Thursday, February 09, 2023Yates Adds Another Newspaper To his Collection; Artesia Daily Press Bought Out, Plus: Former Sheriff Rodella Released From Federal Prison; "Repeatedly Attacked" Also: What A Tripp; Former News Chief For MLG Turns To Comedy Oilman and former NMGOP Chairman Harvey Yates, Jr. is expanding his media empire. Well, not exactly but he and the same investors he rounded up to purchase the Rio Grande Sun in Española last year have now bought the Artesia Daily News in the heart of the state's oil patch in Eddy County. Yates's El Rito Media--that includes former NMGOP Chair Ryan Cangliosi, Yates' cousin Peyton Yates, Dem state Rep. Joseph Sanchez and lobbyist Bryan Ortiz--purchased the News from the Green family who owned it for nearly 70 years. The price was not disclosed. When Yates and company took over the Sun from the Trapp family it was feared that they might turn the feisty publication into a megaphone for right wing politics. That would not play in Dem dominated Española and from what we see the paper has played it straight. When chasing down details for this blog we ran across a story of interest in La Politica featuring headline maker Tommy Rodella, the former Rio Arriba County sheriff whose wife Debbie Rodella, was a longtime state representative: Former Sheriff Thomas Rodella was released for good behavior last month after serving more than seven years in federal prison, a harrowing span in which Rodella claimed he was repeatedly attacked by prison gangs, beaten with homemade weapons and targeted for assassination. Rodella, 61, who also served as a Rio Arriba County magistrate judge and State Police officer before his election as sheriff, was released Jan. 9 after reportedly enduring at least five documented attacks and ten fist fights in prison due to his status as a former law enforcement officer, according to federal court filings. Rodella was sentenced to ten years in prison in January 2015 for chasing down a motorist near Española and badly beating the man, while armed with a gun, during a 2014 road-rage incident. It was no country club prison for Tommy who had a nasty fight with the Feds over the charges leveled against him. WHAT A TRIPP  A promoter of a Las Cruces event Stelnicki was recently was featured at described him as a young, “Seinfeld-style” performer with a bit of Chris Rock thrown in.
The former New Mexican reporter, who headed MLG's communications for a long three years, resigned at the end of '21. He said at the time he wanted to "prioritize his mental health" and that "I'm looking forward to not knowing exactly what's next." For Stelnicki a lot of laughter was next which is usually the best medicine. (Here's a video of a 2022 performance). Meanwhile, Nora Meyers Sackett, who has been in the MLG communications shop for the past six years, is joining Stelnicki in departing the Guv's office and leaves this month. However, Sackett is expected to take another state job. Former ABQ Journal reporter Maddy Hayden has been named MLG's new comms director. Maybe Trip can send her some jokes for comic relief. She'll be needing them. This is the home of New Mexico politics E-mail your news and comments. (newsguy@yahoo.com) Interested in reaching New Mexico's most informed audience? Advertise here.   (c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2023 |
  
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