Lawsuit Against Natural Cigarette Maker Moved To New Mexico – The Associated Press
A class-action lawsuit targeting a company behind a line of cigarettes touted as natural has moved to U.S. District Court in Albuquerque.
Three men from California, New York and Florida are suing the maker of American Spirit cigarettes, Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Co., and its parent company, Reynolds American Inc.
The plaintiffs say the cigarette maker's marketing deliberately tries to mislead smokers into believing their products are healthier than other tobacco products.
According to documents, the lawsuit cites a Food and Drug Administration warning that the use of words such as "natural" or "additive free" in their advertising violates federal law.
Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Co. spokesman Seth Moskowitz said Wednesday he could not comment on the lawsuit because of company policy.
Judge Search Continues In New Mexico Corruption Case - The Associated Press
Two semi-retired New Mexico state judges have been nominated to oversee a criminal fraud case against former Sen. Phil Griego after a string of judges in Santa Fe District Court declined to hear the case.
State prosecutors and Griego's attorney agreed to recommend substitute Judges James A. Hall of Santa Fe or Michael E. Martinez of Albuquerque. Defense attorney Tom Smith says they are both active as substitute judges.
The chief justice of the New Mexico Supreme Court is deciding what judge will weigh allegations that Griego used his role as a legislator to profit from the sale of a state-owned building in 2014.
Griego has pleaded not guilty to charges including fraud, bribery, tampering with public records.
New Mexico Lawmakers Challenge Feds Over Rare Mouse – The Associated Press
Nearly half of New Mexico's Legislature is stepping into the fray between ranchers and the federal government over the fencing of watering holes on national forest land to protect an endangered mouse found in three western states.
The 50 lawmakers say the government has overstepped its authority and is trampling private property and water rights.
They've sent a letter to State Engineer Tom Blaine, asking that he use his authority as New Mexico's top water official to stop the U.S. Forest Service from limiting access to springs, streams and other riparian areas.
The Forest Service first began ordering closures and installing fences in 2014 on the Santa Fe and Lincoln forests.
The mouse also is found in Arizona and Colorado, and federal wildlife officials recently set aside nearly 22 square miles in the three states as critical habitat.
New Mexico Water Official Orders Investigation Over Rare Mouse– The Associated Press
New Mexico's top water official has ordered his staff to investigate complaints from ranchers about the fencing of watering holes on some national forest lands.
State Engineer Tom Blaine made the announcement Thursday after receiving a letter from dozens of state lawmakers who are concerned about the U.S. Forest Service's efforts to protect the New Mexico meadow jumping mouse.
The lawmakers have asked Blaine to use his authority to stop the federal agency.
Blaine says New Mexico continues to be concerned with federal mismanagement of public lands and effects on farmers, ranchers and their livelihoods.
He says he's committed to working with lawmakers and local communities to ensure access to needed water.
New Mexico Says More Families Eligible For Child Care Help – The Associated Press
New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez has launched a push to get more eligible families to apply for federally-funded child care assistance.
The Republican governor announced on Thursday efforts to get families to seek assistance for a program that some might not even know exists.
New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Secretary Monique Jacobson says many families in one of the nation's poorest states qualify for child care assistance but don't know they so.
To qualify, families most earn just above the federal poverty line or less.
Jacobson says assistance is offered on a sliding-scale based on income.
State officials say only around 1,800 families in New Mexico currently take advantage of the program.
New Mexicans Have Until May 10 To Register To Vote – The Associated Press
Eligible voters in New Mexico have until May 10 to register to vote in the June 7 primary election — and they can do so easily online.
Secretary of State Brad Winter says he encourages voters to use a new online voter registration system that allows eligible citizens with current or expired New Mexico driver's licenses to register via the internet.
Voters can also register in person at any Motor Vehicle Division or county clerk's office. Seventeen-year-olds who will be of voting age by the time of the general elections in November can also register now and even vote in the primaries.
Winter says he wants New Mexicans to have access to efficient and transparent elections.
There were 1.2 million registered voters in New Mexico as of January 2015.
New Mexico Loses Illegal Voting Case, Must Pay ACLU's Fees – The Associated Press
New Mexico has lost a long-running lawsuit over legal fees in a public records case.
The New Mexican reports that state taxpayers will now be responsible for $90,000 in legal fees for the American Civil Liberties Union.
The state Court of Appeals on Wednesday upheld a 2014 decision that the ACLU is entitled to more than $87,000 in legal fees from the Secretary of State's Office, a number that doesn't include the fees incurred by the appeals process.
The appeals stem from a case the ACLU filed against former Secretary of State Dianna Duran in 2011 regarding her since-discredited claims 37 foreign nationals had cast ballots in a New Mexico election.
Attorney Scott Fuqua defended Duran and said Wednesday that it's possible he will appeal the case.
New Mexico Plans To Sue Over Wolf Releases - The Associated Press
New Mexico is planning to take legal action against the federal government after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service quietly revealed its intention to release more Mexican gray wolves into the wild.
The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish confirmed Wednesday that its lawyers have filed a notice of intent to sue over the proposed releases.
Last year, the state denied the agency permission to release wolves, but federal wildlife managers countered that they had a responsibility to help the endangered species recover and that releases were part of that effort.
The plan was posted Monday on the agency's website for wolf recovery efforts. It calls for releasing a pack with pups in New Mexico and cross-fostering pups with packs that are already in the wild.
Federal officials have argued that releases and cross-fostering are the preferred methods for improving the genetic diversity among the wild population in New Mexico and Arizona.
Environmental Groups Sue Over Fruitland Power Plant, Mine – The Associated Press
Environmental groups are suing the federal government for its decision to extend operations at the Four Corners Power Plant and the Navajo Mine in Fruitland.
The Farmington Daily-Times reports that the suit against the U.S. Department of the Interior and other federal agencies was filed in U.S. District Court in Arizona Wednesday.
The lawsuit alleges the agencies failed to thoroughly assess the potential impacts the coal-fired plant and surface mine could have on the environment and public health before approving the 25-year extension last July.
A DIO spokeswoman says the agency doesn't comment on pending litigation.
Erny Zah, a spokesman for Navajo Transitional Energy Company, says the tribe is considering its own legal action to argue that the energy project is protected by tribal sovereignty and treaty rights.
Southern New Mexico County Eyes Expanding Its Port-Of-Entry – The Associated Press
A southern New Mexico county is considering expanding its port-of-entry.
Luna County Board of Commissioners is scheduled to meet in special session on Friday to discuss the plan. Residents will have the chance to speak about the proposal to expand the port-of-entry in Columbus.
Officials say the expansion is needed to increase freight through New Mexico and make it easier for the city and truckers to pass through.
Port-of-Entries throughout New Mexico along the U.S.-Mexico border have reported record traffic in recent years.
Workshops Aim To Preserve Northern New Mexico Documents
New Mexico Highlands University and the city of Las Vegas Museum want northern New Mexico residents to preserve their family documents.
The school's library and the museum will host workshops next week in Las Vegas on ways families can save documents going back the Spanish colonial era to frontier days.
Officials say those documents tell the story of New Mexico and should be preserved.
Lynn Gates, head of Donnelly Library's Archives and Cataloging Division, says it's important that families care and record what they have so documents aren't lost to their children and grandchildren.