New Mexico secretary of state says she's experiencing harassment after the election - By Morgan Lee, Associated Press
New Mexico's top elections regulator said Tuesday that she has been the target of harassing and threatening comments on social media after affirming President-elect Donald Trump's national election victory in an attempt to halt conspiracy theories.
New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver shared her concerns as she briefed a legislative panel about administration of the general election and progress toward certifying the vote tally amid a surge in same-day voter registration. She said she plans to contact law enforcement about the threats.
"I am currently experiencing threats, harassment — from even some members of this committee — online," said Toulouse Oliver, a Democrat who has been subject repeatedly to threats in the past. "And I want to say that thankfully we have a law in place that protects me from this behavior."
A 2023 state law made it a fourth-degree felony to intimidate a state or local election official.
After the hearing, Toulouse Oliver said she attempted to "nip some emerging conspiracy theories in the bud" with a post on the social platform X that stated Trump had won outright while acknowledging that some states were still counting votes and fewer voters showed up to the polls this year. In response, she said she was accused of committing treason and told she was "in the crosshairs."
Toulouse Oliver later switched off public access to that X account — used for political and private conversations — and said she was gathering information to refer the matter to state police and the state attorney general. An official X account for the secretary of state's office remains public.
Toulouse Oliver accused Republican state Rep. John Block, of Alamogordo, of egging on and "helping to foment the anger and some of the nasty comments online." She did not cite specific posts.
Block said he too has been a victim on online harassment and "that has no place in this (legislative) body or anywhere else."
"If it gets to violent threats like you described that you got, I apologize that that is happening to you," Block said during the committee hearing.
Toulouse Oliver told lawmakers at the hearing that she'll advocate for new security measures for state and local election workers to keep their home addresses confidential on government websites. A law enacted in 2023 offers that confidentiality to elected and appointed public officials.
Trump lost the general election for president in New Mexico to Democratic nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris. Democratic candidates were reelected to the state's three congressional seats and a U.S. Senate seat, while Republicans gained a few seats in legislative races but remain in the state House and Senate minorities.
More than 52,000 people used same-day registration procedures to vote in New Mexico.
County commissioners get closer to changing employee pot rules – Rodd Cayton, City Desk ABQ
Bernalillo County is moving toward not penalizing employees for off-duty cannabis use.
County commissioners Tuesday agreed to publish a proposed resolution that, if approved, would amend its drug and alcohol-free workplace policy to eliminate sanctions for employees’ use of cannabis outside of work hours. The changes would effectively treat off-duty cannabis use the same as it would other substances, including alcohol.
Commission Vice Chair Eric Olivas, who introduced the legislation, noted that adult-use of recreational cannabis has been legal in New Mexico since June of 2021.
He said the resolution modernizes county policy to fit what state law allows.
“This is about rights for our workers,” Olivas said. “Rights for folks that we trust every day to save us, literally, when the building is burning down, we trust these folks to operate our detention center under very difficult circumstances.”
He said the change could mean employees who get injured in workplace accidents or otherwise would have an alternative to opioids, “hardcore painkillers” and antidepressants as they recover.
Olivas said cannabis has been around a lot longer than the prescription drugs, and has demonstrated benefits for treating things like chronic pain, post-traumatic stress disorder and other conditions.
“And now that there is state recognition of this as a medicinally valuable substance … I think it’s just time that we as a county catch up with the times,” he said.
Olivas clarified that one county rule will not be changed.
“The first words of this revision are drug and alcohol-free workplace,” he said. “This proposal does not change that. No one should be coming into work under the influence of any substance, whether it’s alcohol, whether it’s opioids, whether it’s marijuana.”
Commissioners Walt Benson and Adriann Barboa spoke in favor of the policy change. Benson said restricting workers from using cannabis incentivizes alcohol abuse.
Barboa said earlier generations found it culturally acceptable to use alcohol as a way of dealing with worries, anxieties or trauma.
“And we see where that’s taken us,” she said.
Barboa noted that those on probation and parole are allowed to use medical cannabis and that firefighters should also be granted that privilege. She said the change could help the county with recruitment and retention efforts.
Olivas said he believes supervisors monitoring employees for impairment will develop better relationships with their subordinates and be able to better track their health and mental state.
He said he hopes to bring the resolution back for final approval next month
Man gets a life sentence in the shotgun death of a New Mexico police officer - Associated Press
An armed driver who fled from a traffic stop in New Mexico was sentenced this week to life in prison without parole for using a sawed-off shotgun to fatally shoot a police officer during the chase.
Dominic De La O, 27, was sentenced Monday, days after a jury found him guilty of first-degree murder and other charges in the July 2023 killing of Anthony Ferguson, an 11-year-veteran of the Alamogordo Police Department in southern New Mexico.
New Mexico State Police, which investigated the shooting, announced De La O's conviction and sentencing Wednesday.
"The conviction and sentencing of the person responsible for this senseless murder brings some measure of justice, but it will never replace the loss of Officer Ferguson," Police Chief Troy Weisler said in a news release.
Ferguson was severely wounded on July 15, 2023, in the aftermath of the pre-dawn traffic stop. He died the next day.
Authorities have said De La O was driving without lights when he was stopped, then led police on a chase before crashing into a light pole and running off with the shotgun.
An account of the deadly confrontation by State Police says that De La O fired at Ferguson while fleeing. De La O was shot in the leg by police as he continued to flee to a nearby home, where he was arrested.
Key takeaways from Tuesday’s Homeless Coordinating Council meeting - Damon Scott, City Desk ABQ
The Homeless Coordinating Council — consisting of members from the city, Bernalillo County and the University of New Mexico — met Tuesday. The council was created to generate ideas that might bolster programs and services for the homeless population in the Albuquerque metro area and to back a variety of housing initiatives.
Here are three takeaways from its November meeting:
DATA-SHARING PITFALLS CAUSE GAPS IN SERVICE
Homelessness data sharing among government and nonprofit agencies can mean ineffective coordination with programs and services. While the city and county use one data-sharing platform, the state is interested in a separate system. The executive director of the New Mexico Coalition to End Homelessness said the problem that presents, however, is that another system would require more agency resources and staff that aren’t available.
Bernalillo County Commissioner and coordinating council member Adrian Barboa noted that issues with data sharing have been a problem for years. She’s hopeful the council’s focus on it — which includes the formation of a new subcommittee to come up with solutions — will ensure people don’t slip through the cracks.
SUBCOMMITTEE TO ZERO IN ON AFRICAN AMERICANS
Albuquerque City Councilor Nichole Rogers, the council’s vice chair, spoke about the need for a subcommittee to focus on the city’s unhoused African Americans. She said Black people, as with Native Americans, represent a disproportionate number of people experiencing homelessness compared to their total population. Rogers wants the subcommittee to embark on a needs assessment to find ways to offer culturally competent housing and support services. She said it was important that the city’s Black community be consulted on ways to eliminate housing access disparities and “hurtful racism in the homeless system.”
SUPPORT FOR A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH WAIVER ON THE TABLE
City and county representatives on the council have said they support a Medicaid behavioral health waiver, similar to a current version that serves thousands of New Mexicans with developmental disabilities. Such a waiver would have implications for the care of thousands of New Mexicans with behavioral health issues, substance use disorders and/or brain injuries who are at risk of institutionalization or incarceration.
The council now wants to hear from UNM representatives on the issue. Gina Urias-Sandoval, chief of staff for Dr. Mike Richards, the interim executive vice president of UNM Health Sciences and CEO of the UNM Health System, said she would give the council a sense of where UNM stands on the idea at its next meeting.
The next Homeless Coordinating Council meeting is scheduled for Dec. 10.
E. coli cases climb to 104 in McDonald's outbreak tied to slivered onions - By Jonel Aleccia AP Health Writer
At least 104 people have been sickened, with 34 hospitalized, in an outbreak of E. coli food poisoning tied to onions served on McDonald's Quarter Pounder hamburgers, federal health officials said Wednesday.
Cases have been detected in 14 states, according to an update from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One person died in Colorado and four people have developed a potentially life-threatening kidney disease complication.
At least 30 cases were reported in Colorado, followed by 19 in Montana, 13 in Nebraska, 10 in New Mexico, eight in Missouri and Utah, six in Wyoming, three in Kansas, two in Michigan and one each in Iowa, North Carolina, Oregon, Washington and Wisconsin.
Illnesses were reported between Sept. 12 and Oct. 21. At least seven people who got sick said they ate McDonald's food while traveling.
Slivered onions served on the Quarter Pounders were the likely source of the outbreak, the CDC said. Taylor Farms, a California-based produce grower, recalled onions potentially linked to the outbreak. Tests by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration detected a type of E. coli bacteria that produces a dangerous toxin in one sample of the onions, but it did not match the strain that made people sick, officials reported.
Quarter Pounders were removed from menus in several states during the early days of the outbreak. The onions served at the McDonald's locations are past their shelf life and no longer for sale. CDC officials said the risk to the public remains low.
The type of bacteria implicated in this outbreak causes about 74,000 infections in the U.S. annually, leading to more than 2,000 hospitalizations and 61 deaths each year, according to the CDC.
Symptoms occur quickly, within a day or two of eating contaminated food, and typically include fever, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea and signs of dehydration — little or no urination, increased thirst and dizziness. The infection can cause a type of serious kidney injury, especially in kids younger than 5. E. coli poisoning in young children requires immediate medical attention.
NM Senate President Pro Tem says Dems are crafting a crime package - Albuquerque Journal, KUNM News
Senate President Pro Tem Mimi Stewart says she and fellow Democratic lawmakers are putting together a package of bills to combat crime for the upcoming session in January.
Stewart told the Albuquerque Journal the package will emphasize growing the state’s behavioral health treatment options, including substance use. She said the funding for “treatment programs all over the state” will come from the creation of a state trust fund for the effort.
About a decade ago, then-Gov. Susana Martinez’s administration largely dismantled the state’s behavioral health care system by freezing the Medicaid funding of several key providers, alleging fraud. All were later cleared, but the system has never fully recovered.
Senate Minority Leader Bill Sharer told the Journal he is not sure funding treatment is the crime fix the state needs, but he is willing to look at what gets proposed.
Stewart said the Legislature will also take on new gun safety measures and some of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s public safety priorities.
During a special session over the summer, Democrats rebuffed several of the governor’s public safety proposals, saying they weren’t ready and could cause more harm than good. That included reforms to what happens to those deemed incompetent to stand trial. Stewart told the Journal the competency issue will be back on the table come January, though Lujan Grisham hasn’t had much input on the Senate proposals.
Governor appoints new Film Office director - By Algernon D'Ammassa, Las Cruces Bulletin
Santa Fe-based filmmaker Steve Graham was tapped by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Tuesday to head the state’s film office, effective immediately.
Citing his industry expertise as well as his roots as a native New Mexican, the governor said in a statement, “His proven leadership and innovative approach will continue to elevate new Mexico as a premier film destination, creating more opportunities for our talented local workforce and promoting diverse voices.”
Jeff Steinborn, a state Senator and board president of Film Las Cruces, called Graham “an excellent choice,” adding, “Steve’s a production pro with (a) friendly personality. He also has familiarity with our region.”
Graham succeeds Amber Dodson, who left during the summer after four years.
A news release from the governor’s office said Graham has worked in film and television for more than 25 years, including as an executive producer on the Netflix series “Black Summer,” “Walker: Independence” on the CW (CBS) and “Z Nation” on Syfy.
According to his bio on the website of production company Goodwest Productions, his feature film projects include “The Haunting of Whaley House” and “Captive,” among others; that he is a member of the Producers Guild of America, Directors Guild of America, Television Academy (which produces the Emmy Awards) the New Mexico Film Foundation and the Santa Fe Film Commission. He has also served as national digital marketing director for the Screen Actors Guild, where he was also involved in the union’s online casting technology as well as its New Media department.
Graham is also co-owner of prop and post production facilities in New Mexico.
It is a resume that prompted the governor’s office to state in its news release, “His understanding of New Mexico’s film landscape, industry unions, and local production needs, paired with his national and global perspective, has prepared him to lead and grow the New Mexico film industry.”
For Las Cruces and local efforts to expand film and television production in southern New Mexico, Steinborn told the Las Cruces Bulletin, “It’s helpful that we’re starting off with an established relationship with Steve. It’s always a process to make sure the Film Office is marketing our region and not just the Santa Fe - Albuquerque corridor.”
In a written statement, Graham said, “I’m honored to lead the New Mexico Film Office and work to strengthen a local industry that has always been close to my heart. Our state has an extraordinary pool of creative talent, and I am committed to ensuring that we continue to grow, innovate, and provide meaningful opportunities for New Mexicans in film.”
New county manager starts Wednesday - By Rodd Cayton, City Desk ABQ
Cindy Chavez will be on the job Wednesday as Bernalillo County Manager.
It’s a homecoming of sorts for the Alamogordo-born Chavez, who has spent much of her career in California, most recently serving as an elected member of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors.
Chavez was chosen in June to replace Julie Morgas Baca, who retired effective June 30. The Bernalillo County Board of Commissioners in August approved a contract to pay her a $230,000 annual salary.
County Board of Commissioners Chair Barbara Baca said Chavez will bring a wealth of experience in public service to the job, resulting in improved quality of life for county residents.
“After a national search and a professional hiring process, we are excited to welcome Ms. Chavez, whose commitment to public service and experience in local government can be brought to bear here as the chief executive of Bernalillo County,” Baca said.
In addition to serving as a county supervisor, Chavez has also been vice mayor of San Jose, California and chaired the board of the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority.
As a supervisor, Chavez’s priorities included public health, affordable housing, and criminal justice reform, according to a county news release.
Chavez will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the county and overseeing a budget topping $1 billion.
She was chosen from three finalists after a public forum in which candidates met commissioners and the public.
The process has been contentious at times, with commissioners sparring over how to put together a search committee. The New Mexico Department of Justice later found that the commission violated the state’s open-meetings law by discussing possible search committee members through phone and email communications outside of scheduled meetings and without notifying the public.
Commissioners rectified the violation by ratifying the previous actions at an acrimonious special meeting, at which Olivas accused Commissioners Steven Michael Quezada and Walt Benson of not taking the search seriously and Benson in turn saying he and Quezada were insulted for questioning the legality of the board’s actions.
Shirley Ragin, Deputy County Manager for finance, served as interim county manager through the transition between Morgas Baca and Chavez.
PNM joins day-ahead market to better manage resources, increase coordination - By Hannah Grover, New Mexico Political Report
The Public Service Company of New Mexico announced on Monday that it will be joining the California Independent System Operator Extended Day-Ahead Market.
This will help PNM better plan for managing supply and demand in advance and is something that the utility has said it needs during the energy transition.
Markets like day-ahead and real-time markets allow utilities like PNM to increase coordination and better use resources across the western United States.
PNM plans to begin participating in EDAM as early as 2027.
“Participating in EDAM is the next step in realizing the value of New Mexico’s renewable energy potential for our customers, helping us ensure continued clean and reliable service at the lowest possible cost,” PNM President and CEO Don Tarry said in a press release. “We know from our experience with the WEIM – which has provided New Mexico customers nearly $125 million in benefits since we joined in 2021 –coordination with other regional utilities can continue to deliver substantial efficiencies and cost benefits for our customers.”
PNM anticipates that joining EDAM will result in $20 million of annual benefits to its customers in New Mexico.
“We are honored that Public Service Company of New Mexico has announced its intent to join EDAM,” CAISO President and CEO Elliot Mainzer said in a press release. “We look forward to building on the proven track record of the Western Energy Imbalance Market to deliver even greater economic and reliability benefits to PNM customers.”