New Mexico Attorney General Balderas Outlines Agenda
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Newly elected New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas says he is reviewing the practice of allowing private lawyers to file lawsuits on behalf of the AG's office.
Balderas said Thursday that he was aware of a New York Times story in December that showed how more attorneys general are hiring private law firms to file lawsuits. The story, which featured former New Mexico Attorney General Gary King, reported that some of the private lawyers also donated to campaigns of attorneys general.
Balderas says he would examine whether the practice compromised the integrity of the office and will decide if his office should "reform any process."
Albuquerque Officer Critically Injured After Shooting - The Associated Press
Albuquerque police say an undercover detective is in critical condition after being shot by another undercover officer while conducting a narcotics operation.
The shooting happened just before noon Friday near a busy intersection on the city's southeast side.
Police Chief Gordon Eden says preliminary information shows both officers were working undercover and were in plain clothes when the shooting happened. He had no other details about the circumstances that led to the shooting and he did not release the names of the officers.
The shooting happened as unmarked police vehicles surrounded a car in the parking lot of a fast food restaurant around midday. Witnesses inside said they heard a series of gunshots and it was not long before dozens of officers had the area surrounded.
The two suspects involved in the drug bust were taken into custody.
This marks the second shooting of an officer in Albuquerque in less than a week.
Autopsy: Slain New Mexico Deputy Shot Up To 5 Times - The Associated Press
An autopsy says a New Mexico sheriff's deputy who authorities say a fellow deputy killed in a hotel was shot multiple times in the back and had other injuries that appeared related to a fight.
The report released Thursday says Santa Fe County sheriff's Deputy Jeremy Martin says suffered four to five gunshot wounds and bruises and scrapes on his body, including to his face and hands.
Authorities say former Deputy Tai Chan fatally shot Martin at a hotel in the southern New Mexico city of Las Cruces in October after they drank at a nightspot and got into a heated argument.
Police said the two deputies were staying at the hotel after dropping off a prisoner in Arizona.
Chan has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder.
New Mexico Lawmakers Propose More Money For Education – The Associated Press
A legislative committee has recommended boosting funding for education and child welfare initiatives with a budget proposal that would increase overall spending in New Mexico by $140 million next year.
The plan from the Legislative Finance Committee provides for an additional $71 million in general funds for public schools and $25 million for expanding programs that specifically target early childhood initiatives such as prekindergarten programs.
The budget proposal will form the foundation for the Legislature's spending decisions when lawmakers convene for a 60-day session on Jan. 20.
Republican Gov. Susana Martinez has also said education will be a priority.
Lawmakers warned Friday the drop in oil prices has resulted in uncertainty about how much the state will actually have to spend in the next fiscal year and more adjustments are expected once the session starts.
New Mexico Records First Deaths Of 2014-2015 Flu Season - The Associated Press
New Mexico has recorded its first flu-related deaths of the season.
The state Department of Health says it has identified five flu-related deaths in four counties so far in the 2014-2015 flu season.
The deaths involved a 29-year-old man from Curry County, a 79-year-old woman from Sandoval County, a 92-year-old woman from Los Alamos County and 81-year-old and 86-year-old women from Bernalillo County.
The department also reports an increase in flu activity statewide and says it's not too late to get vaccinated.
Health Secretary Retta Ward says the department recommends vaccinations for everyone 6 months old and older.
During the 2013-2014 flu season, the department identified 242 pneumonia- and influenza-related deaths, including one child.
Police: Albuquerque Officer Paid For Homeless Family's Hotel – The Associated Press
Police say an Albuquerque officer who found a homeless woman and a 2-year-old child living in a car used her own money to pay for a hotel to shelter them.
The department said Friday that Officer Esther Garcia found the pair in September after receiving a call about them in car.
The woman told Garcia she has been evicted from her home and had custody of her sister's child due to the child's mother having drug issues. Police say the woman also told Garcia that she was living in her vehicle until she could get her assistance check from the state.
Authorities say Garcia used her own money to rent a hotel room for the two for an entire week and then helped her with paperwork to file for assistance.
Gov. Martinez Backs 'Right-To-Work' Proposals For New Mexico – The Associated Press
New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez is voicing support for proposals barring private- and public-sector workers from being required to join unions as a condition for employment.
The Albuquerque Journal reports the Republican governor said Thursday she'll push for right-to-work legislation in the upcoming session.
Three Republican lawmakers have pre-filed a bill that would cover both private- and public-sector workers. Another Republican legislator has a proposal that would affect only private-sector employees.
Martinez told an Albuquerque business audience it's wrong to require union membership in order to get a job or to take money from workers' paychecks "by force."
Supporters say the legislation would spur economic growth and attract businesses to the state. Opponents say it's an attack on unions and won't create jobs or save the state any money.
Lyons Refuses To Recuse Himself From PNM Case
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Public Regulation Commissioner Patrick Lyons says he will not recuse himself from the case involving the closure of two units at a coal-fired power plant in northwestern New Mexico.
Lyons denied accusations that he had any improper communication with PNM, the utility that operates the San Juan Generating Station. The environmental group New Energy Economy had sought his recusal.
Lyons said in a filing this week with the commission that he has not prejudged the case and will be able to make a fair and impartial decision.
The commission began taking testimony Monday on a proposal that calls for shutting down part of San Juan to curb haze-causing pollution and replacing the lost power with a mix of coal-fired generation, nuclear power, natural gas and solar.
New Mexico Senate Leader: Student Retention Plan Still Bad
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez says he remains against a plan by Gov. Susana Martinez to end social promotion in New Mexico schools.
The Belen Democrat wrote in an opinion piece Thursday that student retention should be based on teachers' assessments, not reading test scores. Sanchez also says studies show that retained students are more likely to drop out of school.
He says Public Education Secretary Hanna Skandera isn't listening to teachers' concerns.
His comments come after Senate President Pro-tem Mary Kay Papen said last week she thought Senate Democrats and Martinez could come to an agreement on education reforms.
NM Regulators Approve $53M Transmission Project
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico regulators have cleared the way for a $53 million high-voltage transmission project in southeastern New Mexico.
Xcel Energy says it has experienced a lot of growth in Eddy and Lea counties over the past several years. Much of that is a the result of an oil boom in the Permian Basin and increased mining activity.
Xcel spokesman Wes Reeves says the area where much of the energy development has occurred lacked adequate transmission infrastructure. The new project will help address that need.
In addition to adding high-voltage lines, Xcel is building new lower-voltage distribution lines that will serve oilfield customers.
Reeves says the utility anticipate long-term development in the area, and transmission infrastructure investments are necessary to sustain economic growth into the future.
Albuquerque Residents Set Recycling Record In December
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Albuquerque is celebrating a boost in its recycling efforts.
City officials say the solid waste department picked up more than 6.6 million pounds of recycling material from residential customers during the month of December. That marks a record and represents an 11 percent increase over December 2013.
Last month's collection also exceeded the city's goal of 3,200 tons by 4 percent.
Officials say during the last fiscal year, Albuquerque's recycling program collected nearly 70 percent more material over fiscal year 2013 through its blue recycling carts.
In the first six months of the current fiscal year, residents have already increased the amount of material they recycle by 13 percent.
Balloon Pilots Wait Out Weather For Record Attempt
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A patch of rough weather over the Pacific Ocean has forced two veteran pilots trying to break a pair of records to delay the launch of their helium-filled balloon.
Albuquerque pilot Troy Bradley and colleague Leonid Tiukhtyaev of Russia planned to lift off from Saga, Japan.
Their team at mission control in Albuquerque said Thursday the pilots do not want to compromise their safety and are watching for a break in the weather.
The pilots are aiming for the shores of North America, an attempt that puts them on course to break the ballooning distance record of 5,208 miles.
They're also looking to break the flight-duration record set in 1978 when Ben Abruzzo, Maxie Anderson and Larry Newman made the first trans-Atlantic balloon flight.
New Mexico Tribe Agrees To 22-Year Compact For Its Casino
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Acoma Pueblo says it has reached an agreement with Gov. Susana Martinez's administration on a gambling compact.
Tribal officials say the deal would increase the percentage of revenue it shares with the state from operating a casino west of Albuquerque.
Under the current compact the tribe shares 8 percent of its revenue from slot machines.
Under the proposed new agreement, that would increase to 8.5 percent through 2018, then 8.75 percent through 2030 and 9.5 percent through 2037 in the compact's final year.
Bus Crashes Into House In Area Plagued By Accidents- The Albuquerque Journal
Antonia Lucero was lying on her couch Thursday morning when her entire house started shaking. She thought it was an earthquake. It wasn’t. A city bus carrying five passengers crashed through the front of her house, knocked her off the couch and sent her crawling into her kitchen. Gilbert Montaño, Mayor Richard Berry’s chief of staff, said that a van traveling southbound on Girard ran a red light and T-boned the bus traveling eastbound on Coal.
Eight people were injured – the bus driver, the passengers, the man driving the van and Lucero. Seven of them were transported to the hospital, but none of the injuries was serious, Montaño said.