- Border agency chief faces challenges from within and outside
YUMA, Ariz. (AP) — Chris Magnus has many challenges to overcome in his new role as commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Among them are agent discontent, allegations of migrant mistreatment, a failure to recruit more women and an asylum system that many view as broken. In an interview with The Associated Press, Magnus acknowledged morale problems within the nation's largest law enforcement agency but offered no quick answers to the heavy migration flow to the U.S., which attracts more asylum seekers than any other country. Magnus might seem like an unconventional pick. As police chief in Tucson, Arizona, he rejected federal grants to collaborate on border security with the agency he now leads and kept a distance from Border Patrol leaders.
- New Mexico governor lifts state's indoor mask mandate
Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has lifted the state's mask mandate for indoor public spaces. She made the surprise announcement at a news conference Thursday that followed the end of the 30-day legislative session. She cited reduced COVID-19 risk. Washington's governor also announced that state's mandate would be lifted for most places. Until now, New Mexico and Hawaii were the only states that had yet to set a date for lifting their mandates. While cases in New Mexico have been declining, state health officials said masks will still be required in hospitals and other congregate care settings such as nursing homes.
- Solar project delays create hurdles for New Mexico utility
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A utility in sun-drenched New Mexico is struggling to get enough solar-generated electricity as it prepares to shut down a coal-fired power plant amid supply chain disruptions. Utility executives say they have a plan to ensure adequate supplies to feed air conditioners and avoid rolling blackouts during peak demands this summer. If approved by regulators, one unit at the San Juan Generating Station slated to close in June would be kept running through September. Despite more pressure to reduce carbon emissions and tackle climate change, experts say many solar projects around the world risk delays or cancellation due to rising material and shipping costs.
- New Mexico lawmakers OK crime bill, $500M in tax rebates
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico legislators have approved about $500 million in tax rebates and a broad suite of crime-fighting initiatives in the closing hours of their 30-day legislative session. The initiatives won legislative approval Thursday as the state grapples with the economic whiplash of the coronavirus pandemic and concerns about a surge in violent crime in Albuquerque and elsewhere in the state. Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham called for financial relief and a big response to crime as she campaigns for reelection in November. An initiative to expand voting access was thwarted by Republicans in the legislative minority. The Democratic-led Legislature also approved a record-setting $1 billion annual budget increase.
- Appeals court: Cowboys for Trump is a political committee
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A federal appeals court has turned away a constitutional challenge by the support group Cowboys for Trump and co-founder Couy Griffin to New Mexico election laws and registration requirements for political groups. The Denver-based U.S. 10th District Court of Appeals declined to reverse a lower court ruling that upheld state registration requirements for Cowboys for Trump as a political organization. Griffin filed a district court lawsuit in 2020 amid mounting pressure on the Cowboys for Trump to register as a political committee in New Mexico and possibly disclose information on expenditures and contributions.
- Report says new nuclear reactor is risky; utilities disagree
A report released Thursday says a new type of nuclear reactor that would provide carbon-free energy to at least four states in the Western U.S. poses financial risks for utilities and their ratepayers. It was immediately criticized as misinformed by the project's owner and the company developing the reactor. The report by the Ohio-based Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis said the small modular nuclear reactor being developed by NuScale Power is "too expensive, too risky and too uncertain." The NuScale design is the only small-scale reactor to win safety approval so far from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
- National Guard deploys for new emergency: Teacher shortages
ALAMOGORDO, N.M. (AP) — Dozens of National Guard Army and Air Force troops in New Mexico have been stepping in to fill a shortage of teachers in schools. It's the only state in the U.S. calling on its national guard soldiers to put down mission briefs and pick up lesson plans. Roughly 80 service members have volunteered to work in schools. New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham says it's a temporary measure as state officials work to bolster the number of teachers and school staff. The soldiers have gone through background checks and taken brief courses required for substitute teachers before entering the classrooms.
- Santa Fe Police release video of lawmaker's DWI arrest
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Video released by police Wednesday shows new details of the drunk driving arrest of a prominent Democratic lawmaker. The video of Albuquerque Rep. Georgene Louis' traffic stop for suspected speeding shows that she told an officer she was a legislator during a conversation about her drinking Sunday night. The video shows her admitting to drinking vodka sodas, and the officer saying her eyes look watery. That's when she tells him that she's tired because she is a legislator. The video shows her pulling out a credential that shows she's a member of the state House. It shows her being arrested after a sobriety test.