Morning Word: She's Back

Duran Returns to Office

Secretary of State Dianna Duran

on Tuesday, and KOB was there. She told the television station, during an awkwardly short interview, she has “a lot to do,” adding,

“

I'm here doing the job I was elected to do.

”

Duran faces more than five dozen criminal charges and could still be removed from office if legislators decide to impeach her after reviewing evidence she spent campaign donations in casinos around the state.

Voter Safeguards

The Las Cruces Sun News reports that the Doña Ana County clerk says his office is

in response to an alleged identity theft and check cashing scheme.

Flu Attacks

The first cases of seasonal flu have sent three elderly residents to the hospital. While it may seem early, the first 2014 case was also reported in the month of September. While last year

’

s vaccine was less than effective, scientists say

in warding off the virus.

Fractured Communities

SFR’s Elizabeth Miller has spent weeks looking at the impact of oil and gas fracturing in Northern New Mexico and the industry’s

. You don’t want to miss Miller’s deep dive.

Knocked Out

A Santa Fe couple that sued the Department of Health for a medical marijuana grower’s license

. Mark and Elizabeth Springer tell SFR they received a certified letter from program managers telling them their application is not one of the 17 applications still under consideration.

Whistleblower Fired

We thought state government workers who allege wrongdoing were supposed to have their jobs protected, but a third New Mexico Corrections Department employee says she was terminated after raising concerns about a politically connected education testing firm’s

. Phaedra Haywood reports: Two other employees made similar allegations earlier this year. Their cases went to arbitration, and each was offered the right to return to work at the department. One accepted and one declined, but both of their complaints under the New Mexico Whistleblower Act are still pending in state courts.

Forest Thinning  KOATMeteorologist Eric Green has been on the drought watch for years. He reports that the Nature Conservancy has been working with dozens of different agencies to thin thousands of acres of forest over the past three years. It turns out the cost to manually clear trees is a lot

.

Tourists and residents alike have known Santa Fe’ s vibrant arts and cultural scene is the best in the country. Now, the editors at USA Today have ranked the state’s capital the

for Culturephiles.

Santa Fe Reporter