Authorities with Cleveland and Rio Rancho High Schools are training 10 armed security guards to patrol campuses and plan to install a gun detection system following a shooting that occurred last week at Cleveland High School.KOB4 reports the security guards—all of which are retired police officers, each with over 20 years of experience—were already training when 16-year-old high school student Joshua Owen allegedly opened fire on a group of students. According to school authorities, security footage shows Owen entering the campus wearing a mask. He reportedly removed the mask and approached three students before pointing a gun at them. The gun failed to fire, and police say Owen manipulated the weapon and fired off a round. He then allegedly put the gun on the ground and ran away. No one was hurt during the incident.School authorities say security guards will complete their training within the next few weeks and will be allowed to start carrying weapons at that time. Cleveland and Rio Rancho High Schools will also be seeing a gun detection system that will alert school security when a weapon is discharged on campus and immediately locate the source. The system should be in place within the next few months.
Newscity: Foundation Disputes Aps Budget Findings
Officials with Albuquerque Public Schools say they won’t have enough funds to pay for certain programs—the Rio Grande Foundation says that isn’t true.According to KOAT, recent property tax increases and bond requests made by APS were denied by Albuquerque voters. Because of the results, APS said they would not have enough funds to cover schools’ equipment, furniture and technology needs. The district received $190 million from the state over the last six years, but the funding ends after the current year. But the Rio Grande Foundation told reporters that APS still has $321 million dollars left in its coffers. APS claims it is still receiving funding from another source for the next three years, but that money can only be used for construction.
Newscity: Balderas Updates Water Debacle
New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas told lawmakers last week that he’s ready to battle Texas and the US government over the management of the Rio Grande.The Associated Press reports Balderas updated members of a key legislative committee last week on a legal battle that began in 2013. Texas has requested that New Mexico stop pumping groundwater along the border so more of it can be passed along to farmers in El Paso. New Mexico has argued that Texas is requesting more water because it’s allowing unrestricted groundwater pumping to occur on its side of the border, allegedly depleting the surface water before it ever gets to the state. Texas denies the allegations and is requesting the claims be dismissed.Balderas’ office is seeking $4.5 million for the next fiscal year to pay for the lawsuit and provide better research about pumping in New Mexico, Texas and Mexico. It could take more than a year for the case to go to trial.
