Efforts To Rename Hobbs Street After MLK Hits Snag – The Associated Press and Hobbs News-Sun
Despite vocal support a Hobbs official says the southeastern New Mexico city has not received any formal request to rename a portion of a busy street in honor of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
The Hobbs News-Sun reports that Hobbs development director Kevin Robinson made the announcement this week at a city commissioners meeting, putting the future of the renaming in doubt.
Robinson says his office has received inquiries about the name change. But he says three-fourths of the property owners within the affected area would have to sign a petition in favor of the name change.
David Anchondo, owner of an income tax business on the street, says he was against the proposal. He says the name change would result in a loss of income and devaluation of property.
New Mexico AG Weighs In On Coal-Fired Power Plant Proposal - The Associated Press
New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas is weighing in on the dispute over how to fill the electricity void that will be left by the partial closure of the San Juan Generating Station.
Albuquerque city councilors voted 6-3 Monday to adopt a resolution to withdraw support for a plan proposed by Public Service Co. of New Mexico.
The resolution voiced concerns about replacing some of the lost power with more coal generation.
The city was the latest entity to come out in opposition of PNM's plan.
The utility argues it's the most cost-effective plan for ratepayers.
Balderas said Tuesday his office has asked the state Public Regulation Commission to require PNM to submit a finalized restructuring agreement by May 1 or submit an alternate plan.
NMSU Regents OK Tuition Hike, Spending Cuts - The Associated Press
New Mexico State University regents have approved a 2.4 percent tuition increase and a plan to cut $9 million in spending amid falling student enrollment.
Regents voted Monday 4-1 on the increase and a blueprint to reduce staff through attrition and a hiring moratorium that took effect last month.
The tuition increase translates to an additional $72 per semester for an in-state undergraduate student carrying 12 credit hours.
Officials say fall semester enrollment at NMSU has dropped 13 percent over five years.
Last month, UNM regents voted to cut health care benefits for some employees and pursue a plan to offer "selective strategic pricing."
NMSU also hopes to offset falling enrollment by marketing to students in Mexico and China.
New Mexico GOP Sends Fundraising Letter On Clinton's Run - The Associated Press
Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has not officially announced that she will seek the Democratic nomination for president.
But the Republican Party of New Mexico is already acting like she has.
The state's GOP arm sent out a fundraising letter Tuesday that warned supporters Clinton will seek the nomination. The letter says Clinton used her personal email account to hide information and alleges that she put the nation's national security at risk.
In anticipation of her announcement, Republican Party of New Mexico said it was building up its "Hillary Clinton Truth Fund to tell the whole story."
Clinton's super PAC is expected to wind down its operations after she announces a run for president.
NM Governor Signs Business Friendly Bills, Touts Progress - The Associated Press
Gov. Susana Martinez has signed three bills, including business friendly legislation to help boost New Mexico's economy.
She urged business leaders to help her move the state forward during a Tuesday Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce conference and offered her take on the legislative session.
She critiqued Senate leaderships in her half hour talk saying the public and the business community have a right to be disappointed with the lack of action in that chamber on key House priorities. She cited the failure of a right-to-work initiative, a bill to end social promotion of third graders, and a multi-million public works projects measure.
Martinez noted that the state added 16,000 jobs in the past year, the strongest growth since 2006.
She said "We're making progress and the reforms are working."
NM Water Commission To Consider Dairy Rule Settlement - The Associated Press
Industry representatives, environmentalists and state officials have reached a compromise over how to protect groundwater from potential contamination from dairy operations.
Settlement talks began several days before state regulators were scheduled to open a public hearing to consider changes to New Mexico's dairy regulations. That hearing was Monday in Roswell.
The state Water Quality Control Commission plans to vote on the settlement during its meeting in May.
The Roswell Daily Record reports that the proposed regulations would lessen the number of required monitoring wells and give dairy farmers more flexibility on how to contain wastewater.
Environmental groups say the proposal also calls for dairies to still be responsible for cleaning up pollution they cause.
New Mexico has dozens of dairies and ranks among the top milk and cheese producers.
DOE Manager To Leave New Mexico Nuclear Waste Dump - The Associated Press and Carlsbad Current-Argus
A U.S. Energy Department official who works with the government's nuclear waste repository in southeastern New Mexico is leaving.
The manager of the DOE Carlsbad Field Office, Joe Franco, says he's taking a position at the Hanford Site in Washington state, where he worked previously.
The Carlsbad Current-Argus reports that Franco, a Carlsbad native, has worked with the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant for nearly two decades. He has served as the DOE field office manager since 2012.
Franco says significant strides have been made with recovery efforts at the repository in the year since a breached container from Los Alamos National Laboratory resulted in a radiation release and forced the facility's indefinite closure.
He says he's confident the recovery project is on track.
New Mexico State Police: 2 Kids Die In 2-Vehicle Collision - The Associated Press
New Mexico authorities say two children riding in a car driven by a Colorado woman were killed in a collision with a vehicle operated by a Texas man.
The accident happened late Monday on U.S. 84 south of Anton Chico.
The New Mexico State Police identified those killed as 12-year-old Luciano Aragon and 7-year-old Juaquin Gutierrez and said the children were passengers in a southbound vehicle driven by 20-year-old Andria Nieto of Colorado Springs, Colorado.
The State Police said the other vehicle was northbound and driven by 19-year-old David Herrera of El Paso, Texas.
Both drivers were injured and taken to a hospital in Santa Rosa.
The State Police said no additional information was available.
Armed Man Fatally Shot During Edgewood Standoff Identified - The Associated Press
New Mexico State Police have identified a man fatally shot by State Police officers during a standoff in Santa Fe County.
According to the State Police, 34-year-old Ethan Noll of Edgewood was killed during the standoff that began Friday afternoon and ended early Saturday morning.
The State Police said Noll was on probation for trafficking controlled substances with intent to distribute.
The standoff began when Noll barricaded himself in his vehicle after he allegedly fired at someone with his rifle and Edgewood police attempted to stop his vehicle.
State Police and county sheriff's officers arrived and began negotiating with Noll, but he refused to surrender and repeatedly said he wanted to shoot officers.
According to the State Police, its officers shot Noll when he actively threatened officers with his rifle.