New Mexico Gov. Martinez Calls Special Session - The Associated Press
New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez has called a special session on a $295 million public works package and other proposals that died on the Legislature's last day.
Martinez sent out a proclamation late Friday that calls for lawmakers to report to Santa Fe on Monday at noon in an attempt to pass a capital outlay bill.
Also expected to be discussed are tax breaks and short-term funding to address shortfalls in the state court system and the Health Department.
Lawmakers failed to pass the measures in March amid public bickering.
It's unclear if lawmakers will take up proposals on mental health treatment reform and ride-booking services.
Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez, a Democrat, says the session will hopefully only last a day.
Manhattan Project Park Will Require Cooperation, Planning - The Albuquerque Journal, The Associated Press
Federal employees and Los Alamos officials have started meeting to discuss an ambitious plan: to create a new national park scattered across three different states and dedicated to the history of the atomic bomb.
The Albuquerque Journal reports that employees from the National Park Service and Department of Energy met with leaders in Los Alamos this week to begin tackling the challenges of designing the proposed Manhattan Project National Historical Park.
In addition to being located in non-contiguous sites, parts of the park are currently in secured technical areas off limits to the public at Los Alamos National Laboratory, Washington's Hanford Nuclear Reservation and Tennessee's Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
And so far, the project is unfunded.
Despite the obstacles, DOE and NPS employees say they remain optimistic about the park.
Albuquerque Police To Undergo Random Steroid Testing - The Albuquerque Journal, The Associated Press
Planned reforms of the Albuquerque police department will include randomly testing officers for steroids.
The Albuquerque Journal reports that the city's human resources department announced Friday that the city would accept comment on the proposed steroid testing for two weeks.
The city would start the testing 30 days after that.
Albuquerque officers currently undergo random testing for drugs such as marijuana, cocaine and opiates.
The city will add more than 50 types of steroids to the list of drugs to be screened as part of a settlement with the U.S. Justice Department.
The city recently signed an agreement with the DOJ to overhaul the police force amid allegations of excessive force.
Police union representatives say they support testing for any illegal substances among officers.
New Mexico Ski Resorts See Big Bump In Attendance - The Santa Fe New Mexican, The Associated Press
A state industry group says New Mexico's ski resorts have seen a significant jump in the number of visitors in recent seasons.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that Ski New Mexico has found a nearly 20 percent increase in skiers during the 2013-14 season.
The nonprofit trade organization also found resorts gained 176,000 more visits during this past season with a $98 million boost in economic activity.
The group's report calculated any skier visiting any of the state's 11 ski areas for all or part of a given day.
Ski New Mexico has been working with state tourism officials to promote winter recreation.
Now, most ski areas are turning their attention on how to draw more visitors during the summer.
Wreckage Of Missing Glider And Pilot's Body Found Near Lamy - The Associated Press
The wreckage of a glider reported missing has been found in the Lamy area along with the body of the pilot, who was from Illinois.
New Mexico State Police say the glider left Moriarty Municipal Airport on Wednesday and was later reported missing.
Satellite and cellphone data — along with the eyewitness sighting from a fellow pilot who was following the downed aircraft — led to the search beginning in the Lamy area.
The wreckage was found Thursday afternoon about four miles east of U.S. 285.
State Police on Friday said the medical investigator's office identified the dead pilot as 72-year-old Joseph Shepherd of Alhambra, Illinois.
The Federal Aviation Administration will be investigating the cause of the crash.
Gunman Who Wounded Security Guard In Anthony Is Identified - The Associated Press
Authorities have identified a gunman who wounded a security guard in New Mexico before being found dead in his car in Texas.
New Mexico State Police say 62-year-old Benjamin Martinez walked into the Human Services Department building in Anthony about 2 p.m. Tuesday and shot the on-duty security guard before fleeing.
Police immediately issued an all-points bulletin for the suspect.
Sheriff's deputies in Texas later spotted him driving in El Paso County.
But when deputies stopped the vehicle, they walked up to find Martinez dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Authorities say Martinez lived in Canutillo, Texas.
The security guard is identified as 41-year-old Javier Hernandez of La Union, New Mexico.
Police say he remained hospitalized Friday in critical condition.