- FACEBOOK DATA CENTER
New Mexico panel rejects reconsideration of Facebook billSANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico regulators have declined to reconsider their decision for the state's largest utility to bill Facebook $39 million for a new transmission line.
The state Public Regulation Commission unanimously voted Thursday to reject motions by the Public Service Company of New Mexico and two other groups asking regulators to rehear arguments.
The commission in mid-April ordered the utility to charge Facebook nearly half the cost of the $85 million transmission line to its data center in Los Lunas.
The commission said ratepayers could not be charged for the project because the line wouldn't benefit retail customers.
The utility says the transmission line upgrades its network, so it does benefit wholesale and retail customers.
The utility says it's disappointed by the decision and is reviewing options for how to proceed.
- INTERSTATE REST AREA-CLOSURE
Rest area near New Mexico-Arizona border under renovationSANDERS, Ariz. (AP) — A rest area on Interstate 40 near the Arizona-New Mexico line is closed for renovations.
The Painted Cliffs Rest Area serves traffic in both directions.
The $2.7 million project to replace a water line, septic tanks and sewer lines, and upgrade mechanical and electrical systems is expected to be complete early next year. Crews will also paint and upgrade the area to make it more accessible to those with disabilities.
The next closest rest areas on the Arizona side are in Sanders and Holbrook.
- LAWYER DISCIPLINED
New Mexico high court suspends lawyer for disregarding rulesSANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The New Mexico Supreme Court has suspended an Albuquerque attorney's law license for at least 18 months for failing to obey court rules and an initial disciplinary order.
The justices' unanimous opinion Thursday says Daniel M. Salazar flagrantly and intentionally disregarded rules on filing deadlines for appeals and a requirement that he notify clients that he'd been suspended in 2018 from practicing law for at least a year.
The ruling says it's unacceptable that Salazar left a client convicted of first-degree murder in limbo for nearly three years before filing a notice of appeal after the client was sentenced. Those notices must be filed within 30 days.
The ruling says the court hopes the latest discipline salvages Salazar's "potential and ability to practice law."
- WEEDS-TRASH-FINES
New Mexico city to fine people for excessive weeds, trash(Information from: Hobbs News-Sun, http://www.hobbsnews.com)
LOVINGTON, N.M. (AP) — A southeastern New Mexico city says it will begin fining certain residents for excessive weeds, graffiti and extra newspapers on their properties.
The Hobbs News-Sun reports the Lovington City Commission voted 4-1 this week to adopt a controversial ordinance allowing the city to levy fines of up to $500 per day for certain properties with weeds, debris and junk.
Proponents say the ordinance will require the exteriors of the properties in the economic district to be kept free of eyesores to make the city more attractive.
But some residents said the commission was overreaching and presented city leaders a petition against the ordinance.
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- STATE POLICE-SHOOTINGS
New Mexico Police say 1 injured after separate shootingsALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico State Police say officers were involved in separate Albuquerque shootings within a one-hour span, and one suspect was injured.
State Police Chief Tim Johnson said an officer fired at a stolen vehicle Thursday night after the driver fled an attempted traffic stop and led police on a pursuit before coming to a stop in southwest Albuquerque.
Johnson said the driver appears to have a gunshot wound to his right shoulder.
No officers were injured in that shooting.
Police had said suspects fled on foot.
Johnson said a suspect was captured and two others were detained.
Johnson also said an officer fired shots in a separate chase in northeast Albuquerque, and authorities are looking for those suspects.
An officer who crashed during the chase has a shoulder injury.
- FOOD AID-NEW MEXICO
Parties to welfare-eligibility lawsuit signal common goalsLAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — Plaintiffs to a lawsuit that faults the state with improperly denying certain welfare benefits to needy residents say they will take a more cooperative approach to proposed reforms with the fledgling Democratic administration of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.
Attorney Maria Griego of the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty said Thursday her advocacy group plans to work directly with state officials overseeing welfare eligibly to address shortcomings.
The Center on Law and Poverty has provided new indications that the state continued last year to deny food and medical assistance to eligible applicants by insisting they fill out unnecessary paperwork, at a federal court hearing Thursday.
Human Service Secretary David Scrase says he will strive to ensure benefits are awarded in an accurate and timely fashion to eligible residents.
- ELECTRIC RATES-PNM
Court: New Mexico regulators must reconsider utility caseALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The New Mexico Supreme Court wants utility regulators to reconsider a 2016 order that cleared the way for the state's largest electric provider to increase rates.
In a ruling Thursday, the court found that regulators violated Public Service Co. of New Mexico's due process rights by denying the utility the ability to recoup future costs related to decommissioning the Palo Verde nuclear power plant in Arizona.
The court made the determination even though it said most of the Public Regulation Commission's order was reasonable and lawful.
As part of that original order, regulators found that the utility acted imprudently in deciding to repurchase part of the nuclear plant and renew leases for its power. As a result, the commission had limited the amount of spending on Palo Verde that PNM could recoup from customers through rates.
- HELICOPTER CRASH-NEW MEXICO
NTSB: Helicopter pilot blamed himself in New Mexico crashALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A National Transportation Safety Board report says a pilot blamed himself for a fatal helicopter crash before he succumbed to his injuries.
Pilot Jamie Coleman Dodd was among five people killed in the January 2018 crash in northern New Mexico.
Zimbabwe opposition leader Roy Bennett and his wife, Heather, as well as a co-pilot and wealthy businessman also were killed. The crash's sole survivor was the businessman's girlfriend and co-pilot's daughter.
Federal investigators wrote in their report Thursday that the pilot told a witness as he was placed in a rescue helicopter that he had crashed his aircraft into terrain near Raton and that the accident was his fault.
The report did not identify Dodd by name. New Mexico authorities have said previously that he was the lead pilot.