Last week’s City Council meeting started alongside a crowd of about 50 protesters who gathered outside City Hall about an hour before the meeting. Citizens stood across the street chanting demands to see Mayor Richard Berry.
The Albuquerque City Council has postponed two pieces of legislation that would have abolished the Police Oversight Commission. Last week council members discussed a bill sponsored by Councilor Rey Garduño and Councilor Brad Winter that would have abolished the POC on Dec. 31 and replaced it with a Civilian Police Oversight Agency. Winter moved to postpone the matter until Aug. 18.__
David Correia recently earned a promotion and tenure, but University administration said his local activism was not a factor in the decision. Correia, who is now an associate professor in the American Studies Department, has been a prominent figure in campaigns regarding the Albuquerque Police Department.
Gubernatorial candidates Gary King and Susana Martinez are gearing up their campaigns for the general elections in November. King won the Democratic primary election with 35 percent of votes, according to the Secretary of State website. Debra Haaland will run for the Democratic lieutenant governor position.
Attorney General Gary King won the spot for Democratic Party candidate for the state governor race last night. King beat contenders Lawrence Rael, Alan Webber, Linda Lopez and Howie Morales for a chance to face off against incumbent Gov. Susana Martinez in the Nov. 4 general election.
Thirteen people were arrested after a sit-in at the Albuquerque mayor’s office Monday evening. One of them, David Correia, a UNM assistant professor for American Studies, was arrested for felony battery on a police officer. Police were called to the mayor’s office in response to protesters who were holding a demonstration and refusing to leave, according to a statement from Janet Blair, an APD spokeswoman.
The New Mexico Primary Elections will be held on June 3. Voters from around the state will be able to elect candidates from their prospective parties to participate in the general elections in November. There are five democratic candidates for governor. The winner of the primary election will run against Governor Susana Martinez, who is running unopposed in the republican primary election.
Three of the five Democratic primary candidates said they support using other sources of funding to subsidize the Legislative Lottery Scholarship. Lawrence Rael, Linda Lopez, Howie Morales, Alan Webber and Gary King participated in a debate in Las Cruces on Thursday. The five contenders will be on the ballot on June 3 as primary candidates for governor of New Mexico.
Voters will determine whether Mayor Berry will require the City Council’s approval when hiring a new police chief. The legislation that would put the question on the November ballot passed 7-2 at the May 19 Council meeting, said Ken Sanchez, Council president and co-sponsor of the legislation.
The Graduate and Professional Student Association narrowly rescinded a divestment resolution during a council meeting Saturday. The council voted 11-10 to repeal the resolution, said Kris Miranda, acting council chair for the meeting.
Emergency personnel respond to UNM Hospital Wednesday evening after a helicopter crashed on the hospital’s roof.
Solutions by The State News
