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April 16 First News: Santa Fe County DWI Fatalities Drop (Listen)

Santa Fe County is reporting fewer alcohol-related auto fatalities. Peter Olson is Santa Fe County’s DWI Prevention Specialist. *****041614-Olson-1 :27 ***** The County has employed a multi-faceted approach combating drunken driving, combining increased law enforcement, early education and public information on an annual budget of close to one-million dollars, funded through liquor excise taxes. Olson also credits the public’s attitudinal shift about DWI over the past decade for the County’s improved statistics.

Half of the people serving on a City of Albuquerque civilian board charged with reviewing complaints against police and officer-involved shootings in the Duke City have resigned. Richard Shine, Jonathan Siegel and Jennifer Barela sent their resignation letters to Mayor Richard Berry on Tuesday, saying they found it impossible to effect change within the embattled department. APD’s civilian oversight process was slammed by the U.S. Department of Justice in its recent report, which found that APD violated residents’ constitutional rights through the use of force.

We now know who Rio Rancho’s new mayor will be. It’s Gregg Hull, who easily defeated Mike Williams in Tuesday’s run-off election in New Mexico’s third-largest city, Hull taking 65-percent of the vote. Hull succeeds Tom Swisstack as Rio Rancho’s Mayor. Swisstack opted not to seek re-election. Tuesday’s run-off was required because none of the four candidates seeking the mayor’s seat received 50-percent of the vote during the city’s March municipal elections.

Sandoval County crews rescued a 12-year-old hiker who fell off a cliff in the Jemez Mountains Tuesday morning. The County Sheriff's Office says the boy was hiking with his father and friends about 20 miles north of San Ysidro. The kids got separated from the adult and the boy fell off a 30-foot cliff. KOB-TV reports paramedics located the youth and moved him slowly to safety due to the nature of his injuries. A medical helicopter transported the boy to UNM Hospital on Tuesday afternoon. The Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office says the youth is listed in stable condition.

Governor Susana Martinez has announced four new proposed locations for local veteran’s cemeteries in rural New Mexico. The Governor’s plan is for new cemeteries to be established in Angel Fire, Carlsbad, Fort Stanton, and Gallup. Funding for the recommendation of the sites came from the State Legislature. If the proposed final resting places for New Mexico’s veterans receive federal approval for construction, the cemeteries will be managed and maintained by the State Department of Veterans Services. Currently, New Mexico’s veteran population is served by the Fort Bayard and Santa Fe National Cemeteries

Santa Fe Weather: Mostly sunny today, with a high near 64. Tonight-Mostly cloudy with a slight chance for isolated showers and low down to 36. Tomorrow: Mostly sunny, with a high near 62.