TROUBLED NEW MEXICO CITY
AG: New Mexico city violated open records, meetings laws
LAS VEGAS, N.M. (AP) — A northern New Mexico city plagued by lawsuits and a former mayor charged with felony bribery and abuse of power is facing more problems. The Las Vegas Optic reports the New Mexico Attorney General's Office announced last week the city of Las Vegas and its police violated open records and open meetings laws. In letters sent to city officials, the office warned that continued violations could result in criminal charges. Las Vegas City Attorney Esther Garduno-Montoya nor Interim City Manager Ann Marie Gallegos immediately returned emails.
NEW MEXICO STATE-LAWSUIT
Lawsuit: New Mexico State University wrongly fired professor
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — A former criminal justice professor at New Mexico State University says he lost his job in retaliation for reporting misconduct at his department. The Las Cruces Sun-News reports Francisco Alatorre last month filed a lawsuit in state district court. He alleged the university interfered with his promotion and tenure after he cooperated with investigations into discriminatory conduct at the department in 2015. According to court documents, his department refused to grant him reasonable accommodations for a disability arising from his diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder. New Mexico State University spokeswoman Minerva Baumann did not immediately return an email.
DEPUTY SHOOTING-LAWSUIT
Family sues after deputies shoot mentally ill woman 20 times
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The family of a New Mexico woman fatally shot more than 20 times by sheriff's deputies is suing. KOB-TV reports the family of Elisha Lucero has filed a wrongful death lawsuit in state district court against the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office. The lawsuit says the family called authorities in July 2019 as the 28-year-old Lucero was suffering a mental health crisis. But court documents say deputies escalated a tense situation when they showed up. The lawsuit alleges that deputies never called for a crisis intervention specialist despite at least one deputy knowing Lucero had mental health issues. A Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office spokesman declined to comment.
GOVERNOR'S AGENDA-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico governor announces ambitious legislative agenda
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced an ambitious policy agenda ahead of a 30-day legislative session. Lujan Grisham says she'll consider bills to reinstate New Mexico's tax credit for rooftop solar panels, to facilitate pharmaceutical imports and to criminalize terrorist threats and conduct. She confirmed her support for legislative efforts to provide tuition-free college to about 55,000 New Mexico residents, shore up a major public pension fund, authorize recreational marijuana sales and adopt so-called red flag gun legislation that sets up procedures for temporary firearms seizures.
KIDS COUNT-NEW MEXICO
Report: New Mexico back to 49th in nation in child poverty
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A child-advocacy group says New Mexico's child poverty rate rose slightly and continues to rank near the bottom nationally. New Mexico Voices for Children released Wednesday the 2019 New Mexico Kids Count Data Book that found 26% of the state's children in 2018 remained at or below the federal poverty line. That places the state back to 49th nationally in child poverty. A similar study last year showed New Mexico ranked 48th. The report found 30% of the state's Hispanic children were living in poverty, as were 41% of New Mexico's Native American children.
POLITICAL CONSULTANT-CHARGES DROPPED
Last charge dropped in Vegas case against ex-GOP consultant
LAS VEGAS (AP) — The last remaining criminal charge has been dropped in Las Vegas against a former Republican political consultant who had been accused of imprisoning and battering his girlfriend. Benjamin Sparks' attorney on Tuesday dismissed as a fabrication the misdemeanor battery charge that remained after felony kidnapping, domestic battery and coercion charges were dropped in October. A prosecutor told the Las Vegas Review-Journal a medical condition would have prevented the accuser from testifying about he claim Sparks attacked her in March 2018 at their home in Las Vegas.
BC-US BORDER PATROL FREEZING CELLS
Judge inspects Border Patrol facility as trial continues
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — A federal judge said he would inspect a Tucson Border Patrol facility that migrants say is plagued by extreme overcrowding, freezing temperatures and unsafe conditions. The judge said he was going to inspect the main Tucson Sector facility after plaintiffs in a lawsuit challenging the conditions rested their case, leaving Wednesday afternoon open. The Tucson Sector comprises most of Arizona and includes eight stations where immigrants are held before they're deported or turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The Border Patrol says the facilities are designed for short-term stays for adults.
AG: New Mexico city violated open records, meetings laws
LAS VEGAS, N.M. (AP) — A northern New Mexico city plagued by lawsuits and a former mayor charged with felony bribery and abuse of power is facing more problems. The Las Vegas Optic reports the New Mexico Attorney General's Office announced last week the city of Las Vegas and its police violated open records and open meetings laws. In letters sent to city officials, the office warned that continued violations could result in criminal charges. Las Vegas City Attorney Esther Garduno-Montoya nor Interim City Manager Ann Marie Gallegos immediately returned emails.
NEW MEXICO STATE-LAWSUIT
Lawsuit: New Mexico State University wrongly fired professor
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — A former criminal justice professor at New Mexico State University says he lost his job in retaliation for reporting misconduct at his department. The Las Cruces Sun-News reports Francisco Alatorre last month filed a lawsuit in state district court. He alleged the university interfered with his promotion and tenure after he cooperated with investigations into discriminatory conduct at the department in 2015. According to court documents, his department refused to grant him reasonable accommodations for a disability arising from his diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder. New Mexico State University spokeswoman Minerva Baumann did not immediately return an email.
DEPUTY SHOOTING-LAWSUIT
Family sues after deputies shoot mentally ill woman 20 times
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The family of a New Mexico woman fatally shot more than 20 times by sheriff's deputies is suing. KOB-TV reports the family of Elisha Lucero has filed a wrongful death lawsuit in state district court against the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office. The lawsuit says the family called authorities in July 2019 as the 28-year-old Lucero was suffering a mental health crisis. But court documents say deputies escalated a tense situation when they showed up. The lawsuit alleges that deputies never called for a crisis intervention specialist despite at least one deputy knowing Lucero had mental health issues. A Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office spokesman declined to comment.
GOVERNOR'S AGENDA-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico governor announces ambitious legislative agenda
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced an ambitious policy agenda ahead of a 30-day legislative session. Lujan Grisham says she'll consider bills to reinstate New Mexico's tax credit for rooftop solar panels, to facilitate pharmaceutical imports and to criminalize terrorist threats and conduct. She confirmed her support for legislative efforts to provide tuition-free college to about 55,000 New Mexico residents, shore up a major public pension fund, authorize recreational marijuana sales and adopt so-called red flag gun legislation that sets up procedures for temporary firearms seizures.
KIDS COUNT-NEW MEXICO
Report: New Mexico back to 49th in nation in child poverty
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A child-advocacy group says New Mexico's child poverty rate rose slightly and continues to rank near the bottom nationally. New Mexico Voices for Children released Wednesday the 2019 New Mexico Kids Count Data Book that found 26% of the state's children in 2018 remained at or below the federal poverty line. That places the state back to 49th nationally in child poverty. A similar study last year showed New Mexico ranked 48th. The report found 30% of the state's Hispanic children were living in poverty, as were 41% of New Mexico's Native American children.
POLITICAL CONSULTANT-CHARGES DROPPED
Last charge dropped in Vegas case against ex-GOP consultant
LAS VEGAS (AP) — The last remaining criminal charge has been dropped in Las Vegas against a former Republican political consultant who had been accused of imprisoning and battering his girlfriend. Benjamin Sparks' attorney on Tuesday dismissed as a fabrication the misdemeanor battery charge that remained after felony kidnapping, domestic battery and coercion charges were dropped in October. A prosecutor told the Las Vegas Review-Journal a medical condition would have prevented the accuser from testifying about he claim Sparks attacked her in March 2018 at their home in Las Vegas.
BC-US BORDER PATROL FREEZING CELLS
Judge inspects Border Patrol facility as trial continues
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — A federal judge said he would inspect a Tucson Border Patrol facility that migrants say is plagued by extreme overcrowding, freezing temperatures and unsafe conditions. The judge said he was going to inspect the main Tucson Sector facility after plaintiffs in a lawsuit challenging the conditions rested their case, leaving Wednesday afternoon open. The Tucson Sector comprises most of Arizona and includes eight stations where immigrants are held before they're deported or turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The Border Patrol says the facilities are designed for short-term stays for adults.
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