Salary Of New Mexico Lottery Head Increases To $220K – Albuquerque Journal, Associated Press
The New Mexico Lottery Authority has increased its CEO's base annual pay to $220,000 — a move drawing criticism by those who argue the money should be going into a scholarship program.
Lottery board Chairman Dan Salzwedel told the Albuquerque Journal on Thursday that the 26% increase for CEO David Barden is smaller than it appears because the new salary agreement does not include several bonus pay incentives that the previous contract offered.
Barden's three-year agreement does include a one-time $8,800 salary retention adjustment and a severance package if he's fired.
Think New Mexico Executive Director Fred Nathan says the board should be focused on maximizing scholarship funds.
The group advocated for the state requirement for the lottery to put 30% of its gross sales into a college scholarship program.
Lawsuit States North Dakota Officers Used 'Violence' On Protester – Associated Press
A New Mexico man who was injured during protests against the Dakota Access pipeline in January 2017 has filed a lawsuit accusing North Dakota law enforcement of using "excessive violence."
The lawsuit filed Thursday names Morton County, the city of Bismarck and state Highway Patrol officers.
The complaint says officers fired shotgun beanbag rounds at peaceful, unarmed protesters and that one shattered the orbital wall of Marcus Mitchell's left eye, wounding his cheekbone and the skin near his eye.
The suit says 24-year-old Mitchell, a Navajo tribal member who lives in New Mexico, underwent treatment but still suffers from vision, hearing and smell problems. He's seeking unspecified damages.
The Bismarck Tribune reports that representatives for the three entities Mitchell is suing didn't comment on the lawsuit.
Law enforcement has denied using excessive force against the pipeline protesters.
New Mexico Congresswoman Breaks Ranks In Wage Hike Vote – Albuquerque Journal, Associated Press
One of New Mexico's congresswomen broke ranks with fellow Democrats as the U.S. House approved legislation to raise the federal minimum wage.
U.S. Rep. Xochitl Torres Small says she's for raising the minimum wage but that $15 was too high.
The Albuquerque Journal reported Torres Small had heard from constituents in the 2nd Congressional District that such a boost would have a devastating effect on small businesses, especially those in rural areas.
U.S. Reps. Ben Ray Lujan and Deb Haaland voted for the bill.
The last increase in the federal minimum wage occurred 10 years ago, the longest stretch without an adjustment since the wage floor was first enacted during the 1930s.
Under the bill, tipped workers would be required to be paid the same as others earning the minimum.
Horse Racing Regulator Ousted Over Comments - By Susan Montoya Bryan Associated Press
One of the five commissioners responsible for overseeing New Mexico's horse racing industry has been ousted over comments she made regarding changes in the way horses are tested for certain medications.
The governor's office confirmed Friday that Freda McSwane was removed from Racing Commission earlier this week.
Documents obtained by The Associated Press indicate state attorneys were concerned that comments McSwane made in May during a public meeting implied bias that could potentially prompt more legal complications in the ongoing testing fight.
McSwane did not return messages seeking comment.
The commission is wading through numerous appeals after some owners and trainers complained they should have been given a grace period when the state began using a new testing lab.
With the change, more samples turned up positive for corticosteroids, which are used to treat swelling and joint pain.
US Authorities Investigate Death Of Mexican Gray Wolf-Associated Press
Wildlife managers say investigators are looking into the death of a Mexican gray wolf that was found last month in New Mexico.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says the male endangered wolf belonged to the Elk Horn pack, which has been roaming an area just west of the Arizona-New Mexico state line.
Officials say there have been eight documented wolf mortalities in the first six months of 2019. They have not released any details about the circumstances of the deaths.
Survey results released earlier this year indicated there were at least 131 wolves in the mountain ranges spanning southwestern New Mexico and southeastern Arizona.
A subspecies of the Western gray wolf, Mexican wolves have faced a difficult road to recovery that has been complicated by politics and conflicts with livestock.
University Of New Mexico Brings In Experts To Move Bee Hive- Associated Press
Thousands of swarming bees and several pounds of dripping honeycomb have been removed from a building on the University of New Mexico's main campus.
Officials said the bee hive was nested within the decorative trim over a window near one of the entrances of the Maxwell Museum of Anthropology.
Unlike more aggressive wasps and hornets, university officials say there's minimal risk to humans when honey bees are involved. But groundskeepers decided to move the hive to limit the possibility of passers-by being stung and to prevent damage to the building due to the weight of the honeycomb.
The university got help moving the hive from the group Albuquerque Beekeepers.
The removal process took multiple sessions over two days before the hive could be transported to a local farm.
Las Cruces Activates Cooling Stations To Help With Hot Temps- Associated Press
One southern New Mexico city has activated its cooling stations as high temperatures near triple digits.
Las Cruces officials say the cooling stations will be open until 8 p.m. every week night and from noon to 8 p.m. on weekends.
The stations are places where the elderly, other high-risk residents and the general public can find temporary shelter from the heat. They include community centers and other city buildings such as the Thomas Branigan Memorial Library.
Officials say city museums also are open to provide relief during regular business hours.
Forecasters with the National Weather Service say they expect record and near record warmth for portions of New Mexico's central valley and eastern plains through Saturday. While no records are likely in the south, they say it'll be very warm.
Senate Seat Passes To Granddaughter Of Navajo Code Talker- Associated Press
The granddaughter of the late World War II Navajo code talker and state legislator John Pinto will serve out the remainder of his term in the state Senate through 2020, the governor announced Thursday.
Navajo Nation member and educator Shannon Pinto was appointed by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham to represent a district that extends from Four Corners to Gallup.
John Pinto died in May at the age of 94 after serving over four decades in the Legislature.
He voted this year in favor of a successful bill to expand background checks on gun sales and was a supporter of abortion rights.
In a news release, Shannon Pinto said she will fight as a senator for common sense gun violence prevention measures and be "a champion for efforts that support women and their personal health care decisions."
Shannon Pinto has worked as a middle and high school math teacher in the town of Tohatchi.
New Mexico State Income From Gambling Declines Over Time – Associated Press
An analysis of tribal casino revenues and taxes from racetrack gambling in New Mexico suggests the local industry may be static or contracting.
A written brief from the state's legislative watchdog agency shows a 10% decline from 2012-2018 in annual revenues that are shared by tribal casinos with the state. State tax income from gambling at racetrack casinos declined by 3% for the period.
Officials at the state Gaming Control Board declined immediate comment on the statistics.
More recently, three tribal casinos have initiated or announced sportsbooks for wagering on sporting events after the U.S. Supreme Court last year lifted the ban that restricted sports betting outside of Nevada.
New Mexico has 24 tribal casinos that share revenues with the state under a compact renegotiated in 2015.
Richard Branson Inspired By Apollo, His Own Space Shot Soon – Associated Press
Virgin Galactic's Richard Branson says his spaceship has just a few more test flights before he jumps on board for the first tourist trip.
Branson celebrated his 69th birthday at Florida's Kennedy Space Center on Thursday during 50th anniversary celebrations for humanity's first moon landing. He was joined by 100 other aspiring astronauts who have put down deposits to launch into space with Virgin Galactic. Like Branson, many in the crowd were inspired to fly into space by what he called "the most audacious journey of all time."
Branson says three or four test flights will be conducted from New Mexico, beginning this fall, before engineers allow him to fly.
US Lawmakers Propose Ban On Export Of Tribes' Sacred Items-Associated Press
A group of U.S. lawmakers made another push Thursday to ban collectors and vendors from exporting Native American ceremonial items to foreign markets, including Paris, where there has been uproar over auction houses listing tribal pieces for sale over the years.
The lawmakers introduced legislation that would increase penalties within the United States for trafficking objects that tribes hold sacred by increasing prison time from five years to 10 for violating the law more than once.
At the same time, the bill would establish a framework for collectors to return protected items to tribes and avoid facing penalties.
The change was proposed by a group that includes New Mexico Democrats Sen. Martin Heinrich, U.S. Reps. Ben Ray Lujan and Deb Haaland.
In 2016, Heinrich blamed federal legal loopholes for stifling efforts to retrieve a ceremonial shield from a Paris auction house that year.