New Mexico Utility Tries Again With New Rate Request – Associated Press
New Mexico's largest electric utility is renewing its request to raise rates, this time by more than 14 percent.
Public Service Company of New Mexico filed its request with the state Public Regulation Commission on Thursday. A previous attempt was rejected by commissioners earlier this year because the utility failed to provide enough information.
Utility officials say they expect the rate increase, if approved, to be offset by lower fuel costs as well as savings that would be realized through a new coal supply contract if the company's plan for shutting down part of the San Juan Generating Station is approved.
PNM says revenue raised through the proposed increase would cover the half-billion dollars in investments being made in solar and natural gas power plants, pollution controls and grid maintenance.
NM Lawmaker Will Propose Amendment To Reform Bail System – Associated Press
A Santa Fe lawmaker says he will sponsor a proposed constitutional amendment for the state's bail system, which he calls "broken."
Sen. Peter Wirth, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said Thursday his bill will be introduced during the 30-day state legislative session that starts in January.
The Democrat's proposal puts forward two key reforms, one of which would allow judges to deny bail before trial for the most high-risk, dangerous defendants.
Another reform being proposed would allow for the release of low-risk defendants who are being held in jail simply because they do not have the means to make bond. If approved in the legislature, a measure would go before voters in November 2016.
Arthur Pepin, director of the state's administrative office of the courts, says New Mexico's judiciary endorses a bail reform constitutional amendment.
New Mexico Panel Revamps Hunt Limits On Bears, Cougars – Associated Press
The state Game Commission has voted unanimously to approve the expansion of cougar and bear hunting in New Mexico.
The vote came Thursday during a meeting in Santa Fe that was attended by dozens of wildlife advocates who voiced concerns about the proposal.
The new rules will allow for more black bear hunting in all but two of the state's game management districts as well as the doubling of cougar hunting limits. The trapping and snaring of cougars on private land and state trust land will also be allowed without special permits.
The Game and Fish Department says new population data warranted an update of the hunting limits.
Critics argued that the department's plan wasn't based on science and that more hunting will have negative long-term effects on animal populations.
Game Panel Delays Decision On Mexican Wolf Permit Appeal – Associated Press
The New Mexico Game Commission has delayed a decision on an appeal filed by federal officials who are seeking to release endangered Mexican gray wolves as part of recovery efforts in the Southwest.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service initially sought three permits, including one to release a pair of wolves and their pups onto federal land in New Mexico and another allowing for up to 10 captive pups to be raised by foster wolves in the wild.
The state game and fish director denied the requests in June.
The Fish and Wildlife Service's regional deputy director, Joy Nicholopoulos, told commissioners during a meeting Thursday in Santa Fe that delaying releases could compromise the genetics of the wild population in New Mexico and Arizona.
The commission is expected to take up the matter again next month.
Board Punts Decision On Embattled Albuquerque Schools Chief – Associated Press
The board that oversees New Mexico's largest school district has decided to delay making a decision on the fate of its embattled superintendent after he hired an administrator charged with child sex abuse.
Albuquerque Public Schools Board President Don Duran announced the delay Thursday after board members met behind closed doors for more than four hours.
Duran didn't detail any of the discussion and said only that the board needs to review the matter further before determining whether Superintendent Luis Valentino will keep his job.
Valentino became superintendent in June and hired Jason Martinez to head the district's instruction and technology division. But the district never completed its background check on Martinez, who faces sex assault felonies involving two children in Colorado.
Martinez resigned abruptly last week.
Colorado Bail Increased For Ex-New Mexico School Official – Associated Press
A judge has increased bail for a former New Mexico school administrator facing separate child sexual abuse and assault cases in Colorado.
Denver District Judge Brian Whitney on Thursday set Jason Martinez's bail at a total of $200,000 and ordered him to wear an ankle monitor.
Whitney expressed surprise that Martinez wasn't previously ordered to wear an ankle monitor.
Bail had been $100,000 total.
Martinez was hired by Albuquerque Public Schools in June but resigned after the charges came to light. He was re-arrested after Colorado officials learned he left the state to take the Albuquerque job, a violation of his bond.
Martinez attended all his court hearings and Colorado authorities didn't realize he had left.
Martinez's lawyer, Leonard Anthony Martinez, says he expects his client to be exonerated.
Navajo President Opens Irrigation Canal After Mine Spill – Associated Press
Farmers in the northeast part of the Navajo Nation will soon be cleared to resume using the San Juan River for irrigation after it was contaminated by the Gold King Mine spill.
The Farmington Daily Times reports that Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye announced Thursday at a meeting with chapter officials that the Fruitland Irrigation canal, which delivers water to the Nenahnezad, San Juan and Upper Fruitland chapters will be opened. The chapters have been without water since the Colorado gold mine sent toxic sludge into the waterway on Aug. 5.
Begaye says the entire canal will be flushed before irrigation can start.
Shiprock Irrigation Supervisor Marlin Saggboy says flushing will begin as soon as he receives a written directive from the president. The canal could be full and ready as early as Sunday.
EPA Workers Had No Way To Get Word Out After Toxic Spill – Associated Press
Documents show it took more than 90 minutes for members of a federal cleanup crew to issue a warning about a toxic spill because they were initially trapped and scrambling to escape the flood they had accidentally unleashed from a Colorado mine.
The documents released Thursday by the federal Environmental Protection Agency contained new details on the 3 million-gallon spill on Aug. 5 that fouled downstream rivers in Colorado, Utah and New Mexico.
The EPA is facing increasing political pressure to explain how the accident happened despite prior warnings that it could occur.
The inactive mine is located on a remote mountain at an elevation of 11,000 feet.
License Of Ex-Dispatcher Who Hung Up On 911 Caller Revoked - Albuquerque Journal, Associated Press
New Mexico health officials have revoked the license of a former 911 dispatcher who hung up on a teenager who was trying to help a 17-year-old shooting victim.
KOAT-TV reports Matthew Sanchez resigned from the department and his license was suspended after a recording of the call was made public.
The teen later died, and two men are facing charges in the shooting.
A Department of Health investigation led to Sanchez's license being revoked, preventing him from legally working as an emergency medical dispatcher.
The Sanchez family did not comment. It's unclear whether Sanchez will appeal the decision.
'Magnificent Seven' Remake To Film Around New Mexico – Associated Press
A remake of the "The Magnificent Seven" starring Denzel Washington and Chris Pratt will be filming throughout New Mexico.
New Mexico Film Office Director Nick Maniatis said Thursday that the production will employ at least 275 New Mexico crew members, nine New Mexico actors and around 60 local background talent.
Maniatis did not say when production would start or in what cities they would be shooting.
The movie, which will be released next year, also reunites Washington with his "Training Day" director, Antoine Fuqua, and co-star Ethan Hawke.
The feature is based on the 1960 film about seven outlaws who protect a small town from a band of murderous thieves.
That version starred Yul Brynner and Steve McQueen.
Secretary of state accused of embezzlement, money laundering – The Associated Press
New Mexico's Democratic attorney general has filed a complaint in state district court, accusing Republican Secretary of State Dianna Duran of embezzlement, money laundering and other campaign finance violations.
Attorney General Hector Balderas' office filed the 64-count complaint in Santa Fe late Friday afternoon.
According to the document, the attorney general's investigators say they uncovered behavior that included the transferring of large amounts of cash from Duran's personal and campaign accounts as well as cash expenditures at casinos throughout the state.
This marks the latest in an ongoing spat between Balderas and Duran over the reporting and enforcement of the state's campaign finance laws.
In February, the two announced a joint task force to study the issue, but months later Duran accused Balderas of submitting three late campaign finance reports.
Man Accused In NM Officer's Death Faces New Federal Charges – The Associated Press
A federal grand jury has filed robbery and other charges against a man accused in the fatal shooting of a police officer in an Albuquerque suburb.
A superseding indictment filed Friday says 28-year-old Andrew Romero carried out armed robberies at a CVS on April 6 and a gas station on May 26 in Albuquerque. The gas station robbery came in the day after authorities say Romero shot and killed Officer Gregg "Nigel" Benner in Rio Rancho.
Romero is charged in state court with first-degree murder.
The filing in federal court Friday includes two counts of robbing a business engaged in interstate commerce and two counts of brandishing firearms during a crime of violence. They add to charges federal authorities filed against Romero of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
His prior convictions include voluntary manslaughter, tampering with evidence and heroin trafficking.
Power Restored To 15,000 In Albuquerque Following Car Crash – The Associated Press
Albuquerque police say a power outage that left more than 15,000 customers without electricity for about three hours was caused by a car crashing into a utility pole.
Public Service Company of New Mexico says power to homes and businesses was restored by midmorning Friday.
According to police, a vehicle struck a pole near Lomas and San Mateo boulevards.
No one was injured, but since the outage occurred during rush hour, police urged drivers to be patient and treat any intersection without a working traffic signal as a four-way stop.
4th Congressional Hearing Planned On Colorado Mine Blowout – The Associated Press
A fourth congressional hearing is planned on the release of tainted wastewater from a Colorado gold mine that affected three states.
The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee announced Friday it plans a hearing on Sept. 16. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy, whose agency accidentally triggered the release, is scheduled to testify.
Other planned hearings include the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, Sept. 9; the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, Sept. 16; and House Oversight and Natural Resources committees, Sept. 17.
An EPA-led cleanup crew triggered the 3-million-gallon spill Aug. 5. Wastewater polluted with potentially toxic heavy metals flowed downstream into New Mexico and Utah.
The EPA is under pressure to explain why it happened and how long it took to notify state and local authorities.
EPA: Clean Water Rule In Effect Despite Court Ruling – The Associated Press
The Environmental Protection Agency says it is going forward with a new federal rule to protect small streams, tributaries and wetlands, despite a court ruling that blocked the measure in 13 central and Western states.
The EPA says a rule that took effect Friday in 37 states will safeguard drinking water for millions of Americans.
Opponents, including farm and business groups, have pledged to fight the rule, emboldened by a federal court decision Thursday that blocked the rule from Alaska to Arkansas.
Other lawsuits seeking to block the rule are pending across the country, and the Republican-controlled Congress has moved to thwart it.
Opponents call the rule federal overreach. The EPA says it clarifies which smaller waterways fall under federal protection after two Supreme Court rulings left that uncertain.
'Forgotten' Hometown Mexican-American Scholar Gets School – The Associated Press
A school has been dedicated for a noted Mexican-American scholar and civil rights leader who was virtually unknown in his hometown of Albuquerque until recently.
Albuquerque Public Schools officials on Friday formally dedicated the George I. Sanchez Collaborative Community School for the former superintendent as the district remains in turmoil with its current embattled school chief.
Sanchez was born in Albuquerque in 1906 and worked as a teacher and superintendent before becoming one of the nation's most influential Latino scholars.
A political fight later forced him out of New Mexico. He died in 1972.
A dozen or so schools in Texas and California are named after Sanchez, but there were none in New Mexico.
Board member Lorenzo Garcia says naming the school after Sanchez was righting a historical wrong.
Task Force Tackles Homelessness Among Native Americans – The Associated Press
A liaison has been named to bridge the gap between New Mexico's largest city, the Navajo Nation, and other tribal communities as they work to address chronic homelessness among Native Americans.
The appointment of community health worker Dawn Begay was announced Friday as Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry and other officials rolled out the recommendations of a special task force that has been working over the past year to develop culturally relevant solutions.
The group's work was sparked by the beating deaths of two homeless Navajo men in a vacant lot on Albuquerque's southwest side in 2014.
Albuquerque has seen success with its Heading Home program and other initiatives aimed at helping those on the street who have substance abuse problems or mental health issues. But officials say more training is needed to connect with Native Americans.
Ex-Energy Secretary Richardson: Keep MOX project going – The Associated Press
A former U.S. Energy Secretary wants the U.S. Senate's top Democrat to push the Obama administration to keep alive a South Carolina project to turn weapons-grade materials into commercial nuclear reactor fuel.
In a letter dated Aug. 21, Bill Richardson told Nevada Sen. Harry Reid the mixed-oxide fuel project under construction at the Savannah River Site is the best way to fulfill an agreement with Russia.
Richardson was secretary when the countries agreed to dispose of 34 metric tons of weapons-grade plutonium. Officials say that amount is equal to 17,000 warheads.
The project known as MOX is billions of dollars over budget and years behind schedule. But Richardson says several reports proposing an alternative method to dealing with the plutonium were "made-to-order" by opponents of the project.
6 New Mexico Sites Make National List Of Historic Places – The Associated Press
A 1,200-year-old Native American ceremonial site in northern New Mexico and the post office that served scientists working on the Manhattan Project are among the latest locations to make the National Register of Historic Places.
Of the more than three dozen sites added to the list in August, six are in New Mexico.
Steve Moffson with the state Historic Preservation Division says it's rare for New Mexico to be recognized with that many in one month. It is not uncommon for one state to have a high number of listings in a month.
He says the listings illustrate New Mexico's diversity and highlight its history in architecture, transportation, religion and education.
Other sites added this month include the campus of St. John's College and the oldest bridge designed for motor vehicle traffic in Santa Fe.
State Can't Afford To Refurbish Abandoned Buildings – The Associated Press
New Mexico's abandoned buildings are costing the state a great of deal of money.
KRQE-TV reports the state owns about 100 abandoned buildings totaling 618,000 square feet of space. The buildings are in varying conditions with some crumbling in the harsh heat and others targeted by vandals.
The state's largest cluster of abandoned buildings is a 400-acre property located at Fort Bayard. An old hospital there costs the state $100,000 annually in upkeep and will cost $3.8 million to tear down.
The New Mexico State Police and the Department of Corrections use space on the Los Lunas campus, but most of the buildings there remain vacant.
General Services Secretary Ed Burckle says the state tries to find another use for a property, but that's not always the cheapest option.
EPA: Soil On Navajo Nation Trending To Pre-Spill Conditions – The Associated Press
Federal officials say the concentration of metals in the San Juan River on the Navajo Nation is returning to what it was before the release of toxic sludge from a gold mine.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released new data Friday of surface water and soil samples from nearly a dozen locations on the reservation. The EPA says iron and other metals peaked in the week following the Aug. 5 spill at the Gold King mine but since have declined.
The EPA says off-reservation communities have reopened the San Juan and Animas rivers to recreation, agriculture and livestock watering based on similar data sets.
Navajo President Russell Begaye has cleared the Fruitland Irrigation canal for reopening. Other tribal irrigation systems along the San Juan have not reopened.