Legislative roundup: Rec marijuana, crime The New Mexican Days remaining in session: 13 Recreational marijuana advances: Members of the Senate Rules Committee voted 4-3 Friday for a proposed constitutional amendment to legalize recreational marijuana. That decision keeps the measure alive, but it has little chance of making the November ballot. Even the amendment’s sponsor, Sen. Jerry Ortiz y Pino, D-Albuquerque, …

Police: Suspect in jail standoff shot himself in the jaw CLOVIS, N.M. (AP) — A four-hour standoff at the Curry County Adult Detention Center ended when a prisoner shot and wounded himself with a gun he pulled from his clothing while being booked into the jail, authorities said Friday. Curry County Sheriff Wesley Waller told the Eastern New Mexico News …

Measure that would hike pet food fees advances By Robert Nott The New Mexican A bill to increase fees for pet food distributors to help control dog and cat populations cleared its first legislative hurdle Tuesday when members of the House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee unanimously voted to support it. House Bill 64, sponsored by Reps. Carl Trujillo, D-Santa …

Exxon says it’ll invest over $50 billion, citing tax cut DALLAS (AP) — Exxon’s CEO says the oil company will invest more than $50 billion over the next five years to expand its business in the U.S. Chairman and CEO Darren Woods said Monday that the investments are possible because of the company’s strength, helped by the recent law that …

Brighter forecast prompts lawmakers to beef up proposed raises By Andrew Oxford The New Mexican Teachers and state employees might get a bigger raise than legislators and Gov. Susana Martinez originally proposed. Following a brighter financial forecast for the state, the House Appropriations and Finance Committee on Saturday approved a $6.32 billion budget proposal that calls for increasing the size …

Teacher pay increase is needed following higher revenue Christopher Ruszkowski By almost every annual measure, public education is on the rise in New Mexico. The lion’s share of credit goes to the educational leaders and excellent teachers in our districts and schools that embrace reform opportunities, act decisively upon their student achievement data and hold high expectations for every child. …

House Dems block expansion of three-strikes law on violent crime By Andrew Oxford The New Mexican The rift over how to stem New Mexico’s rising crime rates burst into the open Thursday, with Democrats blocking a proposal to expand the state’s three-strikes law. The bill would have allowed prosecutors to seek life sentences for criminals convicted of three violent felonies. …

Sheriff: Remains of 5 missing gas drilling workers recovered OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Officials on Tuesday recovered the remains of five gas rig workers who had been missing since a fiery explosion in eastern Oklahoma a day earlier. Pittsburg County Sheriff Chris Morris said once the natural gas drilling rig was stabilized following the blast and subsequent fires, employees from …

Legislative roundup The New Mexican Days remaining in session: 23 Against the wall: In her State of the State address last week, Gov. Susana Martinez called for building more infrastructure on the border. “Relax Mr. Speaker,” the governor said. “I’m not talking about a wall.” Democrats want that in writing. A group of state lawmakers is backing legislation that would …

Oklahoma man indicted in well service fraud scheme OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The head of an Oklahoma well servicing company has been indicted for allegedly cheating an energy company out of more than $4.3 million. The Oklahoman reports that 41-year-old Justin Lane Foust is charged with wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and money laundering. Foust pleaded not guilty Friday in …