MISSING GIRL-ANNIVERSARY
Police still searching for girl who disappeared decades ago
GALLUP, N.M. (AP) — Police in northwestern New Mexico say they haven't given up on finding a Navajo girl who went missing from her family's apartment more than three decades ago. The FBI highlighted Anthonette Cayedito's case Monday on the 34th anniversary of her disappearance. Cayedito has been the focus of multiple television shows on missing children and unsolved cases. FBI spokesman Frank Fisher says someone knows what happened to her and asked the public to call in with any information. Cayedito was last seen wearing a pink nightgown at her family's home in Gallup. An artist rendering shows what she might look like today.
ELECTION 2020-NEW MEXICO
2 legislative candidates in New Mexico tossed from ballot
LOVINGTON, N.M. (AP) — A southeastern New Mexico county clerk has disqualified two state legislative candidates from the upcoming primary ballot. The Hobbs News-Sun reports Lea County Clerk Keith Manes announced last week he had disqualified two Hobbs residents from the ballot, and neither took advantage of their right to challenge his decision in court by March 27. Rebecca Jill Jones and Mayna Erika Myers had filed their candidacy earlier last month for seats in the New Mexico Legislature, but Manes said their voter registration failed to match their petitions for candidacy. Repubican Jones sought an open House seat. Myers had intended to run as a Libertarian against incumbent Republican Sen. Gay Kernan of Hobbs.
TROUBLED NEW MEXICO CITY
Hearing in case against ex-Las Vegas mayor delayed
LAS VEGAS, N.M. (AP) — The preliminary hearing in the criminal case against a former northern New Mexico mayor has been delayed more than two months due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Las Vegas Optic reports the hearing for former Las Vegas Mayor Tonita Gurule-Giron has been rescheduled for June 8 due to statewide bans on gatherings of more than five people. Gurule-Giron was charged in December with six felonies related to abuse of power, bid-rigging, and offering and receiving bribes, prosecutors said. She has pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors say Gurulé-Girón pressured city employees to give contracts to her boyfriend's construction company.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico regulators push ahead as virus disaster declared
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Nearly 690 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in New Mexico and the death toll remains at 12. State health officials announced the latest cases Monday, a day after President Donald Trump signed off on a federal disaster declaration for the state. The declaration frees up federal funding to supplement state, tribal and local recovery efforts. Meanwhile, food inspections are ongoing as is the tracking of methane emissions and other critical work related to drinking water protections and worker safety. New Mexico environmental regulators say they're marching ahead despite a recent decision by U.S. officials to waive enforcement on a range of legally mandated federal public health and environmental protections.
NEW MEXICO BUDGET
New Mexico lawmaker: Special session and tough choices ahead
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The chairman of a key legislative committee says New Mexico's finances have been hit by a double-whammy of a pandemic and an oil-price crash. But state Sen. John Arthur Smith says the blow will be somewhat cushioned by decisions made during the last legislative session to build up reserves. In a message to fellow lawmakers, he also warns that a special legislative session and tough choices still lie ahead. The Legislative Finance Committee outlined recent spending increases and upcoming challenges in a post-session review made public Monday. It's still unclear how soon lawmakers could be called upon to revise the state's $7.6 billion budget.
ELECTION 2020-HOUSE-NEW MEXICO
Super PAC: GOP House hopeful in New Mexico 'bashing' Trump
RIO RANCHO, N.M. (AP) — A new super PAC with ties to a New Mexico oil trucking company owner is attacking Republican House candidate Yvette Herrell for what it called lying about her support for President Donald Trump. A Super PAC calling itself Citizens for a United New Mexico said in ads this week former state lawmaker Herrell sent emails in 2016 "to undermine Trump's campaign for president." The group also said Herrell was recently critical of Trump on a podcast. Herrell called the ad "disgusting." Herrell, oil executive Claire Chase and Las Cruces businessman Chris Mathys are vying for the GOP nomination to challenge Democratic U.S. Rep. Xochitl Torres Small, who represents the traditionally Republican-leaning seat in southern New Mexico.
TROUBLED SHERIFF'S OFFICE
Police: Sheriff's deputy arrested store worker after 'look'
ESPAÑOLA, N.M. (AP) — A former deputy of the troubled Rio Arriba County Sheriff's Office has been charged with battery and false imprisonment in connection with an episode at a Family Dollar store. The Santa Fe New Mexican reports Joseph Aquino recently was charged after New Mexico State Police say he pushed and fought with a store employee before arresting him on charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest in March 2019. Police say Aquino had no lawful authority to do so. According to the complaint, the 44-year-old Aquino told an investigator he felt threatened by the employee because of the way the worker looked at him in Chimayó, New Mexico.
OIL AND GAS-EMERGENCY RULE
New Mexico Land Office considers emergency oil and gas rule
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Land managers in New Mexico are considering an emergency rule that would allow oil and gas companies that lease state trust land to temporarily stop producing without penalty for at least 30 days, with a possible extension of up to 120 days. State Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard on Friday pointed to the effects of the global coronavirus pandemic as well as the price war between Russia and Saudi Arabia. She says it's in the best interest of public schools and other trust land beneficiaries if her agency allows companies to apply for temporary well shut-ins. A public hearing is planned for April 17.
Police still searching for girl who disappeared decades ago
GALLUP, N.M. (AP) — Police in northwestern New Mexico say they haven't given up on finding a Navajo girl who went missing from her family's apartment more than three decades ago. The FBI highlighted Anthonette Cayedito's case Monday on the 34th anniversary of her disappearance. Cayedito has been the focus of multiple television shows on missing children and unsolved cases. FBI spokesman Frank Fisher says someone knows what happened to her and asked the public to call in with any information. Cayedito was last seen wearing a pink nightgown at her family's home in Gallup. An artist rendering shows what she might look like today.
ELECTION 2020-NEW MEXICO
2 legislative candidates in New Mexico tossed from ballot
LOVINGTON, N.M. (AP) — A southeastern New Mexico county clerk has disqualified two state legislative candidates from the upcoming primary ballot. The Hobbs News-Sun reports Lea County Clerk Keith Manes announced last week he had disqualified two Hobbs residents from the ballot, and neither took advantage of their right to challenge his decision in court by March 27. Rebecca Jill Jones and Mayna Erika Myers had filed their candidacy earlier last month for seats in the New Mexico Legislature, but Manes said their voter registration failed to match their petitions for candidacy. Repubican Jones sought an open House seat. Myers had intended to run as a Libertarian against incumbent Republican Sen. Gay Kernan of Hobbs.
TROUBLED NEW MEXICO CITY
Hearing in case against ex-Las Vegas mayor delayed
LAS VEGAS, N.M. (AP) — The preliminary hearing in the criminal case against a former northern New Mexico mayor has been delayed more than two months due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Las Vegas Optic reports the hearing for former Las Vegas Mayor Tonita Gurule-Giron has been rescheduled for June 8 due to statewide bans on gatherings of more than five people. Gurule-Giron was charged in December with six felonies related to abuse of power, bid-rigging, and offering and receiving bribes, prosecutors said. She has pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors say Gurulé-Girón pressured city employees to give contracts to her boyfriend's construction company.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico regulators push ahead as virus disaster declared
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Nearly 690 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in New Mexico and the death toll remains at 12. State health officials announced the latest cases Monday, a day after President Donald Trump signed off on a federal disaster declaration for the state. The declaration frees up federal funding to supplement state, tribal and local recovery efforts. Meanwhile, food inspections are ongoing as is the tracking of methane emissions and other critical work related to drinking water protections and worker safety. New Mexico environmental regulators say they're marching ahead despite a recent decision by U.S. officials to waive enforcement on a range of legally mandated federal public health and environmental protections.
NEW MEXICO BUDGET
New Mexico lawmaker: Special session and tough choices ahead
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The chairman of a key legislative committee says New Mexico's finances have been hit by a double-whammy of a pandemic and an oil-price crash. But state Sen. John Arthur Smith says the blow will be somewhat cushioned by decisions made during the last legislative session to build up reserves. In a message to fellow lawmakers, he also warns that a special legislative session and tough choices still lie ahead. The Legislative Finance Committee outlined recent spending increases and upcoming challenges in a post-session review made public Monday. It's still unclear how soon lawmakers could be called upon to revise the state's $7.6 billion budget.
ELECTION 2020-HOUSE-NEW MEXICO
Super PAC: GOP House hopeful in New Mexico 'bashing' Trump
RIO RANCHO, N.M. (AP) — A new super PAC with ties to a New Mexico oil trucking company owner is attacking Republican House candidate Yvette Herrell for what it called lying about her support for President Donald Trump. A Super PAC calling itself Citizens for a United New Mexico said in ads this week former state lawmaker Herrell sent emails in 2016 "to undermine Trump's campaign for president." The group also said Herrell was recently critical of Trump on a podcast. Herrell called the ad "disgusting." Herrell, oil executive Claire Chase and Las Cruces businessman Chris Mathys are vying for the GOP nomination to challenge Democratic U.S. Rep. Xochitl Torres Small, who represents the traditionally Republican-leaning seat in southern New Mexico.
TROUBLED SHERIFF'S OFFICE
Police: Sheriff's deputy arrested store worker after 'look'
ESPAÑOLA, N.M. (AP) — A former deputy of the troubled Rio Arriba County Sheriff's Office has been charged with battery and false imprisonment in connection with an episode at a Family Dollar store. The Santa Fe New Mexican reports Joseph Aquino recently was charged after New Mexico State Police say he pushed and fought with a store employee before arresting him on charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest in March 2019. Police say Aquino had no lawful authority to do so. According to the complaint, the 44-year-old Aquino told an investigator he felt threatened by the employee because of the way the worker looked at him in Chimayó, New Mexico.
OIL AND GAS-EMERGENCY RULE
New Mexico Land Office considers emergency oil and gas rule
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Land managers in New Mexico are considering an emergency rule that would allow oil and gas companies that lease state trust land to temporarily stop producing without penalty for at least 30 days, with a possible extension of up to 120 days. State Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard on Friday pointed to the effects of the global coronavirus pandemic as well as the price war between Russia and Saudi Arabia. She says it's in the best interest of public schools and other trust land beneficiaries if her agency allows companies to apply for temporary well shut-ins. A public hearing is planned for April 17.
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