Interstate 40 Still Closed

Interstate 40 west of Gallup is still closed due to the train derailment. The derailment took place about three miles east of the Arizona-New Mexico border near Lupton, Arizona. This is 40 miles away from my residence.

According to the New Mexico State Police, no time has been given for when it will reopen:

Train Derailment and Interstate 40 Closure Update: Westbound Interstate 40 will be closed to all westbound traffic at milepost 126 and diverted onto State Road 6 South. All Commercial Motor Vehicles and non-local residents traveling west on Interstate 40 are instructed to take Interstate 25 south at Albuquerque to Interstate 10 in Las Cruces to continue to travel west.

Local residents of Laguna, Acoma, Grants, Gallup, etc., will be allowed to continue west past the road closure on Interstate 40 with proof of local residency.

There is currently no projected end to this closure. Check NMRoads.com for the latest road conditions and follow NMStatePolice on social media for updates. NMDOT Arizona Department of Public Safety

This derailment has made the news around the country. Even Breitbart has an article on it. 

Our group will be having our Saturday coffee/breakfast at Denny's in the Flying J Travel Center in Jamestown. I am curious if travelers will pack it while waiting for the reopening.

I saw that Flagstaff got some heavy snow overnight. 

Train Derailment Closes Interstate 40

Above, the train derailment near Lupton, Arizona. Photo by the McKinley County Sheriff.

As today is Friday, I headed into Gallup for dinner at Jerry's Cafe.

On the way, I (and everyone else going westbound on Interstate 40) were diverted off the freeway at Exit 20 in Gallup. That was my intended exit anyway. The Interstate was closed by the New Mexico State Police.

Above, tonight's dinner at Jerry's Cafe. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Once I got seated at Jerry's, I checked online and found that a train carrying gasoline and propane derailed near Lupton, Arizona. Both eastbound and westbound Interstate 40 lanes were closed. At least this closure didn't involve a semi truck.

Lupton is where the Tee Pee Trading Post is located. They have the largest cigar humidor in the region.

I had Number 3 at Jerry's Cafe, which is the chile relleno and cheese enchilada plate. It was good, as usual. 

Killer of State Police Officer Captured

Above, Jaremy Smith shown in a police photo. New Mexico State Police photo.

A wanted cop and paramedic killer has been captured following a police chase in Bernalillo County.

According to ABC News:

The suspect wanted in the killings of a New Mexico state trooper and a South Carolina paramedic was captured Sunday following a shooting involving law enforcement, authorities said.

The suspect, Jaremy Smith, was taken into custody in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, after leading police on a chase that resulted in a shooting involving at least one deputy from the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office, according to the New Mexico State Police.

Smith is suspected in the fatal shooting of New Mexico State Police officer Justin Hare early Friday and the slaying of Phonesia Machado-Fore, a South Carolina paramedic who was reported missing on Thursday, authorities said.

The 33-year-old suspect, who was identified on Saturday by police, was the subject of a massive manhunt. New Mexico State Police Chief Troy Weisler had said during a news conference, "Jaremy Smith, we are coming for you."

Hopefully, Smith will be extradited to South Carolina for trial and, possibly, executed if found guilty. South Carolina has the death penalty.

To read more, go here.

Thawing Already

A little bit ago, I did some snow shoveling before the snow on the walkways turns into ice.

Fortunately, much of it has already melted and the road in front of the house is about 50% thawed.

I cancelled my cardiologist appointment and will have to reschedule. I probably didn't have to anyway as the transportation department and State Police closed Interstate 40 at the first exit in Gallup. 

After shoveling, I took these pictures:

 

2A Health Order: What's Next?

Above, what will the NM State Police do? 

There's a couple of things involving this saga over the unconstitutional "health order" by Gov. "Malevolent Michelle" Lujan Grisham that I am wondering about.

So far, the courts have taken no action on the lawsuits that have been filed since last weekend. Some reports state that they act possibly as soon as this afternoon.

The second thing that is concerning is: What will the New Mexico State Police do? Will they sit this one out and refuse to enforce the unconstitutional order or will they act as the governor's personal Gestapo (as they did during the pandemic) and enforce the order and cite "violators"?

As of now, they have been silent, which is strange.

From The Truth About Guns:

There are now six lawsuits (and counting) challenging New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s public health order suspending Second Amendment carry rights in the Bernalillo County and the city of Albuquerque. While literally no local authorities are willing to enforce her clearly unconstitutional diktat, Grisham is still claiming that the New Mexico State Police will do her dirty work.

The State Police, however, have remained strangely silent on the matter and no one has been cited for any violations.

This afternoon, however, New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez delivered the latest body-blow to the Governor’s authoritarian tendencies by announcing in a letter to Grisham that his office will not be defending her in court.

To read more, go here.

Lawsuits Pile Up Against New Mexico Governor

Lawsuits against New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham are piling up.

At present, there are four of them.

According to KRQE:

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham is now facing four different lawsuits as gun rights advocates look to challenge the constitutionality of her new order.

All of the lawsuits are similar, arguing that the Public Health Order (PHO) goes against the United States Constitution.

“We are making sure that this never happens again,” said Luis Valdes, a spokesperson for Gun Owners of America (GOA). “We want to make sure that the right to keep and bear arms is fully protected and that there’s no further infringement upon it like what we’re seeing in New Mexico at the moment.”

GOA lawsuit suggests the Governor’s PHO violates the Second Amendment. Other lawsuits have also been filed by a former law enforcement officer and three other gun rights advocacy groups.

They all claimed the governor does not have the power to strip the right to bear arms from New Mexico residents. Further, the lawsuit argues that abiding citizens will pay the price for the health order, while criminals will continue to carry firearms.

“You have law enforcement officers who are going to follow this unconstitutional law, order, and they are then going to think anyone on the streets exercising their god-given right is a criminal,” Valdes explained.

The Bernalillo County sheriff said his department will not enforce the order. The only police agency under Grisham's control is the State Police and they haven't said anything (or maybe I missed it) yet. 

To read more, go here.

Farmington Shooting, Four Dead

A shooting in New Mexico yesterday made national news.

It took place in the  city of Farmington, New Mexico. It is a few miles from the Colorado border and I have driven through it several times while en route to Durango and Ouray, Colorado. It is about 123 miles north of Jamestown.

Reports stated that the shooter, killed by police, was 18 years old.

According to KRQE:

FARMINGTON, N.M. (KRQE) – At least four people are dead, including the suspect, and several others are injured following a shooting in Farmington Monday morning. Police said the suspect was shot and killed by officers on the scene.

The shooting unfolded around 10:57 a.m. along N. Dustin near Ute Street. Farmington Police claimed an 18-year-old man was “actively firing” on people in the neighborhood. The suspect has yet to be identified but is thought to be the only suspect involved.

Police say at least three people were killed by the suspect before officers killed him. An officer from Farmington Police and another from State Police were among six wounded in the shooting, according to the department. Police have yet to identify any of the victims or their ages. 

Of course, the Democrats will waste no time to politicize the shooting.

To read more, go here. 

Interstate 40 Closure

 

I just took a look outside and there are no lights from traffic on Interstate 40. The only lights are from homes in our community and those of Iyanbito Chapter of the Navajo Nation.

Interstate 40 will reopen the eastbound side shortly. 

It will be closed again tonight.

Interstate 40 To Be Closed Eastbound From Gallup 2 Nights

Tonight and tomorrow night are going to be interesting.

Eastbound Interstate 40 from Gallup will be closed both nights from 9:00 to 6:00 for road repairs at Coolidge (MM 44) due to a constant pothole problem. The only way the New Mexico Department of Transportation can make effective repairs is to close the highway.

From KOAT:

The New Mexico State Police have alerted motorists planning to travel east on I-40 through Gallup, that the road will be closed at Exit 16 between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. Monday and Tuesday, March 27 and 28.

With no detour available at that location, travelers have been advised to seek overnight accommodations in Gallup.

Exiting eastbound out of the city will be prohibited during the planned night work. No detour is available. Traffic will not be permitted to use local routes.

Teamsters Upset Over Ronchetti UPS Visit

One has to give the Mark Ronchetti credit for entering into "enemy territory" when he paid a visit to a UPS warehouse in Rio Rancho yesterday. 

Their union has endorsed Gov. "Malevolent Michelle" Lujan Grisham in this year's gubernatorial campaign. This is not surprising or unusual, for the union bosses are nothing more than Democrat operatives. The rank-in-file workers welcomed Ronchetti.

Now they're pissed off over Ronchetti's morning visit to the workers.

According to the Santa Fe New Mexican:

A Teamsters union that represents UPS drivers delivered a sharp rebuke to Mark Ronchetti on Tuesday after the Republican gubernatorial candidate promoted a visit to a UPS warehouse in Rio Rancho.

Just before 9:30 a.m., Ronchetti took to Twitter to thank UPS for opening its warehouse doors to send off their drivers before their shifts.

“Working New Mexicans are ready for a government that listens and cares about its constituents,” he tweeted along with photos of him speaking to what appeared to be dozens of UPS drivers and shaking hands with one of them. “On November 8, we will give them that!”

Tuesday afternoon, Teamsters Local 492 took to Facebook to decry the visit, writing it was “management” who invited Ronchetti to speak to a room of union members.

“Ronchetti does not represent our Teamster values and we despise his use of UPS teamsters as a prop this morning, to advance his anti-worker agenda,” the union wrote.

The union cited the governor’s “strong record delivering for New Mexico workers and their families.”

People need to be reminded that Lujan Grisham's "strong record" for delivering for New Mexico workers includes using the State Police as her personal Gestapo to harass, terrorize and shut down businesses during the past two years.  About 40% of New Mexico businesses have been permanently shuttered due to Lujan Grisham's edicts, killing off thousands of jobs in the process.

Her record stinks, to put it mildly.

To read more, go here.

Roswell City Council Votes Not To Enforce Governor's Public Health Orders

Above, the famous Roswell welcome sign. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Gov. "Malevolent Michelle" Lujan Grisham received a poke in the eye yesterday by the Roswell City Council when it voted not to enforce her public health orders.

KRQE reported:

ROSWELL, N.M. (KRQE) – A New Mexico city council has voted not to enforce the governor’s public health mandates, including the mask requirement. “There is no reason for us to stop the way we live. If you fear this COVID-19, stay home. Plenty of people in this town have offered to deliver your goods to your house,” said Roswell City Councilor Jeanine Best. “There is no reason for bullying.” 

Roswell Police may still educate people on the rules, but following Thursday night’s vote, they will leave any citations to State Police. During a tense meeting in which the mayor pleaded with councilors to refrain from personal attacks, the proposal was approved in a split six-to-four vote.

We will likely see the governor send out her personal "Gestapo" (i.e., the NM State Police) to enforce her public health orders.

To read more, go here.

Lujan Grisham's Attorneys Ask NM Supreme Court To Resolve Fines Issue

Japan was able to get cooperation of citizens and businesses for staying-at-home and lockdowns without the need of threats and fines. This was something that New Mexico's dictatorial shrimp Governor "Malevolent Michelle" Lujan Grisham should have taken a hard look at, but didn't.

Instead, she used threats, fines and her personal Gestapo, the New Mexico State Police, to coerce people into following her orders in lockstep.

A number of New Mexico businesses have filed suit against the governor's excessive $5,000/day fines imposed on businesses whose only crime was only to make a living and stay financially afloat.

According to the Albuquerque Journal:

SANTA FE – Attorneys for Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham are asking the state Supreme Court to resolve legal questions over the administration’s authority to issue hefty fines for violating emergency public health orders. 

The request comes after about a dozen business owners and companies accused Lujan Grisham of improperly threatening businesses with daily $5,000 fines if they reopen their businesses in violation of the health orders. 

The businesses filed a lawsuit – backed by the Republican Party of New Mexico – in state District Court challenging the fines. 

The Supreme Court issued an order staying the lower-court proceedings and asking the plaintiffs to respond to the governor’s petition by this coming Monday. The justices, however, haven’t decided whether to take the case. 

Lujan Grisham attorneys Matthew Garcia and Jonathan Guss urged the Supreme Court to step in now rather than let the lawsuit work its way through other courts, only to reach the justices eventually.

I hope the businesses are successful in their lawsuit against the governor's unconstitutional actions.

To read more, go here. 

Japan Lifts State of Emergency

Above, a view of Tokyo from the Tokyo Skytree. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Japan has ended their coronavirus state of emergency in the last remaining prefectures.

This was after 16,000 tested positive for the coronavirus and 800 deaths. They achieved this without any lockdowns. The United States could learn a lot from Japan.

The Japanese people practiced stay-at-home without threats and penalties, unlike places like New Mexico where the state government threatened people through tactics by the State Police that many called "Gestapo" and issued fines.

According to News On Japan:

The Japanese government has lifted the state of emergency in the last five of the country's 47 prefectures. 

The prime minister said it showed the strength of what he called "the Japan model," a reference to the public's adherence to stay-at-home policies without the threat of penalties. 

Abe Shinzo said on Monday, "Today the government will lift the state of emergency across the nation. We've set some of the most strict criteria in the world to lift the declaration, and we concluded that prefectures across the country have met that standard." 

The final five are Tokyo and three surrounding prefectures, as well as the northernmost island of Hokkaido. 

The state of emergency once covered the entire country. But it was scaled back in recent weeks, as the number of new infections declined. 

Abe said economic activity will restart in phases. He said he aims to create what he calls a 'new normal' in the country.

 To read more, go here.

Gallup Lockdown Set To End At Noon Today

Above, approaching a New Mexico State Police checkpoint on Historic Route 66. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Unless it is extended (hopefully not), the lockdown of the city of Gallup (population around 21,000) is set to expire at noon today.

According to KOB 4:

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Gallup’s lockdown is set to expire Sunday at noon, but city officials have already started letting visitors back in. 

While some restrictions are lifted, coronavirus continues to spread in northwest New Mexico. 

On Saturday, health officials announced 48 new cases and 4 more deaths in McKinley County. 

The surge in cases led city officials to lockdown the city of Gallup, which borders the Navajo Nation.

Fortunately, we're around 19 miles east of Gallup and, as far as I know, we have had no cases of coronavirus in Jamestown.

I have been in Gallup twice since the lockdown started.

To read more, go here. 

Stimulus Check and "Checkpoint Charlie"

Above, approaching "Checkpoint Charlie" in Gallup on Route 66. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Finally, at long last, my stimulus check arrived in today's mail.

I had a feeling that it would arrive today after a friend in Albuquerque got hers yesterday and the IRS website's Get My Payment site said that both of our checks were to be mailed May 1.

Above, Christmas after having her carrot treats today. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

On the way to the post office at the Flying J, I stopped and gave Christmas and one of the other horses across the road from her some carrots. I took the Jeep so I could gas it up for some driving. But since the check arrived, I needed to put it back into the garage and take the Mustang to the bank in Gallup.

Getting through "Checkpoint Charlie" on Historic Route 66 wasn't as easy as the other day. This time, the Gestapo, oops, the New Mexico State Police officer, was trying to tell me that only Gallup residents within the city's boundary are allowed in. I told him I was let in two days before with no problem and that Jamestown is considered a part of the greater Gallup area. I told him I need to make a deposit at the bank. Finally, he relented and let me in (he probably figured I wasn't backing down).

So, after depositing the check, I headed back home. I then ordered a new gasoline tank for the Jeep. The tank that's in it leaks. Since I am paying for it with the stimulus money, it is being put to its intended use. Two companies will be benefiting: the seller of the tank and my mechanic, who will be installing it.

Hopefully, Malevolent Michelle won't extend the Gallup lockdown beyond Sunday. But I wouldn't bet the ranch on it.

Arizona Sheriff Refusing To Criminalize Making A Living

Unlike Gov. "Malevolent Michelle" Lujan Grisham and her New Mexico State Police "Gestapo", who are making criminals out of people who are trying to make a living, this sheriff in Arizona refuses to enforce lockdown/stay-at-home executive orders.

From Fox News Channel's Tucker Carlson's show:

Mohave Arizona sheriff, Doug Schuster, defends his decision to not enforce the state's stay-at-home orders.

Los Alamos Reporter: "Our Mother Governor"

With a governor running New Mexico like a dictator, it is good that there are newspapers and columnists speaking out against Gov. "Malevolent Michelle" Lujan Grisham's actions.

The latest is an opinion piece from the Los Alamos Reporter by Tom Wright. The title: "Our Mother Governor".

It begins with:

The editorial boards of two major New Mexico newspapers have pointed out the heavy-handedness and lack of openness of our governor in dealing with her orders to shutter businesses and reopen our economy. 

Diane Rowe, owner of Papas Pawn and Gun in Grants was cited and is facing a $60,000 fine for disobeying the governor’s closure order. Papas Pawn opened again in April and allowed no more than two customers in at a time and required social distancing. On April 14, she received a cease-and-desist order. After she made a public statement about her right to open, six state police arrived on April 27 and delivered a citation charging $60,000 for twelve days of unlawful operation. Heavy-handed? Yes, mom spanked her pretty good.  

Aside from exercising her civil liberties, Ms. Rowe’s defense may be that a pawnshop is a financial institution for many who can’t get bank loans and perhaps exempt from the closure order. 

The governor needs public cooperation, but has told us her handpicked Economic Recovery Council is not subject to the open meetings law and therefore the public has no right to know what they discuss. The New Mexico Foundation for Open Government has taken issue with this and they make a good point. All citizens of New Mexico are affected by their discussions and advice and we do have the right to know their thinking.

There's a lot more to the article and it is well worth a read and it should be passed around. Wait until you read the part about the county sheriffs and the New Mexico State Police.

To read more, go here. 

Gallup Mayor Requests Lockdown Extension

Above, Historic Route 66 in Gallup, New Mexico. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When Gov. "Malevolent Michelle" Lujan Grisham ordered the three-day lockdown of Gallup, New Mexico last week, it seemed more like "closing the barn door after the horse already fled."

The lockdown of Gallup is set to expire at noon tomorrow. However, the newly-elected mayor is asking for an extension.

From KOB Channel 4 News:

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The Mayor of Gallup is asking the governor to extend the city's lockdown to help curb COVID-19's impact. 

"I recognize this request is unusual and constitutes a drastic measure, and the emergency powers set out under the Riot Control Act  should be invoked sparingly," said Gallup Mayor Louis Bonaguidi in a letter to the governor. "However, the COVID-19 outbreak in the City of Gallup is a crisis of the highest order." 

The weekend lockdown went into effect on Friday and required all businesses to close by 5 p.m.  

State Police officers and the New Mexico National Guard are blocking vehicles from entering Gallup.

At present, I have plenty of food and supplies to last for two weeks, so I have no need to go into Gallup. However, if I am running low on things, I can always go to Grants, which is about 45 miles east of Jamestown. Gallup is about 19 miles west of Jamestown.

To read more, go here.

UPDATE:

The governor granted the request for a lockdown extension. It is now set to end Thursday at noon.

Tee Pee Trading Post and Gallup

Above, Tee Pee Trading Post in Lupton, Arizona. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Yesterday, I headed down to the Flying J to see if my shipment of cigars (Oliva Serie G) arrived.

The USPS Tracking on it hasn't been updated since April 28.

Sure enough, the package hadn't arrived. I called Tee Pee Trading Post in Lupton, Arizona (they have the best selection of cigars in the region and they're just at the state line) to see if they were open. Luckily, they were. So I headed from the Flying J to the trading post. They are only 40 miles away from Jamestown.

I have requested an USPS investigation on what happened to my package. It should have arrived already since I pay extra for expedited delivery.

Above, Tee Pee Trading Post. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When I got there, I thought it odd that they were open for business as usual, then I caught myself. They're in Arizona, not New Mexico! That makes all the difference in the world.

So I picked up about 24 stogies (of various brands) and headed back home.

About an hour or so before, the governor put the entire city of Gallup on lockdown, allegedly due to a big spike in coronavirus infections. While driving to Gallup en route to Lupton, I noticed state police stationed at different locations, mainly at the off-ramps into town from Interstate 40. People can still drive through Gallup on I-40. It is really getting to look like a police state around here with the state police and National Guard stationed at different locations.

I am glad that I didn't buy a home in town! Being about 20 miles outside of town was the better option, and it is even more so now.

Donate To Papas Pawn & Gun To Fight Tyrant Lujan Grisham

Last night, I posted about the tyrannical actions the New Mexico State Police took against Papas Pawn & Guns in Grants, New Mexico by Gov. "Malevolent Michelle" Lujan Grisham. At the end of my post, I suggested that a Go Fund Me page should be started to help fundraise for the defense of the shop owner Diane Rowe.

Thanks to a concerned citizen from Farmington, New Mexico, such a Go Fund Me Page has been started.

Here's the description of the page:

This is conclusive evidence of the lengths this despicable despotic governor is prepared to go to flex her vision of autonomous tyranny!!!

Albuquerque, May 1--New Mexico State officials have fined Papas Pawn & Gun, a small business in Grants, NM, $60,000 despite the essential business owner practicing careful social distancing. Owner Diane Rowe says law enforcement officers are among those who make purchases in her shop, and she believes her rights were violated as she remained open so her livelihood wouldn't go under. Rowe took meticulous health precautions, enforced social distancing and ensured her shop never had more than two customers inside.

"On Monday, six or seven State Police officers surrounded my small shop, and it was really upsetting," said Rowe. "That was a total show of force. They came to give me a court summons, treated me like I was a criminal, not a shop owner. Later I got a notice from the State that I was being fined $60,000. My husband is a veteran who is disabled and we don't have any employees. This fine will kill us. It's the end. I don't know what to do."

This was a violation of Rowe's civil rights and Constitutional rights and another unjust action against businesses trying to survive, both as a result of policies decreed by Gov. Lujan Grisham. Rowe believes her treatment is disgraceful and says other businesses who depend on local consumers will soon be obsolete.

The governor continues to show favoritism for big box stores, taking millions of New Mexico dollars out of state, while exhibiting abject disdain for the little guy, local businesses who keep our our local economies humming.

The governor refuses to acknowledge that small businesses, like Papas Pawn & Gun, can provide and maintain social distancing and other health measures just like the national chains, that are packing shoppers in their aisles daily. This is blatant preferential treatment by the Lujan Grisham Administration.

Did they really need six or seven New Mexico State Police officers to deliver a summons? Sounds like Gestapo tactics in terrorizing Diane Rowe.

If you would like to make a contribution to help Diane Rowe/Papas Pawn & Gun fight the tyrant governor and her state police Gestapo, go here.

Everyone must take a stand here and now, otherwise, you and your business could be next!