Morning Word: Equity Firm Agrees to Return Millions

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big-buck settlement for the state's investment council. That, plus if you want to get married on the Navajo Nation, you may be waiting for a while. And good news for a New Mexico film crew: Their movie earns a prestigious invitation and is headed to France.

It's Tuesday, April 7, 2015

The New Mexico State Investment Council has reached a settlement agreement with another equity firm for $3 million.

The Journal's Capital Bureau Chief Dan Boyd has more.  So it turns out that even if the US Supreme Court recognizes same-sex marriages later this summer, the justices’ decision would not affect American Indian tribes. For instance, the Navajo Nation and a handful of other tribes still oppose the marriages.

The Associated Press has more.  The trial for Oriana Farrell, the mom who fled New Mexico State Police officers with five children in her van, has been postponed to give her lawyer more time to prepare. See it at KOB.  On Monday, dairy farmers and environmentalists reached a quick agreement with the State Environment Department after years of indecision on how to deal with waste water discharge. See it at KRQE.  No surprise here, but right-to-work advocates plan to continue pushing the issue in New Mexico. Read it at ABQ Business First. The governor has signed a bill that makes it easier for nurses to head back to school to earn advanced degrees and then become college nursing instructors themselves. Officials hope the financial aid will create a larger pool of teachers and eventually reduce the state’s nursing shortage. Read more at the ABQ Journal.  The governor has also signed a measure that makes posting "revenge pornography" online a crime. Read it at the New Mexican.  Mountain snowpack, according to weather forecasters, has turned into basically no pack after warm temperatures melted it away in March. That news will have a big impact this spring.

Ollie Reed has the story.  Speaking of water, SFR’s Justin Horwath takes a look at some more of Santa Fe’s top commercial water guzzlers, which include a few of the city’s big hotels.

Read it here.

New Mexico State University regents have voted to increase student tuition $72 a semester.

Read more at the Las Cruces Sun-News.  Rio Arriba County Sheriff James Lujan is getting sued. Two deputies say he created a hostile working environment because he perceived they were still loyal to imprisoned former sheriff Tommy Rodella. Phaedra Haywood has more.  State Auditor Tim Keller is investigating the way $400,000 in federal grant money allocated to prevent drunk driving was spent by the McKinley County sheriff. See it at KOB.  Immigration reform is a huge national topic, and last night Albuquerque city councilors pledged their support to the Duke City's immigrant community and passed a nonbinding memorial to urge Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform. Dan McKay has details.  The same councilors also voted 6 to 3 to direct Mayor Richard Berry’s administration to withdraw their support of the Public Service Co.’s power-replacement plan. Councilors cited the escalating costs, a fuel-cost error of $367 million, increased water consumption and outstanding risks as their reasons for withdrawing support for the stipulation.

Read more at KUNM.
Finally, Low/Fi, a 14-minute romantic comedy filmed in New Mexico, is headed to the Cannes Film Festival.

Adrian Gomez has the scoop. 

Santa Fe Reporter