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>> WITH US TO TALK ABOUT THE YEARS TOP STORIES, WE HAVE
FOUR JOURNALISTS WHO WE POLLED TO HELP DETERMINE OUR LIST.
FROM NEW MEXICO IN DEPTH, THE NEWBIE ON THE NEWS SCENE,
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TRIP JENNINGS IS BACK.
ALSO FROM ALBUQUERQUE BUSINESS, MANAGING EDITOR,
RACHEL SAM JOINS US ONCE MORE, AND FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
WE WELCOME BACK RUSSELL CONTRERAS, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS
A NEW FATHER. CONGRATULATIONS.
AND A FACE YOU KNOW, GWYNETH DOLAND, CORRESPONDENT ON NEW
MEXICO INFOCUS AND A JOURNALISM PROFESSOR AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO. IT'S BEEN A YEAR STUFFED TO
THE BRIM WITH NEWS. WE ALL COLLABORATED ON PUTTING
TOGETHER WHAT WE THOUGHT WERE THE BIGGEST STORIES OF THE
YEAR IN TERMS OF IMPACT, INTEREST AND SCOPE.
WE START WITH NO. 10 STORY, NEW MEXICO SPACEPORT, LAUNCHED
BY FORMER GOVERNOR RICHARDSON, THE COMPLEX NEAR T OR C HAS
SEEN A NUMBER OF SO-CALLED VERTICAL LAUNCHES CARRYING
PAYLOADS FOR GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE INDUSTRIES, BUT THE
SEXY PART, THE LAUNCH OF RICHARD BRANSON'S WHITE KNIGHT
CRAFT WHICH WILL TAKE WELL-HEELED CUSTOMERS INTO THE
STRATOSPHERE WAS DELAYED AGAIN THIS YEAR.
THE DATE SET FOR 2014. THIS SPACEPORT HAS BROUGHT
INCREASING NATIONAL MEDIA ATTENTION TO NEW MEXICO AND
EVEN A PLANNED REALITY TV SERIES BUT SOME OF THE
ASTRONAUTS IN WAITING VISITED THE SITE THIS FALL AND SAID
THE AREA NEEDS TO STEP UP ITS GAME TO MEET THE DEMAND OF
WEALTHY TOURISTS. RACHEL, YOU REPORTED ON THIS
IN YOUR PUBLICATION THAT LOCAL AREA NEEDS TO STEP UP ITS GAME
BUT MY QUESTION IS, AFTER THIS YEAR HAS NOW GONE THROUGH, ARE
WE ANY CLOSER IN YOUR MIND TO THIS SITUATION BEING THE
ABSOLUTE VIABLE SITUATION IT WAS PLANNED TO BE UNDER
GOVERNOR RICHARDSON OR STILL A BIT AWAY AT THIS POINT?
>> REALLY INTERESTING THING HAVE HAPPENED, WE'VE SEEN
PROGRESS, MORE TESTING OF THE ROCKET AND MORE LAUNCHES OF
PAYLOADS, STARTING TO SEE REAL THINGS HAPPENING OUT THERE.
I AM HEARING PEOPLE FROM OTHER STATES ASKING MORE ABOUT IT,
HEARING MORE ABOUT IT, GETTING MORE CURIOUS AND WE'RE ALSO
GETTING MORE COMPETITION. THERE IS SPACEPORTS AROUND THE
COUNTRY TRYING TO GET GOING AND A LOT OF THEM ARE MOVING
QUICKLY. 2014 IS A MAKE OR BREAK YEAR.
>> WOULD YOU AGREE WITH TRIP? >> YES, I WAS JUST THINKING
ABOUT THIS DOESN'T TAKE PLACE IN ISOLATION.
IN FLORIDA, IT IS BEING LOOKING AT AND THEY HAVE
INFRASTRUCTURE DOWN IN FLORIDA.
THERE IS CONCERNS OVER THE ROAD, YOU KNOW, ENTRYWAY,
HOTELS, IF THERE IS A LOT OF TOURISM, WHERE IS THIS GOING
TO HAPPEN. THIS IS A LOT OF THINGS HAVE
TO HAPPEN TO FIT INTO PLACE. IT IS NOT SEQUENTIAL IT ALL
HAS TO HAPPEN AND THE QUESTION IS, THE CONTEXT --
>> IT REMINDS ME OF THOSE SLIDE SHOWS YOU SEE OF THOSE
ABANDONED, YOU KNOW, THEME PARKS IN EUROPE ALL OVERGROWN
WITH VINES AND THERE ARE THEME PARKS OF THE FUTURE.
I CAN JUST SEE THIS THING, YOU KNOW, IN THAT MANY YEARS, ALL
OVER GROWN AND DUSTY, THE SPACEPORT OF THE FUTURE THAT
DIDN'T HAPPEN. >> COUNTY HAD TO PICK UP THE
NUT FOR A LOT OF THINGS HERE, TAXPAYERS DOWN THE ROAD IS THE
LAST THING THAT IS LEFT HERE. WHERE AGAIN, YOU'RE REPORTING
BUSINESS FIRST ROAD WAS A BIG HANG UP, *** GALACTIC WENT
BACK TO THE STATE AND NOW WE'RE GETTING A LITTLE BIT OF
PUSHBACK, SAYING, YOU GUYS ARE PRIVATE ENTITY.
HOW COME YOU AREN'T PAYING. WHAT ABOUT THIS RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN THE STATE GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE INDUSTRY ON THIS
ONE? >> THIS IS THE WRONG WAY TO
GO, THE WHOLE INFRASTRUCTURE, IF YOU'RE GOING TO BUILD A
LUXURY HOTEL YOU HAVE TO PLAN FOR OTHER THINGS FOR TOURISTS
TO DO. WE DON'T WANT ABANDONED THEME
PARK. LIKE THE LAUNCH WOULD BE THE
KEY IN THE BIG THING WHEN YOU GO VISIT THERE.
WHAT ELSE ARE YOU GOING TO DO? IS THERE A GOLF COURSE, PLACES
TO GO SHOPPING. THAT IS STILL NOT THERE AND I
THINK THE ANTICIPATION AND HOPE IS ALSO TO ALLOW THE
SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO THINK, OH, WE'RE FINALLY GOING TO GET
SOME TAX DOLLAR GOES, DONA ANA COUNTY SAYS, WHAT HAPPENED IF
THAT DOESN'T COME? THESE SCHOOLS ARE PLANNING,
THEY ARE PLOTTING, FINALLY WE'RE GETTING RESOURCES.
THAT IS STILL UP IN THE AIR. >> IDEAL PLACE FOR THE
SPACEPORT IS MIDDLE OF NOWHERE, SO THERE IS A BUILT
IN CONTRADICTION HERE. THEY DON'T WANT TO PUT IT SOME
PLACE CONVENIENT AND HOW MUCH TIME ARE TOURISTS GOING TO
SPEND IN LAS CRUCES, YOU KNOW? >> THAT IS THE BIG QUESTION.
IN THAT REPORTING, ANYONE WHO HAS THE STROKE TO PAY 200,000
OR MORE FOR A LAUNCH, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO COME WITH
YOURSELF AND PARTNER BUT WITH A WHOLE GANG OF PEOPLE; YOUR
FRIENDS AND FAMILY, BECAUSE YOU CAN AFFORD TO.
WHAT ARE THOSE PEOPLE GOING TO DO WHEN THEY GET HERE?
>> THIS IS THE QUESTION, IF YOU BUILD A LUXURY HOTEL WHO
ELSE GOES TO STAY THERE? LAS CRUCES DOESN'T HAVE THE
KIND OF TOURISM NOW AND ARE THESE PEOPLE GOING TO STAY IN
A REAL NICE DAYS INN, ARE THEY GOING TO RENT A HOUSE, I MEAN,
IT IS A VERY, DIFFICULT THING TO BUILD INFRASTRUCTURE
AROUND. >> IS THIS ALL GOING TO BE
SOLVED WITH THAT FIRST LAUNCH, RICHARD BRANSON IS STANDING ON
THE LAUNCH PAD DURING THE FINAL WAVE.
IS ALL OF THIS IN THE PAST ONCE THAT HAPPENS?
>> NO, I HAVE BEEN IN THE NEWS BUSINESS LONG ENOUGH TO KNOW
THAT SOMETIMES THE SYMBOLIC ACTS DON'T MEAN EVERYTHING A
LOT OF HARD WORK TO BUILD AN INFRASTRUCTURE.
WHAT INTERESTS ME, THOUGH, IS TO OR CONSEQUENCES RIGHT?
ELEPHANT BUTTE. ALREADY TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES
HAD BEEN WRITTEN ABOUT IN THE NEW YORK TIMES, ART
COMMUNITIES, HOW DOES IT BENEFIT FROM THIS?
YOU HAVE MORE GALLERIES COME IN; A COUPLE OF RESTAURANTS
PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT. >> A LOT OF CHICKEN AND EGG
STUFF HERE. >> A LOT, YEAH.
>> COMING AT NO. 9 ON THE LIST WAS ANOTHER STORY THAT
GARNERED NATIONAL MEDIA ATTENTION TO THE STATE AND NOT
NECESSARILY WELCOME ATTENTION; HORSE SLAUGHTER IN ROSWELL.
A BUSINESS MAN HAS BEEN TRYING TO OPEN A HORSE SLAUGHTER
FACILITY AND THE NAVAJO NATION SUPPORTED THE PLAN AND
REVERSED COURSE IN A DEAL BROKERED BY BILL
RICHARDSON AND JOINED BY ROBERT REDFORD IN EFFORTS TO
STOP LEGAL HORSE SLAUGHTER. AFTER NUMEROUS BATTLES, THE
SUPREME COURT LIFTED A STAY LAST WEEK AND SLAUGHTER FOR
HORSES FOR MEAT COULD BEGIN AGAIN.
DID YOU WRITE ABOUT THIS IN THE SANTA FE REPORTER AND
FANTASTICALLY EMOTIONAL ISSUE. YOU CUT THROUGH THE FACTS, THE
FACTS ARE PRETTY EAST TO GET THROUGH, BUT THE EMOTIONAL
STUFF IS DIFFICULT. >> IT IS A FASCINATING STORY.
PEOPLE KEEP ASKING IF I AM SICK OF IT BECAUSE I HAVE
WRITTEN ABOUT IT A LOT. IT IS A STORY ABOUT THE
ECONOMY AND THE PRICE OF HAY GOING UP AND HOW EXPENSIVE IT
IS TO KEEP A HORSE. IT IS ABOUT THE FRAGILE ECO
SYSTEMS AND DROUGHT AND OVER GRAZING BY HORSE POPULATIONS
THAT ARE OUT OF CONTROL ESPECIALLY ON NATIVE LAND.
IT IS ABOUT HORSE BREEDING AND A RISE IN BREEDING THAT HAS
BEEN HAPPENING BEHIND THE SCENES OF WHAT EVERYBODY SEES
AND WE HAVE THIS NETWORK OF RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE
STRETCHED ABSOLUTELY TO THE MAX.
THE PROBLEM IS YOU HAVE TOO MANY HORSES.
WHETHER PEOPLE -- AND A LOT OF IS JUST HUMAN
IRRESPONSIBILITY, RIGHT? BUT WHAT DO YOU DO WITH IT?
THEY CAN'T ALL STAY IN RESCUES, PEOPLE AREN'T PUTTING
UP ENOUGH MONEY TO TAKE CARE OF THEM.
HOW DIFFERENT ARE THEY FROM OTHER LIVESTOCK?
>> I GUESS THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION, DEPENDS ON YOUR
POINT OF VIEW. IF YOU'RE EUROPEAN, PERHAPS
NOT MUCH DIFFERENCE, IF YOU'RE A HORSE OWNER HERE IN NEW
MEXICO PERHAPS A LOT OF DIFFERENCE AND HOW TO BALANCE
THE NEEDS IN THIS THING. >> ALL THE HIGHLIGHTS THERE, A
LOT OF COMPLEXITIES AND I THINK SOMETIMES WHEN I READ
SOME OF THESE STORIES, I HEAR PEOPLE COMING FROM -- THERE IS
THIS POINT OF VIEW THESE ARE ANIMALS THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO
KILL THEM AND IT IS WRONG AND IT IS INHUMANE.
AND ON THE SIDE, YOU KNOW, THERE IS BUSINESS FOLKS WHO
ARE BASICALLY SAYING, LOOK, WE CAN DO THIS AND THERE IS THIS
OVERAGE POPULATION OVERAGE. >> IT IS A DISCONNECT BETWEEN
URBAN AND RURAL, TOO. >> URBAN AND RURAL.
>> WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO LIVE IN THE COUNTRY
AND WHAT IT IS LIKE TO HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY.
>> THIS IS NOT -- WHEN I WAS IN CALIFORNIA, THEY HAD THE
SAME PROBLEM. URBAN PEOPLE MOVING INTO THE
SIERRAS AND NOT BEING USED TO WILDLIFE OUT THERE.
IT IS A GOOD POINT. >> IT IS A BUSINESS STORY, YOU
KNOW, THE MAN HAS THE RIGHT TO TRY THIS.
HE NOW HAS LEGAL RIGHT BUT EMOTIONAL SIDE DOES NOT QUITE
SQUARE UP WITH THE FACTS OF THE MATTER AND I THINK I WANT
TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE NATIONAL FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS.
PEOPLE DO TALK ABOUT THAT. IS IT AS BIG AS SOME PEOPLE
SAY, SMALLER THAN SOME PEOPLE MIGHT THINK, BECAUSE WE ARE
CLOSE TO IT. >> I THINK THIS IS REALLY BIG.
THE QUESTION OF WHETHER HORSE SLAUGHTER IS RESTORED IN THIS
COUNTRY AND IT IS MOVED FORWARD NOW.
SO, I THINK THAT IS A BIG -- IT IS A BIG HURDLE FOR THE
FOLKS WHO ARE TRYING TO DO HORSE SLAUGHTER, TO BE ABLE TO
MOVE THAT FORWARD, BECAUSE, NOW, ON THE OPPOSITION SIDE,
YOU CAN SAY, WE'RE NOT DOING IT NOW.
WE NEED TO PRESERVE THAT. ONCE YOU MOVE FORWARD, IT
REALLY CHANGES THE GAME AND THE ECONOMIC ARGUMENT IS ONE
THAT THE BUSINESSMEN DOWN IN ROSWELL HAVE BEEN MAKING, YOU
KNOW, WE REALLY NEED JOBS IN THIS AREA, I AM TRYING TO GIVE
PEOPLE JOBS. >> IT IS A LIE TO SAY WE'RE
NOT DOING THIS. WE ARE. WE ARE SHIPPING HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS OF HORSES OVER THE BORDER TO SLAUGHTER EVERY
YEAR. IT IS NOT THAT WE AREN'T DOING
IT. WE ARE DOING IT.
WE ARE NOT OWNING IT IF WE ARE NOT DOING IT HERE.
>> ROBERT REDFORD AND BILL RICHARDSON, DOES THAT CHANGE
THE STORY MARKEDLY IN YOUR VIEW?
THAT CAME OUT LATE SUMMER, AUGUST, SEPTEMBER, SOMEWHERE
AROUND THERE, DID THAT SIGNIFICANTLY TURN THE STORY A
LITTLE BIT OR WE ARE STILL AT THE SAME PLACE WE WERE.
>> WHAT HE DID WAS BROUGHT MORE NATIONAL ATTENTION.
IT WAS A NEW MEXICO ISSUE. IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN IT,
YOU READ ABOUT IT, BUT THOSE TWO CAME IN, IT GOT PEOPLE WHO
WERE MARGINALLY INTERESTED. MY COLLEAGUE, JERI CLAUSING,
HAS BEEN ON THE STORY A COUPLE YEARS NOW.
WHENEVER SHE WRITES A STORY WE GET SO MUCH FEEDBACK, MORE
THAN POLICE SHOOTINGS, THE ECONOMY, WE GET ALL SORTS OF
EMAILS AND BLOG POSTS. THIS IS SUCH AN EMOTIONAL
ISSUE FOR THEM. WHAT SHE DOES IS LOOKS AT IT
AND SAYS, LOOK, HERE IS THE ECONOMIC ARGUMENT AND HERE IS
WHAT THE OTHER SIDE IS SAYING. WHAT HAPPENS IS IT IS ALMOST
LIKE THERE IS NO RECONCILIATION.
THERE IS NOTHING THAT BE RECONCILED, URBAN VERSUS
RURAL, BUSINESS VERSUS HUMANITY AND WHEN THOSE TWO
CAME FORWARD, IT REINFORCED THE URBAN/RURAL DIVIDE.
IT IS ONLY GOING TO INCREASE AND EVEN THOUGH THE DRAMA WAS
PLAYED OUT IN THE COURTROOM, THIS ISSUE IS NOT GOING AWAY.
EVEN WHEN IT IS OPEN, THERE WILL BE LAWSUITS AND ROSWELL
IS A COMMUNITY THAT IS HIT HARD HIT ON A NUMBER OF
FRONTS. >> INTERESTINGLY, POLLING
SHOWS ABOUT 70% OF NEW MEXICANS ARE NOT SUPPORTIVE OF
HORSE SLAUGHTER. IT IS A BIG NUMBER.
GOVERNOR MARTINEZ CAME OUT EARLY ON, SHE WAS OPPOSED.
LOTS OF OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION EXCEPT MR. PEARCE
ARE OPPOSED. IT GETS TRICKY.
>> YOU KNOW PART OF IT I WONDER OF THOSE SURVEYED, 70%,
WHERE DO THEY LIVE? IS THIS ALBUQUERQUE, SANTA FE?
>> IT IS POLITICALLY ADVANTAGEOUS TO SAY THAT.
IT IS HARD TO BE BEN SHELLY AND SEE 75,000 FERAL HORSES ON
YOUR LAND THAT YOU HAVE TO SPEND 200,000 A YEAR TO DEAL
WITH. >> I WANT TO RESPOND TO
SOMETHING THAT GWYNETH SAID, THIS IS TRUE, YOU KNOW, OWNING
UP TO THIS STUFF. YOU KNOW, HUMAN BEINGS ARE
PART OF THE SITUATION HERE. WE HELPED CREATE THIS.
THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME REAL SERIOUS KIND OF LIKE SOUL
SEARCHING, I DON'T KNOW, BUT HUMAN BEINGS CREATED THIS
SITUATION. >> CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING,
RACHEL. WE ARE NOT CREATIVELY LOOKING
AT A SOLUTION HERE; THAT THE DEFAULT DECISION IS SLAUGHTER.
IT IS AN EASY DECISION. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.
WE'LL JUST GRIND THEM UP AND SEND THEM OVERSEAS.
THERE HAS TO BE A MORE CREATIVE CONVERSATION, IT
SEEMS TO ME, IN THIS KIND OF THING.
>> IT IS A HARD ISSUE FOR PEOPLE TO TALK ABOUT.
YOU TALKED ABOUT THE DIVIDE THAT PEOPLE FEEL IN THIS ISSUE
IS SO EXTREME, IT IS HARD FOR PEOPLE TO EVEN CONVERSE ABOUT
SOLUTIONS. I THINK THERE ARE PROBABLY A
LOT OF SOLUTIONS. >> SOMEONE HAS TO PAY FOR THE
SOLUTION. >> IF YOU ARE A PERSON WHO
CAN'T AFFORD A HORSE BECAUSE YOU LOST YOUR JOB AND IT IS 2
OR 300 A MONTH THAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE, THESE BIG IDEAS
DON'T MEAN ANYTHING TO YOU. >> IT DOESN'T.
>> HUMANE EUTHANASIA FOR $150 AND ONCE THAT EDUCATION GETS
OUT, WE COULD SEE SOLUTIONS BESIDES KILLING THINGS SO
WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS. WE'RE BACK IN A FLASH WITH 8
AND 7 AS WE COUNT DOWN THE TOP STORIES OF 2013.