News New Mexico

White House changes Osama bin Laden account

From the Politico.com - White House Press Secretary Jay Carney Tuesday publicly revised the administration’s account of the raid that killed Osama bin Laden, telling reporters that the Al Qaeda leader wasn’t armed during the assault and didn’t use one of his wives as a shield. At a Pentagon briefing earlier Monday, a senior defense official said bin Laden used a woman as a human shield so he could fire shots. However, during a background, off-camera briefing for television reporters a senior White House official said bin Laden was not armed when he was killed, apparently by the U.S. raid team. Read more:

NM on Heightened Alert After Bin Laden Death

From therepublic.com -New Mexico is on heightened alert after the death of Osama bin Laden, but no specific threats have been made to the state, New Mexico's homeland security secretary said Monday. States were told to step up their alert status because of the uncertainty about what might occur in the wake of the al-Qaida leader's killing by U.S. forces in Pakistan, Secretary Michael Duvall said. He said residents should be more aware and report anything suspicious to local law enforcement. New Mexico's three Air Force bases and White Sands Missile Range also have heightened their security. More News New Mexico

Bin Laden Death Marks A New Day for Muslims

From kvia.com -Members of the Las Cruces Muslim community are describing their feelings cautiously. Some said they are not rejoicing the fact Osama bin Laden was killed but rather, excitement from what his death could mean for their community. "A new chance for a new start," Nabeeh Hasan said. “To bring a very looming chapter somewhat to a close, there may be some positive light to the situation but the situation wouldn't be described as jubilant, maybe more relief." Hasan said the death of bin Laden, the world’s most wanted terrorist for more than a decade, marks a new day for the Muslim community. "Hopefully the rest of the world can move beyond the last ten years of how Muslims and Islam is viewed into a new time of discovery of friendship and community," Hasan said. The death of bin Laden, Hasan said, provides a sense of hope stereotypes against Muslims will begin to diminish. More News New Mexico

NM Hires Broker to Sell State Jet

From CBS Moneywatch - New Mexico Republican Gov. Susana Martinez vowed to get rid of the state's executive jet plane, and now she will have help from a Colorado-based aviation broker with international reach. The state General Services Department announced Tuesday that it awarded a contract to Wetzel Aviation Inc. to sell the Cessna Citation Bravo. Selling the seven-seat plane has been a priority of Martinez since she took office in January. "I pledged to taxpayers that we would sell the jet and get this symbol of government excess and waste off of the state's books," the governor said in a statement. "This is an important step toward securing a customer, but the job isn't done until the jet is delivered to a new owner." More News New Mexico

Investigation Shows Teachers' Fund Greatly Overpaid Retirees

From KOAT-TV.com - A so-called computer glitch caused New Mexico’s Educational Retirement Board to overpay retiring teachers and other school employees last July and August, a Target 7 investigation uncovered. New Mexico ERB Executive Director Jan Goodwin said they don’t know how much the fund overpaid. "We’re in the process of looking at all the 764 checks that had interest in July and August,” Goodwin said. On Tuesday, Goodwin said the ERB asked for and received the overpaid money back. But on Thursday Target 7 found out that the ERB has done nothing to collect the over payments which could reach into the millions. New information released on Thursday shows that one person received $259,000 in interest alone. Read more

Nearly 2,000 city vehicles issued red light camera tickets

From KOB-TV.com - The Albuquerque City Council got its first look at a new contract for the city's red light cameras Monday evening. Details on the proposed contract are still being unveiled, but Interim City Attorney Robert Kidd has new numbers on the program's success. He says it boils down to cost. Kidd tells KOB Eyewitness News 4 that new numbers show the program is already paying for itself. Although a public records request submitted by KOB shows private citizens are not the only ones getting tickets. Between 2009 and 2010, City of Albuquerque vehicles were issued 1,822 red light camera tickets. 1,289 of them were dismissed. 459 were paid. 74 are still unpaid. Read more

Fertility study targets region's wild horses

From The Farmington Daily Times.com - By Ryan Boetel - A five-year study is under way aimed at increasing the length of time birth-control drugs work in horses. Officials say boosting the drugs' lasting power will save money and put less stress on the horses because they won't have to be rounded up and given infertility drugs as often. The Bureau of Land Management and the United States Geological Survey announced last week the start of a wild horse fertility control study at a BLM short-term holding facility in Pauls Valley, Okla. About 90 mares from wild horse herds in several states will be given a new version of the birth control drug PZP, which is administered to wild horse herds throughout the west, according to BLM spokesman Paul McGuire. The drug currently lasts about two years. Wild horses throughout the west, including about 330 wild horses in northwest New Mexico, are in danger because of overpopulation. Read more

Fate of LANL building rests in judge's hands

From the Santa Fe New Mexican.com - National security met environmental protection in a crossfire Monday, as a federal legal team wrapped up its defense on behalf of the largest construction project in New Mexico history, aside from the interstate highway system. When the hearing began Wednesday in federal court, attorneys for the Los Alamos Study Group, a nonprofit public-interest organization, presented their case for stopping all work on a $4 billion to $6 billion proposed Chemistry and Metallurgy Research Replacement Nuclear Facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory while a new environmental impact statement is prepared. Andrew Smith, a trial lawyer in the Office of the United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, representing the National Nuclear Security Administration, argued the NEPA process under way is an extension of several previous environmental studies that led to a formal record of decision in 2004 to build the nuclear facility. Read more

History conference to be held in Ruidoso

From the Alamogordo Daily News - The Historical Society of New Mexico comes to southern New Mexico for its annual meeting this year. Ruidoso will be full of history buffs attending the 2011 New Mexico History Conference that begins May 5 and ends May 8. From Otero County, David Townsend and Barbara McDonald will be panelists in a 10:30 a.m. Friday session of the conference about plans for next year's state centennial. They will also discuss Otero County's centennial plans. The conference will be at the Ruidoso Convention Center and other venues in Lincoln County. An opening reception and conference registration will be held at the Hubbard Museum on Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m. Read more

Grand jury meets May 12 in Murphy case

From NM Politics.net - By Heath Haussamen - Meanwhile, security was beefed up for a closed-door hearing held today, but officials won’t say why. A grand jury is scheduled to meet May 12 to consider indicting Third Judicial District Judge Mike Murphy on charges including bribery. Ninth Judicial District Attorney Matt Chandler, the special prosecutor assigned to the case, confirmed the date earlier today. The grand jury will meet behind closed doors on May 12 at the Third Judicial District courthouse in Las Cruces. Read more

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