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State Workers Could Pay More For Pensions, 2018 Brings Record Number Of Wolf Deaths

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CREATIVE COMMONS
Mexican Gray Wolf

State Of New Mexico Workers Could Pay More For Pensions - Associated Press

The Public Employees Retirement Association board backed a plan that would cut benefits for about 40,000 New Mexico retired state workers in the coming years.

The board, which approved the proposal on Tuesday, also voted to ask lawmakers for a $200 million lump sum appropriation to shore up the pension fund.

The decision comes as the pension system struggles to reach full funding under the watch of credit-rating agencies that have raised alarms about the financial state of New Mexico's government retirement programs.

If the proposal is approved next year, all employees in the municipal general, municipal police, municipal fire and state general divisions would see their contributions increased by 1.5 percent until those divisions reach 80 percent funding. Employers would also see an increase of 1.75 percent during that time.

New Mexico To Pay $63M More For Medicaid Next YearSanta Fe New Mexican, Associated Press

New Mexico's Medicaid program will cost state taxpayers an additional $63 million next year.

The Santa Fe New Mexican reports the federal government is scaling back the share it pays to cover many New Mexican residents under the health insurance program.

The federal government covered 93 percent of costs this year but will pay 90 percent in the budget year that begins in July.

Human Services Secretary Brent Earnest says that alone will cost the state an extra $32.5 million.

The total cost of the program will rise for other reasons, too, such as the federal government rolling back some financial support for children's health insurance and rising enrollment.

With all of this, Medicaid's cost to the state general fund is projected to increase to a total of $997 million in the next fiscal year.

Albuquerque Police Said Chase Leads To Death Of Robbery SuspectAssociated Press

Albuquerque police say an armed robbery suspect who fatally shot a dog while running through a neighborhood is dead following an encounter with police.

Police didn't provide details on what happened immediately before the suspect's death Wednesday except to say at least one officer fired shots at the suspect, whose age and name weren't released.

According to police, officers responding to a reported armed robbery spotted the suspect who refused to stop and went into a residential neighborhood where a resident told police that a stranger had entered a backyard where he shot and killed a dog.

Police said continued searching by officers then led to the fatal encounter.

US Sets Jan. 31 Deadline For Colorado River PlanAssociated Press

Federal water managers are setting a Jan. 31 deadline for the seven Southwestern states that depend on the Colorado River to finalize unprecedented voluntary drought contingency plans they expect to have to enact in 2020.

Otherwise, top U.S. water official Brenda Burman says the federal government will announce in August the unspecified water restrictions it will impose on users in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.

The river and the huge Lake Powell and Lake Mead reservoirs provide drinking water to 40 million people and irrigation for crops in arid parts of the U.S. and Mexico.

Most states met Burman's goal to reach agreements on plans to use less water.

Burman told a water users conference in Las Vegas that California and Arizona are the holdouts.

Record Number Of Mexican Gray Wolves Found Dead In 2018 - By Susan Montoya Bryan, Associated Press

Wildlife managers have confirmed a record number of Mexican gray wolves have been reported dead this year, fueling concerns about the decades-long effort to return the endangered predator to the southwestern U.S.

Officials say five wolves were found dead in New Mexico in November, bringing the total for the year to 17. It marks one of the deadliest months in the history of the wolf reintroduction program.

The U.S. government began releasing Mexican wolves in 1998. The latest annual survey indicated at least 114 wolves were roaming parts of Arizona and New Mexico in early 2018.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is investigating but hasn't said how the animals died.

Environmentalists critical of the program's management say losses need to be stemmed and more captive wolves should be released.

Tourism Rocket Ship Reaches Space On Test FlightAssociated Press

Virgin Galactic says its tourism spaceship has climbed more than 50 miles high, which the company considers the boundary of space.

Virgin Space Ship Unity was released from a carrier aircraft over California's Mojave Desert early Thursday and ignited its rocket engine.

The spacecraft with two test pilots at the controls quickly hurtled upward and out of sight from viewers on the ground.

Mission official Enrico Palermo says it reached an altitude of 51 miles (82 kilometers) before beginning its gliding descent. It landed minutes later.

The company plans to eventually take paying passengers on short trips to space.

Former Teacher Convicted Of Sexually Abusing 2 Students - Albuquerque Journal, Associated Press

A former teacher in Española has been convicted of sexually abusing two fourth-grade girls a decade ago.

Gary Gregor was convicted of criminal sexual penetration, kidnapping, and criminal sexual contact for his conduct at Fairview Elementary School.

The Albuquerque Journal reports it's the first of four trials Gregor faces for similar crimes in Santa Fe, where he had taught previously, and others in Española.

The Española district paid $9.2 million to settle lawsuits by former students who alleged sexual abuse.

A third suit from his time at Santa Fe Public Schools is pending.

Allegations against Gregor of improper touching surfaced when he taught at Santa Fe Public Schools.

But the Santa Fe district allowed him to leave with a "neutral" recommendation that didn't note the allegations.

Taiwanese-backed Manufacturer To Expand In New Mexico - Associated Press

A manufacturing company backed by a group of Taiwanese investors has plans to bring some of its business to southern New Mexico.

Gov. Susana Martinez announced Wednesday that Admiral Cable has selected Santa Teresa as the newest site for manufacturing operations. The incentive package included nearly $4 million in local economic development funds.

The company plans to invest $50 million in a 65,000-square-foot plant as part of the first phase. Subsequent phases could see the plant nearly triple in size.

Admiral Cable plans to be operational in early 2020, creating some 340 jobs.

Martinez said she invited the company to invest in New Mexico during a trip to Taiwan last summer.

The company makes electrical cords and power supplies as well as other industrial cables and wires for consumer and industrial markets.

New Mexico Rural Water Projects Get $35M Federal Boost - Associated Press

Efforts to build water and wastewater systems and improve existing infrastructure in a few communities in rural New Mexico will see a $35 million infusion of federal funding.

Members of New Mexico's congressional delegation announced the funding this week from U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development.

The money comes in the form of low-interest loans and grants and is set aside for tribes, colonias and rural communities with 10,000 or fewer residents.

Projects in Garfield, Socorro and San Miguel County are among the recipients.

The largest share will go to the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority in San Juan County to build a new wastewater delivery and treatment plant.

The old system exceeded federal standards by releasing high rates of effluent into the San Juan River.

New Mexico Supreme Court Justice To Give Graduation Address - Associated Press

New Mexico Supreme Court Chief Justice Judith Nakamura is scheduled to give the keynote address Friday evening at the University of New Mexico's fall commencement ceremony.

Nakamura was appointed to the New Mexico Supreme Court in 2015 and was selected by her fellow justices to serve as chief justice in 2017.

Before serving on the high court, she presided for more than 14 years as a Bernalillo County Metropolitan judge. She served four terms as that court's chief judge.

She also served as a state district judge in New Mexico's busiest judicial district before being appointed to the state Supreme Court.

Nakamura earned her undergraduate and law degrees from the University of New Mexico. She also is an avid hot air balloon pilot.