
Distraction tactic
Seeing as Robert Mueller is likely about to file his report about the president's collusion with foreign powers, the president is taking part in a flashy diplomacy trip to Vietnam, discussing denuclearization with dictator Kim Jong Un. New Mexico lawmakers react; US Sen. Tom Udall pointed out that he is "concerned that [Trump] and his administration have not made the proper diplomatic steps or fully included the technical experts—such as those at New Mexico's national labs—needed to achieve a verifiable outcome."
Priorities, priorities
As more New Mexico counties and municipalities declare themselves "Second Amendment Sanctuaries," ($) protecting their residents' rights to own firearms, Bernalillo has gone ahead and reaffirmed its commitment to protect immigrants by denying Immigration and Customs Enforcement access to non-public court property, such as databases, without a warrant. In the coming months, we expect to see lawsuits over these kinds of things, and we're willing to guess the president is not going to threaten Second Amendment sanctuaries the same way he did regular ol' Sanctuary Cities (but his threats went nowhere anyway).
Set ’em wild, set ’em free
SFR has long been following the status of parole hearings for 30-year-lifers, and yesterday saw some tectonic movement: The House passed a bill that shifts the impetus to the parole board, which would have to prove an inmate should remain locked up, rather than an inmate having to prove why they should be released. In March 2017, SFR explored the case of OC Fero, who became a poster child for rehabilitation while in prison, yet was denied parole repeatedly. Fero was granted parole that May.
Lots of bad news comin’ your way
Unfortunately, there's a lot of gnarly criminal news in New Mexico this morning, so if you would rather read good (or at least dry) news, skip this section. That 8-year-old girl we mentioned yesterday whose father is going to court for prostituting her took the stand against her father yesterday. Santa Fe County sherriffs are investigating after a 4-year-old boy ($) was found unresponsive and later died in the care of his grandparents. Cops also responded to reports of a man with a gun at the Motel 6 in Santa Fe yesterday, and a SWAT standoff ended in the man taking his own life ($). Suspected teenage shenanigans on the road allegedly led a man to shoot a 15-year-old boy in a case of road rage; the teen is recovering at UNM Hospital. And the most horrifying article in this section is The New Mexican's coverage ($) of a Santa Fe man accused of assaulting a 14-year-old at a family party. Ugh. Wow. OK. Let's move on to other subjects.
Corrections appointee drops out
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's nominee for head of corrections has withdrawn herself from consideration. Julie Jones was set to move from Florida, where she held the same appointment until that state's new governor replaced the entire cabinet. She sent a letter to Lujan Grisham this week declining the role for personal reasons. The governor says she "will be conducting interviews expeditiously." ($)
Beavers be best
Do you have your tickets to the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour at the Lensic on March 11 and 12 yet? The festival of short films about the outdoors is always a huge hit here in town, and this week SFR looked at one selection in particular. It's about BEAVERS. And we super love beavers. Like, super-love beavers. We accept beavers as our benevolent overlords.
You can do it, Mr. Trump!
Speaking of the outdoors, that public lands bill we told you about the other week has now passed the US House and is on its way to the president to be signed or vetoed. New Mexico could see more than 270,000 acres of additional wilderness areas designated as a result. It's the largest public lands bill approved by Congress in over a decade.
About that weather…
Wasn't yesterday nice? We liked yesterday. Today should be more of the same: dry and warm. A cold front could swing by this weekend, but we ain't livin' in tomorrow, fam.
Thanks for reading! The Word has has Goldfish crackers and coffee for breakfast two days in a row now, and it's not nearly as sad a situation as it seems when we write it down. Goldfish are so good.