News

New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez is asking local governments to restrict fireworks because of dry conditions and the risk of wildfires.

Martinez urged city and county leaders in a letter Tuesday to take quick action.

Under state law, local governments must approve drought-based fireworks restrictions at least 20 days before the July Fourth holiday that allows the sale of fireworks.

Cities and counties can ban the sale and use of certain fireworks — firecrackers and aerial fireworks, such as roman candles and bottle rockets.

American Indian leaders from across the U.S. are pointing to both federal and tribal politics and bureaucracy as some of the reasons energy development has been so difficult in Indian Country.

They're meeting in Albuquerque this week to talk about overcoming hurdles and developing natural resources, from oil and natural gas to renewable sources.

Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly says his tribe is working on modernizing its energy and environmental codes to better position the tribe for new development opportunities.

JUN 11 – (MIAMI) – Today DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Mark R.

Gov. Rick Perry has added proposed legislation tightening abortion regulation and a mandatory life sentence for murders committed by 17 year olds to the agenda of Texas' special legislative session.

With barely 15 days to go, the governor's office said Tuesday it had filed paperwork adding legislation regulating abortion, abortion providers and facilities to lawmakers' workload.

The governor also would like the Legislature to consider establishing a mandatory life prison sentence with the possibility of parole for a capitol felony committed by a 17-year-old.

A New Mexico county has paid $125,000 in attorney fees to a weekly newspaper for violating open records laws in a lawsuit over Billy the Kid's death.

The De Baca County News attorney says the settlement agreement represents only the payment from Lincoln County to the newspapers, which sued along with East Mountain resident Gale Cooper in 2007.

The lawsuit sought documents relating to an investigation into Billy the Kid's death and whether he was buried in Fort Sumner.

Utility crews are working to restore power to thousands of customers in northeast Albuquerque after wind blew over multiple power poles, including six in one area.

PNM says power was restored by Tuesday morning to most of the more than 10,000 customers affected by the Monday evening outage.

The Bernalillo County jail lost power and had to use generator power. The jail was placed on lockdown.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

Texans still recovering from the devastating 2011 drought have an online tool for information on water supplies and disaster assistance.

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples on Tuesday announced the one-stop portal called "The Water Source."

Staples says the site combines drought information from various agencies and provides the basics of Texas water policy. Details are also available on reservoir levels and statewide drought conditions.

Experts have said the historic drought cost the state at least $7.6 billion in agricultural losses.

___

SILVER CITY, NM. – The 6,700 acre Silver Fire has transitioned from a local Type III organization to the Northern Arizona Type II Incident Management Team (IMT) led by Incident Commander Matt Reidy.  The fire is 6 miles west of Kingston, NM.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced that it has met the goal to hire 1,600 new mental health professionals outlined in President Obama’s August 31, 2012, Executive Order to Improve Access to Mental Health Services for Veterans, Service Members, and Military Families.  The New Mexico VA Health Care System (NMVAHCS) has hired 14 new mental health professionals toward this goal.

For Immediate Release        June 11, 2013

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT

ON IMMIGRATION REFORM

East Room

10:38 A.M. EDT

         The Doña Ana County Board of Commissioners is accepting applications and reviewing resumes of people interested in serving on two open seats on the Doña Ana County Investment Advisory Committee. 

An independent political subdivision in New Mexico has ordered the state Livestock Board to immediately remove all the free-roaming horses from a mountain hamlet.

The Albuquerque Journal reports that the Coronado Soil and Water Conservation District agency issued the order Monday to prevent damage to the land and to ensure public safety in Placitas, N.M.

Coronado is tasked with protecting the environment. Its district covers an area stretching from Sandia Pueblo to the south, Santa Ana to the west, Cochiti to the north and the Santa Fe County line to the east.

Crews are battling a new wildfire in the Pecos Wilderness north of Santa Fe.

The blaze started Monday afternoon and quickly burned more than 300 acres, fueled by mixed conifer and dead and dying trees. It was expected to grow to 1,000 acres overnight.

The blaze, started by lighting, is burning in remote wilderness along the Santa Fe-Mora County line. Officials say no structures are threatened.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

A New Mexico burglary suspect is facing additional charges after Roswell police say he slipped out of his handcuffs and tried to make a getaway using a small girl's bicycle.

KRQE-TV reports that 32-year-old Manuel Munoz was initially arrested last week during a suspected burglary at a storage building.

According to police, officers found Munoz hiding under a desk.

Police say Munoz then managed to get out of his handcuffs and run from police. That's when police say he found the tiny girl's bike and attempted his escape.

He was eventually caught again.

Royalties from leases and oil and natural gas production on New Mexico trust land netted nearly $48 million in revenue in May.

The revenue coming into the State Land Office each month supports public schools, universities and hospitals.

New Mexico Land Commissioner Ray Powell says the goal is to create jobs while protecting the state's working lands.

In May, more than $42 million went to public schools alone. Special schools, such as the School for the Blind and Visually Impaired in Alamogordo and the School for the Deaf in Santa Fe, received nearly $2.3 million.