New Mexico teen held for week after mistaken identification
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Authorities say a teen girl was jailed for a week after a school employee mistakenly identified her as a suspect in a fatal shooting. The Albuquerque Journal reported the 17-year-old was booked into a juvenile detention center after an Albuquerque Public Schools employee mistakenly identified her to police from a social media photo. The Albuquerque High School student was charged in November with murder, armed robbery and conspiracy in connection with the July death of 21-year-old Calvin Kelly. Officials say she was released six days later after a suspect told police they had charged the wrong girl.
COWBOYS FOR TRUMP-WHITE SANDS
Cowboys for Trump take national monument sand to DC
ALAMOGORDO, N.M. (AP) — The New Mexico group Cowboys for Trump is facing criticism after a member bragged the group brought iconic gypsum sands from the White Sands National Monument to Washington for a Christmas Tree lighting ceremony. The Alamogordo Daily News reports Cowboys for Trump co-founder Couy Griffin said the group brought four "big plastic bins" of the sand for the ceremony Wednesday. Removing natural resources from national monuments is illegal without permission. Democratic New Mexico. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham told the Albuquerque-based KOB-TV she was proud the Christmas tree from New Mexico has sand from White Sands National Monument.
ALBUQUERQUE CRIME
Records: Most arrested in Albuquerque in 'surge' released
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Records show 88% of those arrested in Albuquerque by New Mexico State Police on felony charges during a so-called surge are no longer in custody. KOAT-TV reports records show most of the 201 felony arrests made over 60 days resulted in suspects going back on the streets within days. State Police launched "Operation Surge" earlier this year in New Mexico's largest city following high-profile homicides of a mail carrier and a University of New Mexico baseball player. The city also has seen a jump in overall homicides this year.
HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS-REALIGNMENT
New Mexico school football programs to see big realignments
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The governing board for New Mexico high school sports has voted to realign a number of football programs. The Albuquerque Journal reports Mayfield High School, one of New Mexico's most storied programs and winner of eight big-school state championships, is leaving the largest classification starting in 2020. Capital and Los Alamos — who have been sharing a football district with Del Norte and Santa Fe — are going to be part of a newly formed District 1-5A that also includes Farmington, Piedra Vista and Miyamura.
VIRGIN GALACTIC-NEW MEXICO
CEO: Virgin Galactic marks 'incredible' year of milestones
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The CEO of Virgin Galactic says the space tourism venture is on the verge of making more history in 2020 following an "incredible" year of progress. George Whitesides told hundreds of business leaders during a luncheon Thursday in Albuquerque that 2019 was marked by many milestones including going public on the New York Stock Exchange. The move raised $450 million for the company's balance sheet as it prepares for commercial flights once test flights are complete. Virgin Galactic has not announced a specific date for beginning commercial flights, but it's expected that 2020 will finally be the year.
HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS-SETTLEMENT
State will pay $10M to mental health providers after suit
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico will pay out $10 million to resolve the last remaining lawsuits over a shake-up of its behavioral health system in 2013 under the prior administration of Republican Gov. Susana Martinez. Martinez's administration froze payments to 15 mental health service providers after an audit identified $36 million in Medicaid overpayments. The state attorney general later cleared the providers of any criminal wrongdoing, but 10 filed lawsuits, saying some providers were forced to close their doors and discontinue provision of any behavioral health services.