KSFR: Sen. Domenici's $700 K in 'ethics' legal expenses (2009-11-19)

-- Nov. 19, 7 a.m. -- The Federal Election Commission says it's legal for former U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici of New Mexico to have paid for his legal expenses out of unspent money in his campaign war chest. The Albuquerque Journal reports that Domenici racked up $700,000 in legal fees for his defense against ethics charges in 2006. Domenici was admonished by the Senate Ethics Committee for allegedly putting pressure on former federal prosecutor David Iglesias to bring fraud indictments against prominent state Democrats. Iglesias refused and later lost his job. Domenici did not run for re-election, saying he had a fatal brain disease.

Gov. Richardson's hand-picked task force will be meeting today in Albuquerque to discuss revenue options the governor and the legislature might consider to fill the budget hole projected for next year. They'll be looking at a long list of taxes that might be increased, including motor vehicle and personal income taxes. Richard Anklam at the New Mexico Tax Research Institute says higher taxes may be inevitable. *** Legislative leaders say the budget shortfall next year could be more than $500 million.

New non-stop air service connecting Santa Fe's municipal airport with Los Angeles International begins today. A retinue of city and state officials will hold forth at the airport this afternoon for the inaugural flight with Mayor David Coss and Governor Bill Richardson in attendance. The new travel option is an expansion of service via American Eagle airlines which earlier this year began a daily non-stop run between the City Different and Dallas/Ft. Worth. That route will see the addition of a second daily run. The airline is using new 44-seat Embraer jets for all Santa Fe service.

The New Mexico Department of Health has issued its weekly report on H1N1 flu activity in the state. Seven new deaths are confirmed-six of those were among people with underlying chronic health conditions causing complications. Visits to healthcare providers for influenza-like illness continues to drop, but is still higher that expected for this time of year. Flu symptoms accounted for 5.8% of all people seeking care. That's down from 11% four weeks ago. More H1N1 vaccine continues to arrive in the state, prompting the Health Department to expand its priority recommendations for those who should receive the immunization. All adults with immuno-suppressive medical histories as well as those with cardio-pulmonary conditions are included.

Santa Feans with outstanding traffic tickets get a chance to avoid arrest if they show up in court Saturday morning. The magistrate court is offering amnesty for those who appear and pay their fines before 10 a.m. Saturday. After Saturday, state police will be out to round-up the people who have arrest warrants for citations that haven't been satisfied.

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.

The $1.6 billion transportation initiative aimed at expanding and improving New Mexico highways, a project included among Governor Richardson's Investment Partenership--also known by the acronym GRIPS, has seen completion of a massive reconstruction of Interstate 40. The governor's office hailed the milestone Wednesday in Albuquerque. Nearly 400 miles of Interstate 40 has been reconstructed or modified in work first undertaken back in 1989. The GRIPS program funded 15 of the total 33 projects comprising the task.

Triple A New Mexico reports that travel in the inter-Mountain region this Thanksgiving holiday, which includes: New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and five other states will increase less than one percent over last year. They also say the gas prices in our state remain unchanged from last week with an average pump price of $2.66 a gallon. The slight uptick in holiday travel by auto compares with an expected 6.7% decline in air travel.

Weather for Santa Fe...cold mornings and sunny afternoon skies with seasonable temperatures is the pattern promised to take us through Thanksgiving. Daytime highs in the 50s, overnight lows in the mid 20s.