ABQJOURNAL BIZ: Around N.M.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Around N.M.

Journal Wire Reports
      Deming Bar Gets Grant To Go Green
DEMING — Deming's downtown district is steeped in history but an upcoming business is planning to put a fresh and “green” spin on a 120-year-old building.
       Brian Reedy, owner and developer of the Central Tavern, at the corner of Gold Avenue and Spruce Street, was recently awarded a grant totaling $8,781 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency program. The funds will be used to install a photovoltaic system to harness solar energy for his business, planned to be a brewery and restaurant.
       “We talked about doing, because this is a historic building, some energy efficiency upgrades, such as lighting and windows,” Reedy said. “We're going to be replacing a lot of lighting inside as well — it has a lot of old lighting.”
       He plans to install a five-kilowatt system on the roof of his building.

       Border Commission Gets New Member
New Mexico now has an additional spoke in its wheel toward having a louder voice on the international scene, thanks to Gov. Bill Richardson's appointment of Deming bail bondsmen Ed Apodaca to the New Mexico-Chihuahua Commission.
       The commission began in 2003 after being created by Richardson and the New Mexico Legislature. The goal was to stimulate trade with New Mexico's southern neighbor, the state of Chihuahua in Mexico. The commission focuses on seven areas of interest to both parties, including border crossings, health, public safety, water and education, among other issues.
       Colo. Set To Lower Minimum Wage
DENVER — Colorado officials have confirmed that the state next year will become the first to lower its minimum wage because of a falling cost of living.
       The state Department of Labor and Employment ordered the wage down from $7.28 to $7.24. That's lower than the federal minimum wage of $7.25, so most minimum wage workers will lose 3 cents an hour.
       Colorado is one of 10 states where the minimum wage is tied to inflation. The indexing is thought to protect low-wage workers from having flat wages as the cost of living goes up.
       But because Colorado's provision allows wage declines, the minimum wage will drop because of a falling consumer price index.

       Justices To Review Enron Convictions
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court will consider throwing out the convictions of former Enron Chief Executive Officer Jeff Skilling for his role in the collapse of the one-time energy giant.
       The court said Tuesday it will hear Skilling's appeal of lower court rulings that upheld all 19 of his 2006 convictions of conspiracy, securities fraud, insider trading and lying to auditors involving the 2001 collapse of Enron.
       Skilling, serving a 24-year prison term, is asking the court to consider whether the federal “honest services” fraud statute was applied correctly. The justices already have two other cases dealing with the honest services law.

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