State Officials Investigate APS Board Vice President – Albuquerque Journal
The vice president of the Albuquerque Public Schools board is under investigation for seeking reimbursement for a cleaning bill.
The Albuquerque Journal reports Analee Maestas submitted a receipt for about $342 for cleaning at the charter school she founded. But officials are looking into whether that service actually took place in her home.
Maestas paid the bill and got reimbursed from La Promesa, asked the Public Education Department to reimburse the charter school.
At issue is the receipt that appears to have been altered with the name of the school written over Maestas’ name and an address that PED says appears to be her home.
Under state law using public money for personal expenses and falsifying public records is a petty misdemeanor. Maestas told the Journal she didn’t know about the investigation but was not available for a follow-up interview.
New Mexico Gets Extension On Federal ID Requirements – The Associated Press
The federal government is giving the state of New Mexico an extension until October 2016 to meet tougher federal identification requirements after the state Legislature approved new rules for immigrant driver's licenses.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security notified New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez of the extension on Friday in a letter.
The department last year denied New Mexico an extension from requirements under the federal REAL ID Act. After that, some military installations such as White Sands Missile Range stopped accepting state driver's licenses to gain entry.
Martinez plans to sign revisions to a law that gives state driver's licenses to immigrants regardless of legal status. Immigrants in the country illegally will be able to get newly created driver's authorization cards by submitting fingerprints.
Immigrant Children Set To Leave Holloman Air Force Base – Associated Press
Holloman Air Force Base is no longer hosting immigrant children and Department of Health and Human Services officials say the base is unlikely to host any more soon.
HHS announced that the last of the 700 children are expected to be off the base on Friday after arriving at the end of January. According to a news release, the department is transitioning Holloman to reserve status due to a recent decline in referrals of unaccompanied children.
The children at Holloman have been released and reunited with family members.
U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter directed Holloman to be the first of three temporary shelters to open in New Mexico, Colorado and Florida.
The children were between the ages of 14 and 17 and from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.
State Police: Stolen Gun Found Near Body Of Man Fatally Shot – Albuquerque Journal, Associate Press
New Mexico State Police say a handgun found next to the body of a man fatally shot by a deputy U.S. marshal was reported stolen last year.
The Albuquerque Journal reported Thursday that the gun was taken March 21 from a vehicle and reported stolen to the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office.
Edgar Camacho-Alvarado was shot at an Albuquerque trailer park early last Saturday.
At the time, authorities were looking for a homicide suspect on the state's most wanted list.
State Police say the gun will be tested to see if it was used in any previous crimes.
Camacho-Alvarado's family has raised questions about the shooting, saying he was working on his car when he was fatally shot.
The marshal involved says the 23-year-old Camacho-Alvarado pointed a gun at him.
Some New Mexicans Petitioning To Secede From Santa Fe County – The Associated Press
Some residents of a New Mexico city are petitioning to secede from Santa Fe County to join a bordering county.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that Rio Arriba County is encouraging Espanola residents who want to secede and take with them what officials say could amount to $1 million in tax revenues.
Espanola is a city of about 10,000 straddling the border of the two counties. Some residents believe Santa Fe County's taxes are responsible for businesses shutting down and fleeing the city.
George Martinez is spearheading the petition drive and says Espanola is "disenfranchised" and ignored by Santa Fe County.
Santa Fe County manager Katherine Miller says the city of Espanola is responsible for providing municipal services and still will be if it joins another county.
New Mexico Adopts Laws On Veterans Aid – The Associated Press
New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez is signing legislation aimed at improving educational opportunities for military veterans and increasing funding for veterans cemeteries in rural areas.
The Republican governor signed a package of five bills Friday at an American Legion hall in Albuquerque.
One new law will allow taxpayers to voluntarily donate money from their returns to a fund that helps pay for rural veteran cemeteries. Martinez says that will build on funding approved in 2014 for state veterans cemeteries in Fort Stanton, Gallup, Angel Fire and Carlsbad.
Another law was designed to make it easier for people in the military to earn college credit for skills and training they receive while on service duty. Additional legislation overhauls procurement preferences for veteran-owned small businesses that bid on state contracts.
New Mexico State Police Hiring Push Aimed At Other Agencies
New Mexico State Police officials are launching a new push to fill vacancies by trying to recruit officers now working for other law enforcement agencies.
The agency's announcement Friday says there will be a new seven-week training academy beginning June 5 for lateral hires, followed by up to nine weeks of on-the-job training with a field training officer.
Qualifications for participation in the new program include that applicants must have at least three years of law enforcement experience to apply.
State Police Chief Pete Kassetas says the push for lateral hiring includes a goal of keeping newly hired officers in their current cities.
Federal Funding Approved For New Mexico Water Projects – The Associated Press
Members of New Mexico's congressional delegation say the federal government is going to provide new funding for projects to improve community irrigation ditch systems in the state.
Senators Martin Heinrich and Tom Udall and Representative Ben Ray Lujan announced Friday that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has awarded over $2.5 million for New Mexico acequias (ah-SEH'-key-uhs).
Acequias provide irrigation water to small family farms, and the New Mexico lawmakers say the newly announced funding marks the third consecutive year the Corps of Engineers has included acequia improvements in its work plan.
The project designated for funding first through the new award is design of the Chamisol y Ojito acequia near Penasco in northern New Mexico. Other projects would be funded if dollars are available.
New Mexico Governor Signs New Child Pornography Penalties – Associated Press
New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez is signing into law increased prison sentences for the creation, distribution and possession of child pornography.
The Republican governor signed the legislation Thursday despite her objection to exemptions for the exchange or "sexting" of explicit images between two consenting teenagers.
The legislation was written in response to a state Supreme Court decision that stopped prosecutors from filing multiple charges based on the number of pornographic images or videos. Prosecutors say that created a child pornography loophole by reducing some sentences to 18 months.
The new law provides up to 10 year sentences for child pornography possession and longer sentences for distribution and manufacturing.
Martinez says she will seek out legislation next year to address the issue of sexting.
New Mexico Wrestles With Backlog Of Campaign Warnings – Associated Press
Records show New Mexico election regulators have yet to resolve a backlog of campaign finance accounts belonging to elected officials and candidates that were flagged for possible violations during the tenure of disgraced former Secretary of State Dianna Duran.
Only eight of nearly three dozen cases have been resolved through amended filings and fines of up to $350, according to documents obtained by the Associated Press through a public records request.
After resigning last year, Duran served 30 days in jail for violating the laws she was supposed to uphold by using her own campaign contributions to fuel a gambling spree.
Coaches: Alleged Racial Remarks Fuel Santa Fe Sidelines Spat – Santa Fe New Mexican, Associated Press
A court-side confrontation has led the Santa Fe Indian School to fire two boys basketball coaches — who are both the parents of a popular WNBA player and allege racial remarks set off the dispute.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that school's varsity head coach Ceci Moses, and her husband and assistant coach Rick Schimmel were let go Sunday following a game last week against St Michael's High School.
Their daughter Shoni Schimmel is an Atlanta Dream guard and was the league's All-Star Game MVP in 2014.
Santa Fe Indian School athletic department indicates unsportsmanlike conduct led to Moses' and Rick Schimmel's firing. But the couple says St. Michael's athletic director told their players to get off the court, yelling it was not the "reservation" and later shoving Schimmel.
St. Michael's denies the accusations.
Mom Accused Of Leaving Kid At Crash Site Is Booked Into Jail – Associated Press
A 36-year-old woman accused of getting into a wreck on an Albuquerque freeway and leaving behind her 18-month-child is seen crying in police video and asking if her daughter is OK soon after officers find her at a nearby apartment complex.
Albuquerque police released the video on Thursday. They say Georgette Vigil crashed Monday when her SUV hit a concrete wall on Interstate-40 and a car seat with her child strapped inside flew out of the vehicle.
Police say Vigil fled the scene but was later located at an apartment complex before being taken to a hospital to have injuries from the crash treated.
Holm, 'Better Call Saul' In Minor League Team's Promotions – KOB-TV, Associated Press
UFC bantamweight champion Holly Holm and "Better Call Saul" will be part of a minor league team's promotions this season.
KOB-TV in Albuquerque reports the Albuquerque Isotopes will wear "Better Call Saul" themed jerseys and will auction off Holly Holm-themed jerseys as part of its 2016 promotional schedule.
Holm is scheduled to throw out the first pitch at an April 16 game and the Isotopes will later auction off Holm-themed jerseys.
The Triple-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies will wear jerseys featuring Saul Goodman of AMC-TV's "Better Call Saul" on Aug. 6.
"Better Call Saul" follows Jimmy McGill, played by Bob Odenkirk, who later changes his name to Saul Goodman and becomes an attorney for drug lords in "Breaking Bad." The series is in its second season.
Judge Pushes Pack Trial Date In Santa Fe Deputy Death Case – Associated Press
A judge has pushed back the trial date for a former Santa Fe County sheriff's deputy charged with fatally shooting his partner.
The trial of now-29-year-old Tai Chan was originally scheduled to begin in September 2015 and has been rescheduled three times. Chan is charged with murder in the 2014 death of 29-year-old Jeremy Martin after an alcohol-fueled fight in a Las Cruces hotel.
Chan's attorneys have asked the judge to order prosecutors not to discuss how Chan behaves under the influence of alcohol, calling it "opinion evidence."
State District Judge Fernando Macias of Las Cruces hasn't ruled on the request, but agreed Wednesday to postpone the trial until May 23.
New Mexico Library To Sell Signed Tony Hillerman Books – Associated Press
A New Mexico library is preparing to sell unedited manuscripts and signed books by late author Tony Hillerman.
The Jemez Springs Public Library announced it will allow fans to purchase the rare Hillerman items at a special book sale on Saturday.
The sale is part of the Cabin Fever Festival in Jemez Springs.
Officials say at least 30 published and unpublished works written between 1970 and 1990 will be sold at the sale.
The items were donated from Hillerman's daughter, author Anne Hillerman.
Proceeds from sales will go directly to the friends for the library's numerous reading programs including its summer programs.
Tony Hillerman died in 2008 at 83. He authored a number of books and was best known for his Navajo Tribal Police mystery novels.