Governor Susana Martinez has called for a review of security policies at all the New Mexico National Guard recruiting sites and armories as a response to last week's deadly shootings at two Tennessee military facilities. The Albuquerque Journal reports that a governor spokesman says Brigadier General Andrew Salas will oversee the review and make recommendations about possible policy changes and security measures. The Republican governor has yet to authorize members of the National Guard to carry weapons while on duty. Seven other GOP governors have called for such security in the days following the Chattanooga, Tennessee attacks that left four Marines and one sailor dead. The New Mexico National Guard maintains five different offices around the state and 27 "readiness centers," including training sites and armories.
New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas says state regulators have turned down his request to study the costs and benefits of renewable energy within the state. Balderas made the request last month, asking the Public Regulation Commission to investigate the value of distributed generation systems, such as rooftop solar. He says the state's current electricity- system is dysfunctional and that reforms should ensure renewable energy is an affordable option. PRC Chairwoman Karen Montoya says the request to look into distributed generation was prompted by a rate proposal floated by New Mexico's largest electric utility, PNM. Now that the rate case has been rejected, Montoya says the PRC decided to table the study. The attorney general's office argues that distributed generation is a statewide issue and needs to be studied.
Prosecutors have filed seven more criminal charges against a Navajo Nation lawmaker in an investigation of a now-defunct discretionary fund. Mel Begay faces 16 charges in tribal court, including conspiracy to commit fraud, conflict of interest, and permitting a false voucher. Criminal complaints allege that Begay illegally authorized payments to his children. Those include $1,800 for a school band trip that already was funded and more than $800 in costs for summer school tuition that didn't exist. Regardless, tribal law prohibits nepotism. Prosecutors say Begay and his children never disclosed their relationship. Begay's arraignment is scheduled Aug. 10. He has said the charges are unwarranted. Criminal charges or ethics violations have been filed against nearly 30 others in the investigation, alleging misuse of more than $1.1 million.
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A former lobbyist with three DWI arrests is under contract with the University of New Mexico's Health Sciences Center. The Albuquerque Journal reports a third DWI arrest and pressure from university officials prompted Marc Saavedra to resign in September of last year from directing the government and community affairs department, a job that came with $156,000 in annual salary. Following his second arrest for DWI in 2006, Saavedra signed an agreement with the university that said he could be fired if another incident occurred. A statement from the university's health sciences center says the department is aware of Saavedra's past legal troubles and that he's been rehabilitated. UNM President Bob Frank said the million-dollar question is whether Saavedra is ready to be back. Saavedra is the son of former state Rep. Henry "Kiki" Saavedra.
Santa Fe Weather: Mostly sunny both today and tomorrow with daytime highs in the upper-80s and a 20-percent chance for showers and thunderstorms. It’ll be mostly cloudy tonight with a slight chance for showers and thunderstorms before midnight and the overnight low dipping to 59.