- REMOVING REACTORS
Risks, rewards accompany speedier cleanup of closed nukesPLYMOUTH, Mass. (AP) — Federal regulators are reviewing plans to sell retiring nuclear reactors to a nuclear waste management company for accelerated decommissioning.
Holtec International says it could finish cleanup and demolition of the plants in eight years, rather than 60-year plans offered by their current owners.
Entergy Corp.'s Pilgrim nuclear plant in Plymouth, Massachusetts, is scheduled to close next week. The other facilities in Michigan, New Jersey and New York have either closed or are expected to in the next few years.
State officials, environmental groups and nuclear watchdogs say they support faster decommissioning but have raised concerns whether Holtec has the financial resources and experience to pull off the jobs.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission must approve the proposed sales. Those decisions are expected in the coming weeks and months.
- IMMIGRATION-NEW MEXICO
Republicans say New Mexico should re-deploy border troopsSANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A dozen Republican state legislators want Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to reverse course and deploy more National Guard troops to the border with Mexico.
GOP House lawmakers including minority leader James Townsend of Artesia provided a letter Monday to the governor's office that urges Lujan Grisham to deploy more state National Guard troops to border communities.
Lujan Grisham has challenged President Trump's description of a security crisis on the border and withdrawn all but a dozen national guardsmen who continue to address humanitarian needs in a remote corridor for border-crossing immigration.
The Republican lawmakers are citing emergency declarations by Otero County over reduced staffing at Border Patrol checkpoints and the city of Deming's complaints about the strain of sheltering asylum seekers who are released by federal immigration authorities.
- CARLSBAD POLICE-SHOOTING PROBE
New Mexico State Police investigate Carlsbad police shootingCARLSBAD, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico State Police say they have been asked to investigate a fatal shooting involving Carlsbad police.
They say Carlsbad police officers conducted a welfare check on a woman Sunday.
When they arrived at the residence, they say 47-year-old Lori Markham of Carlsbad armed herself with a semi-automatic pistol.
Officers retreated for their safety and waited for a SWAT team to arrive.
Police tried to negotiate with Markham as she walked in and out of the residence armed with the pistol.
At some point during negotiations, Markham allegedly pointed the pistol at the police officers and they opened fire.
Markham was shot and taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
- COLORADO RIVER DROUGHT PLAN
Hoover Dam ceremony marks Colorado River drought planBOULDER CITY, Nev. (AP) — Federal, state and tribal water managers are marking completion of a long-negotiated plan for 40 million people and vast irrigated farms to share crucial Colorado River water despite ongoing drought in the arid U.S. Southwest.
Interior Department official Tim Petty, Bureau of Reclamation chief Brenda Burman and representatives from seven states met Monday at Hoover Dam to commemorate an agreement spurred by nearly 20 years of drought and shrinking reservoirs.
President Donald Trump signed the so-called "drought contingency plan" last month.
Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and Mexico are affected.
The agreement aims to keep the key Lake Mead and Lake Powell reservoirs from getting so low they can't produce hydropower or deliver water for cities including Los Angeles, San Diego, Denver, Phoenix and Las Vegas.
- GUN CONTROL-NEW MEXICO
Gun-control group: New Mexico sheriffs' emails show NRA helpALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A nonprofit that pushes for gun control laws nationwide says emails obtained through public records requests show New Mexico sheriffs received extensive help from the National Rifle Association in their stance against state gun-control legislation.
Brady, a Washington, D.C.-based organization, included excerpts from the emails in a report Monday, saying NRA representatives penned op-ed drafts for the sheriffs and used the New Mexico Sheriffs Association to advance its agenda.
Brady requested the emails from sheriffs under the state records act after more than two dozen of them declared they would not enforce gun-control laws approved by the Legislature this year.
Cibola County Sheriff Tony Mace, the president of the sheriffs association, says a lobbyist for the NRA assisted his association with legislative testimony, but did not direct it to take specific actions.
- NEW MEXICO-ACCIDENT BILLS
New Mexico mayor's plan would charge for emergency costs(Information from: Albuquerque Journal, http://www.abqjournal.com)
ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (AP) — A New Mexico mayor has proposed billing some drivers who are involved in car accidents resulting in hazardous material cleanup or victim extractions.
The Albuquerque Journal reported Saturday that Mayor Tim Keller's budget proposal for fiscal year 2020 includes a new "cost recovery" measure for Albuquerque Fire Rescue.
The proposed update of the fire code ordinance would allow the city to bill the responsible party's insurance company. Those without insurance could be billed directly.
Fees would range from $400 for hazard mitigation and cleanup to $1,305 for the use of special tools and equipment to remove victims from vehicles.
Officials say the department could also bill $400 per hour for additional time at accident scenes.
Critics say the proposal amounts to a charge for municipal services already funded by taxes.
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- HEMP GRANTS-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico negotiates job-training grant with Hemp companySANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — State economic development officials are pledging $2.6 million in grants to help with infrastructure and job training costs for a new hemp production and research venture at greenhouses in Las Cruces.
New Mexico's Economic Development Department announced Monday that Rich Global Hemp has been given tentative approval for a $1.2 million infrastructure grant and $1.4 million in job-training subsidies.
In a news release, Economic Development Secretary Alicia Keyes says the infrastructure-related grant is expected to help add 180 local jobs.
The hemp venture is led by Joshua Rich. The state says that Rich has been a partner in hemp and cannabis growing businesses in California, Nevada and Oregon and previously worked a liaison between physicians and medical marijuana patients.
Hemp was legalized by the federal government last year.
- GOVERNOR-CABINET RAISES
New Mexico governor Oks pay raises for Cabinet secretaries(Information from: Albuquerque Journal, http://www.abqjournal.com)
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico's governor is bumping up the salaries of all her administration heads.
The Albuquerque Journal reports that Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham approved a 17% salary increase for all Cabinet secretaries.
The raises, which took effect earlier this month, bring the secretaries' annual pay from $128,000 to $150,000.
Lujan Grisham spokesman Tripp Stelnicki says the raises will help the state compete with the private sector in getting the best candidates.
Some Republican state lawmakers say the wage increases don't send the right message to rank-and-file employees who earn less.
But other GOP legislators acknowledged that school superintendents, county managers and other municipal workers make in excess of $150,000.
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