Fired Albuquerque Officer Faces Excessive Force Lawsuit - The Associated Press
A former Albuquerque police officer, who fatally shot a 19-year-old woman last year and was fired for insubordination, is being sued for excessive force in another case.
Lawyers for Dennis Shoemaker filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Albuquerque last week against Jeremy Dear stemming from a 2013 arrest.
According to court documents, Shoemaker got into a fight in downtown Albuquerque with group of men when Dear came over to break it up. However, the lawsuit alleges Dear never identified himself and punched Shoemaker.
Documents say Shoemaker suffered a chipped tooth and was arrested for battery on a peace officer. The lawsuit says police never released video footage of the arrest.
Dear was fired in November for untruthfulness after the shooting death of 19-year-old Mary Hawkes.
Dear's attorney, David Roman, did not immediately return a phone message from The Associated Press.
Governor Appoints 2 University Of New Mexico Regents - The Associated Press
Republican Gov. Susana Martinez has reappointed Democrat Jamie Koch to a seat on the University of New Mexico Board of Regents.
Martinez's office announced the appointment Friday.
She also named Marron Lee, a former federal prosecutor, to another seat on the board.
Koch's reappointment was confirmed by the Senate during the legislative session but he ended up firing off a resignation letter to Martinez in March. He disagreed with a Senate committee's rationale for refusing to confirm another regent because of political activity.
Martinez says she understood Koch's frustration.
Koch tells the Albuquerque Journal the decision to rejoin the board didn't come easily but the university is facing budgetary matters that must be dealt with.
Koch fills a four-year position on the board. Lee's post is for six years.
Spring Reservoir Releases Mean More Water For Santa Fe River - The Associated Press
Planned releases from Nicholas Reservoir this spring will mean more water for the Santa Fe River.
Utility officials say the releases will be managed to keep the reservoir at an acceptable level to ensure a buffer against snowmelt and other runoff as temperatures warm up.
They also say the releases will allow construction to move forward on a new intake tower at McClure Reservoir. That work will allow future runoff to be captured and treated for drinking water and irrigation needs and to boost river flows.
Under a city ordinance, up to 1,000 acre-feet can flow through Santa Fe and beyond.
For the current year, snowpack runoff was forecast at about 60 percent of average. Current flows will enable the city to meet this year's flow objectives.