‘I think I’m good’
Santa Fe Police Officer Luke Wakefield joined the department in 2014. According to records obtained by SFR, he's used force six times on the job since 2015, including two recent shootings. In the first, which is being investigated by a panel convened by the district attorney, Wakefield and another officer fired a combined 17 shots at a man who had schizophrenia and had barricaded himself in an apartment. The man died. In a January shooting, Wakefield appears to be the only officer who fired at a man who was in a home during a domestic situation. Wakefield says on video he thought he heard shots. He shot twice and missed.
Step up
A bill that would rein in the insurance company practice of step therapy is sitting on the governor's desk, with a bit more than a week left for her to sign it. Step therapy, which is sometimes called fail-first therapy, is a method of prescribing less expensive drugs for patients first. While it can be effective in controlling costs to insurance companies (which they say are ultimately passed on to people they insure), some doctors worry it puts patients at risk ($) by demanding cheaper drugs that may not work as well or at all, wasting valuable time for patients whose lives are at stake.
FBI charges Bloomfield teen with school shooting threat
John Williams, a 19-year-old who lives in Bloomfield, has been charged by the FBI for a social media post he made in support of a proposed school shooting. The target was Charlie Y Brown Alternative School ($) in Bloomfield. A juvenile made the initial threat, and the feds say Williams indicated he'd help. The Department of Justice used an interstate commerce law to charge Williams.
Thank you, ma’am, may I have another?
Gov. Martinez has extended the terms of two regents at the University of New Mexico until the end of her term. Martinez announced the appointments of Tom Clifford and student regent Garrett Adcock, which don't have to be—and won't be—acted on by the Senate Rules Committee. Meanwhile, the governor has another seat to fill, after Alex Romero resigned his appointment after less than a year, citing difficulty working with the governor's top dog on the board, Rob Doughty.
About that certificate
One of the governor's appointees to the New Mexico Lottery Authority presented a falsified document ($) saying he'd completed continuing education necessary to remain a certified public accountant. John Kubiak says his assistant thought she was doing him a favor by fudging the proof. The Public Accountancy Board thought otherwise. Kubiak later provided documentation showing he was current with all his requirements.
Lewis adds oversight to ABQ city cops
Mayor Tim Keller has appointed former state treasurer James B Lewis as a senior advisor for public safety. In the role, he'll act as a civilian voice as APD considers community policing programs and generally tries to work through a court-monitored agreement with the Department of Justice, which found in 2014 that Albuquerque police had a longstanding practice of unconstitutional policing, particularly when it came to the use of force.
LANL community group audited
A Los Alamos County audit of travel expenses by Andrea Romero, who is the Regional Coalition of LANL Communities' executive director, found pricey bar tabs ($), baseball tickets and suspected double mileage claims. The audit was prompted by an inquiry from a political group connected to state Rep. Carl Trujillo, D-Nambé, who is being challenged in the Democratic primary by Romero. The coalition's treasurer had also raised concerns about Romero's spending.
Don’t fret
Unless you dig the cold. Then fret. It's 18 degrees outside as the Word taps away at this final item. But an abundance of sun should boost highs today and tomorrow to around 50. That's quite a departure from this windy, blustery weekend. There's a chance of some precipitation on Wednesday, and it looks like the wind will stick around today.
Thanks for reading! The Word is well-stocked with leftovers for lunch this week. It's basically a worry-free first two days. Yay, Restaurant Week!
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