Governor Susana Martinez has signed a bill making it a crime to distribute sensitive images of a person in an effort to harass or injure that person. Santa Fe State Representative Brian Egolf sponsored the so-called “revenge porn” bill. Under the new law, posting intimate photos or videos on the internet or disseminating such images electronically or otherwise will be a crime. With Martinez's signature, New Mexico joins at least 16 states that have enacted similar laws in the past 10 years. Under the law, sensitive images are defined as those of a person whose genitals are exposed or images depicting certain areas of a woman's breast. Once the law takes effect July 1st, the first conviction will be a misdemeanor. Subsequent convictions would constitute a fourth-degree felony.
Meantime, Governor Martinez has signed legislation that supporters say will help address New Mexico's shortage of nurses. The measure—sponsored by Las Vegas Democratic Senator Pete Campos—passed both chambers on unanimous votes during the recent 60-day legislative session. The legislation expands the pool of people eligible to receive financial aid from the state's nurse educators’ fund. It's aimed at those who pursue advanced nursing degrees to teach the next generation of nurses at public colleges and universities. The state Higher Education Department spent nearly 145-thousand dollars on the nurse loan-for-service program last year. At the time, only faculty members were eligible to receive aid. Lawmakers have called for spending 850-thousand in general funds on the program next year.
Trial has been postponed for a Tennessee woman accused of child abuse and fleeing from a law- enforcement officer in New Mexico. A district judge in Taos granted a request Monday by the lawyer for Oriana Farrell to postpone her trial, which had been scheduled to start April 27.
After being stopped for speeding near Taos in October 2013, Farrell allegedly twice fled from New Mexico State Police. A police officer fired shots at the Memphis woman's van that was carrying five children, but nobody was injured. The officer says he was aiming at the minivan's tires and didn't know there were children in the vehicle. He later resigned from the police force. Farrell, who is 40, has pleaded not guilty to the charges, which also include possession of drug paraphernalia.
Taos Town Manager Rick Bellis says his community needs to look beyond tourism and focus on developing retail businesses to boost its economy. Bellis telling KSFR’s Melody Romancito: *****040715-Bellis-2 :30***** Bellis says Taos needs businesses that produce locally and distribute elsewhere. He made the comments as Taos welcomed Rene Roberts as its new director of marketing and tourism.
The State Auditor is investigating the McKinley County Sheriff's Office following tips about the alleged misuse of drunken driving prevention funds. The auditor's office announced Monday it's reviewing allegations of financial irregularities by the County’s previous sheriff. Investigators are looking at a time period between 2010 and 2014. The auditor's office says current county officials are cooperating with the investigation, which was triggered by calls to a fraud hotline. McKinley County Attorney Doug Decker was out of the office Monday and unavailable for comment. Auditor spokeswoman Justine Freeman says the investigation is ongoing and she couldn't speak to the details of the case or whether any charges might result. She says a final report is expected before the end of June.
These are “Nano-Days” at the Bradbury Science Museum in Los Alamos. “Nano-Days” are an activity involving some 60 some museums, zoos and universities across the nation discussing nano-scale science—or small science. How small? On the scale on a billionth of a meter. That word from Gordon McDonough, one of two educators at the Bradbury Museum. *****040715-McDonough-2 :29***** McDonough says the museum is open from 10am til 5pm through Saturday.
Santa Fe Weather: Sunny today with the high reaching 66 this afternoon. Tonight: Mostly clear with the overnight low 40. Tomorrow: Sunny and becoming windy…the high 64 with wind gusts as high as 40 miles an hour in the afternoon.