NM governor says special session ‘was not fair,’ but she won’t punish wildfire survivors for it - By Austin Fisher, Source New Mexico
More than a week after a contentious special legislative session, New Mexico’s governor still has not signed the single piece of legislation lawmakers sent to her desk.
As part of a wide ranging five-hour-long town hall meeting in Las Cruces on Thursday night, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham talked about House Bill 1, the only proposal lawmakers voted to pass on July 18.
Jodi McGinnis Porter, a spokesperson for the governor, said Friday that Lujan Grisham and her staff are “still reviewing the bill.”
The legislation, called the “feed bill,” asks the governor to spend $211,900 for the special session itself, along with $100 million in relief for survivors of the South Fork and Salt fires in southeastern New Mexico.
If signed, it would also give $3 million to the New Mexico Administrative Office of the Courts to pay for pilot programs related to assisted outpatient treatment and competency diversion pilot programs.
While the governor is seeking reforms to the laws governing these kinds of behavioral health programs, the bill would leave the law untouched and simply fund existing programs or those that are already legal.
After the Legislature adjourned on July 18, Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth (D-Santa Fe) asked the governor not to use her line-item veto power to remove the pilot project money.
Lujan Grisham said Thursday the legislation “gives me pause,” and the existing treatment programs the bill would fund “are not evidence-based.” However, she conceded “we do have to invest money in the kind of health care infrastructure that we should have.”
“I didn’t ask for all that money in the special; I wasn’t going to ask for all that money in the special,” Lujan Grisham said at the town hall in Las Cruces. “I wanted six or seven public safety bills, and I did encourage them to spend money in Lincoln County, and I don’t regret that at all.”
Lincoln County residents, along with people from nearby Otero County and Mescalero Apache, are still facing issues with the aftermath of the fires that burned thousands of homes. Rain calmed the fires, but flooding followed. Recovery is still ongoing.
“Punishing people in Lincoln County for the failure to address public safety doesn’t seem to me to be the design that I am all that interested in, but I haven’t signed the bill yet,” Lujan Grisham said.
She said there’s “other stuff” in the bill “I need to take a look at.”
An audience member in Las Cruces asked why Lujan Grisham didn’t delay the special session once it became clear Democrats in both chambers were united in opposition to her bills. She responded by saying lawmakers “promised a fair process, and I will tell you: it was not fair.”
“I’m not a stranger to how the Legislature works, and I don’t appreciate that any body of government doesn’t play fair,” she said.
Lujan Grisham said she has been asked to call a special session on public safety “almost every year since I’ve been governor.”
“I rejected that, to try to figure it out, and now it is clear to me that I need the public more involved because what the Legislature basically said to me is that, ‘Nobody wants us to deal with this issue,’ and that they didn’t have time,” she said. “I reject that. They had lots of time.”
Government transparency group sues jail over video showing abuse of an inmate - By Elizabeth McCall, City Desk ABQ
The New Mexico Foundation of Open Government (NMFOG) is suing Bernalillo County after not releasing a video showing a detention officer attacking an inmate, who later died as a result of the injuries.
NMFOG is a New Mexico nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that serves the open government interests of the public, business community, elected officials, journalists and lawyers.
The lawsuit was filed Wednesday against the Bernalillo County Board of Commissioners and the county’s records custodian, after the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) failed to hand over the video to local journalists.
Candace Hopkins, spokesperson for MDC, told City Desk ABQ that “the county will review the lawsuit and address it accordingly.”
The lawsuit cites three instances where the county failed to comply with the Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA), according to NMFOG.
At a news conference Thursday, Amanda Lavin, NMFOG’s legal director, said the issue was first brought to the organization’s attention by reporters from the Albuquerque Journal in September 2023.
The reporters requested jail security video footage from MDC showing former officer Stephen Gabaldon tackling an inmate, John Sanchez, who later died from head injuries. They also requested complaints filed against the former detention center warden, Jason Jones — who resigned while under investigation in November 2023.
NMFOG separately requested the same records as well as duplicate requests the county received for jail security video footage to “see what kind of responses the county had provided to those other requests,” according to Lavin.
Lavin said the county allowed the reporters and NMFOG to view the video at the MDC but were not allowed a copy of the footage “which we are entitled to under the IPRA.”
The county also denied the requests for the other records, saying they were exempt under IPRA’s law enforcement records exception enacted in 2023.
While the county told NMFOG the records were exempt, it said that the officer who injured the inmate was a corrections officer — not a law enforcement officer — therefore it does not have to provide the video.
Lavin said the “county is relying on the exception to justify withholding, specifically the jail security video” and the MDC is “not a law enforcement agency.”
Dozens of Doña Ana Co. residents speak up at late night public safety town hall - Leah Romero, Source New Mexico
Hundreds of Southern New Mexicans packed into the Las Cruces Convention Center Thursday evening for over five hours of public discussion on public safety.
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham held the first in a series of town halls to hear from community members that live in the southern part of the state. She heard stories about inadequate police responses, theft at local businesses, and poor or absent infrastructure services in Doña Ana County colonias.
“We need a place for kids to have fun, not to go kill themselves,” America Terrazas told the governor.
Terrazas explained that she lives in a Doña Ana County colonia where there is a need for street lights, paved roads and other infrastructure to improve safety for residents and access to emergency services. She pointed to instances of children finding hypodermic needles and drug paraphernalia in public areas in her community.
The governor quickly started committing her office and other state agencies to look into specific situations that attendees like Terrazas shared. She also offered more support for issues that prompted the town hall tour, like people arrested for crimes and re-offending, services for unhoused people and those with behavioral health issues.
So far, Las Cruces is the only stop in southern New Mexico for such discussions by the Lujan Grisham administration.
The convention center ballroom where the event started at 5:30 p.m. quickly filled up with advocates, the governor’s staff and the public. Event staff had to open room dividers and pull out more chairs. The standing room only event went late into the evening.
Lujan Grisham was joined by Third Judicial District Attorney Gerald Beyers, Las Cruces Police Chief Jeremy Story, Doña Ana County Health & Human Services Director Jamie Michael and New Mexico Department of Health Secretary Patrick Allen.
Lujan Grisham noted that infrastructure issues Terrazas brought up are in the works for downtown Albuquerque and committed executive funding to Doña Ana County colonias and rural communities throughout the state for similar projects.
Edward Howell said he believes many of the public safety issues southern New Mexico faces start with bills being drafted with Santa Fe and Albuquerque in mind. Legislation then does not translate to every other community.
Several people brought up frequent experiences with retail crime and property damage to businesses.
Patricia Jimenez, the owner of the Little Shop, said she was pushed out of Las Cruces to La Mesa because of repeated physical threats and property damage.
Las Cruces police chief Story pointed to Operation Not in Vain which will begin in August and last through the end of the year. The effort was organized in honor of officer Jonah Hernandez with the Las Cruces Police Department who was killed while on duty last year.
He explained the operation will target a wide range of crimes, but will include a team working on retail theft.
Lujan Grisham added that there is still a need for more officers across the state, including Las Cruces, which will expand the capacity for the department to respond to calls.
Several people questioned the humanity of the governor’s proposed legislation addressing competency and assisted outpatient treatment. She stood behind the proposals, emphasizing the need for connecting people with mental illness with treatment and removing dangerous criminals from communities.
A couple of community members realized that their stances on these topics were actually in line with the governor’s proposals.
Around 50 attendees stayed at the convention center for over five hours waiting for their turn to talk, Lujan Grisham committed to staying as long as she needed to to hear everyone out. The town hall ended after 10 p.m.
Thursday was just the first in a series of three town halls planned so far. A panel will be in Albuquerque on Monday, July 29 and in Española on Tuesday, July 30.
School districts, state negotiating over how many days kids spend in school - Rodd Cayton, City Desk ABQ
This story was originally published by City Desk ABQ
The Public Education Department (PED) and the school districts suing it over an expanded school year will now try to find a resolution through mediation, rather than taking it immediately to the courtroom.
A judge agreed to allow them to continue mediation and a hearing set for Monday has been canceled. The purpose of that hearing was for District Court Judge Dustin Hunter to consider summary judgment motions — each side had asked the judge to rule quickly in its favor.
At issue is the department’s new rule for the 2024-2025 school year, mandating 180 days of instruction for all schools in the state. Schools with four-day weeks previously had about 155 instructional days.
In March, the New Mexico School Superintendents Association and dozens of rural school districts and charter schools sued the PED, claiming the agency’s action conflicted with state law.
Whatever resolution the case ultimately has is unlikely to affect the 2024-2025 academic calendars of the suing schools — some students have already returned to class.
However, in mid-May, Hunter issued an injunction preventing the department from enforcing the rule until the case is decided. The parties later filed a joint motion to be excused from court-ordered mediation, which Hunter denied.
That mediation took place Tuesday in Albuquerque, after which PED Secretary Arsenio Romero asked the court to take Monday’s hearing off the calendar. The superintendents association and the schools — citing a “good faith conference” — did not object.
The parties latest request is that Hunter delay the hearing on those motions until at least Sept. 11, after a second mediation session.
Matt Chandler, one of the attorneys representing the superintendents association and the schools, declined to answer questions about the progression of the case, citing the confidential nature of mediation and negotiation conferences. Attorneys for the department did not respond to requests for comment.
Hunter previously approved a request by Roswell Republican state Reps. Candy Spence Ezzell, Jared Hembree and Sen. Greg Nibert to join the case as amici curiae, or friends of the court.
It’s unclear whether Hunter has made a decision on an amicus curiae brief filed by the New Mexico School Boards Association and American Federation of Teachers New Mexico and no updated information was shown in online court records.
ABQ RIDE offers bonuses to new hires - By Connor Currier, City Desk ABQ
The City of Albuquerque Transit Department is looking for mechanics, drivers and safety workers to join ABQ RIDE and it’s offering sign-on bonuses to help fill vital positions.
The department is also aiming to recruit Albuquerque Police Department transit safety officers to support the city’s transit operations.
“We couldn’t keep the wheels turning and the buses on the road without our drivers, mechanics, and transit staff,” Transit Director Leslie Keener said. “It’s challenging work and that’s why we hope these hiring incentives will sweeten the deal to onboard dedicated employees who want a long-time career working for the city.”
Applicants who attend the department’s rapid hiring event on Friday will get help filling out applications, same-day interviews and facility tours. The human resources team is also ready to make conditional job offers at the event.
According to the department, ABQ RIDE’s training center will help mentor and train new drivers to ensure they are set up for success. New hires will receive training in defensive driving, passenger management and emergency procedures.
“These are good, stable jobs that can be game changers for individuals and their families,” Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller said. “Whether you’re driving a bus or maintaining it, you’ll find personal and professional reward, along with the satisfaction of knowing you’re a key component in keeping our community connected.”
ABQ Ride featured available positions and hiring incentives:
- Motorcoach Operator: $500-$5,000
- Sun Van Chauffeur: $750
- Vehicle Servicer: $750
- Mechanic II: $1,000-$2,500
- Mechanic III: $2,500-$5,000
- Mechanics Helper
- Transit Support Service Representative
Wandering wolf of the Southwest confined through 2025 breeding season in hopes of producing pups - By Morgan Lee, Associated Press
An exceptionally restless female Mexican gray wolf nicknamed Asha will be held in captivity with a potential mate through another breeding season in hopes of aiding the recovery of the species, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Thursday.
Asha captivated the public imagination after she was found wandering far beyond the boundaries established along the Arizona-New Mexico border for managing the rarest subspecies of gray wolf in North America. She has twice been captured north of Interstate 40, most recently in December 2023 near Coyote, New Mexico, and the Valles Caldera National Preserve.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spokesperson Aislinn Maestas said the wolf, known to wildlife biologists as F2754, has shown signs of bonding and breeding activity with a captive-born male, though so far without producing pups. The hope is that the pair may be released with pups, depending on the outcome of a February-May 2025 breeding period.
"Our hope is that they will now spend enough time together" to produce offspring, Maestas said.
Some environmentalists say there's more to be gained by freeing Asha and her mate to roam.
"We should embrace the opportunity to make new scientific discoveries by allowing wolves to teach us, rather than continuing to disrupt and control their lives," said Claire Musser, executive director of the Grand Canyon Wolf Recovery Project, which advocates for public support to restore wolf populations.
Prior to her capture last year, Asha ventured into the Jemez Mountains of northern New Mexico. At the time, nearly two dozen environmental groups sent a letter to state and federal officials saying that the wolf's movements were evidence that the recovery boundaries are insufficient to meet the needs of the expanding population.
The Fish and Wildlife Service noted that the wolf, born in 2021, had wandered into territory where there are no other wolves to breed with.
Ranchers in New Mexico and Arizona who have long complained that wolves are responsible for dozens of livestock deaths every year are concerned about any expansion of the wolves' range.
US promises $240 million to improve fish hatcheries, protect tribal rights in Pacific Northwest - By Rebecca Boone, Associated Press
The U.S. government will invest $240 million in salmon and steelhead hatcheries in the Pacific Northwest to boost declining fish populations and support the treaty-protected fishing rights of Native American tribes, officials announced Thursday.
The departments of Commerce and the Interior said there will be an initial $54 million for hatchery maintenance and modernization made available to 27 tribes in the region, which includes Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Alaska.
The hatcheries "produce the salmon that tribes need to live," said Jennifer Quan, the regional administrator for NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region. "We are talking about food for the tribes and supporting their culture and their spirituality."
Some of the facilities are on the brink of failure, Quan said, with a backlog of deferred maintenance that has a cost estimated at more than $1 billion.
"For instance, the roof of the Makah Tribe's Stony Creek facility is literally a tarp. The Lummi Nation Skookum Hatchery is the only hatchery that raises spring Chinook salmon native to the recovery of our Puget Sound Chinook Salmon," and it is falling down, Quan said.
Lisa Wilson, secretary of the Lummi Indian Business Council, said salmon are as important as the air they breathe, their health and their way of life. She thanked everyone involved in securing "this historic funding."
"Hatchery fish are Treaty fish and play a vital role in the survival of our natural-origin populations while also providing salmon for our subsistence and ceremonies," she said in a statement. "If it weren't for the hatcheries and the Tribes, nobody would be fishing."
The Columbia River Basin was once the world's greatest salmon-producing river system, with at least 16 stocks of salmon and steelhead. Today, four are extinct and seven are listed under the Endangered Species Act. Salmon are a key part of the ecosystem, and another endangered Northwest species, a population of killer whales, depend on Chinook salmon for food.
Salmon are born in rivers and migrate long distances downstream to the ocean, where they spend most of their adult lives. They then make the difficult trip back upstream to their birthplace to spawn and die.
Columbia Basin dams have played a major part in devastating the wild fish runs, cutting off access to upstream habitat, slowing the water and sometimes allowing it to warm to temperatures that are fatal for fish.
For decades, state, federal and tribal governments have tried to supplement declining fish populations by building hatcheries to breed and hatch salmon that are later released into the wild. But multiple studies have shown that hatchery programs frequently have negative impacts on wild fish, in part by reducing genetic diversity and by increasing competition for food.
Quan acknowledged the hatcheries "come with risks" but said they can be managed to produce additional fish for harvest and even to help restore populations while minimizing risks to wild fish.
"Hatcheries have been around for a long time, and we've seen the damage that they can do," Quan said.
Still the programs have gone through a course correction in recent years, following genetic management plans and the principles established by scientific review groups, she said. "We are in a different place now."
It will take habitat restoration, improved water quality, adjustments to harvest and other steps if salmon are going to recover, but so far society has not been willing to make the needed changes for that to happen, she said. Add in the impacts of climate change, and the calculus of bad and good hatchery impacts changes further.
"We need to start having a conversation about hatcheries and how they are going to be an important adaptation tool for us moving forward," Quan said.
Greg Ruggerone, a salmon research scientist with Natural Resources Consultants Inc. in Seattle, said the key is to determine how to better harvest hatchery salmon from rivers without harming the wild salmon that are making the same trek to spawning grounds. Robust harvests of hatchery fish will help ensure that the federal government is meeting its treaty obligations to the tribes, while reducing competition for wild fish, Ruggerone said.
"A big purpose of the hatcheries in the Pacific Northwest is to provide for harvest — especially harvest for the tribes — so there is a big opportunity if we can figure out how to harvest without harming wild salmon," Ruggerone said.
Every hatchery in the Columbia River basin was built to mitigate the effects of the hydropower dams built in the region, said Becky Johnson, the production division director for the Nez Perce Tribe's Department of Fisheries Resource Management.
Most were built in the 1960s, 1970s or earlier, she said.
"I'm super excited about this opportunity. Tribal and non-tribal people benefit from them — more salmon coming back to the basin means more salmon for everyone," Johnson said. "It's critical that we have fish and that the tribal people have food. Tribal members will tell you they're fighting hard to continue to hang on to fish, and they're never going to stop that fight."