BOARDING HOME-RULES
New Mexico announces emergency rules for boarding homes
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico has enacted emergency rules governing the licensing and regulation of boarding homes that house individuals discharged from mental or behavioral health care institutions. The Department of Health said Friday in a statement that the emergency rules took effect Thursday and were established for the health, safety and welfare of residents of boarding homes. The department said boarding homes subject to the rules must apply for a license within 30 days and meet basic health and safety requirements. According to the department, a permanent boarding home rule will be proposed and announced to the public in February, followed by a public hearing to be scheduled in March.
FATAL CRASH-HOMICIDE CHARGE
Man accused of vehicular homicide; pickup hit stopped car
ROSWELL, N.M. (AP) — A south-central New Mexico man is accused of vehicular homicide and DWI in a three-vehicle crash in which Roswell police say his pickup slammed into the rear of a car stopped at a red light, killing a back-seat passenger. Police say 30-year-old Luke Maxwell Towner of Tularosa was arrested after the Thursday night crash that killed 26-year-old Douglas Annis of Roswell and injured two other people. Police say Towner's pickup was traveling at a high rate of speed and that there's no indication he applied the brakes before the collision. Online court records don't list an attorney for Towner who could comment on the allegations against him.
OIL BOOM-SEWAGE
Oil boom, housing crisis bringing sewage problems in camps
CARLSBAD, N.M. (AP) — Officials in southeastern New Mexico are struggling to monitor sewage problems from hundreds of camps used to house transient oil field workers. The Carlsbad Current-Argus reports that state officials say more than 140 unregistered RV parks in Eddy County were violating liquid water requirements, typically linked to improper sewage lines. The New Mexico Environment Department reported only about 20% owners in those cases were working with authorities to comply with standards. An Eddy County planner says the problem has grown since a boom in oil and gas production in 2011 and 2012. The production has created a housing crisis in cities like Hobbs and Carlsbad.
JUVENILE DETENTION
County options for juvenile detention in New Mexico shrink
ALAMOGORDO, N.M . (AP) — A southern New Mexico county has renewed an agreement with another county hundreds of miles away to continue housing its juvenile detainees. The decision by the Otero County Commission comes as the number of juvenile detention facilities around New Mexico shrinks. That means more youths are being detained far from home. A state Supreme Court Justice recently told a panel of lawmakers that the time has come to find ways to keep detained youths adequately supervised and cared for near their home while helping counties in finding ways to meet the high cost of 24-hour detention.
SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS
In US schools, resource officers woven into daily life
NEWTOWN, Conn. (AP) — The involvement of school resource officers in two separate student shootings this week in Wisconsin highlights the role they can play in a worst-case scenario. While the thousands of officers in schools are dedicated to law enforcement first, they spend much of their days as counselors and educators. In cases of real and immediate threats to students or teachers, the rules on use of force are set by the police departments that assign them to the schools.
MURDER SUSPECT ARRESTED
Suspect in Santa Fe killing arrested in Albuquerque area
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Authorities say a suspect in a Santa Fe killing was arrested Saturday in the Albuquerque area. The New Mexico State Police said 26-year-old James R. Garcia was arrested while a passenger in a car whose driver allegedly tried to evade police and nearly struck an officer. Garcia was arrested on warrants alleging murder, tampering with evidence and probation violation. He was wanted in the death of 20-year-old Daniel Gisler, who was reported missing Nov. 21 and whose body was found Friday. The woman driving the car also was arrested. The State Police said 27-year-old Mercardy Jalessa Rose Montoya was arrested on suspicion of aggravated fleeing and other charges. Online court record records don't list attorneys for Garcia or Montoya who could comment on the allegations.
DISBARRED IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY CONVICTED
Prosecutor: Former immigration attorney, husband convicted
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — A federal prosecutor says a disbarred Arizona immigration lawyer and her husband each face up to five years in prison when sentenced on convictions for conspiring to commit acts that included forging the signature of a court clerk. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Sullivan said Saturday that a jury in Tucson returned verdicts late Friday against disbarred attorney Marivel Cantu-Madril and attorney Richard A. Madril, Cantu-Madril's husband. Sullivan said Cantu-Madril was convicted of conspiracy plus counts of forgery and possession of false seals of government agencies but acquitted of mail fraud while Madril was convicted of conspiracy, the only charge against him. Attorneys for Cantu-Madril and Madril did not immediately respond to requests for comment Saturday.
MARIJUANA-NEW MEXICO
Over 200 visitors enroll in New Mexico medical pot program
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico's medical cannabis program is attracting enrollment from outside the state after legislative reforms did away with an in-state residency requirement. Enrollment figures from the state Health Department show that 215 registered medical marijuana patients reside outside New Mexico. New Mexico medical marijuana provider Ultra Health says nonresident patients are coming primarily from the neighboring state of Texas and from as far away as Illinois and Michigan.
New Mexico announces emergency rules for boarding homes
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico has enacted emergency rules governing the licensing and regulation of boarding homes that house individuals discharged from mental or behavioral health care institutions. The Department of Health said Friday in a statement that the emergency rules took effect Thursday and were established for the health, safety and welfare of residents of boarding homes. The department said boarding homes subject to the rules must apply for a license within 30 days and meet basic health and safety requirements. According to the department, a permanent boarding home rule will be proposed and announced to the public in February, followed by a public hearing to be scheduled in March.
FATAL CRASH-HOMICIDE CHARGE
Man accused of vehicular homicide; pickup hit stopped car
ROSWELL, N.M. (AP) — A south-central New Mexico man is accused of vehicular homicide and DWI in a three-vehicle crash in which Roswell police say his pickup slammed into the rear of a car stopped at a red light, killing a back-seat passenger. Police say 30-year-old Luke Maxwell Towner of Tularosa was arrested after the Thursday night crash that killed 26-year-old Douglas Annis of Roswell and injured two other people. Police say Towner's pickup was traveling at a high rate of speed and that there's no indication he applied the brakes before the collision. Online court records don't list an attorney for Towner who could comment on the allegations against him.
OIL BOOM-SEWAGE
Oil boom, housing crisis bringing sewage problems in camps
CARLSBAD, N.M. (AP) — Officials in southeastern New Mexico are struggling to monitor sewage problems from hundreds of camps used to house transient oil field workers. The Carlsbad Current-Argus reports that state officials say more than 140 unregistered RV parks in Eddy County were violating liquid water requirements, typically linked to improper sewage lines. The New Mexico Environment Department reported only about 20% owners in those cases were working with authorities to comply with standards. An Eddy County planner says the problem has grown since a boom in oil and gas production in 2011 and 2012. The production has created a housing crisis in cities like Hobbs and Carlsbad.
JUVENILE DETENTION
County options for juvenile detention in New Mexico shrink
ALAMOGORDO, N.M . (AP) — A southern New Mexico county has renewed an agreement with another county hundreds of miles away to continue housing its juvenile detainees. The decision by the Otero County Commission comes as the number of juvenile detention facilities around New Mexico shrinks. That means more youths are being detained far from home. A state Supreme Court Justice recently told a panel of lawmakers that the time has come to find ways to keep detained youths adequately supervised and cared for near their home while helping counties in finding ways to meet the high cost of 24-hour detention.
SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS
In US schools, resource officers woven into daily life
NEWTOWN, Conn. (AP) — The involvement of school resource officers in two separate student shootings this week in Wisconsin highlights the role they can play in a worst-case scenario. While the thousands of officers in schools are dedicated to law enforcement first, they spend much of their days as counselors and educators. In cases of real and immediate threats to students or teachers, the rules on use of force are set by the police departments that assign them to the schools.
MURDER SUSPECT ARRESTED
Suspect in Santa Fe killing arrested in Albuquerque area
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Authorities say a suspect in a Santa Fe killing was arrested Saturday in the Albuquerque area. The New Mexico State Police said 26-year-old James R. Garcia was arrested while a passenger in a car whose driver allegedly tried to evade police and nearly struck an officer. Garcia was arrested on warrants alleging murder, tampering with evidence and probation violation. He was wanted in the death of 20-year-old Daniel Gisler, who was reported missing Nov. 21 and whose body was found Friday. The woman driving the car also was arrested. The State Police said 27-year-old Mercardy Jalessa Rose Montoya was arrested on suspicion of aggravated fleeing and other charges. Online court record records don't list attorneys for Garcia or Montoya who could comment on the allegations.
DISBARRED IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY CONVICTED
Prosecutor: Former immigration attorney, husband convicted
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — A federal prosecutor says a disbarred Arizona immigration lawyer and her husband each face up to five years in prison when sentenced on convictions for conspiring to commit acts that included forging the signature of a court clerk. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Sullivan said Saturday that a jury in Tucson returned verdicts late Friday against disbarred attorney Marivel Cantu-Madril and attorney Richard A. Madril, Cantu-Madril's husband. Sullivan said Cantu-Madril was convicted of conspiracy plus counts of forgery and possession of false seals of government agencies but acquitted of mail fraud while Madril was convicted of conspiracy, the only charge against him. Attorneys for Cantu-Madril and Madril did not immediately respond to requests for comment Saturday.
MARIJUANA-NEW MEXICO
Over 200 visitors enroll in New Mexico medical pot program
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico's medical cannabis program is attracting enrollment from outside the state after legislative reforms did away with an in-state residency requirement. Enrollment figures from the state Health Department show that 215 registered medical marijuana patients reside outside New Mexico. New Mexico medical marijuana provider Ultra Health says nonresident patients are coming primarily from the neighboring state of Texas and from as far away as Illinois and Michigan.
RSS Feed
