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Week's NM News Roundup

Lawsuits say Astorga manhunt went bad

The law enforcement community cheered when fugitive Michael Paul Astorga was caught in Mexico, almost two weeks after a Bernalillo County Sheriff's deputy was shot to death in Tijeras last spring. But the local branch of the American Civil Liberties Union says the manhunt for Astorga took unnecessarily tough turns, even holding a woman and her 75-year-old mother at gunpoint while their home was searched. On Thursday, the ACLU filed two lawsuits on behalf of people who say authorities violated their civil rights and harassed them during the hunt. Astorga, 30, is in prison for violating his parole while he awaits trail on charges of killing Deputy James McGrane Jr. on March 22.

Rape charges illuminate youth center woes

The state Children, Youth and Families Department was on the defensive this week, after an alleged rape at its Youth Diagnostic Development Center and subsequent reports that an official had warned that the center is crowded. On Wednesday, two teens pleaded innocent to charges that they raped their 15-year-old roommate on his first day at the center last week. Dorian Dodson, the CYFD's secretary, said Friday that "there was due diligence. I am convinced." Dodson also confirmed that the center's superintendent in August wrote a memo in which he expressed concerns about crowding and placement of youth transferred from the Boys School in Springer, which is being closed.

Gubernatorial debate on TV scratched

The only scheduled debate between Gov. Bill Richardson and his Republican challenger, John Dendahl, collapsed Monday when Richardson refused to allow the debate to be televised. Richardson's campaign charged that Dendahl would spend his time blasting New Mexico and attacking the governor on TV. It was originally scheduled for Oct. 15 in Albuquerque.

Next up: balloon fiesta

The 69th annual State Fair ended Sunday with leaders crowing about paid attendance being up by 0.6 percent from last year. Still, Expo New Mexico General Manager Fred Peralta said two national consulting firms have been hired to develop a vision for the fair to keep it fresh. Fairgoers could see new features down the road. Meanwhile, the 35th annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta starts at 7 a.m. Friday with uque Aloft, in which balloons launch from selected schools around town. The first mass ascension is 7 a.m. Saturday.