Democratic House leaders move to dissolve land grant panel -Associated Press
Top Democrats in the New Mexico House have chosen to dissolve a legislative committee that deals with Hispanic land grants, traditional irrigation districts known as acequias and other local government and cultural affairs.
The recent decision announced by House Speaker Brian Egolf following the recent special session is spurring criticism from Hispanic lawmakers, including two members of New Mexico's congressional delegation.
U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján said he was disappointed in the decision to dissolve the New Mexico Local Government, Land Grants & Cultural Affairs Committee.
"The representation of land grants, acequias, traditional and rural communities must always be at the forefront of New Mexico public policy. They are a critical part of the heart, soul, and history of our state," Luján said in a statement. "These communities also represent the economic potential that our future holds, but only if we keep them as a top priority."
It was the senator's father, former House Speaker Ben Luján, who created an interim committee to work on issues related to these communities when he controlled the House. Egolf made it a standing committee in 2017.
Luján and U.S. Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández, whose district encompasses many of these communities, both said they had conversations with Egolf. They said he intends to meet with leaders from land grant and acequia communities on how best to move forward.
Days after making the announcement that the panel would be dissolved, Egolf said the needs of land grants and acequias needed to be elevated but that it wasn't being accomplished through the committee in its current form.
He said a final change will be made in the upcoming 30-day legislative session.
For New Mexicans like Andrea Padilla and Paula Garcia, the committee performs important work they worry will now be overlooked, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported.
"It took years of work by grassroots community leaders and legislators to establish a standing committee that could properly address the non-partisan, complex governance and natural resource issues that land grants and acequia communities face," Padilla, president of the New Mexico Land Grant-Merced Consejo, said in a statement.
Garcia, executive director of the New Mexico Acequia Association, said her group was deeply concerned the eight-member committee had been disbanded. She echoed Padilla, saying the committee is the culmination of years of advocacy by land-based communities.
"We were really surprised to see this happen," Garcia said. "I think it really added a lot to the legislative process because it's a committee where legislation about land-based rural communities can be heard."
House Democrats wrote in a statement that the resignation of Rep. Miguel Garcia, D-Albuquerque, as committee chairman presented an opportunity to shift land grant issues to another larger committee with higher visibility.
Miguel Garcia did not return messages seeking comment.
House Republicans contend Egolf improperly dissolved the committee following what they called a "spat" with the chairman.
"Once again, we are witnessing the diminishing returns progressive Democrats are finding in Hispanic voting groups," House Minority Whip Rod Montoya, R-Farmington, said in a statement.
In a letter to Egolf, Paula Garcia wrote the dismantling of the committee comes at a time when policymaking in New Mexico should have a greater emphasis on rural equity.
"Land grants and acequias have unique challenges relating to governance, natural resources, infrastructure, and basic services," she wrote. "This committee also addresses issues important to historically marginalized communities of color. Without this committee, land grants and acequias will have fewer opportunities to interact with lawmakers who understand our needs in our communities."
Sentencing set for US airman convicted in teacher's killing—Associated Press
A U.S. Air Force airman who was convicted of killing a Mennonite woman after kidnapping her in New Mexico and taking her to Arizona will be sentenced next month.
An Arizona judge during a status hearing on Tuesday scheduled Mark Gooch's sentencing for Jan. 19. His attorney and the prosecution agreed they were ready to proceed and asked the judge to schedule the sentencing as soon as possible.
Gooch, 22, faces up to life in prison.
Jurors in October found Gooch guilty of kidnapping and first-degree murder in Sasha Krause's killing. The two didn't know each other and lived hundreds of miles apart but shared an upbringing in the Mennonite religion. Krause committed to the church, while Gooch did not.
Krause, 27, was last seen in January 2020 at the church in her tight-knit Mennonite community outside Farmington, where she was gathering material for Sunday school.
Her body was found more than a month later in a forest clearing outside Flagstaff, nearly 300 miles (480 kilometers) away. A camper collecting firewood spotted Krause face-down among pine needles near a national monument. Krause's wrists were bound, and she had been shot in the head.
During the trial last fall, jurors heard 10 days of testimony from those who knew Krause and investigated her disappearance. They heard from ballistics experts who disagreed on whether the bullet taken from her skull was fired from a .22-caliber rifle Gooch owned.
Gooch's attorney, Bruce Griffen, tried to raise doubt by pointing to a lack of forensic evidence and to testimony about another car seen in the Mennonite community the day Krause went missing. He said Gooch was peaceful and volunteered information to a detective who interviewed him at Luke Air Force Base in metropolitan Phoenix, where he was stationed.
Authorities used cellphone and financial records as well as surveillance video to tie Gooch to the crimes.
Teen arrested in fatal carkacking and kidnapping plot—Elise Kaplan, The Albuquerque Journal
A 17 -year-old suspect has turned himself into police after a warrant was issued for his arrest in connection with a carjacking and kidnapping plot that turned fatal.
The Albuquerque Journal reports Adrian Avila has been charged with murder and conspiracy along with other crimes in the February 11th death of 24-year-old Elias Otero.
Police are still looking for 18-year-old Anna Bella Dukes, who is suspected as being Avila’s accomplice and is facing the same charges.
According to a criminal complaint, Dukes met Elias’s brother, Nicholas Otero, on Snapchat, and after meeting in person, commented on his diamond encrusted necklace, asking him where he kept his money and if he had any guns. Then, police say three armed men appeared and forced Nicholas into another car before taking him to Elias’s home in southwest Albuquerque, where they threatened to kill Nicholas unless Elias gave them one thousand dollars.
Elias pointed a gun at the men and Police say that’s when Avila responded by opening fire and killing him. The suspects crashed Nicholas’s car and escaped in a different vehicle police say they had carjacked from another man Dukes had met online the night before.
Albuquerque, Belen police investigate death of missing man—Associated Press
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Police in Albuquerque and Belen are investigating the death of a man whose body was discovered in a charred vehicle.
Michael Yarbrough, 52, was reported missing to Albuquerque police on Dec. 21. His body was later found in a vehicle that burned earlier in the month on Interstate 25 in Belen.
Authorities are working with the state fire marshal to determine what happened.
Yarbrough's death is being investigated as a homicide.
New Mexico will raise minimum wage to $11.50 for 2022 -Associated Press
New Mexico's hourly minimum wage is set to increase by a dollar to $11.50 at the start of 2022.
The Workforce Solutions Department on Monday issued a reminder to employers and workers of the increase.
Reforms signed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and adopted in 2019 gradually raise the statewide minimum wage to $12 by 2023.
President Joe Biden has proposed to raise the federal minimum wage requirement for most workers to $15 an hour from $7.25.
Higher local minimum wages are in effect in Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Santa Fe and Bernalillo County and Santa Fe County.
State labor officials say that employers are required to post a summary of the New Mexico Minimum Wage Act in a place where all workers can easily see it.
New Mexicans call for change for repeat DWI offenders -KOB-TV, Associated Press
With authorities logging more than a dozen DWI arrests in the Albuquerque area since Christmas Eve, there are more calls for New Mexico to crack down on repeat offenders.
Albuquerque television station KOB-TV reports that many of the cases over the past year involve first time offenses, but officers have seen familiar faces. One woman marked her fifth DWI offense in May after she was stopped for driving 103 mph (166 kph) on Interstate 40. A man marked his seventh DWI arrest in March when he hit a concrete pillar.
In yet another case, a 42-year-old woman was arrested for the seventh time — four of which have come within the last two years. One of the charges against her ended up being dismissed because the officer failed to appear in court.
Lindsey Valdez, regional director at Mothers Against Drunk Driving, said cases where there seem to be no consequences are the ones that send a message.
"I think it overall shows that some people really don't find any fear in consequences if there are no consequences to driving under the influence," she said.
How often does it happen?
"They are isolated, but they are not isolated enough," said Ahmad Assed, a criminal defense attorney. And the issue of people falling through the cracks is not new, he said.
"We've been talking about this topic for decades, and quite frankly we still find ourselves almost in the same position," said Assed.
As for the punishment when convicted, a first DWI could result in a minimum of two days behind bars. An eighth offense would be 10 years. However, Assed said that doesn't mean people are spending all of that time in jail since mandatory sentences can be completed through an ankle bracelet program or home arrest.
That has led to calls for change from those who have lost loved ones.
"It has an effect on anybody. Growing up without a dad is hard," said Jackie Copeline, whose father was killed by a repeat drunk driver when she was seven.
Copeline recently started a petition asking for stricter DWI enforcement and treatment.
New Mexico has among the highest death rates in the U.S. due to excessive alcohol use. State data shows that through November, nearly one-quarter of traffic fatalities in the state have involved alcohol.
New Mexico State Police announced Monday that the agency's officers will be conducting sobriety checkpoints and patrols throughout January. Officer Ray Wilson said authorities hope to bring more awareness to the checkpoints to help change society's attitude about drinking and driving and to reduce alcohol-related fatalities.
Albuquerque adopts language access, anti-AAPI hate bills -Associated Press
Albuquerque has officially adopted two pieces of legislation focused on its minority communities, including Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
Mayor Tim Keller signed the two bills Monday in a virtual ceremony. One requires government information and services to be accessible in languages other than English. The other condemns acts of anti-Asian hate that started with the coronavirus pandemic.
Councilor Lan Sena says both resolutions go "hand in hand."
The city's Office of Equity & Inclusion will give each city department a template of language access plan as a guide. The departments will then have to submit a plan for review.
Over 67,000 of the roughly 846,000 metro Albuquerque residents speak little or no English, according to the measure. Other languages commonly spoken include Spanish, Dine, Vietnamese, and Mandarin. Another 5% of the population have a hearing disability.
The other measure formally denounces racist rhetoric and hate crimes directed at Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Albuquerque. City councilors will encourage the city's Office of Civil Rights to document and investigate anti-AAPI incidents as well as partnerships with local advocacy groups.
New Mexico Sen. Pete Campos to undergo emergency surgery - Santa Fe New Mexican, Associated Press
New Mexico State Sen. Pete Campos is in the hospital and will have to undergo emergency surgery.
Chris Nordstrum, a spokesman for Senate Democrats, told the Santa Fe New Mexican that Campos could have the surgery as soon as Monday.
Campos, who is in his 60s, was taken to Presbyterian Hospital in Albuquerque on Sunday for an undisclosed condition.
Nordstrum said, however, it has nothing to do with COVID-19. Also, Campos expects a speedy recovery and to have no issues with attending the opening of the legislative session next month.
In his own statement, Campos said he looks forward to resuming his duties "for years to come."
Campos, of Las Vegas, was re-elected in November 2020 with 65% of the vote. He sits on the Senate Finance Committee and the interim Legislative Finance Committee.