LANCE ARMSTRONG SET TO RACE IN TOUR OF THE GILA.

Great news this morning for bike racing fans.

Overnight negotiations have cleared the road for international bicycling superstar Lance Armstrong and two members of Team Astana to compete in the Tour of the Gila.


State Tourism Advertising Director Richard Eeds tells us that officials with the International Cycling Union (UCI) had planned to enforce a federation rule that would have blocked Armstrong's team from participating.

Eeds said:

It is a rule that is apparently almost never enforced, but because Astana is a UCI sanctioned team they couldn't ride in a non UCI sanctioned event.

The Tour of the Gila race begins in Silver City on Wednesday and run several courses through Sunday.

Eeds is hopeful it will impact the local economy and good for state tourism:

The name New Mexico and Silver City is getting out there over and over. In a town that lost a lot of jobs (from the mines) and has 10% unemployment and the race almost cancelled this is very significant for Silver City.

It will be the first competition for Armstrong since he broke his collarbone last month.

Governor Urges Congress To Fund National Guard on Border.

On Thursday, Governor Bill Richardson joined several other border state governors urging congressional leaders to fully fund the National Guard's Counter-Drug Program in the upcoming Supplemental Budget Act and the Department of Defense’s FY10 budget.

The requested funding would increase New Mexico’s budget for the mission by about $5 million and allow for the deployment of 100 additional Guard personnel.

Richardson said:

The support our National Guard offers federal authorities along the border is critical to stemming the flow of drugs in and weapons out. As the violence associated with drug and weapons trafficking continues to intensify, it is clear that we need additional manpower.

Last May, we interviewed Lt. Governor Diane Denish after she toured the border in a Guard helicopter. Listen to our interview with her here.

Over the last year, New Mexico Guard personnel have assisted in the confiscation of more than 24,000 lbs. of marijuana and confiscation of 251 marijuana plants; more than 98 lbs. of methamphetamine and 41 lbs. of cocaine, the seizure of 150 weapons, the seizure of 69 vehicles, and the seizure of more than $740,000 in illegally transported U.S. currency.

Another critical aspect of the Counter-Drug Program is the “Stay on Track” anti-drug education program offered by the National Guard in nine middle schools across New Mexico . The requested funding would allow the Guard to expand the successful program to middle schools in the border towns of Deming, Lordsburg, Santa Teresa and Silver City.

In addition to assisting in searches of vehicles detained by federal officers, the 109 New Mexico National Guard Counter-Drug personnel conduct air surveillance operations with three helicopters, provide the eyes to monitor remote border cameras and assist in monitoring bypass routes around main highway Customs and Border Patrol checkpoints.