Governor Susana Martinez will unveil a new energy policy later this morning as industry experts gather in southeastern New Mexico for an annual summit. The governor's office says the new policy will call for an all-of-the-above approach, not unlike the prescription being pushed at the federal level. The plan has been more than a year in the making. Several listening sessions were held around the state and more than 400 people participated. State officials say the goals in promoting all energy sources include job creation and the diversification of a key sector of New Mexico's economy. Aside from the governor, speakers at this morning’s meeting in Carlsbad include T. Boone Pickens, a Texas billionaire who made much of his fortune in oil but has since become an advocate for alternative energy.
A missing-person alert has been sent-out concerning a Santa Fe man who’s been missing since last Wednesday. The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s office announcing it’s looking for 51-year old Michael Seizys (see-zeese), who they say may be in danger. Seizys is described as a five-foot, ten-inch tall white man with hazel eyes and white hair. A news release says he was last seen wearing green medical scrubs was driving a gold 2009 Toyota Tacoma. If you have information on Seizys, you’re asked to call the Sheriff’s office.
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management has ditched a plan to merge offices in New Mexico and Arizona as a cost-cutting measure. The federal land agency was looking for ways to combine resources in the wake of declining budgets and sequestration. The BLM announced Friday that it decided against the plan after hearing feedback from the public. Critics had argued for maintaining local representation and boosting funding to the agency. The New Mexico office oversees more than13-million surface acres and 42 million subsurface acres spanning four states, including Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas.
New Mexico State Police say two members of a motorcycle gang are dead and several others have been wounded in a shooting in Los Chaves, in Valencia County. Sgt. Elizabeth Armijo says the shooting occurred early yesterday morning. Armijo says the incident is under investigation. No other details are being released.
Valencia County is paying cleaners five-thousand dollars’ to remove the mess created by a swarm of swallows. KOB-TV reports that the swallows are protected wildlife, so the county had to wait until the nesting season was over to address the detritus left on the courthouse by thousands of birds. Rocky Mountain Window Cleaners visited the courthouse Saturday to scrape the birds' nests off the wall one by one. Cleaner David Torrez says he and his son had to wear hazmat suits during the work because the nests contain bugs, bird lice and sometimes bats. The swallows have been nesting on the courthouse for the past few years. Valencia Public Works Director LinaBenavidez says preventative measures were unsuccessful.
The University of New Mexico is hosting a controversial art show meant to highlight police brutality and gun violence. KRQE-TV reports that the show, titled, “Necessary Force: Art in the Police State,” will run until December 12th. The exhibit includes portraits from events during the civil rights movement and an overturned police cruiser playing scanner chatter from unrest in cities like Ferguson, Missouri. UNM College of Fine Arts Dean KymberlyPinder says the show is not meant to be anti-police, but instead anti-brutality and anti-gun violence. The artists featured in the exhibit are both from the U.S. and abroad and are of varying ages, bringing a wide range of perspectives to the artwork. UNM officials say the art show does not represent any opinion held by the university.
Santa Fe Weather: Mostly cloudy today with the high reaching 83, and a 20-percent chance for afternoon showers and thunderstorms. Tonight: Mostly cloudy with the overnight low down to 56 and the chance for showers at 20-percent. Tomorrow: Partly sunny and a bit cooler, with the high 80, and a continuing 20-percent chance for showers and thunderstorms.