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State Shifts On Some Teacher Evaluations, NM Prepared For Emission Cuts

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Testing No Longer Required For New Teacher Evaluations Albuquerque Journal, Associated Press

Districts are no longer required to evaluate first-time teachers based on test scores from the previous year.

The Albuquerque Journal reports the state's public education department announced Monday that the exemption makes the evaluation process fairer for new teachers by replacing student improvement with observation, attendance data and other factors.

The state is applying the new criteria to last year's 1,876 new teacher evaluations, which the education department says will bring up 166 teachers' scores and downgrade 31.

Districts can also weight observation and attendance data or student improvement in evaluations for teachers in subjects without standardized testing, like music.

Albuquerque Teachers Federation president Ellen Bernstein says this recent concession doesn't help a majority of teachers.

The federation is behind a lawsuit challenging the evaluation system, announced in 2014.

West Nile Virus Detected In Bernalillo County MosquitoesThe Associated Press

Health officials in Albuquerque say the West Nile virus has been detected in some mosquitoes in Bernalillo County.

They say it's the first positive West Nile detection so far this year in the county.

The mosquitoes were collected through routine monitoring.

Health officials say an extremely wet spring plus a heavy monsoon season have created extensive mosquito breeding habitat throughout the county.

They also say mosquito numbers are significantly higher than experts have seen in the last three years.

West Nile virus symptoms are fever, nausea, headache and muscle aches.

In rare cases, West Nile virus can cause meningitis or encephalitis.

Health experts say people older than 60 are at most risk for serious disease from West Nile virus.

US Lab In New Mexico, Univ. Of Arizona Team Up On ResearchThe Associated Press

A military laboratory in New Mexico and the University of Arizona have agreed to collaborate on technological research.

The agreement between the Albuquerque-based Air Force Research Laboratory New Mexico and the Tucson-based school calls for collaboration between scientists and engineers of the lab's directed energy and space vehicles directorates and students and faculty from the university.

An announcement of the collaboration agreement cites the university's work in optics research, which it said is particularly important to the lab's research.

The agreement calls for encouraging joint research and development projects. It also gives university students and faculty increased access to lab personnel, specialized test facilities and surplus equipment that can be used for research and education.

Hearing Focuses On Training Of Police Facing Murder ChargesThe Associated Press

More Albuquerque police are expected to testify about the training two officers received before they shot and killed a homeless man.

A special prosecutor is scheduled Tuesday to call officers to the stand as Officer Dominique Perez and former Detective Keith Sandy face murder charges in James Boyd's death last year. A judge will decide if they go to trial.

Boyd, who had schizophrenia, was shot during a standoff as police accused him of camping illegally.

Video of the shooting showed Boyd appearing to surrender before Perez and Sandy opened fire. Authorities have said he threatened officers with two knives.

Attorneys for Perez and Sandy say the pair did nothing wrong, and training by the Albuquerque Police Department may contradict the law.

Prosecutors say the two unnecessarily escalated the encounter.

Las Cruces Churches Reviewing Security After ExplosionsThe Associated Press & The Las Cruces-Sun News

Church officials in Las Cruces say they will conduct security reviews following two explosions that startled Sunday churchgoers in the southern New Mexico city.

The Las Cruces Sun-News reports that no one was injured in either explosion, but police say the explosives could have killed or seriously injured someone nearby.

Holy Cross Catholic Church and Calvary Baptist Church, where the explosives went off, will hold services Sunday as planned. Church officials, however, are planning to meet in Las Cruces this week to discuss how to improve public safety during services.

Calvary's associate pastor Scott Rogers says the church is considering contracting security guards, among other options.

The Diocese of Las Cruces Deacon David McNeill Jr. says the diocese will review safety practices at all its churches, including Holy Cross. 

Los Alamos Vigils Eye 70th Anniversary Of Atomic Bombings Associated Press

Peace advocates are planning peace vigils in Los Alamos to mark the 70th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

The activists are scheduled to hold the peace vigils at Ashley Pond on Thursday and Sunday.

Thursday is the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan, and Sunday is the anniversary of the Nagasaki bombing.

Activists also plan to hold nonviolent workshops this week in Santa Fe.

During the World War II-era Manhattan Project, scientists at the then-secret city of Los Alamos worked to develop the weapon dropped on the Japanese cities.

The project involved three research and production facilities at Los Alamos; Oak Ridge, Tennessee; and Hanford, Washington.

FBI: 3 Devices Found At New Mexico Power Plant Not DangerousAssociated Press

The FBI says three "suspicious devices" found at the Four Corners Power Plant near Farmington are not dangerous.

An FBI spokesman says agents and Farmington police secured the area Monday and analyzed the items.

According to investigators, the steel pipe devices were each 6 inches in length and capped on both ends.

But the FBI says nothing was inside the pipes so they were not explosive.

They say there's also no indication that the devices are related to the ones that exploded Sunday outside two churches in Las Cruces.

The power plant is located in Fruitland, about 25 miles southwest of Farmington.

Four Teenagers Plead Not Guilty In Killing Of New Mexico Man Associated Press

Four teenagers charged as adults in the shooting death of a 60-year-old New Mexico man during a night of robbing homes and cars have pleaded not guilty.

The teens ranging in age from 15 to 17 entered their pleas Monday in Albuquerque. The four have been charged with murder, attempted murder and numerous other crimes stemming from the streak of break-ins and burglaries on June 26.

During the crimes, authorities say shots were fired at one man, who wasn't injured, and at Steven Gerecke, who was killed in his driveway.

Two other teens, who are 14 years old, also have been charged but face proceedings in juvenile court. They could face either adult or juvenile penalties if convicted.

The Associated Press isn't identifying the teens because of their ages.

Police Say Church Explosions Had The Potential To Cause Serious InjuryAssociated Press

A Las Cruces police spokesman says explosions outside two churches "had the potential" to cause serious injury.

Spokesman Danny Trujillo told The Associated Press that the two small blasts within 20 minutes and a few miles apart Sunday morning do not appear to be coincidental.

There were no injuries and only minor damage to the Calvary Baptist and Holy Cross Roman Catholic churches.

Gov. Susana Martinez promised that the "coward" will be caught, telling reporters late Sunday that if the intention was to bring fear to those who worship, it was a failed effort.

Authorities are working to determine who planted the explosives and have not said if more than one person is being sought.

The FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and New Mexico State Police are assisting with the investigation.

The FBI has established a hotline for calls with information about the explosions.

The hotline number is 1-800-Call-FBI, or 1-800-225-5324.

Albuquerque Mayor Has Confederate Flag Removed From Old TownAlbuquerque Journal, Associated Press

An early version of the Confederate flag that had flown above Old Town Albuquerque for decades has been taken down.

The Albuquerque Journal reports Mayor Richard Berry decided to remove the flag Monday after meeting last week with black leaders.

Berry says the city still will mark its role in the Civil War by keeping replica cannons and plaques that accurately describe the "Skirmish of Albuquerque" when Confederate and Union soldiers exchanged artillery fire.

Debate over the Confederate flag intensified this summer after a white gunman who had posed with Confederate flags killed nine black church members in South Carolina.

The version of the Confederate flag flown in Old Town was known as the "Stars and Bars" with seven stars, a blue background and red and white stripes.

Rail Runner Train Service Resumes Regular OperationsAssociated Press

Rail Runner train service is back on track after repairs to a short section of track washed out by flash flooding Friday evening.

Officials say all trains were running on time during Monday morning's commute.

Crews worked over the weekend after flash flooding washed out tracks north of Algodones.

They say about 100 feet of track on the bridge at Arroyo Maria Chavez were affected.

Roughly 100 commuters who were on remaining northbound and southbound trains Friday night had to be taken by bus between Santa Fe and Bernalillo Stations.

The flash flooding has also led to the postponement of the Rails, Trails, and Ales Brew Tour kick-off event.