NEW MEXICO HAS BILLIONS OF DOLLARS JUST SITTING IN STATE AGENCY COFFERS, NOT BEING USED. THAT WAS THE FINDING OF A 1ST-OF-ITS-KIND REPORT ISSUED BY THE STATE AUDITOR’S OFFICE OVER THE WEEKEND. AUDITOR TIM KELLER’S 25 PAGE REPORT SAYS 4-AND-A-HALF-BILLION DOLLARS OF UNUSED STATE FUNDS HAS BEEN FOUND. KELLER NOTES THAT SOME OF THE STATE…… MORE
Pets of the Week | March 7
It seems our weather kept people away from coming in to meet our featured pets from last week. Last Saturday the travel was a bit treacherous in the morning and the mayor closed the shelter….a first that I can remember. Sunday was very slow so sadly both Fluffy the mellow shepherd mix and Rusty the…… MORE
Small Percentage of NM Student Not Vaccinated
HOW MANY NEW MEXICO STUDENTS ARE EXEMPT FROM VACCINATIONS?? THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IS OUT WITH A NEW REPORT SHOWING, IN MOST SCHOOL DISTRICTS, THE FIGURE IS LESS THAN ONE PERCENT. BUT DR. JOAN BAUMBACH WITH THE DEPARTMENT SAYS THE EXEMPTION NUMBERS ARE GOING UP. SHE SAYS EVEN THOUGH VACCINATIONS RATES ACROSS THE U-S…… MORE
Fiery Crash Investigated
ALBUQUERQUE POLICE ARE STILL TRYING TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF A TERRIBLE CRASH ON I-40 THURSDAY. THEY SAY SPEED WAS AT LEAST ONE OF THE FACTORS LEADING TO THE CRASH ON I-40 WESTBOUND AT THE BRIDGE ON THE CARLISLE OFF-RAMP. ONE PERSON WAS KILLED. THE CAR BURST INTO FLAMES AFTER IT FELL FROM THE LEDGE.…… MORE
Parents Protest PARCC Test
ANOTHER SHOW OF OPPOSITION TO THE PARCC EXAM. PARENTS OF ALBUQUERQUE PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE SCHEDULED TO RALLY AGAINST THE TEST AT APS HEADQUARTERS FRIDAY. THE PARENTS SAY THEY DON’T WANT THEIR KIDS BE SEEN AS JUST TEST SCORES … AND BELIEVE STANDARDIZED TESTING DOESN’T REALLY MEASURE ACHIEVEMENT. THE PARENTS ALSO SAY THEY WANT THEIR…… MORE
Lotto Scholarship Bill Slammed by Think Tank
THE NEW MEXICO SENATE HAS PASSED A BILL REMOVING A REQUIREMENT THAT 30-PERCENT OF STATE LOTTERY REVENUE GO TOWARD SCHOLARSHIPS. SUPPORTERS SAY IT’LL BOLSTER THE SAGGING SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM BY INCREASING TICKET SALES. BUT FRED NATHAN WITH THE NON-PROFIT “THINK NEW MEXICO” SAYS THERE’S NO EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THAT CLAIM. HE THINKS STUDENT GROUPS ACROSS THE…… MORE
NM Pump Prices Up Again
AAA NEW MEXICO SAYS: GET USED TO IT. IT SAYS GAS PRICES IN THE STATE WILL CONTINUE THEIR UPWARD TRACK THROUGH MARCH. HOWEVER, IT ALSO SAYS THEY’LL STAY WELL BELOW LAST YEAR’S PRICES. RIGHT NOW THE STATEWIDE AVERAGE IS 2-28, UP EIGHT CENTS OVER LAST WEEK. LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME IT WAS 3-33. ALBUQUERQUE…… MORE
Suspect Named in Parking Lot Carjacking
ALBUQUERQUE POLICE THINK THEY KNOW WHO ATTACKED AN 87 YEAR OLD MAN AND STOLE HIS VEHICLE ON MONDAY. APD’S TANNER TIXIER SAYS THEY GOT NUMEROUS TIPS AFTER RELEASING SURVEILLANCE IMAGES OF THE SUSPECT AND WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY 29 YEAR OLD ROBERT DONOFRIO. TIXIER SAYS DONOFRIO IS A RIO RANCHO RESIDENT AND IS KNOWN TO…… MORE
APD Cop Out of Jail
A FORMER ALBUQUERQUE POLICE OFFICER IS NOW OUT OF JAIL AFTER SERVING 90-DAYS FOR CAUSING A FATAL TRAFFIC ACCIDENT IN 2013. ADAM CASAUS WAS CONVICTED OF CARELESS DRIVING IN THE DEATH OF A 21 YEAR OLD WOMAN. INVESTIGATORS SAY CASAUS RAN A RED LIGHT AT PASEO DEL NORTE AND EAGLE RANCH ROAD AND COLLIDED WITH…… MORE
Minimum Wage Bill Killed
A BILL THAT WOULD HAVE RAISED NEW MEXICO’S MINIMUM WAGE IS KILLED OFF IN COMMITTEE. IT WAS DEMOCRATS ON THE SENATE PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE WHO VOTED DOWN THE MEASURE FROM FELLOW DEMOCRAT CLEMENTE SANCHEZ THAT WOULD HAVE UPPED THE WAGE FROM 7-50 TO 8-30 AN HOUR. HOUSE MAJORITY SPOKESMAN PAT GARRETT RIDICULED DEMOCRATS FOR CLAIMING…… MORE
