Critics Of Gila River Diversion To Rally – The Associated Press
The Interstate Stream Commission will be meeting today in Albuquerque and the agenda includes a series of presentations on proposals that call for diverting a portion of the Gila River.
The agenda does not include any time for public comment, and that's what has environmental groups upset. They plan to rally outside the meeting.
The commission is already being sued over alleged violations of the state Open Meetings Act, which has spurred questions about the transparency surrounding the commission's handling of Gila River planning.
A spokeswoman for the commission says there will be time to comment during a meeting Friday in Silver City.
The commission faces a December 31st deadline for deciding whether to accept federal funds to build a diversion and storage system along the Gila.
San Miguel County To Vote On Drilling Measure - The Associated Press and Las Vegas Optic
The San Miguel County Commission is scheduled to vote Wednesday on an ordinance to severely restrict oil and gas drilling in the northeastern New Mexico county.
The Las Vegas Optic reports that many drilling proponents have complained that the proposed ordinance is so stringent that it will effectively prevent any oil and gas development in the county.
Provisions include requirements for a $10,000 fee for a conditional permit use permit per well, and a $10,000 application permit for a building permit for each pad.
Other requirements would make drillers pay for pre-drilling assessments and studies and for roads and other infrastructure improvements.
Some opponents contend any ordinance would open the door to drilling and want the county to continue its moratorium on drilling.
Albuquerque Mayor Signs DOJ Police Reform Deal - The Associated Press
Albuquerque officials have signed an agreement with the U.S. Justice Department aimed at overhauling the city's troubled police department.
During a signing ceremony Monday, Mayor Richard Berry and Police Chief Gorden Eden formally entered into a deal that calls for new training and protocols for investigating officer shootings. It also calls for the agency to dismantle some troubled units.
A federal monitor will be chosen to keep tabs on whether the department is following the agreement.
City councilors voted unanimously last week to approve the broad-ranging blueprint.
Some advocates say the agreement doesn't go far enough at reforming an agency under scrutiny for excessive force and more than 40 police shootings since 2010.
The agreement now goes before a federal judge for final approval.
Critics Of Gila River Diversion Rally At Meeting - The Associated Press
The Interstate Stream Commission is meeting in Albuquerque and the agenda includes a series of presentations on proposals that call for diverting a portion of the Gila River.
The Monday agenda didn't include time for public comment, sparking has environmental groups to rally outside the meeting. The street was lined with signs that read "Save the Gila" and "Keep it wild."
The commission is already being sued over alleged violations of the state Open Meetings Act, which has spurred questions about the transparency surrounding the commission's handling of Gila River planning.
A commission spokeswoman says there will be more time to comment during a meeting Friday in Silver City.
The commission faces a Dec. 31 deadline for deciding whether to accept federal funds to build a diversion and storage system along the Gila.
GOP Nominates Rep. Don Tripp For House Speaker - The Associated Press
Republicans who will control the New Mexico House have nominated Rep. Don Tripp of Socorro to become the chamber's top leader.
GOP members also selected Rep. Nate Gentry of Albuquerque to serve as House majority leader and Rep. Alonzo Baldonado of Los Lunas as majority whip.
Tripp has served in the House since 1999.
The speakership won't become final until January, when the Legislature convenes and all 70 members — 37 Republicans and 33 Democrats — vote on the top leadership position. Tripp will win the job if Republicans sticks together
The GOP gained enough seats in last week’s election to take control of the House for the first time in 60 years.
NM Working On Plan To Attract Spaceport Tenants - The Associated Press
New Mexico officials vow to push on to ensure Spaceport America becomes a success despite the recent setback that has delayed commercial flights by Virgin Galactic, the anchor tenant at the taxpayer-financed spaceport.
The New Mexico Spaceport Authority is developing a plan that includes hiring more staff to boost marketing efforts aimed at diversifying the spaceport's client base.
The authority's executive director, Christine Anderson, says it's important to remember that it's not the Virgin Galactic Spaceport, but rather Spaceport America.
Speculation about the future has been swirling in the wake of Virgin Galactic's spaceship breaking up over the California desert during a test flight. One pilot was killed and another was seriously injured.
Industry experts say New Mexico has done little to recruit more space companies.
Voters' Rejection Of Tax Hike To Trim Bus Service - The Associated Press & The Las Cruces Sun News
Dona Ana County voters' rejection of a sales tax increase will result in retrenching of bus service in several parts of the county.
Service on routes added earlier this year will end after buses run their regular schedules Friday.
The affected South Central Regional Transit District routes provide service to about 70 stops from Elephant Butte on the north and Chaparral and Sunland Park on the south.
The Las Cruces Sun-Newsreportsthat the tax would have generated nearly $10 million a year and that there's no source of funding to keep the expanded routes running.
Bernalillo County Reduces Population Of Its Jail - The Associated Press and Albuquerque Journal
Bernalillo County is reducing its jail population to near the limit set by a federal judge.
The Albuquerque Journal reports that the population of the County’s Metropolitan Detention Center recently has been below 2,000.
That's in the neighborhood of the 1,950-inmate limit set by the judge presiding over a class-action lawsuit and well short of the population of nearly 3,000 inmates a year ago.
That was when the county had to ship hundreds of inmates to out-of-state jails to reduce crowding. The county no longer has had to do that.
Steps taken to reduce jail crowding include changes made by courts and by attorneys.
Those steps include holding hearings sooner for people who violate probation restrictions and increasing the use of a pretrial release program.
Farmington Considers Water, Sewer Rate Hikes - The Associated Press and Daily Times
Farmington residents will find out this week if they will have to pay more for water and sewer service.
The City Council is scheduled to vote tomorrow on whether to raise rates. City officials say the increase would help them keep up with operational costs and fund repairs and replacement of aging infrastructure.
Officials tell The Daily Times that projections show about $59 million in water and sewer projects will be needed over the next four years.
If councilors vote yes, residential customers could pay about 37 dollars more per month by 2019, when the rate increase would end.
City Manager Rob Mayes says the new rates, if approved, would generate about $2 million a year in new revenue.
The last time the city raised rates was in 2011.
San Juan County Shelter Opens For Winter Season - The Associated Press and Daily Times
A shelter in Farmington that's the only such facility in San Juan County to accept intoxicated people opened earlier this month for the winter season.
The Farmington Daily Times reports the shelter known as The Roof will remain open until March 31 in an effort to prevent people from freezing to death during the winter.
The city built the building in 2006.
Farmington has contracted with the Salvation Army to operate the shelter at a cost of about $60,000 per year.
Last year, the shelter served 6,751 people over 151 days.
In November last year, the shelter totaled 1,200 individual stays.
People have already begun to come into the shelter seeking protection from the cold.
Agency Reports 2 Wolves Found Dead In New Mexico - The Associated Press
Wildlife managers are investigating the deaths of two Mexican gray wolves in New Mexico.
The Arizona Game and Fish Department's latest update on the wolf reintroduction effort in eastern Arizona and western New Mexico says the dead wolves were found in October.
The update says the collared population at the end of October totaled 59 wolves, with 18 packs and six single wolves.
Authorities also are investigating several livestock deaths. One is classified as a probably killed by wolves.
The reintroduction program has been hampered over the years by politics, illegal killings and other factors. Disputes over management of the predators also have spurred numerous legal actions by environmentalists and ranchers.
Rewards are offered for information leading to the convictions of those responsible for shooting deaths of Mexican wolves.
PNM Installs Panels At Meadow Lake Solar Center - The Associated Press
New Mexico's largest electric provider says work on its newest solar-powered generating station is expected to be done by the end of the year.
PNM officials say solar panels are now being installed at the Meadow Lake Solar Energy Center in Valencia County.
Once complete, the 9.1-megawatt solar farm will have an estimated 122,850 panels capable of generating enough electricity for 3,500 average residential customers.
Utility officials also say the solar farm will provide an estimated $200,000 in new tax revenue for the county next year.
The Meadow Lake array is one of three solar centers PNM is constructing this year. The other two are located in Sandoval and Cibola counties.
PNM already has eight solar centers in operation and has proposed to build four more next year.