City, DOJ Meet With Monitor Of Albuquerque Police Reforms – The Associated Press
A city councilwoman will host a meeting with the independent monitor of court-mandated reforms within the Albuquerque Police Department on Tuesday evening.
The meeting comes after the U.S. Justice Department announced early this year that Dr. James Ginger would oversee a settlement agreement with Albuquerque police to address officer training and use-of-force procedures.
A DOJ investigation last year found a troubling pattern of excessive force and unconstitutional policing within the Albuquerque police force, saying officers often escalated situations in which violence could have been avoided.
The DOJ also found a significant amount of force was used against people with mental illness.
Ginger is considered an expert on police reform.
Police Chief Gorden Eden, Mayor Richard Berry and U.S. Attorney Damon Martinez are also expected to attend Tuesday's meeting.
EPA Widens Investigation Into Colorado Mine-Waste Spill – The Associated Press
The Environmental Protection Agency's inspector general is expanding its investigation into a toxic spill from an inactive Colorado mine to include questions about whether the agency was following its own rules when it triggered the blowout.
The inspector general's office said Thursday that it will add more than a dozen lines of inquiry, some requested by Congress and others raised by a review of the spill by the Interior Department.
An EPA-led contractor inadvertently released 3 million gallons of wastewater tainted with heavy metals from the Gold King Mine on Aug. 5 during cleanup operations. Rivers in Colorado, New Mexico and Utah were contaminated.
The inspector general will also look into what kind of legal protection EPA gave the contractor and whether that affected the way the work was done.
Albuquerque Mayor Outlines Legislative Priorities – The Associated Press
Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry says he'll push for measures in the next legislative session that would reform the state's bail bond system, create a new "three strikes" law for violent repeat offenders, and add attacks against police to the state's hate crimes law.
Mayor Richard Berry held a news conference Thursday to outline his proposals for the next legislative session in January.
Berry has repeatedly criticized the state's justice system, suggesting a law that bars judges from denying bail to high-risk defendents and lax sentencing laws have allowed violent repeat offenders to remain on the streets.
His comments follow the shooting deaths of a 4-year-old girl who was killed during a road-rage dispute, and an officer fatally wounded during a traffic stop.
In both cases, the suspects have lengthy prior criminal records.
New Mexico Museum To Unveil Rare Fossil Find – The Associated Press
The first skull ever to be discovered of a baby plant-eating dinosaur that lived some 70 million years ago is being unveiled by the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science.
The rare Pentaceratops fossil was airlifted out of a remote desert wilderness in northern New Mexico last week by National Guard Blackhawk helicopters and then trucked to the museum along with the skull of an adult Pentaceratops.
A public viewing is scheduled Thursday evening at the museum in Albuquerque.
The discovery was made in 2011 in the Bisti Wilderness by museum staff. A few years of planning, permitting and excavation followed.
A crew of staff and volunteers had to pack in tons of tools and materials since the find was made within a federally protected wilderness area.
Audit Questions Spending Of Taos Pueblo Grant – The Associated Press, Santa Fe New Mexican
A federal audit questions how the Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Council spent part of a $5.7 million grant for the construction of a drug and alcohol treatment center in Taos.
The New Mexican reports that an audit made public Wednesday identifies $626,257 in matching funds as a questionable expense. Most of that is attributed to a $540,000 parcel of land, but auditors question whether the parcel was accurately valued and if it's a proper use of matching funds.
In an October letter to the government, council Executive Director Gil Vigil said there was no guidance on how to assess land value and that native culture doesn't place monetary value on land.
Vigil didn't respond to a request for comment Wednesday.
Auditors say $20,569 was also used to buy items after the grant end date.
Mora School Board Distances Itself From Disgraced Ex-Chief – The Associated Press, The Las Vegas Optic
Board members of a northern New Mexico school district are distancing themselves from its disgraced former superintendent.
The Las Vegas Optic reports the Mora Independent School District board said in a statement this week the resignation of superintendent Charles Trujillo "brings to an end a fraud" against the district.
Trujillo's resignation follows an investigation by the Optic that Trujillo faked his credentials to obtain his administrative license. Two days after the Optic story was published, Trujillo surrendered his education licenses to the state Public Education Department.
The statement, written by Trujillo's uncle, board chair George Trujillo, says the former school chief used "deception and counterfeit" to get his job.
The board says the state Public Education Department shares the blame for issuing Charles Trujillo his license.
Study Finds Abandoning Rail Runner Too Expensive – The Associated Press, The Albuquerque Journal
It seems New Mexico is stuck with the Rail Runner Express, as a state Department of Transportation study has found getting rid of the service would be a financial mistake.
The Albuquerque Journal reports that the study, unveiled Wednesday, found selling the commuter train isn't feasible and switching to a bus service between Belen and Santa Fe would not save much money.
The study was completed at the request of the Legislature and focused on the possibility of selling the line, the cost of maintaining service over the next 20 years and the feasibility of replacing the train with bus service.
The Rail Runner began service in 2006 and has since been scrutinized for its high cost. The state is expected to pay more than $25 million in debt service payments on the rail this year alone.
Navajo Leader Oks Land Purchase In Northwestern New Mexico – The Associated Press
The Navajo Nation is moving ahead with the purchase of land in northwestern New Mexico for a possible health care facility.
Tribal President Russell Begaye approved a bill this week to finalize the purchase of 81 acres east of downtown Gallup.
The land is an allotment owned by a tribal member who offered it up for sale.
The tribe will use money from its Land Acquisition Trust Fund to buy for just over $163,000.
The bill's sponsor, Edmund Yazzie, says he's been asking the federal government for money for a new Indian Health Services facility that could be built there.
Mora School Board Distances Itself From Disgraced Ex-Chief – The Associated Press
Board members of a northern New Mexico school district are distancing themselves from its disgraced former superintendent.
The Las Vegas Optic reports the Mora Independent School District board said in a statement this week the resignation of superintendent Charles Trujillo "brings to an end a fraud" against the district.
Trujillo's resignation follows an investigation by the Optic that Trujillo faked his credentials to obtain his administrative license. Two days after the Optic story was published, Trujillo surrendered his education licenses to the state Public Education Department.
The statement, written by Trujillo's uncle, board chair George Trujillo, says the former school chief used "deception and counterfeit" to get his job.
The board says the state Public Education Department shares the blame for issuing Charles Trujillo his license.
Google Pays New Mexico Nearly $1M For Titan Pullout – The Associated Press
Google Inc. has repaid New Mexico nearly $1 million for an economic development grant the government made for infrastructure upgrades at the Moriarty Municipal Airport.
The Albuquerque Journal reports the upgrades helped pave the way for Google to build a 60,000-square-foot facility at the airport to house Titan Aerospace.
Titan Aerospace is a Google subsidiary that was developing a solar-powered drone at the airport.
But Google moved Titan's operations to California this summer, prompting New Mexico to impose clawback provisions to recover the state's money.
State Economic Development Secretary Jon Barela says Google deposited slightly more than $995,000 into state account and it cleared on Monday.
Google still owns the $15 million building it constructed at the airport, but the city owns the property on which it is located.
Appeals Court Upholds Ex-New Mexico Sheriff Conviction – The Associated Press
A federal appeals court in Denver has upheld the conviction of a former New Mexico sheriff accused of pulling a gun on a motorist and striking him with his badge.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit affirmed the civil rights violation conviction for ex-Rio Arriba County Sheriff Thomas Rodella in a ruling filed Wednesday.
Rodella was sentenced in January to 10 years in federal prison for abusing a driver in a bizarre, off-duty traffic stop that prosecutors described as a fit of road rage. He also was ordered to pay a $200,000 fine and $10,335 in restitution.
But his attorney, John Cline, had argued that improper jury instructions created an unfair trial.
Cline says the traffic stop was legal because the motorist was driving carelessly.
National Lab Improves Policies After Device Goes Missing – The Associated Press
Officials at Sandia National Laboratories say they've revised procedures to ensure control and accountability of all radioactive materials and devices that are required to be tracked.
The move comes after a small device used to eliminate static went missing following an explosive handling activity. The device — about the size of a double A battery — contains a tiny amount of the radioactive element Polonium 210 but doesn't pose a health hazard.
The device was shipped back from the test site to the lab earlier this year, but the package appeared to be empty when it arrived. After a search, the lab declared it lost.
The U.S. Department of Energy sent an enforcement letter to the lab last week. The agency says it will monitor the lab's actions to ensure it doesn't happen again.
Youth Jail Closing After Review Of Assault Allegations - The Associated Press
A southern New Mexico juvenile detention center is closing in the wake of a male detainee's claim that a female staff therapist sexually assaulted him.
The Albuquerque Journal reports that state Children Youth and Families Department officials are taking steps to close the Lincoln Pines Youth Center near Ruidoso and find other jobs for its employees.
All of the youths detained at Lincoln Pines were moved to other facilities after the allegations.
CYFD spokesman Henry Varela says a review after the allegations found it didn't make financial sense to keep the center open.
The therapist accused in the incident is awaiting trial for sexual penetration in the second degree, distribution of a controlled substance to a minor, taking contraband into a juvenile correctional facility and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
State Auditor Designates Moriarty Public Works For An Audit – The Associated Press
The Office of the State Auditor says it plans to conduct a special audit of Moriarty's public works department.
The city notified the state auditor of potential discrepancies in connection with utility billing and water meter readings.
Officials say the special audit will examine whether city employees gave special treatment to certain water users.
The auditor's office said in a statement Wednesday that they appreciated the city bringing the issue to light and will determine whether there is any possible fraud, waste or abuse.