- Body of man who was swept away by Carlsbad floodwaters ID'd
CARLSBAD, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico State Police have identified the body of a man who died after being swept away by floodwaters in Carlsbad. Police say it's unclear why 63-year-old John Paul Koch drove past barricades and into rapid moving floodwaters over the roadway Tuesday. Koch's vehicle overturned several times and was swept away in the Dark Canyon Draw Arroyo. Police say rescue efforts were unsuccessful because of the high volume and intensity of the flood. Crews delayed recovering the body to wait for floodwaters to recede to a safe level for personnel to enter the water. Divers recovered the body around 7 p.m. Wednesday. It was sent to the Office of the Medical Investigator in Albuquerque for an autopsy.
- Political appointees included in payouts for unused vacation
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Top political appointees of the governor at agencies outside the field of health care were offered many of the largest payments to acknowledge skipped vacations during the pandemic in 2020. Public records obtained by The Associated Press show that individual payouts of more than $4,000 were offered to the state secretary of finance and administration, investment officials and directors of the Public School Insurance Authority and the Expo New Mexico venue that hosts the state fair. The initiative from the governor compensates workers for large balances of unused 2020 vacation time that might otherwise expire.
- Albuquerque man gets prison for threatening a police officer
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — An Albuquerque man has been sentenced to nearly 3 ½ years in prison for threatening to kill a New Mexico State Police officer who gave him traffic tickets. The Albuquerque Journal reports that 66-year-old Michael Nissen received a sentence of three years and five months. He will have to serve three years of supervised release after his prison term. In August 2019, a federal court jury found Nissen guilty on two counts of using interstate communication to threaten to injure someone. According to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court, Nissen was pulled over in November 2018 by State Police on Interstate 40 in Torrance County and issued multiple citations. Nissen called State Police dispatch multiple times and made threats and weapons were later found at his home.
- Redistricting panel rejects proposed rule on private talks
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico's new redistricting committee has rejected a rule proposed by its chairman to bar or require disclosure of members' conversations with non-members about maps for new congressional and legislative districts. Retired Supreme Court Justice Edward Chavez had included the proposal in his suggested package of rules for the committee and said it would provide transparency. The Albuquerque Journal reports that the proposal was criticized by conservative activists and left-leaning community groups, and that concerns were raised about discouraging participation from people who couldn't testify at a public meeting. The commission on Friday accepted the rest of Chavez's suggested rules.
- New Mexico forest draws crowd for annual 'Rainbow Gathering'
CARSON NATIONAL FOREST, N.M. (AP) — A unique cast of characters is gathering in a remote stretch of forest in northern New Mexico. They come in search of peace, camaraderie and perhaps to smoke a little weed. There are grandmas, while-collar workers, families with children, and other young people seeking distance from authority. Some are nature lovers and carry their belongings on their back. This is the Rainbow Family. They are gathering this year in New Mexico, Pennsylvania and elsewhere for their annual July 4th celebration. It will culminate Sunday in a silent hand-holding circle punctuated by a loud "ohm." Forest Service officials are monitoring the group and have given out citations for drug possession and minor infractions.
- Navajo Nation reports 5 more COVID-19 cases, 2 more deaths
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — The Navajo Nation on Saturday reported five additional COVID-19 cases and two more deaths. A statement released by tribal officials said the additional deaths increased the tribe's pandemic death toll to 1,356. The statement did not provide an updated count of total cases among residents of the sprawling reservation that includes parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. Tribal officials did not immediately respond to a query but a statement released Friday by the tribe had said that the number of positive cases stood at 31,012.
- Hobbs settles ex-officers' suit over race-based enforcement
HOBBS, N.M. (AP) — Hobbs will pay a $1.4 million settlement to three former police officers whose whistleblower lawsuit alleged they were subjected to racist language and directed to target minority neighborhoods. KOB-TV reports that the ex-officers' 2017 lawsuit was settled Thursday in federal court in Albuquerque. City Manager Manny Gomez said the city's insurer decided to settle the case though a thorough review of records left officials "confident that minority members of our community were not targeted for police enforcement. Court records said the case was set for trial Nov. 8 until the settlement resulted from a June 3 settlement conference lasting nearly seven hours.
- Jobs seekers can nab $1,000 federal bonus in New Mexico
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Federal relief funds will be used to offer back-to-work bonuses of up to $1,000 for New Mexico residents who find a job in the coming weeks and stop receiving unemployment insurance benefits. Announced Friday, the program from New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is aimed at encouraging a return to work before federal unemployment supplements expire Sept. 4. Support payments decline gradually to $400 by late July, providing a bigger payout the sooner a job is secured. The Department of Workforce Solutions says it expects up to 15,000 people will take advantage of the program at a total cost of up to $10.1 million.