Governor Revives Effort To Take Away Truant Students’ Licenses – Albuquerque Journal
Gov. Susana Martinez says she will push once again to strip drivers’ licenses from students who are habitually truant.
The Albuquerque Journal reports Martinez said she wants to send a message to students about the consequences of skipping school and dropping out. She pushed for similar legislation in the 2015 session but it died in the Democratic-controlled Senate after passing the Republican- controlled House.
Martinez also wants lawmakers to increase funding for dropout prevention coaches and school social workers.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that Democratic Sen. John Sapien, who co-chairs the Legislative Education Study Committee, called the idea a political football and said it won’t stop students from driving.
Duran Checks Into Jail – The Associated Press
Former New Mexico Secretary of State Dianna Duran has checked into a county jail to serve out a 30-day sentence as partial punishment for siphoning money from her election account to fuel a gambling addiction.
Duran surrendered to deputies Friday morning at the Santa Fe County Adult Correctional Facility on a rural highway 14 miles south of Santa Fe.
The 60-year-old from Tularosa resigned from office in October, and she pleaded guilty to felony counts of embezzlement and money laundering. The transgressions have led to calls for a major overhaul of state campaign finance and ethics laws.
For violating the laws she was expected to uphold, Duran also must hand-deliver letters of apology to political donors and talk to school children and civic groups regularly for three years.
New Mexico Lawmaker Proposes Tough-On-Crime Reform – The Associated Press
A New Mexico lawmaker and retired police officer has pre-filed two pieces of tough-on-crime legislation ahead of next month's 30-day legislative session.
Rep. Paul Pacheco, an Albuquerque Republican, filed proposed legislation Friday that would require mandatory-minimum sentences for criminals convicted of serious violent felonies.
The filing came a day after Pacheco pre-filed legislation to expand the scope of New Mexico's "three strikes" law, which calls for defendants with three or more violent felony convictions to face life sentences.
Pacheco has criticized the current law as being too narrow.
He says his proposal would add crimes to the list of violent felonies under the three strikes law.
His proposal for mandatory-minimum sentencing would bar judges from suspending or deferring more than 15 percent of a sentence for defendants convicted of voluntary manslaughter and several other violent offenses.
Lawyers For Gallup Diocese Say Deal In Bankruptcy Case Near – The Associated Press
Attorneys for a New Mexico diocese say they are finalizing a settlement in the case that has kept it in bankruptcy court for two years.
The Gallup Independent reports lawyers for the Diocese of Gallup and the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors, which represents clergy sex abuse claimants, confirmed in court Wednesday that a settlement is in the works.
They did not provide details and said an agreement has not been signed yet.
Unsecured Creditors Committee attorney James Stang said they are still working out the non-monetary terms of the settlement.
Neither Stang nor Susan Boswell, lead bankruptcy attorney for the diocese, indicated when the agreement is expected to be finalized.
The bankruptcy proceedings pertain to insurance policies the diocese reportedly had in the 1960s and '70s.
New Mexico Education Chief Dropped From Whistleblower Suit – The Associated Press
New Mexico's secretary of education has been dropped from a whistleblower lawsuit filed by Albuquerque Public Schools' chief finance officer.
A state District Court judge ruled Thursday that Secretary Hanna Skandera was named in the suit for actions related to her job responsibilities and that makes her immune under tort law.
Don Moya sued Skandera, former superintendent Luis Valentino and the APS Board of Education after he was placed on administrative leave in early August.
The suit says Moya raised concerns about a contract awarded to a Denver company whose chief operating officer had worked with the newly hired deputy.
Moya's attorney says Skandera and Valentino conspired against Moya.
Skandera told The Associated Press that "justice has been served."
New Mexico Sees 10 Percent Drop In Schools With A, B Grade – The Associated Press
New Mexico saw a 10 percent drop in the number of public schools graded an A or B this year, and slightly more schools received a D or F.
The Public Education Department on Friday released new school grades for New Mexico public schools that showed the number of schools receiving a D or F jumped 3 percent.
Numbers also showed 60 percent of all schools had grades that remained the same or went up during the 2014-2015 school year.
Education Secretary Hanna Skandera says the decrease in A and B school grades were expected because the state introduced a more rigorous test to measure students.
The grades are based heavily on results of new PARCC tests taken last spring and reflect other factors such as a survey of students.
New Mexico Sec Of Education Dropped From Whistleblower Suit – Albuquerque Journal, Associated Press
New Mexico's Secretary of Education has been dropped from a whistleblower lawsuit filed by Albuquerque Public Schools' chief finance officer.
A state District Court judge ruled Thursday that Hanna Skandera was named in the suit for actions related to her job responsibilities and that makes her immune under tort law.
Don Moya sued Skandera, former superintendent Luis Valentino and the APS Board of Education a few weeks after he was placed on administrative leave in early August.
The suit says Moya raised concerns about a contract awarded to a Denver company whose chief operating officer had worked with the newly hired deputy.
Moya's attorney contends Skandera and Valentino conspired against Moya.
The Albuquerque Journal reports that Moya will remain an APS employee at least through Feb. 15.
Santa Fe Judge Steps Aside After Insulting Prosecutor – Associated Press
A Santa Fe judge has removed himself from a high-profile case after insulting a prosecutor.
State District Judge T. Glenn Ellington told Deputy District Attorney Jason Lidyard last month that a case "might be above your pay grade." He made the remark during a hearing on a proposed plea agreement for Santa Fe Police Lt Jason Wagner.
Ellington on Wednesday said his statement was unprofessional and issued a public apology.
Attorney John Day, who represents the police officer, made a motion calling for Ellington to remove himself from the case. Day says other remarks by Ellington infringed on Wagner's right to an impartial trial judge.
Ellington denied the motion but handed Lidyard a notice saying he recused himself for other reasons.
Ellington also has received attention for his recent sentencing of former New Mexico Secretary of State Dianna Duran.
Disgraced Official Ready To Surrender In New Mexico – Associated Press
Former New Mexico Secretary of State Dianna Duran is promising to turn herself in at a county jail to serve 30 days as partial punishment for siphoning money from her election account to fuel a gambling addiction.
She has been ordered to report Friday morning to the Santa Fe County Adult Correctional Facility.
Duran, once among the state's top elected officials, is expected sleep in a 6-by-8-foot cell and wear khaki scrubs.
The 60-year-old from Tularosa resigned from office in October, and she pleaded guilty to felony counts of embezzlement and money laundering. The transgressions have led to calls for a major overhaul of state campaign finance and ethics laws.
Under a plea agreement, Duran had the opportunity to withdraw her pleas, but she did not do so.
Gallup City Council Votes To Develop Downtown – Gallup Independent, Associated Press
The Gallup City Council is moving forward with plans to redevelop downtown in hopes of revitalizing the area.
The Gallup Independent reports that that council on Tuesday approved the Metropolitan Redevelopment Area Plan and Arts and Cultural District Plan.
The plans, which are separate but similar in purpose, detail a series of specific projects as well as funding sources for the project.
The redevelopment plan outlines some ways to finance the projects such as low income tax credits, a tax increment financing district and tax deferrals as an incentive for new business.
The council decided to look more in depth into a financing district at a later date.
Report Questions Effectiveness Of Reading Program – Santa Fe New Mexican
A study presented to lawmakers on Thursday questions the effectiveness of a state reading program design to boost reading scores among students living in poverty.
The Santa Few New Mexican reports the study evaluated the K-3 Plus Program, which the Public Education Department supports with $24 million. PED is looking to add an additional $29 million to the effort in the upcoming legislative session.
Damon Cann, an associate professor of political science at Utah State University, presented a five-year study of the program. He found students made significant short-term gains in reading, writing and math. But he found it’s not having a long-term impact.
He said he estimates only 65 percent of students are still in the program by third grade. It’s also difficult to recruit teachers for the summer classes, he said. Also students often change schools and districts.
Students who stayed with the same teacher after completing the program fared much better in writing and in math.
Sexual Assault Evidence Languishes In New Mexico – By Morgan Lee, Associated Press
New Mexico state auditors have tracked down 5,406 evidence kits from rapes and sexual assaults that never were tested for DNA to help identify criminals.
The tally was announced Friday by state Auditor Tim Keller.
His oversight agency has conducted an exhaustive search for the untested sexual assault kits at law enforcement agencies across the state after earlier inquiries went partially unanswered.
Auditors plan to review internal controls that led to the backlog and identify ways to speed up the testing and analysis of evidence.
Supreme Court Will Not Take Up Textbook Case – Santa Fe New Mexican
The state Supreme Court will not revisit a case that sought to end federal funds going to buy textbooks in private schools.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports the court ruled last month that the practices violated the state constitution. Some 100 private schools around the state use up to $1.8 million in federal funds for textbooks.
A case filed four years ago by parents of public school students sought to end the practice, arguing it siphons money away from public schools.
The New Mexico Association of Non-Public Schools, supported by a religious liberties group in Washington, D.C., sought to have the court rehear the case. The group argued the state has no authority over the federal funds, which come from mineral leases.
But the court said the federal funds flow through New Mexico’s general fund and that gives state lawmakers authority over spending the funds.