KUNM twice went through the process of filing Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA) requests with the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) to gain access to the APD files on this officer. IPRA is the New Mexico “sunshine” law that allows both reporters and ordinary citizens to request records from state or local agencies.

The APD responded to KUNM’s first IPRA request by transmitting to the station via an email attachment over thirty blank and nearly blank pages. The non-blank pages contained no more than the officer’s last name or in some cases, just the officer’s initials. None of the pages contained references to any of the complaints or in fact any words or identifiers of any substance. Nor was the material accompanied by an explanation for the blank and redacted pages. Attempts to speak with APD officials about the attachment were met with silence and unreturned phone calls.

Democrats will caucus on Friday, and the biggest shock of their meeting would be if Martinez faces any competition for the speaker’s job.

“It’s kind of overwhelming,” Martinez said in an interview.

After listening to former inmates, recovering drug addicts, family members and multiple health experts, Commissioner Maggie Hart-Stebbins directed jail administrators to collect independent third-party research. She says that’s the only way he can re-evaluate the program’s effectiveness behind bars.

Drug Policy Alliance State Director Emily Kaltenbach tells SFR she’s encouraged the program will continue and says research is already available that demonstrates methadone is accepted as the standard of care for drug addicts who voluntarily agree to treatment.

Without any supporting data, Mayor Richard Berry has determined that the river corridor and the Bosque are “underutilized,” according to a representative at a recent public meeting. Albuquerque's top dogs believe the Bosque, an "environmental gem," can and should be better integrated into the fabric of the city. They intend to accomplish this by tearing down natural habitats and laying out roads, parking lots and infrastructure.

I attended the town hall meeting at the Rio Grande Nature Center on Tuesday, Dec. 4, to register my opposition. Berry was not present, but members of his development committee were on hand to answer questions. They said the purpose of the meeting was to find out what the community thinks about building in the Bosque.

"This is a powerful reinforcement of New Mexico's sunshine laws," said Gwyneth Doland, the executive director of the Foundation for Open Government. "Draft documents-and the view of the process that they provide-are as important as the final actions taken by public officials."

Years of experience and hard work have paid off for Alamogordo Daily News reporter, Duane Barbati, who was recently honored with a nationwide company award from Digital First Media.

Barbati was awarded for for helping to obtain information about a taxpayer-funded study about the Alamogordo Department of Public Safety worth almost $50,000. "This is proud moment for the city of Alamogordo and for the Alamogordo Daily News." Barbati said. "That we were able to get records that should have been public information and make them available, makes me proud."

The sale of New Mexico television stations KWBQ, KASY and KRWB to Tamer Media and Lin Media has been completed.

ACME Communications Inc. (Pink Sheets: ACME) made the announcement Wednesday. Tamer will acquire the FCC licenses for the three stations, and Lin will acquire other assets.

It was in the prison west of Las Cruces, he told investigators, that Martin plotted to kidnap and murder Bieber. Martin said he was infatuated with Bieber — he even had a tattoo of the young singer on his leg.

That large tattoo came up in conversation at the Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility, where Martin eventually convinced Mark Staake to carry out that and three other grisly murders, according to court documents. One was for Bieber's bodyguard, and the two others were unrelated but particularly gruesome because they involved the castration of the victims with garden shears, the type used for "trimming roses," investigators discovered. Those victims were to be tied up paisley neck ties, as was Martin's trademark, according to investigators.

Taxpayers may be on the hook to pay for a special election this spring with just one question on the ballot.

A special interest group wants voters to approve a measure that would require candidates for mayor and city council in Albuquerque to win with at least 50 percent of the vote to be declared the winner.