Police Arrest Trump Protestor ID’d From CNN Footage – Albuquerque Journal
The Albuquerque Police Department arrested a protestor they identified through national TV news footage for throwing rocks at police officers outside a Donald Trump rally last week.
The Albuquerque Journal reports Julian Heckman was charged with seven counts of “propulsion of missiles” after someone called police anonymously to direct them to the CNN footage of Heckman and also identified him from a photograph.
APD officials say they plan additional arrests based on lapel camera and other footage of the protests. A criminal complaint contends numerous protestors throw rocks, bottles and some items that were on fire, sometimes striking officers.
Hours of peaceful protest outside the Trump rally at the Albuquerque Convention Center turned violent and police used smoke and pepper spray against crowds.
Judge Limits Defense Of Clothing Retailer In Tribe's Lawsuit – Associated Press
A federal judge says the Navajo Nation can seek damages from a subsidiary of Urban Outfitters Inc.
The tribe filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against the company and its subsidiaries in 2012.
Urban Outfitters claimed the tribe knew or should have known the "Navajo" name had been used in clothing, jewelry and other merchandise for years and delayed legal action.
U.S. District Judge Bruce Black sided against Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie in March. He applied the same decision this week to Free People LLC.
Court documents don't quantify the amount the Navajo Nation could recover if it wins the lawsuit.
In a recent decision, Black says the Indian Arts and Crafts Act allows a minimum $1,000 a day for each type of good sold or on display for sale.
Allegiant Ready For First Flight Between Albuquerque, Austin – Associated Press
Nevada-based discount airline Allegiant is ready for its first flight from Albuquerque's international airport.
Airline and airport officials will be gathering Thursday afternoon at the Albuquerque International Sunport for a ribbon-cutting ceremony and to watch the airline's first plane depart for Austin, Texas.
Allegiant first announced in March that it would begin offering nonstop flights from Albuquerque to Austin and to Las Vegas, Nevada. The flights will be offered Thursdays and Sundays.
Allegiant is the eighth airline serving Albuquerque.
MOU Will Allow Tribes To Seek Military Flight Restrictions – Associated Press
Federal, state and tribal officials have reached a landmark agreement that will pave the way for Native American communities around New Mexico to seek temporary military flight restrictions over their lands.
Officials will gather Thursday at Kirtland Air Force Base to sign the memorandum of understanding.
Two years in the making, the agreement allows for the state's 19 pueblos to coordinate with the military and request short-term flight restrictions to avoid disruption of sacred ceremonies, fiesta days or other significant events.
The requests will be filtered through the state's Department of Indian Affairs to the appropriate military installations.
State officials say the agreement is meant to boost communication between the tribes, the state and the federal government. It also will serve as a means for resolving complaints stemming from flyovers.
9 Luna Community College Employees See Jobs Eliminated – Las Vegas Optic, Associated Press
Luna Community College has notified nine employees that their contracts will not be renewed amid budget cuts.
Documents obtained by The Las Vegas Optic show that the employees were notified in May of the college's decision. Among the employees who received the letters are a current and former San Miguel County commissioners.
The Optic reported last month that several employees — including director of trades Gary Martinez — had received letters from the college notifying them that they would not have jobs come July 1.
After the Optic filed on open records request, Luna Human Resources Director Leticia Archuleta released copies of nine letters that were handed out to employees.
College officials have said that Luna faces a budget shortfall of more than $400,000.
Regulator Warns Of Long, Costly Cleanup At Los Alamos Lab – Associated Press
It could take another decade and more than $4 billion to clean up the hazardous waste remaining at one of the nation's premier nuclear weapons laboratories.
That warning came Wednesday from New Mexico Environment Secretary Ryan Flynn as he met with state lawmakers in Santa Fe.
He outlined changes to a proposed consent order with the U.S. Energy Department that will guide future cleanup at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
The state Environment Department is reviewing public comments, but it's unclear when a final decision on the order will be made.
Flynn told members of the legislative committee that the consent order signed in 2005 focused more on the investigation of contaminated sites within the lab's boundaries. Under the new plan, the state wants to see more cleanup work done.
Health Dept.: Zika Case Confirmed In Bernalillo County Woman – Associated Press
State health officials say a 40-year-old Bernalillo County woman is the second person in New Mexico to contract the Zika virus while traveling.
The New Mexico Department of Health announced Wednesday that the woman contracted the virus while traveling in the Caribbean.
The woman's name hasn't been released.
A 46-year-old Bernalillo County man contracted the virus in March while traveling in El Salvador and his since recovered.
The virus can be transmitted from mosquitoes or through sexual contact.
State DOH Secretary Designate Lynn Gallagher says the department expects to see more travel-related cases as the outbreak persists in Central and South America and the Caribbean.
New Mexico Gov. Martinez Not Supporting Gary Johnson Either – Associated Press
Republican New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez says she won't support Libertarian presidential candidate and former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson.
The nation's only Latina governor, who has not endorsed fellow Republican Donald Trump, said Wednesday she disagrees with Johnson's stance to reduce the nation's military. Martinez also said as a former prosecutor she couldn't support Johnson's plan to legalize marijuana.
Johnson recently won the presidential nomination of the Libertarian Party and is seeking the support of Republicans who feel uncomfortable with supporting Trump.
Last week, Trump attacked Martinez at an Albuquerque rally for the number of state residents on food stamps.
Martinez, who is the chair of the Republican Governors Association, has criticized Trump for past comments about Mexican immigrants. She also says she wanted to hear how Trump would defend the state's federal military bases.
Gathering Of Nations Moving To Smaller Venue – Associated Press
One of North America's largest powwows will move to a smaller venue in New Mexico.
Gov. Susana Martinez and organizers said Wednesday that the Gathering of Nations will relocate to Expo New Mexico weeks after University of New Mexico said it would stop hosting the event.
University of New Mexico data shows after cleanup costs, the powwow resulted in a loss for the school of more than $2,300 in 2015.
It's unclear how the event will change with limited space next year.
The powwow is the one of the world's largest gathering of Native Americans and indigenous people. This year's event, held in April at UNM's basketball arena, attracted about 3,000 dancers from more than 700 tribes around the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Prosecutors: 9 Face Charges In Interstate Dog-Fighting Ring – Associated Press
Nine people in four states are facing charges for their alleged roles an interstate dog-fighting ring.
The charges announced Wednesday by federal prosecutors in New Jersey stem from an undercover investigation.
Authorities say the ring has operated since last October. Six of the people charged are from New Jersey, while the others are from Illinois, Indiana and New Mexico.
Eight of the suspects were in custody as of Wednesday afternoon. Each person charged could face several years in prison if convicted of roles in the ring.
Prosecutors say the charges include conspiracy and alleged criminal acts related to transporting, delivering, buying, selling, receiving and possessing pit bull-type dogs for dog fighting ventures.
They say evidence of dog-fighting ventures — including scarred dogs and dogs stacked in crates — were found and seen on some of the defendants' properties.
Kirtland Air Force Base First In Line For New Helicopters – Albuquerque Journal, Associated Press
Kirtland Air Force Base is first in line to get the next generation of combat rescue helicopters.
The Albuquerque Journal reports the new combat rescue helicopter was developed under a $1.28 billion contract. It will have expanded range and efficiency, a bigger cabin and improved performance at high altitudes.
U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich said Tuesday at the base that the old fleet of search-and-rescue helicopters will be replaced by 2028.
Senators including the New Mexico Democrat pushed against terminating the replacement program over two years ago.
Heinrich called the base's 58th Special Operations Wing the leading training facility for combat search and rescue crews and Air Force special operations.
Col. Dagvin Anderson is the special operations wing commander, and says the retiring aircraft have been used since the 1980s.
Defendants Graduate From DWI Court – Associated Press
Authorities say a special court that gives DWI defendants the option of treatment over jail time has graduated two men.
The Bernalillo County District Attorney's office says the men's graduation ceremony was held Wednesday. It comes after both completed the treatment phase of the Second Judicial District's DWI court program.
A spokesman for District Attorney Kari Brandenburg says the program is designed to keep offenders out of jail and set a path for them to sobriety.
Judge Jacqueline Flores presided over Wednesday's DWI court graduation.
Authorities say the cost of DWI court is about $7 per day for the county compared to the $92 price tag it faces for jailing inmates.