KSFR: New Mexico driver permits to be tied to good school grades (2009-11-06)

-- Nov. 6, 1 p.m. -- The New Mexico Public Education Department is moving ahead with a new policy that will allow students to get their driver's permits only if they have good grades and don't cut class. It becomes effective in the fall of 2011. But students in eight grade now had better watch out. How they perform in school now will govern whether they will be able to get a permit when they turn 15 that year. The education department thinks the plan would help improve the state's grade-achievement levels.

-- 7 a.m. -- PNM says it has helped form a new coalition of businesses to support climate change legislation. So far, the group includes such other companies as the New York Power Authority and the Gap clothing retailer. In all, there are about 15 national companies on the list. PNM says the coalition will not develop detailed policy recommendations or comment on specific proposals. Instead, it will act as an umbrella group to show broad business support for clean energy and climate change legislation.

As the US House acted Thursday on legislation first passed in the Senate, New Mexico Representative Ben Ray Luj n voted to ensure an extra 14 weeks of unemployment benefits for jobless workers who exhaust their benefits by Dec. 31st. The measure passed the House by a vote of 403 to 12. It now goes to the President's desk. The bill also provides for an additional 6 weeks of benefits in states with unemployment levels at or above 8.5 percent. New Mexico's most recent unemployment statistics has the rate below that mark at 7.7 percent. Meanwhile, the national rate has climbed to 10.2%

The Santa Fe Solid Waste Management Agency has been asked to suspend progress on operation of a proposed hot mix asphalt plant at the Caja del Rio Landfill. The request comes from County Commissioner Virginia Vigil who says more information is needed about the project and impacts to the community and environment need to be assessed. Vigil has asked for the issue to be discussed at the Waste Management's board meeting on November 18th. The project, said to be near completion, has all ready been given a permit by the State Environment Department.

Both of New Mexico's US senators have approved legislation that would allocate near $2.5 million for anti-crime initiatives across our state. The funding is provided within the 2010 Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Bill, which cleared the Senate Thursday and now heads to the house for negotiation. $400,000 would be allocated to Torrance County to stem methamphetamine use. $500,000 would be directed to New Mexico's Corrections Department to expand efforts to rehabilitate prisoners and decrease recidivism rates.

State police say it was the driver's fault. They've issued a citation to the woman whose car hit Santa Fe's tourist train at the crossing on Rabbit Road Sunday. No one was hurt when Elaine Siegel apparently failed to yield the right of way to the train. She says she didn't see the flashing signals as she approached the crossing.

Santa Fe's magistrate court is offering a last-chance to people who have outstanding traffic tickets. The court is offering to forgive them if people show up at a special court on Saturday, Nov. 14. After that, they'll be subject to roundup by the state police. Judge David Segura says there are about 1,600 outstanding traffic cases with arrest warrants attached. He's like to clear up the docket to be able to take on more serious cases. Not included in the amnesty offering are domestic violence or drunk-driving cases.

The state auditor says he plans to tell the attorney general about some three dozen local schools, cities and other agencies that haven't explained why they haven't turned in their required audits. The New Mexican reports that Hector Balderas says the entities were asked to submit reports after being identified as "at risk." Among them is Espanola public schools which hasn't been audited for three years.

Weather for Santa Fe...our stretch of tranquil weather with warm days continues today and through the weekend. Look for highs in the the mid-to-upper 60s throughout the period with overnight lows in the 30s.

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