Morning Word: Where's the Beef?

State workers wait months for back pay.

S

tate employees say they want back pay awarded to them in a settlement sooner than later. But officials says calculations are difficult to sort out. That, plus Santa Fe police will be getting 90 new body cameras soon.

It's Wednesday, May 20, 2015

A few thousand state government employees are still owed back pay, and it doesn’t look like anyone is in a rush to cut checks. Read it at the Las Cruces Sun-News.  At least the state’s back roads are well maintained and highly ranked. Read it at the Santa Fe New Mexican.  We all had already pretty much figured this out, but all those rain storms are helping to “fend off” wildfires. Still, the precipitation won’t be a “drought buster.” Justin Horwath reports.  Mexican gray wolf supporters rallied in Santa Fe yesterday. They’re upset about a state Game and Fish Department decision to deny the renewal permit at Ted Turner’s ranch.

Read it at the ABQ Journal.  The Santa Fe Public Safety Committee is recommending the police force purchase up to 90 body cameras for its police officers. Uriel J Garcia has the story.  Las Cruces police officers will also be equipped with body cameras, and the folks at the Las Cruces Sun-News think that’s a great idea.

Read more here.  Two Las Cruces police officers have been fired after an investigation into a suspect’s beating in a holding cell. Read it here.  Albuquerque's new police oversight board is off to a slow start and has delayed reviewing complaints against officers until it gets more training and clarifies its rules. Ryan Boetel reports.  Administrative Office of the Courts Director Artie Pepin will appear before the state Board of Finance Thursday to request emergency funding of $750,000 for operations of magistrate courts through June.

Read it online.  The Albuquerque Journal is defending its decision to release information about a confidential investigation into District Attorney Kari Brandenburg.

Read their editorial here.  Access to a historical mining camp in the Ortiz Mountains south of Santa Fe will be restricted soon.

SFR’s Thomas Ragan reports there’s only one more public trip planned and its already sold out. Read why here. The Santa Fe Community College’s planetarium remains closed to the public due to a lack of funding.

Julie Ann Grimm has the scoop. 

That’s it for today. But we’ll be back tomorrow. There’s always more news.

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