New Mexico鈥檚 Heinrich and Vasquez call on Biden to leave the presidential race 鈥� 九色网 News, Associated Press
New Mexico鈥檚 U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich and U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez are both asking President Joe Biden to suspend his presidential campaign and allow another candidate to step in.
Heinrich is only the third Democratic senator to call on Biden to withdraw, . He follows Senators Jon Tester from Montana and Chris Coons of Delaware. Vasquez joins at least 30 of his colleagues in Congress calling on Biden to bow out.
鈥淛oe Biden is one of the most accomplished presidents in modern history,鈥� Heinrich wrote in a statement. 鈥淗e has led our nation through unprecedented challenges with unwavering dedication and profound integrity. His years of service have made a lasting impact on the lives of countless Americans.鈥�
But Heinrich went on to write that the possible return of Donald Trump to the White House poses 鈥渁n existential danger鈥� to democracy.
鈥淲e must defeat him in November, and we need a candidate who can do that,鈥� he wrote.
Heinrich said by passing the torch to someone else, Biden can 鈥渟ecure his legacy as one of our nation鈥檚 greatest leaders鈥� and allow Democrats to unite behind a candidate who can defeat Trump.
Vasquez also praised the President as 鈥渁n honorable public servant鈥� who the nation owes 鈥渁 great debt of gratitude.鈥� He went on to urge Biden to step aside 鈥渢o give Democrats the best opportunity to win this November.鈥�
APD chief reprimanded for car crash that injured citizen - Elise Kaplan,
This story was originally published by
An Internal Affairs investigation into the city鈥檚 top cop for causing a crash on east Central Avenue earlier this year concluded that he violated two department policies.
Chief Harold Medina was issued two letters of reprimand on Monday 鈥� one for failing to safely operate a vehicle while on duty and another for failing to fully activate his body camera following the crash.
The investigation found he did not violate policies regarding the use of emergency warning equipment or having a 鈥渕anner above reproach.鈥�
APD鈥檚 Fleet Crash Review Board and its Fatal Crash Unit also reviewed the chief鈥檚 actions and in April they told the City Council they found the crash was not preventable. At that time, the city鈥檚 chief administrative officer stressed that many other entities would review the case 鈥� including the District Attorney鈥檚 Office and an independent monitor.
On Feb. 17, Medina was on his way to a press conference 鈥� with his wife in the passenger seat 鈥� when he said he saw an illegal encampment blocking the sidewalk near Central Avenue. As he started to notify a commander for the southeast area of the encampment, two men began to fight nearby. Medina said one of the men drew a gun and fired one round.
鈥淐hief Medina told investigators he was concerned for the safety of his wife, who was in the passenger seat, and he attempted to clear traffic on Central as he accelerated away from the gunshot,鈥� Gilbert Gallegos, an APD spokesperson, wrote in a news release. 鈥淎s he drove southbound through Central, he struck a car that was traveling eastbound on Central.鈥�
The driver of the other vehicle 鈥� a gold 1966 Ford Mustang 鈥� was seriously injured and taken to the hospital. He is being represented by an attorney and has filed a tort claims notice, which typically precedes a lawsuit.
After the crash, Medina referred his own actions to the Internal Affair Division, and Gallegos said he fully cooperated with the investigation. Medina accepted and signed the letters of reprimand.
FEMA trailers on their way to Ruidoso; at least 856 homes lost - By Danielle Prokop,
Just more than a month after the destruction of South Fork and Salt fires in the Ruidoso area, the federal government has agreed to provide temporary housing, state officials said Wednesday.
Gen. Miguel Aguilar, who heads the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, said at an interim legislative committee meeting that the Federal Emergency Management Agency approved the state鈥檚 request for temporary housing on Tuesday.
鈥淭hat will allow us to start the piece of bringing in FEMA trailers for those that need them,鈥� he said.
People who lost homes in the 2022 Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon fires faced hurdles to direct housing on their lands, with more than a after encountering issues.
Aguilar said the state has been 鈥渕ore forward-leaning鈥� in the community and said recovery is moving faster than the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon fires.
鈥淚 know the city of Ruidoso started hearing that because they鈥檙e getting a lot of: 鈥楬ey, we鈥檙e better off than what they were, but it鈥檚 still not fast enough,鈥欌�� Aguilar said.
The process to secure housing has been slow and frustrating, Ruidoso Mayor Lynn Crawford said in an interview with Source NM. He said he鈥檚 asked repeatedly whether FEMA could bring in temporary housing units.
鈥淢y people are treading water. They鈥檙e couchsurfing,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e got some in hotels. We鈥檝e got them spread out. We鈥檙e trying not to lose them forever, because we need them to work and live here.鈥�
In the July 4 request for direct housing to FEMA, state officials said 856 homes were destroyed, a number that has not previously been reported. Previous estimates were that 500 homes were destroyed. And more homes could be lost, the state warned.
鈥淎dditional impacts continue to occur due to severe mudflow and debris flow, and incoming reports indicate that additional residents may require disaster housing,鈥� the letter stated.
It鈥檚 not clear how many of the 856 homes were second homes. Only people who lost their primary residence are eligible for direct housing, .
The request asks for Transportable Temporary Housing Units, which, according to FEMA, could mean manufactured homes or trailers.
Currently, the state is looking to place all the FEMA trailers or mobile homes on one site. That decision is driven in part by the city鈥檚 zoning codes, but also for faster placement, said Ali Rye, the state director at the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
In order to put the trailers or mobile homes on private properties, which FEMA tried to do after the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire, FEMA would survey properties and ensure that they don鈥檛 face future flooding risks and are hooked up to utilities. That would slow down the process, Rye said.
鈥淭he village has a certain timeline they鈥檙e looking at 鈥� they want to get those houses in yesterday,鈥� Rye said. 鈥淚n order to make that work, it鈥檚 a lot quicker for us to put units onto a mobile home park than it is for us to put them on individual properties.鈥�
Source NM reporter Patrick Lohmann contributed to the reporting of this article.
Sundance Film Festival narrows down host cities 鈥� from Louisville to Santa Fe 鈥� for future years - By Kaitlyn Huamani Associated Press
The Sundance Institute on Friday announced six finalists in its search for a new host location for the influential film festival.
After 40 years in Park City, Utah, the festival is eyeing locations across the country for festivals starting in 2027 when its existing contract will be up for renewal. The snowy mountain town, along with Salt Lake City, will still be home to the 2025 and 2026 festivals, and the Utah cities are one of the six options for future festivals.
The other five finalists are Atlanta; Cincinnati; Boulder, Colorado; Louisville, Kentucky, and Santa Fe, New Mexico. These cities are moving along in the selection process after a competitive request for proposal phase that started in May and saw submissions from across the country.
The potential host cities were selected for their ability to support the film festival's growth and they will continue to be evaluated on each city's infrastructure, accessibility, event venues and logistical capabilities, as well as their alignment with Sundance's values.
"As we very carefully consider this important decision for our Festival, we believe these six finalists allow us the best opportunity to not only secure a sustainable future for our Festival, but also to build upon its legacy while continuing to support the next generation of storytellers and highlight bold new works of art," said Ebs Burnough, Sundance Institute board chair, and Amanda Kelso, Sundance Institute acting CEO, in a joint statement.
"We are grateful to all the communities who have expressed interest and been a part of the process, and we have valued the opportunity to learn about the uniqueness of each location," the statement continued. "We look forward to the site visits in each of the finalist cities."
Sundance has long been a launching pad for independent filmmakers and has supported the early careers of Christopher Nolan, Quentin Tarantino and more. Festival winners often become some of the year's most acclaimed films. Last year's festival produced Celine Song's "Past Lives," nominated for best picture and best screenplay. Other Sundance titles to reach the Oscars include 2022 best picture winner "CODA," "Summer Of Soul (...Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised)" and "Minari."
The Sundance Institute noted that each of the finalist cities have strong arts communities with varied cultural backgrounds and potential for growth. The Robert Redford-founded festival has grown significantly since its inception.
Redford, who stepped back from the Sundance spotlight years ago, expressed concern in 2016 that the festival as it existed might have outgrown Park City and was thinking about ways to evolve. He and his daughter, Amy Redford, who is on the board, have been involved in the process according to an April announcement about the location search.
Mayors and governors from each of the selected cities have issued statements expressing their enthusiasm for the festival to move to their town (or remain there). Mayors Nann Worel of Park City, Erin Mendenhall of Salt Lake City and Jenny Wilson of Salt Lake County issued a statement that emphasizes the dual city hosting model, likely in response to concerns that Park City was no longer suitable for the ever-expanding festival.
"We are committed to working in partnership on a new vision of 'Two Cities, One Experience' with a shared goal of reinvigorating the Festival with an even greater tradition for storytelling over the next 40 years," the mayor said in their statement.
Members of the Sundance Institute selection committee will visit each of the finalist cities in the coming weeks and a final decision is expected in early 2025.
LFC: Bernalillo County violent crime mostly flat from 2017 high - By Daneille Prokop,
Violent crime has plateaued in Bernalillo County since reaching its highest point in 2017, according to a presentation and report given to New Mexico lawmakers Monday.
The presentation comes in the leadup to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham鈥檚 special session on Thursday, which has in her party.
The governor鈥檚 office declined to comment on the report, including whether any of the recommendations would be adopted, citing preparations for the special session, said Michael Coleman, a spokesperson for the governor.
THE FINDINGS:
The Legislative Finance Committee provides nonpartisan analysis on a variety of topics to lawmakers, and presented their findings on crime in Bernalillo County to lawmakers at a meeting in Socorro.
Bernalillio County鈥檚 violent crime 鈥� defined as murder, manslaughter, aggravated assault, robbery, and rape and sexual assault 鈥� remains three times higher per capita than the national rates after plateauing at this rate since 2017, said Ryan Tolman, an LFC analyst.
Violent crime and homicide remained flat, while property crime and vehicle theft increased slightly from 2020 through 2023.
In a, the analysis found that reducing crime comes from addressing its root causes, things like alleviating poverty, bettering education outcomes, and increasing mental health and drug addiction treatments 鈥� but that those treatments remain widely unavailable.
Tolman also noted that the 鈥渟wiftness and certainty鈥� of being caught mattered more in reducing crime rather than increasing the severity of sentences. But that is being undercut by an 鈥渁ccountability gap,鈥� where police investigations and convictions are lagging behind crimes being committed.
鈥淎rrests, criminal convictions and prison admissions do not keep pace with crime, meaning that the system is not effectively holding offenders accountable,鈥� Tolman said.
The report delved into concerns that diversion programs, which offer treatment for addiction and mental health issues instead of jail time, are 鈥渙nly available to a fraction of people鈥� who could benefit from them.
鈥淩esearch shows substance use disorder treatment is the most effective way to break the cycle of crime and incarceration for offenders with drug abuse and addiction issues,鈥� the report stated, also noting that treatment courts offer $4 return for every $1 the state spends on it.
Lawmakers poured in 2024, and the City of Albuquerque added to the Albuquerque Police Department鈥檚 budget.
The city spent more than $250 million on APD in 2023, but the report found that Albuquerque police were 鈥渘ot effectively deterring or solving crime.鈥� Albuquerque police solved 6% of property crimes and 18% of violent crimes that year.
But the hundreds of millions spent on policing and prosecution is ineffective in holding criminals accountable, the analysis found. In recent years, Albuquerque police have solved fewer cases, and prosecutors have brought fewer cases and secured fewer convictions.
Only a small number of people were responsible for most felony arrests in Albuquerque, and the LFC said that suggests police and prosecutors need to prioritize high-risk offenders.
Although most people who commit multiple felonies are eventually sent to prison, the LFC found it takes 鈥渟everal alleged offenses before they are fully prosecuted and convicted.鈥�
The analysis found that most felony cases were dismissed because of insufficient evidence collection or witness cooperation.
Sen. Joe Cervantes (D-Las Cruces) said there was a failure to hold the Albuquerque Police Department accountable.
鈥淚f your cases are getting dismissed because you鈥檙e doing poor evidence collection, who鈥檚 doing the poor evidence collection? And how come they鈥檙e not being held accountable? And how come they鈥檙e not being trained? How come they鈥檙e not being fired? And how come they鈥檙e not being replaced? And how come the people that supervise them are not being replaced? I just don鈥檛 know how this is complicated,鈥� he said.
LFC RECOMMENDATIONS
The report provided a list of 17 recommendations to lawmakers and agencies.
None of the bulleted points addressed the governor鈥檚 proposed agenda for the upcoming special session.
In six recommendations, the report said lawmakers should focus on people waiting for a trial. Proposed reforms include outlining minimum court-certified standards for pretrial services; checking the validity of the risk assessments used to hold people in jail before trial; making rules for when courts use ankle monitors, and releasing more data to the public.
The committee also recommended lawmakers give more funding for certified competency evaluators and direct state agencies to ensure more pharmacies can make drug addiction treatment more available.
The report offered suggestions for four agencies, such as:
- Ask the New Mexico Corrections Department to increase incarcerated people鈥檚 participation in programs to prevent reoffending, and offer Medicaid-approved transitional services.
- Request the Administrative Office of the Courts increase participation in treatment courts and jail alternative programs across the state, and publish data on release decisions and outcomes.
- Recommend that the Health Care Authority amend the state鈥檚 Medicaid coverage to extend to people in prison 90 days before their release, to allow them to transition to services.
- Ask the Sentencing Commission to document the outcomes of crime reduction grants, particularly on treatment courts impacts on reducing jail overcrowding.
The report also said local agencies such as district attorneys and the Albuquerque Police Department have to focus on staffing and existing programs.
For the Second Judicial District Attorney鈥檚 Office in Bernalillo County, the recommendations were to focus on diverting low-level offenders into addiction treatment and other programs addressing crime鈥檚 root causes. The report asked for further updates on the office鈥檚 efforts to use prosecutor specialty units on certain crimes and determine if they increased convictions.
The LFC requested the Albuquerque Police Department hire more police officers, conduct joint patrols with Bernalillo County Sheriff鈥檚 Office in 鈥渉ot spots,鈥� and staff specialized detective and field services to improve evidence collection and solve more crimes.
The legislature has allocated $829 million in the past three years to address crime, according to the report.
George Mu帽oz (D-Gallup), who chairs the powerful Senate Finance Committee, made one last comment as the meeting ended.
鈥淣o matter what amount of money we put in there, crime goes up,鈥� Mu帽oz said of Bernalillo County. 鈥淎nd our costs go up and nothing鈥檚 getting resolved.鈥�