- NEW MEXICO FATAL CRASH
Police: 5 Chicago residents die in New Mexico highway crash
VAUGHN, New Mexico (AP) — Five Chicago residents were killed when their vehicle rolled over on a New Mexico highway.
A New Mexico State Police statement says the accident occurred on U.S. Highway 54 near Vaughn around 12:30 p.m. Saturday.
Investigators say the 2005 Nissan Armada crossed the center line before the vehicle swerved back into the southbound lane and rolled.
Police say six passengers were ejected while the driver remained in the vehicle.
The driver and four passengers were pronounced dead at the scene in Guadalupe County.
Authorities identified the victims as 39-year-old driver Mayda Salazar, 41-year-old Fransisco Salazar, 17-year-old Daniel Salazar, 10-year-old Natalie Salazar, and 69-year-old Ramon Morales.
A 16-year-old male and a 21-year-old female, both of Chicago, sustained undisclosed injuries and were transported to a hospital.
Police say an investigation is ongoing.
- FADING HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
Several New Mexico football teams struggle to find players
(Information from: The Santa Fe New Mexican, http://www.santafenewmexican.com)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Declining student-athlete participation rates are hitting New Mexico high schools that are struggling to find football players to field teams.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that the falling participation rates and the fact that some schools canceling their seasons because of a lack of players have observers wondering if New Mexico high school football is dying.
In June, McCurdy Charter School in Española canceled its season after half of the 26 players were declared academically ineligible. Questa High School, which prematurely ended back-to-back seasons in 2017 and 2018 because of a lack of players, will not field a team this year.
The New Mexico Activities Association says 11 of the 113 schools expected to play football this year will do so as independents. That means they won't play in a district or complete in the playoffs.
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- HOBBS-DENVER FLIGHTS
United to begin flights from Denver to Hobbs, New Mexico
HOBBS, N.M. (AP) — United Airlines has announced it will begin direct flights to Denver from a southeastern New Mexico county airport in the heart of New Mexico's booming oil region.
The Hobbs News-Sun reports the airline and Lea County officials say the flights from Hobbs will start Oct. 27. The announcement comes as county officials seek to double the passenger holding area at Lea County Regional Airport.
Hobbs Mayor Sam Cobb says the new direct flights show confidence in the robust and growing economy of the Permian Basin.
United's nonstop flights to Denver International Airport into the Permian Basin will be operated as United Express service six days per week.
United is also scheduled to continue to operate two daily nonstop flights from Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport. There will be one flight that operates to and from Houston on Saturdays.
- EXPLOSIVE DEVICE
New Mexico man in stalking case arrested for explosive
(Information from: Alamogordo Daily News, http://www.alamogordonews.com)
ALAMOGORDO, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico man is facing charges after sheriff's deputies reported finding weapons and an explosive device in his car.
The Alamogordo Daily News reports Zachary Black was arrested last week in connection with four pending charges of aggravated stalking, domestic abuse and burglary against an ex-girlfriend.
Lincoln County Sheriff Robert Shepperd says the 26-year-old Black was detained following a complaint from the ex-girlfriend who told authorities she found the device in his belongings at their house in Carrizozo, New Mexico.
Authorities say other weapons were found at Black's house in Ruidoso Downs.
Shepperd said that under the conditions of his release for the pending felony charges, Black is prohibited from carrying or possessing firearms.
It was not known if Black has an attorney.
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- RIO RANCHO-TEEN FATALLY SHOT
Rio Rancho police: Teenage boy found fatally shot in vehicle
RIO RANCHO, N.M. (AP) — Police in Rio Rancho say a teenage boy has been found dead in car with multiple gunshot wounds.
They say the victim was found in the driver's seat of a vehicle on Saturday evening.
First responders and people in the Enchanted Hills area neighborhood tried to save the teen, but police say he died at the scene.
Police say the teen is about 17 or 18 years old and it's unclear if he was carrying any identification.
Police say they don't know the motive for the shooting and no suspects have been identified yet.
- DUNES SAGEBRUSH LIZARD
Environmentalists seek to protect dunes sagebrush lizard
(Information from: Carlsbad Current-Argus, http://www.currentargus.com/)
CARLSBAD, N.M. (AP) — A small lizard native to southeast New Mexico is the latest animal to spark a debate between environmentalists, the federal government and oil and gas operators.
The Carlsbad Current-Argus reports a federal report says the habitat for the dunes sagebrush lizard has shrunk to only about 655 square miles (1,696 square kilometers) in the Mescalero Sands area. That's a region east of Artesia and northern Eddy County.
Environmentalist groups that have recently sued the federal government to force it to protect the lesser prairie chicken are looking at similar action to help the dunes sagebrush lizard.
The rare lizard remains unlisted as endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service but is listed as endangered by the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish.
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- TOMBSTONE-DEMOLITION CONTROVERSY
Replica building's demolition upsets Tombstone history buffs
(Information from: Arizona Daily Star, http://www.tucson.com)
TOMBSTONE, Ariz. (AP) — The demolition of a decades-old building built as a replica to one that existed over 100 years ago near the O.K. Corral gunfight has stirred up a dustup in the town known for its Wild West days.
At issue is whether the replica was old enough and historic enough to merit preservation.
The Arizona Daily Star reports some history buffs are angry at the small Cochise County city for demolishing the replica last year.
Gary McLelland says Tombstone officials made "a historic mistake" when they tore down a narrow, one-story building that was put up in the late 1950s as part of a campaign by the Tombstone Lions Club to rebuild the corral as a tourist attraction.
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- MALL SHOOTING-NEW MEXICO REAX
Albuquerque reacts to Texas shooting by deploying police
ALBQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico's most populous city is reacting to the mass shooting Saturday in El Paso, Texas, by stepping up security at shopping stores and some department stores such as Walmarts.
Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller and Police Chief Mike Geier said the boosted police presence would continue through the back-to-school shopping weekend, which includes a tax-free holiday for school items.
The officials commented in an Albuquerque Police Department statement that also said police would deploy a team to a Saturday evening downtown festival.
The officials said in the statement that the moves were a "response to the tragic shooting today in El Paso" and that they wanted to reassure Albuquerque residents and others from around New Mexico.