CIA Director: Trump's Briefings Will Clarify Challenges – The Associated Press
CIA Director John Brennan says he believes Donald Trump's national security briefings will show the new president-elect that averting terrorism attacks from groups like the Islamic State and tackling other security threats across the globe are challenges that the United States must address with help from its allies and partners.
Brennan says the briefings also will bring greater clarity for Trump and his team on the reasons behind the United States' commitments to its allies and the arrangements that go with them.
Brennan's comments Thursday came as he took questions from University of New Mexico students in Albuquerque, where he announced a CIA recruiting partnership with the school.
Several students asked about Trump's campaign rhetoric, which included suggestions that the U.S. could abandon its NATO commitments and boost security by building a wall along the U.S. Mexico border.
Laptop, Phone Could Shed Light On Albuquerque Girl's Killing – The Associated Press & KRQE
Prosecutors are seeking a judge's permission to search a computer and smartphone that belonged to an Albuquerque woman charged in the rape and killing of her 10-year-old daughter.
KRQE-TV reported Thursday that police have retrieved a phone which Michelle Martens sold weeks before Victoria Martens' death. They also recovered a laptop pawned by Fabian Gonzales, Martens' boyfriend who is also facing charges.
Prosecutors believe the items could prove that Martens solicited men online to have sex with the girl, something she admitted to in police interviews.
Investigators are seeking any images of children and relevant conversations.
Authorities found Victoria's dismembered body Aug. 24. They say she had been drugged, sexually assaulted and then killed.
Fabian Gonzales' cousin, Jessica Kelley, has also been charged.
Challenges Await New Mexico Secretary Of State – The Associated Press
Challenges await New Mexico's newly elected secretary of state at an elections oversight agency that has been the source of repeated scandals.
Secretary-elect Maggie Toulouse Oliver may take office as soon as Dec. 9 under regulations allowing for the early replacement of the agency's interim leader.
Awaiting the long-time Bernalillo County Clerk is a tall stack of political campaign finance filings that are flagged for possible violations, a reduced general-fund budget for the agency and lingering mistrust among politicians and the public.
Toulouse Oliver won election Tuesday and says she may call on the state auditor to help review campaign finance disclosures. She also will advocate for legislation that would depoliticize the agency by creating an independent ethics commission and implementing public financing in future elections for secretary of state.
New Mexico District Sends Post-Election Letter To Parents – The Associated Press
The head of New Mexico's largest public school district is asking teachers and principals to be mindful of students' feelings, saying some are anxious and afraid following the election.
Albuquerque Superintendent Raquel Reedy sent a letter to staff and parents Thursday, saying the rhetoric of the election was emotionally charged and won't be forgotten any time soon.
She said the outcomes will not change the direction, priorities or mission of the school district and that counselors will be available if needed.
District officials said the letter isn't an endorsement of any political party or candidate, but state Republican Party spokesman Tucker Keene saw it as an overreaction.
Keene says Donald Trump needs to be given a chance once he takes office in January. He also pointed to President Barack Obama's call for unity.
Television Pilot To Begin Shooting In New Mexico – The Associated Press
The latest television production to film in New Mexico is expected to bring jobs for more than 125 crew members and several hundred extras.
The New Mexico Film Office says TNT-produced pilot "Monsters of God" will be shooting through December in Albuquerque and Santa Fe.
The stars will include Garret Dillahunt, Lauren Ambrose and Brian Geraghty, among others. It will be directed by Rod Lurie, who also was involved with "Straw Dogs" and "The Contender."
In "Monsters of God," savagery and violence are the cornerstones of Colonel "Terrible" Bill Lancaster's holy war against the Comanche in post-Civil War Texas. Despite the tenuous peace between the Comanche and residents of Slater, Lancaster sets out to kill off the tribe, bringing chaos to the town.
Farm Income Continues To Shrink So Loan Demand Growing – The Associated Press
The Federal Reserve says demand for farm loans is still growing because cattle and crop prices are lower than they were a year ago and farm profits are shrinking.
The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, Missouri, said Thursday that over 87 percent of bankers in the region reported a decline in farm income in the third quarter.
The changing conditions have bankers expecting loan demand to continue growing while repayment rates decline.
The 10th Federal Reserve District covers Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Colorado, northern New Mexico and western Missouri.
The value of irrigated farmland in the region fell 7 percent while non-irrigated land declined 6.1 percent and pastures declined 6.5 percent.
Bandelier Rangers Offering Reward In Poaching Case – The Associated Press
Officials at Bandelier National Monument are offering a $3,000 reward for information leading to the prosecution of the person or people involved in a recent poaching case.
Authorities say an elk was poached on monument property sometime between Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning. The incident happened along New Mexico Highway 4, just west of the Sandoval-Los Alamos county line.
Monument officials are asking people who might have seen a vehicle stopped along the road during this time to call the chief ranger's office.
Lawyer: City May Appeal Ruling On Ten Commandments Monument – The Associated Press
An attorney for Bloomfield says the northwestern New Mexico city will consider whether to appeal a court ruling that the town's Ten Commandments monument violates the U.S. Constitution.
Attorney Jonathan Scruggs of the Alliance Defending Freedom says Bloomfield may appeal the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals' ruling Wednesday to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The 10th Circuit said Bloomfield's monument violates a constitutional prohibition against endorsing religious partly because of the apparent motivation in allowing installation of the monument on a lawn in front of city hall.
The case stems from a suit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of by two residents who practice the Wiccan religion and who said they were offended by the monument.