Saying New Mexico’s weak child pornography law is attracting offenders to New Mexico, Attorney General Hector Balderas has announced plans to try to toughen the laws in the upcoming legislative session. Balderas says he’ll seek legislative approval of previously-failed legislation approved in 2016 to allow a charge to be filed for each image depicting child pornography, as some states do. Special Agent in Charge Anthony Maez heads the state attorney general's Internet Crimes Against Children Unit and the New Mexico Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Maez said law enforcement has noticed New Mexico's lax rules being discussed online, and that traffickers in child pornography are moving to the state as a result. He said consequences aren't outweighing the crime.
As part of the U-S Department of Homeland Security’s recent rejection of New Mexico’s efforts to get another extension to comply with the federal REAL-ID Act and alter its driver’s licenses, the Post Office is planning passport fairs. The events to allow residents to comply with the federal law begin in January. The Homeland Security agency’s decision on New Mexico’s licenses takes effect in early January, and passports will then trump state ID’s for entering federal laboratories such as Los Alamos, as well as military bases.
The Navajo Nation recently closed its first-ever bond transaction, selling 53-million dollars’ worth of investment-grade tax-exempt general obligation bonds in a private placement that will fund infrastructure projects on the sprawling reservation. The Bond Buyer newspaper reports last Tuesday’s closing on the bond transaction completed a process launched some five y ears ago. Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye said, quoting: "The Navajo Nation has entered a new era of leveraging its financial assets to fund infrastructure projects. This is a step we must take on the path to achieving triple-A rating and having the investor community develop confidence in the Navajo Nation." Navajo Attorney General Ethel Branch added that tribes are often heavily reliant on federal funds for the infrastructure needs and the bond sale is, quote: “a fresh new expression of tribal sovereignty.”
A wind farm in Roosevelt County is nearing completion. The Portales News-Tribune reports about half of the 125 turbines on the Roosevelt Wind Project are producing electricity. All turbines will be commercially operational by the end of 2015. The second half of the project, called the Milo Wind Project, consists of about 25 wind turbines expected to be operating by the end of January 2016. About 250 megawatts of power would be produced on the Roosevelt side to be sold to Xcel Energy. The Milo project's 50 megawatts of produced power will be put up for sale in the Southwest Power Pool open market. One turbine can power one-thousand homes. Officials expect the last of the turbine parts to be delivered Thursday.
Officials at the University of New Mexico are staring-down a three-and-a-half million dollar budget-deficit for next fiscal year. The Albuquerque Journal reporting that UNM’s budget chief gave that bleak forecast Friday to the board of regents. Specifically, no new revenue is anticipated as fixed costs at UNM increase by the three-and-a-half million-dollar figure. Budget issues are expected to be impacted by falling oil and gas tax revenue as well. UNM officials say efforts to get students to graduate faster is good for enrollees, but has caused University-revenue drop as well. The university is evaluating about 100 vacant positions. Regents may cut those unfilled roles.
The New Mexico Environment Department has drafted a plan for 2016 that will guide cleanup of a massive plume of jet fuel at the edge of Albuquerque. Cleanup began in earnest about two years ago. Tons of soil have been removed, and more than 16 million gallons of contamination have been extracted and treated since June. The plan calls for the installation of more monitoring and extraction wells. The treatment system also would be expanded to 800 gallons per minute. The public has through January 15th to comment. First detected in 1999, the leak at a fueling station at Kirtland Air Force Base was believed to have been seeping into the ground for decades. Estimates of the amount of fuel spilled have ranged from six million to 24 million gallons.
New UFC women's bantamweight champion Holly Holm says her hometown of Albuquerque played a key role in her road to winning the belt. The New Mexico native told CBS sports talk show host Jim Rome on Friday that the city was supportive during her career as a former No. 1-ranked boxer, and later a kickboxer and mix-martial arts fighter. Holm says she was proud to bring the championship to Albuquerque and her local fans. Last week, Holm pulled off a stunning upset victory over Ronda Rousey in UFC 193, knocking out the women's bantamweight champion in the second round with a powerful kick to the head in Australia. Holly says if the UFC schedules a rematch with Rousey she will "train twice as hard to be as dominant."
Santa Fe Weather: Sunny skies today and tomorrow with the high both days topping-out at 52. Tonight: Partly cloudy with the overnight low, 31.