- TRIBAL ARTIFACTS
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico Democrats are making a renewed push in Congress to ban collectors and vendors from exporting Native American ceremonial items.Sen Martin Heinrich, U.S. Reps. Ben Ray Lujan and Deb Haaland, and others intend to reintroduce legislation Thursday that also would increase penalties for trafficking objects that tribes hold sacred.
The legislation follows a similar proposal from Heinrich in 2016.
It aimed to address what senators described as a loophole in federal law that officials say hampered efforts to have a Paris auction house return a ceremonial shield to Acoma Pueblo.
Lawmakers say U.S. law prohibits the trafficking of certain items domestically but does not explicitly ban dealers from exporting them.
- GAMBLING DOLDRUMS-NEW MEXICO
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — An analysis of tribal casino revenues and taxes from racetrack gambling in New Mexico suggests the local industry may be static or contracting.A written brief from the state's legislative watchdog agency shows a 10% decline from 2012-2018 in annual revenues that are shared by tribal casinos with the state. State tax income from gambling at racetrack casinos declined by 3% for the period.
Officials at the state Gaming Control Board declined immediate comment Thursday on the statistics.
More recently, three tribal casinos have initiated or announced sportsbooks for wagering on sporting events after the U.S. Supreme Court last year lifted the ban that restricted sports betting outside of Nevada.
New Mexico has 24 tribal casinos that share revenues with the state under a compact renegotiated in 2015.
- DRUNK BUS DRIVER-SENTENCING
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A 49-year-old New Mexican man who drove a school bus carrying 25 students while under the influence of alcohol has been sentenced to 1½ years in federal prison.Duane Aaron Skeet of Chichiltah (chi-CHIL'-tah) was sentenced Wednesday in federal court in Albuquerque on his March guilty plea to felony child abuse.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for New Mexico said Skeet endangered the lives and health of 25 Navajo Nation children on Sept. 24, 2018 by consuming alcohol before arriving for work as a Bureau of Indian Education employee at a school on the tribe's reservation.
The office said the students ages 5-12 weren't injured despite being thrown back and forth inside the bus as it swerved, nearly went off the road and almost flipped while making a sharp turn.
- LOS ALAMOS LAB-ECONOMY
LOS ALAMOS, N.M. (AP) — Los Alamos National Laboratory supports more than 24,000 direct and indirect jobs and infuses more than $3 billion a year into New Mexico's economy through federal funding and spending by employees and vendors.The lab on Thursday released the findings of an economic impact report prepared by the University of New Mexico Bureau of Business and Economic Research.
Lab Director Thom Mason says the report underlines Los Alamos' role as a major employer that has created good paying high-tech jobs. He also says the lab's need for goods and services from local businesses results in a ripple effect for the economy.
The analysis looked at payroll, procurement and spending data for the last three federal fiscal years.
The birthplace of the atomic bomb, Los Alamos is one of the nation's premier nuclear labs.
- FATHER KILLED-APPEAL DENIED
SANA FE, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico Supreme Court ruling Thursday denies a Socorro man's appeal of a lower court's order that he be detained for life in a mental health facility for the pickax killing of his father.Manuel Baca was charged with murder in the 2016 killing of 67-year-old Fidel Baca Sr. but a judge ruled the son was dangerous and not competent to stand trial. The judge then ordered him detained by the state Health Department.
The Supreme Court said the appeal acknowledged that Manuel Baca killed his father but contended a "delusional frenzy" meant he couldn't form specific intent to commit murder.
However, the justices said premeditated intent could be discerned from circumstances, including the son's incriminating statements and multiple injuries suggesting the father died after a "prolonged, sustained attack."
- CLIMATE PLAN-NEW YORK
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York state has adopted the nation's most aggressive targets for reducing carbon emissions.Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed legislation Thursday mandating 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040. The measure would also require greenhouse gas emissions be cut by 85% below 1990 levels by 2050.
Five other states already have policies calling for the transition to 100% renewable energy, but New York's plan would get there first.
Former Vice President Al Gore joined Cuomo at the bill signing in New York City.
Cuomo, a Democrat, announced that work will begin in 2022 for two large offshore wind farms that will generate power for Long Island and New York City. Cuomo says the two farms will have a combined capacity of 1,700 megawatts, enough to power 1 million homes.
- INMATE ATTACK
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — Officials say two guards were taken to a hospital after they were attacked by inmates at a New Mexico prison.The Las Cruces Sun-News reports the Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility in Las Cruces was placed on lockdown Tuesday evening.
The state Corrections Department's constituent services liaison, Ricardo Montoya, says multiple inmates were involved in the attack on the guards.
New Mexico State Police is investigating the attack.
- COURT CONSOLIDATIONS-NEW MEXICO
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico is consolidating administration of most magistrate and district courts across the state.The state Administrative Office of the Courts said the reorganization means the office no longer will manage the dozens of magistrate courts statewide and that those courts' hiring and staffing decisions instead will be instead by overseen locally by judicial districts that already administer district courts.
Officials say the transition allows sharing of employees and jury pools and was completed with the new fiscal year's July 1 start.
It applies statewide except Bernalillo County. The Metropolitan Court and District Court systems for the Albuquerque area will continue to be administered separately.
The Administrative Office of the Courts will continue to conduct oversight and support functions for magistrate courts, such as audits and building leases.