Slain Albuquerque Girl's Grandparents Can Sue Police, City – KOAT-TV, Associated Press
A wrongful death lawsuit filed by the grandparents of a 10-year-old Albuquerque girl who was raped and murdered in 2016 against the police and the city can proceed.
KOAT-TV reports a judge this week determined there was enough evidence for some parts of the civil case filed by Victoria Martens' maternal grandparents to go forward.
John and Pat Martens say police failed to do anything after receiving a tip that a man dating Victoria's mom tried to kiss her.
Police say an attempted kiss is not a crime and that Victoria's mother had stopped seeing the man by then.
The Martens say the lack of a police investigation contributed to her death. They are asking for money and officer training reform.
Border Towns Key In Close US House Races Amid Wall Talk - By Russell Contreras, Associated Press
Democrats seeking to flip a key Republican U.S. House seat in southern New Mexico are vying to win over fiercely independent voters along border communities.
Many people in towns like Columbus, New Mexico, say they see no problem with U.S. Border Patrol keeping watch over their small village of 1,600 people and dismiss talk by some activists within the Democratic Party who seek to "abolish ICE" — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Many also oppose Republican President Donald Trump's plan to build a massive border wall.
The 2nd District race in New Mexico pits moderate Democrat Xochitl Torres Small against conservative Republican Yvette Herrell for an open U.S. House seat. It is one of many races along the U.S.-Mexico border that would determine which party controls Congress.
Arizona Man's Native Jewelry Worth $100K Taken In New Mexico – KOB-TV, Associated Press
An Arizona artist says his handmade Native American jewelry worth $100,000 was stolen while visiting New Mexico.
Abraham Begay told KOB-TV that he and his wife were eating lunch in Albuquerque on Monday when someone smashed their car window.
The unknown suspect grabbed a suitcase containing jewelry that Begay makes by hand.
Begay says either his name or initials are on each piece of jewelry. He is hopeful at least some of the items will get recognized and returned.
Begay says he doesn't have any money to buy new materials to make more.
The Flagstaff couple were driving back home after attending an art show in Oklahoma.
The couple's daughter has posted pictures of the jewelry on social media with an offer of a reward.
Police Hire Raises Criticism In New Mexico's Largest City – Associated Press
The Albuquerque mayor's hiring of a New Jersey law enforcement veteran accused of racial profiling and excessive force in a more than decade-old lawsuit was met Friday with strong criticism among multiple police reform advocates in New Mexico's largest city.
The announcement this week of Leonard Nerbetski's appointment as a civilian manager of Albuquerque's Real-Time Crime Center comes as the local police department carries out a years-long, court-mandated effort to reform how officers use force.
The reforms were spurred by a 2014 U.S. Justice Department investigation that found a "culture of aggression" among Albuquerque police amid a spate of officer-involved shootings.
In 1999, an Associated Press report named Nerbetski as one of two New Jersey State Police troopers accused of roughing up two law students, both minorities. The state later settled the case under agreement in which it admitted no wrongdoing.
Police Hire Linked To 1996 Excessive Force Case - By Mary Hudetz, Associated Press
A veteran law enforcement officer hired to oversee Albuquerque police dispatchers and real-time crime analysts was once accused in a New Jersey lawsuit of using excessive force.
Albuquerque police announced Leonard Nerbetski's hiring Thursday, lauding his background as a New Jersey State Police captain.
In 1999, an Associated Press report named Nerbetski as one of two officers accused of roughing up two law students, both minorities. The lawsuit also cited cases involving other traffic stops, all of which the Star-Ledger in Newark reported the state settled for $25,000 to $200,000. The state admitted to no wrongdoing under the settlement.
Albuquerque police's hiring of Nerbetski comes as the department reforms how its officers use force under a U.S. Justice Department settlement agreement.
A police spokesman did not immediately provide further comment on the hiring.
City Council Approves $4.5M Incentive Package For Netflix -Albuquerque Journal, Associated Press
The Albuquerque City Council has unanimously approved a $4.5 million city economic incentive package for the California-based streaming-video provider Netflix to purchase and operate Albuquerque Studios.
The Albuquerque Journal reports the council on Thursday also approved the city's role as fiscal agent for New Mexico's $10 million contribution in Local Economic Development Act funds.
As part of the agreement, Netflix commits to direct spending on its own productions in the state of at least $600 million in the first five years occupying the studio.
Netflix also commits $400 million in direct and indirect spending in the following five years, which includes leasing the facility to other production companies.
Netflix projects produced in New Mexico include the Emmy Award-winning limited series "Godless" and "Longmire."
Officials To Celebrate Opening Of Road To Spaceport America -Associated Press
Officials are gathering in New Mexico to mark the opening of a road that will provide a more direct route between Spaceport America and the most populous city in the state's southern reaches.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned for Friday. It will include a ceremonial drive from where the road begins at Interstate 25 north across the desert to the spaceport.
Paving was completed in July, after New Mexico officials had first promised road improvements more than a decade ago.
Previously dirt, the road's condition had made it impassable for most drivers. From Las Cruces, people headed to spaceport had to travel north to Truth or Consequences and backtrack to the southeast.
The New Mexico Spaceport Authority funded the $14 million road project. Doña Ana County oversaw its construction.
Competition Lacking As Candidate's Firm Oversaw Health Pool -Associated Press
In a familiar line of attack in New Mexico's gubernatorial race, Republicans including candidate Steve Pearce say that Democrat Michelle Lujan Grisham profited on the side while in Congress by overseeing a statewide insurance program for extremely sick patients.
The ads allege unseemly business dealings, labeling the congresswoman as "shamelessly corrupt." Lujan Grisham's campaign pushed back Thursday with calls for television stations to drop an ad from the Republican Governors Association.
A public records request by The Associated Press shows that there were no competing bids as a business partnership between Lujan Grisham and a state lawmaker won contracts to oversee a statewide high-risk insurance pool.
Lujan Grisham has embraced that past business role as evidence of her commitment to helping the severely ill and as validation of her expertise in health care.
Ruling Finds Injury Compensation Not Tied To Risky Circumstances -Associated Press
A New Mexico court ruling says a worker is entitled to compensation for a trip-and-fall injury suffered at work even though the accident wasn't linked to any particularly risky circumstances related to his job.
The state Court of Appeals' ruling Tuesday overturns a workers' compensation judge's order denying compensation for an Intel contractor's maintenance technician who broke his arm from tripping while walking on a level, unobstructed hallway to reach a work site in a long building.
The workers' compensation judge ruled that David D. Griego's accident didn't arise out of his employment because his injury wasn't reasonably related to any job-related risks.
However, the Court of Appeals said Griego' injury did arise from his employment because he was at work when injured and doing something requested by his employer.
Turnout Surges As New Mexico Prepares For More Early Voting -Associated Press
New Mexico is seeing a surge in early voting and the state's top elections official expects the numbers to keep climbing as more voting locations are opened around the state this weekend.
Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver said Thursday some of the largest turnout is being reported in Doña Ana County, where more than 6,500 residents had cast ballots as of Wednesday, the majority of them registered Democrats.
Toulouse Oliver says the race for an open congressional seat that covers much of southern New Mexico is helping to drive turnout.
Toulouse Oliver was in Albuquerque to provide a panel of state lawmakers an update on election matters, including priorities for the next legislative session. Part of the debate is expected to center on opening New Mexico's closed primary system.
Lab Worker Fired Over Plutonium Shipping Error Files Lawsuit – Santa Fe New Mexican, Associated Press
A former worker at a New Mexico laboratory who was fired for shipping weapons-grade plutonium by air instead of by ground as required by federal regulations is suing the lab's management for breach of contract.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports Juan Montoya, who was fired this summer from Los Alamos National Laboratory, claims in the suit that he was made a scapegoat for "root cause systemic failures in processes, procedures, supervision, resources (and) training" that belong to Los Alamos National Security LLC, or LANS.
Efforts by the New Mexican to reach Montoya for comment Wednesday were unsuccessful.
Lab spokesman Matt Nerzig denies that Montoya, who had worked at the lab for 15 years before he was fired, was singled out over the incident.
Montoya is asking for, among other things, unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.
Report: Truck Tire Lost Air Before New Mexico Bus Crash -Associated Press
A federal report says "sudden air loss" in a semi-truck's front left tire occurred just before it collided with a passenger bus in a deadly crash along Interstate 40 in New Mexico.
The National Transportation Safety Board on Thursday released a preliminary report on the Aug. 30 crash east of Gallup.
The agency is still evaluating driver performance, training and other factors.
Authorities have said the truck driver lost control of the vehicle before it veered into the median and crossed into oncoming traffic.
Seven passengers and the driver of the Greyhound bus were killed, and 39 people were injured.
The report also notes that one woman went into premature labor and gave birth to twins. One of the infants later died.
The driver of the truck operated by Jag Transportation of Fresno, California, suffered minor injuries.