New Mexico To Sue Trump Over Emergency Wall Declaration – Associated Press
New Mexico's attorney general and governor say the state will sue President Donald Trump over his emergency declaration to fund a wall at the U.S. border with Mexico.
Democratic Attorney General Hector Balderas and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said Monday in a statement that New Mexico will join with other states in suing to block Trump's effort.
Trump says immigrants are invading the country and has declared a national emergency to bypass Congress to use money from the Pentagon and counterdrug efforts to fulfill his promise of completing the border wall.
Balderas and Lujan Grisham said the president's declaration would improperly divert funds away from crucial efforts to protect New Mexican residents.
Lujan Grisham says the wall doesn't address real humanitarian and safety problems at the border.
Arraignment Postponed For New Mexico Ex-Athletic Director – Associated Press
An arraignment for former University of New Mexico athletic director Paul Krebs who is facing fraud and money laundering charges has been postponed.
State District Judge Stan Whitaker pushed back the arraignment on Monday to Friday after raising concerns over the method the New Mexico Attorney General's Office used to file charges against Krebs.
The AG's Office filed a criminal complaint in state district court this month accusing Krebs of five felony counts stemming from a 2015 overseas golf trip.
Attorney General's Office spokesman David Carl says a court rule allows for the filing of a complaint in the Krebs case.
The complaint accused Krebs of fraud, money laundering, evidence tampering, criminal solicitation and making or permitting false public voucher.
The charges come after authorities seized records in October.
New Mexico Spending Plan, Teacher Raises Advance – Associated Press
A spending bill that would increase New Mexico state spending on public school education by about 16 percent or $450 million is headed to the floor of the House of Representatives for consideration over the objections of Republicans.
Democrats on the lead House budget-writing committee advanced the bill on a 12-6 party-line vote Monday over the objections of Legislators in the Republican minority. The bill would increase overall state general fund spending by nearly $700 million for the fiscal year beginning July 1 to just over $7 billion.
Republican Rep. Paul Bandy of Aztec says he supports the bill's 6 percent pay increases for teachers but worries that the overall spending plan can't be sustained in future years and may lead to painful budget cuts. Public schools in New Mexico rely on state government for a majority of their funding.
The bill would set aside financial reserves of nearly $1.6 billion in case of an economic downturn.
House Spending Plan Would Raise Teacher Salaries 6 Percent – Associated Press
State general fund spending would increase by about 11 percent and provide a 6 percent pay increase for public school teachers across New Mexico under a proposal from the lead House budget writing committee.
House Appropriations and Finance Committee Chairwoman Patricia Lundstrom said Monday that the spending plan for the fiscal year beginning July 1 is designed to address a court order to provide more resources for public education.
The $7 billion spending proposal would increase annual public school funding by more than $450 million but stop somewhat short of spending recommendations by Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.
The House bill includes a 4 percent pay increase for nearly all state workers. A surge in state government income also would go toward road construction and film industry incentives.
New Mexico State Eyes $14M For Athletic Facilities Upgrades – KVIA-TV, Associated Press
New Mexico State is seeking around $14 million for upgrades including improvements to its athletic facilities.
KVIA-TV in El Paso, Texas, reports the school hopes to get funding from lawmakers for $8 million renovations at Aggie Memorial Stadium. The planned improvements would include A brand new press box and also a new scoreboard.
New Mexico State also wants $3 million for fixes to the Pan American Center.
There is a plan to add lights at the university soccer field and baseball could one day have an indoor hitting facility.
Athletics Director Mario Moccia says recent successes of New Mexico State sports teams have shown that it is worth to invest in the university.
Lawmakers Say US Budget Measure Includes $50M For Amtrak Route - Associated Press
Lawmakers say a federal budget compromise approved by Congress and signed by President Donald Trump provides $50 million of additional federal funding to maintain Amtrak rail passenger service through New Mexico, Colorado and Kansas.
New Mexico Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich and Rep. Ben Ray Lujan said Friday the funding for the Southwest Chief route will enable Amtrak to pay matching funding for a grant to pay for maintenance and safety improvements to the Southwest Chief route.
Amtrak officials previously proposed replacing train service with bus service between Dodge City, Kansas, and Albuquerque, New Mexico — about a quarter of the 2,265-mile route providing daily train service between Los Angeles and Chicago.
The New Mexico lawmakers said the funding was also pushed by senators from Colorado and Kansas.
139 Barrels Of Crude Oil Stolen From A New Mexico Oilfield - Carlsbad Current-argus, Associated Press
Eddy County Sheriff's officials say they're investigating the theft of 139 barrels of crude oil from an oilfield.
They say the barrels were removed from property owned by Concho Resources near U.S. Highway 62/180.
The Carlsbad Current-Argus reports Concho's security supervisor contacted sheriff's officials on Jan. 31, but it's believed the theft occurred between last September and December.
The estimated loss is about $7,000.
Sheriff's officials say the department has a full-time oil field theft investigator.
They add that most oilfield sites are in isolated portions of Eddy County and it's difficult for detectives to find substantial information.
Authorities also say crude oil is not the easiest thing to sell because there's a limited amount of people that want to use it, other than the people working in the oilfield.
House Approves More Spending From State Trust - Associated Press
The New Mexico House of Representatives has approved a proposed constitutional amendment that would increase spending from a state education trust fund on early childhood education programs.
The 41-27 vote by the House late Friday sends the measure for consideration to the state Senate, where similar proposals have stalled in the past. Final approval also requires a statewide vote and the consent of Congress.
The initiative sponsored by Reps. Antonio Maestas and Javier Martinez of Albuquerque would increase annual distributions from the state's Land Grant Permanent Fund by about $145 million.
Opponents of the plan fear it would erode investment earnings that have helped the fund grow to $17 billion even as it pays out annual dividends to public schools, universities and hospitals.
Lawmakers are grappling with a court order to increase resources to public schools and implement proven strategies for improving student academic performance such as high-quality preschool.
New Mexico Senate Confirms Appointments Of 5 New UNM Regents - Associated Press
The state Senate has confirmed Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's appointments of five new members of the University of New Mexico Board of Regents.
The Senate's action Friday came just under a week after Lujan Grisham announced Feb. 9 her appointments of businesswoman Kimberly Sanchez Rael and UNM law Professor Emeritus Robert Schwartz for two-year terms, former Regents Sandra K. Begay and Douglas M. Brown for four-year terms and student Melissa C. Henry to a two-year term.
The Senate Rules Committee considered the appointments during a three-hour hearing before the full Senate confirmed them without dissent.
Five board seats were open because members' terms were ending or were completed and the Senate didn't hold confirmation hearings on then-Gov. Susana Martinez's UNM appointments over the past two years.
Santa Fe's Trees At Risk Amid Climate Change Concerns Santa Fe New Mexican, Associated Press
More trees on Santa Fe-owned land might have to be pruned or removed, which officials in New Mexico's capital city say is a result of climate change.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports the city Parks and Recreation Department conducted an audit last year of the city's dead and dying trees that department director John Muñoz says will be removed or pruned only as a last resort.
Mayor Alan Webber says he's worried about the health of the trees on the Santa Fe Plaza, which serves as a gathering point for tourists.
Muñoz says disease and pests are among the many factors affecting city trees.
He says the removal of trees requires a "thorough and mindful process" as well as approvals from the Land Use Department.
No Plans To Reopen Abandoned $800K Commuter Train Stop - KRQE-TV, Associated Press
It's been a decade since the Rail Runner platform south of downtown Albuquerque has been used, and there are no plans to reopen it.
Albuquerque television station KRQE reports the $800,000 stop along the commuter rail route was abandoned just months after it was built and critics are pointing to it as another example of government waste.
The Lobo Special Events Platform was the brainchild of former Gov. Bill Richardson. A venture between the Rail Runner, the University of New Mexico and the city of Albuquerque, the idea was to provide service for college sporting events.
No feasibility studies were done relating to ridership before it was built.
A recent Legislative Finance Committee report says overall ridership on New Mexico's only commuter rail line has declined every year since 2010.