Former University of New Mexico athletic director Paul Krebs appeared in court last week to hear charges filed against him.Earlier this month the state Attorney General Hector Balderas’ office filed a criminal complaint against Krebs following a years long investigation into allegations of fund misappropriation and fraud, reports Las Cruces Sun News. Krebs was charged with five felony counts: evidence tampering, criminal solicitation, making or permitting false public voucher, money laundering and fraud.Last year agents from the attorney general’s office raided the University of New Mexico Foundation’s office, taking documents and computer hard drives. Krebs was accused of misappropriating public funds to pay for a golf trip to Scotland in 2015. Emails allegedly written by Krebs that instructed employees to delete communications and documents pertaining to the trip were discovered by authorities.Krebs was arraigned in 2nd Judicial District Court. In addition to the five felony charges, he was also charged with attempting to commit a felony related to tax fraud and violating ethical principles of public service.
Newscity: Gov. To Ice: Halt Metro Court Arrests
Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s office wants Federal ICE agents to stop detaining and arresting people inside the courthouse, but the agency seems unwilling to cooperate.The governor’s office sent a letter to Chief Judge Sandra Engel at the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court last week expressing concern over reports that ICE agents have been detaining immigrants at the courthouse in violation of the court’s access policy. “As you know,” the letter reads, “that policy prohibits local, state, or federal law enforcement officers or agents from arresting, detaining, interrogating, or otherwise restricting the freedom of individuals in the Courthouse.”According to KOB4, ICE responded to the letter two days later with a statement: “Current ICE guidance directs agency personnel to avoid conducting enforcement activities at sensitive locations, unless they have approval. The locations include schools, places of worship and hospitals. Under this ICE policy, courthouses are not considered sensitive locations.”ICE did not confirm if any arrests have been made at Metro Court. Whether the court will uphold its policy is unclear.
Newscity: Pfas Plume Threatens Public Health
Thousands of dairy cows are slated to be exterminated following the discovery of contaminated groundwater at a dairy farm in Clovis.A report from Searchlight New Mexico found that toxins known as PFAS spread from Cannon Air Force Base to neighbor Art Schaap’s dairy farm. Schaap told reporters he’d been notified of the contamination last August. He said he was dumping 15,000 gallons of milk a day and was planning to exterminate all 4,000 of his cows.The PFAS family of chemicals, which the military used for decades in firefighting foam, contains thousands of compounds known as per- and polyflouroalkyl substances. Exposure to these compounds are known to cause a number of health complications in humans including increased cholesterol levels, lower birth weights, cancer and thyroid hormone disruption.According to the report, the plume is still spreading. It is unclear how long the farm’s groundwater has been affected or if any contaminated milk was sold to consumers.
