- GREEN BONDS-NEW MEXICO
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico is foregoing green-bond financing that has the potential to attract socially conscious investors as it forges ahead with energy efficiency improvements to a fleet of state buildings in Santa Fe.
The New Mexico Finance Authority found few prospects for savings on borrowing costs after studying the bond market for borrowing money to finance environmentally minded infrastructure projects.
Correspondence by the finance authority indicates that separately bundled bonds for the Santa Fe energy efficiency project would be too small of an offering to attract competition from investors. Tax-exempt bonds without green certification were sold in June.
Installation of solar window film began this month at state offices. The General Services Department expects to reduce utility costs by 50% at revamped buildings and save $1.1 million annually by contract.
- WEST NILE VIRUS
PHOENIX (AP) — Public health data shows the potentially fatal West Nile Virus is popping up more around the U.S. Southwest following a rainier winter, with a record number of cases in Arizona's Maricopa County and nine deaths statewide this year.
Numbers from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show Arizona has the most cases of any state for 2019.
Arizona's public health statistics from this week show Maricopa with more cases of infected people than any county, with 132 of the 135 confirmed and suspected cases statewide.
Southern Nevada has also emerged as part of the "hot zone" for the virus, with 28 cases reported in Clark County as of last week. A scattering of cases has also been reported in other states including California and Utah.
- NEW MEXICO ENERGY FUTURE
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Environmentalists and the state's largest electric utility are asking the New Mexico Supreme Court to settle a dispute over whether the state's new energy law must be considered as regulators deliberate the planned closure of a coal-fired power plant.
The groups petitioned the court Thursday to force the Public Regulation Commission to take into account the Energy Transition Act as part of the proceedings over shuttering the San Juan Generating Station.
Aside from mandating more renewable energy, the measure includes a financing mechanism that supporters say is necessary for the plant's closure in 2022.
The law allows Public Service Co. of New Mexico and other owners of San Juan to recover investments by selling bonds that will be paid off by utility customers. The bonds will fund decommissioning costs and job training programs for displaced workers.
- WEST NILE VIRUS-NEW MEXICO
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico health officials say five more cases of West Nile virus have been confirmed in the state since the first human case was reported in early August.
The Health Department says the new cases were reported in Bernalillo, Doña Ana, San Juan and Valencia counties.
New Mexico has had cases of West Nile every year since the virus migrated to the state in 2003. There were seven cases in 2018 and 33 cases in 2017.
West Nile virus is most commonly spread by the bite of an infected mosquito. There are no vaccines to prevent it or medications to treat it.
Officials say five of the six cases this year resulted in neuro-invasive disease, the most severe form of the disease. One case resulted in uncomplicated West Nile fever.
- MEDICAL MARIJUANA-NEW MEXICO
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A judge has ruled that New Mexico's medical marijuana program is open to people from outside the state who qualify based on a medical condition.
The final ruling Thursday by Judge Bryan Biedscheid responds to a petition by two Texas residents and the Arizona-based CEO of the largest chain of medical cannabis dispensaries in New Mexico in his capacity as a patient with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Reforms this year to the state's medical cannabis statutes deleted the in-state residency requirement for prospective marijuana patients. The office of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham says that change was unintended and plans to appeal.
The ruling puts New Mexico's medical pot program within close reach of visiting Texans and citizens of neighboring Mexico. Texas limits the psychoactive element THC in its medical marijuana.
- CROSSING GUARDS-TRAINING
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Dozens of school crossing guards in Albuquerque are learning how to recognize signs of child abuse.
KRQE-TV reports that police will hold a special training session Friday at their academy for approximately 150 crossing guards.
The two-hour training will teach them how to spot signs of child abuse in their interactions with elementary school students.
Crossing guards learn what they should do if they think there's a child who needs support and what resources are available.
Police Lt. Ferris Simmons says the department is open to making the training an annual event.
- BEER CAN CONVENTION
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — It's "CANvention" time for hundreds of beer aficionados.
Collectors from around the world began buying, trading and selling containers of brews Thursday at the 49th annual gathering of members of the Brewery Collectibles Club of America.
One collector said some of the mostly empty vessels of beer are selling for hundreds, and in some cases, thousands of dollars, while others are opting to swap their six-packs with fellow fans of foam.
Rich La Susa, of Gold Canyon, Arizona, says he has attended all but one of the gatherings since the group started meeting in 1970.
The group was formed after collector Denver Wright, Jr. placed an ad in a St. Louis newspaper looking for like-minded compatriots.
After the swapping ends, some participants said they were going to a beer tasting.
- NAVAJO NATION-FRAUD CASE
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — Navajo Nation officials say a former Tsayatoh Chapter accounts maintenance specialist has pleaded guilty to 16 counts of fraud.
Tribal prosecutors say Roberta Silversmith issued 16 checks between June 2016 and January 2017 to her son, who never worked at the chapter.
They say Silversmith deposited the checks into her son's account and then transferred the amount of more than $11,340 into her own bank account.
Silversmith was arraigned Aug. 19 in the District Court of Window Rock and pleaded guilty to all charges.
Her sentencing date hasn't been set yet.
Prosecutors say the maximum penalty for a single violation of fraud is a year in prison and/or a fine of $5,000.