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Diocese Covered Up Abuse By Priest Sent to New Mexico, Pearce Says Crime Fix Takes More Than Money

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Diocese Kept Quiet About Priest's 1986 AdmissionAssociated Press

A Roman Catholic diocese in Iowa is acknowledging that it kept quiet for 32 years about a priest's admission to having sexually abused dozens of boys.

The Diocese of Sioux City told The Associated Press in a statement Wednesday that it never contacted police or informed the public about the Rev. Jerome Coyle, despite his 1986 admission.

Diocese spokeswoman Susan O'Brien says two alleged adult victims recently came forward with old allegations against Coyle that will be reported to law enforcement.

She says the bishop removed Coyle's priestly duties in 1986 and sent him to a facility in New Mexico for evaluation and treatment. O'Brien says Coyle never returned to a parish and worked as a civilian in New Mexico.

The diocese recently moved Coyle to a care facility in Fort Dodge that is across the street from a Catholic school. O'Brien says the diocese didn't tell school officials about Coyle's past when he was placed there.

New Mexico Lottery To Offer Game Linked To Sporting EventsSanta Fe New Mexican, Associated Press

The New Mexico Lottery Authority is moving ahead with plans for a new game that will be tied to the outcome of sporting events.

The lottery board voted unanimously Tuesday in favor of the new game, which could go on sale in a few months.

The Santa Fe New Mexican reports the move is the first by state government to cash in on a U.S. Supreme Court ruling earlier this year that struck down a federal law that largely prohibited sports betting outside of Nevada.

Lottery CEO David Barden says the goal is to make the lottery more attractive to younger generations.

Details of the game are being worked out, but it will involve a parlay-like wager. A player will pick possible outcomes of at least three sporting events and will have to choose all correctly to win.

New Mexico Candidates Court Native American VotersAssociated Press

Candidates for governor of New Mexico are courting Native American communities that account for roughly one in 10 voters statewide ahead of Election Day.

Democratic Congresswoman and gubernatorial candidate Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Wednesday she has the endorsement of 10 tribes and many chapter houses across the vast Navajo Nation.

Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo Lieutenant Gov. Matthew Martinez says Lujan Grisham has shown a commitment to consulting with tribal governments on public policy. He also praised Lujan Grisham's support for a court order that seeks greater resources for the education of Native American and bilingual students.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Pearce is touting his work in Congress toward creating housing opportunities for Native American communities. He has the endorsement of leaders including former Navajo Supreme Court Justice Tom Tso.

New Mexico Man Says My Dog Charlie Accidentally Shot MeLas Cruces Sun-News, Associated Press

A New Mexico man is recovering after he says his dog Charlie shot him.

Yes, he said his 120-pound Rottweiler shot him in the back.

The Las Cruces Sun-News reports Sonny "Tex" Gilligan told police Charlie accidentally pulled the trigger during a hunt for jackrabbits in the desert west of Las Cruces.

According to the 74-year-old Gilligan, Charlie got his foot in the trigger of the gun while in the back seat of Gilligan's parked truck, slipped off and pulled the trigger.

The bullet went through the driver's seat and struck Gilligan's back, breaking a few ribs and shattering his collarbone.

Gilligan was transported to University Medical Center in El Paso where he underwent several surgeries and is expected to recover.

Gilligan says Charlie is still "a good dog."

Pearce Says Fix For New Mexico Crime Will Take More Than Money – Associated Press

U.S. Congressman and Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Pearce says crime is out of control in New Mexico and it will take more than money to fix it.

He made the comments during a news conference Tuesday while the leader of the largest police officers' union in the state and other law enforcement officers stood at his side.

If elected, Pearce says he would create a task force of local, state and federal agencies to coordinate a more comprehensive approach for tackling crime — a problem that continues to garner attention on the campaign trail as Election Day nears.

Pearce has the endorsement of the Albuquerque police union along with 21 sheriffs from around the state.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate U.S. Congresswoman Michelle Lujan Grisham also has highlighted crime as an issue, calling for a crackdown on violence with a focus on repeat offenders.

Ex-Teacher Found Guilty On 1 Of 3 Counts Of Sexual Contact – Associated Press

A former Santa Fe art teacher was convicted of one of three counts of criminal sexual contact stemming from accusations by former students that he inappropriately touched them during class.

Aaron Dean Chavez was charged with three counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor under 13 for three incidents that occurred while he was a teacher at Santo Niño Regional Catholic School.

Chavez denies inappropriately touching his students.

District Attorney Marco Serna says a Santa Fe County jury Monday was deadlocked on two of the counts.

Chavez was convicted of the more serious of the crimes, unclothed contact with a 6-year-old girl who testified that while she was in Chavez' first-grade class in 2016 he tucked her shirt in to her underwear, touching her genitals and buttocks under her clothes.

Chavez is scheduled to be sentenced next month.

New Mexico Agency Says 30 Residents Diagnosed With Salmonella – Associated Press

State health officials say 30 New Mexico residents have been identified as being diagnosed with salmonella after preparing raw ground beef at home since late August.

The Department of Health said Tuesday the illness duration averaged 13 days and that about one in four patients were hospitalized.

Department spokesman Paul Rhien said officials were still investigating the source of the New Mexico infections.

Meat producers in several states in the West have recently recalled varying amounts of ground beef for health reasons.

The department says salmonella can be spread through cross-contamination from raw meats to counter tops, utensils and cutting boards, and it urges washing hands and utensils after handling raw meat.

Early symptoms of salmonella include fever, diarrhea and stomach pain. Other symptoms may include nausea, chills or headaches.

Proposal Seeks Changes For Appeals In New Mexico Courts – Associated Press

A proposed constitutional amendment on New Mexico ballots this year is seeking to bring the state court system a step closer toward streamlining the appeals process for some cases.

The proposal before voters is supported by the state judiciary. While it seeks to change an obscure segment of state law, supporters say it could result in significant savings in both cost and time for some of the state's busiest courts.

If approved, the amendment would allow lawmakers to review and make changes to strict parameters set in the state's constitution. Those current restrictions require cases that originate in probate and magistrate courts to first go to before a district court judge, rather than a panel of appeals court judges.

Cases that originate in probate and magistrate courts can stem from DWI, domestic violence and other types of charges.

 

Ex-Air Force Airman In New Mexico Accused Of Computer Fraud – Associated Press

Prosecutors say a former Air Force airman in New Mexico could be facing up to 10 years in federal prison for computer fraud.

Michael Weber made his initial court appearance Tuesday in Albuquerque.

He remains in federal custody pending Wednesday's preliminary hearing and detention hearing.

Authorities say the 22-year-old Weber was arrested Tuesday morning by FBI agents at a home in Alamogordo.

According to a criminal complaint, Weber allegedly placed a program, information, code or command known as a "spam bot" onto a government-issued cellular phone assigned to his supervisor at Cannon Air Force Base on Jan. 16.

The "spam bot" allegedly caused the cellular phone to receive a long string of messages allegedly intended to cause damage to it.

Catholic Dioceses Planning 'Border Mass' Near Ciudad Juarez – Associated Press

A group of Catholic dioceses is planning a Mass along the U.S.-Mexico border in the city of Sunland Park amid rising political tensions around immigration.

Dioceses of El Paso, Las Cruces and Ciudad Juarez are scheduled Saturday to hold their annual "Border Mass" at the wall near the Ciudad Juarez neighborhood of Anapra.

The site of the Mass is near Mount Cristo Rey — 29-foot tall limestone statue of Jesus on top of a hill in Sunland Park.

The Mass comes as President Donald Trump is sending more than 5,200 active-duty troops to the U.S.-Mexico border in response to a caravan of Central American migrants traveling to the U.S. through Mexico.