INDUSTRIAL HEMP-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico approves rules for industrial hemp cultivation
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The New Mexico State University Board of Regents has approved a rule crafted by state agriculture officials to govern the industrial cultivation of hemp.
The effort stems from legislation that passed in 2017 and eventually became law following a veto fight.
NMSU President John Floros tells The Associated Press that hemp has the potential to revitalize farms across the state and he expects the industry to grow quickly given its profitability.
The rule approved Thursday calls for growers to be licensed and it establishes fees as well as testing and inspection requirements.
There's also a push in Congress by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to make hemp a legal agricultural commodity, removing it from the federal list of controlled substances. Floros said that would provide more assurances for farmers in New Mexico and elsewhere.

DRY SOUTHWEST
El Nino teases as Southwestern US remains in drought
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — National climate experts have been watching and waiting but El Nino has only been teasing, leaving the American Southwest to hang on longer until the weather pattern develops and brings more moisture to the drought-stricken region.
Experts with NOAA's Climate Prediction Center and the National Weather Service on Thursday said the epicenter of the nation's drought has been center for months now over the region where Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah meet.
The latest federal drought map shows some improvements along the Rio Grande Valley in New Mexico but dryness has expanded in southern California and parts of Nevada.
Senior hydrologist Royce Fontenot says the exceptionally dry conditions have affected water supplies throughout the region. He says many reservoirs throughout the intermountain west are below where they should be for this time of year.

CLERGY ABUSE-NEW MEXICO-THE LATEST
The Latest: New Mexico archdiocese to file for bankruptcy
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The Archdiocese of Santa Fe says it will file for bankruptcy protection next week, citing depleted reserves as the Catholic church in New Mexico has settled numerous claims of sexual abuse by clergy.
Archbishop John Wester made the announcement Thursday. He said he had been contemplating the action for years but that the archdiocese had reached a tipping point and he wanted to ensure there would be resources to provide compensation for victims.
Wester acknowledged a charged atmosphere, pointing to the clergy sex abuse investigation in Pennsylvania and other cases that have garnered national attention. He said the archdiocese has about three dozen cases and he said there will likely be more.
About 20 dioceses and other religious orders around the U.S. have filed for bankruptcy protection as a result of the claims.

COMMUNITY COLLEGE-KEYNOTE
Ben Ray Lujan is commencement speaker at community college
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Congressman Ben Ray Lujan is giving the fall commencement address at Santa Fe Community College.
The Democratic representative will be speaking to hundreds of students on Saturday, Dec. 8. The ceremony is open to the public and will be streamed live online.
Lujan says the college has been a foundation of knowledge and economic growth in New Mexico since it was founded 35 years ago.
Honduras native Rosa Turner will be the student speaker.
Nearly 500 students are eligible to graduate in the fall, an increase of 12 percent over the previous year. They range in age from 17 to 80. More than half identify as Hispanic or Latino. Four percent identify as Native American.
A majority of the graduates are from Santa Fe.

IMMIGRATION-TEEN DETENTION CAMP
Lawmakers call for detention camp reforms
Lawmakers Thursday called for stricter background checks, more mental health support and a public hearing to further investigate problems at a massive detention camp for migrant teens raised by a federal watchdog report and an Associated Press investigation earlier this week.
More than 2,300 teens are being held at the remote tent city in Tornillo, Texas. It opened in June as a temporary, emergency shelter but now appears to be becoming more permanent, the AP reported Tuesday.
The Department of Health and Human Service's Office of Inspector General has raised concerns that the private contractor running Tornillo has not put its 2,100 staffers through FBI background checks, and have just one mental health clinician for every 100 children.
House Democrats are calling for a public hearing early next year.

BORDER WALL-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico land boss cancels auction for land along border
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico's top land boss says he is canceling next week's auction of a parcel of state trust land along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn initially pledged to auction the land along the international boundary after sparring with the federal government over trespass concerns.
Dunn claims the government never received authorization to access the trust land via an easement and has not compensated the state for using the property.
Dunn says he will leave the matter for the incoming land commissioner, Democrat Stephanie Garcia Richard, to handle. She will take office Jan. 1.
The parcel is among millions of acres around the state that are held in trust, with the proceeds of any easements, development or leases helping to fund public schools and other beneficiaries.

MIGRANT CARAVAN-PROSECUTIONS
APNewsBreak: No one arrested in border clash is prosecuted
SAN DIEGO (AP) — No criminal charges will be filed against any of the 42 people associated with a caravan of Central American migrants who were arrested in a clash that ended with U.S. authorities firing tear gas into Mexico.
The Associated Press has learned that the federal government decided not to prosecute the migrants despite proclamations from the Trump administration that it will not tolerate lawlessness over the caravan.
Customs and Border Protection declines to say why no one was prosecuted but a U.S. official says many came as families — which are generally exempt. The official said that in other cases, authorities didn't collect enough information to pursue charges, including names of the arresting officers. The official was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
The official says two of the 42 were referred to the Justice Department for prosecution but charges weren't filed because the accused had medical conditions.
​
ALBUQUERQUE-TRANSIT PROJECT
Albuquerque returns electric buses over safety concerns
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The city of Albuquerque says a fleet of problematic buses that were supposed to serve passengers as part of a long-delayed transit project are being returned to the manufacturer.
City officials said bus manufacturer BYD began removing the electric buses Wednesday.
Mayor Tim Keller announced earlier this month that he was pulling the plug on the electric buses over concerns about battery life, brake failures and other equipment malfunctions.
BYD had argued that the buses and batteries were safe.
The troubled Albuquerque Rapid Transit project — or ART — comes at a cost of $135 million. In addition to $14 million in federal funds designated to reimburse expenses related to construction along Central Avenue, the city has received $75 million from the Federal Transit Administration.

CLERGY ABUSE-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico prosecutors get documents on 2 former priests
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico prosecutors have obtained documents from the Archdiocese of Santa Fe regarding the service records of two former priests.
Agents with the state Attorney General's Office served a search warrant to get the information.
The Archdiocese in a statement identified the former priests as Marvin Archuleta and Sabine Griego. The two are among those on the archdiocese's list of clergy members who have been credibly accused of sexually abusing children.
Prosecutors earlier this year said they wanted church officials to allow them to review personnel records for any material that might be related to past or present allegations of abuse.
In May, Griego was named in a civil lawsuit by seven people who say they are victims of sexual abuse. Court records did not list an attorney for him.
Archuleta's whereabouts is unknown.

BORDER WALL-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico land boss cancels auction for land along border
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico's top land boss says he is canceling next week's auction of a parcel of state trust land along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn initially pledged to auction the land along the international boundary after sparring with the federal government over trespass concerns.
Dunn claims the government never received authorization to access the trust land via an easement and has not compensated the state for using the property.
Dunn says he will leave the matter for the incoming land commissioner, Democrat Stephanie Garcia Richard, to handle. She will take office Jan. 1.
The parcel is among millions of acres around the state that are held in trust, with the proceeds of any easements, development or leases helping to fund public schools and other beneficiaries.

ALBUQUERQUE-TRANSIT PROJECT
Albuquerque returns electric buses over safety concerns
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The city of Albuquerque says a fleet of problematic buses that were supposed to serve passengers as part of a long-delayed transit project are being returned to the manufacturer.
City officials said bus manufacturer BYD began removing the electric buses Wednesday.
Mayor Tim Keller announced earlier this month that he was pulling the plug on the electric buses over concerns about battery life, brake failures and other equipment malfunctions.
BYD had argued that the buses and batteries were safe.
The troubled Albuquerque Rapid Transit project — or ART — comes at a cost of $135 million. In addition to $14 million in federal funds designated to reimburse expenses related to construction along Central Avenue, the city has received $75 million from the Federal Transit Administration.

ALBUQUERQUE-MAIL THEFT
Albuquerque man gets probation for mail theft
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — An Albuquerque man will be confined to home for the next eight months as part of his sentence for stealing mail.
Federal prosecutors say 33-year-old Eric Powell was sentenced Wednesday in U.S. District Court on a charge of theft or receipt of stolen mail. He also will be on probation for five years.
He was accused of causing his victims more than $13,000 in financial losses. Court documents say he had mail from more than 1,300 people.
In pleading guilty, Powell admitted stealing from numerous mailboxes in Albuquerque using a counterfeit U.S. Postal Service key.
He also admitted to buying various items with credit and debit cards, checks and gift cards he obtained from the stolen mail.

NAVAJO NATION COUNCIL
Navajo Nation Council fills seat left vacant by resignation
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — Jimmy Yellowhair will have a few weeks to get accustomed to serving as a Navajo Nation lawmaker.
The Black Mesa man was sworn in to the Tribal Council on Wednesday to fill a seat left vacant by the resignation of Dwight Witherspoon. Yellowhair had been recommended for the post and appointed by council Speaker LoRenzo Bates.
Yellowhair already was set to join the 24-member council in January after being elected to the seat earlier this month.
Yellowhair is representing Black Mesa, Forest Lake, Hardrock, Pinon and Whipporwill in northern Arizona.
He previously worked for the tribe's judicial branch.
Witherspoon did not seek re-election and resigned to serve as chief of staff for outgoing tribal President Russell Begaye.

SEXUAL MISCONDUCT-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico dismisses sexual harassment case against lawmaker
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A long-awaited public hearing on sexual harassment accusations against a New Mexico state lawmaker has been canceled after the accuser decided not to testify.
A House subcommittee announced Wednesday the dismissal of charges against Democratic state Rep. Carl Trujillo of Nambe. Trujillo has vigorously denied accusations by former lobbyist Laura Bonar that he inappropriately touched and propositioned her as the two worked together on legislation in 2014.
Trujillo lost his re-election bid in the June Democratic primary after Bonar posted her accusations online and urged voters not to support the three-term lawmaker.
Bonar and her attorney could not be reached immediately for comment.
Trujillo says he is thankful for the preliminary order that dismisses charges and is awaiting publication of a more detailed final order before commenting further.

NEW MEXICO-TEEN KILLED-PLEA
Mom of slain New Mexico teen will get prison in a plea deal
(Information from: Albuquerque Journal, http://www.abqjournal.com)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The mother of a slain New Mexico teenager has accepted a plea deal that will result in a 12-year prison sentence for child abuse resulting in death.
The Albuquerque Journal reports 36-year-old Tracy Ann Pena must testify against 20-year-old Jordan Nunez who's awaiting trial in the case.
Nunez is the son of Pena's former boyfriend. He's accused of torturing 13-year-old Jeremiah Valencia daily with a homemade spear or a shock collar.
The teen was found dead in the family group's Nambé home in November 2017.
Court documents allege Valencia died after Nunez repeatedly flipped over a dog cage that the teen was forced to stay in.
Authorities initially suspected Nunez's father, 42-year-old Thomas Ferguson, as the one who fatally beat the boy.
Ferguson died in a jail suicide in April.
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FUGITIVE ARREST-THE LATEST
The Latest: Suspect in Texas killing captured in Florida
(Information from: Daytona Beach (Fla.) News-Journal, http://www.news-journalonline.com)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — An Arizona man wanted for a homicide in Texas is also accused of beating an 86-year-old man and kidnapping two women during a home invasion in New Mexico.
Police say 38-year-old Jason Gibson is facing numerous charges in southern New Mexico, including kidnapping, aggravated battery and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Gibson was arrested Tuesday in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Las Cruces police accuse Gibson of forcing his way into a home in a gated mobile home park and then beating the homeowner. He's also accused of kidnapping the man's adult daughter and a friend when they arrived at the home to pick up the man for a Thanksgiving meal.
Armed with a handgun, the suspect ordered the daughter to drive him to El Paso, where he was accused of shooting a family of three during another home invasion on Thanksgiving Day.

ROUTE 66-HISTORIC TRAIL
Plan seeks to designate Route 66 as National Historic Trail
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A new proposal would designate Route 66, the Mother Road that connected Chicago to Los Angeles, as a National Historic Trail.
U.S. Sens. Tom Udall and Jim Inhofe recently introduced a bill that would amend the National Trails System Act in an effort to help revitalize cities and small towns that sit along the historic Route 66 corridor.
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a similar bill in June.
Route 66, one of the first roads in the U.S. highway system, spanned more than 2,400 miles (4,020 kilometers). It ran through eight states, connecting tourists with friendly diners in small towns.
Use of Route 66 dropped significantly after highways were built as part of the interstate system.
It was decommissioned as a U.S. highway in 1985.

NUCLEAR SAFETY
Nuclear safety panel to discuss changes during hearing
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Members of an independent safety panel that provides oversight of some of the nation's highest risk nuclear facilities are holding another public hearing focused on efforts to downsize and reorganize the group.
The public hearing is Wednesday in Washington, D.C.
Members of New Mexico's congressional delegation, nuclear watchdog groups and others have voiced concerns about the reorganization of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board .
The concerns include limiting inspections of certain federal sites and curtailing the board's access to key information at nuclear sites. Los Alamos National Laboratory is among the locations monitored by the board.
U.S. Energy Department officials during a hearing earlier this year denied they were changing their approach to safety and rebuffed calls by board members and others to put the policy changes on hold.

CRISIS TRIAGE CENTERS
New Mexico crafts new rules for crisis triage centers
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico health officials have crafted a new set of regulations and licensing requirements for behavioral health crisis triage centers.
The state Health Department says this new type of facility will focus on people who voluntarily admit themselves.
Officials say the triage centers will provide emergency behavioral health evaluations, as well as outpatient and short-term residential services under a new framework aimed at closing the gap between the needs of patients with outpatient and acute care needs.
Health Secretary Lynn Gallagher says the centers will be part of a safety net for crisis intervention.
The regulations fulfill legislation that approved earlier this year.

TEXAS TECH-NEW MEXICO JUNIOR COLLEGE
Texas Tech, New Mexico Junior College sign transfer deal
(Information from: Albuquerque Journal, http://www.abqjournal.com)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Texas Tech University and New Mexico Junior College have signed a new agreement that officials say will make it easier for students to transfer.
The Albuquerque Journal reports the deal between the Lubbock, Texas, school and the Hobbs, New Mexico, college will allow New Mexico transfer students to qualify for Texas in-state tuition.
Another agreement will allow junior college students to feed into the animal science program at Texas Tech and eventually the new School of Veterinary Medicine.
Officials say Texas Tech will advise New Mexico Junior College students on courses they should take to make the transition "seamless."
The distance between Hobbs and Lubbock is about 110 miles (177 kilometers), less than a two-hour drive.
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FUGITIVE ARREST
Suspect in Texas killing captured in Florida
(Information from: Daytona Beach (Fla.) News-Journal, http://www.news-journalonline.com)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Authorities in Florida say they've captured a man wanted for a homicide in Texas and a kidnapping in New Mexico.
The Daytona Beach News-Journal reports that Daytona Beach police officers, Volusia County deputies and the U.S. Marshals Service caught Jason Gibson on Tuesday.
Authorities say a license plate reader in Daytona Beach detected Gibson and his vehicle in the area on Sunday. Officers searched for him but didn't find him. A license plate reader again alerted authorities to Gibson's presence on Tuesday, which led to his arrest after a chase and a crash into a parked vehicle.
Authorities didn't immediately release details about Gibson's alleged crimes in Texas and New Mexico.
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IMMIGRATION-ASYLUM SEEKERS
US to appeal judge's order barring asylum restrictions
HOUSTON (AP) — The Trump administration says it will appeal a court order barring the government from refusing asylum to immigrants who cross the southern border illegally.
The Justice Department filed a notice Tuesday saying it will appeal the order to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. It also asked U.S. District Judge Jon S. Tigar in San Francisco to issue a stay of his Nov. 19 order.
President Donald Trump's Nov. 9 proclamation automatically banned anyone who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border from seeking asylum if they crossed between official ports of entry.
Tigar sided with legal groups who point out federal law says immigrants in the United States can request asylum regardless of whether they entered the country lawfully.
The administration insists it must regulate asylum claims, partly because of the caravans of migrants that are starting to arrive at the border.

TRUMP-BORDER WALL
As shutdown looms, Trump and GOP leaders discuss border wall
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has met with Republican leaders at the White House to discuss a spending plan that includes funding for a Mexican border wall as a partial government shutdown looms in just 10 days.
Trump has said it could be a "good time" for a shutdown if he doesn't receive the $5 billion he wants for the wall.
House Republicans approved $5 billion for Trump's wall in a key committee, but a Senate bipartisan bill allocates just $1.6 billion for the border.
Trump said Tuesday he is also considering a backup plan, possibly including the continued use of troops and razor wire to prevent migrants from entering.
Democratic leader Chuck Schumer says the administration hasn't even spent the $1.6 billion Congress approved in the current budget for the wall.

ELECTION 2018-NEW MEXICO-THE LATEST
The Latest: New Mexico governor questions ballot procedures
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Most midterm election results in New Mexico have been certified by the State Canvassing Board with recounts pending in a handful of state legislative races.
A board composed by Republican Gov. Susana Martinez, Supreme Court Chief Justice Judith Nakamura and Democratic Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver on Tuesday confirmed election results in which Democrats won all statewide and congressional races.
At the meeting, Martinez and attorneys with ties to the Republican Party raised repeated questions about the online application process in a sometimes heated discussion with election officials. Absentee ballots are the focus of litigation by defeated Republican congressional candidate Yvette Herrell in the state's southern district.
Election officials say that absentee ballots obtained online account for 2,823 votes in that congressional race. Democrat Xochitl Torres Small won the race by 3,722.

SMALL PLANE CRASH
1 dead after small plane crashes in Santa Fe
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Authorities say one person is dead after a small plane crashed in Santa Fe.
Police tell the Santa Fe New Mexican that the pilot was the only one on board when the plane went down about a mile short of the runway at Santa Fe Municipal Airport.
Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Lynn Lunsford says a single-engine Mooney M20 crashed Monday while apparently attempting to land. The aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Lunsford says the pilot had not been in contact with air traffic controllers prior to the accident.
It wasn't immediately known how many people were on board. No other information was immediately released.

ELECTION 2018-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico certifies election sweep by Democrats
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico is certifying election results that give Democrats unfettered control of every statewide office and the state's five-member delegation to Capitol Hill.
The State Canvassing Board was prepared to meet Tuesday morning to confirm election results in all but a handful of state legislative races.
The state governor, secretary of state and chief justice of the New Mexico Supreme Court compose the board.
Results in three state House races are close enough to trigger automatic recounts. If current results are upheld, Democrats would hold a 46-24 majority next year.
Democrats have seized control from Republicans of the New Mexico governor's office and a southern congressional district. Democratic water attorney Xochitl Torres Small will succeed U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, while Democratic Michelle Lujan Grisham will succeed termed-out Gov. Susana Martinez.

OIL BOOM-NEW MEXICO
Decision results in shake-up on New Mexico oil and gas panel
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A shake-up has resulted from a recent decision by New Mexico oil and gas regulators to ease restrictions on well locations for a Texas-based company operating in one of the nation's oldest producing basins.
New Mexico Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn has removed his agency's appointee to the Oil Conservation Commission after that staffer voted in favor of the request by Hilcorp Energy during a Nov. 19 hearing.
Dunn tells The Associated Press he's concerned about plans by Hilcorp to target thousands of its wells in the San Juan Basin toward a formation known as the Blanco-Mesaverde gas pool. Density limits had prevented the company from doing that without being granted exceptions for individual wells.
Dunn contends his office wasn't properly notified of the hearing and that 101 square miles (263 square kilometers) of state trust land could be affected.

SUSPECT DEATH-HOMICIDE CASE
BCSO: Possible suspect in store shooting found dead in Belen
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Bernalillo County Sheriff's officials say they're investigating the death of a man considered a possible suspect in a convenience store shooting earlier this month.
They say 22-year-old Brian Romero was found dead in Belen and it's a homicide case.
Sheriff's officials say multiple suspects fled the scene of a Nov. 9 convenience store shooting, but there were no reported injuries.
They say Romero was identified as one of the individuals from the shooting incident before he was reported missing by a family member on Feb. 13.
Romero was entered into the National Crime Information Center as an endangered missing person.
Sheriff's officials say they were notified Friday by the New Mexico State Police that Romero's body had been found.
The cause of death hasn't been disclosed and no suspects identified.

PELOSI-HOUSE LEADERSHIP
Looking ahead, Democrats jockey to be Pelosi's heir apparent
WASHINGTON (AP) — As Nancy Pelosi moves closer to securing the votes to become House speaker, the stage is being set down-ballot for the next generation of leaders jockeying to be the heirs apparent to Democratic leadership.
Pelosi's return to the speaker's office is not a lock, but her opponents have suffered a string of setbacks. House Democrats are set to meet behind closed doors Wednesday to start voting.
Meanwhile, up-and-comers are positioning themselves to be next in line once Pelosi's generation eventually steps down.
At the forefront is Rep. Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico, who helped usher in the majority as chairman of House Democrats' campaign committee. He is running unopposed for the No. 4 job as assistant Democratic leader.

RENEGADE DENTIST
Dental board subpoenas New Mexico dentist's records
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The New Mexico Board of Dental Health is seeking records from a dentist accused of practicing without a license.
The Albuquerque Journal reports the board filed a motion in state district court this month ordering William Gardner to comply with a Sept. 4 subpoena.
According to the filing, the board received a formal complaint July 9 stating Gardner was practicing dentistry without a license. The complaint identified 82 people believed treated by Gardner without a license.
The filing claimed Gardner admitted during a May 11 deposition to practicing dentistry while his license was suspended.
Gardner's attorney Michael Danoff said he could not comment on the case because it was pending.

ARIZONA-NAVAJO VOTERS
Navajo drops bid that could've delayed ballot certification
PHOENIX (AP) — The Navajo Nation has dropped a request that threatened to delay Arizona's certification of general election ballots because of alleged signature deficiencies.
The tribe filed a federal lawsuit last week that sought emergency relief for more than 100 Navajos who either weren't able to address mismatched signatures or didn't know to sign the ballot envelope.
A judge granted the tribe's request to withdraw a motion for a temporary restraining order at a hearing Monday.
The tribe says it spoke with Navajo, Apache and Coconino counties, and they agreed to work with the Navajo Nation to resolve voting problems.
The state plans to certify ballots Dec. 3.
The lawsuit still seeks the establishment of in-person voter registration, more early voting sites and election services in the Navajo language on the reservation.
​
PUBLIC PENSIONS-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico lawmakers endorse pension, health-benefit reforms
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Public employees across New Mexico would pay more for retirement health benefits under proposed reforms endorsed by a panel of state lawmakers.
A legislative committee on Monday pledged support for plans to shore up a retirement health care trust for public employees and a statewide pension fund for educators.
New Mexico Retiree Health Care Authority Executive Director David Archuleta is suggesting a phased-in 50 percent increase in contributions from public employees at school districts, state agencies, and city and county governments. Employer contributions also would increase.
In a separate legislative proposal, employers in public education would pay more into the state's largest public pension fund without increasing contributions from teachers.
The proposal from the Education Retirement Board would boost pension benefits for future teachers with lengthy careers.

AVALON RESERVOIR
Southern New Mexico reservoir being drained for maintenance
CARLSBAD, N.M. (AP) — A southeastern New Mexico reservoir is being drained so irrigation managers can do maintenance on the dam.
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation says the work on the Avalon Reservoir will be done by the Carlsbad Irrigation District. The reservoir also was drained last winter for similar work.
The federal agency and the irrigation district are warning people not to enter the area, as last year there were signs of four-wheeling within the reservoir pool and vehicles stuck in the mud.
The reservoir will be filled with water from nearby Brantley Reservoir late this winter or early next spring in preparation for the 2019 irrigation season.
Avalon Reservoir is just north of Carlsbad along the Pecos River.

TV-PRODUCTION RANCH
Rural Media Group to use New Mexico ranch as production base
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Rural Media Group will use a northern New Mexico ranch once owned by radio talk show host Don Imus as a television production base for The Cowboy Channel and RFD-TV.
The New Mexico Film Office made the announcement this week, saying the state could get exposure because the company's programming is distributed to more than 92 million homes worldwide.
Film office director Nick Maniatis says he's happy that Rural Media Group sees the state's landscape, culture and film industry as a home for its programming.
Rural cable TV mogul Patrick Gottsch bought the ranch outside Santa Fe earlier this year.
The property includes a 10-bedroom hacienda with a Western-style town. While the purchase price was never disclosed, the ranch was last listed at $19 million.

MEXICO-MIGRANT CARAVAN
Mexico to up security at border after migrants try to cross
TIJUANA, Mexico (AP) — Mexico is pledging to shore up security near its border with the United States after local authorities arrested 39 migrants following a peaceful march that devolved into chaos.
Mexico's Interior Ministry said Sunday it would immediately deport those who tried to "violently" enter the U.S. from Tijuana. Meanwhile, Tijuana's municipal government says that more than three-dozen migrants were arrested for disturbing the peace and other charges stemming from the march and what followed.
U.S. agents fired tear gas into Mexico Sunday to stop some migrants who tried to breach the border.
More than 5,000 Central American migrants have been camped out for more than a week at a sports complex in Tijuana awaiting an opportunity to seek asylum in the United States.

REINCARCERATION COSTS
Reviewers find proof lacking for reincarceration benefits
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A Legislative Finance Committee report says New Mexico spends $40 million a year to lock up prisoners who use drugs or violate other parole conditions but that there's no evidence that it actually helps public safety or addresses the root causes of crime.
The Santa Fe New Mexican also reports that the review team has trouble getting the necessary data for a clear picture on the effectiveness on inmate programs to help reduce recidivism.
The Department of Corrections spends over $8 million annually on programs such as education and drug abuse prevention.

ARIZONA-NAVAJO VOTES
Navajos seek court order to fix signatures on early ballots
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — The Navajo Nation is seeking a court order to allow tribal members to fix problems with signatures on early ballots in Arizona's general election.
The request in a lawsuit filed this week has the potential to delay the state from certifying ballots next month.
Voters statewide were given more time to address mismatched signatures after Republicans sued the state.
But the Navajo Nation says more than 100 of its members in Apache, Coconino and Navajo counties weren't given an equal opportunity. The tribe cited insufficient early voting sites and lack of Navajo translators among the reasons.
Apache County recorder Edison Wauneka says he disagrees that Navajo voters were disenfranchised.
Coconino County recorder Patty Hansen says she hasn't seen the lawsuit. The Navajo County recorder didn't respond to a message.

IMMIGRATION-YOUTH DETENTION
Fights, escapes, harm: Migrant kids struggle in facilities
HOUSTON (AP) — Records obtained by The Associated Press highlight some of the problems that plague government facilities for immigrant youth.
In one facility, a 6-year-old tried to run away after another boy threw his shoes into the toilet. Three employees had to pull the boy off a fence and carry him back into a building.
In another, a 20-year-old woman who'd lied that she was 17 sneaked a needle out of a sewing class and used it to cut herself.
About 14,000 immigrant children are currently detained in more than 100 facilities nationally, including about 5,900 in Texas. The Trump administration presented the facilities as caring, safe places for immigrant children.

LAKE POWELL-MINING STUDY
Utah, US to launch study on mining pollution in Lake Powell
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah and U.S. government officials will launch a study this month to determine the extent of mining pollution in Lake Powell on the Utah-Arizona border.
The Deseret News reports this week that heavy metals washed into Lake Powell over the decades by flash flooding will be dug up from the river deltas to assess metal concentrations.
The study will provide information about how mining affects the lake and the fish that live in it. Researchers will test for levels of arsenic, cadmium, copper, mercury and lead.
The lake is a key part of a water system that provides drinking water to 40 million people in the Southwest.
​
SENATE-NEW MEXICO
Senior New Mexico senator hints at run for re-election
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Democratic U.S. Sen. Tom Udall of New Mexico calls it a "pretty good guess" that he will run for re-election in 2020 without saying definitively what his plans are.
Udall on Friday stood outside a Walmart store in Santa Fe to help solicit charitable donations to the Salvation Army from holiday shoppers.
The 70-year-old senator hopes to forge compromises on legislation to expand health insurance coverage when a new Congress convenes next year with a Democratic House majority.
He hopes Republicans in the Senate majority may embrace a proposal to lower the age of Medicare eligibility to 55 for people who want to buy coverage. The current age of eligibility is 65 with limited exceptions.
Udall says expanding health insurance coverage is essential to reducing overall costs for medical care.

IMMIGRATION-YOUTH DETENTION
Fights, escapes, harm: Migrant kids struggle in facilities
HOUSTON (AP) — Records obtained by The Associated Press highlight some of the problems that plague government facilities for immigrant youth.
In one facility, a 6-year-old tried to run away after another boy threw his shoes into the toilet. Three employees had to pull the boy off a fence and carry him back into a building.
In another, a 20-year-old woman who'd lied that she was 17 sneaked a needle out of a sewing class and used it to cut herself.
About 14,000 immigrant children are currently detained in more than 100 facilities nationally, including about 5,900 in Texas. The Trump administration presented the facilities as caring, safe places for immigrant children.

AVALON RESERVOIR
Southern New Mexico reservoir being drained for maintenance
CARLSBAD, N.M. (AP) — A southeastern New Mexico reservoir is being drained so irrigation managers can do maintenance on the dam.
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation says the work on the Avalon Reservoir will be done by the Carlsbad Irrigation District. The reservoir also was drained last winter for similar work.
The federal agency and the irrigation district are warning people not to enter the area, as last year there were signs of four-wheeling within the reservoir pool and vehicles stuck in the mud.
The reservoir will be filled with water from nearby Brantley Reservoir late this winter or early next spring in preparation for the 2019 irrigation season.
Avalon Reservoir is just north of Carlsbad along the Pecos River.

TV-PRODUCTION RANCH
Rural Media Group to use New Mexico ranch as production base
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Rural Media Group will use a northern New Mexico ranch once owned by radio talk show host Don Imus as a television production base for The Cowboy Channel and RFD-TV.
The New Mexico Film Office made the announcement this week, saying the state could get exposure because the company's programming is distributed to more than 92 million homes worldwide.
Film office director Nick Maniatis says he's happy that Rural Media Group sees the state's landscape, culture and film industry as a home for its programming.
Rural cable TV mogul Patrick Gottsch bought the ranch outside Santa Fe earlier this year.
The property includes a 10-bedroom hacienda with a Western-style town. While the purchase price was never disclosed, the ranch was last listed at $19 million.

REINCARCERATION COSTS
Reviewers find proof lacking for reincarceration benefits
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A Legislative Finance Committee report says New Mexico spends $40 million a year to lock up prisoners who use drugs or violate other parole conditions but that there's no evidence that it actually helps public safety or addresses the root causes of crime.
The Santa Fe New Mexican also reports that the review team has trouble getting the necessary data for a clear picture on the effectiveness on inmate programs to help reduce recidivism.
The Department of Corrections spends over $8 million annually on programs such as education and drug abuse prevention.

ARIZONA-NAVAJO VOTES
Navajos seek court order to fix signatures on early ballots
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — The Navajo Nation is seeking a court order to allow tribal members to fix problems with signatures on early ballots in Arizona's general election.
The request in a lawsuit filed this week has the potential to delay the state from certifying ballots next month.
Voters statewide were given more time to address mismatched signatures after Republicans sued the state.
But the Navajo Nation says more than 100 of its members in Apache, Coconino and Navajo counties weren't given an equal opportunity. The tribe cited insufficient early voting sites and lack of Navajo translators among the reasons.
Apache County recorder Edison Wauneka says he disagrees that Navajo voters were disenfranchised.
Coconino County recorder Patty Hansen says she hasn't seen the lawsuit. The Navajo County recorder didn't respond to a message.

LAKE POWELL-MINING STUDY
Utah, US to launch study on mining pollution in Lake Powell
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah and U.S. government officials will launch a study this month to determine the extent of mining pollution in Lake Powell on the Utah-Arizona border.
The Deseret News reports this week that heavy metals washed into Lake Powell over the decades by flash flooding will be dug up from the river deltas to assess metal concentrations.
The study will provide information about how mining affects the lake and the fish that live in it. Researchers will test for levels of arsenic, cadmium, copper, mercury and lead.
The lake is a key part of a water system that provides drinking water to 40 million people in the Southwest.

MEXICO-MIGRANT CARAVAN
Tijuana mayor declares "humanitarian crisis" over migrants
TIJUANA, Mexico (AP) — The mayor of Tijuana has declared a humanitarian crisis in his border city and says that he has asked the United Nations for aid to deal with the approximately 5,000 Central American migrants who have arrived in the city.
Mayor Juan Manuel Gastelum says that the Mexican federal government has provided little assistance and he is not going to commit the city's public resources to dealing with the situation.
Gastelum said on Grupo Formula radio Friday that Tijuana does not have the necessary infrastructure to adequately attend to the migrants.
On Thursday, his government issued a statement saying that it was requesting help from the U.N.'s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Gastelum says: "I am not going to spend the money of Tijuana (citizens)."

SENATE-NEW MEXICO
Senior New Mexico senator hints at run for re-election
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Democratic U.S. Sen. Tom Udall of New Mexico calls it a "pretty good guess" that he will run for re-election in 2020 without saying definitively what his plans are.
Udall on Friday stood outside a Walmart store in Santa Fe to help solicit charitable donations to the Salvation Army from holiday shoppers.
The 70-year-old senator hopes to forge compromises on legislation to expand health insurance coverage when a new Congress convenes next year with a Democratic House majority.
He hopes Republicans in the Senate majority may embrace a proposal to lower the age of Medicare eligibility to 55 for people who want to buy coverage. The current age of eligibility is 65 with limited exceptions.
Udall says expanding health insurance coverage is essential to reducing overall costs for medical care.

DRY NEW MEXICO
Drought situation improves in parts of New Mexico
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Drought conditions have eased up in parts of New Mexico.
The latest federal drought map shows more than one quarter of the state is now without drought, marking the largest area in nearly a year. That includes the area along the New Mexico-Texas border and the southern half of the Rio Grande Valley.
Officials say a reassessment of conditions led to the shrinking of drought and abnormal dryness in New Mexico and other parts of the Southwest.
Heavy rainfall from the remnants of several recent tropical systems brought precipitation totals into the surplus category across southern and eastern New Mexico.
Other areas are still parched, including the Four Corners region and far northern New Mexico. Abnormally dry to severe drought also is plaguing parts of western New Mexico.

TV-PRODUCTION RANCH
Rural Media Group to use New Mexico ranch as production base
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Rural Media Group will use a northern New Mexico ranch once owned by radio talk show host Don Imus as a television production base for The Cowboy Channel and RFD-TV.
The New Mexico Film Office made the announcement this week, saying the state could get exposure because the company's programming is distributed to more than 92 million homes worldwide.
Film office director Nick Maniatis says he's happy that Rural Media Group sees the state's landscape, culture and film industry as a home for its programming.
Rural cable TV mogul Patrick Gottsch bought the ranch outside Santa Fe earlier this year.
The property includes a 10-bedroom hacienda with a Western-style town. While the purchase price was never disclosed, the ranch was last listed at $19 million.

REINCARCERATION COSTS
Reviewers find proof lacking for reincarceration benefits
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A Legislative Finance Committee report says New Mexico spends $40 million a year to lock up prisoners who use drugs or violate other parole conditions but that there's no evidence that it actually helps public safety or addresses the root causes of crime.
The Santa Fe New Mexican also reports that the review team has trouble getting the necessary data for a clear picture on the effectiveness on inmate programs to help reduce recidivism.
The Department of Corrections spends over $8 million annually on programs such as education and drug abuse prevention.

ARIZONA-NAVAJO VOTES
Navajos seek court order to fix signatures on early ballots
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — The Navajo Nation is seeking a court order to allow tribal members to fix problems with signatures on early ballots in Arizona's general election.
The request in a lawsuit filed this week has the potential to delay the state from certifying ballots next month.
Voters statewide were given more time to address mismatched signatures after Republicans sued the state.
But the Navajo Nation says more than 100 of its members in Apache, Coconino and Navajo counties weren't given an equal opportunity. The tribe cited insufficient early voting sites and lack of Navajo translators among the reasons.
Apache County recorder Edison Wauneka says he disagrees that Navajo voters were disenfranchised.
Coconino County recorder Patty Hansen says she hasn't seen the lawsuit. The Navajo County recorder didn't respond to a message.

IMMIGRATION-YOUTH DETENTION
Fights, escapes, harm: Migrant kids struggle in facilities
HOUSTON (AP) — Records obtained by The Associated Press highlight some of the problems that plague government facilities for immigrant youth.
In one facility, a 6-year-old tried to run away after another boy threw his shoes into the toilet. Three employees had to pull the boy off a fence and carry him back into a building.
In another, a 20-year-old woman who'd lied that she was 17 sneaked a needle out of a sewing class and used it to cut herself.
About 14,000 immigrant children are currently detained in more than 100 facilities nationally, including about 5,900 in Texas. The Trump administration presented the facilities as caring, safe places for immigrant children.

LAKE POWELL-MINING STUDY
Utah, US to launch study on mining pollution in Lake Powell
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah and U.S. government officials will launch a study this month to determine the extent of mining pollution in Lake Powell on the Utah-Arizona border.
The Deseret News reports this week that heavy metals washed into Lake Powell over the decades by flash flooding will be dug up from the river deltas to assess metal concentrations.
The study will provide information about how mining affects the lake and the fish that live in it. Researchers will test for levels of arsenic, cadmium, copper, mercury and lead.
The lake is a key part of a water system that provides drinking water to 40 million people in the Southwest.

MEXICO-MIGRANT CARAVAN
Tijuana mayor declares "humanitarian crisis" over migrants
TIJUANA, Mexico (AP) — The mayor of Tijuana has declared a humanitarian crisis in his border city and says that he has asked the United Nations for aid to deal with the approximately 5,000 Central American migrants who have arrived in the city.
Mayor Juan Manuel Gastelum says that the Mexican federal government has provided little assistance and he is not going to commit the city's public resources to dealing with the situation.
Gastelum said on Grupo Formula radio Friday that Tijuana does not have the necessary infrastructure to adequately attend to the migrants.
On Thursday, his government issued a statement saying that it was requesting help from the U.N.'s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Gastelum says: "I am not going to spend the money of Tijuana (citizens)."

SENATE-NEW MEXICO
Senior New Mexico senator hints at run for re-election
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Democratic U.S. Sen. Tom Udall of New Mexico calls it a "pretty good guess" that he will run for re-election in 2020 without saying definitively what his plans are.
Udall on Friday stood outside a Walmart store in Santa Fe to help solicit charitable donations to the Salvation Army from holiday shoppers.
The 70-year-old senator hopes to forge compromises on legislation to expand health insurance coverage when a new Congress convenes next year with a Democratic House majority.
He hopes Republicans in the Senate majority may embrace a proposal to lower the age of Medicare eligibility to 55 for people who want to buy coverage. The current age of eligibility is 65 with limited exceptions.
Udall says expanding health insurance coverage is essential to reducing overall costs for medical care.

SENATE-NEW MEXICO
Senior New Mexico senator hints at run for re-election
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Democratic U.S. Sen. Tom Udall of New Mexico calls it a "pretty good guess" that he will run for re-election in 2020 without saying definitively what his plans are.
Udall on Friday stood outside a Walmart store in Santa Fe to help solicit charitable donations to the Salvation Army from holiday shoppers.
The 70-year-old senator hopes to forge compromises on legislation to expand health insurance coverage when a new Congress convenes next year with a Democratic House majority.
He hopes Republicans in the Senate majority may embrace a proposal to lower the age of Medicare eligibility to 55 for people who want to buy coverage. The current age of eligibility is 65 with limited exceptions.
Udall says expanding health insurance coverage is essential to reducing overall costs for medical care.

MEXICAN GRAY WOLF SISTERS
3 Mexican gray wolf sisters arrive at Arizona zoo
(Information from: The Daily Courier, http://www.dcourier.com)
PRESCOTT, Ariz. (AP) — Three young Mexican gray wolves from the California Wolf Center in Julian, California, have made a new home in Prescott, Arizona.
The Daily Courier reports the new arrivals at the rescue sanctuary Heritage Park Zoo in northeast Prescott joined the 200 or so other animals at the zoo about a week ago.
Heritage Park Zoo Executive Director Pam McLaren says the three wolves — sisters about 1 ½ years old — were born in captivity at the California center, as a part of the Species Survival Program.
A news release from the Heritage Park Zoological Sanctuary states: "Decisions for transfers and breeding of Mexican Gray Wolves is the responsibility of the Mexican Gray Wolf Species Survival Program," an organization that oversees the strategic planning of captive species often classified as threatened or endangered.
___
OIL BOOM-LEASE SALE
New Mexico marks record for monthly oil and gas lease sale
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The New Mexico State Land Office has set a record for its monthly oil and gas lease sale, generating more than $43 million for public schools and other trust land beneficiaries.
Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn says the November sale represents the highest single-month yield in the agency's history. The previous monthly record of just over $30 million was set in July 2017.
Dunn was expecting a good month but was surprised by the outcome. He says it will help with the goal of generating $1 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year.
In all, 35 tracts covering more than 12 square miles (32 square kilometers) were up for bid in Lea, Chaves and McKinley counties. All but one tract was leased and another ended up being withdrawn.

FOSSIL DISCOVERY
Fossil of plant-eating reptile found in southern New Mexico
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The New Mexico Museum of Natural History says the earliest known example of a plant-eating reptile has been found in the fossil record in southern New Mexico.
The museum made the announcement this week, saying the structure of the skull, jaws and teeth of the sail-backed reptile indicate it was a herbivore and that such specialized plant-eating wasn't previously known in reptiles older than about 200 million years.
Curator Spencer Lucas says the reptile — known as Gordodon — is pushing back by about 100 million years scientists' understanding of the evolution of such specialized behavior.
The fossil bones were discovered near Alamogordo by Ethan Schuth while on a University of Oklahoma geology class field trip in 2013. The bones were recovered over the next year and research ensued after the hard sandstone surrounding the bones was removed.

IMMIGRATION-FAMILY SEPARATION
Some families split up at border still detained months later
PHOENIX (AP) — Half a dozen families who were separated at the U.S.-Mexico border and then reunited are still detained in Texas.
Immigrant advocates say the government is violating a longstanding legal agreement that bars it from detaining kids past 20 days. They say families with young children who already endured the trauma of separation should not also be held for so many months.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement says the average length of families' stay at the South Texas Family Residential Center is 17 days and that only families with deportation orders are sometimes held longer.
The families were separated after the Trump administration early this year announced a zero-tolerance policy.
A federal judge in San Diego forced the government to reunite the families by the end of July, although some still remain separated.

MEXICO-MIGRANT CARAVAN
Tijuana mayor declares "humanitarian crisis" over migrants
TIJUANA, Mexico (AP) — The mayor of Tijuana has declared a humanitarian crisis in his border city and says that he has asked the United Nations for aid to deal with the approximately 5,000 Central American migrants who have arrived in the city.
Mayor Juan Manuel Gastelum says that the Mexican federal government has provided little assistance and he is not going to commit the city's public resources to dealing with the situation.
Gastelum said on Grupo Formula radio Friday that Tijuana does not have the necessary infrastructure to adequately attend to the migrants.
On Thursday, his government issued a statement saying that it was requesting help from the U.N.'s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Gastelum says: "I am not going to spend the money of Tijuana (citizens)."

NEW MEXICO FAMILY KILLED
Lawyers for man who killed family want proceedings sealed
(Information from: KOB-TV, http://www.kob.com)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Lawyers for a 21-year-old man who fatally shot five of his family members when he was a teenager want all proceedings regarding his treatment sealed.
KOB-TV reports Nehemiah Griego's attorneys argue the treatment documents should be private. A hearing has been scheduled for next Wednesday.
The defense also is requesting a new amenability report, arguing the prior one is outdated.
Those reports will determine whether Griego is responsive to treatment as opposed to prison time. A hearing for that argument is set for next month.
___
HOT TOYS-CYBER BOTS
Bill would crack down on cyber bots buying up hot toys
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Connecticut U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal and several fellow Democrats want to crack down on technology being used to buy popular holiday toys in order to resell them at inflated prices.
Blumenthal says third-party sellers are using cyber bot technology to game online sales systems, making it nearly impossible for consumers to purchase certain hot toys online or in stores at retail price because the inventory has already been snatched up.
Blumenthal, U.S. Sens. Chuck Schumer of New York and Tom Udall of New Mexico, and New York U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko, announced Friday they're introducing The Stopping of Grinch Bots Act of 2018.
The legislation would piggy-back on a similar 2016 law banning ticket bots that intentionally bypass security measures on online ticketing websites to outprice individual fans.

SMALL BUSINESS-TAX HOLIDAY
New Mexico to mark tax-free day on 'Small Business Saturday'
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico will mark its first "Small Business Saturday" tax holiday this weekend.
Gov. Susana Martinez made the announcement Wednesday, encouraging New Mexicans to support the state's small businesses and use the tax-free day as an opportunity to save some money during the holidays.
Under a law passed this year and signed by the governor, businesses with 10 employees or fewer can sell goods on the Saturday following Thanksgiving without charging gross receipts tax.
The tax holiday covers sporting goods, clothing, artwork, musical instruments, furniture and more, as long as the cost does not exceed $500.
John Garcia is the director of the Small Business Administration for New Mexico. He tells the Albuquerque Journal that New Mexico supports about 154,000 small businesses. Those businesses employ nearly 330,000 workers.
​

OIL SPILL-NEW MEXICO
Court fines Texas-based oilfield waste disposal company
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A judge has ordered a Texas-based oilfield driller and waste disposal company to cease operations in New Mexico, pay $2.2 million in penalties and clean up polluted well sites.
The New Mexico Oil, Minerals and Natural Resources Department announced Wednesday a state district court order against Midland, Texas-based Siana Operating.
Agency spokeswomen Beth Wojahn said Siana has not fulfilled provisions of the recent court judgment. Siana representatives could not be reached for comment.
State regulators have accused Siana of failing to comply with a 2016 settlement agreement to address spills of oily salt water at well sites in southeastern New Mexico and cap an abandoned well.
Siana has been a major provider of well-water disposal services. Disposal sites inject wastewater deep underground after oil is skimmed off.

PECAN BUYERS LICENSES
New Mexico requiring licenses for in-shell pecan buyers
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — State agriculture officials say a license is required for anyone with a business in New Mexico who plans to buy in-shell pecans that are grown here commercially or from residential trees.
The Legislature earlier this year passed the licensing rule at the request of the New Mexico Pecan Growers Association. The aim is to prevent the spread of pecan weevils to uninfested growing areas of the state.
Pecan growers also say the rule will indirectly help deter the increasing problem of pecan theft from residential and commercial properties.
The weevil was confirmed in about 200 residential pecan trees in several eastern New Mexico counties and several commercial orchards. Eddy, Lea and Chaves counties were declared quarantined areas, where restrictions were put in place to control the movement of in-shell pecans out of the area.

FATAL ROLLOVER-SUSPECT ARRESTED
New Mexico authorities arrest man in fatal highway rollover
SAN JUAN COUNTY, N.M. (AP) — The New Mexico State Police says its officers have arrested a 21-year-old man in the rollover crash of a vehicle that killed his passenger.
The agency said in a Wednesday news release that Shaydell Pete-Light of Farmington was driving a Pontiac Grand Prix northbound on State Road 371 south of Farmington about 5 p.m. Monday when the vehicle left the roadway and rolled over.
The passenger, 19-year-old Jasmine Lynn Curley of Kayenta, was not wearing a seatbelt. She was ejected and later pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities say they believe alcohol was a factor in the crash. They have charged Pete-Light with numerous counts, including homicide by vehicle and aggravated driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs resulting in injury or death.

RENEWABLE ENERGY-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico city, utility proposal solar energy partnership
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Officials in New Mexico's most populous city are partnering with the state's largest electricity provider to build a new solar generating station and boost the amount of renewable energy used to power municipal facilities throughout Albuquerque.
Mayor Tim Keller said Wednesday the goal is to reduce the city's electricity bill. Right now, about $1.2 million a month is spent to power city buildings.
Under the arrangement with Public Service Co. of New Mexico, Albuquerque would commit to purchasing half of the electricity that would be generated by the proposed 50 megawatt solar plant. The remainder would be available to other interested municipalities and tribes.
PNM will be issuing a request for proposals to build the plant, but the cost and location have yet to be determined. State regulatory approval also will be needed.

MISSING PETS
Residents blame roaming bobcats for slew of missing pets
(Information from: KOAT-TV, http://www.thenewmexicochannel.com/index.html)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Some Albuquerque residents say bobcats could be responsible for the disappearance of several pets.
KOAT-TV reports residents say bobcats have been spotted near their homes. They say they have seen at least a female bobcat and her three kittens.
Residents say none of the bobcats have been aggressive, but they believe the animals are responsible for several missing cats, chickens and a duck.
Surveillance cameras at one home captured a bobcat walking through a yard with what appears to be some sort of animal in its mouth.
The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish says bobcats are in every county in New Mexico. They seldom travel more than a few miles from home and adapt more easily to areas where people live.
___
FEDERAL PROSECUTIONS-NATIVE AMERICANS
APNewsBreak: Indian Country criminal prosecutions plateau
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Federal figures show the number of Indian Country crimes that the U.S. Justice Department prosecutes has not shown significant change in recent years, despite new programs and attempts to boost public safety on reservations and prosecution rates sexual assaults and other crimes.
The Justice Department report obtained by The Associated Press shows U.S. attorneys' offices declined to prosecute 37 percent of the Indian Country cases they considered resolved in 2017. That figure was up three points from 2016.
The report shows federal prosecutors usually decided to drop cases after determining they didn't have enough evidence to go to trial.
A quarter of the unprosecuted cases stemmed from reported sexual assaults. A third resulted from other reported assaults, a crime category that includes domestic violence cases.
The report comes amid heightened concerns in Congress and tribal communities over crimes against Native American women.

NEW MEXICO GOP-LEADERSHIP
Race for next New Mexico GOP chair draws 2 familiar faces
(Information from: Albuquerque Journal, http://www.abqjournal.com)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The race to the next chairman of the New Mexico's Republican Party days after historic defeats is drawing at least two familiar faces.
The Albuquerque Journal reports outgoing U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, a Hobbs Republican, and businessman John Rockwell have announced they will seek the job.
The 71-year-old Pearce recently was defeated in the governor's race by Democrat Michelle Lujan Grisham, who got about 57 percent of the votes cast in the contest. Rockwell, who is 67, unsuccessfully sought the position in 2016.
The state GOP's central committee will meet Dec. 8 in Albuquerque to pick a successor to Ryan Cangiolosi, who is not seeking re-election as party chairman.
The party chairman post is a volunteer position that oversees staffers, coordinates fundraising and messaging efforts and helps identify potential candidates.
___

ELECTIONS-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico election official seeks same-day registration
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico's top election regulator says she will urge state lawmakers to allow same-day voter registration and to open major party primary elections to independent voters.
Democratic Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver said Tuesday that she will back legislation that helps sustain voter engagement after record-setting turnout in the midterm election.
The Legislature convenes in January with an expanded Democratic majority in the House of Representatives as control of the governor's office passes from Republican Susana Martinez to Democrat Michelle Lujan Grisham.
Toulouse Oliver also expressed support for expanding automated voter registration that is available at state motor vehicle offices to the Human Services Department that administers Medicaid and food stamps programs.
Election regulators are in the process of fully verifying Nov. 6 election results.

FEDERAL PROSECUTIONS-NATIVE AMERICANS
APNewsBreak: Indian Country criminal prosecutions plateau
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Federal figures show the number of Indian Country crimes that the U.S. Justice Department prosecutes has not shown significant change in recent years, despite new programs and attempts to boost public safety on reservations and prosecution rates sexual assaults and other crimes.
The Justice Department report obtained by The Associated Press shows U.S. attorneys' offices declined to prosecute 37 percent of the Indian Country cases they considered resolved in 2017. That figure was up three points from 2016.
The report shows federal prosecutors usually decided to drop cases after determining they didn't have enough evidence to go to trial.
A quarter of the unprosecuted cases stemmed from reported sexual assaults. A third resulted from other reported assaults, a crime category that includes domestic violence cases.
The report comes amid heightened concerns in Congress and tribal communities over crimes against Native American women.

NEW MEXICO GOP-LEADERSHIP
Race for next New Mexico GOP chair draws 2 familiar faces
(Information from: Albuquerque Journal, http://www.abqjournal.com)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The race to the next chairman of the New Mexico's Republican Party days after historic defeats is drawing at least two familiar faces.
The Albuquerque Journal reports outgoing U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, a Hobbs Republican, and businessman John Rockwell have announced they will seek the job.
The 71-year-old Pearce recently was defeated in the governor's race by Democrat Michelle Lujan Grisham, who got about 57 percent of the votes cast in the contest. Rockwell, who is 67, unsuccessfully sought the position in 2016.
The state GOP's central committee will meet Dec. 8 in Albuquerque to pick a successor to Ryan Cangiolosi, who is not seeking re-election as party chairman.
The party chairman post is a volunteer position that oversees staffers, coordinates fundraising and messaging efforts and helps identify potential candidates.
___
MISSING MAYOR MYSTERY
Missing portrait of Santa Fe's only female mayor returns
(Information from: The Santa Fe New Mexican, http://www.santafenewmexican.com)
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The portrait of Santa Fe's only female mayor, which mysteriously disappeared two decades ago, is back at City Hall.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports former Mayor Debbie Jaramillo's image returned to a wall of former mayors this week after years of a bizarre chain of events that had left no trace of Jaramillo's tenure.
For years, there wasn't even a blank space between images of her predecessor and her successor.
Jaramillo had said she suspected her portrait had been stolen.
Santa Fe spokesman Matt Ross deferred comment on the new portrait to City Clerk Yolanda Vigil, saying she had been working on arrangements with Jaramillo.
___
INMATE ATTACK-LAWSUIT
Judge: New Mexico counties not at fault in escapee attack
(Information from: Carlsbad Current-Argus, http://www.currentargus.com/)
CARLSBAD, N.M. (AP) — A federal judge says two New Mexico counties did not violate a Roosevelt County employee's civil rights after an escaped inmate beat him with a pickaxe.
The Carlsbad Current-Argus reports U.S. District Court Judge James Browning recently ruled in favor of Eddy and Roosevelt counties in a civil rights lawsuit filed by Roosevelt County employee Leroy Manzanares stemming from a 2014 attack.
Authorities say Senovio Mendoza Jr., a Carlsbad man being held at the Roosevelt County Detention Center, on a murder charge, hit Manzanares in the head with a pickaxe, bound him with duct tape, and then stole his county truck.
Deputies say Mendoza was on work release at the time.
Mendoza then led police on a high-speed chase to Sudan, Texas, before being captured.
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NAVAJO OFFICIAL-JAIL SENTENCE
Former Navajo Nation employee given jail time for forgery
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — A former community service coordinator in Twin Lakes on the Navajo Nation has been sentenced to jail for forgery.
Ronda Leonard began serving her 90-day sentence in tribal jail Monday. She'll be on probation when released.
She also must repay $14,200 and write an apology that will be published in the Navajo Times.
Leonard had pleaded guilty to 32 charges. Authorities say she was authorized to sign checks for community expenses, but she forged signatures on some to benefit herself and her common-law husband.
Navajo Nation Attorney General Ethel Branch says Leonard took advantage of a position of trust, and deprived children, veterans and elders from receiving services. The tribe says Leonard manipulated computer software and prevented other employees from accessing records.
Twin Lakes is north of Gallup, New Mexico.

ROUTED REPUBLICANS
Routed New Mexico GOP works to recover amid unclear leaders
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The Republican Party of New Mexico suffered historic losses in statewide and legislative races this month and now must regroup without a clear leader.
Rising stars were defeated, infighting stalled fundraising and President Donald Trump's unpopularity in the nation's most Hispanic state reversed all the GOP's historic gains four years ago.
Republicans lost all statewide races, the governorship and all U.S. House contests. Democrats also strengthen their numbers in the New Mexico House.
Republican former state senator and blogger Rod Adair says the party needs to recruit young members and diverse candidates to appeal to independents.
State Rep. Kelly Fajardo, a Los Lunas Republican, says the party also should recruit more business-oriented women to run for office.
On Sunday, House Republicans elected Rep. James Townsend, a 63-year-old Artesia, New Mexico, retiree, as its minority leader.

SANTA FE POLITICIAN-INVESTIGATION
Investigation dropped against former Santa Fe mayor
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico district attorney says the statute of limitations prevents him from bringing charges against former Mayor Javier Gonzales in connection with decades-old accusations of sexual assault. Gonzales has vehemently denied the accusations by a female relative.
Democratic District Attorney Marco Serna announced Tuesday that too much time lapsed before the complaint was brought to the attention of his office and state police for charges to be filed.
Serna also says a timeline could not be established to support a sexual-assault related charge.
Gonzales says the allegations previously were debunked during divorce and child-custody proceedings. Gonzales is a former state chairman of the Democratic Party.
Santa Fe voters made him the city's first openly gay mayor in 2014. He declined to run for a second term last year.