Feds: Jemez Pueblo Abandoned Claim To Valles Caldera – Santa Fe New Mexican, Associated Press
The U.S. Justice Department says a Native American community in northern New Mexico doesn't have any claims to Valles Caldera National Preserve due to a 12-year statute of limitations on tribal land claims.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that lawyers for the U.S. Justice Department said in a motion filed this month in federal court Jemez Pueblo abandoned any title it may have held to parts of the preserve.
The motion is the latest step in a legal battle over tens of thousands of pristine acres in the Jemez Mountains.
Jemez Pueblo considers the nearly 140-square-mile swath of federally managed public land as a spiritual sanctuary.
The lawsuit is in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephan Vidmar, who has scheduled a status conference on the case March 9.
Ex-New Mexico State Senator Facing Criminal Charges – The Associated Press
A former New Mexico state senator who resigned abruptly last year is facing criminal charges related to his role in the sale of a state-owned building.
The New Mexico Attorney General's Office announced Monday it has filed a nine-count criminal complaint against Phil Griego in connection with the real estate deal.
According to the complaint, the former Democratic senator used his role as a legislator to receive personal compensation and then failed to disclose the filing as required by state law.
The complaint filed in district court in Santa Fe says Griego withheld the commission owed to each of his qualifying brokers and failed to disclose his interest in the deal.
Griego says he did nothing wrong and was surprised by the criminal complaint. He says he'll fight the charges.
Feds Suggest Counseling Over Detention For Tribal Youth – The Associated Press
Federal officials have revised their guidelines for handling juvenile criminal cases in tribal courts with recommendations that favor treatment, counseling and foster care over fines and detention.
The Interior and Justice departments released their guidelines Monday, updating a three-decade-old juvenile justice code. The update recommends that detention be a last resort for disciplining youth, especially runaways and those who may struggle with addiction or truancy.
The guidelines reflect a national shift in juvenile justice reform that has led more states to find alternatives to detention.
The Interior Department's Bureau of Indian Affairs is required by law to establish a suggested framework for tribes for handling juvenile cases.
A tribe has final say over whether it will adopt the recommendations.
New Mexico Governor Agrees To Trim State Spending – The Associated Press
New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez is signing a state budget that trims overall state spending while bolstering Medicaid health care and increasing pay for prison guards, State Police and some veteran teachers.
The Republican governor announced on Monday her endorsement of the $6.2 billion budget as she met with business leaders at a hotel in Albuquerque.
New Mexico is drawing down its general fund reserves and pinching pennies to pay for day-to-day government operations because of plunging revenues linked to oil and natural gas production, as well as weaker-than-expected sales and income tax receipts.
Lawmakers avoided tax increases by scouring agency accounts for one-time funding. Critics of the spending plan worry it could make matters worse next year if energy prices remain low.
New Mexico Governor Endorses New Online Campaign Database – The Associated Press
A new law that overhauls New Mexico's online clearinghouse for information on political contributions and lobbying expenditures has been signed by Gov. Susana Martinez.
The Republican governor signed legislation Monday designed to standardize electronic reporting so that filings by candidates, lobbyists and political committees can be searched, cross-referenced or downloaded for analysis. Martinez said the public will find it easier to access campaign finance information.
The law also will require lobbyists to file regular reports, as candidates already do. Funding has not yet been assigned to pay for the new system.
The Office of the Secretary of State eventually would spend as much as $985,000 to set up the database, depending on bids from vendors and available funds.
Registration fees from lobbyists would be reinvested in maintaining the clearinghouse.
New Mexico's Largest School District Seeing Enrollment Drops – Albuquerque Journal, Associated Press
Enrollment at New Mexico's largest school district is projected to drop more than 10,000 students within this decade.
The Albuquerque Journal reports the most precipitous declines are in Kindergarten, making the outlook even bleaker as fewer students enter the pipeline for Albuquerque Public Schools.
Officials say the slide began shortly after the economic downturn, with enrollment dropping at the beginning of this decade.
Rose-Ann McKernan, executive director of the district's Office of Accountability and Reporting, said Albuquerque Public Schools administrators are looking at options should the decline continue.
McKernan says lower birth rates and movement of students to charter schools, other districts within New Mexico and other states are to blame for the decline.
Colorado Governor Expected To Endorse Superfund Cleanup – Associated Press
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper is expected to formally endorse a Superfund cleanup Monday for 48 old mining sites, including one that sent wastewater into rivers in three states last summer.
The Environmental Protection Agency would oversee the project but won't proceed without support from the governor and local officials. San Juan County and the town of Silverton endorsed the cleanup last week.
Hickenlooper spokeswoman Kathy Green said Sunday the governor is preparing to give his blessing to the southwestern Colorado cleanup.
The EPA inadvertently triggered the release of 3 million gallons of wastewater from the inactive Gold King Mine on Aug. 5 during preliminary cleanup work. Rivers in Colorado, New Mexico and Utah were polluted.
Water utilities briefly shut down intake valves and farmers stopped drawing from the rivers.
New Mexico Gov. Martinez Signs Bill On Criminal Databases – Associated Press
Gov. Susana Martinez has signed a bill that would give state judges full access to the criminal histories of violent offenders, including some juveniles.
Martinez signed the measure and another related bill Sunday at the New Mexico State Police headquarters in Albuquerque.
The bill, called "Jaydon's Law," is in reference to Jaydon Chavez-Silver, an Albuquerque teenager who was shot and killed at a party last summer.
The legislation would change the state's Criminal Procedure Act to give judges access to an adult's youth records, which currently is not allowed under state law.
It would not apply to any crimes committed before age 14.
2 Albuquerque Girls Scouts Sell Cookies Near Pot Dispensary – KRQE-TV, Associated Press
Two Albuquerque Girls Scouts have picked an unusual spot to sell Girl Scout cookies — a marijuana dispensary.
KRQE-TV in Albuquerque reports a Junior Girl Scout and a Brownie set up shop Saturday outside medical marijuana dispensary Ultra Health and sold more than 60 boxes.
Ultra Health manager James Gambling says he invited the scouts and offered to donate $1 for every box the girls sold. He says "the munchies" is a stereotype that comes with marijuana, so it was fitting to have the Girl Scouts outside.
Phil Temer, a dad of one of the girls, says he saw nothing wrong with the girls selling near the dispensary.
Girl Scouts of New Mexico Trails spokeswoman Carol Ann Short says selling outside medical marijuana dispensaries is against scout rules.
Trump Piñatas Becoming Hot Items In Albuquerque, Santa Fe – Santa Fe New Mexican, Associated Press
Businesses in Albuquerque and Santa Fe say a piñata of GOP presidential hopeful Donald Trump has become a hot seller.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports Trump piñatas have been hard to keep in stores because of the piñata's popularity, especially among Mexican immigrants.
Jose Carlos Andre, manager of the Santa Fe Mexican butcher shop El Paisano, says after word went out the store had Trump piñatas, whites even started coming into the store to buy them.
Dulceria Puebla in Albuquerque also is selling the Trump piñatas and workers there say they go quickly.
Trump piñatas became hot items in U.S. cities with large Latino populations after Trump made comments about Mexican immigrants being rapists and criminals.
Polls have shown that Trump remains unpopular among Latino voters.
Doña Ana County District Attorney To Investigate Treasurer – Associated Press
The Doña Ana County district attorney is launching an investigation of the county's treasurer over sexual harassment allegations.
District Attorney Mark D'Antonio said yesterday that his office plans to investigate Treasurer David Gutierrez for any criminal or civil violations.
The county recently settled a sexual harassment lawsuit filed against Gutierrez for $68,000. A former employee accused Gutierrez of harassing her at work and later offering her money for sex.
Gutierrez admitted during a county personnel investigation that he offered the employee $1,000 to spend time with him in a hotel room. Doña Ana County commissioners recently asked Gutierrez to resign.
Former Police Union President Wants Child Abuse Charge Dropped – KRQE-TV, Associated Press
The former president of Albuquerque's police union wants a felony child abuse charge against her thrown out.
An attorney for Stephanie Lopez tells KRQE-TV he has filed a motion to have all charges dismissed.
Attorney Sam Bregman says the state failed to prosecute their case within a 60-day window.
Lopez was arrested in December on charges of child abuse and bribery or intimidation of a witness.
A criminal complaint filed by a Bernalillo County Sheriff's detective says Lopez repeatedly struck a teenage relative during a dispute over a utility shut-off warning.
Lopez resigned as union president shortly after.
She remains on paid administrative leave from the police department.
The District Attorney's Office did not immediately return calls seeking comment.
The sheriff's detective says there are still plans to prosecute.
Wildlife Officials OK Endangered Wolves At Turner Ranch – Albuquerque Journal, Associated Press
The southwest New Mexico ranch owned by media mogul Ted Turner will temporarily shelter five Mexican gray wolves on their way to Mexico.
The Albuquerque Journal reports the New Mexico Game and Fish Commission gave unanimous approval Friday, more than a month after the panel denied Ladder Ranch's appeal for a permit to host Mexican wolves as part of a federal species recovery program.
Federal wildlife officials will transport the animals from Wolf Haven International in Washington state to Mexico. The Ladder Ranch stop is intended to relieve travel stress and work around breeding season.
Commission Chairman Paul Kienzle supported the permit with the provision that it could be reviewed by Game and Fish Department Director Alexandra Sandoval if the wolves need to stay longer.
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