WI-FI IN SPACE
New Mexico firm hopes to offer Wi-Fi for space travelers
(Information from: The Santa Fe New Mexican, http://www.santafenewmexican.com)
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A small New Mexico-based firm is hoping to join NASA in offering Wi-Fi in space.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports Solstar Space Co. of Santa Fe, New Mexico, is working to create reliable internet connections in space for everyone, starting in the orbital realm.
Solstar CEO M. Brian Barnett recently secured a ride for a router aboard a reusable New Shepard rocket built by the commercial space company created by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. A test flight out of West Texas was successful Sunday.
The system Barnett envisions is specifically designed for commercial use. He says eventually Solstar could be an internet provider in space that bills for its service, like the phone or cable company.
The first customers for internet in space will likely be passengers aboard commercial spacecraft flown by Blue Origin, SpaceX or Virgin Galactic.
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STABBING-BURRITO BREAK
Deputy: New Mexico man stabbed another, took 'burrito break'
(Information from: Gallup Independent, http://www.gallupindependent.com)
GALLUP, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico man is facing charges after deputies say he stabbed another man during an alcohol-fueled fight then took a "burrito break."
The Gallup Independent reports Lucas Martinez of Cochiti Pueblo recently was arrested in Gallup following the violent altercation.
A McKinley County Sheriff's Office report says deputy Brandon Salazar found 37-year-old Vernon Tso with stab wounds on his hand. When Salazar asked Tso who stabbed him, the report says the victim pointed to the kitchen table where Martinez calmly was eating a burrito.
Salazar says Martinez threw his burrito on the table and became confrontational when he saw the deputy. The report says deputies had to restrain Martinez who is facing an aggravated battery with a deadly weapon charge.
It was not known if Martinez had an attorney.
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LEMONADE STAND-MEDICAL BILLS
New Mexico girl, 11, selling lemonade for mom's transplants
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — An 11-year-old New Mexico girl is trying to raise money through her weekend lemonade stand to help her mother get kidney and pancreas transplants.
KVIA-TV in El Paso, Texas, reports Nemiah Martinez has sold lemonade outside her family's Las Cruces, New Mexico, home for three weeks and hopes to get the funding needed to send her mother to an Arizona clinic for the medical procedures.
Martinez says she's raised around $1,100 so far and wants to pull in another $500.
Her mother, Paloma, says her daughter is very compassionate and she's lucky to have her as a daughter.
Nemiah Martinez says it's hard to watch mother struggle to get out of bed.

WOMAN BEATS BOYFRIEND WITH PIPE
Albuquerque woman is accused of beating boyfriend with pipe
(Information from: KRQE-TV, http://www.krqe.com)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Police say an Albuquerque woman is accused of beating her boyfriend with a metal pipe.
According to a criminal complaint, 33-year-old Marisela Trusley accused her boyfriend of cheating on her.
The argument reportedly escalated and Trusley allegedly grabbed a metal pipe, then struck the man with it several times.
Trusley appeared in court Saturday before being released on her own recognizance.
It's unclear if she has a lawyer for her case.
KRQE-TV reports that court records show Trusley has previously faced charges for aggravated battery, child abuse and resisting arrest.
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DESOLATE DESERT-SECRETS
Forgotten New Mexico development is a haven for dumping
(Information from: Albuquerque Journal, http://www.abqjournal.com)
RIO RANCHO, N.M. (AP) — A forgotten, would-be development northwest of Albuquerque has become a harbor for illicit dumping, stolen cars, illegal shooting ranges and even dead bodies.
The Albuquerque Journal reports the unincorporated land in Sandoval County known as Rio Rancho Estates, once envisioned as place for upscale homes, is now a popular spot for people to dispose of just about anything.
Sandoval County Sheriff's Office Lt. Keith Elder says the 657 miles (1,057 kilometers) of well-maintained dirt roads have helped the area become an attractive spot for illegal dumping.
He says almost 40 percent of all stolen cars that were recovered throughout the county last year were found within 21 square miles (54 square kilometers).
Since August, the bodies of two slain Albuquerque residents have been left in the barren area.
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MEXICO-MIGRANT CARAVAN
US says border crossing didn't have room for asylum seekers
TIJUANA, Mexico (AP) — Nearly 200 Central American migrants attempting to seek asylum in the United States have been told they will have to wait until a border facility near San Diego has enough space to accommodate them.
The migrants had made their way north through Mexico by foot, freight train and bus over the past month. Many say they fear for their lives in their home countries.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan said Sunday that the San Ysidro port of entry had reached capacity for people without legal documents to enter the country. He said the crossing could take in additional people as space and resources become available
About 50 of the 200 people walked across a bridge and were permitted to wait until they could be processed.

HOMICIDE CASE-SUSPECT ARRESTED
Albuquerque man wanted in 2015 homicide case now in custody
(Information from: KRQE-TV, http://www.krqe.com)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Authorities say an Albuquerque man suspected in the 2015 murder of a teenage boy now is in custody.
Police say 20-year-old Francisco Lopez was arrested Saturday.
Authorities say 14-year old Isaiah Albright was fatally shot in a drive-by shooting near Pat Hurley Park in the summer of 2015.
A few months later, police arrested a 17-year-old boy suspected of being the shooter, but they've been looking ever since then for the driver.
KRQE-TV says Albuquerque police officers were responding to a disturbance call at an apartment complex near Interstate 25 on Saturday and got personal information from a man questioned at the scene.
It turned out to be Lopez and police discovered he was wanted in the 2015 homicide case.
It was unclear Sunday if Lopez has legal representation yet.
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HORIZON FLIGHT-SMOKE
Oregon flight makes emergency landing over smoke smell
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A Horizon Air plane bound for New Mexico made an emergency landing back in Oregon after the smell of smoke was discovered.
Alaska Airlines, which oversees Horizon, said Flight 2794 was headed for Albuquerque, New Mexico, when it departed Portland, Oregon at 9:25 a.m. Saturday.
The plane returned shortly after at 10 a.m.
No smoke was seen but officials said the captain piloting the plane made the landing out of an abundance of caution.
The airline also said workers inspected the plane as a precaution and booked new flights for its passengers.

WOMAN BEATS BOYFRIEND WITH PIPE
Albuquerque woman is accused of beating boyfriend with pipe
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Police say an Albuquerque woman is accused of beating her boyfriend with a metal pipe.
According to a criminal complaint, 33-year-old Marisela Trusley accused her boyfriend of cheating on her.
The argument reportedly escalated and Trusley allegedly grabbed a metal pipe, then struck the man with it several times.
Trusley appeared in court Saturday before being released on her own recognizance.
It's unclear if she has a lawyer for her case.
KRQE-TV reports that court records show Trusley has previously faced charges for aggravated battery, child abuse and resisting arrest.


DESOLATE DESERT-SECRETS
Forgotten New Mexico development is a haven for dumping
(Information from: Albuquerque Journal, http://www.abqjournal.com)
RIO RANCHO, N.M. (AP) — A forgotten, would-be development northwest of Albuquerque has become a harbor for illicit dumping, stolen cars, illegal shooting ranges and even dead bodies.
The Albuquerque Journal reports the unincorporated land in Sandoval County known as Rio Rancho Estates, once envisioned as place for upscale homes, is now a popular spot for people to dispose of just about anything.
Sandoval County Sheriff's Office Lt. Keith Elder says the 657 miles (1,057 kilometers) of well-maintained dirt roads have helped the area become an attractive spot for illegal dumping.
He says almost 40 percent of all stolen cars that were recovered throughout the county last year were found within 21 square miles (54 square kilometers).
Since August, the bodies of two slain Albuquerque residents have been left in the barren area.
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HOMICIDE CASE-SUSPECT ARRESTED
Albuquerque man wanted in 2015 homicide case now in custody
(Information from: KRQE-TV, http://www.krqe.com)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Authorities say an Albuquerque man suspected in the 2015 murder of a teenage boy now is in custody.
Police say 20-year-old Francisco Lopez was arrested Saturday.
Authorities say 14-year old Isaiah Albright was fatally shot in a drive-by shooting near Pat Hurley Park in the summer of 2015.
A few months later, police arrested a 17-year-old boy suspected of being the shooter, but they've been looking ever since then for the driver.
KRQE-TV says Albuquerque police officers were responding to a disturbance call at an apartment complex near Interstate 25 on Saturday and got personal information from a man questioned at the scene.
It turned out to be Lopez and police discovered he was wanted in the 2015 homicide case.
It was unclear Sunday if Lopez has legal representation yet.
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TEEN KILLED-DEFENDANT DIES
DA: Man accused of killing 13-year-old an apparent suicide
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The chief prosecutor for the Santa Fe area says a man accused of killing a 13-year-old boy who endured years of abuse is dead as a result of what preliminarily appears to have been an apparent suicide.
District Attorney Marco Serna says 42-year-old Thomas Wayne Ferguson was found dead in custody Saturday morning. He was awaiting trial on murder and multiple other charges in the January death of Jeremiah Valencia.
Serna said Ferguson avoided justice but that his office will "continue to aggressively prosecute" co-defendants Tracy Ann Pena and Jordan Nunez.
Pena was the boy's mother. Ferguson was her boyfriend and Nunez was her adult son.
Police said Ferguson brutally beat the teen to death while Pena was in jail on a warrant for failing to appear in court.

POLICE SHOOTING-LAS CRUCES
Las Cruces police: Officer shoots, wounds man after pursuit
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — Las Cruces police say a man riding a bicycle was hospitalized after being shot and wounded by an officer after an unsuccessful traffic stop and a pursuit that included a second officer.
The Police Department's account of the Friday night incident didn't say what circumstance might have prompted the officer to shoot the 29-year-old man but said an apparent handgun was found at the scene near the man's bicycle.
Police said the incident is under investigation by a multi-agency task force and that the officer who fired his gun will be placed on administrative duty.
No identities were released.

MEXICO-MIGRANT CARAVAN-THE LATEST
The Latest: Caravan of asylum seekers head to border rally
TIJUANA, Mexico (AP) — Central Americans in a caravan of asylum seekers that traveled through Mexico to the border with San Diego have filled five old school buses as they prepare to turn themselves in to U.S. authorities.
People left a downtown Tijuana migrant shelter Sunday where they have been staying. Asked how he felt as he boarded the bus, Nefi Hernandez replied, "Nervous."
Police with flashing lights escorted the buses through the streets of Tijuana to a cross-border rally on the beach, with supporters gathering on the U.S. side of a double-layer fence.
President Donald Trump and members of his Cabinet have been tracking the caravan, calling it a threat to the U.S.
The Central Americans will test the administration's tough rhetoric when they begin seeking asylum at San Diego's San Ysidro border crossing, the nation's busiest.

RESTORING GRASSLANDS
Landowners join forces to restore New Mexico grasslands
(Information from: Carlsbad Current-Argus, http://www.currentargus.com/)
CARLSBAD, N.M. (AP) — Ranchers and landowners in southeastern New Mexico are joining forces to restore grasslands in the area.
The Carlsbad Current Argus reports the groups are seeking to replace invasive bushes such as salt cedar or creosote with vast expanses of native grass.
In Eddy County, conservationists are introducing an herbicide to hundreds of acres of soil on multiple ranches near Carlsbad. Those efforts are aimed at killing mesquite and salt cedars to make room for native grass.
New Mexico Association of Conservation Districts Project Manager Jesse Juen says treating the soil and restoring the native plants benefits the overall environment by allowing vegetation to capture more water during the rare rainfall.
The move comes as almost half of New Mexico is struggling with extreme drought conditions.
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ASBESTOS-ABANDONED APARTMENTS
Tests find asbestos throughout shuttered apartment complex
ALAMOGORDO, N.M. (AP) — Testing has found that there's asbestos nearly everywhere in an abandoned Alamogordo apartment complex, a finding that complicates the city's desire to demolish the dilapidated property.
The Alamogordo Daily News reports that City Manager Maggie Paluch says the contractor found asbestos in the Sahara Apartments' flooring, exterior plaster, window glazing and drywall compound.
Asbestos increases risks for cancer and other health problems.
Paluch says the contractor believes that the city will need to have a certified company both dispose of the asbestos and demolish the buildings under federal environmental protection standards.
She says no cost estimate is immediately available.
The apartments were evacuated in 2010 after a heavy rainstorm flooded the property. An inspection then found the property to be in violation of nine sections of the property maintenance code.

NAVAJO NATION-CHECK FORGERY
Ex-Navajo chapter official pleads guilty to check forgery
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — A former official for the Bahastl'ah Chapter House, formerly known as Twin Lakes, has pleaded guilty to stealing more than $14,000 through check forgery.
Navajo Nation Attorney General Ethel Branch says Ronda Leonard pleaded guilty Friday to 32 counts of forgery.
Prosecutors say she abused her position to siphon chapter funds for herself.
Leonard worked as the community service coordinator for the Chapter House east of Window Rock and was one of two people whose signatures were required for checks toward chapter expenses.
Branch says Leonard forged the second signature of the chapter vice president on checks made out to her and her common-law husband.
She also manipulated software and kept other staff from accessing records.
Prosecutors say she illegally forged 32 checks.
She will be sentenced July 24.

MARRIAGE FRAUD-SENTENCING
2 sentenced in scheme to arrange fraudulent marriages
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — Two New Mexico residents have been sentenced on convictions stemming from a scheme to arrange fraudulent marriages to provide foreign nationals with obtain legal immigration status.
The U.S. Attorney's Office says 44-year-old Yi Lee was sentenced to six months in prison and six months of home confinement and fined $10,000 while 31-year-old Santiago Aveles of Las Cruces was sentenced to three years of probation and fined $2,500.
They were sentenced Thursday in federal court in Las Cruces.
According to a 2017 indictment, Lee, Aveles and four co-defendants conspired to obtain immigration status for foreign nationals by having U.S. citizens enter into fraudulent marriages with foreign nationals in exchange for money.
Lee plead guilty to conspiracy to commit marriage fraud while Aveles pleaded guilty to conspiracy and marriage fraud.

WILD HORSES-BLM
BLM adds $1,000 adoption checks to controversial horse plans
RENO, Nev. (AP) — Federal land managers are again seeking congressional backing to sterilize, euthanize or sell for slaughter tens of thousands of wild horses roaming public lands across the West.
But the Bureau of Land Management has added a new idea for culling overpopulated herds: $1,000 paychecks for those who adopt one.
Overwhelmed by what it calls a $1 billion problem, the agency trotted out the novel approach in a suite of options presented to Congress on Thursday to address the challenges it admits are both "controversial and politically sensitive."
Horse advocates condemned the package of alternatives as "a roadmap for destruction of America's wild free-roaming horses."
The National Cattlemen's Beef Association praised the agency for trying to end a decade-long stalemate in Congress it says has resulted in unhealthy horses, degraded rangeland and program costs that are spiraling out of control.

NAVAJO NATION-CHECK FORGERY
Ex-Navajo chapter official pleads guilty to check forgery
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — A former official for the Bahastl'ah Chapter House, formerly known as Twin Lakes, has pleaded guilty to stealing more than $14,000 through check forgery.
Navajo Nation Attorney General Ethel Branch says Ronda Leonard pleaded guilty Friday to 32 counts of forgery.
Prosecutors say she abused her position to siphon chapter funds for herself.
Leonard worked as the community service coordinator for the Chapter House east of Window Rock and was one of two people whose signatures were required for checks toward chapter expenses.
Branch says Leonard forged the second signature of the chapter vice president on checks made out to her and her common-law husband.
She also manipulated software and kept other staff from accessing records.
Prosecutors say she illegally forged 32 checks.
She will be sentenced July 24.

NATIONAL GUARD-BORDER
New Mexico governor visits National Guard troops at border
SANTA TERESA, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez visited National Guard troops deployed to the U.S-Mexico border, praising their work with the Border Patrol as bolstering security for the state.
The Republican governor toured the Santa Teresa Border Patrol Station for several hours Thursday, getting a firsthand look at operations in southern New Mexico.
Martinez says the 61 National Guard troops deployed to the station near El Paso, Texas, volunteered for the border duty. She says the number could rise to about 150.
The troops were deployed earlier this month after President Donald Trump called for up to 4,000 National Guard troops to be deployed along the border.
Martinez says the troops will serve in a supporting role to Border Patrol agents but will not be enforcing federal laws.

NAVAJO COAL PLANT
Email reveals potential buyer for Navajo coal-fired plant
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — The potential buyer for the coal-fired Navajo Generating Station has been described as reputable and experienced.
But the identity wasn't known until this week.
Emails shared by a nonprofit research group identify show Illinois-based Middle River Power and its parent company, Avenue Capital Group, are interested in the plant. The latter is a New York-based firm that focuses on distressed companies.
The Navajo Generating Station near Page will close in 2019 without a new owner. Detractors have urged a transition to renewable energy.
The Salt River Project operates the plant and decided to shut it down because natural gas is cheaper.
Spokesman Scott Harrelson said Friday that no one has entered negotiations to buy it. And he says any offer beyond mid-May would take the plant offline at least temporarily.

PUBLIC LANDS-WHITE PEAK
Arguments end in trial over New Mexico public land access
TAOS, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico judge is weighing arguments over public access to prime hunting territory after a several weeklong bench trial in Taos.
White Peak has been the source of legal and administrative fights for decades, as hunters and others have sought access to public land amid an area of wilderness that often requires crossing through private property to access state trust land.
At issue in state district court is whether roads used to access the White Peak area are considered historic roads open to the public or private ranching roads.
Property owner and rancher David Stanley has argued that hunters and other members of the public have trespassed on private property for years to reach trust lands.
Arguments in the trial ended Thursday. Judge Sarah Backus in Taos District Court heard the case.

SMALL TOWN POLICE SCHEME
Report: Town chief gave police badges to pals, celebrities
LAKE ARTHUR, N.M. (AP) — A tiny, southeastern New Mexico town is facing questions after it amassed a police force with more than 100 gun-toting officers — most who don't live in the state.
KRQE-TV in Albuquerque reports the village of Lake Arthur, New Mexico, is under investigation over claims its former volunteer Police Chief Will Norwood passed out authentic looking police credentials to his friends and celebrities who had little or no police training.
The station reported that Norwood gave friends full police powers with statewide authority in exchange for a $400 annual fee paid to the private Lake Arthur Reserve Police Officer Association.
Under New Mexico law, reservists don't have law enforcement powers to act on their own and can't make arrests.
Norwood did not return phone calls.

NATIONAL PARKS-SPENDING
Report: National Parks boost spending in New Mexico
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A new report says the more than 2 million people who visited New Mexico's national parks, monuments and wilderness preserves in 2017 spent $116 million in the state.
The National Park Service released the report Thursday.
In a statement, officials say a park service economist and U.S. Geological Survey economist conducted the analysis.
Nationwide, the park service says, 330 million people who visited towns within 60 miles of a park spent roughly $18.2 billion last year, helping to support hundreds of thousands of jobs.
Some of New Mexico's best-known national park sites include Carlsbad Caverns National Park in southern New Mexico, Bandelier National Monument outside Los Alamos, and the White Sands National Monument near Alamogordo.
There are 15 total sites statewide.

ROAMING BLACK BEAR
Black bear captured after roaming in Albuquerque suburb
(Information from: Albuquerque Journal, http://www.abqjournal.com)
RIO RANCHO, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico wildlife officials say a 200-pound black bear found wandering in an Albuquerque suburb had to be tranquilized and captured.
The Albuquerque Journal reports the exploring bear was spotted Thursday morning in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, before state Game and Fish officers caught the young animal in a residential area.
Rick Winslow, a state bear and cougar biologist, says current drought conditions may have caused the bear to travel into the populated area in search of additional food sources.
Black bears are known to eat green grasses and other plants that rely on moisture to survive, especially during this time of year.
Winslow says he believes this summer could yield more human and bear interactions than usual.
Officials say the bear will be released into the wild.
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MEXICO-MIGRANT CARAVAN
Migrant 'caravan' gathers on US-Mexico border
TIJUANA, Mexico (AP) — About 370 asylum-seekers are in Tijuana, where lawyers have planned free workshops on the U.S. immigration system on Friday and Saturday.
Many planned to seek asylum starting Sunday at San Diego's San Ysidro border crossing.
Caravans have been a fairly common tactic for advocacy groups to bring attention to asylum-seekers and the latest group pales in size compared to previous ones, but it gained huge visibility after President Donald Trump criticized it from the moment it began March 25.
Many Central American asylum seekers say they face death threats by criminal gangs in their homelands.
Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen said late Wednesday that any person trying to cross into the U.S. who makes false claims to immigration authorities will subject to criminal prosecution.

ALBUQUERQUE ARSON-SENTENCING
Albuquerque man sentenced in Thanksgiving 2016 arson case
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — An Albuquerque man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for setting a string of fires in the days leading up to and during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend two years ago that damaged multiple establishments in New Mexico's largest city.
The locations authorities say 29-year-old David Hickman targeted in 2016 included an Old Navy, Starbucks, Barnes & Noble, and chapel of a local anti-abortion organization.
There were no reported injuries that resulted from the instances of arson, which occurred overnight or in the early morning hours when most businesses in the city are closed.
David Hickman was sentenced Thursday in federal court in Albuquerque after pleading guilty to five counts of arson last year.
He also was ordered to pay $406,348 in restitution.

DRUG TRAFFICKING CHARGES
Feds announce charges from drug trafficking investigation
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — Federal authorities say a multi-agency investigation in New Mexico and in three other states has produced drug trafficking and money laundering charges against 16 people.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for New Mexico said Thursday the investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations centered on southern New Mexico and west Texas but also extended to Tennessee and South Carolina.
The office's announcement of the investigation says it began in April, culminated with 14 arrests Wednesday and also resulted in seizures of drugs, cash, vehicles and guns. Two of the accused already were in custody.
According to the announcement, the alleged traffickers imported cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine from Mexico, distributed it in Las Cruces, New Mexico and El Paso, Texas, and also transported drugs to Tennessee and South Carolina.

PIE TOWN POST OFFICE
Post office installing temporary boxes to serve community
PIE TOWN, N.M. (AP) — The Postal Service is installing temporary mailboxes in Pie Town to allow residents of the tiny western New Mexico community to keep getting mail while the agency continues trying to identify a location for a replacement post office.
The Postal Service recently suspended operations at its current location because of a "loss of lease."
Spokesman Peter Hass says the mailboxes are being installed Thursday at 17 Frontage Road outside the current facility and are expected to be available for use starting Friday.
Pie Town is 100 miles (161 kilometers) southwest of Albuquerque.

ENDANGERING MIGRANT CHILDREN-HEARING-THE LATEST
The Latest: Fed agency says it lost track of migrant kids
A Senate subcommittee has found that federal officials lost track of nearly 1,500 migrant children last year after a government agency placed the minors in the custody of adult sponsors in communities nationwide.
The Health and Human Services Department says it uses its limited funds to track the safety of at-risk children, and could not determine where 1,475 missing minors had gone.
The Health and Human Services Department came under fire two years ago for rolling back child welfare policies meant to protect unaccompanied minors fleeing violence in Central America. An Associated Press investigation found that more than two dozen were placed in homes where they were sexually assaulted, starved or forced to work.
The Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations says federal agencies need to take full responsibility for the children's care.

ENDANGERING MIGRANT CHILDREN-HEARING
Feds' delays imperil migrant children
A Senate subcommittee has found that the government risks placing migrant children in the custody of human traffickers because federal agencies have delayed crucial reforms.
Federal officials came under fire two years ago for rolling back child welfare policies meant to protect unaccompanied minors fleeing violence in Central America. An Associated Press investigation found that more than two dozen were placed in homes where they were sexually assaulted, starved or forced to work.
The subcommittee says agencies have yet to take full responsibility for their care.
The Health and Human Services Department has used limited funding to boost outreach to at-risk children. But advocates say it's hard to gauge the total number of minors who may face dangerous conditions.

DEMOCRATIC PARTY-SEXUAL MISCONDUCT
New Mexico ex-union leader denying sexual misconduct claims
(Information from: Albuquerque Journal, http://www.abqjournal.com)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A former New Mexico labor and film union leader is denying sexual misconduct allegations that cost him his job and forced a Democratic Party of New Mexico chair to resign.
The Albuquerque Journal reports Jon Hendry in court documents denied all claims made against him by two women in a lawsuit.
Two women said in a lawsuit filed in March that Hendry harassed and discriminated against them when they were union employees.
Hendry served as a business agent for the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 480 and resigned after the lawsuit. Hendry also had served as president of the New Mexico Federation of Labor.
Hendry's attorney, Sam Bregman, told the Journal his client "adamantly denies any wrongdoing or misconduct, and he looks forward to clearing his name."
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CONGRESS-NEW MEXICO
College tells GOP congressional candidate to return to job
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — A former Trump administration appointee running for Congress in a closely watched New Mexico race says his university has denied his request to extend his leave of absence.
Republican Gavin Clarkson told the Las Cruces Sun-News this week a hearing officer ruled that he must return to his New Mexico State University business professor job or face termination.
The Republican says he requested a leave of absence until January 2020 after he was appointed to a Bureau of Indian Affairs position.
But Clarkson resigned from the agency last year following a harsh inspector general report into the loan program he directed. Clarkson says he stepped down to run for Congress in southern New Mexico.
NMSU spokeswoman Minerva Baumann says the university doesn't comment on personnel matters.
Clarkson says he will appeal the ruling to the Faculty Senate.

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
Charitable foundations chart course for early education
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico state lawmakers are getting a preview of a business plan for expanding early childhood education across the state that was developed by a group of major charitable foundations.
The plan seeks to expand state spending by $16 million each year to gradually expand and improve the workforce for prekindergarten, childcare and home visits with families in infants.
An outline was presented Wednesday to members of the Legislative Finance Committee who draft the state budget.
The plan calls for a new cabinet-level position in state government or early childhood "czar," and would provide publicly funded kindergarten to 80 percent of 4-year-olds.
Behind the investment project is the New Mexico Early Childhood Funders Group that consists of the Thornburg Foundation, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the McCune Charitable Foundation and others.

MARIJUANA-HOBBS
Hobbs mayor: City not joining legal marijuana movement
(Information from: Hobbs News-Sun, http://www.hobbsnews.com)
HOBBS, N.M. (AP) — Officials in the southeastern New Mexico city of Hobbs say the growing trend of legalizing or decriminalizing of marijuana isn't coming to their town anytime soon.
The Hobbs News-Sun reports Hobbs Mayor Sam Cobb said this week the city will comply with state and federal laws and it doesn't have the authority to decriminalize marijuana.
Lea County Drug Task Force Commander Sean Roach says marijuana is still illegal and the task force will work to enforce the law.
The Lea County Commission last year unanimously passed a resolution to go on record they oppose legalization of recreational marijuana.
Last week, Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller signed an ordinance making possession of small amounts of marijuana no longer a criminal offense.
Ten states and Washington, D.C. have legalized the recreational use of marijuana.
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ALBUQUERQUE-RAPE KITS
Albuquerque starts information line for sex assault victims
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller says the city has partnered with a local organization to set up an information line that sexual assault victims can call to seek information about their cases.
He says the information line is the result of an initiative that has prioritized eliminating the backlog of more than 4,000 untested rape kits in the city's crime lab.
On Wednesday, Keller and the Albuquerque Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners, or SANE, announced the establishment of the Sexual Assault Information Line, which any victim with questions on the status of an investigation into an assault against them can now call.
The number for it is 1-866-613-7245, or 1-866-613-SAIL. Victims can also send an inquiry to the email address kitinfo@abqsane.org.
SANE will manage the information line.

CARLSBAD CAVERNS-ELEVATORS
Secondary elevators back in service at Carlsbad Caverns park
CARLSBAD, N.M. (AP) — The secondary elevators at Carlsbad Caverns National Park are back in service after a traveling cable was replaced.
The cable sends the correct signal to the controls that allow the elevator car to operate.
The secondary elevators have been out of service since March 26 when one of the cars became stranded at 740 feet below the surface due to a worn traveling cable.
The secondary elevators are part of two separate elevator systems in two separate elevator shafts at the park.
The primary elevator system was originally installed in 1955 and went out of service in November 2015 when a six-inch motor shaft sheared off.
Work to repair and modernize the primary elevators began last December and is on schedule to be completed by the end of next month.

LAS CRUCES-TEEN KILLED
Las Cruces police: Teen fatally shot during vehicle pursuit
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — Las Cruces police say a teen is dead after being shot and that investigators believe the youth was shot while a passenger in a car involved in a pursuit and exchange of gunfire between occupants of two vehicles.
Police Department spokesman Dan Trujillo says 17-year-old Jovon Solomon died at a hospital in El Paso, Texas, after being shot Monday evening.
Trujillo says the youth had at least two gunshot wounds to his neck or upper chest.
The spokesman says investigators believe Solomon may have been a passenger in a white Acura Integra that was located Monday evening and that the Acura and a dark-color sedan were engaged in a pursuit on Athenian Way when shots were fired.

UNIVERSITY ENROLLMENT-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico public-college enrollment falls fast
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A recent decline in enrollment at New Mexico public colleges outpaced nearly every state in the nation.
An association of state higher education agencies says enrollment dropped by nearly 5 percent at New Mexico public colleges for the school year that ended in June 2017.
Statistics compiled by State Higher Education Officers Association show that the only greater decline in full-time student enrollment was at South Dakota public colleges.
New Mexico's nonpartisan Legislative Finance Committee highlighted the enrollment decline in a Tuesday report.
New Mexico's 24 public colleges and universities offer some of the lowest average tuition rates in the country. More than 10 percent of the state's annual fund goes toward higher education, and state lottery proceeds offset some in-state tuition.

BAIL REFORM-ASSESSING RISK
Policy group pushes for risk assessment to score defendants
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A Texas-based public policy group is pushing to expand the use of risk assessment tools to help judges determine the fate of defendants pending trial.
The Laura and John Arnold Foundation announced Wednesday that it's seeking proposals as part of a project to determine the effectiveness of its assessment, which relies on several factors.
The push comes as New Mexico and other states grapple with bail reform.
Foundation officials say there's growing demand for risk assessment and more research will help in understanding the limitations of such tools.
New Mexico voters in 2016 overwhelmingly supported a constitutional amendment aimed at keeping dangerous defendants in custody pending trial, while allowing for the release of nonviolent suspects who can't afford bail.
Rules related to the change have spurred much debate over the past year among judges, prosecutors and others.

NUCLEAR AGENCY-NEW MEXICO
Nuclear agency authorizes construction on New Mexico complex
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The National Nuclear Security Administration is beginning work on a multimillion-dollar complex in New Mexico that will serve as a new workspace for some 1,200 employees.
The agency says construction was recently authorized to begin. Bids were solicited over the winter and officials estimated at that time that the new building could cost between $100 million and $250 million.
The current facility includes a former military barracks at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque. Some portions date to the early 1950s and are in poor condition. Because of the age of the buildings, officials say routine maintenance is costly and inefficient.
The new building is expected to reduce the agency's total deferred maintenance by about $40 million.
The agency expects construction to be done in the first part of the 2021 fiscal year.

NUCLEAR WASTE STORAGE
US regulators set public meetings for nuclear fuel proposal
ROSWELL, N.M. (AP) — Federal regulators have scheduled a series of public meetings as they consider a plan to temporarily store spent nuclear fuel from commercial nuclear reactors around the United States at a proposed site in southern New Mexico.
The first meeting hosted by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission will be Monday on the Eastern New Mexico University campus in Roswell.
Another meeting will follow Tuesday in Hobbs and a third will be May 3 in Carlsbad.
The public comment period will last through May on the application filed by Holtec International.
Holtec and a coalition of local leaders from southeastern New Mexico first announced plans three years ago to construct a below-ground space for temporarily housing tons of spent nuclear fuel. The company is seeking an initial 40-year license.

VETO CHALLENGE-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico Supreme Court weighs lawmakers' veto challenge
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The New Mexico Supreme Court will hear oral arguments as it decides whether vetoes by Gov. Susana Martinez should be invalidated because she allegedly missed deadlines or failed to explain her reasoning.
Leading Democratic lawmakers sought to disqualify 10 vetoes during oral arguments scheduled for Wednesday.
They allege the Republican governor missed a three-day deadline aimed at helping lawmakers respond quickly to early vetoes or never explained the intent of vetoes.
Attorneys for the governor dispute that account of the veto process and say it was fair.
The Supreme Court review leaves in limbo bipartisan legislation that would expand access to high-speed internet, open the way for industrial hemp research programs, and allow high school students to count computer science classes toward core math credits needed for graduation.

CLOVIS CRASH
2 people hospitalized in Texas after crash in New Mexico
CLOVIS, N.M. (AP) — Authorities say two people are hospitalized after a semi-truck collided with a van in east Clovis.
Clovis police say the van was struck on its passenger side by the big rig while trying to turn into a gas station Monday afternoon.
They say the van was thrown into a ditch and a trailer it was pulling flipped over.
Police say a man and woman who were in the van were flown to a hospital in Lubbock, Texas for treatment of undisclosed injuries.
Their names, ages and hometowns weren't immediately available.
Police say the driver of the semi-truck escaped injury.

NAVAJOS-TREATY OF 1868-THE LATEST
The Latest: Navajos share details of historic tribal treaty
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A previously undiscovered copy of a historic treaty signed by Navajo leaders and the U.S. government that allowed the tribe to return to its homeland in 1868 will go on display later this year.
Navajo Vice President Jonathan Nez says relatives of a peace commissioner involved in the process 150 years ago found the document in a trunk in the family attic. It was still bound with the original ribbon.
Pages of the still-pristine document will be on display at the Bosque Redondo Memorial in eastern New Mexico, where the U.S. military imprisoned thousands of Navajos after forcing them to leave their homeland.
The Navajo Nation is commemorating the 150th anniversary of the signing of the treaty with numerous events, including a run that will span more than 400 miles.
The tribe also launched a website focused on the treaty and the commemoration.

CAMPAIGN WORKERS UNION-NEW MEXICO
Union for political campaigns expands to New Mexico
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The staff for New Mexico Democratic congressional candidate Debra Haaland has joined an upstart national labor union for election-campaign workers.
The Campaign Workers Guild announced Monday it had secured a union contract with Haaland's campaign that outlines minimum pay, working conditions and benefits for employees. The campaign currently employs four people, with an additional employee on leave for graduate studies.
Launched in February, the Campaign Workers Guild is making inroads into the often high-pressure work environments of election campaigning. It represents workers in 13 political campaigns, including nine congressional campaigns from Pennsylvania to California.
Haaland says she embraced the idea of unionizing when approached by staff members and that it fits with her support for a higher federal minimum wage and paid family leave guarantees.

NMJC-RAISES
New Mexico Junior College staff get 3 percent pay hike
HOBBS, N.M. (AP) — The New Mexico Junior College Board is giving staff members and hourly employees pay increases.
The Hobbs News-Sun reports the board voted last week to give staff members a three percent pay hike and hourly employees a 25 cent an hour spike.
In addition, the board extended NMJC president Kelvin Sharp's contract to June 30, 2021, and increased his salary from $223,000 per year to $229,600 per year.
Dan Hardin, NMJC vice president for finance, says the Hobbs school's finances are in good condition thanks to "conservative budgeting."

HIGHLANDS-COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS
Retired military leader to speak to Highlands graduates
LAS VEGAS, N.M. (AP) — The former leader of the New Mexico National Guard is scheduled to give the commencement address to this spring's graduating class at New Mexico Highlands University.
Retired U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Melvyn Montano of Albuquerque will be the speaker for the May 12 commencement ceremony.
A Highlands alumnus, Montano's military career spanned more than four decades. He retired in 1999 as the adjutant general of the New Mexico Guard and was the first Hispanic to achieve this National Guard rank in the continental United States.
Montano says he's honored to speak at the commencement and plans to talk about leadership, ethics and integrity.
Montano also says education was highly valued in his family as his mother was a teacher. He earned a bachelor's and two master's degrees after returning from Vietnam.

TV-THE UNSETTLING
New television series to film in northern New Mexico
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A television series about a teenager who notices strange things in her new foster home will be filmed in northern New Mexico.
"The Unsetttling" starts filming later this month in Santa Fe and Lamy. It's produced by AwesomenessTV.
The series stars Holly Taylor, Tequan Richmond and An-Li Bogan under the direction of Chris Grismer.
The main character is a 16-year-old girl named Becca who can't identify the source of the strange activity.
The series is expected to employ 60 crew members, 10 actors and dozens for background talent in New Mexico.

BAIL REFORM-OPINION
New Mexico court issues opinion in pre-trial detention case
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The New Mexico Supreme Court says judges can't deny a defendant pre-trial release just because that person is accused of a crime that would have qualified for capital punishment had the state still allowed for death sentences.
The court in an opinion released Monday said first-degree murder isn't currently a constitutionally defined capital offense that would authorize a judge to categorically deny bail.
The opinion comes in the case of Muhammad Ameer, a suspect in a deadly stabbing and robbery last year in Albuquerque.
Prosecutors sought to keep Ameer in custody under the new rules that stemmed from a voter-approved bail reform amendment.
Instead, the district court ordered detention based on a 1912 constitutional provision providing an exception to the right to bail in capital offenses.
The lower court will now have to determine if Ameer should have been held under the new rules.

SOUTHERN PLAINS DROUGHT-WILDFIRES
After brief relief, forecasts indicate drought will continue
Recent showers temporarily relieved drought conditions in parts of the southwestern United States, but dry weather will persist through the summer.
Forecasters said Monday a months-long drought is considered "extreme" from southern California to central Kansas. Conditions are even worse in the Four Corners region and the Oklahoma and Texas panhandles.
The drought has contributed to numerous wildfires. Forecasters say it will last at least through July, with some improvement east of a line from Albuquerque to Denver.
The scientists said the desert-like air is responsible for some anomalies. At Alva, Oklahoma, the temperature last Tuesday climbed from 33 degrees to 101 in less than a day.
Also, Oklahoma hasn't had a tornado this year and storms aren't expected. The state hasn't had an April without at least one tornado.

OBIT-CODE TALKER HAWTHORNE
World War II Navajo Code Talker dies at 92
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — A Navajo Code Talker who used his native language to confound the Japanese in World War II has died.
The Navajo Nation says Roy Hawthorne Sr. died Saturday. He was 92.
Hawthorne enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps at 17 and became part of a famed group of Navajos who transmitted hundreds of messages in their language without error.
The code was never broken.
Hawthorne was one of the most visible survivors of the group. He appeared at public events and served as vice president of a group representing the men.
He never considered himself a hero.
Hawthorne later served with the U.S. Army.
He's survived by five children and more than a dozen grandchildren.
A funeral service is scheduled Friday.

MAYOR-WATER USE
Report: New Mexico mayor who urged saving water using a lot
(Information from: The Santa Fe New Mexican, http://www.santafenewmexican.com)
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico mayor who campaigned on reducing water consumption appears to use significantly more water than most of his neighbors.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports documents show that Santa Fe Mayor Alan Webber consumes way more water than the average single-family residential customer in the city he now leads.
And according to documents obtained under an open-records request, his water usage is only going up.
During certain months, the water usage at Webber's gated home is more than eight times what the average single-family residential customer in Santa Fe consumes.
Webber and his wife, Frances Diemoz, live in a nearly 5,000-square-foot home valued at nearly $1.15 million.
The mayor says he's taking steps to reduce his water usage.
The report comes as almost half of New Mexico is struggling with extreme drought conditions.
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SOUTHWEST AIRLINES DEATH-MEMORIAL SERVICE-THE LATEST
Latest: Vigil held for woman killed in Southwest flight
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico Lt. Gov. John Sanchez speaking at a memorial service for the Albuquerque woman who died after an in-flight accident on a Southwest Airlines plane described Jennifer Riordan as a "pillar of the community."
Nearly a thousand people gathered Sunday for the service at her alma mater, the University of New Mexico.
Sanchez read a statement from Gov. Susana Martinez expressing their condolences. He presented Riordan's husband with a flag that was flown at half-staff at the state Capitol in her memory.
The 43-year-old bank executive was on a plane when one of the engines reportedly exploded, sending shrapnel through a window. Passengers say Riordan was partially blown out of a window.
She later died at a hospital.
Riordan served as vice president of community relations for Wells Fargo's New Mexico operations.

ALBUQUERQUE HOMICIDE
Albuquerque police ID 20-year-old victim of a fatal shooting
(Information from: KOB-TV, http://www.kob.com)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Police in Albuquerque have identified the victim in a fatal shooting incident.
They say 20-year-old Clifford Patterson III died Friday following a deadly altercation inside a vehicle in a southwest Albuquerque neighborhood.
Police say another person is hospitalized in stable condition following the shooting.
They're still searching for suspects in the homicide.
KOB-TV reports that it's the 23rd homicide so far this year in Albuquerque.
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SANTA FE CITY MANAGER QUITS
Santa Fe's city manager resigns at the request of the mayor
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Santa Fe's city manager has resigned at the request of the mayor.
City Manager Brian Snyder had approved pay hikes of 10 percent and 15 percent for 37 staff members on the eve of the Mayor Alan Webber's inauguration last month.
Webber says the municipal government will halt the pay increases Snyder had approved.
The mayor had initially defended the move as an important part of a project to modernize Santa Fe's software system.
Webber has now conceded that a policy enacted in 1992 required City Council approval for the pay raises.
Snyder has been city manager since 2013, but he won't be off Santa Fe's payroll altogether.
Under a contract provision approved by a former mayor, Snyder will return to a supervisory job in the city's water division.

WARMLINE-TEXTING
New Mexico's 'warm line' launches texting option
(Information from: KUNM-FM, http://kunm.unm.edu/)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico's "warm line," a peer-to-peer call line that helps residents struggling with substance abuse, grief, and suicidal thoughts, has introduced a texting option.
KUNM-FM in Albuquerque reports the state's Peer-to-Peer Warmline launched its texting feature two years after the New Mexico Crisis Access Line started the warm line.
The warm line is staffed specialists who are specially trained to use their own experiences to offer support to those dealing with addiction or mental health issues.
New Mexico Crisis Access Line Program Manager Wendy Linebrink-Allison says texting gives people a better sense of control over the conversation.
She says texting could make the line more appealing to people who have anxiety or a busy day.
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NEW MEXICO WILDFIRES-THE LATEST
The Latest: Crews mopping up fires in northwest New Mexico
GRANTS, N.M. (AP) — Firefighters have contained most of a wildfire that threatened about a dozen homes in a small community in northern Socorro County on Friday.
An update posted Friday night by the state Forestry Division says the fire a mile (1.6 kilometers) north of Bernardo off State Route 116 had burned approximately 30 acres (12 hectares) and was 75 percent contained.
Division spokeswoman Wendy Mason said the fire started Friday afternoon on private property.
State forestry crews and local fire departments were called out to fight the fire.

PECOS RIVER-WATER LEVELS
Water managers warn of rising levels on the Pecos River
FOR SUMNER, N.M. (AP) — Federal water managers are warning that levels on the Pecos River in eastern New Mexico are expected to rise as the Bureau of Reclamation moves water downstream for farmers.
The release from Sumner Reservoir will begin Monday.
The Carlsbad Irrigation District has called for about 10,000 acre-feet of water to be released from storage. One acre-foot (1,233 cubic meters) is enough to supply a typical U.S. family for a year.
The release rate is expected to be between 1,300 to 1,600 cubic feet per second. It will last for about three days.
Officials say people should be cautious when working or playing along the river between Santa Rosa Lake and Brantley Reservoir through the summer. Water levels could change due to movement for irrigation, releases for endangered species or weather events.

WASTEWATER SYSTEMS-FUNDING
Federal funding OK'd for Dona Ana County wastewater systems
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — Members of New Mexico's congressional delegation say the federal government has agreed to provide more than $14 million to help renovate wastewater systems serving two unincorporated communities in Dona Ana County.
Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich on Friday announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded an $8 million grant and approved a loan of $6.2 million to improve systems for Mesquite and Brazito.
The senators' announcement says the funding provided to the Lower Rio Grande Public Water Works Authority will pay for connections to eliminate the use of hundreds of septic tanks and reduce the possibility of groundwater pollution and contamination.
The two communities have 1,088 residential and 20 commercial users.

WILDFIRES-NEW MEXICO
Fire threatening homes in south-central New Mexico
BERNARDO, N.M. (AP) — Authorities say a wildfire is threatening some homes and railroad tracks in south-central New Mexico.
Wendy Mason with New Mexico State Forestry says the fire began Friday afternoon and has charred an estimated 30 acres (12 hectares) north of Bernardo in Socorro County. She says between 10 and 15 homes are threatened.
The fire has also forced the closure of State Highway 116.
State forestry crews along with local fire departments from the area are fighting the flames.
The fire weather outlook for much of New Mexico remained critical on Friday as other parts of the state and neighboring Arizona and West Texas were elevated.

SANTA FE CITY MANAGER QUITS
Santa Fe's city manager resigns at the request of the mayor
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Santa Fe's city manager has resigned at the request of the mayor.
City Manager Brian Snyder had approved pay hikes of 10 percent and 15 percent for 37 staff members on the eve of the Mayor Alan Webber's inauguration last month.
Webber says the municipal government will halt the pay increases Snyder had approved.
The mayor had initially defended the move as an important part of a project to modernize Santa Fe's software system.
Webber has now conceded that a policy enacted in 1992 required City Council approval for the pay raises.
Snyder has been city manager since 2013, but he won't be off Santa Fe's payroll altogether.
Under a contract provision approved by a former mayor, Snyder will return to a supervisory job in the city's water division.

WARMLINE-TEXTING
New Mexico's 'warm line' launches texting option
(Information from: KUNM-FM, http://kunm.unm.edu/)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico's "warm line," a peer-to-peer call line that helps residents struggling with substance abuse, grief, and suicidal thoughts, has introduced a texting option.
KUNM-FM in Albuquerque reports the state's Peer-to-Peer Warmline launched its texting feature two years after the New Mexico Crisis Access Line started the warm line.
The warm line is staffed specialists who are specially trained to use their own experiences to offer support to those dealing with addiction or mental health issues.
New Mexico Crisis Access Line Program Manager Wendy Linebrink-Allison says texting gives people a better sense of control over the conversation.
She says texting could make the line more appealing to people who have anxiety or a busy day.
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SCHOOLS-DRUG TESTING
New Mexico school district eyes mandated drug teaching
(Information from: Las Vegas Optic, http://www.lasvegasoptic.com)
LAS VEGAS, N.M. (AP) — A northern New Mexico school district may require all teachers, staff and student athletes to undergo drug testing.
The Las Vegas Optic reports West Las Vegas Schools is considering a proposal that would mandate drug testing amid an opioid crisis that has severely hurt parts of northern New Mexico.
Board member Ambrosio Castellano says those using narcotics or medications may not be fully aware or fully coherent during an emergency.
He cited a poll conducted among teachers which found that 35 percent of them said that their stress level was very high, and they were coping by taking antidepressants or other medications.
Superintendent Chris Gutierrez says he would look into the issue and conduct a survey to get feedback from teachers.
___
NEW MEXICO WILDFIRES-THE LATEST
The Latest: Crews mopping up fires in northwest New Mexico
GRANTS, N.M. (AP) — Firefighters have contained most of a wildfire that threatened about a dozen homes in a small community in northern Socorro County on Friday.
An update posted Friday night by the state Forestry Division says the fire a mile (1.6 kilometers) north of Bernardo off State Route 116 had burned approximately 30 acres (12 hectares) and was 75 percent contained.
Division spokeswoman Wendy Mason said the fire started Friday afternoon on private property.
State forestry crews and local fire departments were called out to fight the fire.

PECOS RIVER-WATER LEVELS
Water managers warn of rising levels on the Pecos River
FOR SUMNER, N.M. (AP) — Federal water managers are warning that levels on the Pecos River in eastern New Mexico are expected to rise as the Bureau of Reclamation moves water downstream for farmers.
The release from Sumner Reservoir will begin Monday.
The Carlsbad Irrigation District has called for about 10,000 acre-feet of water to be released from storage. One acre-foot (1,233 cubic meters) is enough to supply a typical U.S. family for a year.
The release rate is expected to be between 1,300 to 1,600 cubic feet per second. It will last for about three days.
Officials say people should be cautious when working or playing along the river between Santa Rosa Lake and Brantley Reservoir through the summer. Water levels could change due to movement for irrigation, releases for endangered species or weather events.

WASTEWATER SYSTEMS-FUNDING
Federal funding OK'd for Dona Ana County wastewater systems
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — Members of New Mexico's congressional delegation say the federal government has agreed to provide more than $14 million to help renovate wastewater systems serving two unincorporated communities in Dona Ana County.
Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich on Friday announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded an $8 million grant and approved a loan of $6.2 million to improve systems for Mesquite and Brazito.
The senators' announcement says the funding provided to the Lower Rio Grande Public Water Works Authority will pay for connections to eliminate the use of hundreds of septic tanks and reduce the possibility of groundwater pollution and contamination.
The two communities have 1,088 residential and 20 commercial users.

WILDFIRES-NEW MEXICO
Fire threatening homes in south-central New Mexico
BERNARDO, N.M. (AP) — Authorities say a wildfire is threatening some homes and railroad tracks in south-central New Mexico.
Wendy Mason with New Mexico State Forestry says the fire began Friday afternoon and has charred an estimated 30 acres (12 hectares) north of Bernardo in Socorro County. She says between 10 and 15 homes are threatened.
The fire has also forced the closure of State Highway 116.
State forestry crews along with local fire departments from the area are fighting the flames.
The fire weather outlook for much of New Mexico remained critical on Friday as other parts of the state and neighboring Arizona and West Texas were elevated.

OBIT-NERSES KRIKORIAN
Krikorian, 'giant' in national security science, dies at 97
LOS ALAMOS, N.M. (AP) — Nerses "Krik" Krikorian, who escaped the Armenian genocide as boy and later became a legend in the once-secret New Mexico city where the atomic bomb was developed, has died. He was 97.
Officials at Los Alamos National Laboratory have confirmed that Krikorian died Wednesday at his home in Los Alamos.
Born on a Turkish roadside in 1921, he and his family eventually found their way to the United States. After earning a chemistry degree, he began what would be an illustrious career that spanned decades.
The Los Alamos Monitor reports that Krikorian was known for his science and security work and the impact he had on the lab and the community.
Lab Director Terry Wallace called Krikorian "a giant" in the world of national security science and said the lab is a better place because of him.

New Mexico school district eyes mandated drug teaching
Schools-Drug Testing
LAS VEGAS, N.M. (AP) — A northern New Mexico school district may require all teachers, staff and student athletes to undergo drug testing amid an opioid crisis that has severely hurt parts of the region.
West Las Vegas Schools is considering a proposal that would mandate drug testing aimed as monitoring staff as a precaution, the Las Vegas Optic reports.

"In light of the recent events of what's happened at schools, I think that anybody, or any teacher, any administrator who may be using a prescription medication or may be using narcotics, poses a safety threat to the school," said West Las Vegas Schools board member Ambrosio Castellano, who introduced the proposal this month.
Castellano said those using narcotics or medications may not be fully aware or fully coherent during an emergency.
He cited a poll conducted among teachers which found that 35 percent of them said that their stress level was very high, and they were coping by taking antidepressants or other medications.
Superintendent Chris Gutierrez said he would look into the issue and conduct a survey to get feedback from teachers.
Castellano said he came up with the idea after he attended a National School Board Conference in San Antonio, Texas, where an insurance provider presented an opioid forum on the epidemic among teachers.
It's unclear if the proposal would require testing of drugs such as marijuana, cocaine and opioids, or just opioids.
New Mexico had one of the highest overdose rates in the nation for the better part of two decades and only recently plateaued amid a series of pioneering policies aimed at combating opioid addiction, including becoming the first state to require law enforcement agencies to provide officers with overdose antidote kits.
The state also has a prescription monitoring database to prevent overlapping drug sales and has expanded access to naloxone, a drug that can reverse overdoses.


NAVAJO-VETERANS CENTER
Navajo Nation approves $2.4 million for veterans facility
GALLUP, N.M. (AP) — The Navajo Nation has given approval to help fund a veterans facility in New Mexico that will prevent patients from having to travel far for care.
Navajo Nation council members voted 19-0 this week to give $2.4 million toward the construction of a service center for veterans in the community of Thoreau.
The center, which will be about 33 miles (53 kilometers) east of Gallup, will offer physical therapy as well as medical services.
Thoreau Chapter Veterans Committee Commander Lester Emerson says they will work with the state Department of Veterans Services to hire a doctor to be based there.
Emerson says the hope is that veterans will no longer have to make the two-hour journey to Albuquerque for medical services.
The facility also will have a space for events and meetings.

WASTEWATER SYSTEMS-FUNDING
Federal funding OK'd for Dona Ana County wastewater systems
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — Members of New Mexico's congressional delegation say the federal government has agreed to provide more than $14 million to help renovate wastewater systems serving two unincorporated communities in Dona Ana County.
Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich on Friday announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded an $8 million grant and approved a loan of $6.2 million to improve systems for Mesquite and Brazito.
The senators' announcement says the funding provided to the Lower Rio Grande Public Water Works Authority will pay for connections to eliminate the use of hundreds of septic tanks and reduce the possibility of groundwater pollution and contamination.
The two communities have 1,088 residential and 20 commercial users.

PECOS RIVER-WATER LEVELS
Water managers warn of rising levels on the Pecos River
FOR SUMNER, N.M. (AP) — Federal water managers are warning that levels on the Pecos River in eastern New Mexico are expected to rise as the Bureau of Reclamation moves water downstream for farmers.
The release from Sumner Reservoir will begin Monday.
The Carlsbad Irrigation District has called for about 10,000 acre-feet of water to be released from storage. One acre-foot (1,233 cubic meters) is enough to supply a typical U.S. family for a year.
The release rate is expected to be between 1,300 to 1,600 cubic feet per second. It will last for about three days.
Officials say people should be cautious when working or playing along the river between Santa Rosa Lake and Brantley Reservoir through the summer. Water levels could change due to movement for irrigation, releases for endangered species or weather events.

WILDFIRES-NEW MEXICO
Fire threatening homes in south-central New Mexico
BERNARDO, N.M. (AP) — Authorities say a wildfire is threatening some homes and railroad tracks in south-central New Mexico.
Wendy Mason with New Mexico State Forestry says the fire began Friday afternoon and has charred an estimated 30 acres (12 hectares) north of Bernardo in Socorro County. She says between 10 and 15 homes are threatened.
The fire has also forced the closure of State Highway 116.
State forestry crews along with local fire departments from the area are fighting the flames.
The fire weather outlook for much of New Mexico remained critical on Friday as other parts of the state and neighboring Arizona and West Texas were elevated.

OBIT-NERSES KRIKORIAN
Krikorian, 'giant' in national security science, dies at 97
LOS ALAMOS, N.M. (AP) — Nerses "Krik" Krikorian, who escaped the Armenian genocide as boy and later became a legend in the once-secret New Mexico city where the atomic bomb was developed, has died. He was 97.
Officials at Los Alamos National Laboratory have confirmed that Krikorian died Wednesday at his home in Los Alamos.
Born on a Turkish roadside in 1921, he and his family eventually found their way to the United States. After earning a chemistry degree, he began what would be an illustrious career that spanned decades.
The Los Alamos Monitor reports that Krikorian was known for his science and security work and the impact he had on the lab and the community.
Lab Director Terry Wallace called Krikorian "a giant" in the world of national security science and said the lab is a better place because of him.

ALBUQUERQUE-HOMELESS KILLINGS
Albuquerque revives Native American homeless task force
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico's largest city has revived a task force to address Native American homelessness after a homeless man was shot and killed last month.
Mayor Tim Keller announced Friday that he was resurrecting the Albuquerque Native American Homeless Task Force and would ask city councilors to pass an ordinance to expand its reach.
The task force was initially formed during former Mayor Richard Berry's tenure in response to the 2014 beating deaths of two Navajo men while they slept in a vacant lot.
In the latest case, police said two Hispanic teenage boys shot 50-year-old Ronnie Ross "for fun." Ross was from the Navajo community of Shiprock.
A criminal complaint doesn't identify a motive, but it says the teen suspects bragged to friends about the shooting.
Keller says he believes it was a hate crime.

SCHOOL SHOOTING-STUDENT PROTESTS-NEW MEXICO-THE LATEST
The Latest: New Mexico student seek answers on gun violence
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Hundreds of New Mexico students are venting their frustrations and concerns about gun violence and safety at public schools in a public forum and rally at the state Capitol.
High school students peppered state lawmakers, law enforcement officials and local school representatives Friday with questions about how to ensure classroom safety in a wake of a December shooting at Aztec High School that killed two students.
Student organizers stressed that the event was focused on gun-safety and not necessarily stricter gun control laws.
Democratic House speaker Brian Egolf urged students to register to vote if they turn 18 before November general elections, highlighting the veto of a 2017 bill aimed at limiting gun access for people with permanent protective orders for domestic violence incidents. Republican lawmakers were invited but did not attend the forum.
Outside the building, the Beatles song "Don't Let Me Down" blared from a stage set up for student speeches and performances.

FOUR CORNERS-OUTDOOR RECREATION
New Mexico region launches outdoor recreation initiative
FARMINGTON, N.M. (AP) — Officials in northwestern New Mexico are teaming up as part of an effort to diversify the economy in a region that has been dependent for years on the oil and gas industry.
The city of Farmington, San Juan County, Four Corners Economic Development, San Juan College and numerous other groups are backing the initiative to boost outdoor recreation.
The initiative plans to highlight the area's opportunities for fly fishing, mountain biking, hiking and rock crawling as well as locations such as the Bisti Wilderness and Lake Farmington.
Officials say the hope is to create more demand for guides, outfitters and outdoor recreation equipment manufacturing.
A community meeting is planned next Thursday at the Farmington Civic Center to discuss the effort.