Judge Orders Fast Track For NM Water Panel Dispute - The Associated Press and Santa Fe New Mexican
A judge yesterday ordered a fast-track process for determining whether a New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission subcommittee violated the state Open Meetings Act regarding the future of the Gila River.
A week ago, state District Judge Raymond Ortiz issued a temporary restraining order preventing the commission from taking any action on the Gila River projects.
That order was based on allegations by a former director who claims the body conducted meetings without proper public notice or behind closed doors.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that a hearing on the restraining order is set for Nov. 12.
The commission faces a Dec. 31 deadline for deciding whether to accept federal funds for the Gila.
Albuquerque Police Reforms Ordered - The Associated Press
The U.S. Justice Department and New Mexico's largest city have reached a deal to overhaul Albuquerque's police department amid several accusations of excessive force, agreeing to reforms that include new training and protocols for investigating officer shootings.
The deal announced Friday also orders the force to be independently monitored and calls for the changes to be in place within four years.
The U.S. attorney for the district of New Mexico, Damon Martinez, says the agreement represents a new chapter for policing in Albuquerque and will serve as a road map for rebuilding trust between the community and police.
Under the agreement, the police department must change its investigations into use of force and offer better training to deal with mentally ill suspects.
The agreement comes after city and federal officials have been in talks about mandated changes following a harsh DOJ report.
Virgin Galactic Rocket Crashes - The Associated Press
British billionaire Richard Branson is headed to California's Mojave Desert after a Virgin Galactic space tourism rocket exploded and crashed, killing one person and seriously injuring another.
A tweet from Branson's Twitter account thanked people for their messages of support and said he was "flying to Mojave immediately to be with the team."
Officials and witnesses say Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo exploded today after taking off on a test flight. No other details were immediately available.
Branson is the founder of Virgin Galactic. The company is planning to launch space tourism flights from the quarter-billion-dollar Spaceport America in southern New Mexico.
Navajo Elections Director Agrees To Postpone Race - The Associated Press
The elections director on the Navajo Nation says he will scrap Tuesday's presidential election and hold the contest at a later date.
The announcement came amid a dispute over a requirement that candidates be fluent in Navajo to run for president. Candidate Chris Deschene's (des-CHEE'-nee) was disqualified from the race after refusing to show he met a requirement to speak fluent Navajo.
But his name was still on the ballot, and early voting has already started.
The Navajo election board wants to hold the election Tuesday. The Navajo Supreme Court held the board in contempt Friday and urged the elections director to end what justices called a government crisis.
Secretary Of State Candidates Face Complaints - The Associated Press
Candidates in a heated Secretary of State race are facing dueling complaints.
Bernalillo County Clerk Maggie Toulouse Oliver, who is running against Republican incumbent Dianna Duran, is facing a complaint she used a government website to attack Duran. The complaint filed earlier this month by Sandia Park resident Carolyn Freeman says the disputed material was later taken down.
Oliver's campaign manager Alan Packman called the complaint a "complete fabrication."
A hearing on the matter with the Bernalillo County Code of Conduct Review board is scheduled Monday.
Another complaint addressed this month to the state Attorney General's office alleges Duran used state resources to falsely accused Oliver of missing a deadline for getting ballots to servicemen and women.
Emily Strickler of the Republican Party of New Mexico says that complaint was never sent to the Attorney General's office.
Governor's Campaign Outspent Challenger 7-To-1 – The Associated Press
Republican Gov. Susana Martinez's re-election campaign reports spending almost seven times more than Democratic challenger Gary King during the past three weeks.
According to a fundraising disclosure filed yesterday, King spent about $363,000 from Oct. 7 through Tuesday.
The Martinez campaign reported spending $2.4 million during the three-week period.
Martinez collected $406,000 in contributions while King raised almost $250,000, of which $160,000 came from personal loans from the candidate.
So far, King has loaned his campaign nearly $670,000 for the primary and general elections.
Martinez had cash reserves in her re-election account of nearly $709,000 as of Tuesday, and King had cash-on-hand of just over $10,000 dollars.
Super PACs Pour Money Into New Mexico Races - The Associated Press
Democratic and Republican super PACs have pumped more than $1 million this month into New Mexico's legislative and other state office races.
The political action committees can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money to independently advocate the election or defeat of candidates.
According to the latest finance reports, the Democratic group Patriot Majority New Mexico spent almost $892,000 from Oct. 7 through Tuesday. That included $360,000 on radio and television ads, $108,000 on mailings and more than $300,000 given to other groups supporting Democrats.
The GOP group Advance New Mexico Now spent $524,000, including $264,000 on mailings and $150,000 to a PAC that's aiding the GOP secretary of state candidate.
A federal super PAC also is airing TV ads to help the Democratic secretary of state candidate.
PRC Race Pits GOP Incumbent Vs. Ex-Commissioner - The Associated Press
The only contested seat on the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission is pitting a Republican incumbent against a former Democratic commissioner who was once the panel's chairman.
Ben Hall is seeking re-election to his District 5 seat on the powerful commission that regulates public utilities, telecommunications and insurance companies. He is facing a challenge from Democrat Sandy Jones.
Hall, a Ruidoso businessman, said he would continue to work to simplify commission rules and regulations and to reorganize the agency.
Jones, the retired owner of a construction company based out of Williamsburg, promises to help bring jobs to the state and push for the commission to regulate itself.
District 5 stretches from Los Lunas south to Dona Ana County and west to Arizona.
Language Fluency Case Back Before Navajo Court - The Associated Press
The Navajo Nation's highest court is taking up a request Friday to hold election officials in contempt for not removing a disqualified candidate from the ballot.
The Supreme Court issued an order last week to postpone Tuesday's presidential election and reprint ballots without Chris Deschene's (des-CHEE'-nee) name. Deschene was disqualified from the race after refusing to show he met a requirement to speak fluent Navajo.
Deschene says he unfairly was singled out to demonstrate his speaking skills.
The Navajo Board of Election Supervisors has remained adamant about keeping the election as scheduled to preserve the votes already cast. Board Chairman Wallace Charley says he's willing to go to jail to protect voters' rights.
Deschene came in second to former Navajo President Joe Shirley Jr. in the tribe's primary election.
Judge Rules Dog Bite Wound Covered By Auto Policy - The Associated Press and Albuquerque Journal
A federal judge in Albuquerque has ruled that an insurance policy must cover a $700,000 claim for a severe facial wound suffered by a child bitten by a dog in a parked SUV.
The Albuquerque Journal reports that the recent ruling by holds State Farm liable for coverage under a policy for uninsured or underinsured motorists.
The child was bitten when she tried to hug her teacher's dog. The girl's family sought coverage under their policy after the teacher's insurance paid up to its limits.
State Farm argued that its policy covered only injuries arising out of operation of a vehicle, not just its location.
District Judge William Johnson ruled that the girl's family was entitled to coverage because her injury arose out of use of a vehicle.