Morning Word: Judge Accused of Racial Slur

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he public defender's office in Curry County wants a judge who is accused of making racial slurs taken off the bench. But that judge says his comments have been taken out of context. Spring moisture may delay the start of New Mexico's wildfire season, and we take a minute to remember television personality George Fischbeck.

It's Thursday, March 26, 2015

A New Mexico judge could undergo an investigation over allegations that he found humor in the video that shows fraternity brothers singing a racist chant at the University of Oklahoma.

Ryan Luby has more at KOB. A citizens advisory group wants the New Mexico Environment Department to consider allowing Los Alamos National Laboratories and the US Department of Energy to pay off its $54 million Waste Isolation Pilot Plant leak fines with contributions and work on other state environmental improvement projects.

Staci Matlock has more.  While lawmakers have approved a new 22-year gaming compact with most of the state’s tribes, Gov. Susana Martinez still isn’t ready to sign a tribal compact with the Fort Sill Apaches until they reach an agreement with the federal government to allow them to operate casinos on land they acquired in southern New Mexico in 1999. Read more at the ABQ Journal.  Site Selection

magazine says New Mexico ranks 5th in the Mountain Region for attracting new companies to the state. The Land of Enchantment is 38th overall.

Dan Mayfield has more at ABQ Business First.  Maybe those out-of-state firms who moved to New Mexico liked the improvement in the state’s school graduation rate.

Read more at the ABQ Journal.   SFR's Joey Peters has a great story about how Santa Fe is using digital technology to help students learn. Read the cover story here. Here’s some good news: Jacob Grant, the Albuquerque undercover police detective who was shot by his own lieutenant, is finally out of the hospital. See more at KOAT.  Former Game and Fish Director Jim Lane, who resigned his position without explanation last October, has a new job at the state land office. Lane has supported ranchers' and farmers' efforts at the Roundhouse to take away the Game and Fish Department's oversight of cougars. Deborah Baker has details.  A fire weather meteorologist believes that seasonal precipitation may mean a shorter wildfire season in New Mexico this year. See more at KRQE.  Doña Ana County gets mixed ratings in a new health rankings study published by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Read it at the Las Cruces Sun-News.  Bernalillo County Commissioners will hear more testimony about that 22-square-mile Santolina land project being planned for Albuquerque’s far West Side.

Dan McKay tackles the controversy here.   Journalist Lauren Villagran takes a look at another water controversy in southern New Mexico, where  Deming officials want to take water from the Gila River. Read it UpFront.  At least one lawmaker thinks the governor should consider calling a one-day special session to get project money approved and flowing to communities around the state. Read more at Ringside Seat.  Politicians on both sides of the aisle want Gov. Martinez to sign their asset-seizure reform bill. Andy Lyman has the political analysis.  Joel Lee Compton isn’t going to be walking out of prison anytime soon. He was sentenced to death after being convicted for killing Albuquerque Police Officer Gerald Kline in 1983, but former Gov. Tony Anaya commuted his sentence to life in prison. The New Mexico Parole Board has denied his petition for parole. See more at KOB.  The annual pilgrimage to El Santuario de Chimayó is right around the corner, and emergency management teams are already preparing.

KRQE has details.

Old-timers around New Mexico are mourning the loss of George Fischbeck. The former Albuquerque science teacher and popular television personality died in Los Angeles yesterday. He was 92.

Read more at the Los Angeles Times. 

Santa Fe Reporter