New Mexico approves rules for industrial hemp cultivation
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The New Mexico State University Board of Regents has approved a rule crafted by state agriculture officials to govern the industrial cultivation of hemp.
The effort stems from legislation that passed in 2017 and eventually became law following a veto fight.
NMSU President John Floros tells The Associated Press that hemp has the potential to revitalize farms across the state and he expects the industry to grow quickly given its profitability.
The rule approved Thursday calls for growers to be licensed and it establishes fees as well as testing and inspection requirements.
There's also a push in Congress by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to make hemp a legal agricultural commodity, removing it from the federal list of controlled substances. Floros said that would provide more assurances for farmers in New Mexico and elsewhere.
DRY SOUTHWEST
El Nino teases as Southwestern US remains in drought
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — National climate experts have been watching and waiting but El Nino has only been teasing, leaving the American Southwest to hang on longer until the weather pattern develops and brings more moisture to the drought-stricken region.
Experts with NOAA's Climate Prediction Center and the National Weather Service on Thursday said the epicenter of the nation's drought has been center for months now over the region where Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah meet.
The latest federal drought map shows some improvements along the Rio Grande Valley in New Mexico but dryness has expanded in southern California and parts of Nevada.
Senior hydrologist Royce Fontenot says the exceptionally dry conditions have affected water supplies throughout the region. He says many reservoirs throughout the intermountain west are below where they should be for this time of year.
CLERGY ABUSE-NEW MEXICO-THE LATEST
The Latest: New Mexico archdiocese to file for bankruptcy
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The Archdiocese of Santa Fe says it will file for bankruptcy protection next week, citing depleted reserves as the Catholic church in New Mexico has settled numerous claims of sexual abuse by clergy.
Archbishop John Wester made the announcement Thursday. He said he had been contemplating the action for years but that the archdiocese had reached a tipping point and he wanted to ensure there would be resources to provide compensation for victims.
Wester acknowledged a charged atmosphere, pointing to the clergy sex abuse investigation in Pennsylvania and other cases that have garnered national attention. He said the archdiocese has about three dozen cases and he said there will likely be more.
About 20 dioceses and other religious orders around the U.S. have filed for bankruptcy protection as a result of the claims.
COMMUNITY COLLEGE-KEYNOTE
Ben Ray Lujan is commencement speaker at community college
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Congressman Ben Ray Lujan is giving the fall commencement address at Santa Fe Community College.
The Democratic representative will be speaking to hundreds of students on Saturday, Dec. 8. The ceremony is open to the public and will be streamed live online.
Lujan says the college has been a foundation of knowledge and economic growth in New Mexico since it was founded 35 years ago.
Honduras native Rosa Turner will be the student speaker.
Nearly 500 students are eligible to graduate in the fall, an increase of 12 percent over the previous year. They range in age from 17 to 80. More than half identify as Hispanic or Latino. Four percent identify as Native American.
A majority of the graduates are from Santa Fe.
IMMIGRATION-TEEN DETENTION CAMP
Lawmakers call for detention camp reforms
Lawmakers Thursday called for stricter background checks, more mental health support and a public hearing to further investigate problems at a massive detention camp for migrant teens raised by a federal watchdog report and an Associated Press investigation earlier this week.
More than 2,300 teens are being held at the remote tent city in Tornillo, Texas. It opened in June as a temporary, emergency shelter but now appears to be becoming more permanent, the AP reported Tuesday.
The Department of Health and Human Service's Office of Inspector General has raised concerns that the private contractor running Tornillo has not put its 2,100 staffers through FBI background checks, and have just one mental health clinician for every 100 children.
House Democrats are calling for a public hearing early next year.
BORDER WALL-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico land boss cancels auction for land along border
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico's top land boss says he is canceling next week's auction of a parcel of state trust land along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn initially pledged to auction the land along the international boundary after sparring with the federal government over trespass concerns.
Dunn claims the government never received authorization to access the trust land via an easement and has not compensated the state for using the property.
Dunn says he will leave the matter for the incoming land commissioner, Democrat Stephanie Garcia Richard, to handle. She will take office Jan. 1.
The parcel is among millions of acres around the state that are held in trust, with the proceeds of any easements, development or leases helping to fund public schools and other beneficiaries.
MIGRANT CARAVAN-PROSECUTIONS
APNewsBreak: No one arrested in border clash is prosecuted
SAN DIEGO (AP) — No criminal charges will be filed against any of the 42 people associated with a caravan of Central American migrants who were arrested in a clash that ended with U.S. authorities firing tear gas into Mexico.
The Associated Press has learned that the federal government decided not to prosecute the migrants despite proclamations from the Trump administration that it will not tolerate lawlessness over the caravan.
Customs and Border Protection declines to say why no one was prosecuted but a U.S. official says many came as families — which are generally exempt. The official said that in other cases, authorities didn't collect enough information to pursue charges, including names of the arresting officers. The official was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
The official says two of the 42 were referred to the Justice Department for prosecution but charges weren't filed because the accused had medical conditions.
ALBUQUERQUE-TRANSIT PROJECT
Albuquerque returns electric buses over safety concerns
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The city of Albuquerque says a fleet of problematic buses that were supposed to serve passengers as part of a long-delayed transit project are being returned to the manufacturer.
City officials said bus manufacturer BYD began removing the electric buses Wednesday.
Mayor Tim Keller announced earlier this month that he was pulling the plug on the electric buses over concerns about battery life, brake failures and other equipment malfunctions.
BYD had argued that the buses and batteries were safe.
The troubled Albuquerque Rapid Transit project — or ART — comes at a cost of $135 million. In addition to $14 million in federal funds designated to reimburse expenses related to construction along Central Avenue, the city has received $75 million from the Federal Transit Administration.