Oil Sector Boosts State Government Fortunes In New Mexico - Associated Press
A surge in income from the New Mexico oil sector is providing a financial windfall to state government as the governor's office passes from Republican to Democratic control.
State government economists on Monday said state revenues will outpace current spending obligations by $1.1 billion or 17 percent for the fiscal year that begins in July as lawmakers prepare to craft a budget.
State financial reserves are expected to exceed $2.5 billion by mid-2019, bolstered by unusually large federal mineral lease payments. The savings are equal to 40 percent of annual state general fund spending.
Democratic Gov.-elect Michelle Lujan Grisham has placed a high priority on increasing resources for public education as she prepares to succeed termed-out Republican Gov. Susana Martinez on Jan. 1.
New Mexico Revises Rules For Obtaining Driving Credentials - Albuquerque Journal, Associated Press
New Mexico has issued new rules that will ease identification requirements for people who want driving credentials or an alternate ID card.
The Albuquerque Journal reports that the state Motor Vehicle Division on Friday announced applicants for driving authorization cards won't need to provide a Social Security card or two forms of identification.
The MVD will also accept a broader range of documents as proof of age and identity.
The revisions are part of a court-approved settlement stemming from a dispute by civil rights groups over the state's two-tiered system of issuing drivers' licenses.
Opponents of the 2016 law say immigrants and the homeless don't always have the extensive documents required for a driver's license compliant with the federal REAL ID Act.
New Mexico City Celebrates $450m Drinking Water Project - Associated Press
A $450 million drinking water project that was first conceived decades ago has reduced reliance on groundwater for New Mexico's most populous region by almost 70 percent as the pressures of drought persist.
Utility officials are celebrating as the San Juan-Chama Project has been in operation for 10 years now.
Once thought of as a boondoggle, the project has delivered nearly 137 billion gallons of purified water to Albuquerque and has helped to spur a significant recovery of the aquifer beneath the city.
The project also serves other communities and farmers along the Rio Grande through a system of diversion dams, tunnels and other infrastructure.
Officials say the project has provided a much needed hedge against the demands of a growing population and predictions of drier times.
Report: New Mexico County Lost $32k In Phishing Scam - Hobbs News-sun, Associated Press
Officials say a southeastern New Mexico county has become the latest victim of a phishing scam after an employee was duped into sending money to a fake account.
The Hobbs News-Sun reports Lea County Manager Mike Gallagher said last week a fraudulent email purporting and appearing to be from one of the recent fair and rodeo's vendors sought payment of $32,500 and an employee paid the wire transfer.
Gallagher says as soon as officials learned of the scam, the county reported it to the Lovington Police Department and it turned the matter over to state police.
Lovington Police Department Detective David Miranda confirmed the county reported the money transfer on Sept. 5.
Police Use Beanbags To Resolve Standoff At Santa Fe Shelter - Santa Fe New Mexican, Associated Press
Police ended a standoff with a woman at a Santa Fe homeless shelter after firing nonlethal beanbag shots.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports officers were called to Pete's Place on Sunday evening about a woman threatening to assault one of the volunteers with garden shears.
Capt. Anthony Tapia says police tried for several minutes to persuade Veronica Salas, who urged officers to shoot her, to put the shears down.
Tapia says police then deployed two beanbag rounds, hitting the woman in the torso and the back.
She was taken to a hospital for treatment.
Tapia says the male volunteer declined to press charges.
However, Salas will face charges of aggravated assault on an officer, trespassing and methamphetamine possession.
It was not known Monday if she had an attorney.
Gunman Prompts Lockdown At Northern New Mexico College – KOB-TV, Associated Press
Officials say a gunman forced Northern New Mexico College to lockdown its campus.
KOB-TV reports students at the Espanola college were urged Monday night to stay indoors as authorities searched for a reported gunman who allegedly confronted two female student-athletes on campus.
Campus security officer Elijah Abeyta says the incident happened around 6:30 p.m., when a male suspect allegedly pointed a gun at the students in front of the main library.
The incident prompted a campus lockdown as authorities searched for the alleged gunman.
The lockdown was lifted around 7:30 p.m.
Abeyta says it's unclear as to why the two student-athletes were targeted. He says no shots were fired but the suspect fled in a vehicle with two other occupants, a male and a female.
Lawsuit Accuses Boy Scouts Of Negligence In New Mexico Abuse – Associated Press
A 44-year-old man has filed a lawsuit against the Boy Scouts of America, saying two Catholic priests who served as scout leaders in New Mexico sexually abused him starting in the early 1980s.
The lawsuit filed Thursday accuses the organization of negligence. The victim, who remains unnamed in the court filing, accuses officials of having known or having had reason to know the priests had abused boys.
The man says he was abused during hiking and camping trips in the state, including at Cochiti Lake, and that he had been a member of troop that operated out of an Albuquerque parish.
The director of the Boy Scouts branch in New Mexico did not immediately return a call requesting comment.
Police: Baby Girl Shot By brother, 3, In Critical Condition – Associated Press
Police say an 8-month-old girl shot in the face by her 3-year-old brother in a New Mexico motel room is in critical condition.
Gallup Police Capt. Marinda Spencer said Tuesday that the girl's condition has not changed since she was shot Saturday in Gallup, New Mexico.
Police say Shayanne Nelson and her boyfriend, Tyrell Bitsilly, were in a motel shower when Nelson's child found a gun and accidentally shot the baby.
A criminal complaint says the 18-year-old Nelson says she didn't know a gun was in the room.
A witness told police he saw the 21-year-old Bitsilly wipe the gun after the shooting.
The baby was taken to Gallup Indian Medical Center.
Nelson and Bitsilly face child abuse charges.
It was not known if either is represented by an attorney.
Ex-Leader Of Houston Nonprofit Pleads Guilty Over 2013 Trip – Associated Press
The ex-operator of a Houston nonprofit has pleaded guilty to concealing that Azerbaijan paid for a 2013 visit by 10 U.S. lawmakers.
Kemal Oksuz was extradited from Armenia and pleaded guilty Monday in Washington, D.C., to devising to falsify, conceal and cover up material facts. He faces up to a year in prison in the plea deal.
Oksuz led the Turquoise Council of Americans and Eurasians. An indictment was unsealed in September.
The House Ethics Committee in 2015 found no evidence of wrongdoing by members of Congress. Texans Ruben Hinojosa, Sheila Jackson Lee, Steve Stockman and Ted Poe traveled to Azerbaijan, along with Gregory Meeks and Yvette Clarke of New York, Danny Davis of Illinois, Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico, Jim Bridenstine of Oklahoma and Leonard Lance of New Jersey.
Police: Christmas Party For County Employees Turned Violent – Santa Fe New Mexican, Associated Press
Police say a Christmas party for county employees in New Mexico turned violent after an attendee punched a deputy in the nose and struck a radio dispatcher.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reportsthe alcohol-infused melee took place Sunday at a Santa Fe hotel following a holiday party for Santa Fe County employees that resulted in a battery complaint against a facilities operation maintenance manager.
Witnesses told police Phillip "PJ" Montano had been drinking heavily before he struck Santa Fe County Sheriff's Lt. Michael Delgado in the face "for an unknown reason." The report says Montano also hit 22-year-old radio dispatcher Alyssa Martinez in her chest after she tried to break up a fight.
Officers reported finding blood stains on the carpet, walls and bed sheets in the room.
It was not known if Montano had an attorney.