Thursday’s Top Stories
DWI scandal: APD officers resigning rather than talking
AFR rescues three hikers injured in the Foothills
Feds indict Sheryl Williams Stapleton in APS fraud scheme
Former Albuquerque hotel manager sentenced for role in kickback scheme
UNM Men’s basketball coach Richard Pitino staying with the Lobos
Solomon Peña facing new federal charges
Santa Fe County Commission approves ban on single-use plastics
City of Albuquerque showcases city employee artwork
TIMELINE: NTSB details moments before cargo ship crashed into Baltimore bridge
Putin says he won’t start a war with NATO but Western bases hosting Ukraine F-16s would be targets
Thursday’s Five Facts
[1] Memorial service honors NMSP Officer Justin Hare – Hundreds gathered in Albuquerque honoring Officer Justin Hare who was shot to death near Tucumcari nearly two weeks ago. The services were held at Legacy Church in Northwest Albuquerque Wednesday where fellow officers and family members shared tearful words, heartfelt goodbyes and memories of the 35-year-old state police officer who spent six years with NMSP. The man accused of killing Officer Hare, Jaremy Smith, is now in federal custody facing the possibility of the death penalty.
[2] Man T-boned by APD police chief speaks out about injuries – The man seriously hurt in a T-bone crash caused by Albuquerque’s police chief last month is speaking out, saying the actions left him with life-altering injuries. Todd Perchert was driving through the intersection of Central and Alvarado when Chief Medina ran a red light and hit Perchert. Medina says he and his wife were on their way to a press conference and pulled over near two men in a fight when they heard gunfire, he said he ran the red light to get out of harms way. Perchert suffered a broken collarbone, shoulder blade, eight broken ribs and a collapsed lung in the crash. The Percherts are now expected to file a lawsuit. They’re questioning why APD is doing its own internal investigation, and why Medina pulled over in the first place without his lapel camera on.
[3] Much milder with light winds Thursday around New Mexico – Temperatures will start in the 20s and 30s, warming up into the 60s and 70s this afternoon. Temperatures will be much warmer than Wednesday, and warmer than normal again. Winds will be breezy, at about 20 to 35 mph. Friday will be even windier, especially across eastern New Mexico, where there will also be high fire danger. Temperatures will climb even more on Friday.
[4] BCSO operation cracks down on South Valley speeders – BCSO cracked down on speeders with a traffic operation focused on the Coors and Rio Bravo area. Deputies stopped 48 drivers and issued 118 citations, 42 of those for speeding. Earlier this month, BCSO’s traffic unit targeted Paseo Del Norte, where deputies stopped 60 drivers and issued more than 100 citations. BCSO did not specify where their next operations will be but said it will focus on areas in the county where street racing has been a reported problem.
[5] Isotopes unveil new LED stadium lighting system -The Albuquerque Isotopes and the City of Albuquerque unveiled a state-of-the-art LED lighting system at Isotopes Stadium. The new custom-designed lights are comprised of about186 fixtures. The new system increases light levels more uniformly throughout the ballpark improving visibility for fans and players to track the baseball while minimizing glare. The Isotopes’ first game of the season is against the El Paso Chihuahuas on Friday at 6:35 p.m.
