Man Dies After Being Shot By Bernalillo County Deputy – The Associated Press
A Bernalillo County Sheriff's deputy is on paid administrative leave following a south valley shooting that left one man dead.
The Albuquerque Journal reports deputies responded to a neighbor's call that an argument was taking place in a parked car. Deputies talked to the woman and tried to talk to the man, who then produced a weapon.
Sheriff Manny Gonzales said neither the deputy nor the man has been identified. The deputy fired several rounds at the suspect. He was hit once, and pronounced dead early Sunday morning at University of New Mexico Hospital.
No one has been arrested, and the investigation is ongoing.
Los Alamos Lab Worker Seriously Burned In Accident – The Associated Press
A Los Alamos National Laboratory employee is in critical condition after being burned in an accident that also sent eight other workers to the hospital.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that lab spokesman Kevin Roarke says the accident happened around noon Sunday and is being investigated.
Los Alamos Medical Center Director of Marketing Mary Beth Maasan says one patient was transported to the burn unit of the New Mexico University Medical Center and another was admitted to the Los Alamos hospital in stable condition.
Seven others were treated and released.
The accident was at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center, a late 1960s building that contains a linear accelerator.
The center has been cited for safety issues, including a 2012 incident when a worker unknowingly opened a canister containing uncontrolled radioactive material.
Most New Mexico Teachers Still Rated Effective Or Better – The Associated Press
State officials say nearly three-fourths of New Mexico's teachers rated "effective" or better under a much-debated evaluation system partly based on student achievement.
The New Mexico Public Education Department announced Monday that around 47 percent of teacher evaluated were deemed effective while 24 percent were graded highly effective.
Around 2.5 percent were rated "exemplary."
About 26 percent of teachers were graded "minimally effective" or "ineffective."
According to the report, a slightly smaller percentage of teachers rated as "effective" compared to last year.
Public Education Secretary Hanna Skandera told The Associated Press the report is a "game changer" since it utilized data like teacher attendance and surveys, although districts can decide how that information is used.
Earlier this year, a state appeals court refused to block New Mexico's teacher evaluation system amid criticism from some educators and union officials.
Spaceport To Explore New Ideas To Earn Revenue - The Associated Press
New Mexico Spaceport Authority executive director Christine Anderson will present new strategies next month for generating revenue for the multi-million dollar spaceport.
The Albuquerque Journal reports that the revised five-year business plan calls for Spaceport to look for new tenants, market the facility for commercial filming and open up for tourism.
Spaceport America's hopes have been tied to anchor tenant Virgin Galactic, which is developing a spaceship.
But Virgin Galactic suffered a huge setback last fall when a rocket-powered spacecraft broke apart during a test flight in the California desert, killing one pilot.
Taxes imposed in Dona Ana and Sierra counties have helped pay for the spaceport. Some lawmakers say they're tired of taxpayers footing the bill.
Anderson says the goal is to rely less on legislative-approved funding.
Valencia County Attorney Charges Parents For Kids' Truancy – The Associated Press and KOAT-TV
Valencia County District Attorney Lemuel Martinez says charging parents of children who are habitually truant is working.
KOAT-TV reports that District Attorney Lemuel Martinez says truancy rates are dropping after he recently charged 180 parents with children enrolled in Los Lunas schools.
Martinez says the parents face a charge of knowingly allowing their child to miss 10 days of school without a legitimate excuse.
Martinez says he wants to make parents aware, not punish them.
The parents receive letters from the school district before they are charged.
Martinez says the first offense calls for a $100 fine and community service. A second offense can lead to a petty misdemeanor charge.
Need For Funding For Aging Roads Looms Over New Mexico - The Associated Press and Albuquerque Journal
The number of repairs and reconstruction needed for New Mexico's aging roads is far outpacing the funding available for such projects.
The Albuquerque Journal reports that the state's road fund received roughly $381 million last year, $5 million less than the year prior.
Meanwhile, a national research group recently stated that just immediate road work alone amounts to $730 million.
Transportation officials say the road fund primarily gets money from gasoline tax revenues, which have stayed flat for the past decade.
They say more fuel-efficient vehicles are leading to drivers buying less at the pump.
State lawmakers say it is inevitable that New Mexico will have to find ways to increase funding for infrastructure improvements.
New Mexico last raised the state fuel tax in 1993.
New Mexico Veterans Hired To Prevent, Fight Wildfires - The Associated Press and Santa Fe New Mexican
Several New Mexico military veterans are back on the field but the only enemy they are fighting is fire.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that the state's Returning Heroes program has trained 25 veterans to help battle wildfires.
The veterans have been learning new skills while also working on prescribed burns and forest-thinning projects.
Now in its first full year of operation, the State Forestry Division's program was established in 2013 to help get vets back to work.
Gov. Susana Martinez and lawmakers approved more than $1.8 million in funding to maintain the program for two years.
The state says it is seeking other partnerships to find work for 4,000 unemployed veterans.
Las Cruces Visitors Bureau Surprised By Mural - The Associated Press and Las Cruces Sun-News
Las Cruces tourism officials say they will not interfere with an unannounced mural going up on the building they occupy.
The Las Cruces Sun-News reports that a group of artists say the owner of the building that houses the Las Cruces Convention and Visitors Bureau gave them permission to paint the mural over the weekend.
The mural shows a woman surrounded by flowers and birds.
The Visitors Bureau initially threatened to cover it up Friday.
But Bureau executive director Philip San Filippo now says it's the owner's right to allow a mural but he would have liked input on the design.
He says the attorney who owns the building may not have informed them because he has been sick with strep throat and bronchitis.
Saturday Night Power Outage In Las Cruces Caused By Balloon - The Associated Press
Utility crews say a mylar balloon was responsible for an hour-long power outage Saturday night that affected thousands of Las Cruces residents.
El Paso Electric spokesman George De La Torre tells the Las Cruces Sun-News that the power went out around 7:55 p.m.
He says about 5,000 customers in central and south Las Cruces had no electricity.
De La Torre says crews determined the balloon, which can be purchased at any grocery store, touched a transformer.
Power was restored shortly after 9 p.m., in time for the Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao boxing match which was available on Pay-Per-View.
Albuquerque Police Seek Fugitive Sexual Assault Suspect - The Associated Press
Albuquerque police say they have issued a warrant for a man accused of raping and beating a 75-year-old woman.
Police spokesman Simon Drobik says 55-year-old Ernest Casias was supposed to surrender to police Saturday but never showed up.
He is being charged with multiple counts including attempted murder and aggravated criminal sexual penetration.
Drobik says Casias allegedly raped the woman in her home and then beat her with a hammer on March 7.
Police doing a welfare check found her covered in blood. According to a criminal complaint, she suffered a broken nose, fractured neck and had her dentures knocked out. She is still recovering in a hospital.
Drobik says Casias worked for the victim as a handyman.
He says anyone caught harboring Casias will be charged with a felony.
Man Suspected Of Trying To Rob Santa Fe Bank Arrested - The Associated Press
A 30-year-old man has been arrested in connection with an attempted robbery of a Santa Fe bank.
FBI spokesman Frank Fisher says Anthony Quintana was arrested at a Santa Fe motel by local police Saturday.
Quintana, of Santa Fe, has a hearing in federal court pending.
Fisher says Quintana is suspected of trying to rob a Wells Fargo bank on April 7.
He did not release further details.
Suspect Shot Dead By Victim In Albuquerque Home Invasion - The Associated Press
One of three suspects in an Albuquerque home invasion has died after he and a victim exchanged gunfire.
Albuquerque police said Saturday that 37-year-old Carlos Menchaca was pronounced dead at a hospital after he was shot while allegedly carrying out a robbery.
Police spokesman Simon Drobik says Menchaca and two others knocked on the door of a home Friday night before robbing the roommates living there at gunpoint.
Drobik says Menchaca was shot by one roommate after the suspects allegedly shot and injured another.
The injured roommate is in critical condition.
No arrests have been made.
One suspect who fled is described as a Hispanic male in his 20s, weighing 170 pounds and between 5-foot-9 and 5-foot-10.
Drobik says police don't have a description yet of the third suspect.
Committee Oks Santa Fe Gender-Neutral Bathroom Proposal - The Associated Press and Santa Fe New Mexican
A proposal to establish gender-neutral restrooms in Santa Fe has passed one hurdle.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that Mayor Javier Gonzales' initiative barely passed Monday before a City Council committee.
The public works committee voted 3-2 in favor of the restrooms, which are meant to cater to the transgender community.
The proposed ordinance calls for businesses and government buildings to label single-occupancy restrooms as family restrooms that could be used by anyone, regardless of gender. The designation would not apply to restrooms with multiple stalls.
The proposal includes an added provision in which the city would study how much it would cost to give family restroom signs to businesses.
Gonzales, who is openly gay, first announced his proposal during his State of the City address in February.