OPEN PRIMARIES-NEW MEXICO
Advocates for open primary elections target New Mexico
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Advocates for opening primary elections to independent voters are asking the New Mexico Supreme Court to block public funding of the state's closed primary election system.
The petition was filed Tuesday on behalf of four registered New Mexico voters by attorneys for the Open Primaries Education Fund.
It argues that New Mexico election regulators are violating the constitution by using taxpayer dollars to fund primary elections that exclude hundreds of thousands of voters who are not affiliated with major parties.
At least 22 percent of registered voters in New Mexico decline to choose a party affiliation.
Advocates for the current system say it ensures distinct ideological choices in general elections and helps voters make informed choices.
New Mexico's Democratic secretary of state and governor-elect support a switch to open primaries.

NUKE REPOSITORY-VENTILATION
Work underway on massive fans for nuclear waste repository
CARLSBAD, N.M. (AP) — The U.S. Energy Department says a New York-based company is building several massive fans to be used in a new multimillion-dollar ventilation system for the federal government's only underground nuclear waste repository.
Officials say the six fans being made by the Encorus Group will significantly increase the amount of air in the underground portion of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in southern New Mexico.
Each fan will stand 20 feet tall and weigh 44,000 pounds.
Construction of the ventilation system is expected to wrap up in early 2021.
The ventilation overhaul was prompted by a radiation release in 2014 that contaminated portions of the repository and forced its closure for nearly three years. The release resulted from an inappropriately packed drum of waste that came from Los Alamos National Laboratory.

ELECTION 2018-HOUSE-NEW MEXICO-VOTE COUNT-THE LATEST
The Latest: Losing Republican files lawsuit in US House race
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico Republican who lost her bid for a U.S. House seat is seeking to impound absentee ballots in a key county that decided the race to the Democrat.
Yvette Herrell filed a lawsuit late Tuesday in New Mexico state district court and is asking a judge to impound the absentee ballots so her campaign could inspect them.
Court documents filed by Herrell's lawyers cited "chain-of-custody issues and other improprieties" but didn't give details.
Herrell told Fox News on Saturday there were "over 100 documented complaints" about voting irregularities. She didn't provide evidence and her campaign has not returned repeated voicemails, text messages and emails from The Associated Press seeking details about her accusations.
The AP called the race for Democrat Xochitl (ZOH'-cheel) Torres Small after the absentee ballots from Dona Ana County tallied Wednesday put her over the top.

ALBUQUERQUE TRANSIT-ELECTRIC BUSES
Albuquerque pulls plug on electric buses for transit project
(Information from: Albuquerque Journal, http://www.abqjournal.com)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Albuquerque is rejecting and returning the electric buses supplied by a Chinese manufacturer for the city's long-delayed transit project.
The Albuquerque Journal reports Mayor Tim Keller announced Monday the plan to pull the plug on all 15 of the 60-foot (18-meter) electric buses manufactured by Build Your Dreams for the Albuquerque Rapid Transit project.
Keller says city officials have no confidence that issues regarding battery life can be mitigated.
Officials have also found brake failures and other equipment malfunctions in the buses built at the company's California-based subsidiary.
Keller says the city is planning to acquire 15 non-electric buses from a "well established American company that makes buses all the time."
Under the contract, the city did not have to pay the company until the final delivery of buses.
___
ALBUQUERQUE-OPEN SPACE
Albuquerque open space agency to be led by woman
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Colleen McRoberts has been selected as Albuquerque's first female open space superintendent.
McRoberts' appointment was announced Tuesday. She'll oversee more than 45 square miles (117 square kilometers) of major public open space in New Mexico's most populous city.
McRoberts served as an open space coordinator for Bernalillo County for more than a decade. She also was a Peace Corps volunteer for three years and a research assistant for the World Wildlife Fund.
McRoberts' appointment comes as communities around the state look to attract more visitors and expand New Mexico's multibillion-dollar outdoor recreation economy.
Organizers already are planning for next year's New Mexico Outdoor Economics Conference in Silver City and a push is underway for New Mexico to join other western state in creating an Office of Outdoor Recreation.

NEW MEXICO TECH-GRAD STUDENTS
New Mexico Tech joins regional program for grad students
SOCORRO, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico Tech says it hopes to recruit more graduate students from around the West by joining a 60-university multistate program that allows students to enroll in graduate programs at resident tuition rates.
The university located in Socorro charges New Mexico residents $4,029 per semester for graduate school tuition and fees, while non-residents pay $11,790 per semester.
Graduate Dean Lorie Liebrock says New Mexico Tech's full enrollment in the Western Regional Graduate Program means students from other Western states will no longer need to have assistantships to receive the in-state tuition rate.
The university's physics and chemical departments previously participated in the program.
New Mexico Tech already participates in the WICHE Western Undergraduate Exchange which is a similar program for undergraduate students.

FILM-RATTLESNAKE
Work on feature film 'Rattlesnake' underway in New Mexico
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The feature film "Rattlesnake" is being filmed at a handful of locations around northern New Mexico.
The New Mexico Film Office said Tuesday that the work will continue through mid-December in Santa Fe, Espanola, Las Vegas, Cochiti and Abiquiu.
About 100 New Mexico crew members are working on the film, along with dozens of extras from the state.
The film is directed by Zak Hilditch and produced by Ross M. Dinerstein. The stars include Carmen Ejogo, Theo Rossi and Emma Greenwell.
Set in a desert town, the film tells the story of a single mother who accepts the help of a mysterious woman after her daughter is bitten by a rattlesnake. She finds herself forced to pay back her debt by taking the life of a stranger.
​
CRIMINAL JUSTICE-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico lawmakers weigh criminal justice reforms
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico lawmakers are reviewing proposed legislation aimed at reforming parts of the state's criminal justice system ahead of their session in January.
At a meeting in Albuquerque, about a half dozen lawmakers discussed the possibility of reintroducing past legislation that had failed to become law in the past, including a proposal to make changes to the state's costly parole system and creating a central, statewide database for crime information.
The meeting Tuesday comes as the state's prison population has increased, while nationwide figures show incarceration rates overall on the decline.
According to the Legislative Finance Committee, the number of men and women returning to New Mexico prisons within three years of their release also is increasing, and lawmakers say many are returning to prison on technical violations — such as failing to report for appointments with parole officers — versus committing new crimes.

ALBUQUERQUE-BUSINESS SHOOTING-THE LATEST
The Latest: Police search for man who shot 3 at warehouse
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Police say the man who shot three people at a food distribution warehouse is an employee, the Albuquerque Journal reports.
Police tell the Journal that they are searching for the 30-year-old man.
Police say that about 6:15 p.m., the man entered the Ben E. Keith company warehouse in southeast Albuquerque and started shooting.
Police did not release the names and ages of the three people wounded.
A possible motive for the shootings was unclear.  
             ___
DOMINANT DEMOCRATS-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico election leaves few checks on Democratic power
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico Democrats who won nearly unbridled power over state government in midterm elections will confront competing interests within their own ideologically diverse party, as the governor-elect and legislative leaders pursue change.
Reforms to raise the minimum wage, allow recreational marijuana or set five-figure pay increases for teachers no longer are seen as progressive pipe dreams, after Democrats expanded their legislative majority and swept elections for statewide office.
Democratic Gov.-elect Michelle Lujan Grisham said Monday she is already busy building legislative coalitions.
Conservative-minded Democrats still could stand in the way of gun control, solar energy incentives or efforts to tap state savings.
Democrats will control major state watchdog agencies for elections, campaigning, open records and public accounting. A voter-commissioned independent ethics commission should soon provide a check on misbehavior in government.

NMSU-COLLEGE ACCESS
New Mexico State University focuses on higher ed access
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico State University is among 130 schools nationwide that are working together to increase access to higher education and close the achievement gap.
The university said Monday that it's participating in the program, which also aims to award more degrees by 2025. The effort is being organized by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities.
NMSU President John Floros says the program offers an opportunity for the university to share its findings and learn from others what works best for them.
The participating institutions reflect a wide array of institutional characteristics such as enrollment, student demographics and regional workforce needs. Officials say the diversity is intended to help create a playbook of reforms that can be adapted to different types of institution, including those with limited resources.

ELECTION 2018-HOUSE-NEW MEXICO
Dona Ana County finishes tally of provisional ballots
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — The New Mexico Secretary of State's Office says Dona Ana County has finished processing about 1,100 provisional and other ballots that needed to be tallied by hand.
The process wrapped up Sunday, nearly a week after the general election. The county's canvassing board plans to meet Tuesday to review the returns and certify the results.
The spotlight was on the county as it took nearly 24 hours after the polls closed last week to count thousands of absentee ballots that ended up deciding the race for southern New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District.
The Associated Press called the race for Democrat Xochitl Torres Small after the absentee ballots put her over the top. The unofficial results updated Monday expanded her lead.
Republican Yvette Herrell has not conceded. Her campaign did not immediately return messages left Monday.

DRY NEW MEXICO-OIL AND GAS
New Mexico weighs options for reusing oil and gas wastewater
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — State and federal officials are warning that because drought is no stranger to New Mexico, decisions about water are growing ever more complicated.
The state, with the help of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, has drafted a document that outlines areas where regulations can be streamlined to encourage the treatment and reuse of wastewater that comes from oil and natural gas operations.
The white paper released late last week says oil and gas production in New Mexico generated nearly 38 billion gallons (143 billion liters) of wastewater in 2017. As the energy sector grows, particularly in the Permian Basin along the Texas-New Mexico border, officials say so will the amount of wastewater.
State energy secretary Ken McQueen says the effort could help relieve the growing demand on the state's water resources.

ELECTION 2018-STATE GOVERNMENTS
Democratic wins could mean state action on health care, guns
Democratic gains in the 2018 elections could lead to a push for expanded health coverage, gun control and recreational marijuana in some states.
Democrats won complete control of the governor's office and both legislative chambers in six new states — Colorado, Illinois, Maine, Nevada, New Mexico and New York. Leaders there already are making plans for an aggressive leftward agenda.
All told, Democrats gained seats in 62 of the 99 partisan state legislative chambers and also picked up seven governors' seats.
Yet the overall outcome of the election was a continued trend toward unified control of state governments. Republicans could hold trifecta control in as many as 22 states. Democrats will have unified control in 14.
The number of politically divided state governments is near its 60-year low point.

SANTA FE-SCHOOLS CLOSED
Snow and ice lead to cancellation of classes in Santa Fe
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — An intense winter storm has forced the closure of schools in Santa Fe.
Officials at Santa Fe Public Schools said schools districtwide would be close Monday because of the weather.
They say the low temperatures and icy road conditions make it unsafe to dispatch school buses.
The district is also canceling after-school and evening activities.
As expected, a snowstorm hit central and eastern New Mexico late Sunday and overnight Monday.
Santa Fe is predicted to get as much as 4 inches (10 centimeters) of snow.
Forecasters say the snowy conditions should depart the region by late Monday.

Actor-comedian George Lopez faces misdemeanor battery charge
(Information from: Las Cruces Sun-News, http://www.lcsun-news.com)
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — Actor-comedian George Lopez reportedly is facing a misdemeanor count of battery after a scuffle with a man last month at a New Mexico restaurant.
The Las Cruces Sun-News reports Lopez will be receiving a criminal summons to the city's municipal court.
According to the newspaper, Lopez was in Las Cruces filming a movie and the alleged victim recorded the Oct. 14 incident on his cellphone.
The video reportedly shows the alleged victim waiting for Lopez to walk by him inside a Hooters restaurant.
The unidentified victim is heard calling Lopez "Jorge" before Lopez tries to snatch the phone and grab the back of the man's neck.
The men were quickly separated and Lopez left the restaurant.
Lopez later told Las Cruces police that he was baited into the altercation.
___
ELECTION 2018-STATE GOVERNMENTS
Democratic wins could mean state action on health care, guns
Democratic gains in the 2018 elections could lead to a push for expanded health coverage, gun control and recreational marijuana in some states.
Democrats won complete control of the governor's office and both legislative chambers in six new states — Colorado, Illinois, Maine, Nevada, New Mexico and New York. Leaders there already are making plans for an aggressive leftward agenda.
All told, Democrats gained seats in 62 of the 99 partisan state legislative chambers and also picked up seven governors' seats.
Yet the overall outcome of the election was a continued trend toward unified control of state governments. Republicans could hold trifecta control in as many as 22 states. Democrats will have unified control in 14.
The number of politically divided state governments is near its 60-year low point.

MIGRANT CARAVAN
Migrant caravan spends night in central Mexican city
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Thousands of Central American migrants bedded down under tents and tarps at a stadium in the central Mexican city of Queretaro after a day spent traveling north by metro, foot and hitched rides from the country's capital.
The caravan planned to leave the city for Irapuato, about 62 miles (100 kilometers) to the west, at 5 a.m. local time Sunday.
When they arrived at Queretaro Saturday afternoon, they were met by volunteers offering them tortillas, sandwiches and rice. The migrants strung up tarps and tents at a stadium that local officials had prepared for them.
"I decided to come (with the caravan) to help my family," said Maria Yesenia Perez, a 41-year-old who left La Ceiba, Honduras nearly a month ago with her 8-year-old daughter.

NAVAJO ELECTION-BALLOT SHORTAGE
Navajo Nation allows members to vote after ballot shortage
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — The Navajo Nation is offering would-be voters another chance to cast a ballot after many tribal precincts ran out on Election Day.
The late votes are unlikely to impact the tribe's presidential race. Vice President Jonathan Nez won by a wide margin. But they could factor into at least one close Navajo Nation Council race.
The ballot shortage was traced to a two-part referendum that asked whether Navajos wanted to increase the salaries of top elected leaders. Voting machines rejected overmarked ballots, and second ballots were issued, resulting in a shortage.
The tribe's Board of Election Supervisors said it's working to ensure registered voters who showed up to the polls can vote.
They said those people have a week to cast a late ballot at a handful of election offices across the reservation, starting Tuesday.

BUSINESS-FATAL SHOOTING
Police: 1 killed in reported exchange of gunfire at business
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Albuquerque police are investigating a Friday night incident that left one person dead after a reported exchange of gunfire with the owner of a business property.
Police say officers found the dead person inside a construction vehicle after the business owner told police that he had encountered the other person on the property in northeast Albuquerque.
According to police, the business owner said he'd seen the other person casing vehicles and that there'd been an exchange of gunfire during the encounter.
No identities were released and no additional information was immediately available.

NEW MEXICO WEATHER
Heavy snowfall expected in New Mexico late Sunday, Monday
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A strong cold front is expected to combine with an approaching storm system to produce heavy snow in parts of New Mexico late this weekend and early in the coming week.
The National Weather Service says impacts expected late Sunday and Monday in central and eastern New Mexico include isolated power outages as well as poor travel conditions from snow-packed roads, poor visibility, downed branches and drifting snow.
Expected snowfall amounts include 1 inch in Albuquerque, 4 inches (10 centimeters) in Santa Fe and Raton, 3 inches (8 centimeters) in Los Alamos and 5 inches (13 centimeters) in Las Vegas.
Forecasters say most of the wintry weather will be along and east of the central mountain chain and  snowy conditions should depart the region late Monday.

POTASH PLANT ELECTROCUTION-UTAH
Sheriff's office: 2 electrocuted, 1 injured at potash mine
MOAB, Utah (AP) — Authorities say two workers were electrocuted and a third injured Saturday when industrial equipment at a potash mine in eastern Utah touched a power line.
The San Juan County Sheriff's Office says Russell Helquist and Matthew Johnston died at the Intrepid Potash facility near Moab and a third man, Arthur Secrest, was flown to an unspecified Salt Lake City hospital after being found unconscious but breathing.
The Sheriff's Office says all three men lived in nearby Moab.
The sheriff's office in neighboring Grand County initially reported the incident as an explosion.
Denver-based Intrepid manufactures fertilizer. The company also has mines in Carlsbad, New Mexico, and Wendover, Utah.
In a statement issued Saturday evening, the company said a "corporate crisis management team has contacted the appropriate authorities and the cause of the accident is currently under investigation. Operations at the Moab facility have been suspended pending the initial investigation."
Moab is 196 miles (315 kilometers) southeast of Salt Lake City.
​
HIGHWAY-LAWMAKER
Northern New Mexico highway being dedicated for Varela
PECOS, N.M. (AP) — A northern New Mexico highway is being dedicated for a longtime state legislator.
A ceremony was scheduled Saturday in Pecos to dedicate State Highway 50 after the late Rep. Luciano "Lucky" Varela, a Democrat and native of Pecos who served in the state House from the mid-1980s until 2016.
The House unanimously approved a memorial dedicating the 6 mile (nearly 10 kilometer)-long highway for Varela after he died earlier this year at age 82.
As a lawmaker, Varela was considered an expert on the state budget, technology and the public education system.
Pecos is 17 miles (27 kilometers) southeast of Santa Fe.

ELECTION 2018-STATE GOVERNMENTS
Democratic wins could mean state action on health care, guns
Democratic gains in the 2018 elections could lead to a push for expanded health coverage, gun control and recreational marijuana in some states.
Democrats won complete control of the governor's office and both legislative chambers in six new states — Colorado, Illinois, Maine, Nevada, New Mexico and New York. Leaders there already are making plans for an aggressive leftward agenda.
All told, Democrats gained seats in 62 of the 99 partisan state legislative chambers and also picked up seven governors' seats.
Yet the overall outcome of the election was a continued trend toward unified control of state governments. Republicans could hold trifecta control in as many as 22 states. Democrats will have unified control in 14.
The number of politically divided state governments is near its 60-year low point.

MIGRANT CARAVAN
Migrant caravan spends night in central Mexican city
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Thousands of Central American migrants bedded down under tents and tarps at a stadium in the central Mexican city of Queretaro after a day spent traveling north by metro, foot and hitched rides from the country's capital.
The caravan planned to leave the city for Irapuato, about 62 miles (100 kilometers) to the west, at 5 a.m. local time Sunday.
When they arrived at Queretaro Saturday afternoon, they were met by volunteers offering them tortillas, sandwiches and rice. The migrants strung up tarps and tents at a stadium that local officials had prepared for them.
"I decided to come (with the caravan) to help my family," said Maria Yesenia Perez, a 41-year-old who left La Ceiba, Honduras nearly a month ago with her 8-year-old daughter.

NAVAJO ELECTION-BALLOT SHORTAGE
Navajo Nation allows members to vote after ballot shortage
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — The Navajo Nation is offering would-be voters another chance to cast a ballot after many tribal precincts ran out on Election Day.
The late votes are unlikely to impact the tribe's presidential race. Vice President Jonathan Nez won by a wide margin. But they could factor into at least one close Navajo Nation Council race.
The ballot shortage was traced to a two-part referendum that asked whether Navajos wanted to increase the salaries of top elected leaders. Voting machines rejected overmarked ballots, and second ballots were issued, resulting in a shortage.
The tribe's Board of Election Supervisors said it's working to ensure registered voters who showed up to the polls can vote.
They said those people have a week to cast a late ballot at a handful of election offices across the reservation, starting Tuesday.

RELIGIOUS SECT-CHILD ABUSE
New Mexico sect co-leader pleads no contest to abuse charges
GRANTS, N.M. (AP) — A co-leader of a rural New Mexico paramilitary religious sect has pleaded no contest to child abuse charges.
The Gallup Independent reports that James Green entered his pleas Friday to charges stemming from abuse of a Ugandan child brought to the United States illegally in 1997 and from a 13-year-old boy's death at the sect's commune in 2014 from a probable infectious disease.
Green and Deborah Green, his wife and also a sect co-leader, were arrested in 2017 after authorities raided the sect's secluded compound after a two-year investigation.
James Green will be sentenced in December under a plea agreement to 10 years in prison with credit for time served.
Deborah Green was sentenced in September to 72 years in prison after being convicted of child abuse and other charges.

BUSINESS-FATAL SHOOTING
Police: 1 killed in reported exchange of gunfire at business
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Albuquerque police are investigating a Friday night incident that left one person dead after a reported exchange of gunfire with the owner of a business property.
Police say officers found the dead person inside a construction vehicle after the business owner told police that he had encountered the other person on the property in northeast Albuquerque.
According to police, the business owner said he'd seen the other person casing vehicles and that there'd been an exchange of gunfire during the encounter.
No identities were released and no additional information was immediately available.

NEW MEXICO WEATHER
Heavy snowfall expected in New Mexico late Sunday, Monday
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A strong cold front is expected to combine with an approaching storm system to produce heavy snow in parts of New Mexico late this weekend and early in the coming week.
The National Weather Service says impacts expected late Sunday and Monday in central and eastern New Mexico include isolated power outages as well as poor travel conditions from snow-packed roads, poor visibility, downed branches and drifting snow.
Expected snowfall amounts include 1 inch in Albuquerque, 4 inches (10 centimeters) in Santa Fe and Raton, 3 inches (8 centimeters) in Los Alamos and 5 inches (13 centimeters) in Las Vegas.
Forecasters say most of the wintry weather will be along and east of the central mountain chain and  snowy conditions should depart the region late Monday.

POTASH PLANT ELECTROCUTION-UTAH
Sheriff's office: 2 electrocuted, 1 injured at potash mine
MOAB, Utah (AP) — Authorities say two workers were electrocuted and a third injured Saturday when industrial equipment at a potash mine in eastern Utah touched a power line.
The San Juan County Sheriff's Office says Russell Helquist and Matthew Johnston died at the Intrepid Potash facility near Moab and a third man, Arthur Secrest, was flown to an unspecified Salt Lake City hospital after being found unconscious but breathing.
The Sheriff's Office says all three men lived in nearby Moab.
The sheriff's office in neighboring Grand County initially reported the incident as an explosion.
Denver-based Intrepid manufactures fertilizer. The company also has mines in Carlsbad, New Mexico, and Wendover, Utah.
In a statement issued Saturday evening, the company said a "corporate crisis management team has contacted the appropriate authorities and the cause of the accident is currently under investigation. Operations at the Moab facility have been suspended pending the initial investigation."
Moab is 196 miles (315 kilometers) southeast of Salt Lake City.

HIGHWAY-LAWMAKER
Northern New Mexico highway being dedicated for Varela
PECOS, N.M. (AP) — A northern New Mexico highway is being dedicated for a longtime state legislator.
A ceremony was scheduled Saturday in Pecos to dedicate State Highway 50 after the late Rep. Luciano "Lucky" Varela, a Democrat and native of Pecos who served in the state House from the mid-1980s until 2016.
The House unanimously approved a memorial dedicating the 6 mile (nearly 10 kilometer)-long highway for Varela after he died earlier this year at age 82.
As a lawmaker, Varela was considered an expert on the state budget, technology and the public education system.
Pecos is 17 miles (27 kilometers) southeast of Santa Fe.

LATINA GOVERNORS-NEW MEXICO-THE LATEST
The Latest: Border governor-elect worries about caravan kids
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The Democratic governor-elect of New Mexico says she is worried about the wellbeing of women and children in migrant caravans approaching the U.S. from Mexico and may reconsider the state's decision to deploy local National Guard troops to the border.
U.S. Congresswomen and Gov.-elect Michelle Lujan Grisham said Friday that she doubts the credibility of information supplied by President Donald Trump and the Department of Homeland Security about the caravans of Central American migrants. The Trump administration is warning that the caravans will further overwhelm asylum systems.
Republican New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez in April deployed fewer than 200 troops to the border at Trump's suggestion. That was before concerns about the caravan prompted a new federal deployment of more than 5,000 troops.
Lujan Grisham and Martinez met Friday to discuss the transition of power from one Latina governor to another.

BUSINESS-FATAL SHOOTING
Police: 1 killed in reported exchange of gunfire at business
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Albuquerque police are investigating a Friday night incident that left one person dead after a reported exchange of gunfire with the owner of a business property.
Police say officers found the dead person inside a construction vehicle after the business owner told police that he had encountered the other person on the property in northeast Albuquerque.
According to police, the business owner said he'd seen the other person casing vehicles and that there'd been an exchange of gunfire during the encounter.
No identities were released and no additional information was immediately available.

NEW MEXICO WEATHER
Heavy snowfall expected in New Mexico late Sunday, Monday
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A strong cold front is expected to combine with an approaching storm system to produce heavy snow in parts of New Mexico late this weekend and early in the coming week.
The National Weather Service says impacts expected late Sunday and Monday in central and eastern New Mexico include isolated power outages as well as poor travel conditions from snow-packed roads, poor visibility, downed branches and drifting snow.
Expected snowfall amounts include 1 inch in Albuquerque, 4 inches (10 centimeters) in Santa Fe and Raton, 3 inches (8 centimeters) in Los Alamos and 5 inches (13 centimeters) in Las Vegas.
Forecasters say most of the wintry weather will be along and east of the central mountain chain and that snowy conditions should depart the region late Monday.

LAND OFFICE-SETTLEMENT
New Mexico Land Office settles trespass claim for $3.2M
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The New Mexico State Land Office has settled a trespassing claim against a Texas-based oil and gas company for $3.2 million.
The Land Office accused Salt Creek Midstream, LLC of doing construction work on state trust lands in Lea County without securing rights-of-way easements. The unauthorized disturbance was discovered in September.
The company said Friday that it began an investigation after being notified by the state and learned that its contractor had made a mistake. The company says it worked with the state to address the problem.
As part of the settlement, the company must reclaim all disturbed areas and provide a $250,000 reclamation bond.
Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn says staffing shortages have made it difficult to keep up with challenges created by the oil boom in southeastern New Mexico.

HIGHWAY-LAWMAKER
Northern New Mexico highway being dedicated for Varela
PECOS, N.M. (AP) — A northern New Mexico highway is being dedicated for a longtime state legislator.
A ceremony was scheduled Saturday in Pecos to dedicate State Highway 50 after the late Rep. Luciano "Lucky" Varela, a Democrat and native of Pecos who served in the state House from the mid-1980s until 2016.
The House unanimously approved a memorial dedicating the 6 mile (nearly 10 kilometer)-long highway for Varela after he died earlier this year at age 82.
As a lawmaker, Varela was considered an expert on the state budget, technology and the public education system.
Pecos is 17 miles (27 kilometers) southeast of Santa Fe.

MIGRANT CARAVAN
Bulk of migrant caravan prepares to depart Mexico City
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Almost 4,000 Central American migrants are preparing to depart a stadium in southern Mexico City for the longest and most dangerous leg of a trek to the U.S. border that has drawn fire from President Donald Trump.
The bulk of the caravan will follow the roughly 900 migrants who left Mexico City Friday, and many were impatient to get going early Saturday after having spent much of the week in the sports complex.
"Let's go, let's go!" shouted Eddy Rivera, 37, a Honduran migrant who said he couldn't take staying in the camp any longer.
The plan was to take a subway to the northern part of Mexico's capital, then proceed first to Queretaro, followed by Guadalajara, Culiacan and Hermosillo until the migrants arrive in Tijuana on the U.S. border.

TROOPS ON BORDER-OPPOSITION
Residents oppose military presence at the border
PHOENIX (AP) — Residents of border communities along the Southwest are protesting the presence of the military at the border, saying it is a political move not based on an actual need.
In Arizona, a group of residents from Arivaca, Ajo and the Tohono O'odham Nation drove a couple of hours north to Phoenix for a news conference where they denounced the military's presence in their communities.
In El Paso, Texas, activists are planning a rally this weekend to also protest the decision, and the mayor of Laredo, also in Texas, denounced the move, saying it would harm morale and hurt the region's economy.
President Donald Trump has deployed over 5,600 troops to the border in response to a caravan of Central American migrants who are headed for the U.S. The caravan is composed of many families with children.

UTE PIPELINE
Eastern New Mexico pipeline project awarded $4M
CLOVIS, N.M. (AP) — The U.S. government is funneling another $4.3 million to a pipeline project designed to one day bring billions of gallons of drinking water annually to communities in eastern New Mexico.
The latest infusion from the Bureau of Reclamation will help with construction of a pipeline to Cannon Air Force Base and Clovis.
Members of the state's congressional delegation say the money represents the largest single-year award from the agency to the Ute pipeline project, bringing the federal contribution so far to more than $20 million.
Decades in the making, the project aims to ease the strain on the Ogallala aquifer along the Texas-New Mexico border by tapping into Ute Reservoir.
Critics say the cost will outweigh the benefits as runoff that feeds the reservoir could be uncertain as drought persists.

LATINA GOVERNORS-NEW MEXICO
Political transition starts between Latina governors
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — An unusual political transition between two Latina governors is under way in New Mexico.
The state has a long history of Hispanics in politics and women are now consistently rising to the top. Democratic Gov.-elect Michelle Lujan Grisham was scheduled to meet on Friday with termed-out Republican Gov. Susana Martinez.
Martinez won office in 2010 as the nation's only Latina governor and took issue with Donald Trump's characterization of Mexican immigrants as criminals and rapists when he was running for president. She and the president have since reconciled.
Lujan Grisham is a staunch critic of Trump's approach to immigration and has promised to pursue major changes from Martinez's approach to student testing, teacher evaluations, state investments, renewable energy, gun control, marijuana regulation and more.

TROOPS ON BORDER-OPPOSITION
Residents oppose military presence at the border
PHOENIX (AP) — Residents of border communities along the Southwest are protesting the presence of the military at the border, saying it is a political move not based on an actual need.
In Arizona, a group of residents from Arivaca, Ajo and the Tohono O'odham Nation drove a couple of hours north to Phoenix for a news conference where they denounced the military's presence in their communities.
In El Paso, Texas, activists are planning a rally this weekend to also protest the decision, and the mayor of Laredo, also in Texas, denounced the move, saying it would harm morale and hurt the region's economy.
President Donald Trump has deployed over 5,600 troops to the border in response to a caravan of Central American migrants who are headed for the U.S. The caravan is composed of many families with children.

INMATE RELEASED BY MISTAKE
New Mexico sheriff: Escaped inmate killed in Mexico shooting
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Authorities say a man who fooled officers into releasing him early from New Mexico's largest local jail this year has been killed in Mexico.
A Bernalillo County sheriff's spokeswoman says the department learned that 27-year-old Duwin Perez had been fatally shot in the state of Chihuahua on Aug. 18, and confirmed the information with federal authorities.
Authorities say Perez escaped from the Metropolitan Detention Center in Albuquerque in June. He was accused of tricking jail staff into releasing him by pretending to be his cellmate.
At the time, he was being jailed on charges of attempting to commit a felony, shooting at or from a car, aggravated battery, car theft, drug trafficking, conspiracy and racketeering.

HONEYWELL PLANT CLOSURE
Honeywell Aerospace to relocate Albuquerque operations
(Information from: Albuquerque Journal, http://www.abqjournal.com)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Honeywell Aerospace is planning to move from Albuquerque, leaving potentially hundreds employees without jobs.
The Albuquerque Journal reports the company told employees Thursday that its Albuquerque operations would be moved to Honeywell sites in Arizona, Florida and Puerto Rico over the next year.
The global engineering firm's work in New Mexico is primarily focused on military and government contracts.
The company says those operations can be more efficiently managed by integrating them into other facilities.
The company says in a statement that employees are encouraged to apply for positions at other locations, and severance and outplacement assistance will be offered to eligible employees.
Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller says he has instructed the Economic Development Department to reach out to partners to see if workers can be connected with opportunities.
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CLERGY ABUSE-NEW MEXICO
Las Cruces Diocese releases names of accused priests
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — The Catholic Diocese of Las Cruces has released the names of 28 priests who have been credibly accused of sexually abusing children.
The diocese announced Thursday it was handing over the names to the New Mexico attorney general's office two months about the department asked all Roman Catholic church officials for files.
Officials say the alleged abuse cases took place from the 1950s to 2000.
The New Mexico attorney general's office said in September it wanted Roman Catholic church officials around the state to allow it to review personnel records for any material that might be related to past or present allegations of sexual abuse.
The Santa Fe Archdiocese last year published a list of 74 clergy members who have been credibly accused of sexually abusing children in New Mexico.

ELECTION 2018-NEW MEXICO-PINK WAVE
Female politicians gain ground in New Mexico
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The New Mexico state House of Representatives has inched within four seats of gender parity with a surge in victorious female Democrats in the midterm election.
House Speaker Brian Egolf said Wednesday that women will constitute a majority of Democrats in the House when the Legislature convenes in January. Overall, 31 women won election to the 70-seat chamber on Tuesday.
In other milestones, the governor's office will pass from one Latina governor to another with the election of Democratic U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham to the highest office in state government.
Stephanie Garcia Richard of Los Alamos will become the first woman to lead the State Land Office that oversees energy and mineral development on state trust land to fund public education.
Women won two open U.S. congressional seats.

ELECTION 2018-HOUSE-NEW MEXICO
Republican Herrell not conceding US House race in New Mexico
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Republican Yvette Herrell has not conceded in a U.S. House race in southern New Mexico despite unofficial results that showed Democrat Xochitl Torres Small winning the contest.
Herrell campaign senior adviser Rob Burgess said in a statement late Wednesday that Herrell is waiting for all provisional ballots to be counted.
The Associated Press called the race for southern New Mexico's 2nd District for Torres Small after absentee ballots counted Wednesday put her over the top.
New Mexico Secretary of State spokesman Alex Curtas says around 1,000 or so provision ballots remained to be counted. However, Curtas says even if Herrell won all those votes it still wouldn't be enough for her to win the race or trigger an automatic recount.
Herrell's campaign has not said if it would request a recount.

ELECTION 2018-CONGRESS-NATIVE AMERICANS
Native American women's election wins follow years-long push
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Two Native American women's historic congressional victories add them to a record number of women elected to the U.S. House, following an election cycle that also saw a significant boost in Native American female candidates at the state and local level.
The incoming Native American congresswomen Deb Haaland (HAAH-lund), of New Mexico, and Sharice (sha-REES) Davids, of Kansas, are Democrats.
Haaland, a former New Mexico Democratic Party chairwoman, is a Laguna Pueblo member. She won her race in a New Mexico district that includes Albuquerque, and credited a vast political network she built after nearly 20 years of working on other candidates' campaign, and her own hard work.
Sharice Davids, who is Ho-Chunk, and attorney and a former White House Fellow, beat U.S. Rep. Kevin Yoder to win her election for a district that includes suburbs of Kansas City.

ELECTION 2018-CONGRESS-NATIVE AMERICANS
Native American women's election wins follow years-long push
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Two Native American women's historic congressional victories add them to a record number of women elected to the U.S. House, following an election cycle that also saw a significant boost in Native American female candidates at the state and local level.
The incoming Native American congresswomen Deb Haaland (HAAH-lund), of New Mexico, and Sharice (sha-REES) Davids, of Kansas, are Democrats.
Haaland, a former New Mexico Democratic Party chairwoman, is a Laguna Pueblo member. She won her race in a New Mexico district that includes Albuquerque, and credited a vast political network she built after nearly 20 years of working on other candidates' campaign, and her own hard work.
Sharice Davids, who is Ho-Chunk, and attorney and a former White House Fellow, beat U.S. Rep. Kevin Yoder to win her election for a district that includes suburbs of Kansas City.

HOUSE-LEADERSHIP FIGHT
Victory aside, Pelosi's return as House speaker not a given
WASHINGTON (AP) — House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi is positioned to return to the speaker's office with her party's takeover of the House. But her election is not at all assured.
Some of the newly elected Democrats have pledged to vote against Pelosi. While she needs half of the House Democrats to make her the party's candidate, she also needs a majority of the full House to become speaker again. A slim majority leaves her little cushion.
Democrats who want new leadership have been whispering about it for weeks, and on Wednesday, several Pelosi opponents announced their intent to run for leadership posts in the party.
House Republicans have leadership races, too. Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California is facing a challenge from Jim Jordan of Ohio for the top spot.

ELECTION 2018-HOUSE-NEW MEXICO
Key New Mexico county absentee votes stalls US House race
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Absentee votes in a key New Mexico county are stalling a closely watched U.S. House race in southern New Mexico.
Dona Ana County Clerk Amanda Lopez Askin told The Associated Press on Wednesday that officials are working to count around 8,000 absentee ballots and an untold number of other ballots dropped off or delivered by mail on Tuesday.
Republican Yvette Herrell and Democrat Xochitl Torres Small are in a tight race for U.S. House seat in southern New Mexico that is still too close to call.
Askin says she did not know if the county would be able to submit final vote numbers by Wednesday or Thursday.
Askin says she has deputized five Democrats and five Republicans to help with the count.

ELECTION 2018-NEW MEXICO-THE LATEST
The Latest: Democrat Torres Small wins US House seat
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Democrat Xochitl (ZOH'-cheel) Torres Small has won an open U.S. House seat representing southern New Mexico's 2nd District in a closely watched race.
The 33-year-old water rights attorney defeated Republican state lawmaker Yvette Herrell for a seat that has been held by the GOP for years.
It was open because the incumbent Republican, Rep. Steve Pearce, ran for New Mexico governor, a race he lost.
Torres Small ran as a moderate Democrat who promised to help the district's lucrative oil and gas industry and push for immigration reform.
The 54-year-old Herrell is a member of the Cherokee Nation and would have been one of the first Native American women elected to the House. She ran as a staunch backer of President Donald Trump and his support for a border wall.

NAVAJO LAWMAKER RESIGNS
Navajo lawmaker resigns post to work for tribal president
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — A Navajo Nation lawmaker has resigned his post to work for the tribal president.
The tribe's elections office declared a vacancy for Dwight Witherspoon's seat Wednesday.
Witherspoon had just weeks left in his term and did not seek re-election. He says he'll serve as chief of staff for outgoing President Russell Begaye.
Witherspoon has represented a handful of communities in the central part of the reservation since 2011.
Each of those communities will recommend someone to serve in the position temporarily. Navajo Nation Council Speaker LoRenzo Bates will appoint a delegate from among the recommendations.
The tribe held elections Tuesday to fill seats on the 24-member council.
Jimmy Yellowhair will take over the position Witherspoon is leaving in January for a four-year term.

ELECTION 2018-NAVAJO PRESIDENT
Nez elected to lead Navajo Nation, warns of tough times
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — Jonathan Nez has been elected president of the Navajo Nation and is warning of tough times ahead for the tribe on the largest Native American reservation in the U.S.
Unofficial election results for the reservation in Arizona, New Mexico and Utah show Nez overwhelmingly beat former two-term President Joe Shirley Jr.
Nez is vice president of the tribe and said Wednesday he would start planning his administration.
Among the plans are restructuring the tribal government to try to avoid layoffs after a coal-fired power plant and a mine that supplies it close at the end of 2019. Both are on the reservation.
Election results will be finalized next week.
Ballot shortages were reported at some polling stations but Shirley wasn't contesting the outcome of the race.

SANTA FE SCHOOLS-BOARD POLICY
School board considers disclosure question for applicants
(Information from: The Santa Fe New Mexican, http://www.santafenewmexican.com)
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Santa Fe Public Schools officials are considering a policy that would ask applicants of vacant board seats if there are any incidents in their past that would cause the district embarrassment.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports the district board approved the first reading Tuesday after board vice president Maureen Cashmon introduced the resolution that would give officials the right to ask the question.
The measure comes after officials learned that board member Rudy Garcia has an arrest record that he did not disclose when he applied for the seat.
Garcia had pleaded guilty years ago to DWI charges and served 16 days in jail.
Garcia and board member Lorraine Price voted against the measure, arguing that many people have episodes in their past that do not necessarily disqualify them.
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STATE GOVERNMENTS
Democrats knock holes in Republican wall of state control
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Republican wall that has stood in state capitols for much of the past decade now has a few holes in it.
Democrats flipped control of seven gubernatorial offices and about a half-dozen state legislative chambers in Tuesday's first midterm elections of President Donald Trump's tenure.
Yet those victories didn't quite reach the lofty goals of an anticipated blue wave. That left both major parties with reasons for hope as they look ahead to another pivotal battle in 2020.
Some of the biggest wins for Democrats came in the Midwest, where they defeated Republican Govs. Scott Walker in Wisconsin and Bruce Rauner in Illinois and picked up open Republican governor's seats in Michigan and Kansas.
Democrats also flipped control of governor's offices being vacated by Republicans in Maine, Nevada and New Mexico.

By RUSSELL CONTRERAS, Associated Press
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Democrat Xochitl Torres Small has won an open U.S. House seat representing southern New Mexico's 2nd District in a closely watched race, completing a statewide sweep for Democrats and giving the diverse southwestern state its first U.S. House three-member delegation made up of all people of color.
   The 33-year-old water rights attorney defeated Republican state lawmaker Yvette Herrell for a seat that has been held by the GOP for years, after officials in Dona Ana County tallied up absentee ballots late Wednesday.
   The seat was open because the incumbent Republican, Rep. Steve Pearce, ran for New Mexico governor, a race he lost.
  The victory comes as Democrats captured control of the U.S. House of Representatives.
   Torres Small ran as a moderate Democrat who promised to help the district's lucrative oil and gas industry and push for immigration reform.
Reached by phone late Wednesday, an emotional Torres Small struggled to fight back tears and was plagued by a cough. "This is my home," Torres Small said. "I am so honored to represent this district. It has been ignored by Washington for far too long."
   The 54-year-old Herrell is a member of the Cherokee Nation and would have been one of the first Native American women elected to the House. Herrell ran as a staunch backer of President Donald Trump, his support for a border wall and refused to take part in any television debates with Torres Small.
   Herrell's campaign did not immediately return phone and text messages. It's unclear if Herrell would ask for a recount.
  Democrats have long targeted the heavily Hispanic congressional district that sits along the U.S.-Mexico border, where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans.
Herrell, a real estate businesswoman from Alamogordo, is a conservative on social issues and was endorsed by the National Rifle Association. She faced allegations early in the campaign that she failed to disclose on campaign finance reports that she had rented property to state agencies.
   State records showed Herrell Properties took in $440,000 since 2013 by renting property to the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department and New Mexico Environment Department. She later amended her reports following an investigation by The Associated Press.
   Torres Small, a granddaughter of Mexican immigrants who grew up Mormon, rarely mentioned Trump on the campaign trail and promised to uphold the region's "rural values." The avid hunter ran ads showing her with her guns, and she vowed to push for immigration reform and border security.
   Torres Small also did not commit to voting for Nancy Pelosi for U.S. House Speaker should the Democrats gain control of the House.
   Federal reports showed Torres Small raised more than three times as much money from July through September as Herrell. Federal Election Commission filings released last month show Torres Small pulled in around $1.9 million, while Herrell raised $564,000.
   The district's conservative-leaning independents have intricate views on water, immigration, international trade and oil production and made the race hard to predict.
    Torres Small joins Democrats Debra Haaland and Rep. Ben Ray Lujan who will make up New Mexico's first all-minority, three-member U.S. House delegation in its history. Haaland is one of the first Native American women to be elected to Congress. Lujan is member of one of New Mexico's storied political Hispanic families.
   They are believed to be the first all minority U.S. House delegation with at least three members from a state in U.S. history.
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Follow Russell Contreras on Twitter at http://twitter.com/russcontreras . For AP's complete coverage of the U.S. midterm elections: http://apne.ws/APPolitics

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The Latest on the midterm election in New Mexico 
​(Times are when race was called by the AP) 

8:51 p.m.
Democratic Congresswoman Michelle Lujan Grisham has won election as governor of New Mexico to succeed a two-term Republican amid simmering conflicts over struggling public schools and high poverty rates.
The reins of state government will pass from one Latina to another as termed-out Gov. Susana Martinez leaves office.
Lujan Grisham has been a leading critic in Congress of President Donald Trump's policies on immigration.
The 59-year-old former state health secretary defeated Republican Rep. Steve Pearce in a campaign focused on expanding preschool education, lowering crime rates and reducing poverty.
Lujan Grisham is embracing new investment in solar and wind energy and has pledged to comply with a court order to help poor and minority students.1:30 a.m.
The New Mexico Secretary of State's Office has announced that a key southern county has stopped counting ballots and will reconvene Wednesday morning.
Secretary of State spokesman Alex Curtas said early Wednesday that around 4,000 absentee ballots remain to be counted in Dona Ana County. He says the county clerk will reconvene the absentee precinct board later Wednesday to complete the count.
The move comes as Republican Yvette Herrell and Democrat Xochitl Torres Small remain locked in a closely watched race for U.S. House seat in southern New Mexico. The region also has a number of undecided state House races.
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12:07 a.m.
Four Republican incumbents have lost their seats on the New Mexico Court of Appeals, clearing the way for women to hold more seats on the judicial panel than ever before.
The four women who currently serve on the appellate court will now be joined by four others, establishing the first female majority since the court was created in 1966.
The four who currently serve on the court include Chief Judge Linda Vanzi and Judges Monica Zamora, Julie Vargas and Jennifer Attrep.
Attrep, who was appointed by the governor in January, ran unopposed. The four Democrats who won seats Tuesday include District Judge Briana Zamora and attorneys Megan Duffy, Kristina Bogardus and Jacqueline Medina.
The 10-member Court of Appeals is the first and often final appellate court for most type of cases in the state.
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10:57 p.m.
Democratic state lawmaker Stephanie Garcia Richard has been elected as New Mexico's next state land commissioner, making her the first woman to hold the office in the state's history.
Garcia Richard finished ahead of Republican Patrick Lyons and Libertarian Michael Lucero to fill the open seat. Current Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn did not seek re-election, setting up the three-way contest.
Garcia Richard is three-term state lawmaker from the Los Alamos area. She's the chair of the House Education Committee and works as an administrator with the Pojoaque Valley School District.
Some have criticized her for a lack of experience when it comes to land issues. She argues that her knowledge about the classroom would provide an important perspective for the State Land Office because its top priority is raising money for education.
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10:12 p.m.
New Mexico voters have approved a constitutional amendment that seeks to bring the state court system one step closer toward streamlining the appeals process for some low-level cases.
The measure also had the support of members of the state judiciary.
While it seeks to change an obscure segment of state law, supporters say it could result in notable savings in both cost and time for busy courthouses, like those in Bernalillo County, which includes Albuquerque.
The amendment proposes allowing lawmakers to begin reviewing the appeals court process for cases that originate in probate and magistrate courts, as well as the Metropolitan Court in Bernalillo County.
After hearings, debate and analysis, lawmakers could then vote to decide whether the requests for the lower-level cases to be overturned or retried should be allowed to proceed directly to the New Mexico Court of Appeals.
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10 p.m.
Democrat Brian Colon has been elected to serve as New Mexico's next state auditor.
The Albuquerque attorney defeated Republican Wayne Johnson, who has served as auditor since 2017 when he was appointed to the post by Gov. Susana Martinez. Colon was able to significantly out-fundraise Johnson over the course of the campaign.
No stranger to politics, Colon once served as Democratic Party chairman. Winning the auditor's seat ends a political drought for him. Colon ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor in 2010 and for Albuquerque mayor last year.
Colon has a finance degree and has represented business and governmental entities.
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9:45 p.m.
Longtime Court of Appeals Judge Michael Vigil has been elected to the New Mexico Supreme Court, unseating incumbent Justice Gary Clingman.
Vigil is a Democrat from Albuquerque. He has spent 15 years on the Court of Appeals.
Clingman served for more than 20 years as a judge in the 5th Judicial District before being appointed in April to fill a vacancy on the high court.
Both Vigil and Clingman were recommended by the Judicial Nominating Commission for consideration to fill this year's vacancy created by Justice Edward Chavez's retirement. Gov. Susana Martinez named Clingman.
Vigil also was on the recommendation list in 2015 after Justice Richard Bosson's retirement, but Judith Nakamura, a Republican, was appointed. She narrowly won a subsequent election against Vigil for that seat.
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9:25 p.m.
Incumbent Tim Eichenberg has won re-election to his post as New Mexico state treasurer.
The Democrat finished ahead of Republican challenger Arthur Castillo to retain control of a seat that historically has been under Democratic Party control. The statewide post in recent years has garnered little attention and minimal campaign donations.
The treasurer's office is responsible for monitoring state agencies' cash activity and for keeping track of the balances on hand so it can project how much money is available over the short and long term for investment.
Eichenberg is a former state senator and former Bernalillo County treasurer. During his time at the statehouse, he carried legislation that established a code of ethics for all government employees.
With his re-election, he plans to continue pushing for legislation that would make more transparent the investment fees paid by state agencies.
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9:10 p.m.
Democrat Maggie Toulouse Oliver has won re-election as New Mexico's secretary of state.
Toulouse Oliver finished ahead of Republican Gavin Clarkson and Libertarian Ginger Grider to win a second term as the state's top election official.
Toulouse Oliver was first elected secretary of state during a special election in November 2016 to finish the remainder of the term vacated by Republican Dianna Duran. She announced her bid for re-election in 2017, saying she wanted to continue implementing reforms of the state's campaign finance rules as well as increasing voter education in rural and Native American communities.
Toulouse Oliver made waves earlier this year when she tried to include the option of straight-party voting on this year's ballots. The New Mexico Supreme Court ended up blocking the move, but she vowed to continue looking for ways to increase voter registration and turnout.
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9:05 p.m.
Democratic U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Lujan has won a sixth term representing northern New Mexico's 3rd District.
He defeated Republican Jerald Steve McFall and Libertarian Chris Manning on Tuesday. Lujan campaigned on efforts to advance immigration reform, expand Medicaid and address climate change.
Lujan has spearheaded efforts since 2014 to cut short Republican control of Congress as chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. He has long pushed for congressional candidates from diverse backgrounds.
McFall is an Angel Fire, New Mexico, farmer and political newcomer who waged an uphill battle in a district where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans nearly 2-1. He ran on supporting immigration restrictions, opposing abortion and protecting young immigrants brought to the country illegally as children.
Manning is a businessman who ran on controlling spending.
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9 p.m.
Democrat Hector Balderas has been re-elected to a second term as New Mexico's top prosecutor in a three-way race against a Republican immigration attorney and an Albuquerque land and water rights attorney.
Balderas finished ahead of Michael Hendricks and A. Blair Dunn, who is known for representing ranchers and other rural New Mexicans.
Balderas, 45, maintained a clear fundraising lead over his opponents throughout the race. He's a former state lawmaker, former state auditor and a graduate of the University of New Mexico School of Law.
Balderas was first elected attorney general in 2014 after serving two terms as state auditor. In his first term, his office prosecuted high-profile cases against state politicians, including former Secretary of State Dianna Duran, a Republican, and former Democratic state Sen. Phil Griego.
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8:50 p.m.
New Mexico voters have approved a constitutional amendment that clears the way for the creation of an independent ethics commission.
The proposal was on the ballot this year after many years of debate in the Legislature over establishing such a panel to address complaints involving elected officials, public employees and others.
The state has had a string of public corruption scandals going back more than a decade, with two state treasurers, two state senators, a secretary of state and a deputy insurance superintendent going to prison on criminal charges.
Most recently, a former state taxation and revenue secretary is facing felony charges of embezzlement and using a position in government for personal gain.
The number of states with ethics commissions has steadily increased in recent years, leaving New Mexico as one of six without one, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
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8:36 p.m.
Democrat Debra Haaland has defeated Republican Janice E. Arnold-Jones in a New Mexico U.S. House race, earning a groundbreaking congressional victory as a Native American woman and keeping an open seat under Democratic control.
Libertarian Lloyd J. Princeton also was seeking to represent the district that includes Albuquerque, New Mexico's largest city. The seat was open because incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham opted to run for New Mexico governor.
Haaland is an enrolled Laguna Pueblo member. She was one of a few Native American women seeking to become the first elected to Congress on Tuesday.
Republican Yvette Herrell, a member of the Cherokee Nation, is in a hotly contested race for another open U.S. House seat in New Mexico. And Democrat Sharice Davids, a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation, won a U.S. House seat in Kansas.
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7:50 p.m.
Democratic U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich has been re-elected in a three-way race against a Republican political newcomer and a Libertarian former governor.
The 47-year-old engineer and former Congressman won a second term, finishing ahead of construction contractor Mick Rich and former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson. Heinrich's victory further solidifies Democratic control over the state's Senate delegation.
Heinrich cast himself as a vigorous adversary of President Donald Trump's policies in the Senate, and campaigned on promises to defend federal health care and retirement programs.
Heinrich recently became an advocate for decriminalizing marijuana, co-opting one of Johnson's signature Libertarian issues against government interference. He derided Johnson's proposals to slash federal spending on Medicare, Medicaid and the military.
Rich ran on his reputation as a businessman while embracing Trump and voicing anti-abortion sentiments.

ELECTION 2018-NEW MEXICO
Early voter participation surges in New Mexico
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico election regulators are reporting a major surge in early and absentee balloting as voters decide on a new governor, two open congressional seats and whether to re-elect a Democratic U.S. Senator.
The New Mexico secretary of state on Sunday reported that 430,796 ballots had been cast as of the close at the close of early voting over the weekend. Midterm elections in 2014 attracted about 255,000 early and absentee votes. In 2010, it was nearly 300,000.
Republican U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce of Hobbs is running for governor against Democratic U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham amid public frustration over the economy, public schools and crime.
In the state's southern congressional district, Republican state Rep. Yvette Herrell faces Democratic attorney Xochitl Torres Small.

ALBUQUERQUE POLICE-SUSPECT KILLED
Suspect killed in confrontation with Albuquerque police
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Albuquerque police are investigating the scene where officers shot and killed an armed suspect.
The incident occurred Sunday afternoon at an apartment complex near Louisiana Boulevard and Gibson.
Police spokesman Simon Drobik says 911 calls reported that multiple shots had been fired in the complex.
Investigators say there was a confrontation between a man with a gun and responding officers and that one officer fired a weapon.
The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene. There were no other injuries.
Drobik says the officer who fired a weapon has been placed on paid administrative leave.
This marks the fourth fatal officer-involved shooting this year.

CAMPUS TRESPASSER ARRESTED
Man with history of trespassing on UNM campus is arrested
(Information from: KRQE-TV, http://www.krqe.com)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Authorities say a man with a history of trespassing on the University of New Mexico campus has been arrested.
UNM Police say 24-year old Jose Barron allegedly tried to stab a student union building manager after being caught going through some equipment used for the school's blood drive.
Police say the manager chased Barron outside and picked up a metal patio chair to defend himself.
But when he put the chair back down, Barron allegedly grabbed it and threw it at the manager, hitting him in the lower back.
Albuquerque TV station KQRE reports Barron was later arrested Thursday trying to rob someone else on campus.
Police say Barron has been caught trespassing on campus three times before since last July, including once posing as a construction worker.
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MIGRANT CARAVAN-BORDER TOWN
Anxious about caravan Militia members scout US border town
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Militia members concerned about a migrant caravan traveling through Mexico toward the United States have traveled to Columbus, New Mexico, but the mayor of the border town of 1,600 residents says he sees no reason to be fearful.
The Albuquerque Journal reports that a few militia members were in Columbus in the past week offering help but that Mayor Salas Ezequiel said many people from elsewhere "hear things that are not true."
Jim Peyton, a militia member from Jasper, Alabama, said they were scouting locations to prepare for the caravan.
Peyton said the militia members' goal is to stop "bad guys" but that they're armed only for self-defense.
Columbus, 68 miles (109 kilometers) west of El Paso, Texas, was raided in 1916 by the Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa in 1916.

ELECTION 2018-NEW MEXICO-NEWS GUIDE
AP News Guide: Top races in New Mexico's general election
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico voters will pick the state's next governor to replace a termed-out Republican in Tuesday's election and fill a long list of statewide offices.
The state House is up for election as Democrats defend their majority.
In federal races, voters are deciding a three-way Senate race and filling three congressional seats, including two with no incumbent. Ballot issues include a constitutional amendment to create an independent state ethics commission.
Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Absentee ballots are due by 7 p.m. at Election Day polling places or county clerks' offices.

MIGRANT CARAVAN-THE LATEST
The Latest: Central America leaders want probe of caravans
MEXICO CITY (AP) — The presidents of Guatemala and Honduras are calling for an investigation to identify the organizers of a caravan of migrants who are nearing the Mexican capital on a journey they hope will take them to the United States.
The two countries have been under intense pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to clamp down on the caravans.
Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez said Monday that "thousands" of his countrymen have returned to Honduras. Mexico's Interior Ministry said over the weekend it has helped transport around 500 migrants who asked for assistance returning to their countries of origin.
Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales went further, calling for an investigation of people who "promote or participate" in the caravan, saying those people "should be judged based on international laws."
Most of the migrants interviewed in recent days say they joined the march spontaneously in hopes of safety in numbers.

ELECTION 2018-NATIVE CANDIDATES
Country sees high number of Native American candidates
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — Deb Haaland is not the first Native American woman to run for Congress, but she could be one of the first elected Tuesday.
More than 100 Native Americans are seeking seats in Congress, governor's offices, state legislatures and other posts. Political observers say it's been a record year for the candidates.
The uptick comes amid the #MeToo movement and as the president's administration has taken stances that tribes say attacks their status as sovereign nations.
The editor of Indian Country Today, Mark Trahant, has been tracking the Native American candidates.
On Election Day, he'll co-host a program focusing on the candidates that will be broadcast online, and on television and radio.
If elected, Haaland, a member of Laguna Pueblo in New Mexico. says she'd ensure her colleagues recognize the disparities in Indian County and listen to tribal leaders.
​
SMUGGLING AMMUNITION-SENTENCING
New Mexico sentenced in Arizona ammunition-smuggling case
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — A 21-year-old New Mexico man arrested in an Arizona border town faces prison time for trying to help smuggle ammunition into Mexico.
A federal judge in Tucson on Thursday sentenced Francisco Guerra-Franco of Los Lunas to 33 months in prison on convictions for facilitation to smuggle goods from the United States and false statements to a federal agent.
Guerra-Franco previously pleaded guilty.
Prosecutors say Guerra-Franco purchased 12,000 rounds of ammunition using money wired to his bank account by a co-conspirator in Mexico and had the ammunition in his truck during a traffic stop in Nogales, Arizona.
According to prosecutors, Guerra-Franco intended to meet with the co-conspirator who would smuggle the ammunition into Mexico.
Prosecutors say Guerra-Franco also made false statements to agents about three rifles he had previously acquired.