Judge Critical Of County For 2012 Election Delays – The Associated Press
A federal judge has ordered Sandoval County to provide adequate voting machines for the general election to prevent long delays for voters as happened two years ago.
U.S. District Court Judge William Johnson on Friday directed county elections officials to follow a plan adopted by county commissioners for allocating voting machines.
Some voters in Rio Rancho waited more than five hours to vote in 2012. The judge said the election in the community "was widely recognized as a complete disaster" because there weren't enough polling places and voting machines.
His order came in a lawsuit by Republican candidates.
The judge was sharply critical of county elections administrators and he issued an injunction to prevent them from deviating from the commission's plan for allocating voting machines and designating polling sites.
Advocates To Protest Albuquerque Police Contest – The Associated Press
Advocates are planning to protest outside a shooting range where Albuquerque is hosting a police shooting contest.
The group Albuquerque Justice is scheduled Saturday to hold a rally outside the range after city officials declined to cancel the competition.
The city and its police department are hosting the National Rifle Association competition from Saturday to Wednesday for law enforcement members who can "select to fire in just one match or fire in all of the championship match events."
In recent months, the city has been rocked by angry protests and a U.S. Justice Department investigation over more than 40 police shootings since 2010.
Another protest is slated for Sunday where advocates say they will use water guns at a park.
Jemez Pueblo Frustrated Over Highway Dispute – The Associated Press
Jemez Pueblo leaders who are tired of seeing traffic speed through their northern New Mexico village say they are considering either bulldozing a popular state highway or putting up toll booths.
Pueblo Gov. Joshua Madalena tells the Associated Press the tribe has been seeking state and federal funding for a 5-mile bypass project for the past 60 years, but those efforts have not been successful.
He says the federal government just recently turned down the pueblo's latest application.
As a result, Madalena says he needs to take action to ensure families who live along the much-traveled national scenic byway are safe.
State officials did not immediately return a message seeking comment Friday evening.
The tribe estimates the bypass project would cost about $26 million.
Authorities: 2 Inmates Escape From New Mexico Jail – The Associated Press
Authorities are searching for two jail inmates who have escaped from the Grant County Detention Center in New Mexico.
County authorities say Adam Martinez and Tyler Cole escaped sometime after 9 p.m. Thursday.
Detention center officials tell KOB-TV they believe the men removed a panel from the ceiling and climbed up into it.
They then allegedly followed a pipe channel in the roof and left the facility through a maintenance door.
Officers say they found a sheet hanging from the missing panel in the ceiling and clothing left behind by the inmates.
Martinez was arrested on Aug. 14 in Silver City for resisting arrest, trespassing and evading an officer.
Cole was arrested on May 5 on a failure-to-appear warrant and was scheduled to be transported to a rehabilitation facility.