A Democratic activist and tribal administrator from Albuquerque is the new leader of New Mexico's Democratic Party. Debra Haaland (Holland) became the first Native American to lead a state party in New Mexico on Saturday following a Democratic State Central Committee meeting in Albuquerque. *****042715-Haaland-3 :13***** Haaland, who ran for lieutenant governor last year, beat former Santa Fe County party chairman Richard Ellenberg by a vote of 214 to 168. Haaland replaces Sam Bregman. Bregman decided not to seek a second term after the party's historic election loss in November that saw Republicans gain control of the New Mexico House for the first time in 60 years. I (KSFR news) asked Haaland how New Mexico Democrats can overcome the GOP momentum from the 2014 election. *****042715-Haaland-4 :37***** Haaland’s immediate plans include soliciting for more funds and doing outreach for minority voters.
Santa Fe County’s GOP is also being led by a new chairwoman. At its convention last week, Santa Fe County Republicans elected Jo Ann Eastham, who served in the Reagan administration. Eastham will serve for two-years in the post. In a news release, she says, quote: “There are plenty of liberal Democrats in Santa Fe, but there is a fair share of conservative Dems in Santa Fe plus the outlaying precincts as well,” end quote. Eastham succeeds Orlando Baca in the County GOP post.
Governor Susana Martinez is lobbying the federal government to consider a one-thousand acre parcel of land in southeastern New Mexico as an interim storage site for the nation’s high-level nuclear waste. The New Mexican reporting that Martinez recently reached out to the Obama administration to consider the location to store spent radioactive fuel rods from nuclear power plants. The paper obtained an April 10th letter to U-S Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz. In the correspondence, Martinez praised area residents for being able to "carve out a niche in the nuclear industry." Regional officials say the potential disposal ground could bring jobs and economic growth. A facility in Texas is also campaigning to become the chief dumping ground. A spokesman for Martinez says the letter is only a preliminary endorsement.
A jury will resume deliberations today in the murder trial of a Santa Fe man charged with fatally beating an elderly man and then setting his body on fire to cover up the crime. The New Mexican says jurors told a judge in a note last week that they were at "a standstill" in settling on a verdict. The jury began deliberating Thursday in the case against 28-year-old Anthony Yepez. Though he faces a first-degree murder charge, Yepez could also be found guilty of a lesser murder charge. Yepez says he fought with 75-year-old George Ortiz, his girlfriend's step-grandfather, in October 2012 after Ortiz punched her. The defendant says he did not intend to kill him. The girlfriend, Jeannie Ann Sandoval, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.
Several San Juan County prison inmates are suing the jail over claims they were left injured or in pain after being denied basic medical care. The Daily Times in Farmington reports that 18 current and former San Juan County Adult Detention Center inmates filed a complaint earlier this month in state district court. In the April 17th complaint, they allege the jail's health care providers displayed a "severe and deliberate indifference" to their medical needs. The inmates are asking for financial compensation as well as court-mandated changes in jail policies, training and procedures. San Juan Regional Medical Center and Correctional Healthcare Companies, Inc. oversee medical care at the jail. Medical center spokesman Haroon Ahmad says the hospital does not discuss ongoing lawsuits but does plan to "vigorously defend" itself.
Santa Fe resident and Boston Marathon winner Caroline Rotich will honored at a downtown Santa Fe parade later today. The City of Santa Fe in collaboration with Santa Fe County, Girls on the Run, Santa Fe Striders, the Santa Fe running community and Heath Concerts is hosting the four-pm parade honoring Rotich, the women’s winner of the prestigious 26-point-two mile race. Today’s parade will start in the west parking lot of Ft. Marcy Park, and proceed along Murales Road, Federal, and Lincoln to the Plaza, where a celebration will commence at the bandstand. That’s where music sponsored by Heath concerts will perform until six-pm.
Santa Fe Weather: Mostly cloudy today with the high near 50 and a 40-percent chance for showers and thunderstorms after noon. Tonight: Partly cloudy with the overnight low, 34 and a 20-percent chance for showers. Tomorrow: Mostly sunny with the high near 57.