New Mexico Spaceport Sets Sights On New Customers - Susan Montoya Bryan, The Associated Press
There was a scramble to get everything ready for the launch of the world's first commercial flights from Spaceport America.
That came to a screeching halt last month when Virgin Galactic's spaceship broke up over the California desert during a test flight.
Now the New Mexico Spaceport Authority is scrambling again. This time, the focus is on drawing more tenants to the nearly quarter-billion-dollar spaceport and maintaining support among the state's lawmakers.
The authority's executive director, Christine Anderson, learned this week she might have to do that one legislator at a time.
Anderson acknowledged Friday that her agency needs to do a better job of getting its message across and one of the important parts will be fostering more cooperation with business leaders as the search continues for new tenants.
EPA Says Farmington Plant Violating Law - The Farmington Daily Times, The Associated Press
Farmington officials are disputing the Environmental Protection Agency's claim that a local power plant violated water pollution laws.
The Daily Times reports that the EPA said Friday that the agency is working with Farmington to address the Animas Power Plant's violation of the Clean Water Act.
Farmington Electric Utility System director Michael Sims says the plant is in compliance.
EPA spokeswoman Jennah Durant says the power plant is listed as being in violation because of a reporting error.
Durant says the plant failed to report it wasn't using a pipe that had been built to discharge effluent into the river.
Sims says the city never received a violation notice from the federal agency.
The Clean Water Act establishes guidelines for regulating discharge of pollutants into natural water.
UNM Students Killed In Collision With Stolen Truck - The Associated Press
University of New Mexico officials say two students were killed and two other students injured in a collision involving a stolen truck.
UNM spokeswoman Dianne Anderson confirmed Sunday that all four people riding in a sedan that was T-boned in a Friday night crash were current students.
According to a criminal complaint, Briana Hillard, who was driving the sedan, died at the scene. Matthew Grant underwent surgery but was pronounced dead.
Police say Julia Thompson and Joseph Mendoza remain in critical condition.
Albuquerque police say 21-year-old Joshua Leal was driving the truck when it crashed, overturning the sedan.
Leal and a 16-year-old male passenger fled but were captured a short time later.
Leal was booked on several charges including vehicular homicide. The boy also faces similar charges.
New Mexico Man Among 32 New Rhodes Scholars - The Associated Press
A New Mexico man whose passions are pediatric oncology and researching cancer cell growth is among the 32 American students selected as the newest U.S. Rhodes Scholars.
Peter N. Kalugin, of Albuquerque, will use the scholarship to obtain a master's degree in oncology at Oxford University in England. The Johns Hopkins University senior is currently majoring in molecular and cellular biology as well mathematics.
The prestigious Rhodes Scholarships provide all expenses for two or three years of study at Oxford.
Also a Goldwater Scholar, Kalugin completed a thesis on brain tumor biology. He plays the alto saxophone, speaks five languages and has volunteered in orphanages in Mongolia and Nepal.
This year's Rhodes Scholars, who were announced Sunday, were selected from 877 applicants endorsed by 305 colleges and universities.
Albuquerque Officer In Shooting Stripped Of Badge – The Associated Press
An Albuquerque officer who fatally shot a 19-year-old woman and did not record the encounter as required has been placed on administrative leave.
KOB-TV reports that officer Jeremy Dear recently was stripped of his badge and gun but officials aren't saying why.
Authorities say Dear shot and killed suspected truck thief Mary Hawkes following an April 21 chase.
Police say Hawkes pulled a weapon on Dear, prompting the officer to fire his gun.
A toxicology report later showed Hawkes had a high concentration of methamphetamine in her system.
The shooting evoked outcry because of the lack of video from Dear's lapel camera.
Dear's attorney, Thomas Grover, says the department alleged his client violated some orders concerning cameras and citizen contacts.
Woman's Child Abandonment Conviction Overturned – The Associated Press
An appellate court ruling says it's not a crime under New Mexico's child abandonment law to put a 2-year-old child to bed in a locked bedroom and ignore the child's cries during the night.
The state Court of Appeals overturned Jennifer Stephenson's child abandonment conviction in a Santa Fe County case.
She'd put her son to bed and went to sleep in her own room. During the night, he climbed onto a dresser which tipped over and pinned his legs.
Stephenson took the boy to a hospital in the morning after the father discovered the boy was pinned.
Doctors said the boy's injuries indicated he'd been pinned for hours and would have been screaming.
The appellate court said Tuesday it's not abandonment when a person means to return.
New Mexico Governor Appoints New Cabinet Members – The Associated Press
Gov. Susana Martinez will have four new cabinet members when she begins her second term in office.
She announced Friday that Scott Verhines is stepping down as state engineer. She has appointed Tom Blaine to the post. Blaine is currently the director of the Environmental Health Division in the New Mexico Environment Department.
Art Allison is stepping down as secretary of the Department of Indian Affairs. Kelly Zunie will take his place, making her the first woman to head the agency.
Jay Mitchell will replace Greg Myers as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. Mitchell is an Air Force veteran.
The governor also named Brent Earnest as secretary of the Human Services Department. He will replace Sidonie Squier, who announced her resignation earlier this month.
The changes take effect Dec. 1.
1 Injured After Small Plane Crashes In Los Lunas – The Associated Press
Authorities say one person was injured after a small plane flipped over while landing at the Mid Valley Airpark in Los Lunas.
New Mexico State Police say the right tire of the fixed wing plane gave way while the pilot was landing the single-engine aircraft Friday morning.
They say that caused the plane to leave the runway and it ran into an irrigation ditch before flipping onto its roof.
Police say the woman passenger was taken to a hospital with undisclosed injuries, but man piloting the plane wasn't injured.
The names of the pilot and passenger weren't immediately released.