New Mexico
Controversial nuclear waste storage proposal faces strong opposition in New Mexico
WEST TEXAS, Texas (KOSA) – A controversial nuclear waste storage proposal is facing significant opposition in the Permian Basin, particularly in New Mexico.
Background and Legal Battle:
The federal government is prohibited by law from engaging in temporary storage of nuclear waste without a permanent disposal plan. However, private companies like Holtec International have found a loophole that allows them to take on this responsibility. Holtec and the NRC have appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court to reinstate their storage license despite regional opposition.
Holtec’s Chief Communications Officer stated:
“The Fifth Circuit’s ruling that the NRC was not authorized to license and regulate nuclear fuel storage is like saying OSHA is unqualified for worker safety, the FAA for aviation safety, and the EPA for environmental safety. We urge the Supreme Court to overturn the Fifth Circuit’s legally unsound position.”
Local Opposition:
This move has sparked outrage and concern among residents and stakeholders in the Permian Basin, who argue that their voices and way of life are being ignored. Monica Perales, counsel for the Permian Basin Coalition, said, “This federal agency, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, is acting like a rogue agency. They’re interpreting the law and deciding it’s within their power to issue a license to allow private companies to consolidate all of America’s spent nuclear fuel and store it in the Permian Basin.”
Environmental and Health Risks:
The Permian Basin Coalition, made up of ranchers, oil and gas operators, and local landowners, has taken their fight to the Supreme Court in hopes of stopping Holtec’s plan. They argue that allowing private companies to store nuclear waste indefinitely without a permanent disposal solution is illegal and poses significant environmental and health risks.
The coalition has raised over 100 contentions against the site, citing seismic risks, constant oil and gas activity in the region, corrosive dust and salt that can lead to corrosion at cracks in the stainless steel canisters, and the potential for dangerous releases of radioactive material. Monica Perales noted, “As these canisters travel on the rail line across the country, all destined for the Permian Basin, they are going ‘bumpity bump’ and developing cracks. Cracks that can’t be fixed, cracks that will corrode, and cracks that will eventually lead to release. Maybe not in my lifetime, maybe not in my son’s lifetime, but eventually, because this remains deadly for hundreds of thousands of years.”
The NRC has acknowledged that it has not solved the problem of chloride-induced stress corrosion cracking in the canisters but has still pushed forward with the licensing process. Holtec and the NRC argue that the storage is temporary, but opponents point out that there is no defined end date for the storage and no permanent disposal site available.
Future Implications:
The Supreme Court’s decision could have far-reaching implications for nuclear waste storage policies and the safety of communities across the country. CBS7 will continue to follow this story closely and bring you updates as they become available.
Copyright 2024 KOSA. All rights reserved.
New Mexico
New Mexico Dominates Distance Events On Day One Of 2026 Credit Union 1 MW Indoor Track & Field Championships
Mountain West Indoor Track & Field Championship Central | Live Results
RENO, Nev. – The 2026 Credit Union 1 Mountain West Indoor Track & Field Championships opened competition Thursday with six events at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center.
New Mexico raced out to day one leads on both team leaderboards thanks to dominant efforts in Thursday’s distance events. Both Pamela Kosgei and Habtom Samuel won repeat 5,000-Meter gold and broke their respective Mountain West Championships records.
Kosgei’s time of 15:32.15 led a top-four sweep in the event as she was followed in order by Mercy Kirarei, Christina Nisoli, and Nicola Jansen. The performance paced the Lobo women to 41 points on the night, leading Fresno State (19 points) and GCU (18) early on.
On the men’s side, Habtom Samuel captured the 5,000 Meters in 13:30.40, breaking his own meet record for the second year in a row, for a 14-second victory over Wyoming’s Jacob White. Lobo teammate Evans Kiplagat took third, pacing the New Mexico to 29 points for an early lead over Air Force (13 points) and Utah State (12).
New Mexico also swept both Distance Medley Relays. First up, the Lobo women cruised to gold in 11:02.09, 22 seconds better than runner-up Boise State. The New Mexico men’s DMR held off Utah State and Colorado State at the end, the Lobos’ winning time of 9:39.63 besting the Aggies by 0.69 of a second and the Rams by just over two seconds.
The meet’s first champion was crowned in the women’s pentathlon as Fresno State’s Ella Spaulding took gold, using a second-place effort in the 800 Meters to clinch. Nevada’s Johanna Haas took an early lead with a win in the 60-Meter Hurdles and a fourth place in High Jump, holding on at the end to take silver.
Wrapping up the medals for the night, conference newcomer GCU captured its first Mountain West podium finishes in Pole Vault as Eva Lowder (4.29 meters) and Tatum Moku (4.09 meters) went 1-2.
The men’s Heptathlon will wrap Friday with the 60-Meter Hurdles and Pole Vault. Through four events, Colorado State’s Mateo Munoz, with 3,199 points, holds a 49-point lead over Boise State’s Landon Helms.
The preliminaries for the 200 meters also took place Thursday. Nevada’s Annalies Kalma paced the field with a time of 23.37 to qualify for Friday’s final, while on the men’s side Air Force’s Jett Rose ran a 20.82 to top the eight qualifiers.
Day Two’s competition gets underway at 10 a.m. MT with the men’s heptathlon 60-meter hurdles.
The Mountain West Network will provide live coverage of the 2026 MW Indoor Track & Field Championships. Fans can watch the indoor track & field championships on their phones or connected TVs via the Mountain West app.
Watch every moment of the MW Indoor Track & Field Championships LIVE on your own TV through Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV or Roku. Mobile applications are available through the iOS App Store and Google Play. Visit TheMW.com/app for more information.
For more information regarding the Mountain West Indoor Track & Field Championships, including live results, visit the championship central page or follow the Mountain West on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
2026 Credit Union 1 Mountain West Indoor Track & Field Champions – Day One
Women
Pentathlon: Ella Spaulding, Fresno State – 4,022 points
5,000-Meters: Pamela Kosgei, New Mexico – 15:32.15
Pole Vault: Eva Lowder, GCU – 4.29 Meters
Distance Medley Relay: New Mexico – 11:02.09
Men
5,000 Meters: Habtom Samuel, New Mexico; 13:30.40
Distance Medley Relay: New Mexico; 9:39.63
2026 Credit Union 1 Mountain West Indoor Track & Field Team Leaderboards – Day One
Women
1. New Mexico – 41
2. Fresno State – 18
3. Grand Canyon – 17
4. Nevada – 16
T5. Air Force – 1 4
T5. Boise State – 14
7. Utah State – 13.5
8. San Diego State – 11.5
9. Wyoming – 7
10. Colorado State – 4
11. San José State – 0
12. UNLV – 0
Men
1. New Mexico – 29
2. Air Force – 13
3. Utah State – 12
4. Wyoming – 12
5. Colorado State – 6
6. Boise State – 3
7. San José State – 2
8. Grand Canyon – 1
New Mexico
NMSP release details on capture of Fort Sumner shooting suspects
DE BACA COUNTY, N.M. (KFDA) – New Mexico State Police have released new details on the capture of both Fort Sumner shooting suspects.
On Feb. 23, NMSP Investigations Bureau agents were requested to investigate an officer-involved shooting involving a NMSP Sergeant on US Highway 285, south of Vaughn in Guadalupe County, New Mexico.
Agents learned that the NMSP Sergeant conducted a traffic stop on a black Kia Sportage on US Highway 285, near mile marker 185, after learning the car was reportedly stolen.
Officials say during the stop, the female driver identified as 26-year-old Makaela Johnson, exited the car. As the Sergeant was placing Johnson in handcuffs, the male passenger, identified as 40-year-old Jovan Martinez, exited the stolen car with a rifle and fired at the Sergeant.
Police say Johnson ran back to the stolen car while still handcuffed and entered the passenger seat as the Sergeant took cover behind his police unit and returned fire with his duty weapon.
Martinez and Johnson fled from the scene and officers lost sight of the car.
While responding to the incident, NMSP officers encountered a couple near mile marker 166, who reported that their car had just been stolen at gunpoint.
The couple stated that Martinez and Johnson were standing in the roadway and Martinez fired a least one shot at the ground, forcing the couple to stop.
According to officials, the couple was ordered out of their car, which was a grey Kia K5 passenger vehicle.
Martinez and Johnson then took the second Kia and continued fleeing.
Officials say the original stolen Kia Sportage involved in the traffic stop was later located near the intersection of US Highway 285 and New Mexico State Highway 247.
The car left the roadway and drove through two barbed wire fences before coming to a rest in an open field.
According to police, the second stolen Kia K5 was found abandoned east of the intersection of River Road and Lone Wolf Road, south of Fort Sumner, New Mexico.
On Feb. 25, following a two-day manhunt, Martinez and Johnson were located hiding in a shed and taken into custody outside of Fort Sumner.
They were booked without incident on the following charges:
jovan Martinez:
- Attempt to commit a felony, to WIT: first degree murder(willful or deliberate)
- Aggravated assault upon a Peace Officer (deadly weapon)
- Receipt, transportation or possession of a firearm or destructive device by a felon
- Conspiracy to commit receiving or transferring stolen motor vehicles
- Armed robbery
- Harboring a felon
- Aggravated fleeing a law enforcement officer (no injury or great bodily harm)
Makaela Johnson:
- Conspiracy to commit first degree murder (willful or deliberate)
- Conspiracy to commit aggravated assault upon a Peace Officer (deadly weapon)
- Conspiracy to commit armed robbery
- Harboring a felon
- Receiving or transferring stolen motor vehicles
- Escape or attempt to escape from Peace Officer
- Larceny ($250 or less)
Officials say no officers were injured during this incident.
This incident remains under investigation by the New Mexico State Investigations Bureau.
The identity of the NMSP Sergeant will not be released until interviews are completed. The Sergeant has been placed on standard administrative leave.
New Mexico State Police act solely as factfinders in their investigation and conduct an unbiased and impartial investigation. In officer involved shootings, NMSP thoroughly documents the scene, collects evidence, and interviews officers, subjects, and witnesses.
The New Mexico State Police does not determine whether an officer’s actions were justified, this determination rests solely with the district attorney’s office.
Copyright 2026 KFDA. All rights reserved.
New Mexico
Smug New Mexico State Police Killer Gets Death Penalty Case in South Carolina – ABQ RAW
Albuquerque, NM and Florence, SC –
Today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina announced that it filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty against Jaremy Alexander Smith, 35, of Marion, South Carolina, for the 2024 kidnapping, carjacking, and murder of a Marion County EMS Paramedic. A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment on Feb. 24 charging Smith with kidnapping resulting in death, carjacking resulting in death, using a firearm during a crime of violence in a manner constituting murder, possession of stolen firearms, and being a felon in possession of firearms.
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According to the federal indictment, on March 13, 2024, Smith entered the home of Phonesia Machado-Fore in Marion, kidnapped her, and forced her to drive to a remote location near Nichols. There, Smith executed Machado-Fore behind an abandoned house.
Investigators reportedly found Machado-Fore wearing slippers and her bedroom clothing with a shock collar around her neck. They located cut zip ties near her body, and her face was covered in blood-soaked material, with plastic tape secured around her mouth. She had a single gunshot wound to the back of her head.
Smith then drove Machado-Fore’s vehicle back to her residence, stole several firearms, and later sold them. Afterward, Smith drove the stolen vehicle to New Mexico, where he killed New Mexico State Police Officer Justin Hare on March 15, 2024.
Federal prosecutors have decided to prosecute Smith for the death of Machado-Fore, a case that initially saw him facing 17 state charges in South Carolina.
On January 17th, 2025, a sea of grey and black New Mexico State uniforms packed the courtroom of U.S. District Judge James Browning for the change of plea hearing for cop and paramedic killer Jaremy Smith. The State Police officers were there to support Officer Hare’s family as Smith sat in the courtroom. On that date, Smith accepted a plea deal proposed by the then-U.S. Attorney for New Mexico, Alexander M.M. Uballez. (Continues below photo)

Smith could be seen smiling and laughing with his attorneys. When Smith’s was asked to answer questions, his answers were smug with a “Yes, sir,” to Judge Browning.
In April 2025, the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico sentenced Smith to life in prison for killing Officer Hare.
New Mexico State Police Officer Justin Hare’s parents wanted the death penalty in their son’s murder.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi authorized federal prosecutors in the District of South Carolina to seek capital punishment in this case. Smith is scheduled for arraignment in federal court on Feb. 26, 2026 at 2:30 p.m. in Florence, South Carolina.
The FBI Columbia Field Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Everett McMillian and Christopher Lietzow are prosecuting the case, with support from DOJ Capital Case Section Trial Attorneys Barry Disney and Julie Adams.
The charges in the indictment are allegations only. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until the government proves guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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