Libertarian Candidate Gary Johnson To Hold Albuquerque Rally – The Associated Press
Libertarian Party presidential candidate Gary Johnson is set to hold a rally in the state that launched his political career.
The former New Mexico governor is scheduled Thursday to hold a rally at the Albuquerque Convention Center.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump held a similar campaign event at the same location in May. That rally turned violent and caused thousands of dollars of damage.
Johnson is running with former Massachusetts governor William Weld.
Libertarians including Johnson are pushing for reduced spending and taxes, saying the federal government has gotten too big across the board.
New Mexico Reviews Power Plan For Facebook Data Center – The Associated Press
Social media giant Facebook is forging ahead with a proposal to build a solar-powered data center in New Mexico at a public hearing before state utility regulators.
The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission is holding hearings Tuesday on a proposal from investor-owned utility Public Service Co. of New Mexico to provide renewable energy through an affiliate to the Facebook data center.
New Mexico's largest electricity provider is seeking approval by the end of August. It says Facebook may choose to locate the plant in Utah, where Rocky Mountain Power has filed a similar application with state regulators.
PNM says Facebook aims to have a data center in operation in late 2017. Its application estimates that Facebook would invest at least $250 million in the power-intensive data facility.
UNM Suspends Prof Previously Accused Of Sexual Harassment – The Associated Press
The University of New Mexico has again suspended an assistant professor of anthropology.
Officials announced Tuesday that the school has received new information that has led to an emergency suspension of Dr. Cristobal Valencia.
Effective immediately, Valencia is suspended from all academic duties associated with his faculty appointment including teaching, research and service.
UNM officials didn't specifically say why Valencia is being suspended again.
But Albuquerque TV station KOB reports that Valencia was suspended last spring for allegedly sexually harassing female students.
He was reinstated to teach this semester and that reportedly outraged some of his alleged victims.
UNM officials say Valencia's latest suspension will remain in place while new allegations against him are investigated or until the case is resolved.
Martinez Orders Agency Spending Reductions – The Associated Press
New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez is directing state agencies under her control to reduce annual general-fund spending by 5 percent in response to a decline in state revenues linked to energy prices.
The Republican governor also told agencies on Tuesday to slow down expenditures during the first half of the fiscal year that began in July. Agencies were told to spend no more than 45 percent of general-fund budgets during those six months.
Martinez expects the directives to involve changes to hiring practices, overtime, travel and many other aspects of agency management.
Legislative leaders say New Mexico is confronting an estimated $150 million general-fund shortfall for the budget year that ended in June and potentially greater shortfalls this year.
Troubled New Mexico Basketball Coach May Get License Revoked – The Associated Press
A New Mexico high school basketball coach who was fired over allegations of abuse only to be rehired after an outcry may lose his coaching license.
The state Public Education Department announced Monday it was opening an investigation into "disturbing and abusive behavior" by Espanola Valley High School boys basketball coach Richard Martinez.
The department says it may revoke his teaching and coaching licenses.
According to the state documents, Martinez pushed and grabbed players, yelled at them and threw chairs and kicked bleachers. Documents say he also mocked shorter players and compared one struggling player to his father who had killed himself.
Martinez was fired in April but was recently rehired following protests in the northern New Mexico city.
Martinez's attorney, Sam Bregman, says the charges are false.
NMDOT: 1 Of New Mexico's Top DWI Absconders Caught – The Associated Press
The New Mexico Department of Transportation has announced that one of the state's top drunken driving fugitives has been captured.
Officials said Tuesday that Gallup Police Department recently arrested Rigina Johns following a statewide search.
Authorities say Johns absconded from supervision after being convicted of her fifth drunken driving conviction. Records show she also fled in 2013 after she was convicted of an aggravated DWI.
NMDOT Cabinet Secretary Tom Church says repeat drunken driving offenders who are hiding from the law pose a significant danger to New Mexico families and can create disasters on our roads.
The "Top 10 List" of DWI absconders in the state is part of an initiative enacted by Gov.Susana Martinez to crack down on repeat offender absconders.
Artesia Employees See 10 Percent Pay Cut Amid Oil Slowdown – The Associated Press & The Roswell Daily Record
A southeastern New Mexico city hit with declining revenues because of the area's oil downturn is slashing city employees' pay.
The Roswell Daily Record reports Artesia's nearly 200 city employees have had their annual salaries and hourly pay rates suddenly reduced by 10 percent due to the economic decline.
Those cuts include salary reductions for police officers and firefighters.
The reductions, which went into effect Aug. 1, were approved by the Artesia City Council last month.
Artesia Mayor Phil Burch said Artesia's gross receipt tax revenues are down 40 percent from two years ago. He says they also are down 20 percent from latest fiscal year that ended June 30.
Tax revenues for the city of about
Albuquerque Police Discuss Reform At Community Meetings – The Associated Press
Albuquerque police are planning to discuss their progress on court-mandated reforms within the department at different points across the city this week.
The Albuquerque Police Department says it's holding six evening meetings between Monday and Thursday. Officers will discuss APD's settlement agreement with the Justice Department that charts out a multi-year plan for reform and retraining officers on new policies for use-of-force, crisis intervention and body cameras.
Albuquerque police, federal attorneys and a court-appointed monitor who tracks the reform efforts are required to report on progress before a federal judge every several months.
The APD community events this week will coincide with the Community Policing Councils' regular meetings at six substations throughout the city.
Albuquerque's Community Policing Councils are made up of community members, and can formally recommend changes to APD policies.
Weld: Interest In Libertarian Presidential Ticket Picking Up - The Associated Press
Libertarian vice presidential nominee William Weld says he's seen interest and fundraising pick up recently as GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump's campaign has struggled.
Weld said Monday he's spoken with a handful of Republican members of Congress who are considering reassessing their endorsements for the fall.
Weld is running with Libertarian Party presidential nominee and former New Mexico governor Gary Johnson. Weld made his comments as he delivered a final batch of signatures to guarantee the two former Republicans a spot on the November ballot in Massachusetts.
Weld said momentum is growing for the Libertarian ticket.
The former Massachusetts governor said the immediate goal is to reach the 15 percent threshold needed in polls to secure a spot on the debate stage with Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.
Navajo Nation President Signs 'Declaration' After Flooding – The Associated Press
Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye has signed a "Declaration of Emergency" in response to flooding last week that destroyed homes, roads and livestock.
The declaration signed Sunday means all Navajo Nation Divisions and Departments immediately must respond to communities impacted by the heavy rainfall.
Shiprock was hit by flash floods on Friday. Some residents were forced to evacuate to the Shiprock Chapter House.
Parts of Arizona saw street flooding and other effects of storm runoff last week. The weather service says a few places of southern Arizona had over five inches of rain in four days.
United Way Chapter In New Mexico Ordered To Halt Gun Raffle – The Associated Press
United Way Worldwide is asking a New Mexico affiliate to stop a planned firearms raffle.
The Alamogordo Daily News reports United Way Worldwide demanded last week in a cease and desist letter that the United Way of Otero County stop the raffle immediately.
The letter comes after the United Way of Otero County teamed up with Western True Value to sell 2017 calendars with a raffle entry ticket attached to the calendar for $50. The raffle gave the purchaser the opportunity to be entered into a twice weekly firearms raffle.
It would have netted the organization about $150,000 minus the cost of the background checks of the winners of the firearms.
United Way of Otero County spokeswoman Michelle Brideaux said the local organization has suspended the raffle.
Artwork From Comedian Garry Shandling's Estate To Be Sold - The Associated Press
Dozens of paintings and other works of art from the estate of comedian Garry Shandling will be offered for sale at an art show in New Mexico this week.
Organizers of the annual Objects of Art Santa Fe say this will be the first public viewing of Shandling's collection, which includes Navajo rugs, Southwest furniture and pieces by Mexican Artists Francisco Zuniga and Alfredo Ramos Martinez.
More than 40 of Shandling's personal pieces from his California home will be offered. They range in value from a couple of hundred dollars to tens of thousands of dollars.
The 66-year-old comedian, who died in March, visited Santa Fe often to vacation and buy art. Some of the pieces up for sale were originally purchased in Santa Fe.
The show opens Thursday with a gala in Santa Fe.