More Moisture In New Mexico A Boon For Farmers, Fish - The Associated Press
Some parts of New Mexico are still drying out from last weekend's rain, but residents of the drought-stricken state have little to complain about since conditions haven't looked this good in years.
Extreme drought is gone from New Mexico and nearly one-third of the state is drought-free.
Forecasters with the National Weather Service in Albuquerque said Tuesday it's been nearly five years since conditions were this favorable.
Back-to-back showers and late season snowfall have helped to fill streams and reservoirs, which is good news for farmers and fish.
Along the Rio Grande, federal water managers have decided to take advantage of the natural spike in river flows to release more water to boost spawning of the endangered Rio Grande silvery minnow.
Officials say crews have been collecting minnow eggs for the past week.
Police: Albuquerque Officer Shot At Suspected SUV Thief - The Associated Press
An Albuquerque officer has been placed on paid leave after authorities say he shot at a man suspected of driving a stolen SUV who "recklessly fled the scene."
Albuquerque police say the officer fired his weapon a number of times Monday at a vehicle that also had two women and a 5-year-old child inside.
According to investigators, police spotted the stolen vehicle in an apartment parking lot and the officer fired shots after the suspect ignored commands and fled the scene.
Police say the driver crashed into a truck and the women and child got out of the car. The mother and the child were taken to a nearby hospital.
Authorities say the suspect and the other woman fled the scene.
The name of the officer was not released.
Wildlife Officers Set Cougar Traps In Los Alamos - The Associated Press
Officers with the New Mexico Game and Fish Department are setting up snares in Los Alamos to trap a cougar they say has killed two dogs and attacked another in the last month.
They're asking residents to be aware of the traps, which they say pose little or no danger to people or pets.
It's unusual for cougars to stray from their rugged canyon habitat into residential areas, but department spokesman Dan Williams five cougar sighting have occurred within a one-mile area near Los Alamos County Airport.
The department is asking residents to keep a close watch on children and pets at dusk, dawn and nighttime hours until the cougar is caught.
The traps are being set up largely in gated canyon areas not open to hikers.
St. John's College Picks Outgoing President's Replacement – The Associated Press
A Colorado college's top administrator is coming to New Mexico to serve as the newest president at St. John's College.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports outgoing president Michael Peters is being replaced in January by 59-year-old Mark Roosevelt, who was chosen from four finalists in a national search.
Roosevelt is the president who helped revive Colorado's Antioch College in Yellow Springs when it closed in 2008 for the first time since 1850.
The great-grandson of former U.S. President Teddy Roosevelt and Harvard graduate with degrees in art history and law, he says he plans to work on securing donors and increasing enrollment.
Peters says St. John's has a bright future, and that he and his wife are moving to the East Coast to be closer to family.
Investment Council Approves Open Settlement Practices – The Associated Press
Financial settlements will be voted on in public under a policy change approved by the New Mexico State Investment Council.
The Albuquerque Journal reports the new policy states negotiations can occur privately, but the 11-member council must publicly vote on the settlements.
A transparency group and an association of New Mexico newspapers appealed a judge's ruling in favor of the closed-door practice of settling lawsuits. Santa Fe attorney Daniel Yohalem represented the groups and said as long as open meeting laws are followed, the policy change addresses the lawsuit's complaints.
The subcommittee has settled cases for about $30 million in an attempt recover "finder's fees" paid to people close to then-Gov. Bill Richardson who helped broker investment deals with the state. Those settlements are being held in escrow as lawsuits by whistleblowers settle broader legal issues.
Gallup Diocese Billed $2.25M So Far In Bankruptcy Case – The Associated Press
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Gallup has incurred over $2.25 million of legal fees and expenses in its ongoing bankruptcy reorganization case.
The Gallup Independent reports that the cost figures are from billing statements submitted to the federal Bankruptcy Court by attorneys, accountants, insurance researchers and real estate appraisers.
Facing mountain lawsuits alleging clergy sex abuse, the diocese filed in November 2013 for protection under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code.
The total cost figure of $2.25 million includes $57,000 already paid by the district. The remaining fees and expenses won't be paid until the diocese has an approved plan for reorganization.
More than half of the total figure consists of over $1.3 million billed by a law firm, Quarles & Brady LLC.
Shooting Of Officer Rocks Quiet New Mexico Bedroom Community – The Associated Press
The fatal shooting of a police officer by a suspect described as a known gang member has shaken the normally quiet bedroom community of Rio Rancho.
Officials say residents are "jolted" in this the Albuquerque suburb where people move to escape city life and where officers patrol alone in vehicles.
Police say 28-year-old Andrew Romero shot and killed Officer Gregg Benner on Monday in what started off as a routine traffic stop.
Authorities say Romero was later arrested in Albuquerque's South Valley after robbing a gas station.
It's the city's first fatal shooting of an officer in Rio Rancho's 34 year history.
Rio Rancho City Councilor Dawnn Robinson says the shooting has hit the city hard because people view to their community as a safe, small town.
Man, Child Who Died In Cherry Picker Accident Identified - The Associated Press
Police have identified the man and boy who were killed when the cherry picker they were in toppled over during a strong wind gust.
Police spokeswoman Celina Espinoza identified the man as 56-year-old Ken Raschick. The 12-year-old boy was his nephew.
Three other children were also injured in Sunday's accident.
Authorities say Raschick's 10-year-old son is in stable condition and his 7-year-old son is in critical condition.
A 10-year-old neighbor is hospitalized in critical condition.
Police say no charges are pending and the department's crimes against children unit is investigating.
New Mexico Prosecutors To Seek Charges Against Ex-Officers - The Associated Press
New Mexico prosecutors announced Tuesday they will ask a grand jury to indict two former Las Cruces police officers recently fired following an investigation into an alleged incident of police brutality.
State Attorney General Hector Balderas and District Attorney Mark D'Antonio said their offices intend to jointly prosecute ex-Officers Richard Garcia and Danny Salcido.
Lawyers for Ross Flynn have said he was severely beaten while handcuffed in a police holding cell on Dec. 23.
Flynn was later hospitalized with a skull fracture. He had been arrested after allegedly pointing a rifle at his neighbor over a parking space and then ignoring officer's commands at the scene.
Attorneys representing Garcia and Salcido in a civil lawsuit filed by Flynn and his mother did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Bernalillo County Jail Chief Wants Officers To Use Less Force - The Associated Press and Albuquerque Journal
A Bernalillo County jail chief has called on corrections officers to use force less often, but the officers' union says the policy change will limit their ability to handle unruly inmates.
The Albuquerque Journal reports jail chief Phillip Greer issued the instruction about six weeks ago. He says the goal is to reduce the chance of injury to staff and inmates.
The president of the union for jail employees says the directive runs the risk of undermining correction officers' authority. He says officers must be able to maintain institutional control.
Jail officials say that use-of-force incidents increase when a new jail captain is assigned to a particular area, as inmates try to push boundaries. But, they said use of force had been down in April due to the new directive.
Family Returns Found Dog Tags To Veteran's Relatives - The Associated Press and Roswell Daily Record
Basil Robinson's relatives have his military dog tags back after a family found them in a dumpster while searching for scrap metal.
The Roswell Daily Recordreports Robinson moved in 2010 to be closer to the Veterans Affairs hospital in Albuquerque. The former hospital corpsman put most of his belongings, including the dog tags and several medals, into two storage lockers, which were broken into and cleared out.
Venus, James and Tina Wooddell posted a picture of the tags to Facebook on Saturday and returned them to Robinson's father, Jim, a day later.
The family says Robinson died in 2014 because of heart complications related to his service in Operation Desert Storm.
Actor Sam Shepard Arrested For Drunken Driving In Santa Fe - The Associated Press
Actor and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Sam Shepard has been booked into the Santa Fe County jail on suspicion of aggravated drunken driving.
Police say Shepard was arrested Monday evening outside La Choza restaurant in downtown Santa Fe.
The 71-year-old Shepard told a police officer that he had two tequila drinks and was planning to drive home. The officer could smell alcohol on Shepard's breath and the actor had bloodshot, watery eyes.
Santa Fe police Lt. Andrea Dobyns says restaurant security called police after becoming concerned about a man who may be intoxicated. The man was trying to leave in a pickup truck, but the vehicle's emergency brake was engaged.
Police say Shepherd declined to take a breath test, but he did perform a field sobriety test, which he failed.
Town Blames Weather, Bad Press For Limited Rally Crowd - The Associated Press and Santa Fe New Mexican
Red River officials say bad weather and press from a May 17 fight in Waco, Texas that left nine dead contributed to the smaller than usual crowd at the town's annual Memorial Day motorcycle rally.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports Marshal David Smith says law enforcement was confident violence from the May 17 fight between the Bandidos Motorcycle Club and the Cossacks wouldn't spill over to the rally, and that he kept officers' presence similar to previous years.
New Mexico State Police Sgt. Bill Thornock says the crowd really thinned out when it started snowing Sunday.
About 300 members of the Bandidos attended the rally wearing patches from Colorado, Texas and New Mexico.
The rally is in its 44th year and can bring in up to 15,000 visitors.