Morning Word: Abeyta an APS Super Finalist

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Santa Fe Public Schools executive could be headed for the exit. That plus the governor still has to decide what action to take on close to five dozen bills before the end of today.

It's Friday, April 10, 2015

Santa Fe Public Schools Deputy Superintendent for Teaching and Learning Almudena Abeyta is one of three finalists to become the new Albuquerque Public Schools chief.

Read more at the ABQ Journal.  Española school officials are looking at ways that they can improving academic and career counseling services for students, in an effort to improve graduation rates. Ardee Napolitano has more at the Rio Grande Sun.  The New Mexico Association of Commerce and Industry announced that its president and CEO, Beverlee McClure, has accepted the position of president of Adams State University in Colorado. Read more online.  Gov. Susana Martinez will be busy today. It’s the last day for her to decide whether to sign or veto 59 bills passed by the Legislature, including one that would limit police seizures of private property before conviction. On Thursday, she signed a health care transparency bill supported by Think New Mexico. It will create a website that will include hospital costs. She also signed the $6.2 billion state budget. Read more here. District Attorney Kari Brandenburg has been ordered to appoint a special prosecutor to pursue murder charges against two Albuquerque police officers due to a conflict of interest. Read more at the ABQ Free Press.  The state Court of Appeals has upheld regulations that govern groundwater pollution by copper mines.

Read it at KRQE.  It could be another tough year for farmers who rely on water from the Rio Grande.

Read more at the Las Cruces Sun-News.  Scientists from NASA are going to try to figure out what’s causing the huge methane gas plume over  Northwest New Mexico.

Read more at the New Mexico Political Report.  Now that the PRC’s independent hearing examiner has determined the Public Service Company of New Mexico's plan to replace coal-generated power with more coal and nuclear energy puts ratepayers at risk, some people are calling for a new path forward.

Read their take here.  It looks like the New Mexico State Fair is in a little better financial condition, “thanks to a deal negotiated with the new midway operator, Reithoffer Shows.” Read more at the ABQ Journal.  Charlie Hill, who is accused of killing New Mexico State Police Officer Robert Rosenbloom years ago and hijacking a plane to Cuba with two other suspects (now dead), says he wants to return to New Mexico. Former Morning Word editor Matthew Reichbach has a look at CNN’s interview with Hill. Read it at New Mexico Political Report.  A conservative group’s attempt to recall Las Cruces City Councilor Olga Pedroza has failed to collect enough signatures, according to the city clerk’s office. Last week, the group's efforts to recall Councilor Gill Sorg also fell short. The clerk’s office has until next week to determine if enough signatures have been collected to launch a recall election against a third councilor, Nathan Small. Read more at the Las Cruces Sun-News.  Another tent city set up by the homeless in Albuquerque may be forced to pull up stakes. The land near Four Hills isn’t zoned for camping. So far, eviction notices have not been handed out. Read it here.  Four Taos High School students are back from the White House Science Fair. Their “Crabyotics” project offers a viable, low-cost method to remove antibiotics from drinking water using a natural material derived from crab shells. In May, they’ll head to an international science fair. Read more at the Taos News.  Twenty middle school students from Doña Ana and Sierra counties had a chance to sample coming attractions Thursday at the futuristic Spaceport America’s "Gateway Gallery Experience." No surprise: They called it “awesome.”

Read more at the Las Cruces Sun-News. 

Santa Fe Reporter