By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN, Associated Press
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico's flagship university is falling short of meeting some federal requirements aimed at ensuring men and women have equal opportunities when it comes to playing sports, according to an independent review made public Thursday.
     The review comes as the University of New Mexico's athletics department struggles to get its spending under control. A multimillion-dollar running deficit that has built up over a decade is forcing school officials to weigh drastic cuts, including the possible elimination of some sports teams.
      University President Garnett Stokes had warned earlier this year that tough choices would have to be made if the school wanted to avoid jeopardizing the future integrity of the entire athletics program.
      She and Eddie Nunez, director of athletics, addressed the budget and the Title IX requirements in an open letter posted on the university's website. They asked for patience as the university looks for ways to "honorably and accountably" manage its way through its current challenges. They also acknowledged lingering concerns about the athletics department not complying with federal law.
      "As we consider options to reverse our financial position, it is clear that we must also consider the impact our decisions will have on our Title IX compliance," they wrote. "We must do better in offering equal opportunities for men and women and achieve this while also reducing our financial deficit."
      According to the review, women make up more than 55 percent of the undergraduate student body but less than 44 percent of student athletes. Other shortfalls related to scholarships and facilities were also identified.
      Aside from the proportions of students and student athletes, other measures that ensure a university is meeting the federal mandates include evidence of a history of growth and continued expansion of opportunities for underrepresented groups.
      The University of New Mexico has 22 varsity intercollegiate teams — 10 for men and 12 for women. That is above the national average of 16 for Division I schools. Participation for the 2016-17 year included 317 men and 247 women.
      According to the findings, the university will have to consider restructuring some sports and implementing a roster management plan based on national averages to maximize participation opportunities for women.
      The recommendations call for leaving participation in football, basketball, baseball and softball relatively unchanged. Rosters for women's swimming and diving teams as well as the men's and women's track teams would shrink.
      University officials offered no indications that any decisions have been made. They hope to have a plan ready to share with the public later this summer.
      Stokes and Nunez also pledged to delay until summer of 2019 the implementation of any decision that results in teams being eliminated and to honor all current scholarships through graduation.

IMMIGRATION-DETAINEE DIES
Transgender migrant dies while in US custody
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Authorities are awaiting autopsy results to determine what caused the death of a transgender woman who was in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Federal authorities say the 33-year-old woman from Honduras died early Friday at an Albuquerque hospital, where she was admitted after showing symptoms of pneumonia, and dehydration.
The woman was identified by activists as Roxana Hernandez. They say she was part of a caravan of Central American migrants that traveled to the U.S. border through Mexico.
Federal authorities listed her name as Jeffry Hernandez and said she was first detained May 13 in San Diego. She was later transferred to El Paso, Texas, and then to a detention center in western New Mexico where she was housed in the transgender unit.

BANDELIER NATIONAL MONUMENT-FEES
Fee increases planned for Bandelier National Monument
LOS ALAMOS, N.M. (AP) — Bandelier National Monument is raising its vehicle and entrance fees.
The National Park Service says starting June 1 that entrance fees will be $15 per person. The new vehicle fee is $25, while the Bandelier annual park pass will be $45.
Each fee change represents a $5 increase in cost.
Bandelier is among more than 100 National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee. Three hundred have no entrance fee.
Bandelier National Monument features canyon trails, wooded hikes and ancient dwellings that are embedded into rocky cliffs.
The fee changes at Bandelier is set to go into effect the same day that access to backcountry at the monument and two other National Park Service sites in the state will be suspended amid severe drought and heightened concerns over potential fire dangers.

CONQUISTADOR PAGEANT-NEW MEXICO
Town withdraws from tribute to Spanish conquistador
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A northern New Mexico town will no longer organize an annual commemoration of the arrival of Spanish conquistador Juan de Onate, leaving the consumed pageant and carnival to an independent group.
Espanola Mayor Javier Sanchez confirmed Wednesday a unanimous city council vote to repeal the local government's obligation to organize the festival.
The celebration includes a costumed procession of an armored Onate on horseback with a coterie of soldiers, royalty, Christian friars and an Indian scout.
Onate is revered as a Hispanic founding father and reviled for brutality against Native Americans.
Sanchez says the decision opens the way for the city to involve more people including local Native Americans in new cultural celebrations.
Local leaders including city councilor John Ramon Vigil hope a nonprofit group can continue the Onate tribute.

FIRE DANGER-NEW MEXICO
Feds plan public land closures in New Mexico amid fire fears
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Federal authorities are restricting access to multiple wilderness areas in northern New Mexico amid potential wildfire concerns.
The U.S. Forest Service says Santa Fe National Forest will close at 8 a.m. Friday. It's the first national forest closure for New Mexico this season, while portions of national forests in neighboring Arizona already have closed.
Portions of three national park sites in New Mexico also will be off limits starting midnight Friday. The National Park Service announced backcountry within Bandelier National Monument, Pecos National Historical Park and Valles Caldera National Preserve will be closed.
The parks' visitor centers will remain open. People can still hike parts of Bandelier and Pecos.
But Valles Caldera is suspending access to all fishing, horseback riding, biking and hiking, with the exception of ranger-led tours and hikes.

RANCHER'S ONIONS PLUNDERED
Rancher's onions plundered following social media post
(Information from: Las Cruces Sun-News, http://www.lcsun-news.com)
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico rancher says onions intended as supplemental feed for his cattle were plundered after a person discovered the piles and posted about it on social media.
The Las Cruces Sun-News reports a person had stumbled across the more than 30,000 pounds (13,600 kilograms) of onions in a desert area west of Las Cruces and had assumed the vegetables were dumped as waste.
The person posted to social media encouraging other area residents to go grab some.
Rancher James Montoya says the onions were placed on land that he leases from the state. He says some people were filling the beds of pickup trucks with onions to haul away.
Montoya says he moved the remaining onions Monday to an undisclosed location.
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DESERT BODIES-MEMORIAL
Albuquerque plans memorial where women's remains were found
ALBUQUERUQUE, N.M. (AP) — Albuquerque officials say construction is set to begin soon on a memorial site where the remains of 11 women were found buried nearly a decade ago.
Mayor Tim Keller plans to attend the ceremonial groundbreaking for the Women's Memorial Park on Saturday at 10 a.m. on the city's West Mesa.
The city plans to construct the memorial where the victims, one of whom had been pregnant, were found buried in 2009.
In February of that year, a woman walking her dog discovered a large bone protruding from the dirt, leading police to excavate the area.
Victims' relatives have long awaited the construction of a memorial dedicated to the women.
No one has been arrested in their deaths.

NAVAJO PRESIDENTIAL RACE
Applications for Navajo president's race due Wednesday
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — Navajos hoping to become the next tribal president have until the close of business Wednesday to submit applications.
Nearly a dozen people so far have filed paperwork and paid the $1,500 fee to enter the race.
The applicants include the current tribal president, a former chief justice, a former vice president, political newcomers and others who have held elected office on the Navajo Nation.
Election officials will spend the next two weeks vetting the applications. Candidates also can challenge each other's qualifications.
The top two vote-getters in the August primary will choose their running mates and face off in the Nov. 6 general election.

O'KEEFFE MUSEUM-CURATORS
Georgia O'Keeffe Museum gets fine arts curator
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum has a new curator of fine arts.
The Santa Fe-based museum announced the hiring of Ariel Plotek on Tuesday.?He served most recently as curator of modern and contemporary art at the San Diego Museum of Art, where he was responsible for numerous exhibitions and an expansive collection.
Plotek also has held a variety of museum and teaching positions at institutions that include the University of San Diego, Clemson University, New York University, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.
Plotek is the third curator hired by the O'Keeffe Museum this year.
With curators for digital experiences and interpretation, the recent hires are part of an initiative to weave more of O'Keeffe's life story into programming, community engagement and technology.

HUMAN TRAFFICKING-NEW MEXICO
Albuquerque police conduct internal probe of abuse case
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Albuquerque police have launched an internal investigation into the department's handling of a November 2017 encounter with the family of a 7-year-old girl now identified by authorities as a victim of abuse and sexual exploitation.
A police spokesman says Chief Michael Geier ordered the investigation Friday to seek a complete look at the steps taken or missed when officers interviewed the girl, her parents and school teacher.
The case sent a jolt through the state's child welfare system in recent weeks amid allegations the girl's father prostituted her, and forced her to sexually touch men and women in exchange for drugs and other items.
He's charged with human trafficking, criminal sexual contact of a minor and other crimes.
The mother is charged with child abuse and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

NAVAJO PRESIDENTIAL RACE
Applications for Navajo president's race due Wednesday
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — Navajos hoping to become the next tribal president have until the close of business Wednesday to submit applications.
Nearly a dozen people so far have filed paperwork and paid the $1,500 fee to enter the race.
The applicants include the current tribal president, a former chief justice, a former vice president, political newcomers and others who have held elected office on the Navajo Nation.
Election officials will spend the next two weeks vetting the applications. Candidates also can challenge each other's qualifications.
The top two vote-getters in the August primary will choose their running mates and face off in the Nov. 6 general election.

O'KEEFFE MUSEUM-CURATORS
Georgia O'Keeffe Museum gets fine arts curator
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum has a new curator of fine arts.
The Santa Fe-based museum announced the hiring of Ariel Plotek on Tuesday. He served most recently as curator of modern and contemporary art at the San Diego Museum of Art, where he was responsible for numerous exhibitions and an expansive collection.
Plotek also has held a variety of museum and teaching positions at institutions that include the University of San Diego, Clemson University, New York University, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.
Plotek is the third curator hired by the O'Keeffe Museum this year.
With curators for digital experiences and interpretation, the recent hires are part of an initiative to weave more of O'Keeffe's life story into programming, community engagement and technology.

TV-NETFLIX SERIES
Netflix series 'Messiah' to film around New Mexico
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A Netflix television series about the world's reaction to a man whose followers claim he is sent by God will film in New Mexico.
The 10-episode series, "Messiah," stars Michelle Monaghan and Medhi Dehbi.
The state Film Office announced Tuesday that New Mexico will serve as a double for an overseas location. More than 2,300 people in New Mexico are expected to be employed as crew members, actors and background talent.
Production begins in early June and runs through mid-August.
Albuquerque, Mountainair, Estancia, Belen, Santa Fe and Clines Corners will serve as filming locations.

NEW MEXICO PRIMARY-CONGRESS-THE LATEST
The Latest: Democrat Pat Davis ends congressional run
(Information from: Albuquerque Journal, http://www.abqjournal.com)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Congressional candidate Pat Davis is bowing out of the race for the Democratic nomination for the open seat based in Albuquerque and is throwing his support behind challenger Debra Haaland.
Davis made the announcement Tuesday in an email message to supporters.
He says he's putting aside his personal ambitions and asking undecided voters to unite behind Haaland. He described her as the progressive candidate with the best chance of winning.
Haaland is facing former U.S. Attorney Damon Martinez, former law professor Antoinette Sedillo Lopez, attorney Damian Lara and business consultant Paul Moya.
The winner of the Democratic primary will face Republican Janice Arnold Jones and Libertarian Lloyd Princeton in the November general election. The congressional seat is open because U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham of Albuquerque is running for governor.

TRIBAL GAMING REVENUE
Companies settle with state in dispute over tribal casinos
(Information from: The Santa Fe New Mexican, http://www.santafenewmexican.com)
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A company that supplied gaming devices to an Indian reservation in New Mexico while it was operating casinos in violation of federal law has agreed to a financial settlement with the state Gaming Control Board.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports a company that supplies cash-dispensing and counting machines to casinos also settled with the board as a result of its business with Pojoaque Pueblo.
Bally Gaming and Glory Global Solutions make a total of six companies that have resolved disputes with the Gaming Control Board over the use of their equipment by Pojoaque casinos while the casinos were operating without required agreements with the state.
A board spokesman says the settlements by Bally and Glory resolved the only remaining administrative and enforcement actions by the Gaming Control Board against the Pojoaque suppliers.
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GOVERNOR'S RACE-TAX RETURNS
2 of 4 New Mexico gubernatorial hopefuls provide tax returns
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Two of the four candidates for governor in New Mexico have provided their tax returns in response to a request from a newspaper.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that two Democrats — businessman Jeff Apodaca and state Sen. Joseph Cervantes — agreed to the newspaper's request to provide their tax returns.
But Democrat Michelle Lujan Grisham and Republican Steve Pearce declined to provide tax returns and instead offered the documents they file as members of Congress, which don't provide as much detail.
The newspaper asked each campaign to provide within one week personal income tax returns filed in 2017 and 2018.

WEEPING-VIRGIN MARY
Diocese of Las Cruces investigating 'weeping' Virgin Mary
HOBBS, N.M. (AP) — The Roman Catholic Diocese of Las Cruces is investigating reports that a bronze statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe at a southeastern New Mexico church is weeping.
The Hobbs News-Sun reports the investigation comes after alleged witness accounts of tears coming down the eyes of a bronze statue at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Hobbs, New Mexico.
The first occurrence was during the noon Mass earlier this month and then again last week. The first weeping garnered regional and national news as visitors from throughout New Mexico and Texas flocked to Hobbs for a visit. The building was filled with visitors by the time of Tuesday's second weeping.
Diocese Vice Chancellor Deacon Jim Winder says investigators will put together a report for Las Cruces Bishop Oscar Cantu.

GOVERNOR'S RACE-TAX RETURNS
2 of 4 New Mexico gubernatorial hopefuls provide tax returns
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Two of the four candidates for governor in New Mexico have provided their tax returns in response to a request from a newspaper.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that two Democrats — businessman Jeff Apodaca and state Sen. Joseph Cervantes — agreed to the newspaper's request to provide their tax returns.
But Democrat Michelle Lujan Grisham and Republican Steve Pearce declined to provide tax returns and instead offered the documents they file as members of Congress, which don't provide as much detail.
The newspaper asked each campaign to provide within one week personal income tax returns filed in 2017 and 2018.

WEEPING-VIRGIN MARY
Diocese of Las Cruces investigating 'weeping' Virgin Mary
HOBBS, N.M. (AP) — The Roman Catholic Diocese of Las Cruces is investigating reports that a bronze statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe at a southeastern New Mexico church is weeping.
The Hobbs News-Sun reports the investigation comes after alleged witness accounts of tears coming down the eyes of a bronze statue at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Hobbs, New Mexico.
The first occurrence was during the noon Mass earlier this month and then again last week. The first weeping garnered regional and national news as visitors from throughout New Mexico and Texas flocked to Hobbs for a visit. The building was filled with visitors by the time of Tuesday's second weeping.
Diocese Vice Chancellor Deacon Jim Winder says investigators will put together a report for Las Cruces Bishop Oscar Cantu.

NEW MEXICO PRIMARY-CONGRESS
Dem Congress hopeful returns money linked to husband's cases
(Information from: Albuquerque Journal, http://www.abqjournal.com)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A Democratic candidate in a tight race for an open Congressional seat in central New Mexico says she will return campaign contributions given to her by lawyers who had cases pending in the court of her husband, a state judge.
The Albuquerque Journal reports the campaign of Antoinette Sedillo Lopez said last week it will return $2,750 in campaign contributions given to her by seven lawyers. Those attorneys had cases pending before state District Judge Victor Lopez, her husband.
A spokesman for Sedillo Lopez's campaign, Jason Rodriguez, says she was unaware that the donors had cases before her husband at the time they made the contributions.
He says Sedillo Lopez decided to return the money immediately after the Journal raised the issue with the campaign Friday.
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VETERANS COURT-LAS CRUCES
Court program in Dona Ana County focuses on veterans
(Information from: Las Cruces Sun-News, http://www.lcsun-news.com)
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — A new court program has opened in Dona Ana County that focuses on the substance abuse and mental health issues facing military veterans who have been charged with non-violent crimes.
Las Cruces Sun-News reports that the first hearing in the 3rd Judicial District Court's Veterans Treatment Court program was held on Wednesday.
It's the first veterans court program in southern New Mexico
The judicial district already has other "problem-solving courts," such as a drug court for juveniles and adults that tries to help rehabilitate repeat offenders whose offenses are driven by substance abuse.
Veterans participating in the new program will be given individualized treatment and counseling programs that run an average of 14 months or longer.
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DOUBLE KILLING-VERDICT
Man convicted of murder in deaths of ex-wife, her boyfriend
(Information from: Alamogordo Daily News, http://www.alamogordonews.com)
ALAMOGORDO, N.M. (AP) — A man has been convicted in the 2015 deaths of his ex-wife and her boyfriend in Alamogordo.
The Alamogordo Daily News reports that Terrick L. Thompkins was found guilty on May 22 of murder in the deaths of 30-year-old Jessica R. Thompkins and 33-year-old Phillip "PJ" Banka.
Thompkins is expected to be sentenced later this year.
Jurors heard testimony that Terrick was upset over losing custody of his two children to his ex-wife.
Jessica Thompkins' 13-year-old son was struck by a bullet fragment during the shooting and survived the injury.
Defense attorney Gary Mitchel said Terrick, who is an Iraq and Afghanistan veteran, suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and was undergoing a PTSD episode on the evening of the shooting.
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NUCLEAR WASTE STORAGE
Albuquerque City Council oppose waste storage project
(Information from: Albuquerque Journal, http://www.abqjournal.com)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The Albuquerque City Council is opposing the transportation of radioactive waste by railway through the city for temporary storage in southeastern New Mexico.
The Albuquerque Journal reports that city councilors voted 4-3 to voice their opposition to storing spent fuel in a facility in Lea County, halfway between Carlsbad and Hobbs.
The vote was a reaction to a company's application for a license to store up to 100,000 tons of spent nuclear reactor fuel in a temporary in-ground storage facility.
Holtec International has applied for a 40-year license with Nuclear Regulatory Commission to store thousands of metric tons of nuclear waste at the site.
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BEAR ATTACK-NEW MEXICO
Food-seeking bear bites man in Gila National Forest
SILVER CITY, N.M. (AP) — Authorities say a man camping in the Gila National Forest in New Mexico was bitten by bear that was drawn to the area by food that was kept in his tent.
The bear ripped open the tent early Sunday morning in the southern portion of the forest.
The man was able to get to a vehicle and drive himself to an emergency room.
The extent of his injuries is unknown.
Officials say the bear hasn't yet been trapped.
Authorities have asked all campers in the area to leave.
Barriers have been put up on forest roads to prevent campers from driving into the area.

HELPING INMATES
Bernalillo County opens center for recently released inmates
(Information from: Albuquerque Journal, http://www.abqjournal.com)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico's largest county has opened a new re-entry center aimed at helping recently released inmates find access to temporary shelters, housing, food, medicine, and drug rehabilitation.
The Albuquerque Journal reports that the Bernalillo County's Resource Re-Entry Center opened Tuesday. The center will be open 24 hours a day for men and women.
County Manager Julie Morgas Baca said most of the agencies and programs that will have a presence at the center already exist throughout the city.
It replaces a system that operated for years — one in which inmates released from the Metropolitan Detention Center were dropped off at a street corner, day or night, in Downtown Albuquerque. County Commissioner Maggie Hart Stebbins said that was a dangerous way to operate, particularly for women.
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BEAR ATTACK-NEW MEXICO
Food-seeking bear bites man in Gila National Forest
SILVER CITY, N.M. (AP) — Authorities say a man camping in the Gila National Forest in New Mexico was bitten by bear that was drawn to the area by food that was kept in his tent.
The bear ripped open the tent early Sunday morning in the southern portion of the forest.
The man was able to get to a vehicle and drive himself to an emergency room.
The extent of his injuries is unknown.
Officials say the bear hasn't yet been trapped.
Authorities have asked all campers in the area to leave.
Barriers have been put up on forest roads to prevent campers from driving into the area.

VETERANS COURT-LAS CRUCES
Court program in Dona Ana County focuses on veterans
(Information from: Las Cruces Sun-News, http://www.lcsun-news.com)
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — A new court program has opened in Dona Ana County that focuses on the substance abuse and mental health issues facing military veterans who have been charged with non-violent crimes.
Las Cruces Sun-News reports that the first hearing in the 3rd Judicial District Court's Veterans Treatment Court program was held on Wednesday.
It's the first veterans court program in southern New Mexico
The judicial district already has other "problem-solving courts," such as a drug court for juveniles and adults that tries to help rehabilitate repeat offenders whose offenses are driven by substance abuse.
Veterans participating in the new program will be given individualized treatment and counseling programs that run an average of 14 months or longer.
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DOUBLE KILLING-VERDICT
Man convicted of murder in deaths of ex-wife, her boyfriend
(Information from: Alamogordo Daily News, http://www.alamogordonews.com)
ALAMOGORDO, N.M. (AP) — A man has been convicted in the 2015 deaths of his ex-wife and her boyfriend in Alamogordo.
The Alamogordo Daily News reports that Terrick L. Thompkins was found guilty on May 22 of murder in the deaths of 30-year-old Jessica R. Thompkins and 33-year-old Phillip "PJ" Banka.
Thompkins is expected to be sentenced later this year.
Jurors heard testimony that Terrick was upset over losing custody of his two children to his ex-wife.
Jessica Thompkins' 13-year-old son was struck by a bullet fragment during the shooting and survived the injury.
Defense attorney Gary Mitchel said Terrick, who is an Iraq and Afghanistan veteran, suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and was undergoing a PTSD episode on the evening of the shooting.
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NUCLEAR WASTE STORAGE
Albuquerque City Council oppose waste storage project
(Information from: Albuquerque Journal, http://www.abqjournal.com)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The Albuquerque City Council is opposing the transportation of radioactive waste by railway through the city for temporary storage in southeastern New Mexico.
The Albuquerque Journal reports that city councilors voted 4-3 to voice their opposition to storing spent fuel in a facility in Lea County, halfway between Carlsbad and Hobbs.
The vote was a reaction to a company's application for a license to store up to 100,000 tons of spent nuclear reactor fuel in a temporary in-ground storage facility.
Holtec International has applied for a 40-year license with Nuclear Regulatory Commission to store thousands of metric tons of nuclear waste at the site.
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HELPING INMATES
Bernalillo County opens center for recently released inmates
(Information from: Albuquerque Journal, http://www.abqjournal.com)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico's largest county has opened a new re-entry center aimed at helping recently released inmates find access to temporary shelters, housing, food, medicine, and drug rehabilitation.
The Albuquerque Journal reports that the Bernalillo County's Resource Re-Entry Center opened Tuesday. The center will be open 24 hours a day for men and women.
County Manager Julie Morgas Baca said most of the agencies and programs that will have a presence at the center already exist throughout the city.
It replaces a system that operated for years — one in which inmates released from the Metropolitan Detention Center were dropped off at a street corner, day or night, in Downtown Albuquerque. County Commissioner Maggie Hart Stebbins said that was a dangerous way to operate, particularly for women.
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ROUNDHOUSE-OUTSIDE GROUPS
New Mexico lawmakers mull outsiders' access to Roundhouse
(Information from: Albuquerque Journal, http://www.abqjournal.com)
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico legislators are considering a review of policy when it comes to outside groups using the statehouse chambers.
Democratic House Speaker Brian Egolf, of Santa Fe, told the Albuquerque Journal he is questioning whether other groups should be permitted to occupy the Roundhouse.
Egolf says other lawmakers are concerned that hate groups could request use of legislative space.
New Mexico's House and Senate Chambers are used by lawmakers during the session, which ranges from 30 days to 60 days.
Legislators revised a policy in 2012 that would allow outside groups use for educational events but with permission.
Under the policy, no commercial or political events can occur unless organizers get approval from the Legislative Council.
Democratic Sen. Cisco McSorley, of Albuquerque, says restricting access goes against free speech.
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STATELINE FIRE EVACUATION
Evacuation lifted for fire at New Mexico, Colorado border
SAN JUAN COUNTY, N.M. (AP) — Fifteen people were allowed to return to their homes near the New Mexico and Colorado border after being evacuated during a fire.
Officials said Sunday that the evacuation was lifted and the blaze was 40 percent contained. Crews are using both ground and air equipment to get the fire under control.
The lightning-caused fire broke out Friday in San Juan County about five miles south of the state line and west of Navajo Lake State Park near Highway 511.
The Colorado Department of Transportation says the CO172 highway is restricted to southbound traffic at the state line due to the fire.
KRQE reported that firefighting crews from both states were on scene. The station said they're using the Cottonwood Day Use area at Navajo Lake State Park for housing.

WEEPING-VIRGIN MARY
Visitors travel to church to witness weeping statue
(Information from: Hobbs News-Sun, http://www.hobbsnews.com)
HOBBS, N.M. (AP) — A Virgin Mary statue at a Hispanic Catholic church in southeastern New Mexico is drawing visitors from around the region because believers say it appears tears are flowing from the statue's face.
The Hobbs News-Sun reports visitors of the bronze statue located inside the auxiliary building of Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church said Tuesday the statue wept, like it did for several hours last Sunday.
Judy Ronquillo, who was in the building Tuesday when it took place, says the statue began crying as the group inside the church finished a Rosary.
Laura Cisneros, who was with her family at the Sunday Mass when the statue began crying, was also present Tuesday. She says it was "amazing."
Ronquillo says Tuesday's visitors came from throughout southeastern New Mexico and west Texas, as far as San Antonio and El Paso.
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PRISON RACKETEERING
5 prison gang members found guilty of federal racketeering
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Five members of a New Mexico prison gang have been found guilty of federal racketeering charges involving violent crimes including murder.
The U.S. attorney's office in New Mexico says a Las Cruces jury on Friday acquitted two other defendants of racketeering offenses.
Prosecutors say Edward Troup, Billy Garcia, Arturo Arnulfo Garcia and brothers Andrew Gallegos and Joe Lawrence Gallegos killed four men, including three inmates in 2001, to boost their status in the Syndicato de Nuevo Mexico Prison Gang.  The fourth victim was slain in 2012.
They all face a maximum sentence of life in prison.
They will remain in custody until their sentencing hearings, which have not been scheduled.
The racketeering involved 23 other co-defendants. Seventeen have since pleaded guilty. Three have been convicted and a fourth was acquitted.

NEW MEXICO WILDFIRES
Wildfire in Gila National Forest grows in size
RESERVE, N.M. (AP) — Officials from Gila National Forest say a wildfire has grown nearly 3,000 acres in size.
Incident management authorities say some of the fire's growth on Saturday was due to burnout operations aimed at keeping it from spreading. Crews were able to conduct burnout operations and proactively scout out the area when high winds held off until later in the day.
The blaze was 10 percent contained as of Sunday morning. Fire conditions are still extreme, with high temperatures and low humidity.
The fire started on Tuesday, and the cause is still under investigation.
More than 500 firefighters and other personnel are assigned to the fire, which is located northeast of Eagle Peak Lookout.
The area around the fire is closed, and the Continental Divide Trail has been rerouted.

BEAR WARNING
State game agency: Bears on the move as they look for food
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The New Mexico Game and Fish Department says drought conditions may prompt more encounters between bears and humans.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that a lack of green growth that provides food for bears means they may move around more, resulting in so-called "conflict activity."
The department on Friday warned campers of increased bear activity in the Jemez (HAY'mehs) Mountains, including multiple sightings of bear cubs.
Meanwhile, department bear and cougar biologist Rick Winslow says there have been other bear-related reports in other areas of the state, including killings of chickens in Placitas and Raton.

DROPOUT-JUDICIAL CANDIDATE
Dropout gets diploma and now he's running for judgeship
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Jerry Gonzales finally got a high school diploma this year, and now he's running to be a magistrate judge for Santa Fe County.
The Albuquerque Journal reports that the 44-year-old Gonzales dropped out of high school in 1991 midway through his senior year and took online classes to get his diploma in February.
Santa Fe County is among the New Mexico counties that require magistrate judges have a high school diploma or an equivalent, but Gonzales says he began taking classes last year to get a diploma because it was a missing part of his life.
Gonzales says he didn't have his priorities straight when he dropped out of high school before becoming a licensed bondsman at age 18.
Gonzales will face incumbent David Segura in the June 5 Democratic primary.

WILDFIRE - NEW MEXICO
Wildfire in San Juan County forces evacuation of 15 people
AZTEC, N.M. (AP) — San Juan County authorities say a wildfire near Navajo Lake in northwestern New Mexico burned 180 acres (73 hectares) and forced the evacuation of approximately 15 people before firefighters encircled it Friday night.
County spokeswoman Susan Hakanson said there were no immediate reports of structures being lost due to the fire that was reported Friday afternoon after apparently being started by lightning.
Multiple agencies sent crews to battle the fire and Hakanson says it was reported to be "surrounded" by Friday night.

NEW MEXICO PRIMARY-GOVERNOR-CONSULTING FIRM
Lujan Grisham criticized for past ties to health care firm
(Information from: Albuquerque Journal, http://www.abqjournal.com)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The past ties of one of New Mexico's Democratic gubernatorial candidates to a consulting company that repeatedly landed contracts to help run a state high-risk insurance pool are drawing criticism from her opponents.
U.S. Congresswoman Michelle Lujan Grisham and her campaign treasurer, state Rep. Deborah Armstrong, co-founded Delta Consulting in 2008.
The Albuquerque Journal reports that Lujan Grisham divested herself from the company last year but Armstrong is still an owner.
Democratic challenger Jeff Apodaca accused Lujan Grisham and Armstrong during a recent debate of enriching themselves off the contract.
Lujan Grisham called the claims ludicrous.
Delta Consulting has made hefty campaign contributions to Lujan Grisham and Armstrong. Lujan Grisham reported receiving from the company $11,000 — the maximum allowed for the 2018 election cycle — for her gubernatorial bid.
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DROPOUT-JUDICIAL CANDIDATE
Dropout gets diploma and now he's running for judgeship
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Jerry Gonzales finally got a high school diploma this year, and now he's running to be a magistrate judge for Santa Fe County.
The Albuquerque Journal reports that the 44-year-old Gonzales dropped out of high school in 1991 midway through his senior year and took online classes to get his diploma in February.
Santa Fe County is among New Mexico counties that require magistrate judges to have a high school diploma or an equivalent, but Gonzales says he began taking classes last year to get a diploma because it was a missing part of his life.
Gonzales says didn't have his priorities straight when he dropped out of high school before becoming a licensed bondsman at age 18.
Gonzales will face incumbent David Segura in the June 5 Democratic primary.

WILDFIRE FEARS-FOREST CLOSURES
No rain in sight: Fire fears force land closures in Arizona
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — Many part of the West are dealing with drought.
But nowhere else has more state and federal land been closed to recreation than in Arizona ahead of the Memorial Day holiday.
With little snowpack and precipitation, conditions are ripe for massive wildfires.
The partial closures in a handful of Arizona's national forests represent a small percentage of the land overall. But they're putting a damper on camping, hiking, fishing and mountain biking in popular recreation areas.
The general guidance for tourists is to check ahead of time to see what's open and whether campfires are allowed.
The closures will be in place until the state gets a good amount of rain.

PRISON RACKETEERING
5 prison gang members found guilty of federal racketeering
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Five members of a New Mexico prison gang have been found guilty of federal racketeering charges involving violent crimes including murder.
The U.S. attorney's office in New Mexico says a Las Cruces jury on Friday acquitted two other defendants of racketeering offenses.
Prosecutors say Edward Troup, Billy Garcia, Arturo Arnulfo Garcia and brothers Andrew Gallegos and Joe Lawrence Gallegos killed four men, including three inmates in 2001, to boost their status in the Syndicato de Nuevo Mexico Prison Gang.  The fourth victim was slain in 2012.
They all face a maximum sentence of life in prison.
They will remain in custody until their sentencing hearings, which have not been scheduled.
The racketeering involved 23 other co-defendants. Seventeen have since pleaded guilty. Three have been convicted and a fourth was acquitted.

NUKE REPOSITORY-EVACUATION
Misaligned drum prompts brief evacuation at nuke repository
CARLSBAD, N.M. (AP) — The U.S. government's only underground nuclear waste repository was briefly evacuated after a drum of waste was found to be misaligned inside its packaging.
The contractor that runs the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in southern New Mexico activated its emergency operations center after the discovery was made Thursday night.
The Carlsbad Current Argus reported that officials determined conditions were stable and no radiation was released. The emergency operations center was deactivated three hours later.
Shipments to the repository resumed in 2017 following a nearly three-year closure that stemmed from a radiation release by a container of waste that was improperly treated at Los Alamos National Laboratory before being shipped to the repository.
That previous incident highlighted safety and security concerns at both the lab and repository and resulted in a costly recovery.

NEW MEXICO PRIMARY-GOVERNOR-EDUCATION
Education, poverty define agenda in New Mexico governor race
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico's next governor will inherit simmering discontent over teacher pay and evaluations, calls to expand early childhood schooling and a lawsuit that may put the judiciary in charge of pivotal education funding decisions.
Three Democratic candidates hope to rally voters around competing plans to broaden early childhood education programs, as they vie against a sole Republican contender.
All the candidates see educational improvement as a lynchpin for addressing grinding poverty in a state with the nation's second-highest unemployment rate.
Their election-year proposals for addressing rock-bottom math proficiency and literacy rankings range from lengthening the school year to providing art and music instruction in every school.
New Mexico's public schools depend heavily on state funding and with the oil sector booming again, a surge in tax revenues and royalties could help translate campaign pledges into reality.

THUNDERBIRDS AERIAL SHOW
US Air Force Thunderbirds to perform at Clovis-area air show
(Information from: The Eastern New Mexico News, http://www.easternnewmexiconews.com)
CLOVIS, N.M. (AP) — The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds have landed in the Clovis area ahead of a biennial air show on the eastern New Mexico air force base.
The Eastern New Mexico News reports the U.S. Air Force's official air demonstration team will be one of the many attractions featured in the "Air Commandos on the High Plains" weekend event at the Cannon Air Force Base.
The team arrived to the base on Thursday after a performance in Colorado.
A statement from the base says the team includes 120 enlisted personnel, 24 maintenance specialists and a few civilian coordinators; yet at its core are 12 officers.
Other performers include the Royal Canadian Air Force F-18 Demo team and SOCOM Para-Commandos jump team.
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ABANDONED DOGS DEAD-SENTENCE
Owner of 6 dogs found dead in Albuquerque gets jail sentence
(Information from: Albuquerque Journal, http://www.abqjournal.com)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A woman whose six dogs were found abandoned and dead inside an SUV in northeast Albuquerque last month has pleaded guilty to multiple counts of animal-related offenses.
The Albuquerque Journal reports that 55-year-old Annette Rosenow appeared Thursday in Torrance County Magistrate Court.
She was sentenced to 23 days in jail and ordered to pay more than $700 in fees for charges of failing to properly register her animals and selling dogs without a permit.
Rosenow reportedly hired a couple to transport 11 of her dogs to her new home in Texas after she was evicted from her rented home in Estancia, New Mexico.
Authorities say six of the animals were found dead in a locked SUV and the other five dogs were unharmed and dropped off at a veterinary clinic.
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ALBUQUERQUE-DOUBLE HOMICIDE-THE LATEST
The Latest: Colorado deputies wound New Mexico suspect
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A suspect in a double homicide in New Mexico who was later shot and critically wounded by officers in Colorado has been identified as 31-year-old Dustin Brian Montano.
Authorities say Montano is hospitalized in critical condition after he was shot Thursday morning outside a Walmart in Fort Morgan, a small city on Colorado's Eastern Plains about 500 miles (805 kilometers) north of Albuquerque.
Fort Morgan police say they were told Montano might be in the area and his car, which was stolen, was found in the store's parking lot. They say Morgan County Sheriff Jim Crone and Undersheriff Dave Martin confronted him when he came out of the store and opened fire after he made a "threatening gesture."
Fort Morgan authorities say Albuquerque police confirmed Montano is a suspect in the killings there.
Officials say Montano is from Sterling, Colorado, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) northeast of Fort Morgan.

NEW MEXICO PRIMARY-GOVERNOR
Democratic candidate for governor wants pay for lawmakers
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jeff Apodaca says he wants New Mexico lawmakers to become paid politicians to help eliminate financial conflicts of interest between their legislative duties and outside careers.
Apodaca said Thursday that he supports reforms to provide state legislators with a full-time salary and lengthen legislative sessions that currently last 60 days or less.
Limited safeguards against self-enrichment in the nation's only unsalaried legislature are under scrutiny in the wake of a corruption trial against a former state Sen. Phil Griego.
Apodaca is calling attention to state contracts for a high-risk insurance pool that went to a consulting company co-founded by primary election opponent Michelle Lujan Grisham and her campaign treasure, state Rep. Deborah Armstrong. Lujan Grisham, a U.S. congresswoman, says she divested from Delta Consulting last year.

LAWMAKER-DRUNKEN DRIVING
State lawmaker's comments during DWI arrest to be reviewed
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The New Mexico Attorney General's Office says it will review a drunken-driving case involving state Rep. Monica Youngblood to see whether the 41-year-old Albuquerque Republican inappropriately tried to use her legislative position to influence police.
Youngblood was arrested early Sunday on suspicion of aggravated DWI at an Albuquerque checkpoint where she complied with a field sobriety test but refused a blood-alcohol test.
Police video released Tuesday recorded Youngblood mentioning her legislative work several times at the checkpoint, and the Attorney General's Office said Wednesday it would review the matter.
Youngblood defense attorney Paul John Kennedy did not immediately return a call Thursday from The Associated Press for comment.
Youngblood on Sunday said in a statement that she regretted the situation, particularly her decision not to take the blood-alcohol test.

POWER PLANT-POLLUTION
Environmentalists take aim at power plant's discharge permit
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Environmental groups say a coal-fired power plant in northwestern New Mexico that provides electricity to Arizona customers has been operating under a water discharge permit that should have been updated years ago.
The groups say any failure to meet pollution control requirements could affect the Navajo Nation and other areas downstream from the Four Corners Power Plant.
They have taken their case to a federal appeals court in hopes of forcing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to take action on a permit renewal application that was initially filed in 2006.
An agency spokeswoman did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
Arizona Public Service Co., the plant's majority owner, says it is meeting water quality regulations and no violations have been found during inspections by the Environmental Protection Agency.

CURRY COUNTY-JAIL PROJECT
Eastern New Mexico county begins work on jail renovations
(Information from: The Eastern New Mexico News, http://www.easternnewmexiconews.com)
CLOVIS, N.M. (AP) — Officials in eastern New Mexico have broken ground on a project aimed at expanding and renovating a county jail that has had its share of problems.
Talk of upgrading the Curry County Adult Detention Center first started in 2008 after a string of inmate escapes. The lack of funding stalled the effort until commissioners voted in 2014 to raise taxes to pay for the project.
The Eastern New Mexico News reports that the increase in gross receipts taxes by one-quarter percent will generate $14 million for the detention center and the county's new administration offices.
The detention center project includes new housing and medical units, recreation yards, video visitation areas and other improvements.
The work is expected to be done by October 2019.
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CRIMINAL JUSTICE AUDIT
New Mexico auditor plans review of criminal justice agencies
(Information from: Albuquerque Journal, http://www.abqjournal.com)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The New Mexico auditor is planning to launch a review of Albuquerque-area criminal justice agencies to examine their internal processes.
The Albuquerque Journal reports State Auditor Wayne Johnson announced plans Wednesday to audit seven agencies to identify the issues that cause the system to sometimes fail.
The audit will include Albuquerque-area law enforcement agencies, the district attorney's office, the public defender's office, courts and jail.
Johnson says the review will be a systems analysis, which will examine how the agencies operate within the broader justice system.
He says the agencies don't appear to communicate well among each other and tracking cases can be difficult as an offender may be issued different case numbers at every step.
He says the audit should take about five to six months to complete.
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CARLSBAD CAVERNS-ELEVATORS
Carlsbad Caverns: More time needed for elevator repairs
CARLSBAD, N.M. (AP) — The primary elevators at Carlsbad Caverns National Park will not be working by Memorial Day despite plans to have renovations done ahead of the holiday weekend.
Park officials said Wednesday that completion of the work has been pushed back to June 15. The contractor was working 10-hour days, seven days a week in an effort to finish by May 25 but more time was needed.
The primary elevator system was originally installed in 1955 and went out of service in November 2015 when a motor shaft sheared off. Work to repair and modernize the elevators began last December.
Republican Congressman and gubernatorial candidate Steve Pearce says he's disappointed in the continued delay given the park's role in drawing visitors to southeastern New Mexico.

CURRY COUNTY-JAIL PROJECT
Eastern New Mexico county begins work on jail renovations
(Information from: The Eastern New Mexico News, http://www.easternnewmexiconews.com)
CLOVIS, N.M. (AP) — Officials in eastern New Mexico have broken ground on a project aimed at expanding and renovating a county jail that has had its share of problems.
Talk of upgrading the Curry County Adult Detention Center first started in 2008 after a string of inmate escapes. The lack of funding stalled the effort until commissioners voted in 2014 to raise taxes to pay for the project.
The Eastern New Mexico News reports that the increase in gross receipts taxes by one-quarter percent will generate $14 million for the detention center and the county's new administration offices.
The detention center project includes new housing and medical units, recreation yards, video visitation areas and other improvements.
The work is expected to be done by October 2019.
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DRY SOUTHWEST-THE LATEST
The Latest: US Southwest victim of dryness, rising temps
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — National weather and wildfire experts say the American Southwest is one of the regions hardest hit by drought as many areas have received just a fraction of their normal precipitation while temperatures have climbed.
Climatologist Brian Fuchs with National Drought Mitigation Center painted a grim picture Wednesday as he used a series of maps to depict the dryness that has consumed the Four Corners region — where Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah meet.
Fuchs says some areas in the four states are seeing near-record to record dryness. He explained that some spots have missed out on more than 12 inches of precipitation over the last two years.
Fuchs also shared photos of empty watering holes, dead wildlife and dry roadsides, saying reports of the effects are starting to make headlines. He described the conditions as alarming.

NMSU-LEADERSHIP PAY
NMSU regents adopt contract terms for new leadership
(Information from: Las Cruces Sun-News, http://www.lcsun-news.com)
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — Two incoming leaders at New Mexico State University will earn more under contract terms adopted by regents.
The Las Cruces Sun-News reports Chancellor-designate Dan Arvizu will earn $500,000 per year in base pay. Incoming President John Floros will earn $450,000 annually.
The total earnings of $950,000 represent a more than 150 percent increase in pay over outgoing chancellor/president Garrey Carruthers' salary.
Board of Regents Chair Debra Hicks says the university plans to pay for the salary increase through savings resulting from administrative retirements. Regents also have a plan to set aside money through an investment strategy.
In announcing the pay rates, regents say the university needs the right talent to solve big challenges, such as a 22 percent overall decline in enrollment since 2013, the changing needs of students and online competition.
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CARLSBAD CAVERNS-ELEVATORS
Carlsbad Caverns: More time needed for elevator repairs
CARLSBAD, N.M. (AP) — The primary elevators at Carlsbad Caverns National Park will not be working by Memorial Day despite plans to have renovations done ahead of the holiday weekend.
Park officials said Wednesday that completion of the work has been pushed back to June 15. The contractor was working 10-hour days, seven days a week in an effort to finish by May 25 but more time was needed.
The primary elevator system was originally installed in 1955 and went out of service in November 2015 when a motor shaft sheared off. Work to repair and modernize the elevators began last December.
Republican Congressman and gubernatorial candidate Steve Pearce says he's disappointed in the continued delay given the park's role in drawing visitors to southeastern New Mexico.

TEXAS-NEW MEXICO WATER FIGHT
New Mexico files counterclaims in water fight with Texas
ALBUQUERUQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico is accusing Texas of mismanaging its share of water from the Rio Grande and failing to plan for drought.
The claims were leveled in court documents filed late Tuesday as the states wrangle over management of the river.
Texas took its case to the U.S. Supreme Court in 2013 in response to a legal challenge by former New Mexico Attorney General Gary King.
Current Attorney General Hector Balderas says he's ready to move ahead with his own legal strategy, saying Texas and the federal government also bear responsibility to ensure the region has a sustainable water future.
New Mexico says it is meeting water delivery requirements. Texas wants the state to stop pumping groundwater along the southern border, arguing that the pumping depletes the aquifer that would otherwise drain back into the river and flow south.

BORDER AGENCY-MISCONDUCT ALLEGATIONS
ACLU: Misconduct claims by children are widespread at border
SAN DIEGO (AP) — The American Civil Liberties Union has released documents detailing widespread allegations of misconduct by U.S. border authorities toward children, including kicking one in the ribs, denying medical attention to a pregnant teen who complained of pain and threatening others with sexual abuse.
Its report published Wednesday said it is based on 30,000 pages of government documents in response to Freedom of Information Act requests and a subsequent lawsuit. The allegations date from 2009 to 2014 and, according to its authors, number in the hundreds.
Customs and Border Protection said the misconduct claims are "unfounded and baseless" and that the Homeland Security Department's internal watchdog did not find any misconduct in its review.
The report's authors say the quantity and consistency of the allegations indicate a level of truth.

FOREST CLOSURES-ARIZONA-THE LATEST
The Latest: Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests close 4 areas
(Information from: Arizona Daily Sun, http://www.azdailysun.com/)
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests officials say four areas in the two jointly-administered forests in eastern Arizona are now closed to the public because of elevated wildfire conditions.
The largest area closed Wednesday lies south of State Route 260 and extends from near Forest Lakes on the west to near Show Low on the east.
Other closures include Promontory Butte in the Black Mesa Ranger District, an area called Pole Knoll in the Springerville Ranger District and an area southwest of Nutrioso and Alpine in the Alpine Ranger District.
The forests' announcement of the temporary closures doesn't specify the size of the closures.
Other areas in the Apache-Sitgreaves forests remain under elevated fire restrictions.
The Coconino, Kaibab and Tonto national forests also have implemented partial closures.

NUCLEAR WASTE STORAGE
Nuclear waste storage project in New Mexico draws criticism
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Critics say the risks are too great in the plan to temporarily store tons of spent fuel from U.S. commercial nuclear reactors in southeastern New Mexico.
Dozens of people voiced opposition during a meeting with federal regulators Tuesday in Albuquerque on the proposal by Holtec International to build the facility in Lea County.
Opponents of the project expressed concern about the safety of transporting the fuel across the country as well as the project's effects on the environment.
Holtec officials say they have confidence in the technology involved in transporting and storing the spent nuclear fuel.
Holtec is seeking a 40-year license for the facility from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
The Albuquerque meeting was the fifth held in recent weeks at locations across the state.

ALBUQUERQUE-FLASH FLOODING
Albuquerque storm sweeps away 6 in arroyos; 1death reported
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Authorities say one person is dead in Albuquerque after a thunderstorm dropped rain and hail, flooding arroyos and sweeping away six people in New Mexico's most populous city.
The Fire Department says a woman whose identity was not released apparently was the only person killed by the flash flooding Monday from a storm that ended Albuquerque's 54-day dry streak.
The other people swept away were rescued. Firefighters used a ladder to rescue three people from an arroyo near Interstate 40.
Fire Lt. Tom Ruiz says the people who were swept away were apparently already in arroyos when the storm hit and that they didn't have time to get out before being swept away.
The Fire Department stationed trucks and personnel at multiple locations to respond to emergency calls.

DRY SOUTHWEST
Drought on tap to intensify over US Southwest
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Rivers are drying up, popular mountain recreation spots are closing and water restrictions are in full swing as a persistent drought intensifies its grip on pockets of the American Southwest.
Climatologists and other experts are scheduled Wednesday to provide an update on the situation in the Four Corners region — where Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah meet.
The area is dealing with the worst category of drought.
The head of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation also resumed pressure this week on states in the Southwest to wrap up long-delayed emergency plans for potential shortages on the Colorado River, which serves 40 million people in the U.S. and Mexico.
In New Mexico, stretches of the Rio Grande have gone dry.

NAVAJO PRESIDENTIAL RACE
Navajo presidential race draws several candidates so far
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — Navajo President Russell Begaye has joined a handful of others in submitting paperwork for the tribe's top elected post.
Begaye filed late Tuesday but says he's not made a final decision to enter the presidential race.
The race typically is crowded with candidates touting plans to improve the economy, infrastructure and roads, and focus on veterans and the youth.
Emily Ellison, Nicholas Taylor and tribal lawmaker Tom Chee were the first to file.
Ellison works for the University of New Mexico in Gallup. Taylor is an investment adviser from Klagetoh, Arizona.
Former Chief Justice Tom Tso and former vice presidential candidate Dineh Benally also are seeking the post.
The deadline to file is May 30.
The top two vote-getters in the Aug. 28 primary advance to the Nov. 6 general election.

LAWMAKER-DRUNKEN DRIVING
Video: Officer tells lawmaker he can smell alcohol
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico state lawmaker insists in video released by police that she hasn't consumed alcohol, but the officer who stops her says he can smell it.
Police on Tuesday released lapel video of the arrest of Republican Rep. Monica Youngblood of Albuquerque on aggravated drunken driving charge. She was detained early Sunday at a DWI checkpoint.
In the video, Youngblood complies with the officer's requests to balance on one leg and count forward and backward. She declines a breathalyzer test.
When the officer asks her education level, she tells him she has a high school diploma and real estate license. She also says she's a state lawmaker.
Later, she says she fights for police every chance she gets.
Police say Youngblood performed badly on a field sobriety test.

CHACO CANYON-DRILLING-THE LATEST
The Latest: Senators: Buffer needed near Chaco national park
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Two U.S. senators say the area surrounding Chaco Culture National Historical Park represents the "cultural heart" of Native American tribes from around the Southwest and should be protected from encroaching oil and gas development.
Democrats Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich of New Mexico announced legislation Tuesday to withdraw nearly 500 square miles (1,295 square kilometers) of federal land from the mineral leasing rolls.
The measure would effectively make permanent a 10-mile buffer the Bureau of Land Management has imposed around Chaco park for years.
While the fate of the bill is uncertain, Udall says supporters also plan to ask the Trump administration to withdraw the land through administrative action.
Oil and gas interests say federal law already requires extensive environmental and cultural reviews and that operators have been able to drill and protect cultural treasures in the San Juan Basin.

CARSON FOREST-FIRE RULES
Dry conditions force fire rules on Carson National Forest
(Information from: The Santa Fe New Mexican, http://www.santafenewmexican.com)
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Carson National Forest officials have implemented harsher fire-prevention restrictions ahead of Memorial Day weekend.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports the Stage II rules, which take effect at 8 a.m. Wednesday, prohibit forest visitors from lighting or attending campfires, limit smoking to enclosed vehicles or buildings, and ban the use of fireworks.
The restrictions come as conditions throughout the region remain dry.
U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Denise Ottaviano says the forest is in "very high fire danger."
The federal agency says the restrictions "will remain in effect across the forest until conditions allow forest officials to change or lift" them.
Violating the restrictions is punishable by fines of up to $5,000 for an individual or $10,000 for an organization. A violator also can be sentenced to up to six months in jail.
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NEW MEXICO LIBRARY SHOOTING
Teen charged in deadly library shooting undergoes treatment
(Information from: The Eastern New Mexico News, http://www.easternnewmexiconews.com)
CLOVIS, N.M. (AP) — The teenager charged in the Clovis library shooting is receiving mental health evaluations and therapy as attorneys prepare for his trial next year.
The Eastern New Mexico News reports 17-year-old Nathaniel Jouett had a few "behavioral outbursts" while in custody as treatment continues.
Prosecutor Brian Stover told that court at a status conference Monday that the outbursts were anticipated and they're being managed.
Defense attorney Stephen Taylor says it is not clear yet if the trial date will need to be altered.
Jouett is accused of killing two people and injuring four at the Clovis-Carver Public Library in late August.
The Associated Press generally does not identify juveniles accused of crimes. It is identifying Jouett, however, because of the seriousness of the crime and because authorities are seeking adult sanctions.
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AZTEC-BUDGET CRUNCH
City of Aztec facing budget crunch, spend cuts urged
(Information from: The Daily Times, http://www.daily-times.com)
AZTEC, N.M. (AP) — A northwestern New Mexico city is facing such a budget crunch it may end the fiscal year with only a few thousand dollars.
The Daily Times in Farmington, New Mexico, reports Aztec finance director Kathy Lamb said last week the city could end fiscal year 2019 with just $4,000 in its general fund if does not cut spending.
The Aztec City Commission may approve a preliminary budget of $26.5 million — about $7.3 million coming from the general fund — when it meets Tuesday.
The dire fiscal outlook has commissioners working to triage scheduled community improvement projects.
Projects, including the North Main Avenue extension project, may be delayed amid the budget crunch.
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