About that family time …
It wasn't three months ago that Mayor Javier Gonzales was hanging up his political saddle, done pursuing political office, fresh off a break-up and ready to take care of his eighth-grade daughter. The mayor is considering a run for lieutenant governor ($). He'd be the sixth Democrat to enter the field for the job that largely consists of running the state Senate.
City candidate slate solidifies
The field for mayor and City Council positions is set after declaration day. Roman Abeyta is the only candidate in the field in District 3, so he's the presumptive winner. There's only one incumbent in the four other races—Signe Lindelll in District 1—and the mayoral field (to replace Gonzales) is five candidates deep.
State backs off—slightly—on Medicaid changes
Faced with a ballooning balance sheet for the government-sponsored healthcare program that is among that nation's most widely used, the state's Human Services Department had to do something. The proposal involved a system of copays for both medical services and prescription drugs, but it was criticized as too heavy-handed. The state has reduced the financial ask for many of the 855,000 people on Medicaid and delayed the implementation of a provision that eliminates retroactive coverage for costs incurred three months prior to enrollment.
Good news, bad news
New Mexico's high school graduation rate reached a record high of 71 percent in 2016. That's second-worst in the nation. The Public Education Department says it's due to raising the standards for high school students and there's still work to be done.
Black federal agent sues BernCo for racial profiling
When was the last time you were pulled over for going too slow? A federal immigration agent says that was the case earlier this year as she was repeatedly harassed and pulled over by Bernalillo County deputies—including twice by the same deputy within days. Sherese Crawford, a deportation agent with ICE, says she never got a ticket or a warning.
Search warrant links brothers to border agent death
A federal search warrant shows investigators have been curious about a car and a pair of brothers who were in Portales shortly after the death of Border Agent Rogelio Martinez. The warrant says the brothers admitted to driving the car shortly after the attack in a Texas town near where Martinez died and a partner sustained injuries. The brothers have not been charged.
Griego case sets stage for ethics panel campaign
Former Senator Phil Griego's conviction of felony public corruption charges will likely play a big role in the campaign for a 2018 ballot initiative in which voters statewide will be asked to create an ethics commission. The debate took place last session, with many calling the proposed panel a flawed creation. It would, however, create a more public process for ethics review.
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