Environmental Group Taps Reservoirs To Boost Rio Grande Flow – Santa Fe New Mexican, Associated Press
Cities, water managers and a key irrigation district along the Rio Grande have agreed to sell water they don't immediately need to help boost flows along a stretch of the river in central New Mexico to deal with extremely dry conditions and benefit endangered species.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports the environmental group Audubon New Mexico says it helped to initiate the agreements, which will amount to more than 320 million gallons being released over a nearly two-month period.
Paul Tashjian, of Audubon New Mexico declined to provide details on costs or the source of funds being spent to help deal with this year's drought emergency, but says Belen, Los Lunas and Bernalillo were providing shares of unused water rights "at cost, without profit.”
Multiple Immigrants Injured After Truck Rolls In New Mexico- Associated Press
Border Patrol officials say multiple people have been injured after a truck loaded with immigrants rolled over in southern New Mexico.
They say 19 people were in a vehicle that had stolen license plates and tried to evade authorities south of Deming on Highway 9 early Monday.
A Border Patrol agent who had his vehicle’s lights and siren on was pursuing the truck.
Authorities say the truck reversed direction and tried to reach the Mexican border about 30 miles away at a high speed when the driver lost control.
They say the driver and multiple other passengers in the truck were ejected.
It wasn't immediately clear how many people were taken to hospitals.
Their names, nationalities and conditions also weren't immediately available.
Rio Rancho Man Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Uber Driver- Albuquerque Journal, Associated Press
Authorities say a Rio Rancho man who allegedly sexually assaulted an Uber driver last month is jailed without bond until his trial.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Sandoval County Magistrate Court, 38-year-old Gabreil Muñoz is accused of rape, aggravated battery, kidnapping and other charges in the June 10 incident.
The Albuquerque Journal reports Muñoz was indicted June 21 on the charges.
A woman who drives for the ride-sharing company told authorities Muñoz asked to be taken to his home in Rio Rancho.
He later reached into the front of the car and put it in park, then forcefully pulled the woman into the back seat of the vehicle and allegedly assaulted her.
Muñoz also allegedly threatened to kill the woman. She managed to get free and call police.
Advocates Say New Mexico Has Chance To Close Education Gaps- Associated Press
Advocates for New Mexico's most vulnerable public school students say the state has a chance at a new beginning as a district judge recently ordered education officials to reshape polices and the way schools are funded.
Attorneys with the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and dozens of supporters gathered Monday in a park near downtown Albuquerque to celebrate what they called a historic win for New Mexico's at-risk students.
The groups sued in 2014, accusing the state of failing to meeting constitutional obligations to provide a sufficient education for all students. The case highlighted the plight of low-income, Native American and English-language learners.
Advocates acknowledged that New Mexico's struggle with education has persisted for decades and they're hopeful the ruling sets the stage for solving systemic problems.
Ruling: New Mexico Funding For Public Schools Is Inadequate – Associated Press
A state judge has ruled that New Mexico is violating the rights of at-risk students by failing to provide adequate funding for public schools.
District Judge Sarah Singleton's ruling Friday says insufficient funding leaves students "in an inadequate system" and means they'll stay there unless better programs are instituted.
Singleton's ruling on a lawsuit on behalf of students, parents and school districts doesn't specify how lawmakers and other state officials should address the issue.
However, Singleton gives the defendants until April 15 to act to ensure that schools have enough funding to properly prepare students for college and work.
Lawyers for the plaintiffs hailed the ruling. It's unclear whether state officials, who were reviewing the ruling, will appeal it, Department of Public Education spokeswoman Lida Alikhani said Saturday.
Fire In Santa Fe National Forest Has Grown To 1071 Acres – KOB-TV, Associated Press
Authorities say a lightning-caused fire in the Santa Fe National Forest has grown to 1071 acres and is sending smoke over Albuquerque.
KOB-TV reports that some forest roads are closed because of the fire, which started Friday and still is zero percent contained.
The fire currently is burning in the Jemez Ranger District of the forest, shutting down Forest Road 376 from Gilman Tunnels to the intersection of Forest Road 488.
Hotshot crews from Santa Fe and Arizona are working to stall the fire's advance.
Forest officials say no homes or structures are being threatened because of the fire's remote location, which is more than a mile north of Deer Creek Landing and east of Joaquin Mesa.
Groups Worry Proposed Power Lines, Towers Will Kill Birds – Albuquerque Journal, Associated Press
Wildlife groups fear a proposed river crossing for a $2 billion power line project that will funnel wind and solar energy from rural spots in New Mexico and Arizona to larger markets could be a death trap for migratory birds.
The Albuquerque Journal reports the project plans to place high-voltage power lines and towers near three wildlife refuges that provide a seasonal roosting-and-foraging bridge for migrating birds.
The Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have already approved a small stretch of the project that would cross the Rio Grande in the Socorro-area.
SunZia Project Manager Tom Wray says the project includes bird conservation plans like limiting the highest-levels of wires in sensitive areas and using sun-reflective diverters to keep birds away.