VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW MEXICO
Demand surges for absentee ballots across New Mexcio
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Voters across New Mexico have submitted nearly 250,000 absentee ballot requests with especially strong demand among Democrats for alternatives to in-person voting amid the pandemic. State election regulators on Thursday also said initial vote tallies could extend beyond Election Day if voters wait until late in the cycle to mail or hand deliver ballots. Fewer than 8,000 absentee ballots were cast statewide in the 2016 presidential election. In other pandemic developments, the governor cited a slight increase in the rate of spread for COVID-19 statewide and more substantially signs of spread in areas including Albuquerque and Sandoval County.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-CHILD CARE
New Mexico subsidies keep child care afloat despite virus
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Child care providers say a government agency formed in July has helped them stay afloat despite the coronavirus pandemic. The Early Childhood Education and Care Department recently expanded child care subsidies to groups left behind under previous rules, such as remote workers and students. This week, eligibility for child care assistance was extended to graduate students. Co-payments also have been waived for months now. Providers and parents say elevating the new agency to a cabinet-level department has led to better communication and more efficiency, resulting in improved services for children.

INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER CASE-PLEA
Arizona man pleads guilty to involuntary manslaughter charge
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Federal prosecutors say an Arizona man has pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in connection with a car crash in New Mexico and is facing a federal prison sentence. They say 28-year-old Maroquez Clah of Red Valley entered his plea Monday in U.S. District Court in Albuquerque. Clah remains on release pending a sentencing hearing that hasn't been scheduled yet. Prosecutors say Clah is facing a prison term of up to eight years followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court. Clah was arrested on Feb. 14 on an indictment charging him with involuntary manslaughter. Prosecutors say Clah was driving under the influence of alcohol and was involved in a crash that killed another man. 

UNEMPLOYED MINE WORKER EXPO
Silver City expo for mine employees out of work by pandemic
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Western New Mexico University and Chino Mine's parent company are co-hosting an expo next week to help mine employees put out of work by the coronavirus pandemic. The Silver City community's first drive-through training expo is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon. Officials with Freeport-McMoRan and the university say advisers will provide services and give personal consultations to mine employees and contractors. The university is waiving application fees for all expo attendees and expediting the admission application process during the two-hour event. Western New Mexico's mining industry has been hit hard by the economic downturn.  

VIRUS OUTBREAK-PRIVATE SCHOOLS
Push to reopen private schools arrives in federal court
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A federal judge is weighing whether pandemic-related occupancy limits for private schools in New Mexico violate constitutional rights to equal protection and freedom of assembly. A federal judge heard preliminary arguments Wednesday without ruling in a case being closely watched by educators and the Trump administration. The lawsuit by the father of a 7th-grader at a prep school in Albuquerque says the state is violating the U.S. Constitution by setting more stringent limits at private schools regarding in-person instruction. President Donald Trump has threatened to divert federal funding away from public schools that decline to reopen.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW MEXICO
3 states added to New Mexico's high risk list
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Travelers arriving in or returning to New Mexico from Colorado, Oregon and Rhode Island will be required to quarantine for 14 days in a bid to manage the spread of the coronavirus. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham added those three states to New Mexico's list of "high risk" states on Wednesday based on coronavirus positivity rates and per capita infections.  In all, there are 39 states on New Mexico's list of high risk states. People who can show documentation of a valid negative COVID-19 test taken within the 72 hours before or after entry into New Mexico from another state are exempt from the quarantine requirement.

RACIAL INJUSTICE-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico governor wants longer Census count if Biden wins
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham says that states may push for a special census enrollment period next year if President Donald Trump leaves the White House. The comments came at a recent meeting of the governor's advisory council on racial injustice. A new council meeting was scheduled Wednesday. A federal judge is weighing whether the 2020 Census count will end early on Sept. 30 or continue through the original Oct. 31 deadline. A coalition of cities and civil rights groups argues that ending the census early will lead to an inaccurate count that overlooks minority communities.

SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL
New Mexico objects to license for nuclear fuel storage plan
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The state of New Mexico is strongly objecting to a recommendation by federal nuclear regulators that a license be granted to build a multibillion-dollar storage facility for spent nuclear fuel from commercial power plants around the U.S. State officials in a letter submitted Tuesday to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said the site is geologically unsuitable and regulators have failed to consider environmental justice concerns. A group of state lawmakers also has raised concerns. New Jersey-based Holtec International wants to build what it has described as a state-of-the-art complex that could one day hold as many as 10,000 canisters of spent nuclear fuel.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-PRIVATE SCHOOLS
Push to reopen private schools arrives in federal court
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A federal judge is weighing whether pandemic-related occupancy limits for private schools in New Mexico violate constitutional rights to equal protection and freedom of assembly. A federal judge heard preliminary arguments Wednesday without ruling in a case being closely watched by educators and the Trump administration. The lawsuit by the father of a 7th-grader at a prep school in Albuquerque says the state is violating the U.S. Constitution by setting more stringent limits at private schools regarding in-person instruction. President Donald Trump has threatened to divert federal funding away from public schools that decline to reopen.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW MEXICO
3 states added to New Mexico's high risk list
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Travelers arriving in or returning to New Mexico from Colorado, Oregon and Rhode Island will be required to quarantine for 14 days in a bid to manage the spread of the coronavirus. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham added those three states to New Mexico's list of "high risk" states on Wednesday based on coronavirus positivity rates and per capita infections.  In all, there are 39 states on New Mexico's list of high risk states. People who can show documentation of a valid negative COVID-19 test taken within the 72 hours before or after entry into New Mexico from another state are exempt from the quarantine requirement.

RACIAL INJUSTICE-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico governor wants longer Census count if Biden wins
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham says that states may push for a special census enrollment period next year if President Donald Trump leaves the White House. The comments came at a recent meeting of the governor's advisory council on racial injustice. A new council meeting was scheduled Wednesday. A federal judge is weighing whether the 2020 Census count will end early on Sept. 30 or continue through the original Oct. 31 deadline. A coalition of cities and civil rights groups argues that ending the census early will lead to an inaccurate count that overlooks minority communities.

SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL
New Mexico objects to license for nuclear fuel storage plan
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The state of New Mexico is strongly objecting to a recommendation by federal nuclear regulators that a license be granted to build a multibillion-dollar storage facility for spent nuclear fuel from commercial power plants around the U.S. State officials in a letter submitted Tuesday to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said the site is geologically unsuitable and regulators have failed to consider environmental justice concerns. A group of state lawmakers also has raised concerns. New Jersey-based Holtec International wants to build what it has described as a state-of-the-art complex that could one day hold as many as 10,000 canisters of spent nuclear fuel.

BALLOON FIESTA
Albuquerque aims to save spirit of annual balloon fiesta
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Fall in Albuquerque just isn't fall without the annual international hot air balloon fiesta. It draws tens of thousands of spectators and pilots from around the globe each October. Organizers had to cancel this year's event due to the coronavirus pandemic, but Mayor Tim Keller said Wednesday he wants to keep the tradition alive for residents. So local pilots are being invited to launch from city parks, golf courses and other open spaces from Oct. 3-11. City officials stressed that spectators won't be allowed at the launch sites but that the balloons will be visible from around the city after they lift off.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-SCHOOL ENROLLMENT
Enrollment drop could hurt funding for New Mexico schools
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Education advocates are urging New Mexico lawmakers to pass legislation that would preserve school budgets amid a drop in enrollment during the pandemic. Officials say New Mexico schools are seeing as much as a 5% decrease in enrollment this year. That could lead to a drop in funding for public schools next year because state funding is allocated based on student enrollment 40 days into the semester. Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart calls the latest enrollment numbers an "outlier" and is asking legislative leaders not to punish schools for numbers recorded this year.

CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE
New Mexico agency to provide more help for child care access
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — In its latest attempt to bolster access to child care, New Mexico is allowing subsidies for parents who work or study remotely. Families at or below 200% of the poverty line can apply for assistance. The Early Childhood Education and Care Department said Tuesday that the changes allowing remote workers and students to use the subsidies are permanent. Parents have been struggling to balance work and child care with most schools closed because of the pandemic. Child care providers also have struggled to stay afloat with higher costs to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and lower profits because fewer children are allowed in their buildings at once.

CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE
New Mexico agency to provide more help for child care access
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — In its latest attempt to bolster access to child care, New Mexico is allowing subsidies for parents who work or study remotely. Families at or below 200% of the poverty line can apply for assistance. The Early Childhood Education and Care Department said Tuesday that the changes allowing remote workers and students to use the subsidies are permanent. Parents have been struggling to balance work and child care with most schools closed because of the pandemic. Child care providers also have struggled to stay afloat with higher costs to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and lower profits because fewer children are allowed in their buildings at once.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-NAVAJO NATION
Navajo to extend weekend lockdown because of new virus cases
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — The Navajo Nation is implementing a stricter weekend lockdown as it looks into new clusters of coronavirus cases. Residents of the vast reservation that extends into New Mexico, Arizona and Utah will be required to stay home from Friday evening until early Monday morning. A previous lockdown was a day shorter. Tribal President Jonathan Nez says the tribe is investigating new cases that resulted from family gatherings around Ganado, Arizona, and on the eastern side of the reservation in New Mexico. A new public health order with the extended lockdown is expected Tuesday.

DETAINMENT LAWSUIT-NEW MEXICO
NM police settle for $300K after detaining disabled woman
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico State Police have reached a $300,000 settlement with a disabled woman who accused an officer of grabbing and handcuffing her after she refused to provide ID in 2016. Jessica Guttman claims in her lawsuit that she and two friends were parked on the side of a highway looking at horses when Officer Kevin Smith arrived and later detained her. Guttman says Smith caused so much trauma that she collapsed and had seizures. Two state police spokesmen, Dusty Francisco and Ray Wilson, did not respond to questions from the Associated Press about the case or Smith's current employment status.

NEW MEXICO-EQUITY COUNCIL
New Mexico council takes on resources, environmental equity
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas says the state's natural resources are plentiful, but there have been missed opportunities to create prosperity because minority communities haven't been involved. He announced Tuesday that he's establishing a council to look into bolstering inclusion of communities of color for decisions about environmental protection and access to natural resources. The Equity Advisory Council that will start work soon includes state lawmakers and advocates who work on water, land and livestock issues. Balderas says he is open to adding more members because the goal is to welcome more diverse perspectives.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico taps federal loans to pay unemployment
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico has depleted its unemployment benefits trust fund and begun to use federal loans to keep up with claims. Workforce Solutions Secretary Bill McCamley told a panel of state legislators on Tuesday that unemployment trust reserves were exhausted on Sept. 8 and that the state has spent about $35 million in borrowed federal funds on claims. The federal loans if left unpaid can eventually trigger tax increases. New Mexico's unemployment rate of 11.4% in August exceeds neighboring states as health officials take gradual steps toward reopening the economy and schools. About 123,000 people statewide are receiving unemployment benefits.

RAILROAD EXPANSION-GRANT
Effort to expand railroad in northwestern New Mexico boosted
AZTEC, N.M. (AP) — Efforts to expand railroad service in northwestern New Mexico have been bolstered by a $2 million federal grant. San Juan County was among hundreds of entities that applied for funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The county will receive $2 million to study the economic viability of a rail spur, and the design and construction. The county and the Navajo Nation agreed earlier this year to pursue a freight railroad to serve the Four Corners region. It's been the topic of several studies over the decades. Efforts have intensified recently because of anticipated economic losses from the coal-fired power plants.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW MEXICO-SCHOOLS
Justice Department sees bias in limits on private schools
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The U.S. Justice Department is siding with the father of a seventh grade prep school student in a lawsuit that challenges pandemic-related limits on classroom capacity at private schools in New Mexico as more restrictive than public school guidelines. Albuquerque-based U.S. Attorney John Anderson filed a statement of interest on Monday that argues the state is violating the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution by limiting attendance at private schools to 25% of building capacity when public school guidelines say 50%. Separately, President Donald Trump has proposed diverting federal funding away from public schools that decline to open. 

VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico governor says Trump 'botched' pandemic response
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is sending campaign emails that accuse President Trump of single-handedly botching the nation's coronavirus response. Governors including Lujan Grisham and California's Gavin Newsom have been noticeably reluctant at times to criticize Trump publicly since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, as their state's rely heavily on aid from the federal government to respond to the crisis and balance budgets. That tone shifts in a campaign email from Lujan Grisham that says Trump refused to take action "while knowing how deadly and dangerous COVID-19 would be." State health officials responded last week to an increased number of virus outbreaks associated with work settings.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW MEXICO-SCHOOLS
Justice Department sees bias in limits on private schools
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The U.S. Justice Department is siding with the father of a seventh grade prep school student in a lawsuit that challenges pandemic-related limits on classroom capacity at private schools in New Mexico as more restrictive than public school guidelines. Albuquerque-based U.S. Attorney John Anderson filed a statement of interest on Monday that argues the state is violating the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution by limiting attendance at private schools to 25% of building capacity when public school guidelines say 50%. Separately, President Donald Trump has proposed diverting federal funding away from public schools that decline to open. 

VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico governor says Trump 'botched' pandemic response
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is sending campaign emails that accuse President Trump of single-handedly botching the nation's coronavirus response. Governors including Lujan Grisham and California's Gavin Newsom have been noticeably reluctant at times to criticize Trump publicly since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, as their state's rely heavily on aid from the federal government to respond to the crisis and balance budgets. That tone shifts in a campaign email from Lujan Grisham that says Trump refused to take action "while knowing how deadly and dangerous COVID-19 would be." State health officials responded last week to an increased number of virus outbreaks associated with work settings.

NEW MEXICO ENERGY FUTURE
New Mexico utility, lab partner to make grid more resilient
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico's largest electric utility and Sandia National Laboratories is teaming up to make the electric grid more resilient as the state gears up to add more renewable energy to the mix. The research and development partnership was announced Monday. Lab officials say the agreement will address energy challenges not just in New Mexico but across the U.S., as a safe and reliable electric power system is critical to national security. Under the agreement, researchers will be working over the next several years on everything from energy storage systems to artificial intelligence and new sensor technology that can support the grid. 

OFFICER-DWI ARREST
Las Cruces police officer arrested for DWI after speeding
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — A Las Cruces police officer has been arrested or allegedly driving while under the influence. The Las Cruces News-Sun reported Monday that 25-year-old Lourdes Hernandez has been released on her own recognizance after being booked for aggravated drunk driving and other charges. New Mexico State Police say Hernandez was stopped on Interstate 25 early Saturday for going nearly 20 mph above the 55 mile-per-hour speed limit. According to authorities, Hernandez showed signs of impairment. She identified herself as a police officer and said that she had her on-duty firearm with her. Hernandez then refused to take a Breathalyzer test. A police spokesman says she is on administrative leave.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico reports 164 more virus cases; death toll up by 6
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — State officials reported 164 additional COVID-19 cases with six additional deaths in New Mexico, increasing its totals to 27,512 cases and 847 deaths. Bernalillo and Dona Ana counties each had 31 additional cases and Lea County had 23, including 18 involving state corrections inmates at the Lea County Correctional Facility. Among other counties, Eddy County had 10 additional cases and Chaves County had 10.  According to Johns Hopkins University data analyzed by The Associated Press, the seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in New Mexico and daily deaths both decreased over the past two weeks.

HOMICIDE SUSPECT-BROTHER
Man accused of killings arrested in NM posing as brother
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Police say a double-homicide suspect in New Mexico was posing as his brother when he was arrested for a separate warrant against his brother. Dakota "Outlaw" Briscoe is accused of killing two men in in Albuquerque, torching their bodies inside a vehicle and carjacking a woman at gunpoint to escape. Two days after Briscoe's arrest, officials say they discovered the sibling scheme and charged Briscoe with 15 counts. Online court records didn't list a defense attorney for Briscoe who could comment on his behalf.

SUPREME COURT-NEW MEXICO
Lujan Grisham orders flags flown at half-staff for Ginsburg
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Saturday ordered that flags in the state be flown at half-staff until the interment of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The longtime associate justice who was a champion of women's rights and a pop culture icon, died Friday at age 87. Lujan Grisham's order called Ginsburg "an American hero who throughout her prolific career as a lawyer and jurist evinced the best of our country's founding ideals." New Mexico Supreme Court Chief Justice Michael E. Vigil said Ginsburg was "one of the great jurists of our time and a national treasure."

VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico reports 164 more virus cases; death toll up by 6
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — State officials reported 164 additional COVID-19 cases with six additional deaths in New Mexico, increasing its totals to 27,512 cases and 847 deaths. Bernalillo and Dona Ana counties each had 31 additional cases and Lea County had 23, including 18 involving state corrections inmates at the Lea County Correctional Facility. Among other counties, Eddy County had 10 additional cases and Chaves County had 10.  According to Johns Hopkins University data analyzed by The Associated Press, the seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in New Mexico and daily deaths both decreased over the past two weeks.

HOMICIDE SUSPECT-BROTHER
Man accused of killings arrested in NM posing as brother
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Police say a double-homicide suspect in New Mexico was posing as his brother when he was arrested for a separate warrant against his brother. Dakota "Outlaw" Briscoe is accused of killing two men in in Albuquerque, torching their bodies inside a vehicle and carjacking a woman at gunpoint to escape. Two days after Briscoe's arrest, officials say they discovered the sibling scheme and charged Briscoe with 15 counts. Online court records didn't list a defense attorney for Briscoe who could comment on his behalf.

SUPREME COURT-NEW MEXICO
Lujan Grisham orders flags flown at half-staff for Ginsburg
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Saturday ordered that flags in the state be flown at half-staff until the interment of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The longtime associate justice who was a champion of women's rights and a pop culture icon, died Friday at age 87. Lujan Grisham's order called Ginsburg "an American hero who throughout her prolific career as a lawyer and jurist evinced the best of our country's founding ideals." New Mexico Supreme Court Chief Justice Michael E. Vigil said Ginsburg was "one of the great jurists of our time and a national treasure."

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

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

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

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

VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico reports 164 more virus cases; death toll up by 6
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — State officials reported 164 additional COVID-19 cases with six additional deaths in New Mexico, increasing its totals to 27,512 cases and 847 deaths. Bernalillo and Dona Ana counties each had 31 additional cases and Lea County had 23, including 18 involving state corrections inmates at the Lea County Correctional Facility. Among other counties, Eddy County had 10 additional cases and Chaves County had 10.  According to Johns Hopkins University data analyzed by The Associated Press, the seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in New Mexico and daily deaths both decreased over the past two weeks.

HOMICIDE SUSPECT-BROTHER
Man accused of killings arrested in NM posing as brother
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Police say a double-homicide suspect in New Mexico was posing as his brother when he was arrested for a separate warrant against his brother. Dakota "Outlaw" Briscoe is accused of killing two men in in Albuquerque, torching their bodies inside a vehicle and carjacking a woman at gunpoint to escape. Two days after Briscoe's arrest, officials say they discovered the sibling scheme and charged Briscoe with 15 counts. Online court records didn't list a defense attorney for Briscoe who could comment on his behalf.

SUPREME COURT-NEW MEXICO
Lujan Grisham orders flags flown at half-staff for Ginsburg
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Saturday ordered that flags in the state be flown at half-staff until the interment of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The longtime associate justice who was a champion of women's rights and a pop culture icon, died Friday at age 87. Lujan Grisham's order called Ginsburg "an American hero who throughout her prolific career as a lawyer and jurist evinced the best of our country's founding ideals." New Mexico Supreme Court Chief Justice Michael E. Vigil said Ginsburg was "one of the great jurists of our time and a national treasure."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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