Local News

ALBUQUERQUE (AP) — Major stretches of river have already gone dry, farmers are leaving their land fallow, and cities are clamping down on water use, but things in New Mexico just went from bad to worse Thursday.
The latest map from federal forecasters shows exceptional drought has spread from a quarter of New Mexico to nearly 40 percent in just one week. At this time last year, less than one-tenth of the state was affected by what is considered the worst category of drought.
New Mexico — the nation’s fifth largest state — is in the worst shape of any state, and conditions have only intensified over the past seven days.
This week’s U.S. Drought Monitor shows a swath of red and dark red across New Mexico, indicating extreme and exceptional drought conditions. The ominous colors stretch up through the Midwest, showing conditions have also worsened over the past year in parts of Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas.
“These kinds of conditions will certainly persist for a while,” said Tim Shy, a senior forecaster with the National Weather Service in Albuquerque. “Even if we do get repeated rains over a long period of time, for them to crack the threshold and get us back out of the deep brown color is going to be pretty difficult indeed.”

A public meeting Wednesday on the Los Alamos Community Trail Plan drew 35 assorted hikers, dog walkers, runners, mountain bike riders, equestrians and residents living next to open space.

Long-time trail advocate Dorothy Hoard attended the meeting and liked what she saw.

“I was on the committee that set up the Trail Management Plan in 1994. We set up a trail network that was quite modest compared to this,” Hoard said. “Craig Martin is my hero.”

Attendees asked extensive questions during Open Space Specialist Craig Martin’s presentation and then dispersed to review and comment on 16 proposed projects.

Martin will use feedback from the meeting and an Open Forum discussion on the county’s website (losalamosnm.us) to prioritize projects toward implementing the plan.

CLEVELAND (AP) — An Ohio prosecutor said Thursday he may seek the death penalty against Ariel Castro as investigators charged that he impregnated one of his captives at least five times and then starved her and punched her in the belly until she miscarried.

Cuyahoga County prosecutor Timothy McGinty said aggravated murder charges punishable by death could be filed related to pregnancies terminated by force.

Castro, a 52-year-old former school bus driver, is being held on $8 million bail under a suicide watch in jail, where he is charged with rape and kidnapping for allegedly abducting three women and holding them captive in his home for a decade.

A police report obtained Thursday by The Associated Press said Castro threatened, starved and raped the women. Other chilling details in the report:

— Amanda Berry, who was 16 when she vanished in 2002, told officers that she was forced give birth in a plastic kiddie poll in the house so it would be easier to clean up. Berry said she, her baby, now 6, and the two other rescued women had never been to a doctor during their captivity.

Los Alamos

Fabulous 50s Diner, 1325 Trinity Place

Date inspected: April 29

Violations: One high-risk violation, freezer at wrong temperature.

Status of Establishment: Approved. No follow up required. 

American Legion Post No. 9, 1325 Trinity Place

Date inspected: April 29