Morning Word: Third Group Withdraws from PNM Agreement

Mora County Commission reacts to fracking opinion

Weather conditions are improving around the state. The weekend looks good, but it's chilly getting out the door this morning.



It's Friday, January 23, 2015.

Weather continues to cause closings and delays at schools and government agencies around the state.

KOB has the list.

A third group has withdrawn its support for the Public Service Company of New Mexico’s power replacement plan. Western Resource Advocates is concerned that PNM is trying to acquire a bigger share of goal-generated electricity from the San Juan Generating Station instead of considering most cost effective renewable options.

Read more at KRWG in Las Cruces. 

SFR’s Justin Horwath analyzed a PNM mailer to Santa Fe customers urging them to not support a municipal utility proposal. Mayor Javier Gonzales says the city wants to move toward more solar and wind.

PNM told SFR it does not plan to sell its system to the city.

Read more online. 

The Mora County Commission will meet on Monday to discuss a federal judge's opinion that its ban on fracking is unconstitutional. The extraction process, attorneys for the commission say, is harmful to the environment and residents should have a say in restricting oil and gas development in their community.

The Las Vegas Optic has reactions to the ruling.

It didn’t take long for new Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Ben Ray Lujan to lure national Democrats including Rep. Nancy Pelosi to the state for a big planning meeting.

Read it at the ABQ Journal.

Several groups who want big money money out of politics rallied at the Roundhouse on Thursday--the fifth anniversary of Citizens United.

Read more at the Los Alamos Daily Post.

Speaking of rallies, abortion activists gathered in Las Cruces to remember the US Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v Wade decision.

See more at the Las Cruces Sun-News. 

State lawmakers are anxiously waiting to new revenue forecasts. A big drop in oil and gas prices will have a big impact on the state budget.

Read more at the ABQ Journal. 

Corrections Secretary Gregg Marcantel is getting a big salary hike to stay in Gov. Susana Martinez’ administration. The $16,000 raise to $123,750 a year was needed to offset the difference between his original $107,060 salary and his law enforcement pension from the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department.

Read more at the Taos News. 

As former Rio Arriba County Sheriff Tommy Rodella heads to prison for 10 years, the man who got his badge and job is facing discrimination allegations. Sheriff James Lujan vowed to

when he took over, but Rodella staff loyalists contend he’s been verbally abusive and discriminated against them.

KOAT has more. 

Reporter Erica Zucco looked at data that shows more than 200 Albuquerque Police Department officers were assaulted last year.

See the numbers at KOB. 

The people who lash out at cops usually end up in court. Barbara Vigil, the New Mexico Supreme Court chief justice, used her State of the Judiciary address to the Legislature to ask for more court funding.

Read Phaedra Hayward's recap here. 

The price tag for reforming the Albuquerque Police Department is steep: $4 million to $6 million a year. That does not include plans to boost the number of patrol officers at APD. At least, city officials say they’re going to attempt to avoid any tax hikes to offset the expense.

Target 7's Nancy Laflin has more.

As a rule, University of New Mexico students feel safe on campus, but an independent report says the school needs to simplify its confusing sexual assault policies.

Read more at the ABQ Journal. 

Republican lawmakers are shaking up some key Legislative committees. Matthew Reichbach writes that the Democrats aren’t happy with the sweeping changes and want to know what role the governor and corporate interests had in this year’s assignments.

Read more at the New Mexico Political Report. 

A legislative measure to boost the minimum wage in New Mexico appears to have bipartisan support this year.

Read more at ABQ Business First. 

Dallas-based Matador Resources Co has acquired Harvey E Yates petroleum company for $37.5 million. Former Republican Party Chairman Harvey Yates is not affiliated with that company. His oil exploration firm, Jalapeño Corporation, is based in Albuquerque.

Read more at the ABQ Journal. 

Longtime 770KKOB radio talk show host Terrie Q Sayer has died. The former Mrs. Nevada and animal activist had been recovering from the flu.

Read more at KOB. 

After discovering a hateful tweet directed at UNM Lobo Basketball player Hugh Greenwood and his family by a UNLV fan before Wednesday's game in Las Vegas, a booster club has pledged $1,000 to the seniors’ Pink Pack Foundation for cancer awareness and fundraising.

Read it at the ABQ Journal. 

Still no explanation for how the footballs used in Sunday's AFC Championship game ended up under inflated, and still no evidence of a conspiracy by the New England Patriots to intentionally deflate them either.

Read more at the Santa Fe New Mexican.

Enjoy the weekend. We'll be back early Monday with another big news recap.

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