Georgia O'Keeffe Museum Gets Fine Arts Curator – The Associated Press
The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum has a new curator of fine arts.
The Santa Fe-based museum announced the hiring of Ariel Plotek on Tuesday. He served most recently as curator of modern and contemporary art at the San Diego Museum of Art, where he was responsible for numerous exhibitions and an expansive collection.
Plotek also has held a variety of museum and teaching positions at institutions that include the University of San Diego, Clemson University, New York University, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.
Plotek is the third curator hired by the O'Keeffe Museum this year.
With curators for digital experiences and interpretation, the recent hires are part of an initiative to weave more of O'Keeffe's life story into programming, community engagement and technology.
Applications For Navajo President's Race Due Wednesday – The Associated Press
Navajos hoping to become the next tribal president have until the close of business Wednesday to submit applications.
Nearly a dozen people so far have filed paperwork and paid the $1,500 fee to enter the race.
The applicants include the current tribal president, a former chief justice, a former vice president, political newcomers and others who have held elected office on the Navajo Nation.
Election officials will spend the next two weeks vetting the applications. Candidates also can challenge each other's qualifications.
The top two vote-getters in the August primary will choose their running mates and face off in the Nov. 6 general election.
Rancher's Onions Plundered Following Social Media Post – The Associated Press & The Las Cruces Sun-News
A New Mexico rancher says onions intended as supplemental feed for his cattle were plundered after a person discovered the piles and posted about it on social media.
The Las Cruces Sun-News reports a person had stumbled across the more than 30,000 pounds of onions in a desert area west of Las Cruces and had assumed the vegetables were dumped as waste.
The person posted to social media encouraging other area residents to go grab some.
Rancher James Montoya says the onions were placed on land that he leases from the state. He says some people were filling the beds of pickup trucks with onions to haul away.
Montoya says he moved the remaining onions Monday to an undisclosed location.
NM Attorney General Awards $220K In Technology Grants – The Albuquerque Journal
The New Mexico Attorney General’s Office awarded settlement money to state public institutions around for technology proposals.
The Albuquerque Journal reports more than $220,000 was awarded today for improving Inspection of Public Records Act requests, money for training coding instructors and for free public Wi-Fi in libraries.
The funds come from a multi-state price-fixing lawsuit involving equipment like computers and printers.
Attorney General Hector Balderas said in a statement that investing in technology will improve services for taxpayers and spur local innovation.
Albuquerque Plans Memorial Where Women's Remains Were Found – The Associated Press
Albuquerque officials say construction is set to begin soon on a memorial site where the remains of 11 women were found buried nearly a decade ago.
Mayor Tim Keller plans to attend the ceremonial groundbreaking for the Women's Memorial Park on Saturday at 10 a.m. on the city's West Mesa.
The city plans to construct the memorial where the victims, one of whom had been pregnant, were found buried in 2009.
In February of that year, a woman walking her dog discovered a large bone protruding from the dirt, leading police to excavate the area.
Victims' relatives have long awaited the construction of a memorial dedicated to the women.
No one has been arrested in their deaths.
Albuquerque Police Conduct Internal Probe Of Abuse Case – Associated Press
Albuquerque police have launched an internal investigation into the department's handling of a November 2017 encounter with the family of a 7-year-old girl now identified by authorities as a victim of abuse and sexual exploitation.
A police spokesman says Chief Michael Geier ordered the investigation Friday to seek a complete look at the steps taken or missed when officers interviewed the girl, her parents and school teacher.
The case sent a jolt through the state's child welfare system in recent weeks amid allegations the girl's father prostituted her, and forced her to sexually touch men and women in exchange for drugs and other items.
He's charged with human trafficking, criminal sexual contact of a minor and other crimes.
The mother is charged with child abuse and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Applications For Navajo President's Race Due Wednesday – Associated Press
Navajos hoping to become the next tribal president have until the close of business Wednesday to submit applications.
Nearly a dozen people so far have filed paperwork and paid the $1,500 fee to enter the race.
The applicants include the current tribal president, a former chief justice, a former vice president, political newcomers and others who have held elected office on the Navajo Nation.
Election officials will spend the next two weeks vetting the applications. Candidates also can challenge each other's qualifications.
The top two vote-getters in the August primary will choose their running mates and face off in the Nov. 6 general election.
Companies Settle With State In Dispute Over Tribal Casinos – Associated Press, The Santa Fe New Mexican
A company that supplied gaming devices to an Indian reservation in New Mexico while it was operating casinos in violation of federal law has agreed to a financial settlement with the state Gaming Control Board.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports a company that supplies cash-dispensing and counting machines to casinos also settled with the board as a result of its business with Pojoaque Pueblo.
Bally Gaming and Glory Global Solutions make a total of six companies that have resolved disputes with the Gaming Control Board over the use of their equipment by Pojoaque casinos while the casinos were operating without required agreements with the state.
A board spokesman says the settlements by Bally and Glory resolved the only remaining administrative and enforcement actions by the Gaming Control Board against the Pojoaque suppliers.
Democrat Pat Davis Ends Congressional Run – Associated Press
Congressional candidate Pat Davis is bowing out of the race for the Democratic nomination for the open seat based in Albuquerque and is throwing his support behind challenger Debra Haaland.
Davis made the announcement Tuesday in an email message to supporters.
He says he's putting aside his personal ambitions and asking undecided voters to unite behind Haaland. He described her as the progressive candidate with the best chance of winning.
Haaland is facing former U.S. Attorney Damon Martinez, former law professor Antoinette Sedillo Lopez, attorney Damian Lara and business consultant Paul Moya.
The winner of the Democratic primary will face Republican Janice Arnold Jones and Libertarian Lloyd Princeton in the November general election. The congressional seat is open because U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham of Albuquerque is running for governor.
Netflix Series 'Messiah' To Film Around New Mexico – Associated Press
A Netflix television series about the world's reaction to a man whose followers claim he is sent by God will film in New Mexico.
The 10-episode series, "Messiah," stars Michelle Monaghan and Medhi Dehbi.
The state Film Office announced Tuesday that New Mexico will serve as a double for an overseas location. More than 2,300 people in New Mexico are expected to be employed as crew members, actors and background talent.
Production begins in early June and runs through mid-August.
Albuquerque, Mountainair, Estancia, Belen, Santa Fe and Clines Corners will serve as filming locations.