Man, Boy Dead In Cherry Picker Accident –KOB-TV, The Associated Press
Albuquerque police say a man and a 12-year-old boy are dead and three other boys are injured after the cherry picker they were in was thrown by a gust of wind.
Police were called around 1:45 p.m. Sunday about a report of an equipment failure and several children injured, according to a report by KOB-TV.
Police spokesman Simon Drobik says in a news release issued Sunday night that the man and the boys were in the basket of the cherry picker.
He says it wasn't secured to the ground and a witness reported that wind toppled it and all five were thrown from the lift.
Drobik says the man died at the scene and the boy at the hospital.
Of the other three, he says two boys ages 10 and 7 are in critical condition, and another 10-year-old boy is stable.
Work Begins On Interim Ventilation System At Nuke Dump – Associated Press
Workers at the federal government's nuclear waste repository in southern New Mexico are installing a temporary ventilation system that will increase airflow in the underground facility.
The system will include two above-ground filter units and fans that will be connected to ductwork that feeds the underground portions of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant.
The plant has been closed for more than a year following a radiation release that stemmed from a chemical reaction among waste improperly packed inside a drum at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Since the February 2014 mishap, all air exiting from underground passes through filters. Ventilation of the underground is reduced based on the filter capacity.
Officials say more airflow will allow more workers to be in the underground at any given time.
Shiprock Boy With Genetic Condition Gets Liver Transplant – The Associated Press
A 2-year-old Shiprock boy who suffers from a rare genetic condition recently received a liver transplant in California.
The Farmington Daily Times reports that Kaiden Charley was diagnosed with a condition that affects his ability to absorb nutrients and move food through his body.
His doctors hope the new liver will help slow the progression of the condition.
Over the first year of Kaiden's life, he developed like any other child. But after the symptoms began to show, he started regressing.
Now, he is starting to make progress once again, trying to sound out words and walk.
San Juan County Septic Pump Companies Facing State Fines – Associated Press
The New Mexico Environment Department is ramping up enforcement of required certification for septic pumping companies in San Juan County.
The Daily Times in Farmington reports that the department plans to fine non-compliant companies $100 per violation or face court action.
Department documents show only three of 22 septic pumping businesses in the county are properly certified.
State environmental regulators say the companies have until June 15 to get certified before receiving violation notices.
The department is renewing its efforts following a study released in February that found evidence of human feces in the San Juan and Animas rivers.
However, the department has no employees solely assigned to enforce the regulations.
Officials are hopeful to contract a company to track violations for an online database.
New Mexico Graduating More In Liberal Arts Than Tech – Albuquerque Journal, Associated Press
New Mexico's major universities may not be turning out graduates in science and mathematics at a rate fast enough for employers in those fields.
The Albuquerque Journal reports that both the University of New Mexico and New Mexico State University have given fewer degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics — known as STEM subjects — than in liberal arts.
Records showed 25 percent of the more than 3,700 bachelor's degrees UNM conferred in fall 2014 were for STEM.
Twenty-eight percent of NMSU's 1,300 graduates at that time earned STEM degrees.
New Mexico employers such as Sandia National Laboratories say finding qualified workers in and out of the state is a challenge.
Others say adding to the challenge is that some STEM graduates leave the state for opportunities elsewhere.
Albuquerque Panhandling Initiative Struggles For Donations – KRQE-TV, Associated Press
An Albuquerque initiative aimed at steering people to donate to charities instead of panhandlers is struggling to bring in donations.
KRQE-TV says city officials estimate about $170 has come in since the initiative was unveiled more than three weeks ago by the Mayor's Office.
The initiative, dubbed "There's a Better Way," focuses on getting panhandlers help and informing passing drivers of a website where they can instead give money to the United Way of Central New Mexico.
Officials say more than half of the $170 came from one person. That donor has pledged to give another $100 for the next eight months.
City Chief of Staff Gilbert Montaño says it's still early since the initiative launched and nobody was expecting lots of donations immediately.