Agency Says Hepatitis A Outbreak Spreads Into Rio Arriba County – Associated Press
Health officials say an outbreak of hepatitis A cases has spread into northern New Mexico's Rio Arriba County.
The state Department of Health's announcement Friday says two cases of infections involving the contagious liver disease have been confirmed in Rio Arriba County and says both are related to an ongoing outbreak centered on the Albuquerque area in Bernalillo County.
The department says the outbreak primarily impacts homeless people and people who use injection or non-injection drugs.
The 145 cases of acute hepatitis A virus infections reported so far include 137 in Bernalillo County, six in Santa Fe County and now the two in Rio Arriba County.
The cases include two deaths.
The department says the risk of hepatitis A infection is associated with poor sanitation and hygiene.
New Mexico Bowl Among Options For NMSU Under New Deal – Associated Press
New Mexico State University has inked an agreement that opens the possibility of the Aggies making an appearance in the New Mexico Bowl or other postseason games owned by ESPN Events.
NMSU athletics director Mario Moccia announced the six-year deal during a news conference Friday in Albuquerque. It gives officials with the New Mexico Bowl the opportunity to select the Aggies should the team be eligible for postseason play.
The New Mexico Bowl has traditionally pulled teams from the Mountain West or Conference USA. As an independent, New Mexico State had an agreement with the Arizona Bowl but that concludes at the end of this season.
Under the new agreement, NMSU also has the option to play in other bowl games if not selected for any of the ESPN bowls.
Memorial Service Set For New Mexico Lawmaker – Associated Press
A memorial service for Sen. Carlos Cisneros is scheduled for Sept. 27 at the New Mexico State Capitol.
The Questa Democrat died Tuesday of a heart attack. He was 71.
The memorial at the capitol will be followed by a service Sept. 28 at The Light at Mission Viejo Church in Santa Fe.
Cisneros first won election to the Senate in 1984 and went on to play a leading role in annual budget negotiations and legislation on tax policy. He was credited with drafting legislation earlier this year that will increase state investments in small businesses.
Cisneros had recently announced his bid for re-election to represent a vast district that stretches from the state line with Colorado to the outskirts of Los Alamos, including Taos, Peñasco, Truchas and Pojoaque Pueblo.
New Mexico District Attorney Seeks Pretrial Meetings Removal – Albuquerque Journal, Associated Press
A New Mexico district attorney has announced plans to introduce a proposal removing pretrial interviews he believes could limit trauma to people who survived a violent crime.
The Albuquerque Journal reported Thursday that the plan by District Attorney Raúl Torrez would eliminate mandatory interviews conducted ahead of trial between the state, defense and survived person.
District officials say the proposal would make it easier for prosecutors to introduce at trial child victims' previous statements.
Defense lawyers say the plan could violate the constitution because pretrial interviews are necessary to determine whether a defendant should take a plea or head to trial.
Torrez says the interviews could deter a witness from participating at trial, where they would be cross examined.
Others say it's better for case weaknesses to be revealed pretrial.
Southern New Mexico City Fire Chief Indicted On Embezzlement – KVIA-TV, Associated Press
The fire chief of a New Mexico city hit by corruption in recent years has been indicted for embezzlement.
KVIA-TV reports a grand jury in Las Cruces on Thursday indicted Sunland Park Fire Chief Andres Burciaga Jr. for allegedly embezzling more than $500.
According to court documents, Burciaga is accused of driving his work vehicle for personal use. Documents say Burciaga told an investigator he twice drove a work vehicle to his goat ranch in Texas for emergencies only.
But authorities say during a one-month period this year his vehicle logged more than 2,200 miles.
It's not known if Burciaga had an attorney who could comment on the allegations.
In 2015, a former Sunland Park pro tem mayor pleaded guilty to secretly recording a political rival receiving a lap dance.
New Mexico Inmate Facing Federal Racketeering Charges – Associated Press
Federal prosecutors say a New Mexico inmate is accused of racketeering and other crimes stemming from his alleged connections to a prison gang.
The U.S. Attorney's Office in New Mexico says 37-year-old Jonathan Gomez of Albuquerque was arrested Thursday by federal agents at the state penitentiary, where records show he was serving time for a murder conviction.
Gomez — known as "Baby G" — is an alleged member of Syndicato de Nueva Mexico, a gang formed following a deadly prison riot in 1980. The group has since expanded throughout the prison system.
Prosecutors say the gang has controlled and profited from drug trafficking and has used violence to protect its territory.
According to a criminal complaint, Gomez is accused of conspiring with other gang members between 2002 and 2016.
New Mexico Brings Big Data To Bear On Methane Pollution – Associated Press
State regulators in New Mexico are turning to the private sector for new tools including satellite data to detect and monitor methane pollution in a thriving zone for U.S. oil production.
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Thursday a collaborative effort with the data-crunching company Descartes Labs to use new technologies that can chart emissions of the potent heat-trapping gas.
Descartes Labs CEO Mark Johnson says his company is developing a data "refinery" that can chart industrial methane emissions using satellite imagery and other sensors.
New Mexico is scaling up regulation of methane as the Trump administration dials back its oversight.
A summit in Santa Fe on Thursday brought together oil industry executives, regulators and environmentalists to explore technical challenges in conserving methane.
Court Halts Timber Activity In Southwest Over Threatened Owl - By Felicia Fonseca Associated Press
A federal court has halted timber activity across tens of thousands of square miles of the American Southwest over a threatened owl.
An order issued earlier this month out of the U.S. District Court in Tucson covers 18,750 square miles in all five New Mexico national forests and one in Arizona.
It says timber management activities will be sidelined until the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Forest Service get a better handle on how to track the population of Mexican spotted owls.
It's unclear what activities will stop. Federal land managers have been using logging, mechanical thinning and prescribed burns to lessen the chances of catastrophic wildfires that threaten the owl and its habitat.
The Forest Service says it's complying with the order.
New Mexico Clears Backlog Of Tax Rebates To Film Industry – Associated Press
New Mexico tax officials say the state has cleared its backlog of pledged tax rebates to film production companies by reimbursing $30 million of in-state spending.
The Taxation and Revenue Department announced Thursday it had cleared the backlog of credits to film and video productions. The state paid out $100 million in backlogged credits in June.
The payments fulfill a campaign promise by Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. The unpaid rebates accrued under a $50 million annual spending cap that was amended this year by lawmakers.
Lawmakers increased the annual incentive cap to $110 million in an effort to attract jobs and spending.
New Mexico is the backdrop for TV shows and films include "Breaking Bad," ''Better Call Saul" and "The Goldfinch."
Groups Threaten To Sue Over Nuclear Weapons Work At US Labs - Associated Press
Nuclear watchdog groups say they will sue if the U.S. government doesn't conduct a nationwide programmatic environmental review of its plans to expand production of key components for the nation's nuclear arsenal.
Federal officials have set a deadline of 2030 for ramped-up production of plutonium pits. The work will be split between Los Alamos National Laboratory in northern New Mexico and the Savannah River Site in South Carolina.
Lawyers for the Natural Resources Defense Council, Nuclear Watch New Mexico, Savannah River Site Watch and Tri-Valley Communities Against a Radioactive Environment threatened legal action in a letter sent this week to officials.
In June, the National Nuclear Security Administration said it would prepare an environmental impact statement on pit-making at Savannah River. A less extensive review was planned for Los Alamos.
New Mexico Courts Request Funds To Add Judges And Staff – Santa Fe New Mexican, Associated Press
New Mexico district courts have requested funds to add judges and multiple staff positions amid an increasing workload.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reported Wednesday that multiple district courts recorded a shortage of district judges, district court staff and magistrate court staff across the state.
Court officials say the Santa Fe-based First District has requested a $389,800 increase to its base budget and about $330,000 to fund a new judge.
Officials say the Albuquerque-based 2nd District has requested a $1.4 million increase, or a 5.6% increase compared to what was given this year, in addition to more than $700,000 for two judges.
Officials say courts in the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 12th districts have also requested additional funding.
Court officials say if funding is denied, judges must carry large caseloads.
Deputies Injured During Gunfire While Conducting Drug Raid – Associated Press
Bernalillo County sheriff's officials say two deputies suffered injuries that weren't life-threatening as shots were fired from inside an Albuquerque-area home during a drug raid Wednesday night.
Sheriff Manny Gonzales said a man inside the home opened fire on the deputies before barricading himself inside and eventually surrendering.
Gonzales said the nature and details on the deputies' injuries weren't immediately available, and a sheriff's spokeswoman said the deputies were taken to a hospital as a precaution.
Officials said deputies returned fire but that the man who was the target of the search, 36-year-old Kenneth Sondergard, was not injured.
Sondergard was arrested on suspicion of aggravated assault and battery on a police officer.
Court records didn't list an attorney who could comment on the allegations.
'Breaking Bad' Movie To Play In New Mexico Theaters – Albuquerque Journal, Associated Press
Netflix has announced a new movie filmed in New Mexico is expected to hit U.S. theaters for a limited time.
The Albuquerque Journal reported Wednesday that the streaming company announced the release of "El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie" in select New Mexico theaters from Oct. 11-13.
Movie officials say the film centers around a man who has to come to terms with his past after breaking free from captivity.
Officials say the project began under the title "Greenbrier" and filmed in Albuquerque from November 2018 through February.
A New Mexico film office says the production employed about 300 crew members, 16 actors and about 450 background talent all from within the state.
Netflix says the film is expected to be available for streaming the same day.