If it weren’t for Mississippi, New Mexico would have the nation’s highest percentage of residents living in poverty. New U.S. Census Bureau numbers show New Mexico last year ranked second-lowest among states in the category of median income, with close to 22-percent of New Mexicans living in poverty, or nearly 22-thousand more people than in 2012. Mississippi had the nation’s highest poverty rate in 2013 with 24 percent of its residents living in poverty. Census figures also show the median income in New Mexico rose slightly from last year—to nearly 44-thousand dollars. The median income in the U.S. rose slightly last year, to just over 52-thousand dollars. The national rate of those living in poverty dropped slightly in 2013.
A “sweetheart deal.” That’s how a top official in Governor Susana Martinez's administration describes the situation where the state has subsidized insurance costs for the University of New Mexico. State Risk Management Director A-J Forte says medical malpractice premiums for UNM Hospital have been low because the state hadn’t factored-in settlement payouts and potential liability of child-cancer claims dating back to the 1990s. Forte says taxpayers have taken on the costs as the state has paid 48-million dollars’ worth of medical malpractice claims over the treatment of children with leukemia. But UNM Health Sciences Center spokesman Billy Sparks counters that there was no sweetheart deal on insurance. As of July, the state no longer provides insurance for claims stemming from the alleged substandard treatment of children with leukemia. Sparks said UNM is self-insuring those claims.
New Mexico’s Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing for tomorrow afternoon on the proposed marijuana questions in the November elections. Santa Fe County had asked the high court to force Secretary of State Dianna Duran to place an advisory, non-binding question on the ballot that will poll the county's voters on whether they support lowering penalties for possessing small amounts of marijuana. Duran contends state law doesn't allow nonbinding ballot questions. Bernalillo County has filed a similar lawsuit with the Supreme Court over ballot questions, and a federal court has set a Thursday hearing on the secretary of state's effort to have a federal, not state judge, handle the case.
A group of taxi and limousine operators has filed a lawsuit seeking to stop ride-sharing services from operating in New Mexico. The Public Regulation Commission which regulates taxis and limos previously ruled that Lyft and Uber were in violation of state law. However, the two companies have continued to operate. Unlike traditional taxi businesses, Lyft and Uber use smart-phone programs to connect people seeking rides with people who have cars. The president of Yellow Checker Cabs in Albuquerque says the ride-sharing services don't have proper insurance and are putting their own drivers at risk along with New Mexico residents. The Albuquerque Journal reports that a PRC hearing officer is considering whether the services violate the state Motor Carrier Act and could draft new rules that might include the services.
A federal judge says he won't remove U.S. Attorney Damon Martinez from a case involving a northern New Mexico sheriff accused of roughing up a motorist. Rio Arriba County Sheriff Tommy Rodella had argued that Martinez held a vendetta against Rodella over U.S. Forest Service patrols in northern New Mexico.
The New Mexico Livestock Board has launched an investigation into a southern New Mexico dairy after an activist secretly recorded workers abusing cows. The video shows workers at Winchester Dairy near Dexter whipping cows with chains and wire cables, kicking and punching the animals, and shocking them with electric prods. Board officials are interviewing the activist with the group Mercy for Animals and tracking down the workers identified in the video. They say the dairy is cooperating with investigators. The dairy said in a statement that animal care and well-being are central to its operation. As a result, the dairy fired all employees and referred the abusive workers to law enforcement for further review following its own internal investigation. The dairy also halted milking operations and moved thousands of cows to other dairies.
With forecasts calling for significant rain across New Mexico, Governor Susana Martinez has declared a statewide emergency in advance of expected flooding. Martinez's order cites the hundreds of square miles of mountainsides burned by wildfires in recent years, saying heavy rainfall in these areas could result in serious damage. The governor also asked the New Mexico National Guard to deploy personnel and equipment to strategic locations around the state to be ready for rescues and flood mitigation operations. With the declaration, $750,000 in state funds will be available to help communities respond and recover from any storm damage. The National Weather Service said the remnants of Hurricane Odile could bring as much as 8 inches of rain to the southern part of the state before the storm system weakens Friday.
Santa Fe Weather: Partly sunny today with a 50-percent chance for scattered showers and thunderstorms, the high near 70. Tonight: Mostly cloudy with the low 56 and a 70-percent chance for showers and thunderstorms. Tomorrow: Mostly cloudy with a 70-percent chance for showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 7am…tomorrow’s high, 74.