KEND News

A former Carlsbad pharmacy technician allegedly stole 20,000 opioid tablets from where she worked.

The DOJ says 30-year-old Amber Otero appears before a federal judge tomorrow in Roswell.

The department, however, has not released the name of the pharmacy where she worked.

A federal attorney says the investigation into Otero began last month after the pharmacy reported losing oxycodone tablets.

That pharmacy identified Otero as a possible suspect.

Authorities arrested her on Friday.

A conviction could mean 20 years in federal prison.

The city council’s legal committee in Roswell has decided to lease the runway at the air center to Alien City Dragway.

The year-long lease runs 500 dollars per month with options for four more years.

The 10-page lease requires the dragstrip to maintain general liability insurance, among other things.

The Roswell Daily Record reports the 10-page lease has made the consent agenda for the city council meeting Oct. 13.

The NMMI football program does not play this weekend, but it continues flying high.

The Broncos have won all four of their games, and they head into the bye week ranked eighth among the country’s junior colleges.

The team ranks fourth in the nation in points, fourth in yards of total offense, and third in first downs.

NMMI visits Trinity Valley next Saturday.

Four of the next five games for the Broncos come against opponents in the top 20.

A free legal fair happens next month at the Roswell Adult and Senior Center.

The state bar says this fair can lead to better access to justice for all walks of life.

Dozens of lawyers can offer free legal advice to low-income people and families facing a wide range of legal issues.

These include divorce, custody, landlord and tenant, bankruptcy, creditor and debtor, child support, kinship and guardianship, wills, probate, immigration, powers of attorney, social security, unemployment, real estate, worker’s compensation, and personal injury.

The fair runs Oct. 7 at the Roswell Adult and Senior Center from 1:30 to 4:30.

The secretary of state’s office has sent out postcards to 460,000 New Mexicans who appear eligible to vote, but have not registered.

This idea has drawn criticism from someone from Roswell who wants to succeed him.

Statehouse Republican Nora Espinoza says current voter lists should receive a cleanup before such an outreach.

The Albuquerque Journal reports her feeling concerned that this effort could lead to non-citizens registering and voting.

Carlsbad Caverns has hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, and it collects more than its share of lint and dust.

Now the national park invites you to participate in a cave lint cleaning.

This happens Nov. 8-10 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. each day.

Anyone 15 and older can register for lint cleaning with a special ranger-guided tour of Lower Cave to follow.

You can learn of the history of lint-cleaning at the park, and how to clean it.

Contact the park to reserve your spot.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has released unemployment figures for the region.

It says Chaves County’s jobless rate sits at 6.9 percent, and Eddy County has an unemployment rate of 7.1 percent.

The state’s unemployment rate has increased two tenths of a point to 6.6 percent.

Police have arrested a Roswell woman for child abuse.

The woman, however, claims she attacked a 12-year-old in defense of her son.

Police say that 12-year-old girl slapped Valerie Acosta’s son after he sexually harassed her friend.

The boy went home and told his 34-year-old mother, and she apparently attacked the girl.

Police say Acosta later told them if she knew what her son had done, then she would not have reacted this way.

KRQE-TV reports it has reached out to Acosta to hear her side of the story, but it has not heard back from her.

The DOE’s field office in Carlsbad has awarded a cooperative agreement to the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance.

The agreement coordinates and implements training for motor vehicle safety officials.

It also ensures the safe transportation of waste between generator sites and WIPP.

Additionally, it covers inspector training, inspection program data for quality control, and highway safety.

This agreement runs five years and totals $1.7 million.

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance has developed the North American Standard VI Inspection Program, which officials have used to inspect radiological shipments.

The governor has chosen to add a death penalty bill to the agenda for a special legislative session.

The proposal would reinstate New Mexico’s death penalty for people convicted of certain violent crimes.

It would specifically allow for capital punishment in cases where people have killed children, police officers, or corrections officers.

New Mexico eliminated the death penalty seven years ago.