VP Harris to officiate New Mexico governor's May wedding - Associated Press
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is getting married, and Vice President Kamala Harris has been picked to officiate.
The first-term Democratic governor made the announcement through her personal spokesman Tuesday, saying a small ceremony will be held May 21 in Washington, D.C. No other details about the upcoming ceremony were released.
Lujan Grisham, who is running for reelection, will be tying the knot with her fiancé Manny Cordova. The couple has been together about 10 years, and Cordova was at her side during an inaugural Mass in Santa Fe before her public swearing in ceremony on Jan. 1, 2019.
"We're delighted to celebrate our wedding in front of family and close friends," Lujan Grisham and Cordova said in a joint statement. "Like so many New Mexicans, we've postponed family celebrations over the past two years during this pandemic. We feel fortunate to be with our loved ones in celebration of our marriage."
The couple was initially planning to get married in 2021 but had not set a date, said Jared Leopold, a spokesman for Lujan Grisham.
Both Lujan Grisham, 62, and Cordova, 66, were previously married and have adult children and grandchildren. Lujan Grisham was married to her first husband, Gregory Grisham, for more than 20 years until his death in 2004.
The son of ranchers, Cordova grew up in a rural community south of Albuquerque. He owns an auto repair shop in Santa Fe.
Leopold said Lujan Grisham and Cordova also plan to celebrate their marriage in an event for family and friends in northern New Mexico in late May.
Rail Runner, ABQ buses and the Sunport do away with mask mandates for travelers – By Shaun Griswold, Source New Mexico
A decision by a federal judge in Florida on Monday regarding mask requirements under COVID-19 protections is now impacting travel in New Mexico.
Commuters on the Rail Runner this evening can choose not to wear the mask they had to put on during their morning ride, as train officials announced midday that mask enforcement is over.
Signs reminding people to mask up will be removed from Rail Runner train cars and near ticket kiosks. Starting tomorrow, the conductor’s announcement regarding face coverings will say that masks are recommended, but they are optional for riders, said Augusta Meyers, Rio Metro Regional Transit District spokesperson.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention as well as the Transportation Security Administration still recommend masks for people traveling in indoor public transportation settings like trains, planes and buses.
The ruling by U.S. District Judge Kahtryn Kimball Mizelle says the CDC failed to adequately explain the reasons for the mask mandate and violated federal procedures by issuing new rules without public comment. Mizelle was appointed to the bench in 2020 by former President Donald Trump.
Health Freedom Defense Fund, an Idaho-based advocacy group that challenges COVID-related restrictions, and two Florida women who argued that wearing masks on planes aggravated their anxiety brought the suit in July 2021.
A separate suit filed in March by a coalition of mostly Republican governors from 21 different states also contests the federal mask requirement. Monday’s order is separate from the case brought by the states.
New Mexico is not in that lawsuit but keeping up with federal guidelines means travelers in the state will have the option to expose the lower half of their face in crowded transit.
“Public transportation was one of the last bastions of mask enforcement,” Meyers said. “We’ve seen the mask requirements become relaxed in several other areas, and now it’s making its way to public transport.”
Shortly after 9 a.m., the Sunport sent a tweet declaring the end of the mask requirement inside the airport. “Masks will now be optional for Sunport passengers, employees, and visitors. Mask or no mask, please be kind and respectful while traveling.” This followed many airlines making the same announcement after the court ruling.
This morning the City of Albuquerque also lifted mask enforcement on buses. ABQ Ride spokesperson Lorena Sanchez said this extends to all modes of transit including the SunVan, a service offering ADA-compliant paratransit rides for people with disabilities.
Sanchez said drivers will have the option to wear a mask and that plexiglass windows separating passengers from the driver will remain.
The Rail Runner will keep some of the routines designed as safety measures during the pandemic. For instance, air filters that were replaced monthly before the pandemic are now being changed out weekly as a way to provide better air quality for riders, Meyers said. There are also discussions about keeping ticket purchases a cashless transaction.
Meyers said train officials are confident in following the new federal guidelines and did not share concerns of a judge — not a public health expert — when making a decision impacting public health policy.
“It’s not really up to us to say whether it’s the correct choice, you know. It’s just this is what we follow,” Meyers said. “We are still recommending people do wear a mask. It’s just not going to be enforced.”
Judge rules the redrawn NM congressional map stays in place — for now – By Austin Fisher, Source New Mexico
The 2022 elections in New Mexico will move forward with the newly redrawn congressional map, but future elections could still see legal challenges from Republicans, a state judge ruled Tuesday.
In two brief letters on Tuesday afternoon, Ninth Judicial District Court Judge Fred Van Soelen said he will allow New Mexico to conduct the elections with the congressional map lawmakers redrew in December, but he refused a request by the governor and legislative leaders to drop the case entirely.
The Republican Party of New Mexico asked Van Soelen to set aside the map, and adopt one of two other maps drawn up by the Citizen Redistricting Committee for the 2022 election year.
“Doing so will minimize disruption to the electoral process and will allow time for the resolution of this litigation on the merits,” lawyers for the Republican Party wrote.
The new Congressional map was drawn and approved by the Democrat-controlled Legislature and signed by Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.
The Republican Party is arguing that the new map “cracked” a Republican voting bloc in the southeastern part of the state, making it harder for a Republican candidate to win the Congressional District 2 seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“It is undisputed that the communities in Chaves, Eddy, Lea and Otero Counties share common economic, social, and cultural interests, based in part on the robust agricultural and oil and gas presence in the area,” the GOP wrote.
But Van Soelen denied the Republicans’ motion because there is only a small amount of time left when a new map could be rolled out for this year’s election. Ballots for the 2022 primary elections must be sent to members of the military and overseas voters on Saturday.
“To require a change this late in the game would bring a level of chaos to the process that is not in the public’s or the candidate’s interest,” Van Soelen wrote. “It is simply too late to make any changes for this primary election.”
Mandy Vigil, the elections director for the New Mexico Secretary of State, said in a signed declaration that changing or redoing candidate filing day would risk “compromising the integrity and perceived integrity of the primary election,” and create big problems for state and local elections officials.
“Changing the candidate filing date after we have already completed candidate qualification will create considerable confusion and frustration among voters and election administrators and may contribute to the growing lack of trust voters have in democratic institutions,” Vigil wrote. “The election challenges faced during the pandemic will only be compounded with anger and frustration due to changing the election deadlines and rules after the fact.”
The governor and the Legislature called for the case’s dismissal, arguing the court lacks jurisdiction to hear the case and that the Republican Party of New Mexico did not make a claim that the court can grant relief.
But Van Soelen denied their motion to dismiss, and agreed that the Republican Party “makes a strong, well-developed case” that the redistricting legislation that’s been signed into law “is a partisan gerrymander created in an attempt to dilute Republican votes in congressional races in New Mexico.”
“The map at issue will be used not just for this election, but potentially for the next five elections, until the next redistricting process in approximately 10 years,” Van Soelen wrote. “Therefore, the case will continue, and the court will hear further argument at a later date on plaintiff’s complaint that could affect elections after 2022.”
Van Soelen had promised the parties he would issue legal conclusions by 4 p.m. on Tuesday, but after he read the two sides’ complete arguments, “I find that I may have been too optimistic that I could draft a full findings and conclusions in this short period of time.”
He offered just this decision, instead, and promised to follow up with the rest.
US nuclear agency opens massive office complex in New Mexico - By Susan Montoya Bryan Associated Press
Officials with the U.S. agency undergoing a multibillion-dollar modernization effort that includes the production of plutonium cores for the nation's nuclear arsenal celebrated the opening of a massive office complex in New Mexico on Tuesday.
Jill Hruby, the head of the National Nuclear Security Administration, joined other officials and members of the state's congressional delegation for a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Years in the making, the new complex on the edge of Albuquerque will replace a collection of two dozen military barracks and other buildings, some of which date back to the government's top secret Manhattan Project during World War II. Officials said some of the old buildings were compromised by asbestos and lead paint and were well past their lifespans.
The new building boasts enough space to cover more than five football fields and will end up saving the agency an estimated $40 million in deferred maintenance, officials said. It includes a data center for rows of servers, conference rooms and secure spaces.
Construction was supposed to wrap up last year, but officials said pandemic-related labor and material shortages resulted in delays.
The construction project was among those started in recent years as the National Nuclear Security Administration works to replace old infrastructure and ramp up the production of plutonium cores at sites in New Mexico and South Carolina. While the Biden administration has called for boosting the agency's budget for the next fiscal year, nuclear watchdog groups have raised concerns about a lack of transparency when it comes to spending.
Most of the administration's $21.4 billion budget request would go toward the maintenance and refurbishment of nuclear weapons and to scientific, engineering and manufacturing capabilities to enable production and certification of the nation's nuclear weapons stockpile.
In budget documents, the U.S. Energy Department, which oversees the nuclear security agency, stated that a key priority is rebuilding the capability and capacity to produce warhead components.
One of the sites where the plutonium cores will be manufactured is Los Alamos National Laboratory, the birthplace of the atomic bomb. Hruby did not visit the northern New Mexico installation during her latest trip to the state.
NMSU ending option of COVID-19 testing; vaccination required - Associated Press
New Mexico State University will require all students on campus to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by July 1, ending the option of submitting weekly tests as an alternative, the university announced Monday.
Chancellor Dan Arvizu also said in a memo to students, faculty and staff that NMSU no longer will require weekly testing for students and employees who decided against getting a booster or received an exemption from vaccination.
The new policy, which also applies at all branch colleges, reflects a similar change in October for staff. It requires new and/or transfer students to provide their COVID-19 vaccination records or an approved exemption by Aug. 1.
Arvizu said more than 91% of students and 99% of faculty are now vaccinated.
"Our community fought the battle against COVID-19," he said.
"After consulting with the New Mexico Department of Health, guidance from the CDC, peers at other universities, and experts within the NMSU community, we are making some changes to our policies to align with current practices and recommendations," he said.
Arvizu cited the time-consuming nature of the test-monitoring process and uncertainty about the future availability of free tests as reasons for dropping the weekly testing requirement, which will end May 5.
New Mexico GOP seeks to overturn congressional map – Morgan Lee, Associated Press
Attorneys for the Republican Party of New Mexico on Monday urged a state district court judge to throw out a congressional map that divvies up the conservative southeast of the state into three congressional districts.
The lawsuit by the GOP and seven allied plaintiffs holds implications for a congressional swing district in southern New Mexico where Republican Yvette Herrell ousted a first-term Democrat in the 2020 election.
GOP attorney Christopher Murray alleged that the congressional map approved in December by the Democratic-led Legislature and signed by the state's Democratic governor is blatantly partisan, dilutes the conservative vote and violates state constitutional rights to impartial government.
He urged the court to throw out the current voting map and implement one of two congressional map proposals endorsed last year by an advisory citizen redistricting committee. The committee's recommendations were not binding.
Attorneys for the Legislature and governor defended the state's new congressional map as properly vetted through the political process and warned the court against intervening and getting mired in a "thicket."
“The political branches worked; they did their job and there is no reason for this court or any court to jump in the middle of it,” Richard Olson said on behalf of the Legislature.
District Judge Fred Van Soelen oversaw the arguments by webcast from a courtroom in Clovis and vowed to rule on the case by Tuesday evening.
State election officials warned that swapping maps now could throw the state's June 7 primary into chaos as clerks this week confront a Saturday deadline to mail absentee ballots to military and overseas voters.
Holly Agajanian, representing Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, said the Republican Party hasn't adequately explained why it would be more fair to implement a map that wasn't endorsed by the Legislature and governor.
The Republican Party is citing public comments by top Democratic legislators as evidence of partisan bias in decisions about boundaries of the 2nd District in southern New Mexico.
Democrats hold two of New Mexico's three congressional seats, command majorities in the state House and Senate and hold every statewide elected office.
Santa Fe's transparency regulations withstand final appeal – Associated Press
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a challenge to Santa Fe campaign disclosure requirements stemming from a failed city ballot initiative in 2017 to tax sugary beverages.
The 10th District Court of Appeals in Denver last year rejected the lawsuit from the Albuquerque-based Rio Grande Foundation that sought to shield future financial contributions from public disclosure in defiance of requirements enacted by the city of Santa Fe. That ruling now stands.
The failed city ballot initiative would have shored up spending on early childhood education. It was marked by millions of dollars in campaign spending.
The Rio Grande Foundation issued an online video that was critical of the soda tax proposal, prompting an investigation into possible violations of the city’s campaign finance code.
The foundation complied with a city order and disclosed two relatively minor donations of $7,700. Later it sought to invalidate the city regulations, citing a “chilling effect” on political contributions and, thus, free speech.
The appeals court said the Rio Grande Foundation failed to show that speech would be silenced by the city’s campaign finance regulations.
Foundation President Paul Gessing said Monday that the group “will more carefully consider restrictive local campaign finance rules if (and) when we choose to engage in efforts to educate voters on local ballot measures like Santa Fe’s soda and sugary drinks tax.”
The city’s defense was supported by several advocacy groups for transparency in political spending, including the Brennan Center for Justice, New Mexico Ethics Watch, the League of Women Voters and Common Cause.
“Special interests often run elections ads that are deliberately misleading, and today’s ruling means Santa Fe voters will be able to weigh the credibility of those ads and cast an informed vote,” Paul Smith, a vice president at the Campaign Legal Center that served as defense counsel, said in a statement.
Police deny permit requests from Albuquerque 4/20 festival – KOB TV, Associated Press
Organizers of an Albuquerque festival for 4/20, the date known for celebrating marijuana, have had two permits denied by local police.
The 420 Fest, scheduled for Wednesday in downtown Albuquerque, had submitted permit requests for streets to be blocked off.
Melissa Thompson, New Mexico 420 Fest organizer, told KOB-TV that she and her team have been communicating with the city about this since June.
Police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said the request was rejected because the department doesn't have the manpower to block off streets in the middle of the work week. Officers already have to shut down roads in the same area at night because of traffic around the bars.
The 420 Fest has been an ongoing event for six years but was shelved during the pandemic. Thompson says thousands of people are expected to show up.
While recreational marijuana is now permitted, attendees won't be able to buy or consume any because they'll be out in public.
This month New Mexico joined 17 other states that have legalized recreation marijuana without significant legal challenges.
The change came 15 years after the state first began offering medical marijuana.
US wildlife officials aim to address illegal wolf killings – Susan Montoya Bryan, Associated Press
Prompted by a court order, federal wildlife managers have issued a new draft plan for managing Mexican gray wolves in the Southwestern U.S. in an effort to address illegal killings of the endangered predators.
The plan calls for millions of dollars to be spent over the coming decades on more education, outreach, increased law enforcement patrols and other projects to boost the wolf population across its historic range in Arizona, New Mexico and in Mexico.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently reported that Mexican wolves saw their numbers increase for another consecutive year but that overall growth of the population has been tempered in part by human-caused mortalities, which include illegal killings and being struck by vehicles.
The draft made public last week is meant to address the longstanding concerns of environmentalists who claim the agency is not doing enough to ensure the recovery of the species. While encouraged by the proposed changes to address what they call conflict hot spots, some environmentalists say pressure on the wolves will continue until the recovery area is expanded and the predators are allowed to roam.
Bryan Bird with Defenders of Wildlife said his group believes the revisions should have considered an expansion northward into the Grand Canyon and southern Rocky Mountains.
“Though the proposed revisions improve this imperiled animal’s chances at survival, Defenders remains concerned the plan still fails to prescribe what is needed for full recovery of the world’s most endangered subspecies of wolf,” he said in a statement.
Meanwhile, federal and state managers still struggle to curb wolf-livestock conflicts. Ranchers in Arizona and New Mexico say wolves continue to kill cattle despite efforts to scare the animals away from herds using tools that range from flagging along fence lines, riders on horseback, pasture rotations and even diversionary food caches.
Under the plan, the wolf recovery team would do more outreach in local communities “to improve hunter, trapper, rancher and public awareness and tolerance." That would include handing out materials with biological information about the animals and conflict reduction techniques.
Wildlife managers also want to increase law enforcement patrols in areas identified as mortality hot spots to help with public education, the deterrence of illegal killing and the investigation of wolf mortalities.
“We added this action because we expect the presence of increased law enforcement to have a chilling effect on the intentional illegal killing of Mexican wolves,” officials stated in documents supporting the revisions.
Michael Robinson with the Center for Biological Diversity noted that fewer than 10 people have pleaded guilty to illegally killing wolves and that many of the cases go unsolved.
According to the Fish and Wildlife Service, about three-quarters of documented Mexican wolf deaths in the recovery area between 1998 and 2020 were attributed to human causes. Illegal killing counted for 119 of the 216 documented mortalities. Vehicle strikes were a distant second, and many causes of death were listed as unknown.
Wildlife officials say modeling used for the recovery plan suggests that the Mexican gray wolf population could grow or remain stable as long the mean mortality rate is less than 25% and if mortality among pups remains low at 13%. Officials describe the current rate of human-caused wolf deaths as excessive.
The Fish and Wildlife Service expects recovery of the species to take between 25 and 35 years, with the estimated cost nearing $203 million. The agency's estimates show that the price tag for reducing human-caused mortalities of Mexican gray wolves in the U.S. is expected to top $6 million over the next 25 years, with expenses likely increasing each year.
Loren Patterson, president of the New Mexico Cattle Growers Association, said in an email Monday that the wolves are putting the livelihoods of family ranchers at risk. Although the association doesn't condone illegally killing a wolf, he said ranchers are disappointed that the Fish and Wildlife Service isn't supporting those whose herds are being "significantly and detrimentally impacted by these predators.”
“When the wolf was originally introduced as an experimental/non-essential population, the (Fish and Wildlife Service) claimed to be working with the rurally impacted communities and ranchers, but the agency has completely abandoned us,” he said.
In the recovery plan, federal officials vowed to continue to seek additional funding for programs designed to offset the wolves’ direct and indirect costs to ranchers.