EPA Says Lead And Arsenic Levels Soared In Hours After Spill – Albuquerque Journal
River-water testing released Thursday showed soaring levels of lead, arsenic, cadmium and other heavy metals when waste from the Gold King Mine flowed through Colorado and into New Mexico and Utah last week.
The Albuquerque Journal reports that metals far exceeded government exposure limits for aquatic life and humans in the hours after the Aug. 5 spill, which released three million gallons of wastewater.
Lead was 3,580 times higher than federal standards for human drinking and arsenic 823 times the level for human ingestion.
The Environmental Protection Agency released the results and said its analysis shows the heavy metals quickly returned to “pre-event levels” once the plume passed through the area tested, on the Animas River between Silverton, Colo., and the downstream municipal water intake for Durango.
A crew supervised by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency accidently unleashed the waste from the mine.
No EPA results for the Animas and San Juan rivers in New Mexico were available as of Thursday. Preliminary data for the first few days after the spill from Farmington and state Environment Department testing showed unsafe levels of lead.
EPA chief Gina McCarthy was in Farmington on Thursday. She told local, state and tribal officials that the improving results show the river is “restoring itself.”
EPA has released $500,000 to help supply clean water for crop irrigation and livestock in northwestern New Mexico because farmers and ranchers there have no access to river water and it’s unknown when they will.
PNM, 4 Parties Reach Deal On A New Plan For San Juan Plant – Albuquerque Journal,Associated Press
Public Service Co. of New Mexico and four other parties have signed a new agreement to end their dispute over the future of the coal-fired San Juan Generating Station near Farmington.
Thursday's settlement resolves all outstanding disagreements among the parties.
The Albuquerque Journal reports that it potentially paves the way for the state Public Regulation Commission to approve PNM's plan to shut down two of the power plant's four generating units to meet federal haze regulations.
Environmental, clean energy and consumer organizations had opposed PNM's proposals for San Juan.
That's mainly because the utility and its parent firm wanted to acquire 197 megawatts of excess coal generation that will be left behind in one of the two remaining generators after some plant co-owners depart from the facility.
2 Albuquerque Officers Cleared In Shooting Of Vietnam Vet – The Associated Press
Two Albuquerque officers have been cleared in the 2013 fatal shooting of a 66-year-old knife-wielding Vietnam veteran.
Second Judicial District Attorney Kari Brandenburg announced Friday that Officers Jeffrey Bludworth and Katherine Wright won't face charges in the death of Vincent Wood.
Police say the officers fired nine shots at Wood after he refused to drop his weapons.
Then-Albuquerque Police Chief Ray Schultz said Wright unloaded her gun when she saw Wood aim two hunting-style knives at Bludworth. Schultz said Wood circled around Bludworth's patrol car and lowered his knives in an attack position, "each in one hand."
Authorities said Wood suffered from mental illness and had a lengthy arrest record in New Mexico, Colorado and Pennsylvania.
Albuquerque police have seen more than 40 police shootings since 2010.
Health Dept. Investigating Case Of Plague In A Santa Fe Dog – The Associated Press
The New Mexico Department of Health is investigating a confirmed case of plague in a dog in Santa Fe.
The dog most likely was exposed to plague by infected rodents and their fleas while walking with its owner along the Santa Fe River.
Plague is a bacterial disease of rodents and is generally transmitted to humans through the bites of infected fleas.
But it also can be transmitted by direct contact with infected animals including rodents, wildlife and pets.
Plague cases in animals have occurred every month of the year in New Mexico, but most cases usually occur in the summer months.
There has been one human case of plague in New Mexico so far the year — a fatal case in a woman from Santa Fe County.
Judge Upholds Firing Of Physician's Assistant For Pot Use – Albuquerque Journal, Associated Press
A state district judge has upheld the firing of a physician's assistant because the woman, who is a registered medical marijuana patient, tested positive for marijuana while working as an employee at Presbyterian Healthcare Services.
The Albuquerque Journal reports Presbyterian spokeswoman Amanda Schoenberg says that under federal law, employees must show that they are drug-free. The judge ruled in favor of Presbyterian Thursday, agreeing that the federal contractor must comply with the Federal Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988.
Donna Smith filed a lawsuit against the Albuquerque health care provider, claiming discriminatory termination in 2014. Smith, who served in the military and suffers from PTSD, was prescribed medical marijuana by a physician in November 2013.
Smith's attorney said the court's decision is "on the wrong side of history."
Police: Suspicious Device Found On Las Cruces Church Grounds – The Associated Press
Police have cordoned off an area of Las Cruces after a suspicious device was found on the grounds of the First Presbyterian Church.
Police have closed the roadway in front of the church and evacuated nearby businesses. They've also told students and teachers at nearby Las Cruces High School to remain indoors.
The Dona Ana County Sheriff's Office has dispatched its bomb squad to the scene.
The device was found Friday morning by a groundkeeper at the church. Police haven't released any details about the device.
The incident comes just weeks after the detonation of explosive devices outside two other Las Cruces churches.
Federal authorities have released surveillance footage in that case and are offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.
Court Records Say Diocese Of Gallup Has Almost No Assets – The Associated Press & The ABQ Journal
A judge is considering requests to let three civil cases move forward against the Diocese of Gallup, which has been in bankruptcy proceedings since 2013.
The Albuquerque Journal reports court records show the Diocese of Gallup has "virtually non-existent" assets and was either uninsured or underinsured when many of the 57 claims of clergy sex abuse were made.
Los Angeles attorney James Stang says allowing the three trials would set valuations for the abuse cases to ensure the claimants are offered reasonable payments.
Diocese attorneys are urging U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge David T. Thuma to prevent the cases from going forward. Mediation between the two parties broke down in June, and attorneys for the diocese say Stang is trying to gain an advantage if talks resume.
Santa Fe Public Schools To Hire "Dropout Prevention" Coaches – The Associated Press & The Santa Fe New Mexican
The Santa Fe school district plans to hire four administrators in an attempt to reduce truancy rates at the city's middle and high schools.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports Gov. Susana Martinez announced the $4 million program Thursday. She said the funding will go toward hiring "dropout prevention" coaches, including social workers and administrators, to help keep kids in school.
Dropout coaches will serve in schools with truancy and dropout rates that are above the state average.
An official with the Santa Fe school district says coaches will be placed at Capital and Santa Fe high schools. Ortiz Middle School will also receive a dropout coach, and Capshaw and De Vargas middle schools will share a coach.
The district hopes to hire the dropout coaches by September.
Albuquerque Can Prohibit Employees From Running For Office – Associated Press
The New Mexico Supreme Court has ruled Albuquerque can bar its firefighters and other employees from running for elected office.
In a 49-page ruling Thursday, the state's high court reversed a lower court's ruling in the case of fire Capt. Emily Kane.
Kane served for two years in the state House before losing her re-election bid last year.
The city had sought to discipline Kane before she won a lower-court ruling that said the prohibition was unconstitutional.
The Supreme Court ruled that Albuquerque's prohibition served a "legitimate government purpose" — avoiding conflicts of interest and limiting the perception of partisan influence.
City attorneys argued that a 1989 amendment to the City Charter prohibited employees from holding an elected state office. A similar prohibition also was written into a city ordinance.
Officials To Mark 'Milestone' In Kirtland Fuel Spill Cleanup – Associated Press
Officials are marking a milestone in the cleanup of a massive plume of jet fuel at the edge of Albuquerque.
Gov. Susana Martinez, members of the state's congressional delegation and other officials joined U.S. Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James at Kirtland Air Force Base to mark the extraction and treatment of some of the contaminated water.
First detected in 1999, the fuel leak is believed to have been seeping into the ground for decades. Estimates of the amount of fuel spilled range from 6 million to 24 million gallons.
The greatest concern has been that the spill would contaminate drinking water wells in the Southeast Heights.
The pump-and-treat system is part of an effort to keep the contamination from reaching those wells.
Panel: NM Supreme Court Should Support No-Bond Amendment – Associated Press
A panel of judges, lawyers and legal experts is recommending that New Mexico's highest court support a constitutional amendment to allow judges to order the most dangerous, violent criminal defendants held in jail pending trial without bond.
The committee voted during a meeting Thursday in Albuquerque to send a letter outlining its recommendation to the state Supreme Court.
The chairman of the committee, former University of New Mexico Law School Dean Leo Romero, acknowledged this is only the first step and such a proposal would have to be approved by the Legislature and considered by the voters.
The court formed the panel earlier this year and charged it with submitting a report and recommendations regarding the use of bail schedules in New Mexico by the end of August.
High Court Considers Public Funds For Private School Books – Santa Fe New Mexican, Associated Press
The New Mexico Supreme Court has heard arguments over the state's practice of buying textbooks for private and religious schools.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports those who sued the state Public Education Department and its Cabinet secretary, Hanna Skandera, argued Wednesday that the use of public funds to buy textbooks for private schools violates the state constitution.
But advocates of the program countered that money for the books is governed by federal law, because the funds are provided by federal mineral leases.
Plaintiffs Cathy Moses and Paul Weinbaum filed their lawsuit in 2012, but both a Santa Fe district judge and the state Court of Appeals have sided with the department.
It is unclear how long it will take the high court to decide on the case.
Drinking Water Headed To Navajo Nation – Associated Press
Truckloads of drinking water are headed to the Navajo Nation where a mine spill upstream of the San Juan River has residents worried about contamination.
St. Mary's Food Bank Alliance is donating 200,000 bottles of water to Navajo communities. The shipment is expected to arrive Friday.
Navajo Nation Council Speaker LoRenzo Bates says the donations will help alleviate stress in finding potable water for residents.
The organization, Partnership With Native Americans, is planning to deliver 20 pallets of water to Monument Valley, Mexican Hat and Halchita in the Utah portion of the reservation on Monday.
The Navajo Tribal Utility Authority has stopped pumping groundwater for the water system serving Mexican Hat. Crews are hauling water from 30 miles away to top off water tanks so customers aren't cut off.
Tribal Holiday Honors Navajo Men Who Stumped Japanese In War – Associated Press
The Navajo Nation is honoring the men who stumped the Japanese in World War II using a code based on their native language.
A parade and ceremony are planned Friday in the tribal capital of Window Rock for Navajo Code Talker Day. Tribal lawmakers designated Aug. 14 a tribal holiday in 2006.
About 16 of the hundreds of Navajos who served as Code Talkers during the war still are alive today. The code was developed by an original group of 29 Navajo men recruited from the reservation.
Their role in the war wasn't declassified until 1968.
Code Talkers, Arizona Sen. John McCain, Gov. Doug Ducey, Navajo President Russell Begaye and Tribal Council Speaker LoRenzo Bates are among those expected at Friday's ceremony.
Navajo Nation government employees get the day off.