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Headlines: Lawyer Wants DOJ Review Of San Juan Jail, AG Disputes Violations ...

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Lawyer Wants DOJ Review Of San Juan County JailThe Daily Times, Associated Press

An attorney representing families of inmates who died while at a New Mexico county jail wants a federal investigation.

Christian Hatfield told The Daily Times in Farmington on Wednesday that his law firm is requesting the U.S. Department of Justice review medical services at San Juan County Adult Detention Center.

Hatfield on Monday filed a lawsuit in federal court against the jail and its health care provider.

In the lawsuit, Corey Jones alleges his mother, Sharon Jones, died Jan. 5 because she didn't receive appropriate medical care for severe hip pain.

It is the third wrongful death lawsuit filed against the jail by the firm this year.

County Executive Officer Kim Carpenter says he would welcome a federal investigation.

A Justice Department spokeswoman could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

New Mexico AG Disputes Campaign Finance ViolationsThe Associated Press & The ABQ Journal

New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas says incorrect allegations about his own campaign finances show there are flaws in the state's reporting process.

The Albuquerque Journal reports that Balderas said Thursday he is worried some candidates may be on the end of wrongful accusations by the Secretary of State's Office.

Secretary of State Dianna Duran told Balderas this week that he submitted three late campaign finance reports a few years ago.

But Balderas said she was wrong about two of the reports.

A spokesman for Duran says she had been relying on inaccurate information.

The dispute is the latest wrinkle in a growing rift between the Democratic attorney general and the Republican secretary of state over enforcement of campaign finance reporting.

New Mexico Business Boss 'Optimistic' About Boost In FundingThe Associated Press

New Mexico's top economic development official says the state's decision this year to pour millions of dollars into wooing businesses and spurring job creation isn't being taken lightly.

Economic Development Secretary Jon Barela told lawmakers during a meeting Friday that his office is crafting policies to ensure that the money is spent wisely and that the program is transparent.

Barela says proving the state is getting a return from its investments under the Local Economic Development Act — or LEDA — will be key.

The state aims to create at least 1,500 jobs through the program in the next fiscal year.

Republican Gov. Susana Martinez and the Legislature approved $50 million for LEDA projects during this year's regular and special legislative sessions. That's more than three times what was set aside for the program last year.

Eddy County Officials Approve Tax IncreaseThe Associated Press & The Carlsbad Current-Argus

Eddy County officials have approved a tax increase that will help fund county operations.

The Carlsbad Current-Argus reports that the Eddy County Commission passed 3-2 an amended ordinance Thursday, enacting a one-eighth of 1 percent increase of the gross receipts tax.

Officials say the tax hike will generate $5 million for the county general fund next year.

The funds will go toward cash-strapped mandates such as operations and renovations for the county courthouse and detention center.

Some money will also go to the state to help cover the county's share of Medicaid.

The original proposal called for a three-eighths of a percent increase for anyone, even municipalities, doing business in the county.

Voters will decide in November if a two-eighths percent increase to fund road work will take effect.

High Court Rules New Mexico Investment Suits ConstitutionalAlbuquerque Journal, Associated Press

New Mexico's highest court has cleared the way for two lawsuits alleging political support for former Gov. Bill Richardson influenced state investment deals.

The Albuquerque Journal reports the Supreme Court found Thursday that former chief state investment officer Frank Foy can receive triple-damage awards if he can prove corruption was taking place.

The court also ordered that the two civil lawsuits Foy filed on behalf of taxpayers be consolidated and the court will appoint a pro-tem judge to handle the litigation.

One of the main issues in the appeal was the constitutionality of a provision for whistleblower lawsuits on behalf of the state for alleged fraud that took place as far back as July 1987.

Report: New Mexico Middle Schools StrugglingAssociated Press

With New Mexico's focus centered on building reading skills among younger students and ensuring that high school students make it to graduation, the state's middle schools have been slipping through the cracks.

Analysts with the Legislative Finance Committee detailed the challenges facing middle schools in a first-of-its-kind report that looked at everything from standardized test scores to truancy and social issues.

The report was released Thursday during the committee's meeting in Albuquerque.

The report shows middle schools are struggling with student performance, programming and funding. As a result, just 2 percent of middle schools earned top grades during their annual assessments.

Deputy Public Education Secretary Leighann Lenti says her agency already is looking for ways to keep middle school students engaged. This includes hiring social workers and truancy coaches.

NM Consumers Did Not Risk Losing Tax CreditsSanta Fe New Mexican

New Mexico established its own online marketplace to help uninsured residents obtain coverage under the Affordable Care Act, and that means they were not in danger of losing their tax credits.

Officials with the New Mexico Health Insurance Exchange said as a result, the state was not impacted by the U.S. Supreme Court case King v. Burwell, reported the Santa Fe New Mexican. Plaintiffs in that case had argued that under the healthcare law, only low-income consumers in states with their own exchanges could access subsidies to help pay for the insurance plans.

Millions of residents in about three dozen states that do not have their own insurance marketplaces were affected by the court’s ruling Thursday, which affirmed that they are indeed eligible for the federal tax credits.

New Mexico has had its own exchange since 2013, but that insurance marketplace only directly serves small businesses. Individuals and families seeking coverage through the state’s exchange have been redirected to the federal government’s online portal.

Service Workers Go On Strike At FLETC In Artesia – Associated Press

Service workers at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Artesia have gone on strike.

It comes after their labor union and a FLETC contractor have been unable to reach a deal on a collective bargaining agreement.

The Roswell Daily Record reports that about 50 maintenance, custodial and groundskeeping workers for the Omni Corp. went on strike Thursday morning.

Operating Engineers Local 953 of Albuquerque represents employees of the Omni Corp., which has a maintenance contract with FLETC in Artesia.

It is one of three residential federal law enforcement training sites in the country, operated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Omni Corp. is based in Irving, Texas.

Court: Farm, Ranch Laborers Eligible For Workers' CompAssociated Press

The New Mexico Court of Appeals has cleared the way for farm and ranch laborers to receive workers' compensation benefits.

In a ruling issued this week, the court declared unconstitutional a provision in state law that had excluded those workers from the system that provides benefits for employees injured on the job. That exclusion had been in place since the 1930s.

The ruling will apply to claims going back to March 2012.

The state Workers' Compensation Administration says it intends to enforce the court's decision, but it wasn't immediately clear how many claims are pending.

The ruling stemmed from two separate cases in which workers injured while on the job at Brand West Dairy and M.A. & Sons Chili Products had their claims dismissed. They filed separate appeals challenging the constitutionality of the exclusion.

Albuquerque Woman Gets Prison Term For Embezzling From BankAssociated Press

A former bank employee accused of embezzlement and aggravated identity theft has been sentenced to two years in federal prison in New Mexico.

Prosecutors say 38-year-old Angela Giddings, of Albuquerque, also was ordered Thursday to pay more than $217,000 in restitution to Bank of the West.

Giddings was indicted in December 2014 on 16 counts of embezzlement and four counts of aggravated identity theft.

Prosecutors say Giddings was employed as a customer service manager for Bank of the West at the time of the offenses, which occurred between Feb. 2, 2013 and July 18, 2014.

She was accused of withdrawing and transferring funds from bank customers' accounts without authorization and for her own use, ranging from $15,000 to $60,000.

Giddings pleaded guilty to embezzlement in February.