A Public Service of Santa Fe Community College
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Feb. 4 First News: House Education Committee Okays Bill Ending 'Social Promotion' (Listen)

The House Education Committee has voted to keep children from moving into the fourth grade if they're not proficient readers. The Education panel on Tuesday approved 7-6 along party lines the promotion and retention legislation backed by Republican Governor Susana Martinez.. The bill by Albuquerque Rep. Monica Youngblood calls for retaining third-graders who are not reading proficiently and giving them intensive remediation. *****020415-Youngblood-1 :34***** Youngblood’s bill says kindergartners through second-graders may also be held back if struggling with reading. But Joyce Lindauer, the principal at Dulce Elementary School, read from a letter written by Dulce Schools Superintendent Tom Savage: *****020415-Lindauer-1 :17***** The letter also mentioned cultural differences in testing can magnify invalid results. Despite such testimony, seven Republicans on the panel supported the measure. But Governor Martinez's plan to end social promotion faces opposition from Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez, who says student retention should be based on teachers' assessments, not reading test scores. The bill now heads to a full vote in the House of Representatives

Low voter turnout is nothing new for Santa Fe school elections, and Tuesday’s combined Santa Fe Public Schools and Santa Fe Community College Board races was no exception, attracting only just over five-percent of eligible voters. Winning approval were a one-point-five mill property tax levy and unopposed incumbents Steve Carrillo and Linda Trujillo. In District two—the only contested school board race-- Maureen Cashmon defeated Peter Mitchell, 561 to 405. In Santa Fe Community College Board races, Jack Sullivan defeated Xubi Wilson and will join unopposed incumbents Linda Siegle and Pablo Sedillo Senior on the SFCC governing board.

A homeless man charged with attempted murder for shooting at an Albuquerque police officer has been confronted by the injured lawman. KRQE-TV reports that Officer Lou Golson told a judge Monday that 36-year-old Christopher Cook ambushed him for no reason during a suspected drunken driving traffic stop last month. Golson appeared in court in a wheelchair and said it might take him a year to recover from gunshot wounds. He says he has two still-open bullet wounds and a broken femur. Footage from Golson's lapel camera shows a man opening the vehicle's door and firing several shots at the officer. Golson was hit four times and fell to the ground before returning fire. Cook, who previously pleaded not guilty to similar charges, is being held on a $500,000 cash or surety bond.

A New Mexico Senate panel is set to debate a measure that could ban coyote-hunting competitions. The Senate Conservation Committee is scheduled Tuesday to discuss outlawing coyote-killing contests after a number of recent competitions draw anger from animal rights advocates. The bipartisan measure would make the contests illegal in the state but not prevent landowners from hunting the predators on their property. In October, a southeastern New Mexico gun shop drew criticism for hosting a coyote-hunting competition. It was one of many gun shops that have hosted similar events where winners receive prizes like firearms.The bill would not outlaw hunting contests of other unprotected species.

The New Mexico House of Representatives unanimously approved legislation that requires cellphone and pager companies to issue Amber Alerts to their customers. Republican Sarah Maestas Barnes of Albuquerque is the sponsor of the bill. She says everything must be done to bring missing children home safely. Maestas Barnes says expanding the system to ensure Amber Alerts reach all New Mexicans with cellphones is critical and will save lives. The legislation now moves to the Senate for consideration. If approved, the expanded alerts will come at no charge to customers. The system is designed to alert people about a missing or abducted child. Supporters credit the program with finding and saving nearly 500 children nationwide since 2002.

A Santa Fe-based National Guard unit is preparing to deploy to the Middle East. C Company of the 171st Aviation Regiment's 1st Battalion heads first to Fort Hood, Texas, for about a month of additional training before it deploys to Kuwait for a year. The company flies Blackhawk helicopters to perform medical evacuations. It last deployed in 2011-2012, completing more than 1,400 missions in Afghanistan.

Eastern New Mexico University students are facing a tuition increase this fall. The Portales News-Tribune reports that the ENMU's board of regents approved a 6.5 percent increase in tuition and fees. School officials say the increase translates to a $155 per semester rise for undergraduates and a $170 increase for graduate students.

Santa Fe Weather: Mostly sunny through tomorrow…today’s high 48, it’ll warm to 54 on Thursday. Tonight expect partly cloudy skies and the overnight low 26.