Water Table Drops As Drought Forces More Pumping – The Associated Press
The Upper Rio Grande Basin has been struggling with drought for most of the past decade, forcing cities and farmers from southern Colorado to Texas' Hudspeth County to pump water from the ground to make up for the lack of snow and rain.
Experts tell the El Paso Times that has resulted in the groundwater levels dropping in the region as much as 200 feet in the past 10 years.
The precipitous drop is especially disturbing because it's taking place in an area where it recharges too slowly to make up the loss. Worse, many experts predict a future in which even less water in the river will mean even more pumping.
New Mexico State University professor Brian Hurd says he expects river flows to diminish and the region's populations to grow, increasing demand for groundwater.
Albuquerque To Get Synthetic Ice Rink After All – The Associated Press
Albuquerque isn't giving up on its plans to erect an ice rink at Civic Plaza.
Crews began assembling a synthetic ice rink at the downtown spot on Wednesday. If a final shipment of materials arrives in time, they said residents could be skating on the new rink as soon as Friday.
Mayoral spokeswoman Rhiannon Schroeder tells the Albuquerque Journal that the rink is on loan from the New Mexico BioPark Society. It's designed for children, but she says adults will be welcome.
If there's enough interest, the city can expand the rink and consider purchasing it from the BioPark Society.
An earlier plan to have a small rink up by Christmas fell through. That rink was to come from Isleta Pueblo.
There will be no charge to skate on the new rink, just to rent skates.
Dolly Parton's Reading Program Heads To Santa Fe – The Associated Press
Santa Fe County and the local United Way chapter have teamed up to bring Dolly Parton's Imagination Library to children throughout the northern New Mexico county.
The program aims to increase reading among children. Books selected by a national panel of experts will be sent to children each month from the day a child is born until he or she reaches the age of 5.
The head of Santa Fe County's Community Services Department, Rachel O'Conner, says less than half of the 13,000 students in the Santa Fe school district read at grade level. She says the county hopes to boost that number through its partnership with United Way and Imagination Library.
The United Way will assist the county in enrolling children. Officials expect more than 500 children to participate.
Group Wants State Regulators Recused From PNM Case – The Associated Press
State regulators in less than two weeks are to begin deliberating a proposal that calls for shutting down part of an aging coal-fired power plant in northwestern New Mexico.
But one environmental group, New Energy Economy, is calling for Public Regulation Commissioners Pat Lyons and Karen Montoya to recuse themselves from the deliberations.
The group filed its motion Wednesday. It argues that phone calls and emails between PNM and the two commissioners have created an appearance of a conflict of interest.
The commissioners did not immediately respond to email requests for comment.
The proposal for shutting down part of the San Juan Generating Station is aimed at meeting certain pollution standards. However, it has drawn criticism from environmentalists who say PNM's reliance on fossil fuels would still be too high.
NM Governor Requests Help In 1971 Murder Case – The Associated Press
Gov. Susana Martinez has renewed a request that the Obama administration try to extradite from Cuba the last living suspect in the 1971 shooting death of a New Mexico state police officer.
Previous attempts by state officials were unsuccessful, but now President Barack Obama's move to thaw U.S. relations with Cuba has given some who have fought for justice new hope.
The Albuquerque Journal reports Martinez sent a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry and Attorney General Eric Holder asking for them to push for the return of Charlie Hill.
Hill, Michael Finney and Ralph Goodwin were accused in the murder of Robert Rosenbloom, who was gunned down during a traffic stop. They fled the country by hijacking an airliner from Albuquerque's airport.
Finney and Goodwin died in Cuba.
Country Music Group To Headline Governor's Ball – The Associated Press
The country music group Lonestar will be headlining Gov. Susana Martinez's inaugural ball on Jan. 1.
The governor's inaugural committee made the announcement this week.
The "New Mexico True Inaugural Ball" will be held at the Albuquerque Convention Center. The theme this time will celebrate the state's culture and heritage.
The ball will follow a public swearing-in ceremony earlier in the day at the State Capitol in Santa Fe.
Martinez, the nation's only Latina governor, cruised to an easy victory in November over Democratic challenger Gary King.