Columns

I did a little number crunching on the school board elections last week, and discovered some interesting tidbits.

One of the things I found was that, while turnout was low for West’s election, it wasn’t bad on the east side.

First, let me point out that the numbers I use below are by no means “official,” but that doesn’t mean they’re inaccurate. I gleaned them from Optic reports on the last three school board elections — in 2007, 2009 and last week.

By Jesus L. Lopez

Special to the Optic

Even before 1835, farmers and ranchers from San Miguel had raised crops and grazed livestock on the lush meadows along the Rio Gallinas.  And as related in our last column,  Luis María Cabeza de Baca and his family had settled las vegas as early as 1820.

By Art Trujillo

It’s not exactly a case of generalized apathy, but the zeal that’s usually apparent around Super Bowl season just isn’t there.

The column of Super Bowl predictions lacks the wide-eyed passion we expect. And to no one’s surprise, some said, “I’ll tell you my prediction if you’ll tell me who’s playing.”

The dreary ineffectiveness of many of our public schools is not news. Our collective failure to develop literacy in our students is at the root of our inability to gain social, cultural and economic well-being locally, nationally and globally. The news bulletin today is that New Mexico ranks 49th in eighth grade reading test scores.