KSFR’s Radio Café host Mary Charlotte Domandi was one of the people who got no advance notice that the Santa Fe Baking Company’s doors would be locked yesterday. Mary Charlotte arrived to produce her daily show, heard here on KSFR every morning, when she saw a sign that read “closed” on the front door. The Santa Fe New Mexican reports other regular customers had a look of shock on their faces as they showed up for their usual coffee klatch at the Cordova Road eatery. Santa Fe Baking Company underwent a change of ownership recently, and the New Mexican says the establishment owed hundreds of thousands of dollars in back taxes to the state. Two other long-time Santa Fe restaurants have shuttered their doors recently: The Zia Diner, and Burt’s Burger Bowl.
The federal government is giving states money to help fight homelessness. The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that in Santa Fe, there are about 50 people living on the streets, and another 200 in emergency shelters. US Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich announced the award totaling $7.4-million nationally. The New Mexican reports that more than $1-million from the money distributed to the state will go to the City of Santa Fe for its homelessness initiatives. Some of the local nonprofits that will also benefit from an additional $600,000 include St. Elizabeth’s Shelter, Casa Milagro and the New Mexico Coalition to End Homelessness.
School attendance at Santa Fe’s public schools is up over last year’s numbers. A story in today’s Santa Fe New Mexican notes a slight increase over last year’s daily attendance. For this year the report shows 91.3-percent of students made it to class on average. High school students’ attendance rates aren’t as good, though. Those numbers are still near the bottom, according to the New Mexican, and district officials didn’t even include numbers from its dropout recovery program called Engage Santa Fe. Through a state grant, the district has hired new truancy coaches at several schools, which has made for the higher attendance rates overall.
U.S. Sen. Tom Udall says he'll be accompanying President Barack Obama on his visit to Cuba next week. Udall will be among a group that will include several other members of Congress, beginning Sunday. Udall is a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and he has traveled to Cuba several times over the years to meet with Cuban officials, religious and business leaders and others. Discussions have included the effects of the 50-year US embargo and travel restrictions. Udall told reporters that the president's trip signals a new relationship with Cuba, but that Congress still needs to repeal outdated laws that restrict business and tourism.
The New Mexico Legislature has refused to turn over records subpoenaed by the Attorney General's Office earlier this month. The Albuquerque Journal reports that Attorney General Hector Balderas wants the records for his office's criminal case against former Sen. Phil Griego. Griego was recently charged with nine crimes related to a real estate deal, including bribery, fraud and perjury. The Legislative Council Service filed a motion last week arguing that the records are confidential, but Balderas' office is now asking a judge to order the group to hand over the documents. Balderas' office says the legislative group's request is inconsistent with U.S. Supreme Court precedent and the state's power to investigate and prosecute crimes. Griego has previously maintained that he didn't realize his actions violated a state constitutional provision.
New Mexico's state auditor is highlighting major financial control problems at state-sponsored charter schools overseen by the state's Public Education Department. State Auditor Tim Keller said Tuesday that problems include missing files on teacher background checks and licenses. At six charter schools, auditors conclude that financial statements are unreliable. The information comes from an annual financial audit of the Education Department from an outside accounting firm. The state auditor is asking for a corrective action plan from the Education Department. The number of state-chartered charter schools has grown to 59 last year from just two in 2008. Combined with school district-charters, the number is about 100 now. Beyond charter schools, the state auditor says the education department under-reported infrastructure spending by $21-million.
Albuquerque's mayor and police chief say they support legislation that would make animal cruelty a federal crime. Mayor Richard Berry and Police Chief Gorden Eden have sent letters to the Humane Society expressing support for bi-partisan legislation. The Humane Society is advocating for the new law. Eden and Berry say the legislation would close a loophole in federal law, which prohibits profiting from animal fighting and videos that show animal cruelty but doesn't ban the actual act of cruelty itself. Malicious animal cruelty already carries felony penalties in the criminal codes of all 50 states. The proposed federal legislation would outlaw animal cruelty and torture in areas where federal authorities have jurisdiction.
State officials are seeking applications from New Mexico lawyers to fill an upcoming vacancy for a Roswell-based judgeship in the 5th Judicial District Court. The vacancy will be created by the March 31 retirement of Judge Steven L. Bell. The state Judicial Nominating Commission will consider applications during an April 28 public meeting at the Chaves County courthouse in Roswell. Gov. Susana Martinez will then make the appointment to fill the vacancy.