Transparency Bills A Casualty In NM Legislative Session - The Associated Press
Open government advocates say it wasn't a good legislative session for boosting transparency as lobbying disclosure and campaign finance bills failed.
Of about a dozen bills — from requiring independent groups to disclose campaign donations to a two-year break for legislators who turn lobbyist — only a couple of measures made it to Gov. Susana Martinez's desk.
Susan Boe of the New Mexico Foundation of Open Government says there were a lot of issues before lawmakers this year, but transparency appeared to be a victim.
The executive director of Common Cause New Mexico, Viki Harrison, questioned whether there's "true political will" to make a change when it comes to campaign finance.
Government watchdogs nonetheless praised legislators for starting House committee meetings on time and giving people a voice in hearings.
Albuquerque Officer Dies From 'Catostrophic Medical Event' – The Associated Press
The Albuquerque Police Department says one of its officers has died as a result of what the department calls a "catastrophic medical event."
The department said the officer was stricken as he and others gathered at a location in northeast Albuquerque for role-playing training on how to interact with people in crisis.
CPR was performed but the officer died at a hospital.
The department said his death was not related to the training.
Mayor Richard Berry said he joins the officer's family and the community in grieving and that Albuquerque is grateful to the officer and all who serve the city with honor and courage.
Hobbs Sees Growth, But Exodus From New Mexico Continues – The Associated Press
A portion of southeastern New Mexico's oil patch is among the top 10 fastest growing areas in the nation.
New data released from the U.S. Census Bureau on Thursday shows the Hobbs area saw a population increase of more than 2 percent between July 2013 and July 2014.
The region includes part of the Permian Basin, which has seen the number of barrels of oil produced each day more than double over the last several years. The boom has led to housing shortages and more traffic throughout southeastern New Mexico.
Lea County, where Hobbs is located, was one of only four counties in New Mexico to see a population gain between 2013 and 2014.
The remaining 29 counties all saw population decreases.
Energy Secretary Reiterates Priority Of Reopening Nuke Dump - The Associated Press
U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz says his department is committed to reopening the federal government's underground nuclear waste repository in southern New Mexico.
Moniz made assurances to a U.S. Senate subcommittee during a hearing Wednesday in Washington, D.C. He says reopening the troubled facility would be done safety, with worker safety in mind.
A container stored at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant leaked in February 2014. The radioactive release forced the repository to close indefinitely.
Federal officials have said it could take years and more than a half-billion dollars for full operations to resume at WIPP.
New Mexico also has levied $54 million in fines against DOE and its contractors over failures that led to the radiation release. Moniz says he's hopeful DOE and the state can reach an agreement.
New Mexico Officials Tout Increase In Graduation Rates - The Associated Press
New figures from the U.S. Education Department show New Mexico is among the states to see the most growth in high school graduation rates over a three-year period.
The state's graduation rate increased from 63 percent during the 2010-11 school year to 70 percent in 2013. Only Alabama and Nevada saw higher growth rates during the period.
Nationally, the graduation rate reached a high of 81.4 percent in 2013.
State education officials said Wednesday that New Mexico's graduation rates included advances among Hispanic, American Indian and black students.
State Public Education Secretary Hanna Skandera says she's encouraged by the progress but that three out of every 10 students who enroll still don't graduate from high school.
She says her focus remains on increasing opportunities for students.
Former San Miguel County Judge Agrees To Permanent Ban - The Associated Press and Las Vegas Optic
A former San Miguel County magistrate who publicly supported various candidates while retired but still serving occasionally as a judge has agreed to never serve again in a judicial position.
The Las Vegas Optic reports that Philip Romero had retired from his San Miguel County position but still ran afoul of a state prohibition against judges supporting candidates because he continued to fill in temporarily for judges in other counties.
Romero said he agreed to permanent retirement from judicial office because he didn't want to face being ordered to pay costs of potential Judicial Standards Commission proceedings.
He said he had thought he was allowed to endorse candidates running in 2014 because he had retired in 2013 and since then only served as a fill-in judge occasionally.
Police: NM Man Wrapped Dead Woman In Plastic, Went To Dinner - The Associated Press
Albuquerque police say a suspected drug dealer found the body of a dead woman in his home, wrapped her in plastic and left her there for hours while he went to eat dinner with family.
Authorities say 31-year-old Eugene Crane later dumped the body in a field behind a skating rink with the help of another woman.
Crane, who police say also goes by the names "Blanco Diablo" and "The Boogie Man," was recently arrested. He faces kidnapping, tampering with evidence and conspiracy charges.
Police say the cause of death for 31-year-old Cheyenne Cantrell of Espanola hasn't been determined although drug overdose is suspected. A family found her body in the lot on March 14.
Crane was ordered held on a $250,000 bond. It was unclear if he had an attorney.
Dona Ana County Commissioners Approve Sales Tax Increase - The Associated Press
Dona Ana County is going to increase its sales tax and plans to spend part of the revenue on criminal-justice agencies.
The Las Cruces Suns-News reports that county commissioners voted 4-1 Tuesday to approve its sales tax by three-eighths of a percent on July 1.
The tax increase will replace $1.9 million in annual state funding that the state plans to phase out over 15 years.
The commissioners earmarked various shares of the sales tax revenue for the sheriff's department, the detention center, economic development and capital improvements.
Experts: New Mexico Oil Patch Could Lose 2,000 Jobs - The Associated Press
State energy officials say the downturn in the oil and gas industry could cost New Mexico around 2,000 jobs.
New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Secretary David Martin spoke Tuesday at an energy conference in Farmington. He says the number of drill rigs operating in the state has dropped from 85 to 60 over the past year.
Martin says the state hasn't seen a decrease in production but activity is expected to level off and lead to fewer jobs and revenue in the coming months.
Industry leaders say they're finding ways to make operations more efficient.
The head of BP's onshore business says the company has no plans to sell its assets in the San Juan Basin, which includes thousands of operating and idle natural gas wells.
Farmington Man Pleads Guilty To 2nd-Degree Murder - The Associated Press
A Farmington man has become the fourth person to plead guilty to second-degree murder in the 2013 kidnapping and killing of a Navajo woman in New Mexico.
Prosecutors say 28-year-old Scott Thompson entered his plea Wednesday.
He remains in federal custody and his sentencing hearing hasn't been set.
Prosecutors say Thompson is facing between 21 to 30 years in prison.
Three co-defendants also pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the case last year while another man pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, kidnapping and conspiracy to kidnap.
The five suspects were arrested in December 2013 after the remains of the 28-year-old woman were recovered on the Navajo Nation in San Juan County.
Authorities say the woman likely was kidnapped and killed in October 2013, a month before she was reported missing.