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Headlines: Fire Managers Hope For Calm Season...

Whitewater fire in the Gila National Forest
photo: US Forest Service
Whitewater fire in the Gila National Forest

Wetter Weather Tames Wildfire Fears In New Mexico Somewhat - The Associated Press and Albuquerque Journal

An expected wetter-than-normal spring and possible more active summer monsoons have some fire managers hoping for a calm fire season in New Mexico this year.

The Albuquerque Journal report the predictions of less wind than usual also have fire managers hopeful that the state can avoid large wildfires but they say those conditions can change rapidly.

Last year's monsoons and some moisture late this winter resulted in more grasses than have been seen in New Mexico since 2009. That has some fire planners expecting fewer mountain forest fires but more lowland grass fires.

Already this year, more than 150 fires have burned about 10,000 acres of state-owned and private land. Three weeks ago, a fire in the Gila National Forest burned 25 acres six miles north of Mimbres.

Conservation Groups Push Back On Federal Lands Transfer Idea - The Associated Press

National conservation groups are mustering opposition to the rising call in many western states to transfer federal lands to state control.

The U.S. Senate last month narrowly approved a budget amendment sponsored by Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski that would allow future legislation to sell or transfer federal lands to state or local governments.

Some state lawmakers in Alaska and several other western states are pushing the federal government to transfer huge areas of federal land to state control.

Kate Zimmerman is public lands policy director for the National Wildlife Federation in Colorado. She says her group is concerned the Murkowski amendment could allow Congress to consider transfer proposals.

Other conservation groups say they're working to alert hunters and anglers to the threat of loss of access to federal lands.

Post-Election Spending By PACs Drops In New Mexico - The Associated Press

Some political action committees continued to spend and raise money in New Mexico after the November election.

But the latest financial disclosures filed with the secretary of state's office show it wasn't nearly as much as before voters went to the polls.

Spending by the New Mexico House Majority Fund and the Keep New Mexico House Majority PAC dwindled to virtually zero following the election that saw the GOP take control of the House for the first time in decades.

The filings for the Oct. 7 to April 6 reporting period were due Monday for all PACs and elected officials.

ActBlue, a committee that contributed to Democratic campaigns, raised and spent about $93,000.

The Realtors Association of New Mexico PAC raised about $74,000 and spent $30,000, including $5,000 for Gov. Susana Martinez's inaugural.

Navajo Supreme Court Clarifies Source For Funding Election - The Associated Press

The Navajo Nation Supreme Court has settled the question of how to fund a belated presidential election.

The court says the tribe's controller can use money from a fund used to satisfy legal judgments and claims against the Navajo Nation.

The opinion came after the tribe's Department of Justice asked the court to clarify how $317,000 legally could be transferred to the election office.

Navajo Attorney General Harrison Tsosie (SOH'-see) said Tuesday that his office is evaluating the court's opinion.

The presidential contest originally set for Nov. 4 was pushed back as the qualifications of some candidates were challenged and lawmakers attempted to switch up election law.

It's now scheduled April 21 between former President Joe Shirley Jr. and former lawmaker Russell Begaye.

Former Texas Judge Pleads Guilty In Judicial Corruption CaseThe Associated Press

A former Texas state district judge charged in a judicial corruption case has pleaded guilty in federal court in New Mexico under a plea agreement calling for a two-year prison sentence.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for New Mexico announced that Angus Kelly McGinty entered the plea Monday in federal court in Albuquerque to a charge of honest services wire fraud.

The 51-year-old McGinty stepped down from Texas' 144th District Court bench in Bexar County in Feburary 2014 amid an FBI investigation into graft.

McGinty was accused of seeking and taking bribes of cash, car repairs and other favors from an attorney in exchange for favorable rulings for the lawyer's clients.

The lawyer has pleaded guilty in the case and awaits sentencing.

McGinty is scheduled to be sentenced July 15.

State Court Upholds Man's Convictions In Farmington Killing - The Associated Press

The New Mexico Supreme Court has upheld a man's convictions in the 2011 beating death of a Farmington man during a break-in.

The state high court death on Monday upheld Justin John Mark's convictions for first-degree murder and tampering with evidence in the killing of 40-year-old Kevin Lossiah in Lossiah's apartment.

Mark was sentenced to life in prison on the murder conviction plus a consecutive three-year term on the conviction of tampering with evidence.

Police said Mark and another man broke into Lossiah's residence, beat him with a wooden club and stole his wallet, cellphone and car keys.

Police: Albuquerque Man Shoots Pregnant Wife - The Associated Press and KOAT-TV

An Albuquerque man is facing charges after police say he beat and shot his pregnant wife who was forced to undergo an emergency C-section.

KOAT-TV in Albuquerque reports that Anthony Rael was recently arrested for aggravated battery following the bizarre attack.

The wife told police Rael got angry when she wouldn't help him deliver flowers for work because she was having contractions. She also said Rael was upset dinner wasn't ready.

Investigators say Rael beat her with a metal strap and shot her with a BB gun five or six times in her stomach, legs and feet, and then hit her in the face with the weapon.

Officials say the baby survived.

Rael was ordered held on $25,000 cash or surety bond. It was not known if he had an attorney.

2 Killed In Interstate 40 Crash Identified As Texas Men - The Associated Press

Two men killed in a multi-vehicle crash in eastern New Mexico have been identified as Texas residents.

New Mexico State Police announced Monday that 49-year-old James R. Empey and 21-year-old Dustin Miles Empey both were pronounced dead at the scene of the crash early Sunday on Interstate 40 near San Jon.

Both men are from Garland, Texas. It wasn't immediately clear how the two are related.

Police say James Empey was driving a pickup truck when it reportedly crashed into the back of a Freightliner.

The truck came to rest in the roadway and was hit by another commercial vehicle, which overturned.

Police say two more commercial vehicles then struck the two disabled vehicles.

No other injuries were reported and police say the cause of the crash remains under investigation.

New Mexico State Police Find 2 Dead In Car; No Ids Yet - The Associated Press

New Mexico State Police say two dead bodies have been found in a burned-out car near Mesa Poleo.

State police originally responded to a vehicle fire early Sunday near Forest Road 103 and Forest Road 172.

But when they arrived, they found the two bodies inside.

Police say the names of the two dead haven't been released yet.

They say the investigation into the deaths is continuing.

Mesa Poleo is in Rio Arriba County in northwestern New Mexico.

Albuquerque Police: Credit Card Thieves Quickly Made Fake ID - The Associated Press

Albuquerque police say they're hoping to nab two women who stole a woman's credit card and then promptly made false identification that they used to make $350 of purchases at two stores.

According to police, the women stole a purse from a dance studio on Wednesday and then within 30 minutes made a false New Mexico driver's license.

Surveillance video showed the women using the stolen credit card to make purchases at drug store and a grocery store.

Police said the operation is new to them and that it's surprising the women were able to produce a fake driver's license so quickly.

Police think the women could be responsible for a number of auto break-ins in northeast Albuquerque.

Racing Commission Oks Use Of More Labs For Doping Testing - The Associated Press

New Mexico horse racing regulators are going to allow trainers to pick among a wider variety of labs for testing to challenge allegations of drugging of horses.

The Albuquerque Journal reports that the Racing Commission approved a list of 11 certified labs that trainers can use. That's an increase from only three labs previously approved.

New Mexico Horsemen's Association president Larry Nichols had told the commission during its meeting last week that costs for lab testing were soaring due to both increased testing and to higher prices charged by the three approved labs.

Nichols said allowing more labs to conduct the tests should spur competition and lower costs.