What should the public see?

Judge weighs release of documents on accused former teacher

By Matt Grubs

Rights

The New Mexico Office of the Attorney General knew in 2011 that teacher Gary Gregor's behavior in the classroom was putting kids at risk of sexual abuse, but even though civil judgments began to stack up against Gregor and the school districts that employed him, the AG didn't file criminal charges until 2017. The Santa Fe New Mexican has sued to see some of those records, and a judge is now weighing public records rights against Gregor's right to a fair trial ($).

Transition friction

Governor-elect Michelle Lujan Grisham is asking the state Oil Conservation Commission to delay deciding on a proposal by Hilcorp Energy to increase allowable oil and gas well density in the San Juan Basin until she takes office. The commission meets Monday to consider the proposal.

All hands

SFR's cover story this week highlights the Adopt-A-Native-Elder program. It's one of the best SFR pieces the Word has read all year, so clear 20 minutes this weekend and enjoy. Charlotte Jusinski's story touches on all the questions you'd ask if you saw a bunch of Anglos trucking donations onto the Navajo Nation, and reveals the soul of the program that's been around for 30 years and has, in some sense, been adopted by the elders themselves.

Right to work

The effort to go county-by-county through New Mexico passing bans on forced payments to labor unions from workers who benefit from negotiated contracts is still going strong. And NM Political Report's Andy Lyman says it's focused on Doña Ana County, where Spanish-language radio ads encourage people to call their county commissioner and push for a right-to-work ordinance.

Pecan poachers

Dang ol' pecan poachers been out in my orchard again, consarnit! Crop theft is a real thing, though, especially for tasty pecans, which are grown in abundance. Whether it's to sell them or eat them, folks in southeastern New Mexico say people are stealing pecans from orchards and even city parks.

Pair of O’Keeffes

Two paintings placed up for auction by the O'Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe have sold for almost $20 million. The paintings, "A Street" and "Calla Lilies on Red," will generate more than $18 million for the museum's acquisition fund. As the Albuquerque Journal's Megan Bennett explains, the drab New York cityscape painting from a small series of such works more than doubled the take for the brighter O'Keeffe work focused on flowers.

Interactivity

You might have a feeling, based on the explosion of a certain lupine-themed Santa Fe immersive art exhibit, that interactive art is becoming a thing. You would be right. At the Shidoni Foundry property, Aaron Harrington's Museum of Interactive Art opens today. SFR's Alex De Vore immerses himself. It's a daytime thing. Admission is $5, kids under 10 are free.

Cool it now

A backdoor cold front is sneaking in from Kansas, Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle this weekend. Temperatures will touch 50 in Santa Fe through Saturday, a few degrees warmer in Albuquerque, then slide down into the 40s on Sunday going into your holiday work week. In general, expect sunny skies and temperatures below freezing most nights.

Thanks for reading! The Word wonders if New Mexico is a "pick-on" or "pee-can" kind of a state.

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