Court Takes Albuquerque Prosecutor Off Police Shooting Case - The Associated Press
A judge has removed the prosecutor from the case of two Albuquerque police officers charged in the shooting death of a homeless man last year.
Defense lawyers wanted prosecutor Kari Brandenburg disqualified because they believe she has a conflict of interest.
Second Judicial District Court Judge Alisa Hadfield agreed in a ruling Thursday. A special prosecutor will be appointed to handle the case of officers Dominque Perez and Keith Sandy.
They face murder charges in the death of a homeless camper last year who was carrying two small knives during a standoff that ended in gunfire. The killing occurred during a year in which police shootings gained attention and prompted protests nationwide.
Perez's attorney, Luis Robles, says he's hopeful a new prosecutor will take a fresh look at the evidence.
ENMU Thinking About Dropping Use Of Zia Name, Symbol – The Associated Press
Students at Eastern New Mexico University are recommending that the school drop the use of the Zia sun symbol and name.
The vote this month sends the recommendation to the university president, who will discuss the matter with the Board of Regents at its April 24 meeting.
The Portales-based university has used the "Zias" name for women's sports teams since 1981. The Zia symbol — a circle with four lines in each cardinal direction — sometimes accompanies a Greyhound.
University officials say the proposal to stick with the Greyhound only comes as it considers a new licensing agreement, and the cultural and religious significance of the Zia sun symbol to Zia Pueblo.
If the university stops using the Zia symbol, both the women's and men's teams will be called "Greyhounds."
NM Gov Has Until Noon To Sign 191 Bills Legislature Passed - The Associated Press
Republican Gov. Susana Martinez has until noon Friday to act on 191 bills passed during the 60-day legislative session.
She has already signed about 130 bills, several of them during public appearances in Albuquerque. She has also vetoed a handful.
Martinez signed the key $6.2 billion budget bill Thursday when she told reporters she and her staff are busy spending long hours reading, reviewing and debating legislation.
She said "These are laws that will be implemented. We sit until the wee hours of the morning working and show up first thing in the morning."
Martinez said she isn't keeping count on which ones she'll sign into law and which ones she will veto.
The legislation she doesn't act on by noon will be considered pocket vetoed.
VA Health Officials To Discuss New Mexico Patient Wait Times – The Associated Press
Veterans Affairs health care officials are scheduled to provide an update on patient wait times in New Mexico and talk how to better access services.
The Friday news conference comes after The Associated Press identified wait times at more than 940 VA facilities nationwide.
The Farmington clinic ranked sixth on the list with more than 14 percent of appointments delayed 31 days or longer over a six-month period. That's more than five times the national average.
Local VA officials say they're doing their best to expand services in rural areas where recruiting is a challenge. Advocates say more needs to be done quickly.
New Mexico VA officials dedicated a phone line Thursday for veterans whose appointments are scheduled at least 30 days out. It will operate through April 23.
APS Board Names 3 Finalists For The Superintendent Position – The Associated Press
The Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education has named three finalists as it seeks to fill the position of superintendent for the 88,000-student school district.
Named as finalists were Almudena "Almi" Abeyta, Michael Cardona and Luis Valentino.
Abeyta currently is deputy superintendent for teaching and learning for Santa Fe Public Schools while Cardona is the chief school officer for the Houston Independent Schools.
Valentino is the associate superintendent/chief academic officer for the San Francisco Unified School District.
The three finalists were chosen after being interviewed by board members Thursday.
They chose the finalists from a field of six semi-finalists, who were selected from a pool of 59 applicants.
The board will meet with the finalists on Saturday morning and expect to name a new superintendent later that day.
NM Gov Signs $6.2 B Budget Boosting Education, Child Welfare - The Associated Press
New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez has signed a $6.2 billion budget that boosts spending for education, child welfare, public safety and economic development.
Martinez and lawmakers shared some of the same priorities during the session and the budget calls for a nearly $37 million bump for education initiatives.
She signed the bill Thursday calling it a "responsible budget that invests heavily in creating jobs and educating our children." It includes pay raises for new teachers. Most department budgets remain flat.
In an otherwise rancorous 60-day legislative session, the budget bill sailed through both the GOP-controlled House and Democrat-controlled Senate without much partisan bickering.
Plunging oil prices slashed new revenues the state expected to have for the next fiscal year and forced legislators to pare down spending plans.
Pressure Building For Special Session On Capital Outlay - The Associated Press and Roswell Daily Record
Lt. Gov. John Sanchez say pressure is building for a special legislative session to fund capital improvement projects.
Sanchez spoke at an annual Chaves County Republican Party dinner this week, saying that negotiations with Democratic leaders for a special session are ongoing.
Legislators couldn't agree on about $270 million in a capital outlay bill, leaving the annual spending measure unfunded.
Gov. Susana Martinez says she had no plans to call back lawmakers to reconsider it. However, Sanchez says lawmakers could call themselves back for a special session.
According to the Roswell Daily Record, Sanchez say city and county officials, and public and private organizations are pushing state officials to pass what's known as the Christmas tree bill. It would allocate funding to each House and Senate district for projects.
DA: Las Cruces Man Fatally Shot Himself With Stolen Gun - The Associated Press and Las Cruces Sun-News
District Attorney investigators say a Las Cruces man fatally shot himself with a stolen police gun during a confrontation with officers last year.
An autopsy also shows 29-year-old Jose Salas was shot multiple times by Las Cruces police during the Dec. 22 incident but it's unclear which gunshot wound caused his death.
The autopsy report says Salas had five gunshot wounds to his head, back, arm and shoulder.
Police responded to a disturbance at a home and say Salas assaulted an officer who arrived in an unmarked police vehicle.
After a brief foot chase, police say Salas got into the unmarked vehicle and tried to flee before driving into a drainage canal.
Salas later emerged with a handgun and was shot after police say he wouldn't drop the weapon.
Rio Grande Water Users In For Another Tough Year - The Associated Press
Federal officials say cities and farmers that depend on Rio Grande water are in for another tight year.
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released the annual operating plan for the Middle Rio Grande on Thursday.
Snowpack from the mountains that feed the Rio Grande now is halfway gone, and there has been little to no precipitation in the last month.
That means federal officials will be managing the waterway for drought for a fifth consecutive year.
Albuquerque, Santa Fe and others that rely on San Juan-Chama water see their allocations cut for a second year.
The Bureau of Reclamation says it is negotiating water leases to supplement river flows and will work to find extra water for the endangered Rio Grande silvery minnow.
Albuquerque Man Gets 15-Year Prison Term In Gun, Ammo Case - The Associated Press
An Albuquerque man has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Prosecutors say 36-year-old Paul Anthony Turrieta received an enhanced sentence Thursday due to his status as a career criminal. He'll be on supervised release for three years after completing his prison term.
Turrieta was arrested in February 2014. He was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he previously had been convicted of numerous felony offenses including three residential burglaries.
Turrieta pleaded guilty in October 2014 and admitted possessing a revolver and ammunition that were discovered in the vehicle he was driving on Oct. 24, 2013.
Authorities say Turrieta was pulled over on a traffic stop before the items were found.
Albuquerque Police: 3 Arrests Made In Jan. 4 Shooting Of Man - The Associated Press
Police in Albuquerque say three people have been arrested in a January shooting of a man that left him in critical condition.
They say 20-year-old Isaiah Martinez was taken into custody Thursday while 19-year-old Raul Tena Jr. and 18-year-old Devante Enriquez were arrested Wednesday.
All three have been booked into jail on suspicion of armed robbery, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, assault with intent to commit a violent felony, tampering with evidence and other charges.
Police say 19-year-old Adrian Gallegos was at home Jan. 4 and received a text message to come outside.
Adrian told investigators that he was selling marijuana and when he went outside, he was confronted by three people.
Gallegos says he tried to run away before he was shot and then robbed of his cellphone.
Court Upholds Regulations For Pollution From Copper Mines - The Associated Press
The state Court of Appeals has upheld regulations that govern groundwater pollution by copper mines.
The court says the regulations do not violate the state's Water Quality Act as alleged by the state attorney general, environmentalists and a ranch owned by Ted Turner.
New Mexico Environment Department Secretary Ryan Flynn said Thursday that the regulations are the most stringent of any copper producing state in the West.
They were approved in September 2013 and include new engineering requirements for handling leftover rock, leach piles, tanks and pipelines.
The watchdog groups and Turner's Ladder Ranch had argued that the regulations give mining companies too much leeway to pollute groundwater.
The appellate court says those claims are unfounded. The court rejected a bid last year to put the regulations on hold while it considered the appeal.
Former Jail Official Gets Probation In Inmate Sex Case - The Associated Press
A former supervisor at a New Mexico jail who admitted sexually assaulting three female inmates has been sentenced to five years of probation
The U.S. Attorney's Office says 70-year-old John Greene was sentenced Thursday in federal court in Albuquerque under a plea agreement.
Greene previously pleaded guilty to civil rights charges in the sexual assaults and to two counts of making material false statements to the FBI about two of the assaults at the Gallup-McKinley Adult Detention Center.
Court documents show Greene had access to the inmates when he accompanied them to court hearings, transported them to other facilities and had them brought to his office.
Greene must forfeit his law enforcement certification and register as a sex offender.