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$10M sought for child welfare reforms State agency seeking funds from Legislature By Susan Montoya Bryan The Associated Press
Is Scottish center for sale or not? The group took the building off the market a few months ago, but a for sale sign still stands. PAGE A-6
‘Batman v Superman’ movie wraps in Taos Scenes for the film were shot in the Taos Ski Valley. PAGE A-6
Officials in CIA criticize torture report
ALBUQUERQUE — It will take an infusion of about $10 million for New Mexico to overhaul the way child abuse cases throughout the state are investigated and tracked, child welfare officials told state lawmakers Wednesday.
The Children, Youth and Families Department made its case to the Legislative Finance Committee for the additional funding so it can move ahead with reforms and expand them. The request encompasses the costs of numerous policy changes and directives the agency made in the wake of the death of Omaree Varela, a 9-year-old Albuquerque boy who police say was repeatedly kicked by his mother. The case set off a firestorm of criticism against Albu-
‘We could both make money’
querque police and the child welfare agency for not removing the boy from his home after receiving earlier reports of abuse. Jennifer Padgett, the agency’s deputy secretary, acknowledged the gaps identified by the Varela case and told lawmakers the reforms are targeted at making sure cases such as Omaree’s don’t fall through the cracks. “Can we say 100 percent that there will not be another tragedy at the hands of a child’s parents? No. Do we
have the infrastructure and the proactive measures in place to do everything we can to prevent it? We’re working on that,” she said. The agency has been hamstrung in recent years by staffing shortages and overwhelming caseloads. A large portion of the funding requested for the next budget year would pay for 93 new full-time positions in the agency’s Protective Services Division to help with the grow-
Please see CHILD, Page A-4
Brent Earnest
Ex-official, who pleaded guilty in fraud case, testifies against Advantage owner
said he plans to move ahead with an initiative to require some food benefit recipients to seek work.
New face at helm of Human Services Policies unchanged, but mood friendlier with legislative committee
Senate Dems blasted, claim errors in document
By Patrick Malone The New Mexican
By Bradley Klapper The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Top spies past and present campaigned Wednesday to discredit the Senate’s investigation into the CIA’s harrowing torture practices after 9/11, battling to define the historical record and deter potential legal action around the world. The Senate intelligence committee’s report doesn’t urge prosecution for wrongdoing, and the Justice Department has no interest in reopening a criminal probe. But the threat to former interrogators and their superiors was underlined as a U.N. special investigator demanded those responsible for “systematic crimes” be brought to justice, and human rights groups pushed for the arrest of key CIA and Bush administration figures if they travel overseas. Current and former CIA officials pushed back, determined to paint the Senate report as a political stunt by Senate Democrats tarnishing a program that saved American lives. It
Please see CIA, Page A-5
INSIDE u Democrats, including Sen. Heinrich, blast Obama for not fully backing the Senate’s torture report. PAGE A-5
Former Santa Fe County public works director James Lujan, a key witness in the state’s fraud case against Advantage Asphalt, testifies Wednesday in District Court about money he received while the contractor was getting millions of dollars worth of work for the county. LUIS SÁNCHEZ SATURNO/THE NEW MEXICAN
By Milan Simonich The New Mexican
J
ames Lujan, formerly the public works director of Santa Fe County, testified Wednesday that he accepted about $26,000 in cash bribes and three trips to Las Vegas, Nev., in return for making sure that the owner of Advantage Asphalt and Seal Coating received millions of dollars in roadway construction jobs. Portly, halting and often inconsistent in his testimony, Lujan was the day’s key prosecution witness against Advantage owner Joe Anthony Montoya. Lujan said Montoya recruited him as a conspirator, and they struck an illicit deal that was supposed to enrich them both. “If I got him work, we could both make money,” said Lujan, who has
pleaded guilty to but not yet been sentenced on one charge of bribery and eight counts of conspiracy to commit fraud. Under questioning by Deputy District Attorney Tim Williams, Lujan, 58, said he had initially lied to sheriff’s investigators about taking bribes from Montoya. “I was scared, and I was worried about the consequences,” he said. But in the large ceremonial courtroom where he testified before a jury and District Judge Jim Hall, Lujan said he was telling the whole truth to “create amends and get this to a head.” He said making his admission of guilt was “a relief.” Lujan testified that he had been gambling significant amounts of money when Montoya approached him with
the kickback scheme. In addition, Lujan said, he also owed childsupport payments. Defense attorney Sam Bregman pounced when he got his chance to cross-examine Lujan. Bregman said Lujan had once proclaimed himself innocent. But now, with Lujan’s sentencing looming over him, he told a different story by naming Montoya as the villain, Bregman said. Hammering at Lujan’s differing accounts, Bregman said to him, “Do you agree that you’re a liar?” “No,” Lujan said. Then Bregman reminded Lujan of a helpful statement he gave the defense in October. Lujan said then that he only took loans from Montoya, not bribes.
Conversations with lawmakers were a little breezier, and less tension filled the room, when Gov. Susana Martinez’s new human services chief, Brent Earnest, appeared for the first time before the Legislative Finance Committee on Wednesday in the seat previously occupied by political lightning rod Sidonie Squier. But the differences ended there. Earnest vowed to stay the course with the most controversial policies Squier adopted during her tenure heading the Human Services Department. Earnest said he plans to move ahead with an initiative to require some food benefit recipients to seek work and has no plans to retool the state’s behavioral health system, which some critics have said was thrown unnecessarily into upheaval
Please see FACE, Page A-4
Today Sunny and warmer. High 56, low 29.
Please see CASE, Page A-4
PAGE A-8
Obituaries
Backlash brewing over Oregon craft beer’s sale Locals upset their brand sold to world’s largest beer maker, Anheuser-Busch By Jeff Barnard The Associated Press
BEND, Ore. — The Facebook page of a local brewery lit up with condemnations: Loyal beer drinkers said the brewers were greedy “sellouts.” Some fans threatened to boycott the brand. One declared he would stop wearing a T-shirt promoting the beer. What did the brewers do to provoke such a back-
Index
Calendar A-2
lash? Change the hops or yeast? Abandon a favorite ale recipe? No, the furor erupted after 10 Barrel Brewing announced last month that it was being bought by the world’s largest brewer, Anheuser-Busch InBev, which to the horror of craftbeer enthusiasts, makes Budweiser and Bud Light. The acquisition was another example of megabrewers trying to counter declining sales by tapping
Classifieds B-6
Comics B-12
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into the growth of small craft breweries. And it drew the ire of devoted customers who blasted the corporation as an enemy of the craft beer industry and “the worst guys in the game.” People in and around Bend take their beer seriously. Since its first craft brewery opened in 1988, this city of 80,000 has grown from a struggling timber town to a trendy destination featuring skiing, golf, fly fishing and mountain biking, all of which can be capped off at the end
Please see SALE, Page A-4
Crosswords A-12, B-7
Lotteries A-2
Priscilla McGill Carr, 94, Dec. 3 Jose “Gabby” Gabaldon, Dec. 6
Jeff. H. Torrez, 82, White Rock, Dec. 3 Darlene Janet McKnight, Dec. 9 PAGE A-10
Pasapick www.pasatiempomagazine.com
New Mexico School for the Arts choir
Regulars Jerry Christensen, left, and Bob Brubaker enjoy their favorite beers at Deschutes Brewery’s pub in Bend, Ore. As Bend has grown from struggling timber town to outdoor recreation destination, its breweries have grown with it. JEFF BARNARD/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Opinion A-11
Sports B-1
Time Out A-12
Outdoors B-5
BREAKING NEWS AT WWW.SANTAFENEWMEXICAN.COM
Winter concert, 7 p.m., Immaculate Heart of Mary Retreat Center Chapel, 50 Mount Carmel Road, $10, discounts available, nmschoolforthearts.org.
Two sections, 24 pages 165th year, No. 345 Publication No. 596-440