A Santa Fe city law that would have made illegal the sale of so-called “Minis” and small containers of alcohol up to eight-ounces has been ruled unenforceable by State District Judge Sarah Singleton. The New Mexican reporting Singleton’s Tuesday ruling reinforces the state’s authority to make decisions regarding the size of booze containers. The decision comes to the chagrin of Santa Fe City Councilors who’s approved the law claiming the ordinance was an anti-litter effort. Liquor store owners were prepared to file a lawsuit contesting the ordinance, and the city sought Singleton’s opinion before it was to take effect.
A manager of a New Mexico ranch says 20th Century Fox representatives are trying to determine if actors took American Indian artifacts while filming "Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials." Diamond-Tail Ranch manager Roch Hart telling The Associated Press on Tuesday that the studio is investigating claims the cast took artifacts and will seek to return any stolen items. Actor Dylan O'Brien said last month on "Live with Kelly and Michael" that cast members took artifacts from a private ranch north of Albuquerque, despite warnings not to take any items like rocks or "skulls." O'Brien, who’s 24, didn’t say what was taken. His representative did not immediately return an email from The Associated Press. Diamond Tail Ranch sits between the Sandia and San Felipe pueblos.
New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez is urging the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a ruling allowing public-sector unions to collect fees from employees who decide not to become union members. The Albuquerque Journal reports that Martinez argued in an 18-page brief that the fees violate employees' free-speech rights. The Republican governor has clashed with labor unions since her election in 2010. She recently backed legislation that sought to block unions from collecting so-called "fair-share" fees, but it died in New Mexico's Democrat-controlled Senate. The Supreme Court case involves several California teachers who object to having to pay union fees. Labor unions argue that the fees are fair because nonunion employees benefit from union-negotiated contracts.
The federal government is proposing to list two minnows found in New Mexico and Arizona as threatened. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says the headwater chub and a population of roundtailchub are at risk of extinction in the foreseeable future. The agency is taking public comment on critical habitat designation until December seventh. The headwater chub is dark gray to brown with silvery sides. It's found in drainages, tributaries of the Verde River and parts of the upper Gila River. The Fish and Wildlife Service wants to protect the roundtailchub found in the lower Colorado River basin in Arizona and New Mexico. The minnow is olive-gray to silver with a lighter belly. Threats to the fish include predation, habitat destruction, mining, water pollution and climate change.
A United Airlines flight from Houston to San Francisco had to be diverted to Albuquerque after the co-pilot passed out. Albuquerque airport spokesman Dan Jiron says air-traffic controllers got word shortly after 8 a.m. Tuesday that the plane would be landing after the first officer, who is second in command, had a medical episode. The plane landed without incident around 8:20 a.m. Jiron says the co-pilot regained consciousness and was able to walk off the plane to be transported to a hospital. Jiron had no details about the co-pilot's condition or what may have caused the episode. United was aware of the diversion but didn't immediately comment. It comes a day after an American Airlines captain became gravely ill while flying from Phoenix to Boston. He later died.
Albuquerque voters appear to be in favor of having future mayoral picks for police and fire chief positions submitted to the City Council for approval. The measure to amend the City Charter was on the ballot in Tuesday's municipal election. Councilor Ken Sanchez co-sponsored the ballot measure proposing to give the City Council more authority over fire and police chief hires, saying earlier this year that it would help with ongoing police- reform in Albuquerque. City officials and Justice Department officials agreed to a settlement after a scathing federal report last year outlined a pattern of excessive force by Albuquerque police.
Santa Fe Weather: Numerous showers and thunderstorms today through this evening. Today’s high, 68, the overnight low down to 46.Tomorrow: Partly cloudy with showers and thunderstorms in the morning...then scattered shower- activity in the afternoon, the high tomorrow, 73.