New Mexico
Eddy County Courthouse was built in 1914. County officials say its time to build a new one
Eddy County supported a request for $20 million in state funds by New Mexico Counties (NMC) to construct courthouses statewide.
Eddy County’s Board of County Commissioners approved a resolution Nov. 7 affirming NMC’s legislative priorities for the 30-day 2024 legislative session, which included the funding request, hoping some of the money would find its way to the County to replace an ageing and cramped Eddy County District Courthouse in Carlsbad.
Barry Massey, spokesperson for the New Mexico Administrative Office of the Courts, said the judiciary sought money for courthouse projects during the 2023 legislative session, though Eddy County didn’t receive any of those funds.
“Of the $23 million provided by the Legislature (in 2023), $15 million was allocated for a new courthouse in Otero County. The remaining $8 million was provided for improvements and upgrades to courts in Mora, Colfax, Curry, San Juan, Valencia, Socorro, Santa Fe and Bernalillo counties.”
Massey said counties needed to commit to fund at least 50% of the total cost of a project. Rising costs of construction, security and technology necessitate a shared revenue stream, according to NMC.
“State district courthouse construction can reach well over $50 million and the addition of a single judge can cost a county $2 to $3 million for renovation and increased operational support,” according to New Mexico Counties.
More: Funding for detention center on Eddy County priority list for 2024 legislative session
A new courthouse is needed in Eddy County
Built in 1914, the Eddy County Courthouse has been remodeled numerous times over the decades, according to the County website.
Eddy County Sheriff Mark Cage, who is also the New Mexico Counties board president, said the organization worked for years to create a fund to assist counties in meeting the ask for matching funds.
“We are in dire need of a modern courthouse and an efficient county jail that does not reside in the middle of town. Our current district courthouse, as historical and beautiful as it may be, is literally falling apart,” Cage said.
More: Here are the projects funded by New Mexico lawmakers in your community via capital outlay
A study conducted for Eddy County by inspection company Bureau Veritas in 2019, reported that the courthouse would reach the end of its usable life by 2029.
Replacing the courthouse could cost Eddy County $8.4 million, according to the study.
Upgrades to the courthouse were discussed during the tenure of former District 2 county commissioner Royce Pearson who served from 2013 through 2017.
“Time has come to figure out a new courthouse for Eddy County. As a taxpaying constituent that’s my opinion. You can only do so much fixing up,” he said.
Cage said building a new judicial facility south of Carlsbad near the Sheriff’s Office located at 1502 Corrales Drive and Eddy County Fire and Rescue at 1400 Commerce Drive is a possible solution.
“In my opinion (the south location is) the answer to the problem and will allow us to work in a more efficient, safe manner for the citizens of Eddy County,” Cage said.
Cage pointed to the surplus revenue available to New Mexico, largely fueled by oil and gas operations in the Permian Basin, as a good sign that the courthouse project might find some funding to move forward.
Mike Smith can be reached at 575-628-5546 or by email at MSmith@currentargus.com or @ArgusMichae on X, formerly known as Twitter.
LAS CRUCES, N.M (KFOX14/CBS4) — A gun-tracking program that uses shell casings to connect shootings is already helping investigators link crimes in Doña Ana County, according to new numbers released by the New Mexico Department of Justice.
The effort is part of New Mexico’s Crime Gun Intelligence Center, which uses ballistic evidence such as shell casings to track guns believed to be used in multiple crimes. The program relies on the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, or NIBIN, a national database that compares ballistic evidence to determine whether shell casings may have come from the same weapon.
In April, New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez described how the technology can connect cases across jurisdictions.
“There may be a shooting that occurs in Deming that’s actually connected to a crime gun that’s recovered in Las Cruces. We may find shell casings in Silver City that are connected to something that happened in T or C,” Torrez said.
Four months into the program, the Department of Justice said 210 bullet casings have been analyzed in Doña Ana County. Those casings helped link 32 incidents to 13 guns.
Jordan Salas reports on New Mexico DOJ data: Shell-casing tracking links shootings in Doña Ana County (Credit: KFOX14)
Statewide, more than 700 casings have been entered into the system, connecting 74 shootings to 31 guns.
One person reacting to the numbers said, “That’s crazy. Honestly, all those shootings all coming from that little amount of weapons is crazy.”
New Mexico officials say the system is designed to help law enforcement share information faster and build cases more efficiently.
Also in April, Doña Ana County Sheriff Kim Stewart pointed to a local case she said the technology helped resolve quickly.
“We resolved a homicide with a suspect arrest in four days. We know that those casings may lead to another 1 or 2 incidents in another city,” Stewart said.
Some residents said the technology alone will not solve gun violence, but they see it as a step forward. One person said, “I mean, growing up, like hearing gunshots in the distance. That wasn’t something crazy. I have stories of, like, friends who’ve gone to parties that had guns go off there. So, yeah, I would say guns are a problem there.”
Another person said, “I would think that it’s a good thing. I’m personally like, just anything to help the gun crimes, you know?”
KFOX14/CBS4 contacted Las Cruces police and the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office to ask how the leads are being used in local investigations, but we are awaiting a response.
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- Who: New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez brought a lawsuit against Meta Platforms Inc.
- Why: The state claims Meta misrepresented harms to minors and created a public nuisance through its social media platforms.
- Where: The lawsuit is pending in New Mexico state court.
- How to get help: Has social media impacted the mental health of you or your child? You may qualify to join a social media lawsuit against the platform.
New Mexico’s attorney general is asking a state court to order Meta to pay approximately $3.7 billion to address what the state describes as a “public nuisance” caused by the company’s social media platforms.
The request comes after a jury previously found Meta misrepresented the risks its platforms — including Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp — pose to underage users. The jury also imposed a $375 million penalty in the first phase of the trial.
The case has now moved into a second phase, where the court will determine what additional remedies, if any, Meta must provide.
According to the state, the proposed $3.712 billion abatement plan would fund a 15-year effort to address the alleged harms caused by Meta’s platforms. The plan includes funding for public education, school resources, law enforcement support and mental health services for children affected by issues, such as online bullying and sexual exploitation.
“This request recognizes the scope of the public nuisance that Meta has caused,” counsel for the state argued in court.
The lawsuit alleges Meta concealed or downplayed the extent of harmful activity on its platforms while publicly portraying them as safe for younger users.
Meta disputes liability, challenges proposed abatement plan
Meta denies the allegations and argues there is no legal basis for the sweeping relief requested by the state.
Attorneys for the company contend the proposed abatement plan does not directly address or stop the alleged harmful conduct and instead seeks compensation for downstream effects.
“What no court has ever allowed … is payment for the downstream effects,” Meta’s counsel argued, describing the request as “damages masquerading as something else.”
The court is expected to hear additional testimony during the second phase of the trial before determining whether to approve any form of injunctive relief or financial remedies.
In March, a California jury found Meta and Google liable for mental health harms suffered by plaintiff Kaley G.M., who became addicted to Instagram and YouTube as a child, awarding $6 million in damages, including $3 million in compensatory damages and $3 million in punitive damages.
What do you think about the claims against Meta in this case? Let us know in the comments.
The state is represented by Raul Torrez of the New Mexico Office of the Attorney General and Donald Migliori, Linda Singer, Michael Pendell and David Ackerman of Motley Rice LLC.
The Meta lawsuit is New Mexico v. Meta Platforms Inc., et al., Case No. D-101-CV-2023-02838, in the First Judicial District Court of New Mexico.
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