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Meow Wolf Gets State Funds To Expand, State Supreme Court Asked To Review Lawyer's Death

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Meow Wolf's House of Eternal Return

Taxpayer Money, State Endorsement Fuels Meow Wolf ExpansionAssociated Press

Arts and entertainment company Meow Wolf has been awarded more than a half-million dollars in state job-training funds.

The board of the New Mexico Job Training Incentive Program on Friday approved the $528,000 grant to the production arm of Meow Wolf as the Santa Fe-based startup plans new venues to Las Vegas, Denver, Phoenix and Washington D.C.

Expansion efforts are anchored at a one-acre warehouse in New Mexico's state capital city. The tax-payer funded incentives support training for 26 new employees at Meow Wolf.

The Economic Development Department says previous job-training awards to Meow Wolf total $910,000.

Meow Wolf board member Vince Kadlubek says state incentives have helped the company reassure investors as it secures financing from the private sector and recruits entertainment executives to guide expansion.

Release Of Suspect In Albuquerque Girl's Death Draws ProtestAssociated Press

A judge's decision to release a defendant charged in the 2016 killing of a 10-year-old Albuquerque girl is drawing outrage.

More than a hundred people protested downtown Sunday over the pending release of Fabian Gonzales while he awaits trial.

Gonzales has been in jail for more than three years and faces a charge of child abuse resulting in death.

He was initially accused of raping and murdering Victoria Martens. But prosecutors since determined that he wasn't at the girl's apartment when she was killed.

His cousin, Jessica Kelley, pleaded no contest to the same charge and other offenses.

The girl's mother pleaded guilty to reckless child abuse resulting in death.

The Administrative Office of the Courts says prosecutors failed to show Gonzales would be a danger to the community.

Proposal To End School Lunch Shaming Moves AheadAssociated Press

A federal proposal designed to prevent lunch shaming has moved ahead thanks to a vote in the U.S. Senate.

Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine and Democratic Sen. Tom Udall of New Mexico added an amendment to a funding bill that would ban schools from singling out children because their parents or guardians haven't paid school lunch bills. The proposal would also encourage schools to find new ways that shield children from such embarrassment.

Collins says the funding bill passed the Senate by a wide margin recently.

Some states, including Maine and New Mexico, have state laws designed to protect children from lunch shaming. Shaming sometimes comes in the form of making children wear hand stamps or perform extra chores because of their lunch debts.

New Mexico Jail Employee Accused Of Bringing Meth To WorkAssociated Press

New Mexico deputies have arrested a Santa Fe County Jail corrections officer after he acknowledged bringing meth to work.

Cohen Mangin was arrested and charged with bringing contraband into places of imprisonment and possession of a controlled substance. He was released Friday.

Authorities say another officer found a plastic bag filled with meth near the main entrance Thursday.

Investigators say surveillance video showed Mangin dropping it as he got out of a car.

Investigators say Mangin said in an interview that he used it to stay awake.

Online court records do not list a defense attorney for Mangin who could comment on the allegations.

A county spokesperson said an investigation is underway.

He is scheduled to appear in court in December.

State Officials Say More Wells Needed To Grasp Uranium PlumesGallup Independent, Associated Press

New Mexico environmental officials say more wells are needed to measure uranium plumes in a major aquifer in western New Mexico.

The Gallup Independent reports the state Environment Department is asking federal authorities to collaborate with the state to ensure accurate measurement of a plume of uranium contamination leaving the Bluewater Disposal Site.

State officials are concerned the full nature of the groundwater plume within the San Andres-Glorieta aquifer has not been defined because of the lack of a comprehensive monitoring well network.

Bernadette Tsosie, site manager at the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Legacy Management, said the path of the San Andres-Glorieta aquifer plume remains 2 miles north of the nearest drinking water supply well.

Arizona Grassland May Be Landing Site For Boeing SpacecraftAssociated Press

A flat desert grassland in southeastern Arizona is being considered as a potential landing site for a new reusable spacecraft.

Boeing representatives plan a public meeting Wednesday evening at the Willcox Community Center to discuss the Starliner spacecraft potentially touching down in the Willcox Playa area.

Other possible landing sites include White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, Dugway Proving Ground in Utah and Edwards Air Force Base in California.

About 65 east of Tucson, Willcox Playa is winter habitat for thousands of migratory sandhill cranes.

The Starliner capsule made a safety test flight Monday at White Sands.

The capsule is due for a test flight next month to the International Space Station with a dummy and some cargo on board.

Police Say Man Arrested After Woman Found Dead At A Las Cruces HomeAssociated Press

Police in Las Cruces say they are investigating a domestic dispute that led to a murder and an attempted suicide.

They say officers were dispatched to a home around 9:30 p.m. Saturday and reported finding a woman dead from stab wounds and a man alive with a knife to his chest.

Police have identified the dead woman as 41-year-old Amberly Lopez.

They say the suspect is identified as 44-year-old Juan Lopez-Banos.

Police say officers were able to render aid to Lopez-Banos and take him into custody.

He's being held on suspicion of murder.

It was unclear Sunday if Lopez-Banos has a lawyer yet.

New Mexico Public Transportation Project To Begin Operations - Associated Press  

Albuquerque officials have announced a new public transportation project is expected to begin operations this month. City officials say the Albuquerque Rapid Transit or ART project includes designated bus-only lanes and stops that would carry riders along Central Avenue every 10 minutes.

Officials say the ART project is set to launch Nov. 30 with free rides until Dec. 31. Riders must pay $1 starting Jan. 1. Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller says officials plan to time routes starting Sunday.

Law enforcement says there are plans to issue warning citations starting Nov. 30 to educate the community on safe driving practices around the buses before $80 fines are issued in January.

Officials say the $133 million project includes 20 new buses expected to replace the existing Rapid Ride lines.

New Mexico Supreme Court Asked To Review Lawyer's 2010 Death - KRQE, Associated Press

The family of a prominent Albuquerque attorney found dead in her home in 2010 wants the New Mexico Supreme Court to review the case.

Mary Han was found dead of carbon monoxide poisoning, and Albuquerque police ruled the death a suicide. Her estate recently filed a petition with the state's high court. Her family members argue that police violated state constitutional protections for the 53-year-old Han as a crime victim when the department investigated her death.

According to TV station KRQE, Han's estate says the city police department had a conflict of interest in investigating her death and should have requested an outside law enforcement agency handle it.

Last August, a First Judicial District judge affirmed a decision changing Han's manner of death on her autopsy report from suicide to undetermined.

Judge Ortiz To Retire From 1st Judicial District Court - Associated Pres

A judge for the state District Court plans to retire Jan. 1, creating an opening for Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to fill.

Lujan Grisham will select her appointee for the 1st Judicial District Court from among those recommended by a nominating commission.

The opening will be created by the retirement of Judge Raymond Ortiz, a Santa Fe native appointed to the bench in 2005 by then-Gov. Bill Richardson.

A judge appointed to serve out the term of a retiring district judge must run for election to remain on the bench and as voters to retain them every six years.