Democratic Governors In Midwest Understated On Impeachment - Scott Bauer, Associated Press
Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham is one of several Democratic governors in some states central to President Donald Trump's reelection strategy who are reacting cautiously to impeachment proceedings beginning in Congress.
House Democrats' probe focuses on Trump's phone call to Ukraine's president, a rough transcript of which was released Wednesday. While some Democratic House members in the upper Midwest states were outspoken in calling for Trump's impeachment, governors were more measured.
Lujan Grisham said in a statement that she found the rough transcript to be “extremely troubling” and “absolutely worthy of Congressional investigation.”
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz says impeachment "may not be politically good to do."
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says she supports impeachment. But, she says, it’s a sad commentary on the state of politics in the capital that the country is at this point.
More Than Dozen Charged In New Mexico Rape Kit Backlog Cases – Associated Press, Albuquerque Journal
New Mexico authorities have charged over a dozen people after prosecutors began clearing thousands of backlogged rape cases.
The Albuquerque Journal reported Wednesday that 16 Albuquerque rape cases have been filed stretching from 2010 to 2017.
Authorities say one man started his sentence, another is awaiting sentencing, two are on the loose and a dozen are headed to trial.
Authorities say the current cases include charges of criminal sexual penetration, criminal sexual penetration of a minor, aggravated assault and kidnapping.
Authorities say a 2016 report drew attention to about 5,400 rape kits that had been collected but never processed, about 4,000 were from Albuquerque.
Court officials say thousands of cases were closed because of expired statute of limitations, lack of sufficient evidence, no DNA or someone has passed away.
High-Flying Marijuana Vapes Take Hit From Health Scare - By Gillian Flaccus and Jennifer Peltz Associated Press
Vaping products are taking a hit as health experts scramble to determine what's causing a mysterious lung disease.
More than 500 people have gotten ill, and nine have died after smoking vapes.
Vaping products have been one of the fastest-growing segments of the United States' legal marijuana industry. But the scare caused a 15% decline in market share for vapes.
Industry analyst firm New Frontier Data says states like Oregon and New Mexico saw more than a 60% drop in vape market share.
Experts say the crisis won't stop marijuana legalization but will mean tighter regulation overall.
Public health officials haven't pinpointed any one substance or product that's to blame.
Many patients say they used vapes containing marijuana oil, but some patients say they smoked nicotine-only vapes.
17 States Sue Feds Over Endangered Species Act Rules - By Gene Johnson Associated Press
Seventeen states, including New Mexico, are suing to block Trump administration rules weakening the Endangered Species Act.
The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in federal court in San Francisco, follows a similar challenge filed last month by several environmental groups, including the Humane Society and the Sierra Club.
The new rules begin taking effect Thursday. They for the first time allow officials to consider how much it would cost to save a species. They also remove blanket protections for animals newly listed as threatened and make it easier for creatures to be removed from the protected list.
The administration and congressional Republicans have said the changes improve the law. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said they ease "the regulatory burden on the American public" without sacrificing conservation goals.
Democratic Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson called it "death by a thousand cuts" for the law.
Ex-Deputy Charged After Using Stun Gun Against Española Teen - Associated Press
New Mexico prosecutors say a former sheriff's deputy faces child abuse, false imprisonment and other charges four months after he deployed a stun gun on a special needs student in Española.
Attorney General Hector Balderas announced Wednesday that charging documents had been filed against Jeremy Barnes, of Rio Arriba County.
Barnes is also charged with aggravated battery and violation of the Governmental Conduct Act.
Lapel video of Barnes' encounter with the Española Valley High School student in May shows he used the stun gun after the boy refused to follow orders and called the deputy a slur.
Adan Trujillo, attorney for Rio Arriba County, declined comment.
Senators Press Trump Administration On India Pecan Tariff - Carlsbad Current-Argus, Associated Press
New Mexico's U.S. senators want the Trump administration to defend the state's pecan growers from tariffs during ongoing trade negotiations with India.
The Carlsbad Current-Argus reports U.S. Sens. Martin Heinrich and Tom Udall recently signed on to a bipartisan letter from 12 senators urging U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to negotiate a lift of a trade barrier.
Records show India charges a 36% tariff on pecan imports, while other tree nuts such as pistachios and almonds are charged tariff rates of 10% or less.
New Mexico became the largest pecan-producing state last year, after Hurricane Michael ravaged Georgia's crop.
New Mexico was estimated to have produced about 90 million pounds of pecans in 2018, down about 2 million from 2017.
DEA: New Mexico Police Employee May Have Tipped Trafficker - Las Vegas Optic, Associated Press
Federal officials say one or more employees for a northern New Mexico police department may have tried to help a suspected drug trafficker.
The Las Vegas Optic reports a search warrant affidavit filed in U.S. District Court shows the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration believes someone within the Las Vegas Police Department alerted suspected trafficker Robert Corbin Padilla about an investigation against him.
The recently-unsealed search warrant affidavit details DEA agents' months-long investigation of Padilla. The warrant alleges Padilla was responsible for 70% of the cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine coming into Las Vegas, New Mexico.
Padilla was arrested and faces multiple federal charges.
Las Vegas Police Chief David Bibb says it would be a criminal offense if any employee provided confidential information to an investigation's target.
Holtec Prepping To Build Nuclear Waste Storage Facility - By Susan Montoya Bryan Associated Press
A New Jersey-based company has reached an agreement with a construction trades group as it pushes for approval to build a multibillion-dollar facility for temporarily storing spent nuclear fuel from commercial reactors around the U.S.
Holtec International announced the labor agreement with the New Mexico Building and Construction Trades Council on Wednesday to establish a framework for cooperation between labor groups and management.
The company is seeking a permit from federal regulators to build the facility in southern New Mexico. Holtec says the project will help the nation deal with growing stockpiles of spent nuclear fuel.
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and others have voiced opposition, saying the federal government has no long-term plan for the waste and they don't want the state to get stuck with it.
1 Of 3 Units At Coal-Fired Navajo Generating Station Closes - Associated Press
One of three generating units at a coal-fired power plant on the Navajo Nation has closed.
The 2,250-megawatt Navajo Generating Station near Page, Arizona, is scheduled to completely shut down before the end of the year. It's run by the Phoenix-based utility, the Salt River Project.
Utility spokesperson Jeff Lane says Unit 3 went offline last week. The other two units will operate full-time until the plant runs out of coal on site.
The power plant recently received its last delivery of coal via electric train from its sole supplier, the Kayenta Mine.
The plant has been operating since the mid-1970s on land leased from the Navajo Nation.
Its owners decided to close it this year because of cheaper prices for power made from natural gas.
Air Force Wants To Continue Recovery Training In Southwest - Associated Press
The U.S. Air Force wants to use 179 public and private properties across the Southwest for training on recovering personnel such as downed pilots.
Davis-Monthan Air Force officials announced that a draft environmental assessment calls for continued use of 154 training sites as well as 25 additional sites.
The sites are in New Mexico, Arizona, California and Nevada.
Davis-Monthan in Tucson is home to an Air Force personnel recovery unit that hosts large multinational exercises in the region.
A public comment period on the draft environmental assessment runs until Oct. 26.
Western New Mexico University Extends President's Contract - Associated Press
The Western New Mexico University Board of Regents has extended President Joseph Shepard's contract.
The board voted last week to extend Shepard's tenure until 2024 and give him a raise. He also was awarded a three-month sabbatical.
Shepard's contract was due to end in 2020.
Regent Chairwoman Janice Baca-Argabright says the board has confidence in Shepard and appreciates what he's done for the university.