Santa Fe Mayor Wants Gender-Neutral Bathrooms, Film Push – The Associated Press
Santa Fe Mayor Javier Gonzales wants his city to have gender-neutral bathrooms and to launch a new push to attract film productions.
Gonzales made the proposals in his first State of the City address yesterday. The address was titled "One Santa Fe, One City, One Family."
The mayor says he'll introduce a resolution to require that every single-stall bathroom in Santa Fe be gender-neutral. He didn't spell out details in his address but says it's a response to what he's hearing from the transgendered community.
According to Gonzales, Santa Fe needs to do everything it can to guarantee safe spaces for all residents.
Gonzales says he's asking the City Council to provide the city with a full-time office and a film commission to work on bringing productions to Santa Fe.
New Mexico Teens In Homeless Killings To Stand Trial In Oct. – The Associated Press
Three New Mexico teenagers accused of beating two homeless men to death with cinderblocks will stand trial in October.
KOB reports the case against the teens on first-degree murder will begin on Oct. 19.
In July, Albuquerque police arrested 18-year-old Alex Rios, a 16-year-old and a 15-year-old in the killings of 44-year-old Allison Gorman and 46-year-old Kee Thompson. Their bodies were discovered in a vacant lot.
The three have pleaded not guilty. The Associated Press is not identifying the two younger defendants because of their ages.
The victims were Native American, but police have said there's no indication the crime was racially motivated.
Hobbs Gun Shop Owner Gets Prison For Violating Firearm Laws - The Associated Press
A Hobbs gun shop owner has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for violating firearms laws.
Prosecutors say 32-year-old Carlos Jonathan Cruz will be on three years of supervised release after serving his prison term. He was sentenced Wednesday in Las Cruces.
Cruz is the owner of Hobbs Satellite Company Guns & Ammo.
He was indicted in June 2013 for buying firearms on behalf of others, unlawfully selling thousands of rounds of ammunition, possessing an unregistered sawed-off shotgun and possessing firearms with obliterated serial numbers.
He pleaded guilty to some of the charges in January 2014.
Cruz's parents also were charged in the case and are awaiting sentencing.
Prosecutors say Cruz and his parents must forfeit about 165 firearms, more than 25,000 rounds of ammunition and six silencers.
New Mexico's New Revenue Plummets Further On Oil Price Drop - The Associated Press
New Mexico legislators will have to pare down their spending plans because dropping oil prices have left the state with $60 million less in new revenue than anticipated.
State Finance and Administration Secretary Tom Clifford told a panel of lawmakers Wednesday the state will have just over $83 million in new revenue to use for spending increases on education and other government services in the next fiscal year.
A December forecast had put that number at about $140 million.
The biggest reason for the drop is the decline in oil and gas prices.
State finance officials say the drop has been mitigated by increases in revenue generated from gross receipts, motor vehicle excise taxes and personal and corporate income taxes in the first five months of the current fiscal year.
New Mexico Lawmakers Grapple With Lottery Scholarships - The Associated Press
New Mexico's struggling lottery scholarship program is drawing the attention of lawmakers again this legislative session.
But the independent think tank Think New Mexico has concerns about a proposal that would eliminate a requirement that 30 percent of lottery revenues be dedicated to the scholarship fund.
That proposal would also clear the way for credit card purchases of lottery tickets, which supporters say would boost revenues that could be funneled to the program.
Fred Nathan of Think New Mexico says revenues would have to increase 30 percent for that to pay off.
While no permanent fix is on the table, Gov. Susana Martinez has called for infusing the scholarship fund with an additional $6.5 million to ensure students get nearly all of their tuition costs paid for over the next three semesters.
Obama: Immigrant Critics Don't Consider 'Human Consequences' - The Associated Press
President Barack Obama is accusing opponents of his immigration action of failing to think about the "human consequences."
The president spoke during an Oval Office meeting Wednesday with six young immigrants who would be subject to eventual deportation under a bill passed by the House. The legislation would overturn Obama's executive actions limiting deportations for millions here illegally and giving them the ability to work.
Obama repeated his threat to veto the legislation and says he is confident he could uphold a veto over any attempts to override it.
Obama says the debate has become an "abstraction" and the so-called "Dreamers" he met with "represent the best that this country has to offer." He says the House bill would see them deported, and he thinks that's wrong.
Albuquerque Officer Hurt In Hit-And-Run Accident - The Associated Press
Albuquerque police say a city police officer was critically injured in a hit-and-run accident while riding a motorcycle.
The Police Department identified the injured officer as Raymond Loomis and said he is assigned to duty at the Metropolitan Courthouse.
According to police, the accident occurred late yesterday afternoon at westbound Interstate 40 and Rio Grande.
Police say preliminary information indicates that a red four-door sedan left the area without stopping after striking the motorcycle.
New Mexico House Votes To Clarify Duty To Report Child Abuse - The Associated Press
The New Mexico House of Representatives has passed legislation that would clarify a law requiring the reporting of suspected child abuse and neglect to authorities
The bill by Santa Fe Democrat Brian Egolf removes reference to the 10 categories of people, including physicians, nurses and teachers, who were previously specified in law as having to contact authorities about suspected abuse.
Egolf says the bill restores the original intent of the law, making it clear everyone has a responsibility to report child abuse.
The legislation now moves to the Senate for consideration.
ENMU Students To See 6.5 Percent Tuition Hike - The Associated Press and Portales News-Tribune
Eastern New Mexico University students are facing a tuition increase this fall.
The Portales News-Tribune reports that the ENMU's board of regents approved a 6.5 percent increase in tuition and fees during a Jan. 23 meeting in Santa Fe.
The tuition and fees increase translates to a $155 per semester increase for undergraduates and a $170 increase for graduate students.
In-state full-time students currently pay $2,550 per semester while out-of-state students pay $5,437 per semester.
A spokesman says the increase in tuition and fees is needed to compensate for a lack of state appropriated funds.
State Police Drug Investigation In Gallup Area Nets 27 - The Associated Press
A year-long New Mexico State Police investigation into drug trafficking in the Gallup area has resulted in 27 people being arrested or charged.
According to the agency, the investigation targeted several organizations selling drugs that included methamphetamine, heroin and marijuana.
Drugs seized during the investigation had an estimated street value of $100,000.
The agency says it had help from the District Attorney's Office, the federal Drug Enforcement Agency and Homeland Security Investigations.
Sunland Park City Council Fires City Manager - The Associated Press and Las Cruces Sun-News
Sunland Park City Manager Vernon Wilson is out of a job.
The City Council voted 5-0 with one abstention Tuesday to fire Wilson, who had two years left on his contract.
Mayor Javier Perea did not disclose reasons for the termination, while Wilson called it a "personal vendetta."
Wilson was hired in December 2013 at a time when the southern New Mexico community's city government was in disarray and faced the potential of a state takeover.
The Las Cruces Sun-News reports that the city since then has improved its finances and its relations with state officials.
Wilson's firing means Perea will temporarily oversee day-to-day operations of city government until an acting city manager is appointed.
Perea disputes it, but Wilson contends he is entitled to severance pay.