Governor Calls For Balanced Reforms To Save Scholarships - Susan Montoya Bryan, Associated Press
Gov. Susana Martinez has vetoed legislation that would have allowed for unclaimed prize money to be transferred to New Mexico's lottery tuition fund.
Lawmakers failed to address the solvency of the lottery scholarship program during the recent 30-day session. They did approve the unclaimed prizes measure, saying it had the potential to boost the fund by more than $2 million but that's not enough to close the funding gap.
In her veto message, the governor said she supported the spirit of the legislation but that signing it would result in less money for lottery officials to invest in new games and offer higher payouts that could increase revenue for the scholarships.
As in other states, New Mexico lottery revenues haven't kept up with tuition increases and demand for financial aid.
The Latest: 2 Escaped Convicts Seen On Video In Albuquerque – The Associated Press
New Mexico State Police say two violent escaped convicts were spotted on surveillance video in Albuquerque hours after they managed to flee from a prison tranpsort van.
Sgt. Elizabeth Armijo says surveillance video shot at around 4:30 this morning shows 32-year-old Joseph Cruz and 29-year-old Lionel Clah at an Albuquerque intersection.
Both men were last accounted for by corrections officers around 8:30 last night at least 200 miles away between Roswell and Las Cruces. They were shackled and wearing white jumpsuits.
Court records show Cruz was serving a life sentence for a first-degree murder cwhile Clah pleaded guilty in 2009 to armed robbery.
In the video, Clah is wearing a maroon or red shirt, blue jeans and a hooded sweatshirt. Cruz is wearing a tan or brown shirt or jacket, jeans and glasses.
New Mexico Names New Public Safety Chief – The Associated Press
The governor of New Mexico has appointed Scott Weaver to lead the Public Safety Department amid a statewide manhunt for a convicted murderer and another violent inmate who fled from a prisoner transport van.
Gov. Susana Martinez announced Thursday the promotion of Weaver to secretary from acting secretary.
Weaver will oversee the State Police, Motor Transportation Police and the Law Enforcement Academy. He previously managed state forensics laboratories in Santa Fe, Las Cruces, and Hobbs, and was a State Police officer from 1994 to 2015.
Weaver helped brief reporters Thursday on the search for the two fugitive prison inmates and the State Police investigation into their escape. State officials said prisoners Joseph Cruz and Lionel Clah went missing between Roswell and Las Cruces and should be considered armed and dangerous.
Man Launches State Rep. Campaign While On Ankle Monitor – The Associated Press & KOB
An Albuquerque man is campaigning for a state representative seat despite the monitor on his ankle.
KOB-TV reports that Democrat Christopher Berkheimer is looking to unseat incumbent Rep. Christine Trujillo, also an Albuquerque Democrat. He is currently in the Community Custody Program for violating a protection order against him.
On Wednesday, Berkheimer said the protection order was meant to keep him from seeing his daughter. He chose to visit her at Christmas anyway. He said he expects a judge to get rid of the protection order at a hearing later this month.
Berkheimer also has prior charges of DWI, battery, and resigned from his judgeship in New Mexico in 2007 amid sexual harassment allegations.
Trujillo was unavailable for comment.
NMSU Officials Propose Tuition Increased, Budget Cuts – The Associated Press & The Las Cruces Sun-News
New Mexico State University officials are proposing tuition increases and budget cuts to cope with a smaller budget in the upcoming fiscal year.
The Las Cruces Sun-News reports that NMSU administrators are expected to ask the Board of Regents to approve one of three tuition-increase scenarios for the 2016-17 school year. Tuition increases in the proposals range from zero to 5 percent and budget cuts would be $10.6 million to $7.4 million.
The state Legislature cut higher education spending by $5.1 million, reducing the NMSU system's budget for fiscal year 2017 by $1.2 million.
NMSU's total approved budget for the main campus is about $531 million.
Gov. Martinez Vetoes More Than 150 Capital Outlay Projects – Associated Press
Gov. Susana Martinez has rejected more than 150 capital outlay projects which she called "pork."
The Republican governor issued the line-item vetoes Wednesday before signing a number of bills that authorized funding for hundreds of projects around the state.
In her executive message, Martinez said she struck down the items because they didn't create jobs or develop the state.
Among the rejected projects were $5,000 for band instruments at a Las Vegas high school and $20,000 to renovate facilities and buy zoo animals in Clovis.
She also declined an $8 million request for a new health education building at the University of New Mexico's Rio Rancho campus.
New Mexico Gov. Martinez Signs Version Of 'Kendra's Law' – Associated Press
New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez has signed a bill that would require some state residents with severe mental illness to receive court-ordered outpatient treatment.
Martinez signed the bill Wednesday after advocates for years have tried to get lawmakers to pass a similar measure.
New Mexico was one of only five states that didn't have a version of a Kendra's Law — a bill named after Kendra Webdale. She was a 32-year-old woman who was pushed in front of an oncoming New York subway train in 1999 by a man battling untreated schizophrenia.
The New Mexico bill orders some patients to participate in assisted outpatient treatment if the court finds that the patients are a danger to themselves and others.
State Auditors Raises Concerns Over Charter Schools – Santa Fe New Mexican
A report by the State Auditor’s office finds problems with internal financial controls at many charter schools around the state.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports State Auditor Tim Keller is concerned about the financial oversight of charter schools and problems that aren’t being addressed by the Public Education Department.
The 2014 audit of 55 state-charted schools found issues such as missing records about vendor contracts, a lack of background checks on staff and education assistants without licenses on file.
A spokeswoman for the State Auditor’s Office said a 2015 audit will be released soon and it’s expected to highlight more issues. She said Keller is considering “additional actions to increase accountability for charter school oversight.”
APS Board Debates Transgender Proposal – Albuquerque Journal
The Albuquerque Public School board erupted at its meeting Wednesday night over a proposal to allow transgender students select restrooms and locker rooms based on their gender identity.
The Albuquerque Journal reports comments by board member Peggy Muller-Aragón about children being exposed to body parts of the opposite sex shocked some fellow board members and activists.
Muller-Aragon wants exemption forms for parents who object to the proposal. Fellow board member Steven Michael Quezada compared discrimination against LGBTQ people to racism.
The new directive is designed to conform with the federal Title IX law. It includes providing instruction on gender-based discrimination, using names and pronouns that align with students’ gender identity and ensuring students and parents can access all programs and activities and be protected from discrimination.
The document now goes to the APS superintendent’s leadership committee.
Memorial Service Held For New Mexico Health Secretary – Associated Press
Family, friends and colleagues have gathered in Santa Fe to remember New Mexico Health Secretary Retta Ward.
Gov. Susana Martinez was among those at the memorial service Wednesday. The governor ordered flags to fly at half-staff from sunrise to sunset in honor of Ward.
The executive order cited Ward's dedication to the people of New Mexico and her passion and quiet confidence in bringing people together in hopes of improving public health across the state.
Before being appointed health secretary in 2013, Ward led the state's Aging and Long-term Services Department.
Authorities suspect the 62-year-old Ward died of a medical episode while she was driving on the city's northern side last week. She was found unresponsive inside her vehicle after it went off the road.
New Mexico Says Oil Company Trespassed, Left Spill – Associated Press
New Mexico regulators are ordering a Midland, Texas-based company to clean a spill of oil and water on state trust lands in Lea County at a waste-water injection site serving the area's oil and natural gas industry.
The State Land Office on Wednesday accused Texas-based Siana Operating LLC of trespassing under an expired lease of state trust lands in southeastern New Mexico and delivered a cease and desist order. The agency says Siana's lease expired in December 2011 for the skim facility that separates oil from excess water delivered from oil and gas drilling operations.
A Siana representative says the company was aware of the order and is considering its response. The State Land Office has given Siana until march 18 to obtain an entry permit to remediate damage.