New Mexico Moves Toward Improving Solvency Of Pension Plan – Associated Press
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has signed sweeping pension fund reforms into law that affect more than 100,000 current and former state and local government workers.
The legislation increases employee and taxpayer contributions to a public pension fund that has more than $6 billion in unfunded liabilities. Annual cost-of-living increases also will be tied to pension fund investment returns for the trust overseen by the Public Employees Retirement Association.
Lujan Grisham has acknowledged that the changes require some sacrifice but that the legislation ensures the sacrifice is shared and that vulnerable groups are protected.
The governor also described the changes as tools that can be used to recruit and retain the state's workforce.
The changes also are expected to improve city and state credit ratings, making it cheaper for them to borrow money for infrastructure projects.
Core provisions of the bill were outlined by a policy task force appointed by the governor to address pension solvency issues. That commission looked for reforms that could fully fund the pension fund within 25 years.
Warrants Issued For Couple Guilty In Guardian Fraud Case – Albuquerque Journal, Associated Press
A U.S. judge has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of the former president of a now-defunct nonprofit that provided guardianship services for vulnerable and special needs clients after she failed to appear for sentencing for money laundering and other crimes.
The Albuquerque Journal reports a warrant also was issued for the woman's husband. Federal prosecutors said 73-year-old Susan Harris was facing a minimum of 30 years in prison while her husband, William Harris, faced seven years for crimes related to the embezzlement of an estimated $10 million.
As one of New Mexico's largest guardianship firms, Ayudando Guardians Inc., was shuttered by federal authorities in 2017 after the embezzlement was exposed. Some of the more than 800 victims who lost money were expected to address the court as the hearing continued Monday.
Defense attorneys told the judge they could not reach the couple by phone Monday when they failed to show up in court.
The couple had been free pending sentencing after surrendering their U.S. passports and putting up their home in an affluent Albuquerque neighborhood as security.
Albuquerque Schools To Issue Memo On Immigration Enforcement – KOB-TV, Associated Press
New Mexico's largest public school district will be reminding principals that federal immigration agents are not to come onto campus unless they have a warrant.
KOB-TV reports a memo will be sent to all Albuquerque principals after a draft of the notice was presented to the school board last week. The memo states that schools are meant to be safe places for all children, including those who are believed to be in the country illegally.
The memo follows recent reports of an uptick in activity by immigration authorities and a federal crackdown on those cities that have adopted immigration sanctuary policies.
The memo also cautions staff not to defy immigration authorities should they come onto a campus as administrators have no authority to deny federal orders or warrants signed by a judge.
The document instructs principals to call their supervisor and school district police if they encounter a situation where ICE officers were looking to get on school property.
New Mexico Police Investigate After Man Dies In Custody – Associated Press
New Mexico State Police are investigating the death of a man who led Las Cruces police on a foot chase and was taken into custody after an officer used a Taser.
Medical investigators have yet to determine what caused the man's death. He was identified as Antonio Valenzuela, 40, of Las Cruces.
Authorities said Las Cruces police pulled over a pickup truck early Saturday and discovered that Valenzuela had a warrant out for his arrest from the state probation and parole division. When asked to get out of the truck, Valenzuela fled and officers followed.
During the pursuit, one officer used his department issued Taser. Valenzuela was described as combative but officers were able to handcuff him. They then noticed he was unresponsive and called for emergency medical services. Valenzuela was pronounced dead at the scene.
Proposed Shelter On UNM Land Raises Concerns From Community – Albuquerque Journal, Associated Press
The University of New Mexico community is conflicted over the idea to build a homeless shelter on land owned by the school.
The Albuquerque Journal reported Mayor Tim Keller is pushing for unused university land to be the site of a 300-bed emergency shelter. Keller and local church leaders trumpeted proposal while standing on the land itself last week. The site is one of three being considered.
Keller said the area would be ideal because it's not near the campus and would be cheaper to build on.
The plans for the Gateway Center shelter were put on track after voters last year approved the selling of $14 million in bonds to pay for it.
UNM President Garnett Stokes has only said that she will remain open to the idea. It's not clear what recommendation she will make to the university's Board of Regents. There are still many people who have to give their input before any final determination, Stokes said in a statement.
Some UNM employees and students, however, have expressed reservations. Among them are parents whose children attend the university's day care center. Several others emailed Stokes with concerns such as a perception that the university would not be a safe environment.
Former Uranium Mines On Navajo Nation Up For Assessments - Associated Press
Officials from the Navajo Nation and the federal government are taking a closer look at more than a dozen former uranium mines on the reservation.
The tribe and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reached an agreement years ago to assess so-called orphan mines. Those are mines where no responsible party has been identified for cleanup.
The officials recently named 17 sites on the reservation in northeastern Arizona that will be assessed because they pose significant hazards. The EPA has set aside millions of dollars for the evaluations and a study to determine whether the mines affected water sources.
The work will include sampling soil and scanning for radiation on the ground surface.
Other sites that have been evaluated have had piles of uranium waste, contaminated soil and water, and physical hazards.
The reservation covers more than 27,000 square miles in Utah, New Mexico and Arizona. About four million tons of uranium were extracted from the Navajo Nation between the 1940s and the 1980s. The U.S. government was the sole purchaser.
More than 520 abandoned uranium mines dot the reservation. The last mine shut down in 1986.
New Mexico Technology Department Gets New Secretary - Associated Press
A longtime information technology administrator for various state agencies is taking over New Mexico's IT department.
John Salazar was appointed Friday as secretary of the Department of Information and Technology. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's office says Salazar will begin the job today.
Lujan Grisham's office says Salazar has more than 25 years of experience in IT and management. He's a longtime chief information officer who has led technology teams at the Department of Workforce Solutions and the Taxation and Revenue Department, as well as at a private firm in Santa Fe.
Lujan Grisham's office says outgoing secretary Vince Martinez is stepping down to pursue other opportunities.
New Mexico GOP Targeting Hispanic Voters In Oilfields – Hobbs News-Sun, Associated Press
New Mexico Republicans are launching a voter registration effort among a Hispanic population of oilfield workers.
The Hobbs News-Sun reports that state Rep. David Gallegos, a Eunice Republican, is leading a project to register to vote Hispanic oilfield workers in the state's Permian Basin.
The move is part of a more extensive campaign by New Mexico Republicans to reach out of Latino and Native American voters.
New Mexico Republican Party Chair Steve Pearce told The Associated Press last month the state party will appoint Hispanic and Native American outreach coordinators in all of the state's 33 counties.
He is also urging all candidates to travel to Democratic strongholds instead of just focusing on the GOP's traditional base.
Flags At Half Staff Monday For New Mexico Guard Soldier - Associated Press
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has ordered that U.S. and state flags be flown at half staff Monday in honor of a New Mexico National Guard soldier who died during an overseas deployment.
The Defense Department said Spc. Walter Lewark of Mountainair died in a non-combat incident in the Africa nation of Djibouti.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. today at the Moriarty Civic Center in Moriarty for Lewark, with internment planned on a later date at the Santa Fe National Cemetery.
Lewark was assigned to a Rio Rancho-based National Guard unit. He also was a Mountainair police officer and a volunteer firefighter. Lewark was a private first class when he died but was promoted posthumously to specialist.
Portion Of Replacement Border Wall Complete In New Mexico - Albuquerque Journal, Associated Press
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has said it completed about half of a 66-mile portion of a new border wall system in southern New Mexico that is replacing vehicle barriers and other blockades already in place. The Albuquerque Journal reported that agency spokesman Roger Maier said about 30 miles of the 18-to-30-foot tall bollard wall is completed. Maier says another 36 miles of the project through Dona Ana and Luna counties is expected to be completed in the coming months. He says future work includes a combination of construction in place of existing barriers, and in locations where no barriers currently exist.
Warrant Issued For Man Sentenced To Prison Over Dog's Death - Associated Press
A rural New Mexico man convicted of extreme animal cruelty in the killing of his dog has a warrant out for his arrest after failing to begin serving a prison sentence that authorities sought to make an example of his case.
A judge in Gallup issued an arrest warrant for 35-year-old George A. Milliken of Thoreau after he failed to surrender Feb. 17 to start serving a two-year sentence.
The Gallup Independent reports that Milliken caught his dog with a metal-claw trap and shot it with a crowbow after it destroyed insulation under the family trailer in 2018.
McKinley County Animal Protection Supervisor Cozy Balok said she hopes the prison sentence sends a strong message that animal abuse isn't tolerated.
Trail Improvements Planned At Bandelier National Monument - Associated Press
The National Park Service says the popular loop trail at Bandelier National Monument will be getting a much-needed facelift this summer.
Officials say the 1.2-mile paved path at the bottom of Frijoles Canyon is showing the effects of weather, time and tons of foot traffic. The trail provides access to dozens of archaeological sites in the most visited area of the monument.
The work is scheduled to begin in May and will last at least a few months. Acting Superintendent Dennis Milligan says visitors should expect rerouting, closures and delays.
New Mexico Forestry Division To Plant 1,200 Trees - Associated Press
The New Mexico Forestry Division will be planting 1,200 trees across the state in celebration of Arbor Month. Officials say the month of March often has the best conditions for tree planting as snow melt and soil moisture vary from south to north.
The work is being organized through the Urban and Community Forestry Program in support of the New Mexico Climate Strategy and the National Association of State Foresters' centennial celebration.
State Forester Laura McCarthy says planting trees is an important part of New Mexico's response to climate change since they provide shade and help cool communities.
6 People Accused Of Distributing Crack Cocaine In New Mexico - Santa Fe New Mexican, Associated Press
Authorities in Santa Fe say six people have been indicted on charges of distributing crack cocaine in New Mexico's Rio Arriba County.
A grand jury returned the indictments Tuesday and the six defendants were arraigned Friday in federal court. Prosecutors allege 32-year-old Jose Mendoza and his 35-year-old wife Natalie Mendoza were high-level suppliers of cocaine in the Espanola Valley.
The couple are accused of laundering drug money by making large deposits at credit unions and using cash to pay auto loans. Natalie Mendoza also is accused of collecting money from drug deals and keeping records of the transactions.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that Jose Mendoza was charged with six counts while Natalie Mendoza has been indicted on seven counts.