Today's News

ALBUQUERQUE — Horse racing may be returning to Raton.

The New Mexico Racing Commission approved the license application by Horse Racing at Raton on Monday, making way for the construction of the proposed $50 million track. The proposed horse racetrack and casino could begin live racing as early as 2010.

Commissioners picked among Raton, in northeastern New Mexico, and two rival applicants: Coronado Park Partners in Tucumcari and Pueblo of Pojoaque Development in Santa Fe.

It seems as if the only time the word “gaffe” ever comes up in the media is during presidential elections every four years. With cameras ever-present, it’s natural for them to make a few public mistakes now and then.

The media have made a big to-do about the verbal stumbles of both Barack Obama and John McCain — at the expense of coverage about their philosophies and positions on the issues. It’s a sad reality that sensation trumps substance just about any day of the week, especially on the presidential campaign trail.

Tom Udall ended his two-week “Doing Right By New Mexico Tour” in his campaign for U.S. senator with a rally in Las Vegas.

“The reason we’re finishing our tour in Las Vegas is because this has been one of my banner counties in all the years that I’ve run for office, and I hope to get everyone excited and geared up and move into these last 70 days of the campaign,” said Udall, a Democrat who has represented northern New Mexico in Congress for a decade.

State Auditor Hector Balderas says he’s trying to make it easier to report fraud.

He recently launched New Mexico’s first statewide fraud and abuse hotline, 1-866-OSA-FRAUD. The toll-free hotline allows New Mexicans to report suspected governmental fraud and abuse anonymously, without fear of retaliation.

“By partnering with New Mexicans across the state and encouraging the reporting of fraud, waste and abuse, I firmly believe we can limit the financial scandals that have plagued New Mexico and save our taxpayers millions of dollars” Balderas said.