Thursday’s Morning Rush Video, 5 Facts: Business group leader suing state Republican Party

WE START WITH KRISTEN CURRIE. WE’RE FOLLOWING THE DAY’S TOP LOCAL STORIES. WE START WITH KATHERINE MOZZONE. HAPPENING RIGHT NOW– OLD NAVY EMPLOYEES ARE PREPARING TO REOPEN IN THIS TEMPORARY SPOT. THIS IS THEIR ORIGINAL LOCATION, IN THE SAME STRIP MALL ON CUTLER. TODAY, IT’S STILL UNDER RENOVATION AFTER POLICE SAY THIS MAN SET FIRE TO THE STORE IN LATE NOVEMBER… FIREFIGHTERS SAY THE BLAZE LEFT THE OLD NAVY WITH EXTENSIVE SMOKE AND WATER DAMAGE. IT’S BEEN CLOSED EVER SINCE. HICKMAN RECENTLY PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO FEDERAL CHARGES. THE STATE SAYS IT’S ALSO LINKED HIM TO SEVERAL OTHER ARSON’S BUT HE’S YET TO BE CHARGED IN THOSE. ANCHOR? NEW THIS MORNING, A-P-D WILL SOON HAVE SOME EXTRA HELP — PROTECTING YOUR PROPERTY… LAST NIGHT CITY COUNCILORS APPROVED THE PILOT PROGRAM TO ALLOW THE CITY TO HIRE 30 POLICE SERVICE AIDS… OR RETIRED COPS TO HELP INVESTIGATE PROPERTY CRIMES. THEY WON’T CARRY A GUN OR BADGE, BUT CAN INTERVIEW WITNESSES, DUST FOR FINGER PRINTS AND FILE REPORTS. THIS MORNING A-P-D IS FACING A LAWSUIT CLAIMING THEY COVERED UP FOR TWO DIRTY COPS — AFTER THE FAMILY OF A MAN MURDERED 40 YEARS AGO SAY THOSE OFFICERS KILLED HIM. THE SUIT CLAIMS IN 1976, APD KNEW BOB DAVIS AND HIS PARTNER ROBERT HOBSON TOOK A SUSPECTED THIEF — JOSE FARFAN — OUT TO THE EAST MOUNTAINS AND EXECUTED HIM. BOTH OFFICERS WERE FIRED FROM APD – AFTER THEY’RE WERE CONNECTED TO A HUGE THEFT RING. FIND MORE ON THE LAWSUIT ON –KRQE DOT COM. POLICE IN CHICAGO HAVE ARRESTED FOUR PEOPLE IN CONNECTION TO A BRUTAL ASSAULT STREAMED LIVE ON FACEBOOK THIS WEEK. THE FOOTAGE ALLEGEDLY SHOWS THE SUSPECTS KICKING, PUNCHING AND YELLING AT THE MENTALLY CHALLENGED MAN… WHILE HOLDING HIM HOSTAGE INSIDE AN APARTMENT. THE VICTIM IS RECOVERING FROM THE INCIDENT. HAPPENING TODAY… INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS ARE SET TO BRIEF CONGRESS ON THE ALLEGED RUSSIAN HACKING — THAT THEY CLAIM INTERFERRED IN THE 2016 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. THIS COMES — AMID NEWS PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP IS CONSIDERING RESTRUCTURING THE OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE…T HE AGENCY CREATED AFTER 9-11. NEW THIS MORNING–THE SENATE NARROWLY APPROVED A FAST-TRACK RESOLUTION WEDNESDAY TO BEGIN THE REPEAL OF THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT. A VOTE OF 48 TO 51. DEMOCRATS QUICKLY CALLED OUT REPUBLICANS SAYING THAT THEY DON’T HAVE A VIABLE PLAN TO REPLACE IT. MEANWHILE, DONALD TRUMP–IN A SERIES OF TWEETS CALLED OUT DEMOCRATES SAYING QUOTE “OBAMACARE WAS A LIE FROM THE BEGINNING, KEEP YOUR DOCTOR, KEEP YOUR PLAN.” THIS MORNING – FEDERAL PROSECUTORS ARE EXPECTED TO CALL UP MORE WITNESS — IN THE SENTENCING PHASE FOR KILLER DYLANN ROOF. A FEDERAL JURY IS TASKED WITH DECIDING WHETHER ROOF GETS LIFE OR DEATH… FOR KILLING NINE CHURCHGOERS IN CHARLESTON. ROOF SPOKE PUBLICLY FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE 2015 MASSACRE YESTERDAY… TELLING THE JURY THERE WAS ‘NOTHING WRONG’ WITH HIM PSYCHOLOGICALLY. THE 22- YEAR-OLD IS REPRESENTING HIMSELF IN THE DEATH PENALTY CASE. TODAY IS THE LAST DAY MANY OWNERS OF THE GALAXY NOTE – 7 SMARTPHONE WILL BE ABLE TO USE THE DEVICE. VERIZON AND A- T- AND-T WILL ROLL OUT A SOFTWARE UPDATE TODAY THAT PREVENTS THE PHONES FROM CHARGING OR CONNECTING TO CELLULAR NETWORKS… PRETTY MUCH MAKING THEM UNUSABLE. T- MOBILE ROLLED OUT THE UPDATE A COUPLE WEEKS AGO. THE PHONE IS UNDER A WORLDWIDE RECALL. OHIO BASED PIZZA COMPANY– MARCO’S PIZZA– WILL BE OPENING 10 LOCATIONS IN NEW MEXICO WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO. LOCATIONS INCLUDE ALBUQUERQUE– RIO RANCHO– AND CARLSBAD. COMPANY EXECS SAY THEYRE ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING PIZZA CHAINS IN THE U-S WITH 800 LOCATIONS IN 38 STATES. THEY SAY THEY CHOSE ALBUQUERQUE BASED OFF OF A BUSINESS MODEL THAT SHOWS THEY CAN BE SUCCESSFUL HERE. THE EXPANSION WILL BRING 250 JOBS THROUGHOUT THE STATE. KRISTEN? TOSS TO CRYSTAL THIS MORNING A NEW BILL HAS THE GREEN LIGHT TO HELP CLEAR A BACKLOG OF UNTESTED RAPE KITS. IT OUTLINES A SERIES OF DEADLINES FOR A-P-D TO SEND KITS TO THE LAB AND HAVE THEM TESTED IN CRIMINAL CASES. RIGHT NOW THERE ARE ALMOST 4- THOUSAND EVIDENCE KITS IN POLICE CUSTODY THAT HAVEN’T BEEN TESTED. IT’S ESTIMATED IT WOULD TAKE ABOUT $1 POINT 2 MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR OVER FIVE YEARS TO ADDRESS THE BACKLOG. NEW DETAILS… THE MAN NOW CHARGED WITH INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER – FOR THE DEATH OF A 61-YEAR-OLD MAN… IN ALBUQUERQUE THIS WEEK SAYS IT WAS AN ACCIDENT. COURT DOCUMENTS SAY JOHN BENNET AND THE VICTIM – CHARLES ULERY WERE FRIENDS. AND THAT ULERY WAS HELPING BENNETT MOVE OUT. BENNETT SAYS HE HAD A SHOTGUN TUCKED UNDER HIS ARM. AND — IT ACCIDENTALLY WENT OFF, HITTING ULERY IN THE FACE, KILLING HIM. TWO OTHER PEOPLE THERE CONFIRMED HIS STORY. THANKS ADAM, NOW LET’S GET A LOOK AT THAT MORNING DRIVE… NEW FACTS THIS MORNING SHOWS OLDER PEOPLE WITH DIETS RICH IN FRUITS, VEGETABLES, OLIVE OIL AND BEANS MAY BE HELPING THEIR MEMORY. RESEARCHERS IN SCOTLAND FOUND THE SO-CALLED MEDITERRANEAN DIET CAN PREVENT THE BRAIN FROM SHRINKING AND LOSING CELLS. FINALLY – NEW AT SIX … ONE OF THE LARGEST TECH CONVENTIONS IS UNDERWAY IN LAS VEGAS AND IT ALREADY HAS SOME PEOPLE TALKING. LIKE THE “ARISTOTLE” FROM MATTEL…. THINK OF IT AS A HIGH TECH BABY MONITOR AND THE AMAZON ECHO — ALL IN ONE. MATTEL SAYS IT CAN RECOGNIZE WHEN THE BABY WAKES UP, AND SOOTH THEM BACK TO SLEEP WITH A LULLABY … ALONG WITH ORDERING DIAPERS… AND PLAY GUESSING GAMES WITH THE KIDS…ONE REQUIREMENT — WHEN YOUR CHILDREN INTERACT WITH THE MONITOR THEY HAVE TO USE THE WORD “PLEASE.” TIME FOR THE FIVE FACTS…. AT NUMBER FIVE… THE CITY WILL SOON BEGIN A 15-THOUSAND DOLLAR STUDY OVER WHETHER ALBUQUERQUE SHOULD BUILD A SOCCER STADIUM. THE SEMI-PRO TEAM — THE ALBUQUERQUE SOL HAS DREAMS OF MOVING ON UP TO THE MINOR LEAGUES. IF THE STUDY PROVES THE STADIUM IS A GOOD IDEA – IT COULD GO UP NEAR 12TH AND I-40. AT NUMBER FOUR… THIS MORNING, A DESPERATE PLEA FROM A WOMAN TRAVELING THROUGH NEW MEXICO – WHO SAYS THIEVES SWIPED HER MEMORIES. REBECCA PECCHIA AND HER HUSBAND WERE PASSING THROUGH LAST WEEK –TO ARIZONA… WHEN SHE SAYS CROOKS BROKE INTO THEIR CAR AT ROUTE 66 CASINO. AMONG THE ITEMS STOLEN — 36 YEARS WORTH OF PHOTOS OF HER DAUGHTER THAT SHE WAS WORKING ON COMPILING INTO A SCRAPBOOK. THERE WERE ALSO PICTURES OF HER SON — OF DIED FROM SIDS AT 4-MONTHS. PECCHIA SAYS SHE HADN’T HAD THE CHANCE TO MAKE DIGITAL COPIES YET. AT NUMBER THREE… APD IS ASKING FOR YOUR HELP THIS MORNING — TRYING TO CONNECT A MAN TO THREATENING LETTERS LEFT AT MEXICAN OWNED BUSINESSES ALONG CENTRAL. THEY HAVE SURVIELLANCE VIDEO OF THE INCIDENT. THE OWNER SAYS ON MONDAY, HE FOUND A ROCK THROWN THROUGH HIS WINDOW. THE NEXT DAY A NOTE WAS LEFT BEHIND THAT READ – “ALL YOU MEXICANS ARE GUILTY OF ATTEMPTED MURDER.” THERE WERE NAMES AND NUMBERS ON THE NOTE. POLICE TRACED THE INFO BACK TO ONE MAN..BUT THEY NEED MORE TO LINK HIM TO THE CRIME. AT NUMBER TWO…ADLIB WEATHER AT NUMBER ONE.. THIS MORNING, THE STATE’S REPUBLICAN PARTY FINDS ITSELF IN THE CROSSHAIRS OF A LAWSUIT — BEING SUED BY THE PRESIDENT OF A STATE BUSINESS GROUP. HERE ARE THE DETAILS … DAYS BEFORE THE ELECTION — CARLA SONNTAG SAYS A SERIES OF ANONYMOUS EMAILS WERE SENT OUT TO PARTY MEMBERS TARGETING A NUMBER OF REPUBLICANS– ACCUSING PEOPLE OF BEING BULLYS OR WASTEFUL SPENDERS. SONNTAG SAYS — THE GOP THEN SENT OUT AN EMAIL ACCUSING HER OF BEHIND IT ALL. SHE SAYS SHE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT ..AND NOW SHE’S SUING.

Written by Raul Dinwiddie