Santa Fe New Mexican, November 15, 2014

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Lobos have easy victory in season opener against Idaho State Sports, B-11

Locally owned and independent

Saturday, November 15, 2014

www.santafenew wmexi 75¢

fr om lan l to l eak

Coming Sunday

Before WIPP accident, secrets and missteps

Sam Bregman

The Democratic Party chairman took full responsibility for party’s losses in the Nov. 4 general election.

In the summer of 2013, workers removing nuclear waste from Los Alamos National Laboratory discovered a batch unsafe for shipping. What the lab did next would lead to hundreds of millions of dollars of damage to an underground

Suspect on wanted list

waste repository near Carlsbad and expose at least 20 workers there to radiation. A 6-month investigation by The New Mexican reveals a series of missteps, shortcuts and falsified documents that led to the Feb. 14 radiation leak at WIPP.

The U.S. Marshals Service is hunting for Ricardo “Ricky” Martinez, a suspect in the Oct. 24 slaying of two Santa Fe teens found in a car. PAGE A-6

Stream Commission staff backs Gila River diversion

Dem Party head quits after losses in election By Steve Terrell

Fatal crash near Buffalo Thunder shuts highway

The New Mexican

By Uriel Garcia The New Mexican

r o Colo a d

Controversial project would draw millions in federal funding

Bloomberg News

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama and congressional Republicans are turning a lame-duck session of Congress into a battle over immigration, with the legal status of as many as 5 million immigrants, a possible government shutdown and the 2016 presidential race hanging in the balance. A top Obama adviser, John Podesta, brushed aside the threat of a congressional cutoff of government funding, suggesting the White House wouldn’t give in and the gambit would backfire on Republicans. “If they want to shut the government down, God love ’em,” Podesta said

Index

Calendar A-2

Classifieds B-6

a Fri

SILVER CITY — New Mexico is one step closer to deciding how to manage its share of the Gila River now that staff members with the Interstate Stream Commission have recommended taking advantage of federal funding to build a diversion and storage system along the river. The staff also recommended during Friday’s commission meeting in Silver City that 10 percent of the federal funding guaranteed for Gila projects — or about $7.85 million of the $78.5 million available — be spent on municipal conservation projects and other efforts aimed at stretching the region’s water supplies. If the state proceeds with a diversion, it can access millions of dollars in additional federal funds.

Please see KILLED, Page A-4

ARIZONA Agua

The Associated Press

Santa Fe

Phoenix

NEW MEXICO

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Gi la

Gila

Gila San National Francisco Forest Headwaters

Silver City Deming

edro nP Sa

By Mike Dorning and Heidi Przybyla

Please see GILA, Page A-4

COURTESY DENNIS O’KEEFE/GILA CONSERVATION COALITION

THE NEW MEXICAN

The recommendation infuriated a host of people who oppose a diversion on the Gila River. “This irresponsible recommendation in favor of using 90 percent of available funds for a billiondollar Gila diversion ignores the input of scientists, economists and citizens,” said Allyson Siwik, director of the nonprofit Gila Conservation Coalition. “The diversion puts

GOP threaten shutdown over immigration plan Obama adviser says party could face backlash

New Mexico taxpayers on the hook for hundreds of millions of dollars, when the science shows that the promised water is just not there. The staff is throwing bones to local communities with minuscule amounts for municipal water projects, while hiding how much we’ll be forced to spend on diversion.”

Santa Fe County sheriff’s officials say a man being held on a drunkendriving charge may have been involved in a crash late Friday morning near the Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino that killed a 40-year-old woman. According to a news release from the sheriff’s office, Jimmy Griego, 59, was arrested at the casino in Pojoaque after the crash on a felony DWI offense. He has not been charged in the woman’s death, but the news release says, “Based on the outcome of the investigation further charges may be filed.” Authorities suspect the crash victim, Celeste Maestas, had veered out of her lane a little after 10:30 a.m. Friday to avoid Griego, who reportedly was driving recklessly in a white Ford Explorer. Both vehicles were northbound, according to the news release. Officials said Maestas, driving a black Chevy Impala, veered onto the shoulder of the highway and then overcorrected. Her Chevy then crossed into the southbound lane and collided with another vehicle before slamming head-on into a concrete Jersey barrier. Maestas was

The Gila River area, shown here near Cliff, stands to gain millions of dollars and up to 14,000 acre-feet of water annually from the Gila River under the 2004 Arizona Water Settlements Act.

rde Ve

Please see DEM, Page A-4

was arrested on a felony DWI offense at the Pojoaque casino after the deadly crash on U.S. 84/285.

Woman killed; man held on DWI charges

Bregman takes blame for big defeat on Nov. 4 Following an election in which New Mexico Democrats received their worst thrashing in decades, state Democratic Party Chairman Sam Bregman announced Friday he will not seek re-election to that post. In making that announcement, Bregman took full responsibility for Democratic losses in the Nov. 4 general election. Besides failing to defeat incumbent Republican Gov. Susana Martinez and incumbent Secretary of State Dianna Duran, the Democrats also lost control of the state House of Representatives to Republicans for the first time in more than 60 years. In addition, incumbent state Land Commissioner Ray Powell Jr. is trailing Republican challenger Aubrey Dunn Jr. in the vote count, although that race might be headed for a recount. “Across the country it was a bad election night for Democrats,” Bregman said in an email sent to members of the state Democratic Central Committee and to news organizations, “but I want you to know as your chairman that I take full and complete responsibility for the poor election results here in New Mexico.” “While we have had our challenges, I cannot thank you enough for meeting those challenges head on,” Bregman wrote. “We are resilient, tenacious, driven and above all,

Jimmy Griego

Friday. Details of Obama’s plan to halt deportations of some undocumented immigrants began leaking just as a group of Republicans in Congress vowed that they would try to block funding to implement the order. If that holds up a spending bill, the federal government would have to cease many of its operations on Dec. 12. Obama is in the final stages of crafting a plan that would provide relief from deportation to many undocumented immigrants who are parents of U.S. citizens and possibly also parents of legal resident and immigrants brought to the country as minors, said people familiar with administration planning. Obama may also use his executive authority to expand an order he issued in 2012 that staved off deportation for quali-

Obituaries Susan Anneke Chittim, Oct. 30 Bradley M. Thomas III, Nov. 9 PAGE A-10

Today Breezy and cloundy. High 54, low 27. PAGE A-12

Main office: 983-3303 Late paper: 986-3010 News tips: 986-3035

Crosswords B-8, B-11

Lotteries A-2

Consumers urged to shop around By Robert Pear, Reed Abelson and Agustin Armendariz The New York Times

Pasapick www.pasatiempomagazine.com

The Brothers Grimm Spectaculation Comic adaptation presented by Santa Fe Performing Arts’ City Different Players (ages 7-12), 2 p.m., $8, Armory for the Arts, 1050 Old Pecos Trail, 984-1370.

Please see GOP, Page A-4

Comics B-12

Fees rise for plans in Affordable Care Act

Opinion A-11

Sports B-1

Time Out B-11

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration on Friday unveiled data showing that many Americans with health insurance bought under the Affordable Care Act could face substantial price increases next year — in some cases as much as 20 percent — unless they switch plans. The data became available just hours before the health insurance marketplace was to open to buyers seeking insur-

Stocks A-8

BREAKING NEWS AT WWW.SANTAFENEWMEXICAN.COM

INSIDE u Tips are offered to New Mexicans looking to enroll in the health plans. PAGE B-1

ance for 2015. An analysis of the data by The New York Times suggests that although consumers will often be able to find new health plans with prices comparable to those they now pay, the situation varies greatly from state to state and even among counties in the same state. “Consumers should shop around,” said Marilyn B. Tavenner, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and

Please see FEES, Page A-5

Two sections, 32 pages TV Book, 24 pages 165th year, No. 319 Publication No. 596-440


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