MARIJUANA-TRIBAL LANDS
- SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Two tribal communities are ensuring they'll be free from federal interference if they take part in New Mexico's marijuana market launching in April. The state has assured the Picuris and Pojoaque pueblos that federal law enforcement won't interfere with the industry on tribal lands. The agreements with state cannabis regulators on Friday outline cooperative oversight of cannabis production and sales in Indian Country. The pacts respond to uncertainty about U.S. drug enforcement priorities on reservations after a raid on a household marijuana garden at Picuris Pueblo last year. Across the U.S., tribal cannabis enterprises have taken a variety of approaches as they straddle jurisdictional issues.
LAWMAKER HOME SWAT
- ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Albuquerque police say they've apprehended a man after an hours-long standoff at the home of his aunt, a former lawmaker. Police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos says David Hendrickson is under arrest after police used a police dog to apprehend him. A spokesman for retired lawmaker Cheryl Williams Stapleton says Hendrickson is her nephew and showed up at her house Friday in a mental health crisis. He was on pretrial release with an ankle monitor. Williams Stapleton was a powerful Democratic representative but resigned last year to defend herself against corruption charges stemming from work as an Albuquerque Public Schools administrator.
CHACO-OIL AND GAS
- ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Land managers are extending the comment period on a proposal that would prohibit oil and gas development on federal land surrounding a national park in New Mexico that Native American tribes consider culturally significant. The Bureau of Land Management made the announcement Friday, saying the deadline for comments is being pushed back to May 6. Two more public meetings also have been scheduled. U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland has proposed withdrawing nearly 550 square miles of federal land holdings within 10 miles of Chaco Culture National Historical Park, making the area off-limits to oil and gas leasing for 20 years.
NEW MEXICO ENERGY FUTURE
- ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The upcoming closure of one of the few remaining coal-fired power plants in the southwestern U.S. has generated a feud over financing and customer electricity rates. Environmentalists and consumer advocates argue in regulatory filings made this week that Public Service Co. of New Mexico plans to continue collecting from customers the costs of running the San Juan Generating Station after it closes. That could amount to as much as $125 million. Utility officials on Friday denied any plans to double dip. They say whatever is collected will be used as credit when rates are reconsidered next year as part of a lengthy process before the state Public Regulation Commission.
AIR FORCE MOVE-NEW MEXICO
- ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A member of New Mexico's congressional delegation announced Friday that Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque will be the new location for training pilots and other crew members to operate a type of large attack planes flown by the Air Force Special Operations Command, Sen. Martin Heinrich said the establishment of the AC-130J training mission at Kirtland will involve up to 372 full-time Air Force personnel plus additional contract and maintenance support jobs. Heinrich's statement said seven AC-130Js will be assigned to Kirtland for the training mission, which an Air Force report released by Heinrich's office said is part of a relocation from Hurlburt Field, an Air Force installation in Florida.
BANDELIER-FALL DEATH
- LOS ALAMOS, N.M. (AP) — Officials are assessing the area of Bandelier National Monument in northern New Mexico where an Illinois woman was killed when struck by a falling rock while climbing a ladder to reach a canyon alcove. Monument officials said 54-year-old Brenda Holzer of Yorkville was fatally injured Wednesday while climbing the second of four ladders to reach the Alcove House. A Bandelier spokesperson said here was no evidence the falling rock was caused by another person and that the Alcove House hadn't experienced a similar incident in recent history. The spokesperson said officials were "assessing and investigating the entire Alcove House area.""
BC-NM-SANTA FE POLICE OFFICER KILLED-TRIAL
- SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A judge says prosecutors presented enough evidence to pursue murder charges in a criminal trial against a New Mexico woman accused of causing a car crash that killed a police officer and a retired firefighter. Jeannine Jaramillo had a preliminary hearing Thursday before Santa Fe District Court Judge Mary Marlow Sommer. The 46-year-old Jaramillo is facing two counts of first-degree murder along with other charges in the March 2 wrong-way crash after a police pursuit on Interstate 25. She originally was thought to be a victim in the multi-vehicle crash, but later was accused of causing the deadly wreck and lying to police about what happened. According to authorities, Jaramillo initially told authorities that she been carjacked at knifepoint.