KSFR: Findings: No mechanical problems with crashed state helicopter (2009-11-18)

-- Nov. 18 3 p.m. -- Preliminary findings are in on that rescue helicopter crash in the mountains above Santa Fe last June. Federal investigators say they found no mechanical malfunctions that could have contributed to the crash. The incident took the life of the state police officer flying the helicopter and the female hiker he had gone to rescue. The final report on the crash is not expected for six months or more.

-- 1 p.m. -- At first, the New Mexico state employee furlough program was to be for all workers except for those in health or public safety jobs. Now that's changed. State police officers and public health employees will also have to take five furlough days this year, to help the state save money. But state Personnel Director Sandra Perez says they'll be able to schedule those days so there will be no health or public safety concerns for New Mexicans. She says the furlough program will save the state about $11 million this year.

-- 11 a.m. -- Santa Fe's public schools will have to get by with $1.5 million less this year than originally planned. School board members voted last night to cut that much from the district's budget to make up for a shortfall in funding. Santa Fe Public Schools' board members on Tuesday night voted 4-1 in favor of recommended cuts to this fiscal year's budget totaling more than $1.5 million. As superintendent Bobbie Gutierrez told KSFR earlier, she recommended cutting supplies by 10 percent along with reductions in allotments for substitute teachers and transportation costs for athletic programs. One administrative job is being eliminated.

Voters in unincorporated areas of Santa Fe County chose not to re-institute the County Fire Protection Excise Tax. The quarter cent hike in gross receipts taxes would have provided approximately $1.5 million annually to fund firefighting readiness and equipment maintenance. Voter turnout Tuesday was low, with well under 1% of those eligible to vote doing so. Of just over 2000 votes cast, 1200 or so were against bringing back the tax that was allowed to expire in 2008.

Employees who work for the state's public regulation commission seem to be critical of one another. The second round of information about an ethics survey released by the commission contains comments that some people who work there don't trust management and the qualifications needed to get a job there. The latest results are actual comments from some of the 127 people who completed the survey. The release follows a statistical summary released the day before. Commission Chairman Sandy Jones told KSFR the survey confirms what everyone had suspected -- that the commission is perceived as an agency lacking in ethics. He says it's a first step toward solving the problem.

The Securities and Exchange Commission subpoenaed former state Investment Officer Gary Bland to testify earlier this year as part of an investigation into public investment funds. The State Investment Council on Tuesday released subpoenas by the SEC and a federal jury in response to a public records request by The Associated Press. Among the subpoeaned documents were all of Bland's e-mail. Bland resigned last month amid a federal investigation into state investment deals and pressure to remove him by members of the council. State Land Commissioner Pat Lyons says the move to oust Bland was triggered by allegations that Bland pressured investment firms to hire third-party placement agents.

Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall have voted to approve legislation that would fund key construction projects at New Mexico's military installations. The 2010 Military Appropriations Act would provide a total of $172 million for Cannon, Kirtland and Holloman Air Force Bases, as well as the National Guard facility in Santa Fe. The legislation also included an amendment from Udall, Bingaman and Sen. Kit Bond of Missouri to provide additional transitional housing services for our nation's homeless veterans. The spending bill passed Tuesday must now be reconciled with the version passed by the House of Representatives before it can be signed into law.

From down Duke City way comes word that Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez will be leaving city hall with $37,000 in workers comp. Chavez reached a settlement with the city over a back injury he suffered during a 2004 Bosque fire. Chavez hurt himself jumping over a fence to get to a police helicopter. The mayor concludes his term of office November 30th.

Nowhere near the best but not among the worst either...that's how New Mexico fares in a new report gauging health among 50 states. On Tuesday, the insurance company funded United Health Foundation issued its annual report looking at 22 indicators of health. The data includes scoring on how many children receive recommended vaccinations, obesity and smoking rates, and cancer deaths. Scores for each state are determined by gathering data from a variety of government and nongovernmental databases. Vermont is ranked best for overall health, Mississippi the worst. New Mexico comes in at 31st.