“He” is the 17-year-old Rio Grande High School wrestling team member who was confronted by his much larger teammate, state champion Nick Chavez, in a highly publicized late February incident in the school cafeteria. A sheriff’s deputy assigned to the school says he saw the 18-year-old Chavez take $15 from the younger, smaller kid, knock his lunch tray out of his hand then slap him in the face when he asked for his money back. The deputy filed a report and charged Chavez with larceny and battery. APS suspended him for three days, making him ineligible for the state wrestling tournament and therefore ineligible to defend his 195 pound title. Then someone got South Valley politicians involved. Several made calls to APS about the suspension. When APS refused to overturn it, the family got a lawyer, went to court and convinced a judge to grant an injunction blocking the suspension and letting Chavez wrestle. He’s a damn good wrestler and he won another state championship.

Chavez and his supporters have tried to pass off the incident as just typical “horseplay” between two teenage boys. When all this was first unfolding, we didn’t know for sure what happened. There was no reason to doubt the deputy’s report, but we hadn’t really heard Nick Chavez’ side of the story, so we couldn’t be certain that he is a bully. We still don’t know his side of the story. He spoke little when the case went to court yesterday, saying only that he was sorry that he and the victim haven’t remained friends. The victim did speak in court. (I hate calling him “victim” because when you read what follows, you’ll realize this kid is not afraid to stand up for himself against any bully, teenage or adult.) He was not there in person because he had to take an exam. But his attorney read a statement the boy wrote, the most articulate statement by a 17 year old that I’ve ever seen. We’ve linked it here for you to read. When you do, decide for yourself if it was just “horseplay”. You decide for yourself if Chavez was a bully. You decide for yourself about the behavior of the politicians and other adults who inserted themselves into this sordid mess.

In the end the judge, with the “victim’s” approval, let Chavez off the hook. If he doesn’t get in any more trouble, the charges against him will be dismissed in 90 days. Some people might see that as another victory for “the champ.” But when you read that letter, you’ll realize who the real champion is. It’s the kid who weighs a hundred pounds less than Nick Chavez but who pinned him to the mat with heavyweight words and wisdom.

Way to go kid!

He was the first dead person I ever saw outside of a funeral.

A middle-aged California man, he was killed in a car crash between Albuquerque and Santa Fe in July of 1963.

Rista’s car had run off the highway and into the side of an embankment near San Felipe Pueblo.

Rista’s car didn’t have a seat-belt – not uncommon in 1963.  He hit the steering wheel hard enough to cause fatal chest injuries.

In those days long before yellow tape, reporters could walk right up to a car crash or a  crime scene.

And that’s what I did, a young reporter getting a good hard look at this man, slumped over the wheel – dead.

I still think of him every time I go by that site.

In 1963 TV news covered a lot of car crashes.  Sometimes five or six in a single program, so I saw a lot of dead, dying and hurting people.  But some, like Lee Rista, stick with you more than others.

Years later there was another tragic crash that still stands out in my mind.  A car carrying five or six construction workers was headed south on Coors Road in southwest Albuquerque.  A road grader was moving slowly, also south, on the shoulder of the highway.  The grader’s blade was protruding into traffic lanes.  The car full of construction workers hit the blade, spun out of control and into northbound lanes of traffic hitting an oncoming car head on.

Both cars and most of the people in them were demolished.  There were no cars left – just pieces.

To this day I still remember a car engine sitting off by itself some distance from the crash site.

The people who died, I can’t remember offhand out many, looked like broken dolls.  Their limbs at odd angles and facial features grotesquely rearranged.  This memory came back to me this week after a crash that has left three dead and the driver barely hanging on to life.

Witnesses say the driver was speeding and trying to race another car when he lost control near Central and Louisiana and flew across the street hitting several trees and a statue.   According to those witnesses, just before the crash, he had been gunning the engine at a stoplight, took off like a shot, got up to speed, lost it and then, catastrophe.

While plenty has changes since 1963 the immutable laws of physics have not – force still equals mass times acceleration. The force when human flesh and bone hit or are hit by objects with major mass usually means major problems for the owners of the flesh and bone.

Cars are a lot safer these days – we have seat belts, air bags and roll bars – but perhaps these cars have been too comfortable.

Today we also have so much creature comfort in our cars that we feel like we’re in our home theater instead of inside a large, fast moving and heavy object. Grim as it is to hear all this, it’s good to be reminded once in a while of crash consequences.

Sometimes accidents just happen, there’s nothing we can do about them. But crashes are often caused by things we can control.

Like the briefing sergeant on the old cop show “Hill Street Blues” always told his patrol officers as they left for their daily assignments, “Hey, let’s be careful out there.”

The Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders describes paranoia as “a symptom in which an individual feels as if the world is ‘out to get’ him or her.”

As this is written a massive manhunt is going on for the younger of the two brothers now believed to have set off the bombs that killed three people and injured more than 150 at the Boston Marathon. At this point both brothers are believed to have been born in Chechnya, an area of Russia that’s a breeding ground for Islamic terrorists.

What’s been going on there is complicated and for outsiders difficult to fathom. There is a wealth of information about Chechnya, its issues, its terrorism.

Your search engine can turn you on to everything you want to know about Chechnya and neighboring areas of the Caucasus – where there’s so much trouble.

The salient point is that people and forces from the world far from the U.S. are, in fact, out to get us and have the capacity to do it. Feeling that “the world” is out to get us is not paranoia, it’s reality. We are targets of people who want to kill us, change the way we live, make us fearful, alter our lives.

The way to fight them is not to live in fear. But, and this is a BIG “but,” it is also crystal clear that we cannot live in a dream world and pretend that there is no threat.

So far terrorists have struck primarily major metropolitan areas. Places like New Mexico have not been hit, but there is a school of thought among anti-terrorism experts that bombers and killers will, at some point, turn their attention to parts of the U.S away from the big cities. Striking in “America’s Heartland”, even in small towns, would be especially chilling.

We’ve come to expect attacks in places like Boston and New York. Shifting the targets to areas Americans consider safe would have a huge psychological impact.

What do we do about that? After the 9/11 attacks in New York and Washington, federal, state and local lawmen constantly told us to be on the lookout for “anything suspicious.” When we in the media pressed them to be more specific, their reply was always the same, “just anything suspicious.” Not very helpful.

In Israel where terrorist bomb attacks have been a fact of life for years, citizens have become very alert to one specific threat, unattended packages, backpacks and luggage. The Boston bombers left their explosives in two ordinary looking backpacks in the midst of crowds. No one apparently gave them a second thought.

If you’re looking for something, anything specific you can do to protect against terrorism, that’s a place to start. In Israel if someone spots a suspicious package or backpack he, or she, shouts out “unattended package,” and people quickly clear the area.

That’s a hard thing to do. In America it’s a sin to be uncool. It would definitely be uncool to shout a warning, then discover the package or backpack was empty or had books or clothing. Everybody would think you were a dumb doofus.

The question is, “How close has Boston brought us to the point where we are willing to risk being dumb doofuses?” When will the risk of being dead outweigh the risk of looking dumb?

Albuquerque Police Sergeant Adam Casaus was bound over for trial this week on a vehicular homicide charge. He was off duty in the early morning hours of February 10th, driving his police SUV at twenty miles an hour over the speed limit, when he ran a red light at a west side intersection and plowed into a smaller car driven by 19 year Lindsey Browder. She was badly hurt and her passenger, her 21 year old sister Ashley, was killed. Ashley had been drinking downtown, knew she should not drive, and called Lindsey to pick her up. That was absolutely the right thing to do and it may have killed her.

Here’s where the plot thickens – or sickens – if Sergeant Casaus is not telling the truth. He told investigators the reason he was going nearly 65 in a 45 mph zone and busted the red light, is that he was after a possible drunk driver who he had spotted. But at his preliminary hearing this week, witnesses to the crash testified that they saw no other car. There’s also the question of why Sergeant Casaus did not call in to APD dispatch that he was pursuing a possible drunk driver.

Besides what the witnesses didn’t see, something they didn’t hear is also important. Casaus claims he had his emergency lights and siren on. The witnesses agree about the emergency lights but none heard a siren. Lindsey Browder testified that she heard no siren, even though she had turned her car radio off because Ashley had fallen asleep. The siren that didn’t sound could turn out to be as crucial as Sherlock Holmes’ famous “dog that didn’t bark”. (If you’re not sure what that’s all about, look it up on your search engine)

To be fair, we have not heard much of Casaus’ side of the story. At the preliminary hearing prosecutors presented evidence that convinced a judge that there is probable cause he committed vehicular homicide and the judge bound him over for trial. But, probable cause is not guilt. And Casaus’ attorney chose not to call his client, or anyone else, to testify at the hearing. So we have not heard him explain what appear to be serious inconsistencies.

There’s something else we have not heard about that may have a bearing on what happened: What went on during the three hours he got off duty at eleven o’clock and the time of the crash? We know he visited his wife who was working the overnight shift as a dispatcher for the sheriff’s office and left there shortly before the crash. Was he there for the entire three hours? If not, what was he doing between the time his shift ended and he went to the dispatch center?

There is no indication Sgt. Casaus had been drinking. The sheriff’s department investigator in charge of the case says he showed no sign of impairment at the scene, so his blood was not drawn. APD did draw Casaus’ blood under a city rule that mandates alcohol and drug tests for employees who crash in an official vehicle. But department policy says results of those tests are confidential. They also cannot be used for a criminal case, just for department discipline. APD’s internal affairs investigation is not complete. Depending on what it finds, he could be fired. But it’s not clear if the blood test results must be released. Meanwhile, he remains on leave with pay.

But, aside from all that, there’s this: even if a police officer has good reason to be running at high speed with emergency equipment on, APD policy makes it clear that he or she does not have the authority to simply go through an intersection, let alone a red light, without making sure that it’s safe to do so.

The criminal trial will almost certainly not be the end of this tragedy. A civil suit is likely. This story is not going away anytime soon. Of course the pain of this tragedy will never end for Ashley’s family, especially for her sister Lindsey .

Stay tuned.

> See our past coverage of this story and Sgt. Casaus

Neil Sedaka sang it true when he was singin’ blue in 1962:

Don’t take your love away from me
Don’t you leave my heart in misery
If you go then I’ll be blue ’cause breaking up is hard to do.

“Breaking up is Hard to do” as we learned once again this week.

One of those “where were you when you heard?” moments swept across Albuquerque last Saturday morning when word leaked that Steve Alford who had led Lobo basketball to such heights, was bailing for UCLA. It was especially stunning given the highly hyped announcement just ten days earlier that he had accepted a new ten year deal to stay here.

There’s endless speculation about what led to the gut-wrenchingly sudden change of heart. UCLA not only upped the ante, it doubled the deal, giving Alford a package of at least $2.5 million a year. And, after all, UCLA is one of the legendary programs in college basketball. Hard to turn that down even though Alford said just two months ago how happy he was here, adding “One of the things you don’t usually mess with is happy.” Guess we should have read more into that word “usually.”

Some people blame negativity from the Albuquerque media for driving him off. Alford was mightily miffed when reporters pressed him during a news conference a few days after the Harvard loss about how big a blemish that was on the season. Alford had an edge in his voice as he insisted that despite the shocking NCAA upset, UNM had a great season. No argument there but he didn’t seem to understand how that loss was such a total bummer for so many longtime fans who have suffered so many letdowns for so many years. Whatever! If questions about that, and other media negativity, did contribute to his UCLA decision, he’s already learned that he’s in for much worse there than here.

The second question at Alford’s UCLA introductory news conference was about his handling of sexual assault charges against one of his star players at the University of Iowa in 2003. A Chicago reporter who originally covered that story, headlined his blog on Alford’s move to UCLA: “UCLA Hired a Scum Bag”, going on to accuse Alford of acting to “shield a violent criminal and intimidate the victim, both publicly and privately.” Alford insists he did nothing wrong, the he simply followed the instructions of the Iowa administration in handling the incident. Whether he did or didn’t, the questions about the Iowa incident are a clear indication that he’s in for a rough time from the LA media. One LA columnist even described him as a “dolt”.

The ugly break up here may pale in comparison to the ugliness Alford faces there. Maybe he should have thought harder about that “don’t mess with happy” line.

On top of all that, UNM has now decided that he owes a million dollar buyout and has sent him a demand letter.

No, it was not a great first week on the new job for the ex-Lobo leader. But, in the end, from a strictly basketball perspective, UNM fans, no matter how unhappy they are about his sudden departure, owe Steve Alford a big “thanks” for taking a program that was a wreck six years ago and making it a perennial champion. He did the job he was hired to do, and did it well.

Now his long time top assistant, Craig Neal, has the job. There was great happiness about his hiring Wednesday. His basketball pedigree is top notch, the players clearly wanted him to succeed Alford, and his emotional and often funny news conference showed us a likeable personality that rarely surfaced in public during the Alford years. Besides, how could you not like a coach whose nickname is “Noodles.”

Just remember, though, that if “Noodles” does as well, or better (we hope), than his ex boss, we’re likely headed for another break up a few years down the road. It’s the nature of college basketball and football that when a mid-major coach succeeds, he gets offers from the big guys that are hard to turn down.

Keep that Neil Sedaka record handy.

Harvard 68. UNM 62. That one hurt.

Last night’s UNM loss to the unranked Ivy League champs in the first round of the NCAA tournament got national headlines this morning. Not the headlines anyone here hoped for. On the heels of a great regular season, a Mountain West Tournament championship, a top ten ranking and hopes for a Sweet Sixteen-or-better finish, the Lobos instead have the dreaded “one and done” hanging around their necks today.

I love Lobo basketball. When I came to UNM in 1961 the Lobos played in then-new Johnson Gym in the heart of campus. It was a few steps from the Student Union Building to Johnson. The seats were always great, because the teams hardly ever won and hardly anyone ever came. Bob King changed all that a few years later. He turned Lobo basketball into a winner and brought it to national prominence. Johnson’s seven thousand seats were quickly sold out and there was suddenly so much demand for tickets that the Pit was built.

But, here’s the thing. As much success as the Lobos have had over the years since then, as large as the crowds continue to be at the Pit, Lobo basketball has never been able to quite reach the highest plateau. Just when the program seems to be on the edge of going over the top, we lose our grip. Bob King’s first great team went to the finals of the NIT when the NIT was a really big deal, got lots of national pub, then lost badly in the championship. Norm Ellenberger had a great team in the late ‘Seventies that had the legitimate makings of a Final Four run but lost in a huge upset, a la Harvard, to Cal State Fullerton.

Lobogate took UNM out of serious contention for most of the ‘Eighties. In the ‘Nineties Dave Bliss had very good teams that consistently went to the NCAA tournament, but couldn’t get past the second round. Fran Fraschilla and Ritchie McKay tried hard but had little success.

Now there’s Steve Alford, a great player who may be a great coach. His overall and Mountain West records are outstanding. Last year’s Lobos were ever-so-close to knocking off Louisville and making it to the Sweet Sixteen. This year’s Lobos had the ingredients to finally get there, but are now on their way back to Albuquerque, tickets to the “promised land” cancelled. Why? I’m not smart enough to know. There will doubtless be second guessing about UNM’s decision to announce Alford’s rich, new ten year contract on Wednesday, the day before the Harvard game. Did that distract the players, the coaches? Did they lose focus? Who knows, but in the wake of the embarrassing loss, the timing of the contract announcement ends up being at least awkward.

Fans can gripe, grumble and vent their angst but the people who feel worst about all this, of course, are the players. They are talented and hardworking, good young men. It’s not like they quit. Things like the Harvard game happen in sports and in life. Unfortunately they seem to happen too often to UNM basketball. But, most of this year’s best players will be back and probably better next year, pushing and scrambling, trying again to reach the “promised land” and further. And, sometime, some golden year, they will. I promise.

Nick is the Rio Grande High School wrestler who won the state 195 pound championship last weekend for the second year in a row. He is very good, very big and very strong. In his first match at the tournament he took his opponent out in just thirty seconds.

Guys with that kind of size and ability have a commanding presence, especially in high school where many other kids are not very big or very strong. Nick Chavez is accused of misusing his size and strength to bully a much smaller student the Thursday before the tournament. He allegedly slapped the smaller kid hard in the face and took his money. It happened in the cafeteria as other students and a sheriff’s deputy assigned to the school, watched. The deputy cited him for larceny and battery and he will face a judge on those charges.

The Albuquerque School District followed its well established policy for dealing with such incidents and suspended Nick Chavez for three days, meaning he was ineligible for the state tournament. Three politicians, County Commissioner Art de la Cruz, State Senator Michael Padilla and School Board Member Analee Maestas then got involved. First they tried to pressure APS to overturn the suspension. When that failed, they encouraged Chavez to go to court. He did and his lawyer convinced a judge to grant a temporary restraining order against APS. That allowed Chavez to wrestle and win another title.

There’s been considerable public anger over the politicians’ involvement especially because bullying has become such a big issue. The politicos claim they were just trying to make sure that Nick Chavez’ due process rights were protected. APS, even though it lost the first round, isn’t about to submit. The district will ask the judge to overturn the restraining order. Obviously it’s too late to keep Chavez from wrestling. But, school officials want to prevent the courts from making it a habit of second guessing discipline policy. They also want to stand up for the principle of zero tolerance toward bullying. The second round of the legal fight is still ahead.

All this got me thinking about another, big, strong state high school wrestling champion. His name was Doug Zembiec. He won the 171 pound state championship in 1990 and 1991 as a student at La Cueva High School. He was La Cueva’s first state champion in any sport. He went on to the U.S. Naval Academy where he was an All American wrestler. His coach there called him the best conditioned athlete he had ever seen.

After graduation, Doug Zembiec ratcheted up his toughness significantly. He was commissioned in the Marine Corps and signed up for Force Recon. Members of that elite unit are the toughest of the Marine tough guys. One of his mantras was, “I’d rather live one day as a lion than a hundred years as a dog.” In Iraq in 2004 he became known as “The Lion of Fallujah” for his heroism in leading his company in the fierce battle for control of that city. He was wounded twice and awarded the Silver Star and Bronze Star medals for bravery. His exploits are detailed in the book “No True Glory: A Front-line Account of the Battle of Fallujah” by Bing West.

Major Doug Zembiec was serving his fourth combat tour in Iraq when he was killed in a firefight in 2007. Tributes from his friends and comrades, especially from the enlisted men who served under him, were overwhelming. Just Google his name and you’ll find reams of material.

Writing about him and Nick Chavez, it’s hard not to stress their strength and and toughness. But there’s another thing about Doug Zembiec that is even more impressive. An Albuquerque Journal story about his life and death quoted Doug John, his best friend from La Cueva. John told the Journal that Doug Zembiec, the supremely tough guy who could have whipped most any kid anywhere, had a habit of confronting bullies who preyed on weaker kids. “He was always on the side of good, “ Doug John told the Journal.

Always on the side of good.

A defender of weaker kids.

A battler of bullies.

A true champion.

Maybe Nick Chavez, and the rest of us, ought to read that book.

> Judge lets suspended wrestler into tourney

> APS disputes accused bully’s court win

The other Major Movement on a Major Measure came in the unending battle over drivers’ licenses for illegal immigrants. A group of lawmakers introduced a bi-partisan (there’s that term again) bill aimed at breaking the deadlock. It would create a two tier system: regular licenses for citizens and foreign nationals who are here legally and limited licenses for “Dreamers”, people brought to the U.S. as small children without having any choice in the matter. Governor Susana Martinez who’s been staunchly opposed to all licenses for illegals, says she’s favorable to this compromise. However, there is one glaring omission in the bill. It does not address the question of licenses for the vast majority of illegals, people who came here willingly as adults. Under current law many thousands of them have New Mexico licenses. Martinez has consistently fought to take them away. The legislature has consistently refused. It’s not clear how willing either side is to compromise on that key part of the question.

These are “big deal” issues for New Mexicans and with the session now about halfway over many other “big deal” issues are also unresolved. The legislature, dull and boring as it is to the vast majority of people, has a huge impact on everyone’s lives. And, the thing about New Mexico is that the people who make those impactful decisions, lawmakers and the governor, are easily accessible. In states like New York or California with huge populations, the governors are as remote as the president and lawmakers are as isolated as members of Congress. In New Mexico anyone can walk into the capitol and easily find their local legislator or go to the fourth floor and at least have access to the governor’s staff. At the risk of sounding like a political science geek (which I am), YOU CAN HAVE AN IMPACT in New Mexico. It’s mid February. There is still a month to be heard.

Speaking of being heard: Congress is taking its President’s Day break even though it has not acted to head off sequestration which kicks in March 1st. Sequestration will automatically make deep, across the board cuts in Federal spending. New Mexico will be whacked especially hard. The most common estimate is that we’ll lose 22,000 jobs. Some economists claim the country will be thrown back into recession. But members of Congress have “boogied” back home without doing what needs to be done. If you run into any of the New Mexico delegation in the next week or so, it might be appropriate to politely, but firmly ask a simple question: “Why are you here?”

It used to be that when some awful statistic about education, or welfare, or DWI, etc. came out about New Mexico, a smart aleck would invariably pipe up with, “Thank God for Mississippi.”   The point being that Mississippi’s numbers in most categories could be counted on to be worse than ours.

Those smart alecks now need to zip their lips. Job growth numbers that we reported last Monday show that New Mexico was the only state in the Southwest that lost jobs last year.

Obviously Mississippi is not in our part of the country, but Mississippi gained jobs last year. Not many, but they were in plus territory.

We were negative 0.6 percent with a net loss of 3,300 jobs.

Much of the rest of the nation, including Mississippi, moved forward. We slid back.

Federal spending is a major issue. We rely on it, and there’s less of it.

Los Alamos has already lost hundreds of jobs.  Sandia saw spending cuts coming and budgeted so that it will not have to lay off or furlough anyone … for now.

And, what about the bases? Is another round of base closings on the radar?

Kirtland survived a close call in 1995. With more than 20,000 jobs and a $4 billion annual economic impact, it is the 800-pound gorilla.

Private sector signs are worrisome too. Intel which has 3,300 employees and a $350 million payroll at its Rio Rancho plant reported a 27 percent drop in fourth quarter in corporate profits.

There are no signs yet that the Rio Rancho plant is facing reductions. But …?

Intel has some of the same problems as Hewlett Packard, its Rio Rancho neighbor. HP opened a large service and call center two years ago promising 1,200 jobs by the end of 2012. That goal was not reached, and last month HP cut 200 jobs here.

Both companies have traditionally been heavily dependent on personal computer sales, but the PC market is shrinking because of the rapid growth of iPhones, iPads and other hand-held devices. Very smart people run Intel and HP, and they probably will adjust. We hope.

And, there’s another unsettling development. We reported last week that Forest City Enterprises, the co-developer of Mesa del Sol, the “city within a city” planned for a vast area south of the Sunport, has been quietly trying to sell its stake in the project for some time.

Maybe even more unsettling, Forest City hasn’t been able to find a buyer. City officials said we shouldn’t worry, that the project is still on track. But this week comes word that Mesa de Sol’s vice president of development has been laid off.

There are bright spots. Late last year Eclipse Aerospace announced it is has resumed manufacturing the small, $2.4 million Eclipse-550 jet. Building from the ashes of its failed predecessor, Eclipse Aviation, the new company had about 150 people on its payroll in November and expected to add as many as 75 more jobs this year.

Eclipse is also trying to land an Air Force contract that could be a really big deal. The Air Force is looking for a new basic-level jet trainer, and Eclipse feels the 550 is a perfect fit.

Two other aviation firms, avionics maker Bendix-King and tactical air services company Air USA, have picked Albuquerque to relocate. Combined they are expected to create several hundred jobs.

Efforts continue to attract more of those companies. We have many assets that are attractive to them, not the least of which is our weather. New Mexico’s great year-round flying conditions led the military to build training bases around the state during World War II, and they continue to be a key factor for most businesses that focus on flight.

The overall economic picture though is more dark clouds than sunny skies. Both Republican Gov. Susana Martinez and the Democrats who control the Legislature have offered plans to boost the economy.

Martinez’s is centered primarily on cutting the corporate tax rate to attract businesses. Arizona, Colorado and Texas all have significantly lower rates than ours. That puts us at a disadvantage.

The Democrats’ economic/jobs package calls for $97 million in shovel-ready capital projects to stimulate the construction industry and put people to work with the idea that their spending will create more jobs. Some Dems are also pushing for a statewide boost in the minimum wage from $7.50 an hour to $8.50.

There will be endless arguments about the benefits of each package. It’s not clear what will finally pass. But, there’s not much new in either to provide a burst of creative energy capable of shaking the state out of its deep doldrums and put us on a sustainable, nongovernment economic growth track.

However, someone is working on that. New University of New Mexico President Dr. Robert Frank is trying to make the state’s flagship university an economic engine. It’s already a force because of its payroll and the products and services it buys at its main campus in Albuquerque and branches around the state.

But Frank envisions something more. Much more. He’s looking to develop genuinely effective partnerships among the university and its talented faculty, private business and local government. He believes such partnerships could foster and grow ideas and technologies that will create real jobs and stimulate a vibrant economy.

Last September, just a few months after he took over, Frank hosted an economic summit. That has already generated movement. Community leaders from both the private and public sectors recently went to Gainesville, Fla., to see how the University of Florida’s highly acclaimed Innovation Square project works

News 13′s Katie Kim also went there. She’ll show and tell what it’s all about, and the promise it holds for New Mexico, in an On Special Assignment report later this month.

Long-time network news anchor, reporter and commentator Howard K. Smith once said while commenting on some long forgotten world crisis, “The worst probably won’t happen. It seldom does.” But New Mexico’s economic issues are pressing.

The question is whether the UNM initiative and other traditional economic-development efforts can move quickly and effectively enough to drive off the dark clouds before one, or more, of them bursts.

Stay tuned.

Sir Richard Branson’s company has been insisting that the New Mexico legislature pass a law limiting liability for spacecraft manufacturers and parts suppliers. Virgin Galactic already has liability protection but says the expanded law is needed to attract *other out-of-this world firms to Spaceport America in the Southern New Mexico desert. For a lot of reasons, Branson doesn’t want to be an orphan down there. Other states seeking to get into the space flight business have already passed liability exemption laws. The implied threat has been that if New Mexico doesn’t, Virgin Galactic will go elsewhere.

So, last Monday, a state senate committee unanimously okayed the bill Branson wants. The full senate unanimously passed it and sent it to the House on Thursday. Okay. That should make Virgin happy. Right? Wrong.

The same day the committee approved the bill, the company announced a new gripe. It’s now stewing about paying its million dollar a year spaceport rent which started January 15th. Virgin claims the state has not yet done everything that it promised to do at the site. The company’s public statement did not go into detail about the alleged deficiencies. But it warned that if Virgin is not satisfied by March 31st, it “may either stop paying rent, pay reduced rent or give notice to terminate” its lease.

There. They said it: “terminate the lease.” Three words calculated to send shivers down the spine of state lawmakers, officials and taxpayers and spark hope in the hearts of other states which would love to steal Virgin Galactic away. Florida is already pushing hard to get into the commercial space business. The website “Florida Today” posted an article the day after the new Virgin Galactic demand, under a headline that fairly chortled, “Virgin Galactic Shuns Binding Lease at New Mexico Spaceport“.

Christine Anderson, Executive Director of the New Mexico Spaceport Authority, says the latest Virgin demand/threat has no basis. She says that under the lease the firm signed, the spaceport has met required standards and the rent is due. Even so, Virgin seems to believe if its demands are not met, it an opt out of the deal. If they can, they have us in a very tight spot. New Mexico has already put $209 million into Spaceport America. Sir Richard and his executives know we have no viable alternative to them. Is their latest demand a bluff and are there more demands to come?

Meanwhile that big, beautiful monument to the future sits idle in the desert. If you go to the spaceport website (spaceportamerica.com) and go to the header “Happenings” you’ll find pretty much nothing is happening. The latest “happening” is a November posting about the first FAA licensed vehicle launch October 6th. Other developments may be going on behind the scenes, but the website gives no hint of that.

In December, over California (another state with its eye on the commercial space flight business), Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo carried out its first successful glide test with rocket motors installed. At least two more glide tests are needed before the first powered flight of the craft designed to carry tourists into space at $200k a pop. Sir Richard has said he and his children will be on that first passenger flight which he and the company have often indicated should be ready to go late this year. But there’s still nothing definite. The timetable, pardon the pun, sounds like it’s still very much up in the air.

That first FAA licensed launch from the spaceport last October was a vertical rocket carrying a scientific payload. The spaceport newsletter says that shortly lift off, the rocket approached its safety limits and the flight was automatically terminated. The recovery system worked and the payload came “safely and gently back to earth”. Let’s hope that’s not a metaphor for the spaceport itself. The spaceport has launched, but if it has to be terminated, there’s no recovery system in the galaxy that can bring it safely and gently back to earth.

Stay tuned.