- ALBUQUERQUE POLICE OFFICER FIRED
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The Albuquerque Police Department says an officer has been fired for using unnecessary force in an incident earlier this year.
The department announced Tuesday that findings of an investigation into alleged misconduct revealed Officer John Hill shoved a handcuffed suspect from behind and that caused the suspect to strike the wall head-first.
Police officials say the suspect wasn't resisting Hill at any point during the Feb. 17 encounter.
The findings were forwarded to the District Attorney's Office for review on March 19.
Following that review, Albuquerque police submitted a complaint/summons to Metro Court with a misdemeanor charge of battery.
- MINING-NATIONAL FOREST
PECOS, N.M. (AP) — A proposed exploratory mining operation on Santa Fe National Forest land is drawing fierce opposition from some northern New Mexico residents.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports residents near the village of Pecos, New Mexico are vowing to take on mining outfits seeking to search for copper, zinc and gold on a 2-acre (.8-hectare) spread.
The Australian-based New World Cobalt and its American subsidiary, Comexico LLC, have put in a request to conduct exploratory mining operations on land near Tererro, New Mexico.
But Upper Pecos Watershed Association Vice President Lela McFerrin says residents are worried about the water quality coming out of the watershed.
New World Cobalt CEO and general manager Mike says "hysteria and misinformation" are clouding residents' perspective.
State officials are reviewing New World Cobalt's request.
- ACTIVE SHOOTER VIDEO-NEW MEXICO
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — One of New Mexico's largest school districts will give parents the final say on whether their children can see an instructional video on strategies for staying alive and safe in an active shooter situation.
Santa Fe Public Schools Superintendent Veronica Garcia said Monday that families will be allowed to opt out of the video after some parents expressed concern about potentially traumatic effects of the training itself.
She says the video was posted on the school district website so that parents could review it first before children watch it.
It follows a "run, hide, fight" security strategy supported by a national police association and the Department of Homeland Security. Garcia said the Santa Fe school board shunned other videos that portray gunmen on school grounds and developed its own.
- ALBUQUERQUE HOMELESS
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A count of Albuquerque's homeless population conducted on a single night earlier this year shows an increase of at least 200 people.
The Albuquerque Journal reported Monday that the Point-In-Time survey counted 1,524 sheltered and unsheltered homeless people in the city on Jan. 28, up from the 1,318 counted in 2017.
City Housing and Homelessness Deputy Director Lisa Huval says the survey is a "snapshot taken on one night," and it's likely an undercount.
She says part of the increase could be attributed to surveyors getting better at finding and counting unsheltered homeless people.
She says the survey uses a federal definition of homelessness, so people staying in motels that they pay for or those living with family or friends are not counted.
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- SPACE MUSEUM-ARTIST LAWSUIT
ALAMOGORDO, N.M. (AP) — The New Mexico Museum of Space History is being sued for breach of contract by an artist whose merchandise was sold in the museum's gift shop.
The Alamogordo Daily News reports a state lawsuit recently filed by Krystal Wood-Kofonow says the artist never received her final payment and the disputed merchandise allegedly continued to be sold.
Wood-Kofonow made items such as key chains, postcards, T-shirts and more with her Planet Cheese and Invasion of Planet Earth artwork.
The lawsuit names the New Mexico Museum of Space History and International Space Hall of Fame Foundation as defendants.
Museum Division Director Chris Orwoll says the museum does not comment on pending litigation.
- POLICE GATE RAMMED-ARREST
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Charges have been dismissed against a man accused of driving an SUV through a security gate at New Mexico State Police headquarters, then into the front doors of the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Courthouse in downtown Albuquerque.
A judge ruled Monday the case can't move forward because of a poorly written criminal complaint that didn't state the damage cost.
Gilberto Durades-Lahera was jailed Saturday on suspicion of two counts of criminal damage to property.
After the incident, he reportedly was yelling that someone was trying to kill him.
KOB-TV reports that in order for someone to be charged with a felony for criminal damage to property, someone must be accused of causing more than $1,000 worth of damage.
State prosecutors say they intend to refile the charges against the 38-year-old Durades-Lahera.
- OIL BOOM-NEW MEXICO
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A new report says New Mexico is now on track to collect an unprecedented $7.8 billion in the budget year thanks to skyrocketing oil production.
The Albuquerque Journal reports the report says total state revenue collections were roughly $273 million above projected levels through April largely because of oil production in southeastern New Mexico.
The higher-than-expected revenue surge for the budget year that ended June 30 could allow for additional spending increases on public schools, roads, and other programs.
Legislative and executive economists will release new official revenue estimates at a legislative hearing in Red River later this month.
New Mexico was already expecting a $1.3 billion budget surplus for the fiscal year. The latest Legislative Finance Committee revenue tracking report suggests that the final surplus figure will likely end up being larger.
- DEMOCRATS-IMPEACHMENT
WASHINGTON (AP) — A member of the House Democratic leadership says it's time for an impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump.
Rep. Ben Ray Luján (loo-HAHN'), the No. 4 Democrat, is now the highest-ranking member of the House to call for formal proceedings against Trump. He says in a statement that an inquiry would "hold this president accountable."
The New Mexico congressman, who's running for the Senate, cites findings in former special counsel Robert Mueller's report on Trump's lack of action to secure American elections from foreign interference. Luján says Trump is "abdicating" his responsibility and putting his own personal and political interests first.
The six-term lawmaker is the 121st House Democrat to call for the beginning of an inquiry, according to an Associated Press tally. That's a majority of the 235 Democrats.