Record Rainfall Reported In Parts Of New Mexico – The Associated Press
The latest storm to hit central New Mexico was one for the record books.
Forecasters at the National Weather Service in Albuquerque say the rain gauge at the city's airport received 2.24 inches Monday, setting a record for 24-hour rainfall.
Some rainfall reports came in over 2 inches and more than five dozen sites in the area reported over an inch.
Meteorologist Brian Guyer says that over the last five days just about everyone in central and eastern New Mexico reported between an inch and 3 inches of rain with higher amounts up to 5 inches in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.
With the rain have come flash flood warnings. Some damage has been reported in Santa Fe, Rio Arriba, San Miguel, McKinley and Torrance counties.
Albuquerque Police To Update Ammunition Policies - The Associated Press and Albuquerque Journal
The Albuquerque Police Department says it's making changes to better track its ammunition.
The changes were prompted by a recent audit that found the department was unaware of how much ammunition it had and didn't have policies and procedures for how it tracks and stores ammo.
Police spokeswoman Celina Espinoza tells the Albuquerque Journal that the department has assigned someone at its training academy to order and track ammunition for the city's different area commands.
Those area commands in turn will keep better records of their ammunition.
The police force is implementing a number of policy changes and reforms as part of a settlement between the city and the U.S. Department of Justice. That agreement follows a harsh report that faulted police over allegations of excessive force.
Auditor: McKinley County Sheriff's Office Misused DWI Funds – The Associated Press
An investigation by the state auditor's office has determined that the McKinley County Sheriff's Office misused funds meant to prevent drunken driving.
Auditor Tim Keller released the findings Tuesday. He first announced in April that his office was reviewing allegations of financial irregularities by the previous administration.
Investigators focused on a time period between 2010 and 2014 after tips were called in to a fraud hotline.
The audit outlines general mismanagement of DWI funds that were not tracked or properly accounted for based on federal and state guidelines.
Sheriff deputies also claimed overtime for DWI task force activities when they were working elsewhere, such as at high school athletic games and a school prom.
Keller says he hopes changes made by current management will bring about more transparency and accountability.
New Mexico's Largest College Newspaper To Stop Daily Edition – The Associated Press
New Mexico's largest college newspaper is going mainly digital.
The Daily Lobo, the University of New Mexico's student-run news organization, said Monday the newspaper will no longer publish daily and will only print two editions a week.
Instead, the Daily Lobo will focus primarily on its website and social media accounts to report news on campus and the surrounding area.
Daily Lobo Editor-in-Chief Jyllian Roach says the editorial staff in recent years has discussed making the paper's digital presence a priority, but the rigors of a daily printed product hampered that transition.
Though print publications will be reduced, Daily Lobo officials say the outlet will continue to report on a daily basis but mainly for an online audience.
AMC's 'Better Call Saul' Returning For 2nd Season – The Associated Press
"Better Call Saul" is coming back for a second season.
New Mexico Film Office Director Nick Maniatis announced Tuesday that AMC-TV has renewed the "Breaking Bad" spinoff starring Bob Odenkirk and it again will be filmed in Albuquerque.
Officials say "Better Call Saul", produced by Sony Pictures Television, will employ at least 75-90 New Mexico crewmembers.
"Better Call Saul" follows Jimmy McGill, played by Odenkirk, who later changes his name to Saul Goodman and becomes an attorney for drug lords in "Breaking Bad."
In "Breaking Bad," another AMC series that was filmed in Albuquerque, Odenkirk played the lawyer of methamphetamine lord Walter White, played by Bryan Cranston.
Opponents Of Master Plan West Of Albuquerque File Lawsuit – The Associated Press & The ABQ Journal
Two commissioners are being accused of bias for voicing support for a master plan in an area that developers say could be home to 90,000 residents in the coming decades.
The Albuquerque Journal reports the Santolina Master Plan was approved 3-2, with supporters saying it creates a process and zoning for organized growth on 22 acres west of Albuquerque.
Opponents filed a lawsuit late last month asking a judge to scrap the plan because Bernalillo County commissioners Art De La Cruz and Wayne Johnson expressed bias ahead of the vote in columns published by the Journal.
They say the plan would stress the area's water supply and detract resources from the rest of the city.
De La Cruz, Johnson and county attorneys say commissioners were free to talk about the plan publicly.
Federal Grants To Help Fight DWI In New Mexico - The Associated Press
The New Mexico Department of Transportation will be getting four grants worth more than $365,000 to help prevent drunken driving and improve safety on the state's roads.
The funding will be awarded through the U.S. Department of Transportation's State Traffic Safety Information Systems Grants program.
The money will be used for sobriety checkpoints, seatbelt safety education and enforcement, and ignition interlock programs.
U.S. Sen. Tom Udall says New Mexico's work to combat drunken driving demonstrates that progress is possible but that any number of preventable deaths on the state's roads is too many.
U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich says raising awareness and funding preventative efforts are keys to keeping roads and families safe.
Teens Accused Of Homeless Killings Could Be Tried As Adults - The Associated Press and Albuquerque Journal
The state's high court could decide whether teens charged alongside 18-year-old Alex Rios with beating two homeless men to death will be tried as adults.
The Albuquerque Journal reports Second Judicial District Judge Briana Zamora is letting defense lawyers for the two minors challenge the state's serious youthful offender law before the New Mexico Supreme Court ahead of the October trial.
Zamora issued an opinion disagreeing with defense lawyers' arguments that the statute violates a guarantee for equal protection under New Mexico's constitution.
Jeff Buckets of the Law Office of the Public Defender says the high court will get the application to review Zamora's ruling by July 13.
Prosecutors say the three teens killed 44-year-old Allison Gorman and 46-year-old Kee Thompson in July 2014.
The defendants are not being named because of their ages.
New Mexico Lawmakers Discuss Drone Regulations - The Associated Press
New Mexico failed to pass legislation during the regular session that would have taken a first step toward regulating the use of drones in the state, but the discussion is far from over.
The legislative Science, Technology and Telecommunications Committee met Monday in Albuquerque to hear about the advancement of the technology as well as privacy concerns.
Republican Rep. James Smith of Sandia Park says future legislation needs to target the uses and issues that stem from those uses more than the technology itself.
Some who testified before the committee cited instances where drones have harassed livestock, interrupted hikes and trespassed over private property.
Democrat Rep. Carl Trujillo of Santa Fe says other states already have passed drone-specific legislation and New Mexico needs to be proactive in addressing the issue.
Officials Encourage Reporting Of Suspected Child Abuse - The Associated Press
State and local officials are calling on New Mexicans to contact authorities if they suspect a child is being abused or neglected.
Gov. Susana Martinez was among those to issue the reminder Monday during a news conference in Albuquerque. She says reports of suspected abuse decline over the summer months when children are not in school.
Teachers are among those who most often report suspected abuse.
However, a ruling issued by the New Mexico Supreme Court earlier this year clarified a state statute that calls for "every person" to report abuse or neglect, not just those occupations spelled out by the law.
Child welfare officials say the state's abuse and neglect hotline received more than 17,000 calls during the first five months of 2015. That's on par with last year.
Las Cruces Man Arrested On Federal Child Pornography Charges - The Associated Press
Authorities say a Las Cruces man who works as a janitor at an elementary school has been arrested on federal child pornography charges.
Prosecutors say 31-year-old David Anaya Garcia made his initial appearance in federal court Monday.
He remains in custody pending a preliminary hearing and detention hearing, both of which currently are scheduled for later this week.
It's unclear if Garcia has an attorney yet.
The criminal complaint charges Garcia with distribution of child pornography and possession of child pornography.
San Juan College To Phase Out Campus Smoking Areas - The Associated Press and Daily Times
San Juan College is phasing out its few remaining smoking areas as it moves toward becoming a completely tobacco-free campus by 2020.
The Daily Times reports the college has been tightening rules since April 2013, when lawmakers dedicated a memorial and asked educators to push for policies that reduce on-campus smoking.
Vice President for Student Services Dave Eppich says health and trash are both concerns when it comes to tobacco use. A task force with members including students and nursing program staff has been compiling best practices from across the country to implement the policy change.
The campus's seven smoking areas will be eliminated gradually. The process will be reviewed annually and could be accelerated.
Plans for enforcement will be finalized this summer and could include tickets or fines.
New Mexico Highlands Regents Set Goals For New President - The Associated Press and Las Vegas Optic
Improved recruitment and retention are among goals set by the regents of New Mexico Highlands University for the school's new president.
The Las Vegas Optic reports that new President Sam Minner's five-year employment contract sets the goals.
They include developing and implementing effective plans for marketing and recruitment campaign and for student retention.
Other goals include developing plans for professional development of senior management and for outreach to faculty, students, staff and the community.
The contract specifies that annual pay raises for Minner will be tied to whether he meets the goals set by the board.
Governor Appoints New Aging, Long-Term Services Secretary - The Associated Press
The New Mexico Aging and Long-term Services Department has a new secretary.
Gov. Susana Martinez recently appointed Myles Copeland to the post. He replaces Gino Rinaldi, who is stepping down after more than two years.
Copeland has been the deputy secretary of the department since 2013. Previously, he worked with issues relating to Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementias.
Martinez says Copeland has the right background as an advocate to build on the department's efforts and to connect older New Mexicans, those with disabilities and their caregivers to critical resources.
Before working with the state, Copeland was the communications and advocacy director for the Alzheimer's Association. He earned degrees from Whittier College in California and the University of New Mexico.
Police: Alcohol Suspected In Deadly Holiday Crash – The Associated Press
State police investigators have released more details about a deadly Fourth of July crash along an eastern New Mexico highway.
The crash happened Saturday afternoon on U.S. 54 south of Santa Rosa.
Police say a Chevy pickup was headed north when it crossed into oncoming traffic and collided head-on with a Nissan SUV driven by 29-year-old Oscar SigalaHuerta of Santa Fe. Huerta was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the pickup, 56-year-old Jose Pacheco of Vaughn, and his passenger were injured and taken to Guadalupe County Hospital.
State Police Sgt. Elizabeth Armijo says alcohol is believed to be a factor and the investigation is ongoing.