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Headlines: Potash Mine Water Plan Scrutinized, APD Officers Investigated...

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Allegations Against Albuquerque Police Officers Investigated - The Associated Press

Allegations of excessive use of force by two Albuquerque police officers are the subject of a New Mexico State Police investigation.

The State Police said its Investigation Bureau is investigating a March 20 incident and that details will be released at the conclusion of the investigation.

The State Police didn't release any additional information but city officials said the two officers are on paid leave.

Police Chief Gordon Eden a Police Department employee reported the incident and that the department is conducting an internal investigation.

Eden also said the department asked the State Police to determine whether criminal charges are warranted and that the department has notified the U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI of the allegations.

New Mexico Governor Talks Drought With Water ManagersThe Associated Press

Gov. Susana Martinez says more investment in water infrastructure will ensure New Mexico can capitalize on economic development opportunities.

Without sustainable sources of clean water, she says companies won't be interested in investing in New Mexico.

Martinez spoke Wednesday to a room full of water managers a meeting of the New Mexico Rural Water Association.

The association's members have been looking for ways to make the most of the drought-stricken state's limited fresh water supplies while grappling with aging wells and pipelines.

State officials estimate New Mexico has more than $1 billion in water infrastructure needs.

Martinez says legislation she recently signed into law will help by making smaller municipal water associations eligible for state loans. The legislation also extends the loan payback period to 30 years.

Ex-Colfax County Sheriff's Deputy Facing Additional ChargesThe Associated Press

A former sheriff's deputy in New Mexico's Colfax County charged last month with drug trafficking now is facing additional charges.

A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment Tuesday charging 45-year-old Vidal Sandoval with two counts of theft of government property.

FBI agents and New Mexico State Police arrested Sandoval on March 13 on an indictment accusing him of protecting people who were transporting cocaine in exchange for a cut of drug profits.

The theft of government charges stem from allegations Sandoval stole money belonging to the FBI in December 2014 and January 2015.

Prosecutors say Sandoval allegedly stole nearly $10,000 from undercover FBI agents who were posing as drug dealers during two traffic stops.

Sandoval resigned following his arrest. He has pleaded not guilty to the drug trafficking charge.

Otero County Approves Bond Sale For Mining ProjectThe Associated Press

A major mining operation is one step closer to fruition now that the Otero County Commission has approved a taxable industrial revenue bond to fund the project.

The Alamogordo Daily News reports that Burrell Western Resources and the county are moving forward with a planned garnet mining production and crushing plant in Orogrande, an unincorporated community south of the county seat.

The bond will be sold by the county to fund the project, with Burrell Western Resources responsible for repayment.

Typically such bonds also allow the collateral, in this case the mining operation, to be property-tax free. A lawyer for Burrell says negotiations with the commissioners about taxes and procedural notices are ongoing.

Orogrande was a booming mining town that experienced a gold rush in 1905.

Potash Mine Water Plan Draws Irk In Southeastern New MexicoThe Associated Press and Hobbs News-Sun

A potash mine in southeastern New Mexico is drawing scrutiny over possibly needing 3.2 billion gallons of drinkable water for two years.

The Hobbs News-Sun reports that Lea County commissioners voted last week to send a letter to federal government to protest the potential use of water to flood the mines.

Commissioners want the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to include Lea County in its environmental review of a proposal spearheaded by Intrepid Potash to extract potash ore from an underground mine by flooding it with water out of Lea County.

The project would be an extension to Intrepid's already existing solar solution mine that's located about 20 miles east of Carlsbad. The commission's letter comes as the BLM continues to seek public comment about the project extension.

UNM Students OK 'Gender-Neutral' Constitution - The Associated Press and Daily Lobo

Students at the University of New Mexico have voted to make all pronouns in the student government's constitution gender-neutral.

The Daily Lobo reports that 81 percent of students voted to passed a constitutional amendment on the change. Now, all pronouns in the constitution of the Associated Students of UNM will consist of they/them/they're as the primary form of identification.

ASUNM President Rachel Williams says the amendment is a big step toward campus-wide inclusiveness for students.

Frankie Flores, administrative assistant at the LGBTQ Resource Center, attributes the change to growing awareness about the transgender community.

Williams says that the language in the constitution will also now be more uniform with the ASUNM Law Book, in which terms like "they" and "the body" are used.

Post-Election Spending By Pacs Drops In New Mexico - The Associated Press

Some political action committees continued to spend and raise money in New Mexico after the November election.

But the latest financial disclosures filed with the secretary of state's office show it wasn't nearly as much as before voters went to the polls.

Spending by the New Mexico House Majority Fund and the Keep New Mexico House Majority PAC dwindled to virtually zero following the election that saw the GOP take control of the House for the first time in decades.

The filings for the Oct. 7 to April 6 reporting period were due Monday for all PACs and elected officials.

ActBlue, a committee that contributed to Democratic campaigns, raised and spent about $93,000.

The Realtors Association of New Mexico PAC raised about $74,000 and spent $30,000, including $5,000 for Gov. Susana Martinez's inaugural.

Jessica Hernandez Nominated For Albuquerque City Attorney - The Associated Press

Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry's nominee for city attorney would be the first female in that office.

Berry on Tuesday announced his nomination of Jessica Hernandez. She's worked as an associate and director of a law firm and also worked as Gov. Susana Martinez's general counsel.

The appointment is subject to confirmation by the City Council.

Martinez Signs Gambling Compacts With 5 New Mexico Tribes - The Associated Press

Five New Mexico tribes have new 22-year gambling compacts with the state.

Gov. Susana Martinez signed agreements with the Acoma and Jemez pueblos, the Jicarilla Apache Nation, the Mescalero Apache Tribe and the Navajo Nation.

All of the five tribes but the Jemez Pueblo are currently operating at least one casino.

Martinez signed the agreements Monday during a ceremony at the governor's office with tribal leaders in attendance.

The signings followed several years of negotiations and legislative consideration capped by passage of a gambling compact bill during this year's session.

Tribal officials also have signed the agreements, which now go to the federal Department of the Interior for its approval.

Another Arizona Mental Health Provider To Depart New Mexico - The Associated Press

Another Arizona-based nonprofit has confirmed it plans to cease providing Medicaid-funded mental health services in southern New Mexico.

The Las Cruces Sun-News reports that Tucson-based La Frontera plans a staggered transition to phase out its operations in Dona Ana County and several counties in southwestern New Mexico.

La Frontera had said in February it would provide a 90-day notice to withdraw from New Mexico, and CEO Dan Ranieri said recent talks didn't change that course.

The other Arizona-based provider pulling out is Turquoise Health and Wellness. It offered mental health to Medicaid patients in Carlsbad and other locations in southeastern New Mexico.

Both La Frontera and Turqouise were brought in to replace other Medicaid-funded providers terminated under a 2013 shake-up by Gov. Susana Martinez's administration.

Biofuels Project In Jal May Get Boost After Water Change - The Associated Press and Hobbs News-Sun

A planned biofuels project near Jal may get a boost from a new oil and gas rule approved by the New Mexico Oil Conservation Commission.

The Hobbs News-Sun reports that the change adopted by the state panel last month allows companies to reuse produced water in drilling operations. The rule could lead to producers using 100 percent recycled water instead of continuing to dip in to fresh water aquifers.

Eldorado Biofuels founder Paul Laur says with the new rule in place his project can offer oil companies a cost-effective method of cleaning produced water for reuse that will be cheaper than buying fresh water.

The produced water used to grow the algae comes out the other end clean enough to be reused in the oilfield or potash mining projects.

New Mexico Duck Tests Positive For Bird Flu - The Associated Press

A duck at a national wildlife refuge in southern New Mexico has tested positive for a bird flu strain that's deadly to waterfowl and poultry.

The case is the latest in a growing outbreak of bird flu, especially the highly contagious H5N2 strain affecting poultry in multiple states. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers the risk to people to be low.

New Mexico wildlife officials said Tuesday this marks the first time the highly virulent strain has been confirmed in the state.

Kerry Mower with the state Department of Game and Fish says people need to take precautions to protect their domestic chickens and other birds.

Federal officials began testing birds the Bosque del Apache refuge in February and March as part of an expanded surveillance effort. In all, nearly 200 birds were tested.

Roosevelt County Jail Policy On Lawyer Visits Tossed - The Associated Press and Portales News-Tribune

A New Mexico judge has tossed out a Roosevelt County jail policy that limited attorney contact with inmates.

The Portales News-Tribune reports that District Judge Donna Mowrer ruled last week the policy was unconstitutional and attorney visits did not aid in helping inmates escape as officials claimed.

Under the old policy, attorneys could only have contact with inmates between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and only with 24 hours advanced notice.

Mowrer said that policy was "an unconstitutional infringement on the detainees' rights."

County Manager Amber Hamilton says the policy was changed Friday per court order.