brunson at his WSOP Table















Phil (the poker brat) Hellmuth and myself at the 2006 WYSOP.

The highlights of my trip to the WSOP was that I was lucky enough to meet, get photo's with and get autographs from nearly all the big names in poker. I even got to discuss strategy with Phil Hellmuth over a cup of coffee and talk about Doyle Brunsons book with Doyle Brunson himself.













Jennifer Tilley at the 2006 WSOP

Jennifer Tilley was really nice and she has become my favorite celebrity poker player. After I gave her a Santa Fe County Sheriff's Pin, she proudly wore it on her green sweater while she competed in the $1,500 event. I spent two days hanging around the main event and saw Daniel Negreanu (kid poker) get knocked out at 229th place and collect his $42,000 winnings. I also was present when Joe Hachem last years defending champion was knocked out of the main event at 238 place also collecting $42,000, after he outlasted all previous bracelet holders.

For those of you unfamiliar with the WSOP there were 8773 players who each put up $10,000 or won a seat from various online poker sites or they could have also won a seat from one of the thousands of casinos across the world. Out of all these players one will be named world champion with an estimated 12 million dollar first place prize. The top 12 players will each receive over 1 million dollars and even the 873 place finish paid $14,000 with prizes going up from there to the first place 12 million dollar prize.















WSOP Champion Johnny Chan at the 2006 WSOP

I took a lot of pictures but I used a 35mm camera so once those are developed I will post some of the more notable ones. I took a few with my camera phone and those are posted today in this blog post. In the next few days I will chronicle my WSOP adventure with photo's and also talk about meeting Bill Engvall the comedian from the Blue Collar Comedy show with Jeff Foxworthy and Larry the Cable Guy. We met at Gilley's located at the Frontier Casino. I also have pictures of Bill Engvall and provided my film develops ok I will post them, I have my fingers crossed. Until next post, be safe and have a great day!

Friday Funny- Making fun of the Media

Clever News Reporter
A car was involved in an accident in a street. As expected a large crowd gathered. A newspaper reporter, anxious to get his story could not get near the car.

Being a clever sort, he started shouting loudly, "Let me through! Let me through! I am the son of the victim."

The crowd made way for him.

Lying in front of the car was a donkey.


Funny Newspaper Headlines

* 5th-Graders Get to Grill Lions
* Enfield (London) Couple Slain; Police Suspect Homicide
* Red Tape Holds Up New Bridges
* Man Struck By Lightning Faces Battery Charge
* New Study of Obesity Looks for Larger Test Group
* Astronaut Takes Blame for Gas in Spacecraft
* Kids Make Nutritious Snacks
* Local High School Dropouts Cut in Half
* Hospitals are Sued by Seven Foot Doctors
* Typhoon Rips Through Cemetery; Hundreds Dead
* 5th-Graders Get to Grill Lions (Detroit Free Press, Friday Jan 27, 2006)
* Autos killing 110 a Day; Let's Resolve to do Better
* Blind Woman Gets New Kidney from Dad she Hasn't Seen in Years
* British Left Waffles on Falkland Islands
* Child's Death Ruins Couple's Holiday
* Child's Stool Great for Use in Garden
* Cold Wave Linked to Temperatures
* Deaf Mute Gets New Hearing in Killing
* Dealers will Hear Car Talk at Noon
* Dr. Ruth to Talk about Sex with Newspaper Editors
* Drunk Drivers Paid $1,000 in 1984
* Enraged Cow Injures Farmer with Ax
* Eye Drops Off Shelf
* Farmer Bill Dies in House
* Grandmother of Eight Makes Hole in One
* If Strike isn't Settled Quickly it May Last a While
* Iraqi Head Seeks Arms
* Is There a Ring of Debris around Uranus?
* Juvenile Court Tries Shooting Defendant
* Kicking Baby Considered To Be Healthy
* Killer Sentenced to Die for Second Time in 10 Years
* Lawmen from Mexico Barbecue Guests
* Lung Cancer in Women Mushrooms
* Man is Fatally Slain
* Milk Drinkers are Turning to Powder
* Miners Refuse to Work after Death
* Never Withhold Herpes from Loved One
* Nicaragua Sets Goal to Wipe out Literacy
* NJ Judge to Rule on Nude Beach
* Organ Festival Ends in Smashing Climax
* Panda Mating Fails - Veterinarian Takes Over
* Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers
* Quarter of a Million Chinese Live on Water
* Queen Mary Having Bottom Scraped
* Reagan Wins on Budget, but More Lies Ahead
* Robber Holds Up Albert's Hosiery
* Safety experts say school bus passengers should be belted
* Shot Off Woman's Leg Helps Nicklaus to 66
* Smokers are Productive, but Death Cuts Efficiency
* Some Become Unintentionally Suggestive
* Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Experts Say
* Soviet Virgin Lands Short of Goal Again
* Squad Helps Dog Bite Victim
* Stiff Opposition Expected to Casketless Funeral Plan
* Stolen Painting Found by Tree
* Teacher Strikes Idle Kids
* Two Convicts Evade Noose, Jury Hung
* Two Sisters Reunite after Eighteen Years at Checkout Counter
* Two Soviet Ships Collide - One Dies
* War Dims Hope for Peace
* William Kelly was Fed Secretary

America's Night Out Against Crime

Last Night I visited the plaza where members of the Santa Fe City Police, Sheriff, State Police, and City and County Fire Departments, along with the New Mexico National Guard and the New Mexico Department of Public Safety, participated in America's 23rd Annual Night Out against Crime.

It was a true community event with a Band, Cake Walks, Cotton Candy, Snow Cones, Popcorn, Games and Prizes. Each agency had booths with information, specialty vehicles and robots on display and lots of free stuff for the kids. The National Guard had a basketball toss game and one of the biggest hits a rock climbing tower.

The organizers did a great job of putting on the event and deserve much accolades for their hard work. The event was well attended by many locals who came out to celebrate National Night Out. Here are some pictures of the event. I apologize to the City Fire Department and the County Eldorado Volunteer Fire Department as well as the National Guard, I forgot to take pictures of their displays.















Judy and Corporal Vanessa man ( is that the right word?) the Sheriff's Booth.















My favorite booth, the popcorn and snow cone booth.














Jordan and the Safety Pup !















Sgt Ken, Corporal Vanessa and myself with our Community Support Services Vehicle.















Sgt. Ken and Corp. Vanessa with the Community Suport Services Vehicle. This vehicle is used to visit schools and community events and has been nicknamed "spongebob" by the kids.















My old Police Academy schoolmate and former partner Captain Gary Johnson from the City Police, and myself in front of their new Armored Swat Vehicle.















Britney and the New Mexico State Police Mobile Command Post.