Amalia toddler laid to rest
Hakima Ramzi buried the body of her son, Abdul-Ghani Wahhaj, yesterday. The 3-year-old boy was abducted by his father, Siraj Ibn Wahhaj, late last year and taken to New Mexico, where he apparently died after a healing ceremony. Mourners buried the boy's body in a graveyard near a mosque on the southside of Atlanta.
Dropped and ready to release
Meanwhile, a fugitive from justice charge against Siraj Ibn Wahhaj was dropped by prosecutors ($). That means, according to John Miller from the Taos News, that Wahhaj is essentially cleared to be released from jail on a signature bond. KOB-TV reports the state of Georgia didn't want to extradite Wahhaj. Three other defendants could also be released after a judge reversed $5,000 cash-only bonds imposed yesterday. What's keeping them in jail is finding a suitable place to live, a condition of release.
Retirement party is over?
New Mexico's public employee and educator retirement systems are unsustainable. The state has long boasted of, and employees have enjoyed, generous retirement plans. But the math doesn't add up, reports the Albuquerque Journal's Dan McKay from a finance meeting in Taos. The two retirement systems are underfunded by a combined $12.5 billion dollars, a new legislative report says. New Mexico's bonds have already been downgraded by ratings agencies, making it more expensive to borrow. That's due in part to the pension plans.
Activist jailed on rape charges
Native American activist Redwolf Pope is in the Santa Fe jail after losing a fight against extradition from Phoenix. Investigators believe Pope raped a woman from Seattle as she lay unconscious during a visit to Santa Fe last year.
Campaign for change
It's not exactly spare change, but a new proposal for public campaign financing in Santa Fe would allow candidates who accept public money to raise up to $100 from each donor. The plan is for the city to match those donations, 2-to-1. The change is designed to blunt the impact ($) of candidates who raise far more money privately than the city can compete with through its public fund.
Let the river run
The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority will get $2 million for 20,000 acre-feet of water stored in Abiquiu Reservoir. The US Bureau of Reclamation bought the water, which it will use to keep the Rio Grande flowing below Cochiti Dam all the way past Isleta. That means the stretch of river through Albuquerque will stay wet during irrigation season. Santa Fe also pitched in to keep the river flowing.
Release me
SFR's pick for tonight is what's known as a CD-release party. That's what goes in that slot on your dashboard by the radio. Bottom line, though, is there's music and it's a concert from folk-pop duo Azalya. The venue is great, too, at the San Miguel Chapel. It starts at 8 pm and tickets run from $10-$15.
Stormy Saturday
Today's best chance of rain will be south of Albuquerque, and highs will stay near normal. Saturday brings a burst of moisture from the south and will feature the weekend's best chance for storms. Next week is expected to dry out a little, though like your good-times uncle who parties too much, there are no guarantees.
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