New Mexico Governor Who Campaigned For Rubio Now Undecided – The Associated Press
New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez is not ready to endorse another Republican candidate for president after campaigning for Florida Sen. Marco Rubio only to watch him drop out of the race.
A spokesman for the nation's only Latina governor on Wednesday said only that Martinez is proud to have stood by Rubio and will continue to watch the GOP primary race as it unfolds.
Martinez has repeatedly declined to say whether she would vote for GOP primary front-runner Donald Trump if he wins the nomination. She previously denounced Trump when he compared Mexican immigrants to rapists and drug dealers.
Martinez is the chairwoman of the Republican Governors Association, a fundraising arm of the GOP.
Suspect Taken To Bernalillo County Facility Briefly Escapes – The Associated Press
Authorities say a man being transported to a Bernalillo County detention facility briefly escaped police custody before being caught.
Albuquerque police say 22-year-old Joseph Maestas was arrested by U.S. Marshals task force officers Wednesday morning on four felony and two misdemeanor warrants.
Police say Maestas also had heroin on him when he was arrested.
While being taken to the Metropolitan Detention Center, authorities say Maestas slipped his handcuffs to the front of his body while still in a transport van.
Once the van arrived to the secure parking lot outside the jail, he fled past transport officers as they unloaded the inmates.
Authorities say Maestas was able to climb over a 25-foot fence surrounding the parking lot and run into the mesa south of the jail before being captured.
Army To Station Air Defense Unit At New Mexico Missile Range – The Associated Press
The U.S. Army will be stationing an air defense testing unit at White Sands Missile Range in southern New Mexico.
U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich confirmed the announcement Wednesday. The New Mexico Democrat say the range is a national treasure for the U.S. military due to its terrain, airspace and expertise.
The Air Defense Artillery Test Detachment will be made up of 143 soldiers. They'll be supporting Army missile defense programs that work to put the best equipment in the hands of soldiers deployed around the world.
Heinrich said in a statement that adding a new active duty mission at White Sands is a "big deal" and that he will continue to advocate for a larger active duty presence at the missile range.
OSHA Fines Santa Fe Pot Business For July Explosion – The Associated Press
A medical marijuana dispensary in New Mexico has been fined for safety violations after an explosion badly burned two workers.
The Albuquerque Journal reports that the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration spent about eight months investigating the July 23 explosion and found a total of 12 serious health and safety violations.
OSHA has ordered New MexiCann Natural Medicine to pay several fines totaling $13,500. Online records show that inspectors verified in January that there were no continuing hazards.
The explosion happened while the two workers were making hash oil, a process that involves soaking marijuana in butane. A report from the Santa Fe Fire Department says the blast was caused when a butane leak met with an ignition source.
New Mexico Providers Get Grants For Opioid Abuse Treatment – The Associated Press
The federal government is giving more than $1.7 million to five health centers and treatment providers in New Mexico to improve and expand substance-abuse services, particularly the treatment of opioid abuse.
Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich announced the grants being awarded by the Department of Health and Human Services.
The senators said grants are going to First Choice Community Healthcare Inc. and First Nations Community Health Source Inc. in Albuquerque, La Familia Medical Center and Presbyterian Medical Services Inc. in Santa Fe, and the Pueblo of Jemez.
According to the senators, the funding will mean more people can be screened and treated for substance abuse and there'll be more training for medical professionals so they can make informed prescribing decisions.
Navajo Lawmaker's Criminal Trial Moves Forward After Delay – The Associated Press
Opening arguments are scheduled Wednesday in the trial of a Navajo Nation lawmaker charged with misusing tribal funds.
Prosecutors say Mel Begay funneled nearly $34,000 to his six children from 2006 to 2010. He's charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, and nine count of submitting or permitting false tribal vouchers.
Eight people were chosen Tuesday to hear the case in Window Rock tribal court. Not enough potential jurors had shown up Monday.
Begay has maintained he is innocent. He faces the loss of his legislative seat, jail time and fines if convicted.
Begay's attorneys had asked the tribe's Supreme Court to dismiss the case, challenging the impartiality of the tribal judge, the prosecutors' authority and the statute of limitations.
The high court justices denied the requests Tuesday.
Feds To Set Aside Land In Western States For Rare Mouse - Susan Montoya Bryan, Associated Press
The federal government is setting aside nearly 22 square miles across three western states as critical habitat for a rare mouse that has already pitted ranchers against the U.S. Forest Service in New Mexico.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Tuesday that areas in New Mexico, Colorado and Arizona will be covered by the designation for the New Mexico meadow jumping mouse.
Officials say the management of vegetation along 170 miles of streams throughout the region will be affected.
Federal forest managers ordered closures and began installing fencing along streams in parts of the Santa Fe and Lincoln national forests in New Mexico in 2014 to protect the mouse.
Ranchers have argued their private property rights as well as the centuries-old ranching traditions of rural communities are being threatened.
City Attorneys Want Seal On Grant Shooting Records – Albuquerque Journal
The city of Albuquerque wants to keep records under wraps that document the shooting of an undercover officer by a lieutenant.
The Albuquerque Journal reports that attorneys for the city in a lawsuit filed by the officer who was shot have asked a federal judge to order videos and other records of the incident be kept secret. They argue they could expose undercover officers and tactics used in undercover operations.
Attorney Alex Gabaldon argued that some of the material is in other public documents and has already been discussed in public forums and in news stories. He’s representing Jacob Grant, who was shot by Lt. Greg Brachle.
The Police Oversight Board recommended firing Brachle, but he retired before that recommendation came down. District Attorney Kari Brandenburg is still considering whether or not to charge Brachle.
State Auditor Criticizes PED Oversight On Charter Schools – Santa Fe New Mexican
A new report from the State Auditor’s Office criticizes the Public Education Department for losing a federal matching grant and for its oversight of state-chartered schools.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports the audit covers the 2015 budget year and says capital expenditures were understated by more than $21 million at PED and the department also lost a $2.7 million federal grant from the Vocational Rehabilitation Division because it did not meet a matching requirement.
The report noted numerous findings of deficiencies at 59 state-chartered schools. These include problems with cash management and payroll deficiencies and background checks.
State Auditor Tim Keller wants a corrective action plan from PED by April 22.
Paul Aguilar, the deputy secretary of finances and operations at PED, said the audit is a political document and he disputed some of the findings. He also said it doesn’t reflect steps PED is taking to address problems with charter schools.
Albuquerque Leaders Support Federal Animal Cruelty Law – Associated Press
Albuquerque's mayor and police chief say they support legislation that would make animal cruelty a federal crime.
Mayor Richard Berry and Police Chief Gorden Eden have sent letters to the Humane Society expressing support for bi-partisan legislation. The Humane Society is advocating for the new law.
Eden and Berry say the legislation would close a loophole in federal law, which prohibits profiting from animal fighting and videos that show animal cruelty but doesn't ban the actual act of cruelty itself.
Malicious animal cruelty already carries felony penalties in the criminal codes of all 50 states. The proposed federal legislation would outlaw animal cruelty and torture in areas where federal authorities have jurisdiction.
New Mexico Senator To Be Among Delegation Traveling To Cuba – Associated Press
U.S. Sen. Tom Udall says he'll be accompanying President Barack Obama on his visit to Cuba next week.
The New Mexico Democrat made the announcement Tuesday. He'll be among a group that will include several other members of Congress.
The historic three-day trip will begin Sunday.
A member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Udall has traveled to Cuba several times over the years to meet with Cuban officials, religious and business leaders and others to discuss the effects of the embargo and travel restrictions.
Udall told reporters that the president's trip signals a new relationship with Cuba, but that Congress still needs to repeal outdated laws that restrict business and tourism.
Southern New Mexico Community Eyes Colonia Designation – Las Cruces Sun-News
A small, poor border community in southern New Mexico is considering designating itself as a colonia.
Las Cruces Sun-News reports that Mesilla's board of trustees and town residents heard from federal officials on Monday about what such a move might mean.
Colonias share around $170 million in federal funding for infrastructure projects.
In the U.S., a colonia is considered a semi-rural subdivision of substandard housing lacking basic physical infrastructure such as suitable drinking water, sanitary sewage, and adequate roads.
Colonias must be located within 150 miles of the U.S. border with Mexico, and there are other social and economic qualifications that must be met to be eligible for a colonias designation.
Mesilla Mayor Nora Barraza said a colonias designation would be for historical commercial and historical residential districts.
UNM Health Care Costs To Rise – Albuquerque Journal
Health care costs will go up by about 4.5 percent for University of New Mexico employees starting in July.
The Albuquerque Journal reports that the board of regents approved the changes, which include higher out-of-pocket maximums and drug costs. About 6,000 employees access health care through UNM.
Regents did decide not to charge for diabetes prescriptions, which had been proposed.
Employees say the higher costs will be particularly difficult because wages have been mostly stagnant. Faculty and staff saw slight raises in the last two years but none this year.
The university’s budget will decrease by $8 million in the next fiscal year, which starts July 1.