Review: No-Bid Deal For Police Body Cameras Was 'Greased' - The Associated Press
A New Mexico review has found that Albuquerque's former police chief potentially violated ethics rules by influencing a $1.95 million contract to purchase body cameras and then going to work as a consultant for the supplier.
State Auditor Timothy Keller released a report Thursday that says former Chief Ray Schultz and his subordinates gave Taser International an unfair advantage for the 2013 contact.
Keller says the contract circumvented the competitive bidding process. He cited an email sent by Schultz to a Taser salesman that assured the company the deal was "greased."
Keller is referring the findings to prosecutors to determine whether Schultz, now the assistant police chief in Memorial Villages, Texas, or anyone else should face criminal charges.
Schultz and Taser have denied wrongdoing in the case.
Taser Vows To Wait To Contract With Former Chiefs – The Associated Press
Abandoning a business practice that has faced criticism, Taser International says it will no longer hire police chiefs with whom it has relationships within weeks or months after they leave public service.
The maker of police stun guns and body cameras said Thursday it would now require a one-year "cooling off period" before entering into consulting contracts with former law enforcement officials to promote their experiences using Taser equipment.
The change comes after a scathing New Mexico report Thursday found Taser hired Albuquerque police chief Ray Schultz days after he stepped down in 2013. The Associated Press reported in March on similar arrangements between Taser and former police chiefs in Fort Worth, Texas, and New Orleans.
Taser says it wants to "eliminate any perception of conflict of interest."
Albuquerque Official Wants Rules Tightened In Audit's Wake – The Associated Press
An Albuquerque city councilor says procurement and employment policies need to be tightened after a scathing audit uncovered a cozy relationship involving a former police chief and Taser International.
Councilor Ken Sanchez acknowledged the audit is another black eye for the city as it works to reform its troubled police force.
He last year requested a risk review after becoming concerned about a nearly $2 million contract for body cameras and video storage software awarded to Arizona-based Taser. The contract was not put out for competitive bidding.
Sanchez has asked New Mexico Auditor Tim Keller to appear at Monday's city council meeting to detail the findings of the audit.
The yearlong review found a rampant disregard and circumventing of the city's competitive contract process.
Judge Rules Against State In Suit Over Medical Marijuana – The Associated Press
The New Mexico Department of Health may be reviewing its rules for medical marijuana patients after a judge ruled that the agency cannot require them to exhaust "standard treatments" before they receive cannabis.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that District Judge David Thomas gave the ruling late Wednesday.
The suit focused on post-traumatic stress disorder, with the state arguing that there was a dearth of controlled studies focusing on the effects of cannabis on people with the condition. Thomas said in his ruling that any concerns about the appropriateness of the treatment should have been considered when the department approved post-traumatic stress for cannabis.
A Department of Health spokesman said they are reviewing the ruling and evaluating the next steps they should take.
Agreement Would Ensure Coal Supply For NM Power Plant – The Associated Press
The owners of a power plant that provides electricity to more than 2 million customers throughout the Southwest have reached an agreement that will ensure the plant is supplied with coal through 2022.
The current coal contract for the San Juan Generating Station expires in 2017. Uncertainty about the future supply has become a sticking point as New Mexico regulators consider plans for closing part of the plant and shifting to other sources of electricity.
Officials with mining company BHP Billiton said Friday the coal supply proposal has been agreed to in principal and would be submitted to the state Public Regulation Commission for consideration.
They say BHP Billiton also has reached an agreement with Colorado-based Westmoreland Coal Co. to purchase the mine that feeds the plant.
2nd Engineering Battalion Moves From White Sands To Texas – The Associated Press
The U.S. Army's 2nd Engineer Battalion said goodbye to White Sands Missile Range in southern New Mexico.
The Las Cruces Sun-News reports that the 2nd Engineer Battalion formally symbolized their move with a flag ceremony called the Casing of the Colors.
The Amy announced in 2014 that it will deactivate the 600-soldier 2nd Engineer Battalion as part of a worldwide restructuring. It was then announced that the Battalion would be reorganized and assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Armored Division at Fort Bliss in El Paso.
The battalion was reactivated at White Sands in 2008. Between 2009 and 2012 they were deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.
White Sands garrison commander Col. Brian Michelson said the post will continue normal operations after their departure.
Albuquerque School Official: Woman Had BB Gun Outside School – The Associated Press
Albuquerque police say they've taken into custody a woman who had been standing in front of a school with a rifle, which a school district official later said turned out to be a BB gun.
The woman's presence Friday outside Bel Air Elementary had prompted lockdowns at that school and another school nearby, but those lockdowns were lifted once the unidentified was taken into custody.
Police announced that the woman had been taken into custody in a Twitter posting that referred to a "rifle," but Albuquerque Public Schools spokeswoman Monica Armenta later said the woman was holding what was determined to be a BB gun.
No further information has been released.
New Mexico's Largest Electric Provider Is Defending Its Request To Raise Rates – The Associated Press
Public Service Company of New Mexico on Thursday filed its objections to a hearing examiner's recommendation that the state Public Regulation Commission reject the utility's request because it was incomplete.
Environmentalists had argued that PNM failed to provide state regulators with enough information to justify a 12 percent rate hike.
PNM officials say their rate request is complete and that the hearing examiner is wrongly imposing a "heighten standard" for the utility.
Regulators are expected to take up the issue later this month.
The utility has said the increase is needed to help cover the costs of new solar-power generating stations, federally mandated pollution controls at the coal-fired San Juan Generating Station and other infrastructure.
New Mexico Considers Standby Permit For Uranium Mine – The Associated Press
Rio Grande Resources' underground mine in western New Mexico contains one of the largest stashes of uranium ore in the U.S., but it's idle and hasn't produced anything in years.
Environmentalists say it's just one of many "zombie mines" around the West that need to be closed and cleaned up rather than left on standby while companies wait for more favorable market conditions to resume operations.
A coalition of groups gathered Friday in Grants to testify before state regulators on a permit that been in dispute for years.
The New Mexico Mining and Minerals Division is considering a request by the mine to renew its standby permit as well as an updated version of its closure plan. It could be weeks before the division issues a final decision.
New Mexico, Feds Reach $73M Settlement Over Nuke Mishap – The Associated Press
The U.S. Energy Department has agreed to fund more than $73 million in infrastructure projects around the state to settle a dispute that stems from a radiation leak at the federal government's troubled nuclear waste dump in southern New Mexico.
The agreement was announced Thursday following months of negotiations. It represents the largest settlement in DOE's history.
The state initially levied more than $54 million in penalties against the agency and its contractors for numerous permit violations at Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant.
A drum of waste packed at Los Alamos and shipped to the repository contained incompatible ingredients. A chemical reaction ensued, the lid breached and radiation escaped.
New Mexico Environment Secretary Ryan Flynn says the DOE needed to be held accountable for what happened.
Audit: Officer Retention Program Rushed, Poorly Executed - The Associated Press and Albuquerque Journal
A review by internal auditors suggests the Albuquerque Police Department's officer retention program wasn't well executed.
The Albuquerque Journal reports that the program, which provides pay incentives to police officers nearing retirement but willing to stay, didn't require a commitment from officers to remain for a certain period of time.
Public records show that four officers received retention pay even though they entered early retirement.
The city overpaid participants a total of $32,000 through early March as it changed eligibility requirements for the program.
Albuquerque police said in a statement that the department has corrected many of the problems and was fighting to keep seasoned officers.
City councilors are reviewing Mayor Richard Berry's budget proposal, which includes $1.7 million to continue the incentive program.
Martinez Appoints New Regent For Eastern New Mexico Univ. - The Associated Press
Gov. Susana Martinez has appointed educator Dan Patterson as member of the Board of Regents for Eastern New Mexico University to replace the late Brett Leach.
The university announced the appointment Thursday.
It said Patterson has served as superintendent and deputy superintendent of school districts throughout New Mexico and Colorado, including Moriarty Municipal Schools, Las Cruces Public Schools and Carlsbad Municipal Schools.
ENMU President Steve Gamble said Patterson's career as a teacher and administrator in secondary and higher education gives him understanding and the needs and demands of educational institutions and how they can best serve students.
Patterson currently serves on the New Mexico Public School Insurance Authority.
Lech died April 3. He was appointed to the regents in February 2011.
Murder Charge Being Dropped Against Boy In Father's Death - The Associated Press
Prosecutors say they will drop the first-degree murder charge filed against a Belen boy who they say shot his father in the back of the head with a shotgun in 2009.
District Attorney Lemuel Martinez says his office decided not to pursue the case and will file the necessary paperwork later this week.
He says prosecutors had little choice after a judge ruled testimony by the boy's then-6-year-old sister and the boy's admission when he called 911 were inadmissible.
Prosecutors had alleged the then-10-year-old boy put a gun to the head of 42-year-old Byron Hilburn and killed him at their Belen home.
The Associated Press isn't naming the boy due to his age.
Defense attorneys have said that the father was abusive to the boy and two other siblings.
4 Men Charged In Connection To Dairy Farm Abuse Case - The Associated Press and Roswell Daily Record
Four men have been charged with cruelty to animals after undercover video showed workers at a southern New Mexico dairy whipping cows with chains and wire cables and kicking and punching the animals.
The Roswell Daily Record reports that the four were charged Monday. They were employees of the former Winchester Dairy LLC near Dexter.
All four men are scheduled to be arraigned May 11.
The farm ceased operations in September after an undercover investigation by Mercy For Animals documented employees whipping, kicking, stabbing and shocking the animals.
After the video was released, the dairy said in a statement that animal care and well-being are central to its operations.
Navajo Pride Flour Mill To Close, 26 Jobs Lost - The Associated Press and Daily Times
Navajo Agricultural Products Industry officials are giving its Navajo Pride flour mill a face lift, but only after shutting it down.
The Daily Times reports that the closure, effective today, will last a year and affect 26 employees.
NAPI CEO Tsosie Lewis said some of the displaced employees are being placed in other departments of the company and some of the mill's top workers will be sent to college for additional training.
During the closure the mill will replace the old equipment — some of which is 30 to 40 years old — in order to increase output.
Lewis said the closure was prompted by increased expenses and falling sales in addition to the need for upgrades.
NAPI is a business entity owned by the Navajo Nation.
12 Arrested In New Mexico Methamphetamine Trafficking Ring - The Associated Press
Authorities say 12 people have been arrested in an investigation targeting a methamphetamine trafficking ring operating in New Mexico's Grant County.
The probe began in March 2014 and culminated Thursday with the arrests.
The 12 alleged members of the meth trafficking ring are charged in a 34-count indictment.
Authorities executed federal search warrants at seven homes and one business in Grant County.
During the course of the investigation, authorities say they seized about seven ounces of methamphetamine, several pounds of marijuana, some $17,000 in cash, 28 firearms, three vehicles and seven motorcycles.
Ruling: Getting Past Screen Was Enough To Break And Enter - The Associated Press
An appellate court ruling says a man broke New Mexico's law against breaking and entering though he only got as far as reaching behind a window screen before abandoning an attempt to break into a Las Cruces woman's home.
The state Court of Appeals of Appeals this week upheld Anthony Holt's conviction in Dona Ana County for breaking and entering.
Holt's appeal argued that the law against breaking and entering was ambiguous and that putting his hands between a screen and a window wasn't the same as actually entering a home's interior.
However, the Court of Appeals said the law was clear enough, that Holt's conduct fell within what the Legislature wanted to punish and that putting his hands behind the screen amounted to intruding inside the home.