AP-US-RACIAL-INJUSTICE-CITIES-HEALING
Cities creating racial 'healing' committees to confront past
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A growing number of cities across the U.S. are creating committees and task force panels aimed at racial healing. From Albuquerque, New Mexico, to Clemson, South Carolina, towns and municipalities recently have formed committees to discuss the future of debated monuments or address systemic racism in police departments. The mostly volunteer committees seek to have honest discussions about their cities' past around race and propose solutions. In Albuquerque, for example, the Race, History & Healing Project is trying to determine what the city should do with a statue of a Spanish conquistador. Some Native Americans find the image offensive.

NAVAJO NATION-HEMP FARMS
Navajo judge halts operations at hemp farms near Shiprock
FARMINGTON, N.M. (AP) — A Navajo Nation judge is halting operations at nine hemp farms in northwestern New Mexico as part of a legal fight between a businessman and the tribe's Department of Justice. The judge issued a preliminary injunction against Dineh Benally and two of his businesses following a hearing Friday. The tribe sued Benally and the companies in June, alleging that he was illegally issuing permits for foreign entities to cultivate and grow industrial hemp on tribal land near Shiprock. Navajo lawmakers have yet to approve and adopt a regulatory system for industrial hemp, so tribal code currently prohibits the growth, development, possession or propagation of the plant.

ALBUQUERQUE POLICE-EXCESSIVE FORCE
Report: Albuquerque police misconduct cases skyrocket
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The number of policies violated at the Albuquerque Police Department skyrocketed 275%, and suspension jumped more than 350%. KOAT-TV reports documents on police misconduct showed the number of policy violations increased from 190 to 716 over a year. The number of violations requiring a suspension rose from 52 to 237. The station compared data from July 2018 to June 2019 to information from July 2019 to June 2020. Interim police chief Harold Medina says the Albuquerque Police Department is now holding officers accountable. But Albuquerque Police Officers' Association president Shaun Willoughby says officers are being punished for things like not putting away lapel cameras properly.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW MEXICO FALL SPORTS
Activities association, coaches optimistic for fall sports
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The leader of a nonprofit organization that oversees sports programs for New Mexico schools says she's optimistic that high school students will have a fall season. New Mexico Activities Association Executive Director Sally Marquez on Friday welcomed the state's loosening of training restrictions. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's office says she's continuing to evaluate a proposal from the NMAA for volleyball and cross country teams to compete. It's unclear how soon a decision could be made. Under the state's latest public health order, competitive contact play remains off-limits.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW MEXICO SCHOOLS
Rural, Native American schools seek more in-person learning
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The New Mexico Public Education Department has given the green light for more students in tribal areas to attend school in-person. McKinley County, which covers much of the Navajo Nation, now has a low enough rate of COVID-19 cases that it can allow schools to offer in-person learning twice a week to students in kindergarten through fifth grade. Middle school and high school students across New Mexico still are not allowed to return to school. Some urban school districts like Albuquerque and Las Cruces have decided to stay online for the rest of the year. The stakes are higher in rural areas, where many children don't have access to the internet. 

NEW MEXICO BIRD DIE-OFF
Biologists ask public for help in investigating bird die-off
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico biologists are asking the public for help as they investigate a statewide die-off among migratory birds. The state Game and Fish Department is working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other agencies to determine the number of deaths and reason for the occurrence. Officials are asking people to use the iNaturalist app to upload photos and other information to help track the event. The state agency says about 300 samples have been collected over the past week. Samples also are being collected by biologists at White Sands Missile Range and New Mexico State University.

CHACO CANYON-DRILLING
More call for pause as US weighs New Mexico drilling plan
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Environmentalists want federal land managers to suspend efforts to amend a plan that would guide oil and gas development and other activities near Chaco Culture National Historical Park. They sent a letter Thursday to Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, saying the coronavirus pandemic has prevented meaningful in-person consultation with Native American tribes and others who would be affected by the decision. Officials held five virtual public meetings earlier this year and extended the public comment period to Sept. 25. Four more meetings were held in August, but critics say those too were inadequate. Legislation that would make federal land within a 10-mile radius of the park off-limits is pending in Congress.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico governor eases some COVID-19 restrictions
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico children can practice sports and develop skills while in small groups and residents will soon be able to camp at state parks under changes being made to the state's public health order. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said Thursday the updated order also permits visits to pumpkin patches and the state plans to issue guidance for corn mazes and haunted houses as fall approaches. The governor said the state is trending in the right direction but she warned people not to let down their guard. Health officials reported an additional 159 COVID-19 cases Thursday and four additional deaths. 

VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW MEXICO CASINOS
New Mexico racinos ask governor to reconsider closure
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico's racetrack and casino operators are asking Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to consider allowing them to reopen. In a letter sent this week to the Democratic governor, they pointed out that commercial casinos outside of New Mexico have opened — from Nevada to New Jersey and New York. Track and casino managers in New Mexico they say they have a plan to do it safely. While tribal casinos in the state have reopened, the governor's office said Thursday that doesn't necessarily make opening a safe decision at this time and that public health conditions will determine when the time is right for easing restrictions on non-tribal operations.

​CHACO CANYON-DRILLING
More call for pause as US weighs New Mexico drilling plan
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Environmentalists want federal land managers to suspend efforts to amend a plan that would guide oil and gas development and other activities near Chaco Culture National Historical Park. They sent a letter Thursday to Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, saying the coronavirus pandemic has prevented meaningful in-person consultation with Native American tribes and others who would be affected by the decision. Officials held five virtual public meetings earlier this year and extended the public comment period to Sept. 25. Four more meetings were held in August, but critics say those too were inadequate. Legislation that would make federal land within a 10-mile radius of the park off-limits is pending in Congress.

ELECTION 2020-COURTS-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico's high court GOP justice reschedules retirement
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The lone Republican justice on the state Supreme Court is retiring on Dec. 1, triggering the nomination process for one of five seats on the high court. The University of New Mexico School of Law that oversees judicial vacancies made the announcement Thursday about the retirement of Justice Judith Nakamura. She was appointed by Gov. Susana Martinez in November 2015 and won election to an eight-year term in 2016. A bipartisan Supreme Court nominating commission is taking applications through mid-October on candidates it can recommend to Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.

MESA VERDE-ANCESTRAL REMAINS
Tribes' ancestral remains return home to American Southwest
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — Tribal leaders have reburied the remains of their ancestors that were taken more than a century ago from what's now a national park in Colorado. The remains of about 20 people along with funerary objects were unearthed during excavations by a Swedish researcher in 1891. They eventually became part of the collection of the National Museum of Finland. Tribes worked with the U.S. and Finland to have the items returned to the U.S. Southwest. The remains and funerary objects were reburied over the weekend within Mesa Verde National Park, best known for the hundreds of stone dwellings built along the cliffs.

AP-US-POSTAL-SERVICE-STATES-LAWSUIT
US judge blocks Postal Service changes that slowed mail
SEATTLE (AP) — A U.S. judge blocked controversial Postal Service changes that have slowed mail nationwide, calling them "a politically motivated attack on the efficiency of the Postal Service" before the November election. Judge Stanley Bastian in Yakima, Washington, said Thursday he was issuing a nationwide preliminary injunction sought by 14 states that sued the Trump administration and the U.S. Postal Service. The states challenged the Postal Service's so-called "leave mail behind" policy, where trucks have been leaving postal facilities on time regardless of whether there is more mail to load. They also sought to force the Postal Service to treat election mail as first class mail.

RARE SONGBIRD-PROTECTIONS
US agency denies petition to strip protections from songbird
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has denied a petition that sought to end federal protections for the western yellow-billed cuckoo. The agency issued its finding this week, saying taking the songbird off the threatened and endangered species list isn't an option at this time. American Stewards of Liberty, a nonprofit group that advocates for private property rights, had argued that the bird's status needed to be reviewed because it had sufficient habitat. Biologists said new data shows habitat loss and fragmentation continue to be an issue for the cuckoo. Recent mining projects in central and southern Arizona are also affecting the species.

AP-US-NUCLEAR-WEAPONS-TREATY
Ambassador: Time is right for new arms control agreement
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The Trump administration has sketched out a framework that it hopes will avoid a three-way arms race. Ambassador Marshall Billingslea, the special presidential envoy for arms control, spoke with The Associated Press about negotiations with Russia and efforts to bring China to the table while touring nuclear research labs and production sites in the United States. Last week's visit comes as the facilities ramp up modernization of the country's multibillion-dollar nuclear enterprise. He acknowledged that the proposed treaty would be ambitious but that the time is right for a new agreement to curb the buildup of nuclear warheads.

FOUL PLAY ALLEGATIONS-DEAD SOLDIER
Family of Army soldier alleges foul play involved in death
GALLUP, N.M. (AP) — The family of an Army tank crewman from New Mexico who died at Fort Hood, Texas, says he messaged his fiance that he was concerned about three men who didn't like him and that something was wrong shortly before his death. The Army said Pvt. Corlton L. Chee collapsed during fitness training on Aug. 28. He died two days later. Carma Johnson, Chee's cousin and his family's spokesperson, told the Gallup Independent Monday that Chee was being targeted and did not want to go to the training that morning because he felt that something was going to happen. They are alleging foul play, which Fort Hood officials deny.

RARE SONGBIRD-PROTECTIONS
US agency denies petition to strip protections from songbird
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has denied a petition that sought to end federal protections for the western yellow-billed cuckoo. The agency issued its finding this week, saying taking the songbird off the threatened and endangered species list isn't an option at this time. American Stewards of Liberty, a nonprofit group that advocates for private property rights, had argued that the bird's status needed to be reviewed because it had sufficient habitat. Biologists said new data shows habitat loss and fragmentation continue to be an issue for the cuckoo. Recent mining projects in central and southern Arizona are also affecting the species.

AP-US-NUCLEAR-WEAPONS-TREATY
Ambassador: Time is right for new arms control agreement
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The Trump administration has sketched out a framework that it hopes will avoid a three-way arms race. Ambassador Marshall Billingslea, the special presidential envoy for arms control, spoke with The Associated Press about negotiations with Russia and efforts to bring China to the table while touring nuclear research labs and production sites in the United States. Last week's visit comes as the facilities ramp up modernization of the country's multibillion-dollar nuclear enterprise. He acknowledged that the proposed treaty would be ambitious but that the time is right for a new agreement to curb the buildup of nuclear warheads.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico winds down Trump's $300 unemployment supplement
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The state Public Education Department is reporting three new COVID-19 cases, including one student who was in a school building in McKinley County. Education officials on Wednesday continued to release information about school-related infections as some elementary schools resume in-person learning. State health officials announced 119 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 statewide and two related deaths. There have been more than 27,000 cases statewide and 832 deaths since the start of pandemic. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has announced a cooperative effort to guard against fraud and abuse at nursing homes in cooperation with the attorney general and state auditor.

ETHICS COMPLAINT-LEGISLATURE
New Mexico GOP wants ethics complaint tossed
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico GOP leaders are asking the State Ethics Commission to publicly dismiss an ethics complaint filed against one of its members. Democratic House candidate Karen Whitlock says she filed the complaint Monday against rival Rebecca Dow. The complaint says Dow has failed to disclose conflicts of interest in contracts between an educational nonprofit she founded and state child welfare agencies. House GOP leader Jim Townsend calls the complaint "absurd" and says it threatens public trust in the newly-formed ethics commission. Republicans say the commission can dismiss the complaint outright. A commission spokesperson said Monday that it cannot acknowledge receiving complaints, and won't rule on any complaints against legislators between now and Nov. 3.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-BESIEGED HOSPITAL
Ex-CEO pushes back on audit of hospital near Navajo Nation
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The former CEO of Rehoboth McKinley Christian hospital in Gallup is challenging the findings of a special audit of finances and contracts at the taxpayer-supported hospital in Gallup. In a statement Wednesday, former hospital executive David Conejo and his attorney called the audit report "shoddy" and said it "misrepresents the true financial picture" at Rebohoth under Conejo's tenure. The independent audit was commissioned initially by McKinley County and released by the state auditor's office. It alleges that Conejo's hospital management company Healthcare Integrity circumvented proper oversight. Conejo condemned the audit as "grossly inaccurate" and denied its assertion that his salary was not approved by the hospital board.

SANTA FE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Santa Fe Community College sees big enrollment drop
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Santa Fe Community College has seen the bottom fall out of its enrollment thanks to the novel coronavirus. The Albuquerque Journal reports enrollment at the college declined 28% in one year. Officials say the number of students fell from 5,337 students last year to 3,841 this semester. College President Becky Rowley says most of the reduction was due to the cancellation of fitness classes and a large reduction in art courses. In addition, many of the school's part-time students decided not to return. Part-time students make up about 80% of the college's total enrollment. College administrators had expected enrollment to plummet since the early days of COVID-19.

AP-US-RACIAL-INJUSTICE-HAIR-DISCRIMINATION
States face pressure to ban race-based hairstyle prejudice
RIO RANCHO, N.M. (AP) — A growing number of U.S. states are facing pressure to ban race-based discrimination against hair texture and styles. Activists recently presented a proposal to New Mexico state lawmakers that would outlaw employers and schools from discriminating against Black and Native American women's hairstyles. Earlier this year, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee signed a measure that made Washington the sixth state to pass a version of the CROWN Act. The act's name stands for Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair. According to the Crown Act campaign, California, Colorado, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, and Virginia have already passed similar laws.

SANTA FE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Santa Fe Community College sees big enrollment drop
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Santa Fe Community College has seen the bottom fall out of its enrollment thanks to the novel coronavirus. The Albuquerque Journal reports enrollment at the college declined 28% in one year. Officials say the number of students fell from 5,337 students last year to 3,841 this semester. College President Becky Rowley says most of the reduction was due to the cancellation of fitness classes and a large reduction in art courses. In addition, many of the school's part-time students decided not to return. Part-time students make up about 80% of the college's total enrollment. College administrators had expected enrollment to plummet since the early days of COVID-19.

AP-US-RACIAL-INJUSTICE-HAIR-DISCRIMINATION
States face pressure to ban race-based hairstyle prejudice
RIO RANCHO, N.M. (AP) — A growing number of U.S. states are facing pressure to ban race-based discrimination against hair texture and styles. Activists recently presented a proposal to New Mexico state lawmakers that would outlaw employers and schools from discriminating against Black and Native American women's hairstyles. Earlier this year, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee signed a measure that made Washington the sixth state to pass a version of the CROWN Act. The act's name stands for Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair. According to the Crown Act campaign, California, Colorado, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, and Virginia have already passed similar laws.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-BESIEGED HOSPITAL
Audit probes New Mexico hospital that was overrun by virus
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A special audit of management contracts is raising concerns about weak financial controls, executive compensation excesses and potential profiteering at a county-owned hospital on the edge of the Navajo Reservation. The hospital became overwhelmed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The state auditor's office on Tuesday released results regarding Rehoboth McKinley Christian hospital in Gallup and its management and service contracts dating to 2016. State officials say the review shows that a contract with hospital management company Healthcare Integrity circumvented the hospital's code of conduct and conflicts of interest policy. The audit report was referred to state prosecutors and the IRS.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico education officials report 5 coronavirus cases
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A week after in-person learning began in a small number of public schools, New Mexico officials are reporting five confirmed cases of COVID-19 in schools, including two students. The cases were confirmed among students and staff on Monday. Around 50 New Mexico school districts and charters have begun allowing students in kindergarten through fifth grade to attend school in person, two days per week. Some of the state's largest districts plan to keep school online only for the rest of the semester. At least one of the teachers who tested positive for COVID-19 Monday works in a county where no in-person learning is taking place.

LOS ALAMOS-CHINA
Ex-Los Alamos employee sentenced to probation in China case
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Federal officials say a former Los Alamos National Laboratory worker has been sentenced to five years of probation and fined $75,000 for making false statements about involvement with China. The U.S. Attorney's Office for New Mexico said 68-year-old Turab Lookman of Santa Fe was sentenced Friday by a federal judge after pleading guilty in January. The office said Lookman in 2018 denied to a counterintelligence officer that he had been recruited or applied for a job with a Chinese recruitment program involving foreign technology and intellectual property. Lookman cannot leave New Mexico while on probation.

BIRD DIE-OFF RESEARCH
New Mexico residents asked to aid research on bird die-off
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — Researchers at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces have invited residents to share photos or written descriptions via their cellphones on a recent mass die-off of migratory birds in the state. The Las Cruces Sun-News reported that Professor Martha Desmond said Monday that reports from around the state indicate migratory species are dying at unprecedented numbers. Residents have reported birds dying in groups and living birds exhibiting lethargic and unusual behavior such as not eating, flying low or gathering on the ground. A mobile app through the Southwest Avian Mortality Project allows the public to contribute to the research. 

ELECTION 2020-SENATE-NEW MEXICO
Wildfires put Republican meteorologist candidate in hot seat
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Political clashes about the role of climate change in catastrophic West Coast infernos are spilling into a U.S. Senate race in New Mexico, where a Republican meteorologist is campaigning for an open seat. U.S. Congressman and Democratic Senate nominee Ben Ray Luján accused rival Mark Ronchetti on Monday of engaging in dangerous climate denialism. Ronchetti responded Monday with an acknowledgement that climate change needs to be addressed and that both "human activity" and drought are responsible for the vicious wildfires. In a visit to California, Trump ignored the scientific consensus that climate change is playing a central role in historic West Coast wildfires.

FIREFIGHTERS-MASS RESIGNATION
Lordsburg firefighters resign en masse amid pay dispute
LORDSBURG, N.M. (AP) — Firefighters in a southwestern New Mexico city have resigned en masse following a pay dispute with the officials. The Las Cruces Sun-News reports the entire volunteer department of Lordsburg resigned last week amid a fight over how the city was paying the department. The city said Wednesday that the firefighters were required to fill out W-4 forms to report stipends paid to them by the city. That's a change from previous practice in which the chief would pay them and seek reimbursement from the city. Lordsburg Finance Officer Martha Salas has said that previous practice did not conform with the law. 

ELECTION 2020-SENATE-NEW MEXICO
Wildfires put Republican meteorologist candidate in hot seat
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Political clashes about the role of climate change in catastrophic West Coast infernos are spilling into a U.S. Senate race in New Mexico, where a Republican meteorologist is campaigning for an open seat. U.S. Congressman and Democratic Senate nominee Ben Ray Luján accused rival Mark Ronchetti on Monday of engaging in dangerous climate denialism. Ronchetti responded Monday with an acknowledgement that climate change needs to be addressed and that both "human activity" and drought are responsible for the vicious wildfires. In a visit to California, Trump ignored the scientific consensus that climate change is playing a central role in historic West Coast wildfires.

RACIAL INJUSTICE-SPANISH LEGACY
Plan to remove colonialism monuments in Santa Fe stalls
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The fate of monuments linked to Spanish colonialism and violence against Native Americans in Santa Fe remains unclear months after the city's mayor called for their removal. The Santa Fe New Mexican reports a proposed Truth and Reconciliation Commission has yet to form and two monuments still stand but are surrounded by plywood. Mayor Alan Webber said in a statement the City Attorney's Office is reviewing unspecified "legal issues" involved with the statues and monuments. Earlier this year, a statue of Spanish conquistador Don Diego de Vargas was taken down on the eve of a planned protest over fears it would spark violence.

ELECTION 2020-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico taps federal funds to install ballot drop boxes
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico is prepared to spend millions of dollars in federal recovery funds to install drop boxes for absentee ballots as election regulators encourage voters to participate in the general election in ways that minimize human contact and reduce the risks of COVID-19 transmission. The secretary of state's office spokesman Alex Curtas on Monday said the agency is encouraging the state's 33 counties to install ballot drop boxes while offering reimbursements from a $6 million reserve of federal funds that also pay for personal protective equipment and publicity about voting. Many counties — though not all — have shown interest in drop boxes.

MEXICAN WOLVES-CROSS-FOSTERING
3 Mexican wolf pups cross-fostered into an Arizona pack
PINETOP, Ariz. (AP) — Game and Fish Department biologists say three Mexican wolf pups have successfully been cross-fostered into a pack in northeastern Arizona. They say biologists used remote trail cameras on Aug. 26 to document eight Mexican wolf pups in the Hoodoo Pack in the Apache Sitgreaves National Forest. In April, Arizona Game and Fish and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service cross-fostered four genetically valuable wolf pups into the Hoodoo Pack from a litter in captivity at the Sedgwick Zoo in Wichita, Kansas. After cross-fostering was completed, there were five wild Mexican wolf pups and four cross-fostered pups in the litter. Biologists will begin fall trapping efforts later this month to document cross-fostered wolves that have survived.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico reports 81 new confirmed COVID-19 cases
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico health officials have announced 81 new confirmed COVID-19 cases. State officials said Monday that the new cases bring New Mexico's total to 26,842. Officials also reported no new deaths related to the novel coronavirus. The number of deaths of New Mexico residents related to COVID-19 remains at 823. there are 60 individuals hospitalized in New Mexico for the virus. This number may include individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 out of state but are currently hospitalized in New Mexico. There are 14,470 cases designated as having recovered by the New Mexico Department of Health.

ELECTION 2020-SENATE-NEW MEXICO
Luján: Virus bill may keep me away from more Senate debates
RIO RANCHO, N.M. (AP) — Democratic U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján says work on a potential COVID-19 relief bill may keep him away from an early October U.S. Senate debate against Republican challenger Mark Ronchetti. Luján's campaign told The Associated Press on Sunday that his work in Congress to pass a coronavirus relief package and rescue the U.S. Postal Service may prevent him from joining a scheduled October 5th debate on KOB-TV. Luján has agreed to two debates with Ronchetti but has not agreed to the KOB-TV debate. The station said it would still hold the debate with an empty podium for Luján. Ronchetti has accused Luján of hiding.

ELECTION 2020-SENATE-NEW MEXICO
Luján: Virus bill may keep me away from more Senate debates
RIO RANCHO, N.M. (AP) — Democratic U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján says work on a potential COVID-19 relief bill may keep him away from an early October U.S. Senate debate against Republican challenger Mark Ronchetti. Luján's campaign told The Associated Press on Sunday that his work in Congress to pass a coronavirus relief package and rescue the U.S. postal service may prevent him from joining a scheduled October 5th debate on KOB-TV. Luján has agreed to two debates with Ronchetti but has not agreed to the KOB-TV debate. The station said it would still hold the debate with an empty podium for Luján. Ronchetti has accused Luján of hiding.

HISTORIC HOME
Las Cruces home could be 1st listed under historic ordinance
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — Renovations to a historic home in Las Cruces will soon be complete, and some hope the century-old property becomes the first addition to the city's new historic register. The home is significant because it once belonged to Hiram Hadley, the first president of what's now New Mexico State University. Dr. Robert McBride, who established one of the first hospitals in Las Cruces, also lived there and it was once used as a dairy. Under the historic preservation ordinance approved in in December, property owners can apply for designation and be put on the city's historic register. Members of the Historic Preservation Commission have visited the home.

AP-US-TV-BUILDING-THE-AMERICAN-DREAM
New PBS film probes construction boom on Latino workers
RIO RANCHO, N.M. (AP) — A new film is examining the effects of the construction boom in the American Southwest on Latino workers.  The VOCES/PBS documentary "Building the American Dream" dives into the lives of one Mexican immigrant family in Texas after their construction worker son dies while on the job. Salvadorian electrician couple is cheated out of wages and tries to force a contractor to pay. Meanwhile, advocates work to try to convince lawmakers to require companies to give workers water breaks. Director Chelsea Hernandez says she'd been working on the film since 2009 and it's a microcosm of the exploitation Latino construction workers face in the U.S.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico county that didn't have any COVID cases now has 2
New Mexico officials on Saturday reported 100 additional confirmed COVID-19 cases, including the second in a county that went months without any reported cases. De Baca County in thinly populated cattle country of east-central New Mexico on Thursday lost its status as the only county in the state without a confirmed COVID-19 case. The cases reported Saturday raised the statewide total to 26,661. Three additional deaths raised the death toll to 821. De Baca County stood alone without a reported COVID-19 case for two months after Mora County reported its first on July 10. As of Saturday, only two other counties, had case totals in the single digits.

POLICE SHOOTING-NEW MEXICO
State Police: Officer suffers minor injuries in shooting
LAGUNA, N.M. (AP) — Authorities say a New Mexico State Police officer suffered minor injuries in a shooting Saturday along Interstate 40 west of Albuquerque. The State Police said a suspect who was not injured was taken into custody. The incident occurred near Laguna and that eastbound traffic on I-40 was being diverted onto State Road 6, Laguna is about 70 miles west of Albuquerque. No identities were released and a State Police statement did not provide additional details on the incident, including the nature of the officer's injuries.
​
ELECTION 2020-HOUSE-NEW MEXICO
Trump endorses Herrell in close New Mexico U.S. House race
RIO RANCHO, N.M. (AP) — President Donald Trump is throwing his support behind Republican challenger Yvette Herrell in a crucial U.S. House race in southern New Mexico. The president tweeted this week that Herrell had his "complete and total endorsement" and pointed to her support over border security, "brave law enforcement," and the Second Amendment. The endorsement comes as Herrell is seeking to unseat Democratic U.S. Rep. Xochitl Torres Small in the traditionally conservative-leaning district that sits along the U.S.-Mexico border. Torres Small defeated Herrell in 2018 by less than 4,000 votes. She is among the most vulnerable Democrats in Congress.

AP-US-VIRUS-OUTBREAK-IMMIGRATION-HOTELS
About 8,800 unaccompanied children are expelled at US border
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — About 8,800 unaccompanied children have been quickly expelled from the United States along the Mexico border under a pandemic-related measure that effectively ended asylum. The disclosure came Friday in the government's appeal of an order to stop using hotels for long-term detention of children. The Trump administration has also expelled more than 7,600 people who came in families since the public health emergency order took effect in March. The administration has asked the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn a ruling that found use of hotels skirted fundamental humanitarian protections.

POLICE SHOOTING-NEW MEXICO
State Police: Officer suffers minor injuries in shooting
LAGUNA, N.M. (AP) — Authorities say a New Mexico State Police officer suffered minor injuries in a shooting Saturday along Interstate 40 west of Albuquerque. The State Police said a suspect who was not injured was taken into custody. The incident occurred near Laguna and that eastbound traffic on I-40 was being diverted onto State Road 6, Laguna is about 70 miles west of Albuquerque. No identities were released and a State Police statement did not provide additional details on the incident, including the nature of the officer's injuries.
​

VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico county that didn't have any COVID cases now has 2
New Mexico officials on Saturday reported 100 additional confirmed COVID-19 cases, including the second in a county that went months without any reported cases. De Baca County in thinly populated cattle country of east-central New Mexico on Thursday lost its status as the only county in the state without a confirmed COVID-19 case. The cases reported Saturday raised the statewide total to 26,661. Three additional deaths raised the death toll to 821. De Baca County stood alone without a reported COVID-19 case for two months after Mora County reported its first on July 10. As of Saturday, only two other counties, had case totals in the single digits.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-NAVAJO NATION
Navajo Nation will participate in COVID-19 vaccine trials
PHOENIX (AP) — Navajo Nation officials say they will participate in the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine trials amid a steady decline in coronavirus cases. The American Indian territory once had the highest coronavirus infection rate in the country, but has since seen a substantial decrease in community spread. Navajo officials reported zero new confirmed cases on Sept. 8 for the first time since the pandemic began. As of Friday, there have been 9,952 confirmed cases and 530 deaths from the coronavirus in the Navajo Nation. The vaccine trials will be conducted at health care centers across the Navajo Nation. Participation is entirely voluntary.

ELECTION 2020-HOUSE-NEW MEXICO
Trump endorses Herrell in close New Mexico U.S. House race
RIO RANCHO, N.M. (AP) — President Donald Trump is throwing his support behind Republican challenger Yvette Herrell in a crucial U.S. House race in southern New Mexico. The president tweeted this week that Herrell had his "complete and total endorsement" and pointed to her support over border security, "brave law enforcement," and the Second Amendment. The endorsement comes as Herrell is seeking to unseat Democratic U.S. Rep. Xochitl Torres Small in the traditionally conservative-leaning district that sits along the U.S.-Mexico border. Torres Small defeated Herrell in 2018 by less than 4,000 votes. She is among the most vulnerable Democrats in Congress.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico rolls out new supplemental unemployment benefit
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — According to state data released Friday, more than 26,500 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in New Mexico since the start of the pandemic. There were 818 related deaths as of Friday. Out of 137 newly confirmed cases, 40 were in rural Chavez County where the return to classroom learning is on hold because of high positivity rates for the coronavirus. Two new virus deaths included a woman in her 30s in Lea County with prior underlying health conditions who died after being hospitalized.

ELECTION 2020-HOUSE-NEW MEXICO
Trump endorses Herrell in close New Mexico U.S. House race
RIO RANCHO, N.M. (AP) — President Donald Trump is throwing his support behind Republican challenger Yvette Herrell in a crucial U.S. House race in southern New Mexico. The president tweeted this week that Herrell had his "complete and total endorsement" and pointed to her support on border security, "brave law enforcement" and the Second Amendment. The endorsement comes as Herrell is seeking to unseat Democratic U.S. Rep. Xochitl Torres Small in the traditionally conservative-leaning district that sits along the Mexico border. Torres Small defeated Herrell in 2018 by less than 4,000 votes. She is among the most vulnerable Democrats in Congress.

AFRICANA STUDIES-LAWSUIT
Africana Studies ex-director sues University of New Mexico
RIO RANCHO, N.M. (AP) — The former director of Africana Studies says the University of New Mexico retaliated against him for demanding that his program be elevated to a department. An attorney for Charles Becknell Jr. filed a whistleblower lawsuit in state district court last month alleging the school removed him from his position after he complained about the program's status. According to court documents, a dean told Becknell that the university was focused on elevating Chicano Studies to a department. But the lawsuit says after Africana Studies got state funding to become a department, Becknell was removed. The school did not immediately respond to an email.

PORTA-POTTY-CRUSING ROUTE 66
Wasted kicks: Porta-potty seen rolling on Route 66
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A portable toilet in Albuquerque fell victim to another kind of whiff after strong winds blew it along Route 66. A virtual video this week shows the porta-potty rolling down a busy intersection of the Mother Road as curious motorists looked on. Severe gusts appeared to have dislodged the mobile toilet and forced it down a journey through a road that once connected Chicago to Los Angeles. The traveling portable toilet was seen by a number of motorists and passengers. No injuries were reported and it was unclear if anyone was inside. Route 66 was decommissioned as a U.S. highway in 1985.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico governor considers easing sports restrictions
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — It's possible that restrictions on youth sports and training could be eased if New Mexico continues to make progress in limiting the spread of COVID-19. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham indicated during an online briefing Thursday that there's an opportunity to review the current restrictions but also acknowledged that the first priority is education and the safe reopening of schools. The current public health order will expire next week. The governor and state health officials say New Mexico's seven-day average case count has reached one of its lowest levels in months. The state has reported more than 26,420 cases since the pandemic began. The death toll stands at 816.

ELECTION 2020-NEW MEXICO
Republicans, Democrats deeply divided over pandemic response
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Deep political divisions over responses to the coronavirus pandemic are on display in New Mexico as the governor testifies to Congress in support further federal recovery aid. In remote testimony Thursday, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham described looming state budget troubles and highlighted the continued need for federal support to ensure economic recovery and fight the spread of COVID-19. Prominent state Republicans are joining mass rallies in defiance of emergency health orders and advocating for fewer restraints on business and schools that affect the economy. In Washington D.C., Senate Democrats scuttled a scaled-back GOP coronavirus rescue package. They say the proposal shortchanged too many pressing needs.

ELECTION 2020-SENATE
NRA backs Republican in New Mexico race for U.S. Senate
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A prominent lobbying group to the firearms industry has endorsed Republican candidate Mark Ronchetti for U.S. Senate in New Mexico. Ronchetti announced the National Rifle Association's endorsement on Thursday in a tweet. The former television meteorologist is running against Democratic U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján to succeed Sen. Tom Udall, who is retiring. Ronchetti campaign spokesman Jeff Glassburner said the first-time political candidate is a strong supporter of 2nd Amendment rights and also supports instant background checks. Luján says he favors comprehensive gun safety laws that get "weapons of war off the street" and voted in 2019 to broaden federal background checks to more private and online sales.

AIR FORCE-CONTAMINATION
New Mexico approves settlement over groundwater violations
CLOVIS, N.M. (AP) — State officials have reached a settlement agreement with the U.S. Defense Department over groundwater violations at Cannon Air Force Base in eastern New Mexico. The agreement announced Thursday addresses a compliance order that was issued over Cannon's lack of a groundwater discharge permit. The base also was accused of not providing state environmental regulators with information about chemicals left behind by past military firefighting activities. The state remains in a legal battle with the U.S. government over the cleanup of contamination at Cannon and Holloman air bases that is linked to chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS.

ELECTION 2020-LEGISLATURE
Republicans spar with Democrat over federal tax lien, loan
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico state House speaker Brian Egolf of Santa Fe says he has paid roughly $10,500 to the IRS, denying allegations of outstanding debts. In a news release Thursday, Republican Party Chairman Steve Pearce and allied House candidate Raye Byford of Santa Fe accused Egolf of hypocrisy for neglecting to pay taxes while his law practice benefited this year from a pandemic hardship loan. Egolf said he made an error in drafting a check to the IRS and paid off a lien promptly. Egolf accused Pearce of trying to distract from President Donald Trump's failures.

ALBUQUERQUE POLICE CHIEF-RETIREMENT
Albuquerque police chief stepping down this fall
ALBQUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Albuquerque's police chief is stepping down. Mayor Tim Keller announced Thursday that Police Chief Michael Geier will retire this fall, with Deputy Chief Harold Medina taking over as acting chief next week. Geier has served as police chief since December 2017 and Keller's statement said Geier brought in a new leadership team, restructured the department, revamped the use of force training and policies and hired additional officers. Keller credited Geier with "righting the ship through our first year, getting new leadership in place, focusing on gun violence and getting reform efforts on track,"