Cease to seizure?
It appears the last nail is in the coffin for a law several New Mexico jurisdictions had been using as a weapon against drunk driving. A federal judge filed an opinion over the weekend in an Albuquerque case that likely has implications for vehicle forfeiture rules in Santa Fe. SFR reported this spring that it wasn't looking good for those laws after US Judge James O Browning refused to dismiss the case brought by a woman whose car had been seized before she had been convicted of a crime (as the laws allow), but at the time neither the city or county of Santa Fe was taking action to change course. Local officials didn't have great answers ($) yesterday.
Suspect at large
Santa Fe Police were looking for information about a fatal shooting at a home in the central part of the city. The New Mexican talked to neighbors ($) who heard a disruption and saw emergency responders about 2 am in the neighborhood near Herb Martinez Park. Police spokesman Greg Gurule told the paper the shooter or shooters remained at large and may be armed and dangerous. There's no update from the department so far this morning and the department did not issue a Nixle alert to area residents.
Officially out
Democratic US Sen. Martin Heinrich is facing opposition from Republican Mick Rich in the general election that's less than 100 days away, but Libertarian Aubrey Dunn is officially out ($) of the race. Dunn told folks he was likely to make this announcement, and we told Morning Word readers yesterday. What's still in question is whether that means we'll see Gary Johnson jump into the fray.
Also up and down
In other news about roller coasters (these way more fun than those of politics), the owners of Sandia Peak ski area (who also own Ski Santa Fe) asked the US Forest Service for permission to install a year-round "mountain coaster" that will allow visitors to \experience the mountain in a different way. The effort would also help shore up the bottom line and weather the financial storm of dry winters, General Manager Ben Abruzzo tells KOAT.
Free flowing
Monsoon storm flows have caused the state's biggest river to begin to flow again to Elephant Butte reservoir for the first time since April, but environmental reporter Laura Paskus writes that the water in the Rio Grande is already tapering off. As of her story published Monday, the reservoir is 6.7 percent full, compared with 7.6 percent full a week ago and 18.7 percent full one year ago. Those are signs that despite recent rain, the state continues to experience drought on a pretty big scale.
Crime stopped
The director of the Crime Stoppers program in Farmington has resigned following her arrest on charges of embezzlement ($) and evidence tampering. There's no word on whether police used the organization that collects anonymous crime-solving tips to aid in the case. But they say the 31-year-old director used a bank card and deleted records on a cell phone. Her lawyer says the problem was an accounting error.
Parkour
Chances are there are some kids in your life who have taught you something about parkour. Or, if you're like The Word, you've spent some time watching Fail Army and know all the ways in which this urban jumping and flipping sport can go wrong. Yet it's apparently super fun to some people. Turns out there are instructors and clubs that teach moves and practice this way to "see the world as your playground," reports the Las Cruces Sun-News.
To do
Tonight, there's a strong chance of laughs in the forecast as local comedian Jesse Leigh hosts an event at Jean Cocteau Theater with Patrick Hastie and Matt Ziemak, who are stopping by on their Two Weeks on the Road Tour.
Thanks for reading! A mountain coaster? The Word wonders what they will think of next.
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