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Headlines: WIPP Leak Could Have Been Prevented...

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Los Alamos Radiation Release Could Have Been PreventedThe Associated Press

Investigators say officials could have prevented the poor management and lapses in safety that led to radiation contamination inside the federal government's only underground nuclear waste repository.

The shortcomings were outlined in a final report released Thursday by the U.S. Department of Energy's Accident Investigation Board.

Investigators spent more than a year looking into the cause of the radiation release at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant.

Like a separate team of experts, they also found that the release was caused by a chemical reaction inside a drum of waste that had been packaged at Los Alamos National Laboratory.

The release contaminated workers and forced the indefinite closure of WIPP.

Federal officials say it could take years and cost more than a half-billion dollars to reopen the repository.

Private Attorney To Prosecute NM Officers In Fatal ShootingThe Associated Press

The prosecutor removed by a New Mexico judge from the case of two Albuquerque police officers charged in the shooting death of a homeless man last year has tapped a private attorney to handle the case.

Randi McGinn has agreed to prosecute officers Dominque Perez and Keith Sandy, who were charged earlier this year with murder in the March 2014 death of James Boyd during an hourslong standoff.

Authorities have said the homeless man was camping illegally and threatened officers with two knives.

State District Judge Alisa Hadfield last week disqualified District Attorney Kari Brandenburg or anyone in her office from prosecuting the case and ordered her to appoint a special prosecutor.

Brandenburg announced during a news conference Thursday that McGinn has agreed to prosecute the case.

Navajo Voters Head To Polls In Belated Presidential ElectionThe Associated Press

Voters on the country's largest American Indian reservation are choosing a new president Tuesday.

The election comes after months of court battles that started with a question over fluency in the Navajo language.

One candidate was disqualified, resulting in a race between former tribal President Joe Shirley Jr. and onetime lawmaker Russell Begaye.

Shirley has positioned himself as an experienced leader, while Begaye is counting on his short time in politics to give him the edge.

Whoever is elected will confront huge challenges that the tribe has faced for decades, including rampant unemployment, and a lack of running water and electricity.

Some 120,000 Navajos are registered to vote in the special election.

Ben Shelly will continue serving as Navajo Nation president until a new leader is sworn in next month.

New Mexico AG Opposes Proposed Solar FeeThe Associated Press

The state attorney general's office has come out against a proposal by New Mexico's largest electric utility to charge customers with new solar power systems a monthly fee to connect to the grid.

The office filed a motion earlier this week in support of dismissing Public Service Co. of New Mexico's request.

Attorney General Hector Balderas also has asked state regulators to investigate the effects of distributed generation on the utility system.

Distributed generation refers to solar panels or wind turbines on homes and businesses that generate electricity and are connected to the grid.

PNM wants solar customers pay what the utility says is their fair share for the fixed costs of maintaining the electric grid. The fee could range from about $21 to $36 per month depending on the size of the system.

New Mexico Governor Talks Drought With Water Managers - The 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.

New Mexico Legislators Holding Talks On Capital Outlay Bill - The Associated Press

New Mexico legislative leaders say talks are underway to try to forge a compromise on a funding bill for building work and other projects across the state.

The regular session ended without agreement on a capital outlay bill amid partisan finger-pointing, but the Santa Fe New Mexican reports that leaders of the Democratic-led-Senate and the Republican-controlled House hope to reach an agreement.

Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez and House Speaker Don Tripp said they've talked with each other and that Legislative Finance Committee aides are working on possible legislation.

Gov. Susana Martinez could call a special session to consider the issue, and a spokesman said Martinez and her staff have participated in talks to find a solution.

Major business groups have urged lawmakers to pass a capital outlay bill.

Ex-Colfax County Sheriff's Deputy Facing Additional Charges - The 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 Project - The Associated Press and Alamogordo Daily News

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.

Albuquerque Police: Base Personnel Catch Shooting Suspect - The Associated Press

Albuquerque police say a suspect is in custody in a Wednesday morning shooting in which one person was wounded.

Officials say the suspect was taken into custody in a housing area by Kirtland Air Force Base security personnel.

Base officials say Albuquerque police notified the base about the pursuit of a suspect who may have entered the housing area. According to base officials, the suspect was detained without incident and promptly turned over to Albuquerque police.

No information was immediately released about the shooting, the suspect or the person who was shot except that the victim is male and was taken to a hospital.

Arizona Woman Pleads Guilty To Child Abuse In New Mexico - The Associated Press

An Arizona woman has pleaded guilty to assault and child abuse charges in New Mexico.

Prosecutors say 22-year-old Bridget Wilson, of Sawmill, entered her plea Wednesday in a federal court in Albuquerque.

Wilson was arrested in February on an indictment charging her with assault resulting in serious bodily injury and abuse of a child.

According to the indictment, Wilson committed the offenses on the Navajo Nation in New Mexico's San Juan County on April 4, 2014.

Wilson's sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled, but prosecutors say she likely will be sentenced to a term of probation to be determined by the court.

New Mexico Officers Arrested On Vacation Sue Maui Police - The Associated Press

A retired Cuba City, New Mexico police chief says he was arrested without explanation while vacationing in Hawaii in 2013.

Jason Greigo was providing private security for a New Mexico businessman on Maui at the time.

Greigo and Cuba City Police Department Reserve Officer James Sanchez filed a federal lawsuit in Honolulu this week saying Maui police officers went to their hotel rooms, handcuffed them and took them to a holding cell.

They say were released without charges and told there was a misunderstanding.

A Maui County corporation counsel says the two failed to comply with Hawaii law when they brought firearms to the state.

Carrying a gun in Hawaii requires a license that must be approved by county chiefs of police.

Greigo's and Sanchez' Honolulu attorney says they weren't subject to that requirement as law enforcement officers.

Former UNM Law Professor Named Chair Of Regulatory Panel - The Associated Press

A former University of New Mexico law professor and federal prosecutor is taking over as chair of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

The U.S. Senate confirmed Norman Bay as a commissioner last summer. Members of New Mexico's congressional delegation announced Wednesday that he will serve as the panel's chairman.

Bay previously served as director of the Office of Enforcement at FERC, a position he had held since 2009.

Sen. Martin Heinrich says energy is at the heart of almost every issue in the country and it's a cornerstone of New Mexico's economy. He says he's certain Bay will support regulations aimed at building a strong energy industry.

The commission is an independent agency that regulates the interstate transmission of electricity, natural gas and oil.