TODAY'S TOP STORIES: Ruidoso death attributed to flooding

The top story in New Mexico today comes from flood-ravaged Ruidoso, where one body has been recovered and hundreds of stranded residents and visitors were airlifted to safety late Monday and early today. More than 6 inches of rain, the remnants of Hurricane Dolly, hit Ruidoso in 48 hours, causing the worst flooding in memory. Authorities recovered the body of a 20-year-man who apparently lost his footing while walking along the swollen Ruidoso River on Sunday and was swept away.

Journalists flocked to the area and gathered dozens of eyewitness accounts for The Albuquerque Journal, Associated Press, Las Cruces Sun-News, Clovis News Journal and Deming Headlight. For video of the mop-up operations, KOB-TV, KRQE-TV and KOAT-TV had crews on the scene.

Gov. Bill Richardson has asked for federal assistance in the flood area, and the state Environment Department has asked residents to boil their drinking water until further notice.

There is still fallout from the public corruption case settled last year against former state Treasurer Michael Montoya. The Journal reports that former securities trader Guy Riordan, who is also a friend and financial backer of Gov. Bill Richardson, should be banned from the securities business for life because of his alleged involvement in the corruption scheme, an administrative law judge ruled Monday.

Though Riordan was never charged, Judge Brenda Murray said evidence revealed in the Montoya trial suggested that Riordan paid more than 100 bribes over eight years to win additional business. Riordan refused to testify and has denied any wrongdoing, but Murray said she found the evidence "persuasive." In addition to taking away his license to trade, she also ordered him to pay $2.2 million to the state. Her order must be approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Rio Rancho has lost another high-level city employee, according to the Sandoval County Online Reporting Enterprise. City Manager Jim Payne resigned last week. On Monday, Rob Anderson, director of the city's development services department for more than three years, submitted his resignation. Anderson said he stayed longer than his contract called for, and that he wanted to spend more time with his children. His last day is Sept. 1.

Payne, who had been on the job less than a year, will stay through Sept. 30. Meantime, his predecessor will have his day in court. Former City Manager Jim Palenick sued the city for wrongful termination after he was asked to leave the office in 2006. A hearing is set for Aug. 6 before District Judge George Eichwald.

If you think your water bill is high, consider that of Tim Cummins. The Journal reports this morning that Cummins, a member of the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority, was the sixth-biggest residential water user in 2007 in the city.

Cummins, who represents the Bernalillo County Commission on the water authority board, blamed his 942,480-gallon usage — nearly nine times the residential average in Albuquerque — on leaks. He also told the Journal he is taking "aggressive action" to stem the problem. He was tipped to the problem, he said, when he got a water bill for more than $400 one month.

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