Morning Word: Pizza, Coke ... and Bison Burgers

My money's no good here
It's an established fact that Gov. Susana Martinez enjoys pizza. Add bison burgers to the list of infamous gubernatorial eats. Staff and patrons of the Five Star Burgers restaurant in Santa Fe say they were stunned when the governor walked in to pick up a to-go order and, when presented with the bill, crumpled up the check and tossed it in the trash. The Governor's Office says there was a misunderstanding—though a spokesman hung up on SFR when we asked what it was. The restaurant says a man returned to pay the bill six hours after the meal and more than two hours after SFR reported it.

Supreme Court lifts judge's gag order
The state's highest court struck down an order by Albuquerque Judge Alan Malott that threatened jail time for anyone, public or press, who reported certain details of what they heard in open court. The Supreme Court said allowing such an order to stand could throw the state's courtrooms into chaos as judges decided on their own what the public could know about its legal system. The case in Malott's courtroom involved a financial dispute between members of the prominent Abruzzo family, which has vast real estate holdings in Albuquerque and also owns Ski Santa Fe. 

SF schools replace security guards
The Santa Fe school district has removed seven security guards because they either never had the right certification from the state or they allowed their credentials to expire. The district made the move after investigating an anonymous tip about the guards' qualifications. The district says none of the guards who were removed faced allegations about improper conduct, and the security company owner says he's working to remedy the situation.

Master plans
The Santa Fe City Council voted to approve a master plan for the city's airport at last night's meeting. The plan, which is required by the FAA periodically, hadn't been updated since 2002. It sets out a schedule for airport improvements, both on the airside for things like runways and on the landside for things like parking lots and, perhaps eventually, a new terminal. The city is also considering a name change to the Santa Fe Regional Airport.

US, Mexico agree to river pact
The United States and its neighbor to the south have approved an agreement to the nations' allocations of water from the Colorado River. The new agreement means the US will spent $31.5 million on projects in Mexico designed to conserve water from the overtaxed river. The savings from those projects will be divided between the two countries. The nine-year extension also sets aside some 210,000 acre feet for environmental projects

Navajo communications deal approved
The Public Regulation Commission gave the okay to use money from the Universal Service Fund (one of those random charges on your phone bill) to pay for a program that uses small solar panels to provide power for families on remote parts of the Navajo Nation. The state will split the cost with Sacred Wind Communications.

Who saw it?
Bernalillo County firefighters say someone stole a saw they used to cut through a security gate to get to a house fire ... just minutes after they used it. Neighbors kept an eye on the thief, who was arrested by police, though firefighters say people had to chase someone else away who was rifling through equipment on a fire truck while cops were dealing with the guy who took the saw. 

Rain, rain
New Mexico is getting soaked in a very good way. Widespread rain is expected to continue today, with maybe an inch expected by tomorrow morning in Santa Fe. The rain will taper off through Saturday. Once those clouds lift, we'll have some white to go along with the golden aspen.

Thanks for reading! The Word is curious what you're having for lunch.

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Santa Fe Reporter