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New Mexico State News - Tuesday October 31, 2017

10/31/2017

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STATE SENATOR-FRAUD
Attorneys prepare for opening of New Mexico corruption trial
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Attorneys are preparing for opening arguments in a corruption trial against a former New Mexico state senator accused of using his elected position to profit from the sale of a state-owned building.
Opening arguments were scheduled for Tuesday morning in the trial of ex-Sen. Phil Griego on charges that include bribery, fraud, perjury, unlawful interest in a public contract and violation of ethical principles of service. A jury was selected Monday.
The 69-year-old former Santa Fe city councilman denies wrongdoing. Prosecutors at the state attorney general's office say Griego used his former position as a lawmaker to arrange a $50,000 commission on the sale of a downtown building in Santa Fe.
The attorney general's office plans to call on legislative staff and a former Cabinet secretary as initial witnesses.

FARMINGTON-REVAMPED DOWNTOWN
Farmington's downtown revamp plan drawing mixed responses
(Information from: The Daily Times, http://www.daily-times.com)
FARMINGTON, N.M. (AP) — A plan to revamp Farmington's downtown is drawing a mixture of excitement and skepticism from business owners.
The Daily Times of Farmington reports the revitalization plan dubbed Complete Streets involves a $3.4 million upgrade for the downtown corridor in the northwestern New Mexico city.
City Manager Rob Mayes says the plan also involves major updates of the water and sewer systems and storm management.
John McNeill, a member of the Metropolitan Redevelopment Area board, said the changes aim to slow vehicle traffic down and create space for pedestrian traffic.
Rod Hubble, who owns Rod Hubble Fine Art, says he's excited about the prospect of Farmington's downtown becoming a hot spot again. But Allstar T-Shirts and Trophies owner Valerie Jordan says she worries about the change in traffic and its effects on businesses.
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BORDER-UNKNOWN BURIED
New Mexico county buries bodies of 19 unknown people
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico county located on the U.S.-Mexico border has buried the bodies of more than a dozen unnamed people.
KVIA-TV in El Paso, Texas reports the burials took place at a special ceremony last week after no family came to claim the bodies with Dona Ana County.
No family members spoke to honor the memory of any of the 19 bodies. However, the event attracted dozens who gathered to silently mourn the unknown.
Officials say the county plans to set up a marker at the burial spot to identify the people laid to rest in case family members come forward.

SKI RESORT-GHOST TOWN
Once bustling New Mexico ski resort now a ghost town
(Information from: KOB-TV, http://www.kob.com)
AMALIA, N.M. (AP) — A once bustling ski resort in northern New Mexico is now a ghost town.
KOB-TV in Albuquerque reports since Ski Rio in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains closed in 2000, the mountain hamlet mostly has been empty with few tourists.
In some cases, dishes, pots, pans and appliances remain at now-closed restaurants. The mountain that once hosted tourists has been deserted for nearly 20 years.
Joe Musich, the caretaker of the mountain, says improvements are in the works so visitors can experience the mountain, like the Casita Village that offers modern accommodations. But it's not clear if there are any bigger efforts to reopen the resort close to Amalia, New Mexico.
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INSURANCE PROVIDER-TAXES
New Mexico AG, insurance firm reach $18.5M settlement
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The New Mexico Attorney General's Office has reached an $18.5 million settlement agreement with the state's largest health insurance provider over unpaid premium taxes.
Attorney General Hector Balderas on Monday announced the settlement with the for-profit insurance arm of Presbyterian Healthcare Services concerning unpaid insurance premium taxes dating back to 2003-2004.
Presbyterian Healthcare Services CEO Dale Maxwell says fraud allegations against the company were dropped prior to payment of the settlement. He says the payment will not interfere with the company's ability to provide health care coverage.
Prosecutors had accused insurance subsidiary Presbyterian Health Plan of using an illegal accounting procedure to avoid taxes and surcharges.
The settlement represents a larger amount than the $14.3 million in unpaid premium taxes described in a recent state-commissioned audit.

METH TRAFFICKING PLEA
Alabama man pleads guilty to meth trafficking in New Mexico
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — An Alabama man has pleaded guilty to a methamphetamine trafficking charge in New Mexico and is facing a five-year prison sentence.
Prosecutors say 25-year-old Ralonte Terrell Swain, of Jasper, entered a plea agreement Monday in federal court in Albuquerque.
Swain remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.
Federal drug agents arrested Swain in June 2017 after seizing about 245 grams of crystal methamphetamine from him at a bus station in Albuquerque.
Authorities say the meth was contained in a clear plastic, oblong shaped bundle concealed inside of a travel neck-type pillow.
Swain admitted that he intended to deliver the methamphetamine to another person for further distribution when he reached his intended destination.
He was charged with possession of meth with intent to distribute.

PNM-POWER SUPPLY
New Mexico utility seeks more electricity options
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico's largest electric provider is putting out a request for proposals to provide power in the event that the coal-fired power plant it operates in the northwestern corner of the state were to shut down after 2022.
Public Service Co. of New Mexico plans to shutter two units at the San Juan Generating Station before the end of the year and has suggested that it will stop using coal as fuel by 2031.
The utility announced the request for proposals late last week, saying it's looking for a combination of sources that can ensure the reliability of the system. It pegged the amount at 456 megawatts.
The utility says it's also encouraging renewable and battery-storage options.
Interested parties will have until Nov. 30 to announce their intention to bid. Proposals will be due in January.

JAIL-DRUG SMUGGLE
Police: Man got arrested to join jail drug smuggling scheme
(Information from: The Eastern New Mexico News, http://www.easternnewmexiconews.com)
CLOVIS, N.M. (AP) — Authorities say a man intentionally got himself arrested for shoplifting so he could participate in a drug smuggling scheme in a New Mexico jail.
The Eastern New Mexico News reports Kelby Spain was charged last week for conspiracy to commit bringing contraband into the Curry County jail.
But authorities say the 23-year-old Spain's plot began earlier this month. According to police, Spain was released from jail on Oct. 3 in connection with drug and robbery charges only to get arrested two hours later.
A convenient store employee told officers Spain had "walked into the store to the beer aisle, picked up a Bud Light, told her to call the cops, then walked outside."
Authorities later found marijuana on Spain while in jail.
Spain has not been assigned an attorney.

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New Mexico State News - Monday October 30, 2017

10/30/2017

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PNM-POWER SUPPLY
New Mexico utility seeks more electricity options
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico's largest electric provider is putting out a request for proposals to provide power in the event that the coal-fired power plant it operates in the northwestern corner of the state were to shut down after 2022.
Public Service Co. of New Mexico plans to shutter two units at the San Juan Generating Station before the end of the year and has suggested that it will stop using coal as fuel by 2031.
The utility announced the request for proposals late last week, saying it's looking for a combination of sources that can ensure the reliability of the system. It pegged the amount at 456 megawatts.
The utility says it's also encouraging renewable and battery-storage options.
Interested parties will have until Nov. 30 to announce their intention to bid. Proposals will be due in January.

MEDICAID OVERHAUL-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico holds final hearing on Medicaid proposals
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The New Mexico Human Services Department is holding its final public hearing on an array of proposed changes to the state's Medicaid health care program.
Officials say the changes are designed to keep costs down while improving the delivery of health care for New Mexico's poorest residents. But consumer advocates are warning that increasing premiums and copays will end up having negative effects on the use of health care services by people who need them most.
The final meeting is scheduled for Monday evening in Albuquerque. Other meetings have been held in Las Cruces, Santa Fe and Las Vegas.
Comments are due Nov. 6.
The department then plans to craft a final waiver application that will be submitted to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for approval.

HEAD-ON CRASH-MESQUITE
Driver dies in head-on with another vehicle near Mesquite
MESQUITE, N.M. (AP) — A driver whose sedan collided head-on with another vehicle near Mesquite was killed.
The New Mexico State Police says the driver of the other vehicle involved in Saturday night's collision wasn't injured in the crash.
The identity of the driver who died hasn't yet been released.
Police say the collision occurred on Interstate 10 as the sedan's driver was traveling west in eastbound lanes.

LOS ALAMOS LAB-EMERGENCY DRILLS
Report: Los Alamos lab comes up short on emergency drills
(Information from: Albuquerque Journal, http://www.abqjournal.com)
LOS ALAMOS, N.M. (AP) — A nuclear safety panel says Los Alamos National Laboratory has come up short during drills intended to show how the northern New Mexico lab would respond to potential emergencies such as radioactive leaks or earthquakes.
A letter sent this month by the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board to U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry says the board found numerous weaknesses dating back to 2014.
The Albuquerque Journal reports that among a long list of criticisms and findings listed in a report sent with the letter, lab crews regularly failed at establishing adequate incident command capabilities during the simulated emergencies.
The National Nuclear Security Administration said steps are being taken to improve emergency preparedness and response based on the lessons learned from the past drills and exercises.
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CLERGY SEX ABUSE
Archbishop of Santa Fe pens op-ed on sex abuse within church
(Information from: Albuquerque Journal, http://www.abqjournal.com)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The Roman Catholic archbishop of Santa Fe says the archdiocese has received only two allegations of clergy sexual misconduct involving children since 1993 due to the numerous strict measures aimed at preventing further abuse.
Archbishop John C. Wester published an op-ed piece in The Albuquerque Journal on Sunday expressing "sadness and shame over the betrayal of trust" by clergy "who were supposed to love and protect our children," and for the suffering of abuse survivors.
The op-ed follows the recent release by the archdiocese of a list of 74 clergy credibly accused of abuse and documents that shed light on how the church allowed three pedophile priests to continue to prey on New Mexico children more than 20 years ago.
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TEN COMMANDMENTS-SANTA FE
Biblical monument in Santa Fe draws little attention
(Information from: The Santa Fe New Mexican, http://www.sfnewmexican.com)
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — In the wake of a long-running legal dispute in northwestern New Mexico over a Ten Commandments monument on public property, officials in Santa Fe are taking another look at a similar display that has gone relatively unnoticed for years.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports the six-foot tall stone tablets are located in Ashbaugh Park in front of a city fire station. Weathered streaks make the etched words difficult to read.
City officials say they can't recall receiving complaints about its placement on city property. They're not sure where the monument came from, or when, and which department was responsible for the land where it sits.
City spokesman Matt Ross says in the wake of the dispute over the monument in Bloomfield, the Santa Fe city attorney's office is reviewing the case.
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SANTA FE POST OFFICE-HOMELESS
Santa Fe post office closes lobby overnight due to homeless
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The downtown post office in New Mexico's capital city is locking up its lobby overnight because homeless people have taken to finding shelter there.
Postal Service spokesman Peter Hass says the overnight closure of the downtown Santa Fe post office's lobby stems from vandalism and safety concerns voiced by customers.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that the closure between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. beginning Wednesday comes as chilly overnight temperatures begin to cause homeless people to seek refuge indoors.
Assistant Director Sue Carr of the Interfaith Community Shelter in Santa Fe says more people are spending the night at the shelter as the weather gets colder.
The shelter's overnight capacity is 123 people.

SUSPECT FOLLOWED
Customers follow robbery suspect, provide location to police
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — Las Cruces police say three customers followed a man from a Taco Bell restaurant which had been robbed and were able to tell officers the location of an apartment that the man entered after knocking on the door.
Police say the man who ran from the restaurant was tailed by one customer on a bicycle and that two other customers in a vehicle at the drive-thru window saw the bicycle chase and also followed the man.
Police say officers arrived at the apartment and arrested 41-year-old Gustavo Cedeno on suspicion of robbery Monday night.
He remained jailed Friday. Online court records don't list a defense attorney who could comment on the allegations.

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New Mexico State News - Sunday October 29, 2017

10/29/2017

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SUSPECT FOLLOWED
Customers follow robbery suspect, provide location to police
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — Las Cruces police say three customers followed a man from a Taco Bell restaurant which had been robbed and were able to tell officers the location of an apartment that the man entered after knocking on the door.
Police say the man who ran from the restaurant was tailed by one customer on a bicycle and that two other customers in a vehicle at the drive-thru window saw the bicycle chase and also followed the man.
Police say officers arrived at the apartment and arrested 41-year-old Gustavo Cedeno on suspicion of robbery Monday night.
He remained jailed Friday. Online court records don't list a defense attorney who could comment on the allegations.

​TEN COMMANDMENTS-SANTA FE
Biblical monument in Santa Fe draws little attention
(Information from: The Santa Fe New Mexican, http://www.sfnewmexican.com)
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — In the wake of a long-running legal dispute in northwestern New Mexico over a Ten Commandments monument on public property, officials in Santa Fe are taking another look at a similar display that has gone relatively unnoticed for years.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports the six-foot tall stone tablets are located in Ashbaugh Park in front of a city fire station. Weathered streaks make the etched words difficult to read.
City officials say they can't recall receiving complaints about its placement on city property. They're not sure where the monument came from, or when, and which department was responsible for the land where it sits.
City spokesman Matt Ross says in the wake of the dispute over the monument in Bloomfield, the Santa Fe city attorney's office is reviewing the case.
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SANTA FE POST OFFICE-HOMELESS
Santa Fe post office closes lobby overnight due to homeless
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The downtown post office in New Mexico's capital city is locking up its lobby overnight because homeless people have taken to finding shelter there.
Postal Service spokesman Peter Hass says the overnight closure of the downtown Santa Fe post office's lobby stems from vandalism and safety concerns voiced by customers.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that the closure between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. beginning Wednesday comes as chilly overnight temperatures begin to cause homeless people to seek refuge indoors.
Assistant Director Sue Carr of the Interfaith Community Shelter in Santa Fe says more people are spending the night at the shelter as the weather gets colder.
The shelter's overnight capacity is 123 people.

NAVAJO-RANCH PURCHASE
Navajo finalizes purchase of south-central Colorado ranch
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — The Navajo Nation says it has closed on the purchase of a large ranch in south-central Colorado.
Tribal lawmakers approved the $23 million purchase earlier this month.
Navajo President Russell Begaye said Friday the tribe will change the name of the 25.5-square mile (66-sq. kilometer) Wolf Springs Ranch to a Navajo name.
The ranch is located in Huerfano and Custer counties in what is part of the tribe's aboriginal homeland. Tribal Vice President Jonathan Nez says the tribe bought the ranch to expand its land capital beyond the boundaries of the reservation.
The property taxes will be paid through a tribal trust fund.
The ranch has more than 230 head of cattle and 300 buffalo.

STATE SENATOR-FRAUD
Political corruption case heads to trial in New Mexico
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A Democratic former New Mexico state senator is scheduled for trial next week on corruption charges in a high-stakes showdown with state prosecutors.
Ex-Sen. Phil Griego is accused of using his position as a lawmaker and political insider to profit from the sale of a state-owned building in downtown Santa Fe. Jury selection is schedule to start on Monday at a state district court in Santa Fe.
Griego resigned from the Legislature in 2015 at the conclusion of a Senate Ethics Commission investigation.
The office of Democratic Attorney General Hector Balderas is pursuing charges of fraud, bribery and ethical misconduct against Griego.
New Mexico voters decide in November 2018 whether to create an independent state ethics commission to evaluate accusations of misconduct against public officials.

AIR FORCE COLONEL DISCIPLINED
Air Force officer says he was disciplined for his beliefs
(Information from: Albuquerque Journal, http://www.abqjournal.com)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — An Air Force colonel says he was wrongly disciplined after refusing to sign a certificate of appreciation to the same-sex spouse of a retiring master sergeant.
The Albuquerque Journal reports that Leland Bohannon, who cited his religious beliefs for not signing the document, was relieved of his command of the inspection agency at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico. A superior officer also sent a letter recommending against his promotion after an Equal Opportunity complaint against him was substantiated.
A religious liberties group is representing Bohannon and demands that the complaint is reversed and that related unfavorable materials are removed from his service record.
The certificate is an unofficial document traditionally given to the spouses of retiring military members. Bohannon has since been transferred to Washington, D.C.
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LAB WORKERS-RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINATION
Los Alamos lab workers contaminated by radioactive material
(Information from: The Santa Fe New Mexican, http://www.sfnewmexican.com)
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Workers at the Los Alamos National Laboratory were contaminated after radioactive particles were released into the air inside the lab's plutonium facility.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports the lab accident last month was the second time in four weeks that the same crew was exposed to radioactive material. The clothes of three workers were contaminated as was the skin on one of them.
Lab spokesman Matt Nerzig says the three workers did not receive a measurable dose, and the public was not in danger. He says the worker with the skin contamination "was successfully and thoroughly decontaminated — mostly by washing off the contamination with water."
A report by the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board states the workers were wearing protective clothing and air purifying respirators.
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LOS ALAMOS-SCHOOL THREAT
Teen accused of school threat released from juvenile custody
LOS ALAMOS, N.M. (AP) — A 17-year-old boy accused of threatening to "shoot up" Los Alamos High School has been released from juvenile custody and allowed to attend an alternative education program.
The Los Alamos Monitor reports that the student will attend an alternative program at the school district's administration building and was ordered to stay away from the high school except to attend welding classes at a nearby University of New Mexico branch campus.
Under other conditions of his release, the student cannot have a weapon on school grounds, must wear a monitoring bracelet and not have contact with the high school principal.
The student is accused of making the alleged shooting threat Oct. 18 after he was expelled for vandalizing school property while out on another conditional release from a Sept. 12 incident,
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New Mexico State News - Saturday October 28, 2017

10/28/2017

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10 COMMANDMENTS NM
Biblical monument in Santa Fe draws little attention 
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — In the wake of a long-running legal dispute in northwestern New Mexico over a Ten Commandments monument on public property, officials in Santa Fe are taking another look at a similar display that has gone relatively unnoticed for years.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports the six-foot tall stone tablets are located in Ashbaugh Park in front of a city fire station. Weathered streaks make the etched words difficult to read.
City officials say they can't recall receiving complaints about its placement on city property. They're not sure where the monument came from, or when, and which department was responsible for the land where it sits.
City spokesman Matt Ross says in the wake of the dispute over the monument in Bloomfield, the Santa Fe city attorney's office is reviewing the case.

SUSPECT FOLLOWED
Customers follow robbery suspect, provide location to police 
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — Las Cruces police say three customers followed a man from a Taco Bell restaurant which had been robbed and were able to tell officers the location of an apartment that the man entered after knocking on the door.
Police say the man who ran from the restaurant was tailed by one customer on a bicycle and that two other customers in a vehicle at the drive-thru window saw the bicycle chase and also followed the man.
Police say officers arrived at the apartment and arrested 41-year-old Gustavo Cedeno on suspicion of robbery Monday night.
He remained jailed Friday. Online court records don't list a defense attorney who could comment on the allegations.

STATE SENATOR-FRAUD
Political corruption case heads to trial in New Mexico
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A Democratic former New Mexico state senator is scheduled for trial next week on corruption charges in a high-stakes showdown with state prosecutors.
Ex-Sen. Phil Griego is accused of using his position as a lawmaker and political insider to profit from the sale of a state-owned building in downtown Santa Fe. Jury selection is schedule to start on Monday at a state district court in Santa Fe.
Griego resigned from the Legislature in 2015 at the conclusion of a Senate Ethics Commission investigation.
The office of Democratic Attorney General Hector Balderas is pursuing charges of fraud, bribery and ethical misconduct against Griego.
New Mexico voters decide in November 2018 whether to create an independent state ethics commission to evaluate accusations of misconduct against public officials.

AIR FORCE COLONEL DISCIPLINED
Air Force officer says he was disciplined for his beliefs
(Information from: Albuquerque Journal, http://www.abqjournal.com)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — An Air Force colonel says he was wrongly disciplined after refusing to sign a certificate of appreciation to the same-sex spouse of a retiring master sergeant.
The Albuquerque Journal reports that Leland Bohannon, who cited his religious beliefs for not signing the document, was relieved of his command of the inspection agency at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico. A superior officer also sent a letter recommending against his promotion after an Equal Opportunity complaint against him was substantiated.
A religious liberties group is representing Bohannon and demands that the complaint is reversed and that related unfavorable materials are removed from his service record.
The certificate is an unofficial document traditionally given to the spouses of retiring military members. Bohannon has since been transferred to Washington, D.C.
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LAB WORKERS-RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINATION
Los Alamos lab workers contaminated by radioactive material
(Information from: The Santa Fe New Mexican, http://www.sfnewmexican.com)
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Workers at the Los Alamos National Laboratory were contaminated after radioactive particles were released into the air inside the lab's plutonium facility.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports the lab accident last month was the second time in four weeks that the same crew was exposed to radioactive material. The clothes of three workers were contaminated as was the skin on one of them.
Lab spokesman Matt Nerzig says the three workers did not receive a measurable dose, and the public was not in danger. He says the worker with the skin contamination "was successfully and thoroughly decontaminated — mostly by washing off the contamination with water."
A report by the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board states the workers were wearing protective clothing and air purifying respirators.
___
LOS ALAMOS-SCHOOL THREAT
Teen accused of school threat released from juvenile custody
LOS ALAMOS, N.M. (AP) — A 17-year-old boy accused of threatening to "shoot up" Los Alamos High School has been released from juvenile custody and allowed to attend an alternative education program.
The Los Alamos Monitor reports that the student will attend an alternative program at the school district's administration building and was ordered to stay away from the high school except to attend welding classes at a nearby University of New Mexico branch campus.
Under other conditions of his release, the student cannot have a weapon on school grounds, must wear a monitoring bracelet and not have contact with the high school principal.
The student is accused of making the alleged shooting threat Oct. 18 after he was expelled for vandalizing school property while out on another conditional release from a Sept. 12 incident.
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New Mexico State News - Friday October 27, 2017

10/27/2017

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FARMINGTON-AIR SERVICE
New Mexico city, airline work to keep flights going
(Information from: The Daily Times, http://www.daily-times.com)
FARMINGTON, N.M. (AP) — Great Lakes Airlines is preparing to end flights to and from one northwestern New Mexico community due to a lack of pilots.
Still, the airline and the city of Farmington have been discussing ways to keep commercial flights at the Four Corners Regional Airport.
The Daily Times of Farmington reports the city has hired a consulting firm to help attract new airlines and to study what types of planes can operate on the airport's short runways.
The city has also applied for a grant that could help pay for marketing and subsidizing the startup costs for a commercial air service.
Airport manager Mike Lewis says aside from railroad or interstate access, an airport is key for a community's economic success.
Great Lakes is planning to transfer its resources in Farmington to California where there are more pilots available.
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CULTURAL CENTER-JARAMILLO COLLECTION
Collection of former Latina ambassador to be digitized
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The National Hispanic Cultural Center will be digitizing more than 2,600 images from the collection of Mari-Luci Jaramillo, a national advocate for civil rights and the United States' first Latina ambassador to Honduras.
The center made the announcement Thursday, saying it received funding for the project from the state of New Mexico and the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.
Officials say the Jaramillo collection provides an unparalleled look at life dedicated to and distinguished by service to community.
Once the project is complete next summer, the images will be accessible for research and study through the New Mexico Digital Collections portal.
Jaramillo was a leader of education reform in New Mexico. She earned a Ph.D. from the University of New Mexico and was nominated for the post in Honduras by President Jimmy Carter in 1977.

AP-US-BORDER-WALL
Hammers, axes will help test Trump border wall prototypes
SAN DIEGO (AP) — The U.S. government has announced that prototypes for President Donald Trump's proposed wall are now completed and will be subjected soon to tests assessing their ability to withstand punishment.
Workers near San Diego where the prototypes were erected will test their mettle with sledgehammers, torches, pickaxes and battery-operated tools.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Acting Deputy Commissioner Ronald Vitiello told reporters the tests may lead officials to conclude that elements of several designs should be merged to create effective walls.
The prototypes were built along the U.S. border with Tijuana, Mexico.
Testing won't start for at least another month because some concrete in wall prototypes still needs to dry.
Results of the testing will dictate future wall construction, which has not yet been funded by Congress.

TRUMP-OPIOIDS-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico delegation seeks more funding for opioid fight
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Democratic members of New Mexico's congressional delegation say they're disappointed no new funding comes with President Donald Trump's declaration of the opioid crisis as a nationwide public health emergency.
Thursday's declaration allows the government to redirect resources and part of that includes expanded access to medical services in rural areas.
Sen. Tom Udall said if the Trump administration is serious about saving lives, it needs to actively seek major new funding through congressional budget negotiations before the end of the year.
Attorney General Hector Balderas says the federal government also needs to do more to target the pipeline of drugs that has flooded New Mexico and other states.
In September, Balderas sued some of the nation's largest opioid manufacturers and wholesale distributors, accusing them of downplaying addiction risks and failing to monitor suspect prescriptions.

DRUG COURTS-THE LATEST
The Latest: Report: Juvenile drug courts less successful
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Legislative analysts say the costs of drug courts in New Mexico that focus on juveniles with drug abuse or addiction issues are outweighing the benefits.
They briefed members of the Legislative Finance Committee on a report that details the costs of using such programs as an alternative to incarceration for defendants.
Unlike similar programs for adults, the report indicates recidivism rates of juveniles who have participated in drug courts are increasing, while graduation rates are on the decline.
The analysts also acknowledged Thursday that more data should be collected to better assess outcomes for both adult and juvenile offenders.
Court officials told lawmakers that drug courts are at the forefront of criminal justice reform and that they are working with a national group to certify the state's drug courts based on best practices and consistent standards.

CONGRESS-WILDFIRES
GOP leaders: House will vote next week on wildfire bill
WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican leaders say the House will vote next week on a GOP bill to make it easier to cut down trees on national forests to reduce the risk of wildfire.
A bill by Arkansas congressman Bruce Westerman would loosen environmental regulations for forest-thinning projects on federal lands. The measure would waive environmental reviews for projects up to 30,000 acres for areas prone to insect infestations, disease or extreme wildfire risk.
The bill comes as the Forest Service has spent a record $2.4 billion battling forest fires across the West in one of the nation's worst fire seasons.
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California says the bill makes needed changes "to keep our forests healthy and less susceptible to the types of fires that ravaged our state this month."

NATIONAL PARKS-FEE INCREASE
Democrats condemn proposed fee hikes at national parks
WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic senators are harshly criticizing a National Park Service plan to impose steep increases in entrance fees at 17 of its most popular parks, including the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Yellowstone and Zion.
The senators say the plan would exclude many Americans from enjoying national parks and call the proposed fee levels "arbitrary and unjustifiable."
Under a plan announced this week, visitors to many national parks would be charged $70 per vehicle during the peak summer season, up from $25 or $30 per vehicle now. Officials say the higher fees are needed to address a backlog of maintenance and infrastructure projects.
Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell and other Democrats say the proposal is especially egregious because the Trump administration is recommending severe budget cuts for the park service.

JAGUAR-RECOVERY-CHALLENGE
Judge rejects challenge to part of jaguar recovery plan
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A federal judge has rejected a challenge to the federal designation of parts of New Mexico and Arizona as critical habitat for the endangered jaguar.
Judge Kenneth Gonzales' order Wednesday rejects farming and ranching groups' arguments that the Fish and Wildlife Service's inclusion of 181 square miles (469 sq. kilometers) in New Mexico's Hidalgo County and Arizona's Cochise County was arbitrary and capricious.
The challenged areas were part of nearly 1,200 square miles (3108 sq. kilometers) designated in 2014 as essential for the conservation of the jaguar.
Jaguars are found in countries stretching from the United States to South America, but there are few sightings in the U.S.
Parts of the U.S. Southwest were home to jaguars before habitat loss and predator control programs aimed at protecting livestock eliminated them.

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New Mexico State News - Thursday October 26, 2017

10/26/2017

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SCHOOL SCIENCE STANDARDS
New Mexico moves to defuse outrage over science standards
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico's public education secretary says the state will adopt widely used school science standards in their entirety, with a half-dozen additions tied to local accomplishments in science and industry.
Public Education Secretary Christopher Ruszkowski on Wednesday announced the department's final response to an outpouring of criticism over state-edited standards that deleted or omitted references to global warming, evolution and the age of the Earth.
Ruszkowski said New Mexico will adopt the Next Generation Science Standards developed by a consortium of states and the National Academy of Sciences, and automatically incorporate future updates and amendments.
New Mexico-specific additions to the standards have been paired back to six passages from some 35, also in response to public comments. One addition addresses the scientific role of the state's national nuclear weapons laboratories.

NATIONAL MONUMENTS-AD BUY
Navajo Nation lawmaker implores Trump to protect monuments
WASHINGTON (AP) — In a television advertisement airing Thursday, a Navajo Nation lawmaker implores President Donald Trump to protect national monuments.
The 30-second ad shows Davis Filfred walking in Bears Ears National Monument in southern Utah. The footage features an expansive landscape with cliff dwellings, petroglyphs, mesas and the sun sitting on the horizon.
Bears Ears has been targeted for reduction by the Trump administration, but it's unclear by how much.
As the ad wraps up, Filfred says: "Mr. President. Not all monuments divide us. Some bring us together."
Filfred tells The Associated Press the ad is his way of trying to get attention from officials he says haven't listened to tribal concerns.
The $150,000 ad is airing in the Washington, D.C., market. It's paid for by the National Wildlife Federation.

9TH-DWI
Eastern New Mexico man faces 9th DWI charge
(Information from: The Eastern New Mexico News, http://www.easternnewmexiconews.com)
CLOVIS, N.M. (AP) — The founder of an eastern New Mexico halfway house is facing his ninth drunken driving charge.
The Eastern New Mexico News reports Randall Pruit was arrested Saturday in Clovis after he was spotted driving erratically.
A criminal complaint says the 54-year-old told police he had been drinking but refused to perform field sobriety tests. He was booked on charges of speeding, failure to maintain traffic lane and aggravated driving under the influence.
A motion for pretrial detention filed Monday in magistrate court said Pruit was charged with his seventh DWI in October 2003 and then again in February 2009.
The Eastern New Mexico News archives show Pruit went to prison for a DWI conviction and spent two years behind bars.
It was not known if Pruit had an attorney.
___
ANTHEM PROTESTS-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico NFL store may close, owner blaming protests
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A chain of central New Mexico stores that sells NFL-licensed gear says it's seeing a big drop in sales. Its owner is blaming the national anthem protests.
The Albuquerque Journal reports co-owner Andy Hageman said Tuesday his business, House of Football, has seen a 50 percent drop in its sales of NFL-licensed gear so far this month compared with the same month last year.
If trends continue, Hageman says the Albuquerque and Rio Rancho stores will be forced to close by Christmas.
Last year, the stores saw revenues drop because of internet sales after the NFL ruled only the league could sell NFL products online.
Recently, House of Football's social media sites have been hit with angry posts about the protest.

TROUT LICENSE PLATE
New license plate to feature New Mexico state fish
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico drivers can now get a license plate featuring the state's official fish — the Rio Grande cutthroat trout.
A portion of the initial $27 fee for the plate and nearly all of the $12 annual renewal fee will go to the state's Share with Wildlife program, which helps pay for research, habitat improvements, rehabilitation programs and education around New Mexico.
Aside from the wildlife license plates, the program gets much of its funding through a state income tax check-off program.
The Rio Grande cutthroat trout was once found from southern Colorado into New Mexico. But its numbers are now limited to roughly 10 percent of its historic range. Environmentalists have sued and are seeking to have the fish added to the federal list of threatened and endangered species.

LOS ALAMOS LAB-CONTRACT
US nuclear agency seeks bidders for nuclear lab contract
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The U.S. agency that oversees the nation's nuclear weapons cache and the science behind it has finalized its request for proposals to manage Los Alamos National Laboratory.
The National Nuclear Security Administration posted the documents online Wednesday.
The list of interested bidders includes defense contractors, technology companies and universities. They have until Dec. 11 to submit their proposals for taking over the troubled northern New Mexico lab.
Among the charges will be improving the safety and security culture at Los Alamos, which has struggled in recent years with the mishandling of plutonium and radioactive waste.
The current multibillion-dollar management contract expires in 2018. It was first announced in late 2015 that Los Alamos National Security LLC would be losing the contract since it failed to earn high enough performance reviews.

CHARTER SCHOOLS-FRAUD
Former charter school founder pleads guilty in fraud case
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Federal prosecutors say a former school administrator has pleaded guilty to fraud, theft and other charges stemming from schemes to defraud millions of dollars from the public charter schools he founded.
The U.S. Attorney's Office in New Mexico announced the plea of 50-year-old David Scott Glasrud on Wednesday.
Glasrud will be required to pay restitution and he could face at least four years in prison under an agreement reached with prosecutors. He has yet to be sentenced.
As head administrator for the Southwest Learning Center Schools in Albuquerque, Glasrud admitted to devising various schemes to defraud the schools.
Prosecutors say at one point he used $199,000 to pay down his personal line of credit, while $50,000 was transferred into his personal bank account. Another $4,000 was spent at a casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

INSURANCE SHOPPING-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico provides online tool for insurance shoppers
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico insurance regulators are creating an online shopping tool to help individuals compare 2018 health care plans amid shifting federal subsidies.
The Office of the Superintendent of Insurance on Wednesday unveiled the comparison tool for pricing and coverage.
Premiums for mid-level insurance coverage on New Mexico's federally subsidized health exchange are increasing by an average of about 40 percent for 2018.
The record-setting increase is partly a result of President Donald Trump's decision to pull the plug on federal payments that reimburse insurers for reduced copays and deductibles they're required to provide to people of modest means.
New Mexico's online tool can contrast on- and off-market plans.
Consumers eligible for income-based tax credits will be protected from rising premiums. Those who pay full-cost confront double-digit premium increases.

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New Mexico State News - Wednesday October 25, 2017

10/25/2017

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SUPREME COURT-TEN COMMANDMENTS
New Mexico Ten Commandments monument moving after ruling
BLOOMFIELD, N.M. (AP) — A Ten Commandments monument in a northwestern New Mexico city at the center of a U.S. Supreme Court fight is coming down.
The Daily Times of Farmington, New Mexico, reports the Four Corners Historical Monument Project announced this week the monument located outside of City Hall in Bloomfield, New Mexico, will be moved.
The group's founder, Kevin Mauzy, says it will be placed at another prominent location within the city limits.
The move comes after the U.S. Supreme Court last week sided with a lower court that ordered Bloomfield to remove a Ten Commandments monument from the lawn outside City Hall.
Civil liberties advocates behind the case called the decision involving Bloomfield a victory for the separation of church and state.

BAIL REFORM
Lawmakers invite New Mexico governor to explain bail plan
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico state lawmakers are inviting Republican Gov. Susana Martinez to explain her plan for repealing and replacing voter-approved bail reforms.
Democratic state Rep. Antonio Maestas and GOP Sen. Sander Rue on Tuesday asked Martinez in a letter to present her proposal for replacing a constitutional amendment on bail reform to members of a criminal justice subcommittee. The panel meets Friday.
In Facebook posts last week, Martinez lambasted the amendment and new pre-trial release and detention procedures as a threat to public safety.
Maestas said the posts have created a whirlwind of confusion about recent changes to the state's bail system designed to rein in the role of monetary bail, and that lawmakers hope to hear a more detailed plan.
The governor's office had no immediate response to the invitation.

WINSLOW POLICE SHOOTING
Navajo Nation 'rejects' DOJ move not to prosecute ex-officer
TSE BONITO, N.M. (AP) — The Navajo Nation says it's angered by a U.S. Justice Department decision not to prosecute a former Winslow, Arizona, officer who fatally shot a 27-year-old Navajo woman.
Navajo Nation Attorney General Ethel Branch said Tuesday the tribe is planning to sue over the matter early next year. The tribe had asked the Justice Department to look into the March 2016 shooting of Loreal Tsingine (SIN'-uh-jin-ee).
Department spokesman Devin O'Malley said Tuesday the evidence thoroughly was reviewed but officials couldn't prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Austin Shipley willfully used excessive force when he shot Tsingine.
Branch says Tsingine's death is an injustice and is part of a system of violence against Native Americans by law enforcement.
Authorities say Tsingine had medical scissors in her hands when Shipley shot her.

LOS ALAMOS-IMMIGRANT STUDENTS
Los Alamos school board eyes policy on immigrant students
(Information from: Los Alamos Monitor, http://www.lamonitor.com)
LOS ALAMOS, N.M. (AP) — The Los Alamos Public Schools board is considering a policy aimed at protecting immigrant students amid fears of increased federal enforcement.
The Los Alamos Monitor reports board members are scheduled Thursday to discuss a proposal that spells out how school staff should react if federal immigration agents come on campus without a warrant.
Under the proposal, staff is to notify the superintendent and not give agents any information on the students' whereabouts.
A separate resolution calls for school employees not to keep any records showing that information after admission.
___
MISSING INSURANCE TAXES-THE LATEST
The Latest: Presbyterian tops list for unpaid taxes
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A newly released audit places Presbyterian Health Plan at the top of a list of 17 insurance companies with unpaid taxes that are owed to the state of New Mexico.
Records released by the New Mexico Office of the State Auditor on Tuesday to the Associated Press show a $28.9 million underpayment of taxes at the for-profit arm of Presbyterian Healthcare Services since 2003.
The audit could weigh in efforts by New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas to recover millions of dollars in alleged unpaid taxes from Presbyterian Health Plan. Office of the State Auditor spokeswoman Justine Freeman says the lawsuit by state prosecutors relates to about $14 million in estimated underpayments.
Other insurance companies with large estimated tax underpayments include Health Care Service Corporation that oversees BlueCross BlueShield of New Mexico, Molina Healthcare, Amerigroup and Lovelace.

CIVIL RIGHTS-RANCHERS
Federal judge dismisses Hispanic ranchers' claims
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A federal judge has dismissed the remaining claims in a case that pitted Hispanic ranchers against the U.S. government over its handling of grazing permits.
Attorneys for the ranchers had argued during the years-long legal battle that the U.S. Forest Service violated the law when deciding to limit grazing on historic land grants despite recognition by the government that the descendants of Spanish colonists have a unique relationship with the land.
The ranchers claimed the agency failed to consider social and economic effects that would result from limiting grazing in a region where poverty and dependence on the land for subsistence is high.
The judge ruled that federal law doesn't require the Forest Service to consider any social or economic effects that aren't directly related to environmental changes resulting from the agency's actions.

NEW MEXICO-FLU CASES
New Mexico health officials report first suspected flu death
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico health officials are reporting the first confirmed flu cases of the season, including one death suspected of being related to the illness.
The Health Department on Tuesday said the patients include an 82-year-old man from Bernalillo County who was recently hospitalized. The man is linked to an early season flu outbreak at a healthcare facility where there are four additional confirmed cases, including the one death.
The agency did not release any details about the deceased person but confirmed it is investigating the outbreak.
Health Secretary Lynn Gallagher said with the flu season in swing in New Mexico, she's urging people to get vaccinated.
Symptoms can include fever, cough, sore throat, congestion and muscle aches.

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New Mexico State News - Tuesday October 24, 2017

10/24/2017

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COLLEGE AFFORDABILITY-NEW MEXICO
Analysis shows college affordability at risk in New Mexico
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico government analysts are warning that shrinking enrollment and limited funding at many public state colleges and universities may lead to tuition increases that few local students can afford.
A report released Tuesday from staff at the nonpartisan Legislative Finance Committee shows that a shrinking portion of the state budget is being devoted to higher education as enrollment declines.
Lawmakers are being warned of the need for greater efficiencies to avoid tuition and fee increases that threaten college affordability.
The report suggests the state seek greater efficiencies in higher education by allowing colleges to merge and to combine purchases and services.
It recommends allocating a much greater share of state funding based on performance goals. Those goals can reward institutions where students increasingly complete their college degrees and certificates.

CONGRESSIONAL RACE-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico Ex-Lt. Gov. Denish endorses Haaland for Congress
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Former New Mexico Lt. Gov. Diane Denish is supporting Debra Haaland for an open U.S. congressional seat in central New Mexico.
Denish announced her support Monday as Haaland tries to become the first Native American woman elected to Congress.
Haaland, a member of Laguna Pueblo, is seeking to succeed U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham, an Albuquerque Democrat who is stepping down to run for New Mexico governor. Haaland is facing seven others in a Democratic primary for a seat that includes Albuquerque.
Former U.S. Sen. Fred Harris of Oklahoma, who now lives in Corrales, New Mexico, and is the last surviving member of the Kerner Commission, also has endorsed Haaland.

WINSLOW POLICE SHOOTING
Navajo Nation 'rejects' DOJ move not to prosecute ex-officer
TSE BONITO, N.M. (AP) — The Navajo Nation says the tribe is angry the U.S. Department of Justice decided not to prosecute a former Winslow officer for fatally shooting a 27-year-old woman.
The Gallup Independent report s Navajo Nation attorney Katherine Belzowski announced last week the tribe might file a lawsuit against the Winslow Police Department after the U.S. Department of Justice opted not to pursue charges.
Police say former Officer Austin Shipley shot Loreal Tsingine (SIN'-uh-jin-ee) last year after responding to a shoplifting complaint. Authorities say Tsingine was holding a pair of medical scissors when he shot her.
Tribal officials and activists had urged federal officials to look into the treatment of American Indians in towns like Winslow that border reservations.
A Department of Justice spokesperson didn't immediately respond to a message from The Associated Press.

ALBUQUERQUE POLICE MONITOR
3 council members criticize Albuquerque police monitor
(Information from: Albuquerque Journal, http://www.abqjournal.com)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Three members of the Albuquerque City Council want the city auditor to review the performance of the independent monitor charged with making sure Albuquerque police are implementing reforms.
The Albuquerque Journal reports council members Brad Winter, Ken Sanchez and Don Harris say police monitor James Ginger has been in the city only sporadically since being named to the post in early 2015. They said Monday that Ginger averaged only 42 days per year in Albuquerque while his contract calls for 200 days a year.
The city's police force is working to correct findings by the U.S. Department of Justice that its officers use excessive force and too often resort to deadly force.
Ginger files periodic reports with a federal judge overseeing a settlement between the city and the Justice Department.

GOLF CART-DWI
Deputies: Man drove golf cart while drunk, flipped it over
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico man is facing charges after authorities say he drove a golf cart while drunk and crashed it into a fence.
The Dona Ana County Sheriff's Office said Justin Valenzuela was arrested Sunday on charges of aggravated drunken driving following reports of the golf cart accident outside of Las Cruces, New Mexico.
According to deputies, Valenzuela drove the golf cart with three passengers on board when he lost control of it. Deputies say the cart slammed into a fence and flipped over.
Authorities say one passenger was taken to a Las Cruces-area hospital with a serious leg injury.
Valenzuela reportedly admitted to deputies that he had been drinking earlier in the day.
The 33-year-old is being held without bail. It was not known if he had an attorney.

STOLEN VEHICLE-POLICE CHASE
Police: Man not expected to survive injuries from collision
(Information from: Albuquerque Journal, http://www.abqjournal.com)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A 23-year-old man isn't expected to survive injuries he suffered in Albuquerque when the sedan he was traveling in was struck by a stolen Jeep that had run a red light during a police pursuit.
The Albuquerque Journal reports that six others were hospitalized in the collision early Saturday.
Authorities say 23-year-old D'Markus Blea suffered skull, rib and vertebrae fractures.
At least two people in the Jeep are accused of trying to wipe their finger prints off the vehicle. Both have been jailed.
Officers say the Jeep was stolen Friday night during an armed robbery and was spotted several hours later.
Police attempted to stop the vehicle, but it fled.
Police say the Jeep driver ran multiple red lights before crashing into Blea's car.

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New Mexico State News - Monday October 23, 2017

10/23/2017

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OBIT-AL HURRICANE
Al Hurricane, 'Godfather of New Mexico music,' dies
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Al Hurricane, known as the "Godfather of New Mexico music" for developing a distinct sound bridging the state's unique Hispanic traditions with country and rock, has died. His son, Al Hurricane, Jr., told The Associated Press that his father died Sunday from complications related to prostate cancer.
He was 81.
Born Alberto Nelson Sanchez on July 10, 1936, in the tiny village of Dixon, New Mexico, he was raised for a time in Ojo Sarco before moving Arizona and later Albuquerque. He learned to play the guitar thanks to his mother and his father, a miner.
Hurricane began his music career by singing in Albuquerque Old Town restaurants before forming his own band, Al Hurricane & the Night Rockers, in 1962.
He's later recorded more than 30 albums.

ASK A MEXICAN-COLUMN
Satirical 'Ask A Mexican' column to end after 11 years
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The "Ask A Mexican" column, a satirical weekly installment about U.S. Latinos that once ran in more than three dozen alternative weekly newspapers across the country, is coming to an end.
The column's founder, Gustavo Arellano, told The Associated Press on Monday the final version will appear online for Albuquerque's Weekly Alibi. The column will not appear in the OC Weekly of Fountain Valley, California, a publication where the column began.
Arellano resigned from the OC Weekly this month after he refused the newspaper's ownership's request to layoff half of the publication's staff.
Arellano says the OC Weekly owns the column and he has rejected an offer to continue it as a contractor.
The column, which began in 2016, drew national attention for asking readers to submit questions to Arellano about Mexican immigrants and Mexican Americans.

INMATE-COST INCREASE
Inmate costs at northwestern New Mexico jails to jump
(Information from: The Daily Times, http://www.daily-times.com)
FARMINGTON, N.M. (AP) — The cost for Aztec, Bloomfield and Farmington to house inmates at northwestern New Mexico jails will increase about 20 percent soon.
The Daily Times of Farmington, New Mexico, reports the jump comes after San Juan County Commissioners approved a contract with a Nashville, Tennessee, company to provide inmate medical care at county detention facilities.
County Operations Officer Mike Stark says increase is due to the $4.48 million annual contract for Correct Care Solutions. The company provides medical services for the adult and juvenile detention centers and the alternative sentencing locations.
Correct Care Solutions took over the contract from the San Juan Regional Medical Center on July 1, which had a contract of about $2.1 million annually to provide medical series for the three detention centers.
___
7TH-DWI
Northern New Mexico man faces 7th DWI charge
(Information from: Las Vegas Optic, http://www.lasvegasoptic.com)
LAS VEGAS, N.M. (AP) — A northern New Mexico man is facing his seventh drunken driving charge.
The Las Vegas Optic reports Christobal Jaramillo was arrested last week after a Game and Fish officer said he unable to maintain lanes along I-25 near Bernal, New Mexico.
The arrest is the 38-year-old Jaramillo's seventh drunken driving offense. He was booked on an aggravated drunken driving charge.
Authorities say Jaramillo admitted to police he had taken two suboxone, an opioid, about three hours earlier.
Police say Jaramillo performed poorly on at least one field sobriety test and had a pill bottle with him that had the labeling scratched out.
It was not known if Jaramillo had an attorney.
___
PET BIRDS KILLED
Taos businesswoman says 24 of her pet birds have been killed
(Information from: KOB-TV, http://www.kob.com)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A woman who owns a meditation retreat in Taos says 24 of her pet birds had been killed and stacked on each other.
The woman nicknamed "Kitty" told Albuquerque TV station KOB that she raised the ducks, geese and chickens from an early age.
The woman wouldn't provide her full name.
She says she discovered feathers torn and scattered around the property and limbs torn from their bodies.
One duck survived.
KOB reports the animal pen is outside in the open with the gate accessible and short enough for someone to climb over.
"Kitty" says she has talked to police and filed a report.
And while she says it's possible an animal may have attacked the birds, she says the fact they were stacked together indicates a human was involved.
___
FATAL FREEWAY CRASH
Passenger dead, driver arrested after crash in Albuquerque
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Authorities say one person is dead after a vehicle crashed into construction equipment in Albuquerque on Interstate 40 and the driver may be facing charges.
Albuquerque police say officers responded to the crash on eastbound I-40 at Rio Grande around 2 a.m. Sunday after a vehicle drove through construction barricades and ran into a backhoe.
They say the passenger died on scene while the driver was taken to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
Police say alcohol appears to be a factor in the crash.
They say after the driver likely will be arrested for vehicular homicide after she's released from a hospital for treatment of her injuries.
Police haven't released the names of the driver or the dead passenger.

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New Mexico State News - Sunday October 22, 2017

10/22/2017

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GAMBLING REVENUES
New Mexico horse-racing tracks see drop in slot revenue
(Information from: The Santa Fe New Mexican, http://www.sfnewmexican.com)
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Slot machine revenue at New Mexico horse-racing tracks has declined to its lowest point since the opening of the state's newest track in 2005, but no one is certain what's driving the drop.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that state economists expect the revenue from slots at tracks to continuing dropping over the next five years.
One of the state's top finance experts, Sen. John Arthur Smith says the decline is tracking with a decline in the lottery, indicating that the state gambling industry has matured and is not growing.
The net win from track slots during the last fiscal year was about $226 million, down from $241 million the previous year and down from about $265 million in 2015.
___
GAY RODEO-PHOTO ESSAY
Gay rodeo draws cowboys, drag queens to Las Vegas
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Dozens of cowboys and cowgirls are competing in the World Gay Rodeo Finals this weekend after riding bulls, roping calves and dressing goats in Las Vegas.
More than 70 people from across the U.S. participated in Sin City's gay rodeo last month. The International Gay Rodeo Association circuit is now in Albuquerque, New Mexico, for the finals.
Chris Tobin of Denver participated in various events at the Las Vegas rodeo, including bull and steer riding. He says he wasn't raised a cowboy, but participating in rodeos has become his passion after he discovered the sport three years ago.
Under association rules, men and women can participate in all events, regardless of their sexual orientation.
Circuit events feature typical rodeo events as well as nontraditional ones such as goat dressing, where contestants try to slip a pair of briefs on a goat.

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
Dona Ana County official enters race for lieutenant governor
The Democratic race for New Mexico lieutenant is getting crowded, with a member of the Dona Ana County Commission being the fifth and latest hopeful to join the contest.
Billy Garrett has served on the county commission since 2011. He announced his candidacy for the state office Friday.
Other candidates for the Democratic nomination include state Sen. Michael Padilla of Albuquerque, retired Eagle Nest teacher Jeff Carr, former state House Majority Leader Rick Miera of Albuquerque and juvenile probation officer David McTeigue of Rio Rancho.
The party's nominee will run on a ticket with the Democratic nominee for governor.
Former Indian Affairs Department Secretary Kelly Zunie is running for the Republican Party nomination.

ALBUQUERQUE-CARJACKING-CRASH
Albuquerque police: Carjacked vehicle in crash during chase
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Albuquerque police say a vehicle carjacked at gunpoint collided with another vehicle, causing life-threatening injuries.
Police say the crash occurred Saturday morning when the stolen vehicle ran a red light during a pursuit.
Additional details aren't immediately available.

AMAZON-NEW HQ-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico lawmakers back Albuquerque's Amazon bid
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Nineteen New Mexico lawmakers say they're ready to work with Amazon to create "one of the best places on earth to work and live."
The New Mexico House Republican Caucus sent a letter Friday to the founder of the e-commerce giant, Jeff Bezos, in support of the city of Albuquerque's bid to host the company's second headquarters.
It comes a day after proposals were submitted by cities across the U.S. and Canada. They're all clamoring at the prospect of landing an estimated $5 billion in investments by Amazon and as many as 50,000 jobs.
Boasting about hundreds of miles of bike trails, the Santa Fe Opera and the highest number of resident PhDs per capita, the lawmakers say no other state can match New Mexico's range of cultural and recreational experiences.

WILDFIRE-SQUIRREL HABITAT
Estimated population of squirrel plummets after wildfire
PHOENIX (AP) — State officials say an endangered squirrel species' estimated population has apparently plummeted since a major wildfire burned much of its habitat atop a southeastern Arizona mountain last summer.
The state Game and Fish Department says an annual multi-agency survey of the Mount Graham red squirrel produced an estimate of only 35 squirrels, which is only 14 percent of the 252 squirrels estimated in 2016.
Department officials the lightning-ignited fire caused unprecedented impacts to the squirrel habitat but they caution that they're not sure whether their standard survey methods provided an accurate estimate in severely burned areas.
Officials say surveyors observed some squirrels where they didn't live previously.
The department says officials are now considering steps to help the squirrel population's chances for survival.
The species was declared endangered in 1987.

STUDENT KILLED-APPEAL DENIED
State high court upholds man's conviction in 2012 killing
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The state Supreme Court has turned down an appeal of a Cibola County man convicted of killing an Albuquerque man whose body was dumped in a large hole left from a collapsed lava tube at El Malpais (mal-pie-EES') National Monument near Grants in west-central New Mexico.
Bryce Franklin of San Rafael was convicted of first-degree murder and in the 2012 killing of 23-year-old Fernando Enriquez, an architecture student at the University of New Mexico.
Franklin was sentenced to life in prison plus 7.5 years.
Franklin's appeal argued that his constitutional right to a speedy trial was violated because his trial didn't start for 32 months after he was indicted, but the state high court concluded otherwise in its ruling Thursday.
Another man charged in the case testified against Franklin.

NAVAJO GIRL KILLED-THE LATEST
The Latest: Navajo leader supported death penalty in case
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Navajo Nation president Russell Begaye says he told prosecutors that the tribe would have supported the death penalty for the killer of an 11-year-old girl.
Tom Begaye was sentenced Friday to life in prison without parole as part of a plea deal in the 2016 rape and murder of 11-year-old Ashlynne Mike. Russell and Tom Begaye are not related.
The tribal leader told The Associated Press he told prosecutors the tribe would have supported the death penalty.
Tribes for decades including the Navajo Nation have almost always rejected that option.
Begaye says his tribe should consider backing the death penalty in killings of children and police officers.​
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