Associated Press

$32.2M Collected In Spaceport America Sales Tax

Associated Press — Mon, 06 May 2013 14:32:16 +0000

New data shows that of the $32.2 million Dona Ana County residents have paid in a spaceport tax that took effect five years ago, $1 in $4 has been routed to local education.

The Las Cruces Sun-News reports (http://bit.ly/13VMZIt) that new county data says $8 million in total, or 25 percent of all sales tax revenues, has been sent to the three county school districts.

During the 2007 referendum, a main argument touted by tax proponents was that the money would help to train future engineers and technicians who'd be qualified to work at future Spaceport America facilities.

NMSU President Close To Being Selected

Associated Press — Fri, 03 May 2013 14:16:59 +0000

New Mexico State University's next president is set to be announced next week.

The Las Cruces Sun-News (http://bit.ly/103TdSn ) reports regents plan tentatively to reveal their pick on Monday.

Applebee's Sued Over Drunk Pedestrian's Death

Associated Press — Wed, 01 May 2013 17:00:07 +0000

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A Taos restaurant is facing a lawsuit over allegations that it overserved a pedestrian who was struck and killed by a pickup.

Advocates Plan 'May Day' NM Immigration Rallies

Associated Press — Wed, 01 May 2013 16:58:02 +0000

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Advocates for immigration reform are holding rallies and prayer events across New Mexico in an effort to push a federal immigration proposal.

Suspect Killed In Police Shooting At N.M. School

Associated Press — Wed, 01 May 2013 16:56:42 +0000

TULAROSA, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico State Police say they're investigating after a 19-year-old man was fatally shot in a confrontation with officers at a southern New Mexico elementary school.

NM Teen Reportedly Miscarries In High School

Associated Press — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 19:10:05 +0000

GRANTS, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico teenager says she had a miscarriage in a high school hallway and that a teacher didn't help her because she was late to class.

But school officials say the student actually had a miscarriage a week before and had passed her placenta that day.

Santa Fe College Starts Building New Center

Associated Press — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 15:29:50 +0000

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Santa Fe Community College has started construction of its new higher education center, a facility being built in partnership with four other New Mexico schools.

NM List Of Endangered Cultural Properties Grows

Associated Press — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 13:48:44 +0000

PORTALES, N.M. (AP) — The New Mexico Heritage Preservation Alliance is expanding its list of endangered cultural properties.

UNM Regents Approved Tuition Increase

Associated Press — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 13:45:11 +0000

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The University of New Mexico Board of Regents has decided that the next school year will bring higher tuition and fees for students.

That's so the university can pay for higher salaries for faculty, a one-time bonus for staff and funding increase of $900,000 for the athletics department.

UNM Regents Reject Taskforce Recommendations

Associated Press — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 21:46:45 +0000

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — University of New Mexico regents are refusing to approve a task force's recommendations for steps proposed to cover rising costs of retiree health benefits.

Slushy Conditions On Northern NM Roads

Associated Press — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 16:55:13 +0000

RATON, N.M. (AP) — Difficult driving conditions are reported in parts of northern New Mexico because of snow, ice and slush from a storm crossing the state Tuesday.

The Department of Transportation says there's ice and slush on a 72-mile stretch of Interstate 25 between Wagon Mount and Raton Pass.

Another Mexican Grey Wolf Found Dead

Associated Press — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 16:27:34 +0000

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Another Mexican gray wolf has been found dead in the Southwest, but federal officials have refused to provide any details.

UNM Considers Retiree Health Changes

Associated Press — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 16:12:53 +0000

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — University of New Mexico employees would get smaller paychecks while retirees would pay higher premiums under a task force's recommendations for covering the rising costs of retiree health benefits.

Las Cruces Schools Plan Program For Anonymous Tips

Associated Press — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 14:37:23 +0000

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — Las Cruces' public schools plan a new program to enable students to provide school officials with anonymous reports on bullying, drugs, potential suicides and other trouble.

The Las Cruces Sun-News (http://bit.ly/XywxOx ) reports that the program will enable middle and high school students to use text messages, photos, video and a mobile app to anonymously send messages to school officials.

Dr.

NM Governor Signs Bill To Simplify Tax Code

Associated Press — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 17:11:39 +0000

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Gov. Susana Martinez has signed legislation aimed at simplifying New Mexico's tax code.

The bill sponsored by Republican Rep.

NM Prosecutor Revamps Handling Of Police Shootings

Associated Press — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 17:08:43 +0000

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Second Judicial District Attorney Kari Brandenburg's office is revamping how her office handles cases involving Albuquerque-area police shootings.

Brandenburg says the new process will have prosecutors decide whether there is probable cause that a crime was committed.

Judge To NM Neighbors: Stop Threatening Each Other

Associated Press — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 17:06:56 +0000

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A judge has ordered some Santa Fe neighbors to stop threatening each other over barking dogs, loud music and access to a subdivision road.

The Santa Fe New Mexican reports (http://bit.ly/WHTvRy) that State District Judge Frank Mathew told the feuding neighbors Thursday in the Mission Viejo subdivision not to harass or call one another after a series of bizarre complaints.

Keith Bujold has been in a long fight with neighbor Ernest Kavanaugh Sr.

USS Santa Fe's Commander To Visit Namesake City

Associated Press — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 14:52:25 +0000

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The commanding officer of the USS Santa Fe visits northern New Mexico this week to learn more about the Pearl Harbor-based attack submarine's namesake city.

Cmdr.

Millions Spent To Battle Largest Wildfires In 2012

Associated Press — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 18:30:43 +0000

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Federal statistics show that efforts to douse the largest of the nation's wildfires last year cost more than $580 million, and it took more than three months in some cases to put out the flames.

Home Building In Albuquerque Is At Aggressive Pace

Associated Press — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 16:11:13 +0000

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.

NM Airport Official: Texans On Plane That Crashed

Associated Press — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 16:03:55 +0000

ANGEL FIRE, N.M.

NM State Police Have New Home In Las Cruces

Associated Press — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 16:01:06 +0000

LAS CRUCES, N.M.

NM Senate Panel Rejects Social Promotion Bill

Associated Press — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 16:31:56 +0000

ALBQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico legislator says she'll try again next year now that a state Senate committee has rejected a bill to end promotion of third-graders whose reading ability isn't adequate.

The Senate Education Committee rejected the so-called "social promotion" bill sponsored by Republican Sen. Gay Kernan of Hobbs on a 5-4 party-line vote following a nearly four-hour hearing Saturday.

The legislation is a priority of Republican Gov.

NM Legislation Demands Title To Federal Lands

Associated Press — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 16:30:05 +0000

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Three New Mexico lawmakers have introduced legislation demanding that the federal government surrender control of millions of acres of public land.

Supporters of the bipartisan bill contend the state would do a better job of managing the land and would no longer have to share natural resource royalties with the federal government.

However, critics say the state would not be able to absorb the costs of managing more land or hiring the hundreds of employees that would be needed.

In New Mexico, the annual budgets for U.S.

UNM Working To Increase Black Student Enrollment

Associated Press — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 16:28:11 +0000

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.

Roswell Gun Store To Hold 'Coyote Hunt' Contest

Associated Press — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 15:36:12 +0000

ROSWELL, N.M. (AP) — A southeastern New Mexico gun store has announced that it is hosting a coyote hunting contest following a similar hunt by another gun store that sparked protests.

Larry's Discount Gun Shop and Sporting Goods is organizing a two-day coyote hunting competition starting Saturday.

House Set To Debate $5.9B State Budget

Associated Press — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 15:34:25 +0000

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico lawmakers are ready to tackle a must-do assignment for the 60-day legislative session.

The House is expected Thursday to debate a state budget proposal that will allocate nearly $5.9 billion next year for government programs and public education.

The measure will increase state spending by $239 million or slightly more than 4 percent.

About $35 million is provided for 1 percent pay raises for state workers and educators and 3 percent for state police.

Navajo Shares Policing Authority With Ariz. County

Associated Press — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 15:32:16 +0000

HOLBROOK, Ariz.

US Asks Court To Dismiss Pueblo's Land Lawsuit

Associated Press — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 16:15:37 +0000

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The federal government is asking a court to dismiss an American Indian community's lawsuit seeking all the land within the boundaries of the 89,000-acre Valles Caldera National Preserve in northern New Mexico. A Justice Department filing in U.S. District Court in Albuquerque argues that the Jemez Pueblo surrendered rights to claim the land under a 1974 judgment.

NM To Study The Jemez River Watershed

Associated Press — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 16:06:17 +0000

JEMEZ SPRINGS, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico water managers are planning to study the water quality of the Jemez River watershed.

The survey will include the Jemez River from its headwaters in northern New Mexico's Jemez Mountains down to the village of San Ysidro.