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Nov. 25 First News: Law Enforcement Agencies On Alert During Busy Travel Day-Listen

For many Americans on this day prior to Thanksgiving, today is a day devoted to travel. And if you’re traveling by vehicle,  you should know that police and highway patrol agencies in New Mexico and seven other states spanning the country plan stepped-up patrols along Interstate 40 over the Thanksgiving travel period to reduce collisions and prevent fatalities. States participating in the "Drive Toward Zero Fatalities" in addition to New Mexico include California, Arizona, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee and North Carolina.  The law enforcement agencies will be focusing on violations related to seatbelt usage, speed, impairment and overall dangerous driving behaviors.

Air-travel-wise, the Albuquerque International Sunport reports seeing modest traffic as some travelers were getting a head start on holiday travel. Blanca Vazquez left Albuquerque on Tuesday to begin her annual Thanksgiving vacation to Chicago early due to travel fears and the expected jump in people traveling. Vazquez says she didn't mind because the early jump allows her to visit family longer. Meanwhile, 26-year-old FanniFarago and her sister 30-year-old Flora Farago, came into Albuquerque from Tempe, Arizona on Tuesday for a family road trip to Red River, New Mexico. FanniFarago says low gas prices made a trip to the mountain hamlet attractive. The motoring organization AAA says an estimated 47-million Americans are expected to take a car, plane, bus or train at least 50 miles from home over the long holiday weekend.

New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas says the state is facing a public safety crisis and his agency needs resources to respond to everything from police officer shootings to consumer fraud. Balderas has joined the chorus of state officials seeking more money in what's sure to be another slim budget year. He testified recently before the Legislative Finance Committee in Santa Fe and reiterated his concerns in a letter this week. His office is asking for a nearly five-percent increase over last year's spending. That would help pay for raises as well as a new assistant attorney general and two special agents. He also wants to avoid layoffs. Balderas says he's concerned lawmakers will try to sweep money from the consumer protection fund to pay other bills instead of reinvesting that money in litigation and law enforcement.

House Democratic leaders are rolling out their proposals for reforming New Mexico's scandal-plagued campaign finance reporting system. They also want to create an independent ethics commission and revamp a pension forfeiture law aimed at corrupt elected officials. Democrats outlined their plans during a news conference outside the secretary of state's office in Santa Fe on Tuesday. The announcement comes just a month after Dianna Duran tendered her resignation as the state's top elections official and pleaded guilty to embezzlement and other charges. Duran's case thrust New Mexico's campaign finance reporting system into the spotlight and rekindled calls for more transparency. The next legislative session begins in January and will focus on the budget. It's unclear whether Governor Susana Martinez will add the transparency and ethics issues to the agenda.

A letter from state Taxation and Revenue Secretary Demesia Padilla shows she did tell auditors in her agency last year that her former client shouldn't have to pay a penalty. Padilla, who has served as tax secretary since 2011, is accused of trying to pressure employees to give preferential treatment to her former client in a tax audit. In the letter, released by State Auditor Tim Keller's office Monday, Padilla explained that the business was not to blame for incomplete information on its tax return as it did not receive all the information it needed from her now-defunct company, Padilla & Garcia. A Padilla spokesman says the secretary was not out of line, but instead the letter is only attesting to facts.

New Mexico Catholic bishops are urging state residents to write letters to President Barack Obama in support of expanding U.S. resettlement efforts of Syrian refugees. The church leaders said in a statement Monday that they are joining the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in calling Catholics to pray for refugees. Santa Fe Archbishop John Wester, Las Cruces Bishop Oscar Cantu and Gallup Bishop James Wall also asked parishioners to call members of Congress to support needed development aid for refugee host countries. The bishops say the "vast majority of refugees are innocent, law-abiding people who are fleeing persecution and death." New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez says she's opposed to the Obama administration's plan to accept any more Syrian refugees until there's a plan to properly vet and place them.

Santa Fe Weather: Mostly sunny today with the high near 55. Tonight: Mostly cloudy with the overnight low, 37 and a slight chance for showers after midnight. Thanksgiving Day: Partly sunny and a bit cooler with the high tomorrow 52 and a 20-percent chance for showers and thunderstorms.