An independent audit of the Public Regulation Commission has been
released. It finds that the PRC failed to keep proper records for use
of state vehicles by commissioners and agency workers. The report
found over $32,000 in potentially unauthorized purchases of gasoline
and other items with PRC-issued gas credit cards last year. Former
Commissioner Jerome Block resigned after pleading guilty to fraudulent
use of a state credit card. And speaking of the Espanola resident,
Block is heading back to court after being jailed last week and
dismissed from a drug treatment program. He's scheduled for a release
hearing today in state district court. The hearing could determine
whether he will be released from jail in Santa Fe pending his
sentencing.
a family was rescued early yesterday morning from their car that
had been buried in a snowdrift for nearly two days. State Police say
rescuers had to dig through 4 feet of ice and snow to free the family
whose vehicle got stuck on U.S. 56 near Springer when a blizzard moved
through the area Monday. State police say they got a distress call and
launched a search for the husband, wife and their 5-year-old daughter.
They're recovering at a hospital in Raton.
It's officially winter and there's a winter weather advisory today.
We're getting some amazing stories coming into the newsroom from the
snow storm earlier this week. A woman gave birth in the front seat of
a truck as it was speeding down an icy hwy. Elizabeth LeFevre gave
birth to a little girl early Tuesday on Old Las Vegas Highway between
CaƱoncito and Santa Fe. They took that hwy because I-25 was shut
down. She was having heavy contractions early in the morning so she,
her husband and their 3-year-old daughter got into a truck driven by
her brother-in-law and headed to the hospital. But soon her water
broke and the baby came halfway out. Her husband had just graduated
from a college nursing program and actually had some training in
assisting deliveries of babies, but not hands-on like this he says.
He pulled the baby out. They eventually got to the hospital.
Everyone is back home doing well in CaƱoncito.
Authorities are looking for a man from Springer who hasn't been seen
since Dec. 3. The man is 32-year-old Thomas Sedillo, Jr who is 5'3,
135 pound with brown hair and brown eyes. Family members are said to
be concerned because he's been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Springer Police
Department or the Missing Person Hotline, 1-800-457-3463.
Anglers may soon get to catch all the northern pike they want at Eagle
Nest Lake. The State Game Commission votes today on getting rid of
the catch limit on northern pike at Eagle Nest. The reason is to
prevent the aggressive predator fish from decimating popular rainbow
trout. State fisheries managers are asking the commission to let
anglers catch all the pike they want, as long as they don't dump any
back in the lake
The New Mexico Supreme Court has ruled that Gov. Susana Martinez's use
of a line-item veto was unconstitutional. She used the veto on a tax
increase on businesses that was meant to shore up the state's
unemployment compensation fund. With yesterday's ruling, the
legislation is reinstated as it was passed by lawmakers earlier this
year. The court says the governor's partial veto removed one of the
variables needed to calculate employer contributions beginning in
January. A spokesman for Martinez says the governor used her
line-item veto authority in the same way former Gov. Bill Richardson
did in 2010 and disagrees with the court's decision.
A Rio Arriba County Jail guard is under suspicion of drinking and
abandoning his children inside a hotel room. 30-year-old Isaac
Maestas of Tierra Amarilla was arrested early Sunday at a Casino
Resort north of Espanola and charged with child abuse or endangerment
of his 3 children, ages 9, 4 and 2. According to police one of his
kids called 911 asking for help. When officers arrived and found the
kids, they also discovered several beer bottle lying around the room.
The children were unharmed and released to the custody of their
mother.
He's been jailed once again. Former Public Regulation Commissioner
Jerome Block, Jr. was ordered arrested yesterday for violating
"regulations" of his court-ordered drug treatment program. This is the
Espanola resident's third trip to lockup for violating terms of his
plea agreement. Block pleaded guilty in October to fraudulent use of a
state-issued gasoline card, embezzlement, violations of campaign
finance laws and other felonies. As part of that plea, he agreed to
undergo drug treatment, saying he was addicted to pain killers and
wanted to get his life back on track. If he fails to complete drug
treatment, he could face up to 4 1/2 years in prison.
Some school delays today caused by the weather.
2 Hour Delay Penasco Independent Schools
2 Hour Delay Questa Independent Schools
2 Hour Delay UNM Taos
And no classes this evening at Northern New Mexico college in Espanola.
The New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy is holding an emergency meeting
today over concerns that Attorney General Gary King's office isn't
aggressively going after the certifications of disciplined police
officers. It's been reported that at least 60 police officers
statewide, who have been disciplined or fired by their departments,
are still licensed to carry badges and guns, and can work for another
agency. New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy officials blame King,
chair of academy's board, for not making the state's case for
sanctions against those troubled officers during administrative
hearings. A spokesperson for King says the attorney general looked
forward to discussing issues "raised in the emergency meeting agenda."