- NEW MEXICO-DAVIE
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — It will cost the University of New Mexico $825,000 to buy out the two years remaining on head football coach Bob Davie's contract. University President Garnett Stokes said Tuesday she signed off on the the deal, the terms of which were disclosed during a regents meeting. Davie finished 35-64 after his eighth season at New Mexico, though he twice guided the Lobos to bowl games and earned New Mexico's first bowl victory in 10 years. But the last three seasons were marked by more losses than wins.
- SMUGGLED IMMIGRANTS
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Eleven Chinese migrants have been found hiding in furniture and appliances inside a truck that was stopped while it tried to enter the United States. at a Southern California border crossing. Photos provided by authorities show at least one person crammed inside a washing machine and another curled up in a wooden chest. Agents made the weekend discovery during a search at the border crossing between Tijuana, Mexico and San Diego. The truck driver is an American citizen and was arrested on suspicion of human smuggling. The 11 Chinese citizens were detained pending criminal and immigration proceedings.
- BORDER TUNNEL-ARIZONA
NOGALES, Ariz. (AP) — The Border Patrol says it found another cross-border tunnel from Mexico to the United States after the arrest of four migrants. The agency says agents in Nogales, Arizona, made the discovery on Sunday after a camera operator spotted the migrants. Agents traced the migrants' trip and came across the tunnel from Nogales, Mexico, to Nogales, Arizona. It was just 50 yards from another tunnel discovered last week, although that one was incomplete. The Border Patrol says it worked with Mexican authorities and that it has since destroyed the fifth tunnel discovered this year in the Tucson Sector, which covers large areas of Arizona.
- MARIJUANA FOR PETS
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico is considering whether ailing household pets should have access to medical marijuana prescribed by veterinarians. The state's medical cannabis advisory board was scheduled Tuesday to hear a petition allowing marijuana prescriptions for dogs with epilepsy. The discussions follow related proposals in California and New York. CBD-infused products derived from hemp and marijuana are widely marketed to pets, but no state has expressly authorized medical pot for pets. About 78,000 people participate in the state's medical marijuana program for conditions ranging from cancer to Alzheimer's disease. Lawmakers will consider a proposal to legalize recreational marijuana next month.
- UNIVERSITY-FEDERAL MONITORING
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The U.S. Department of Justice is ending its monitoring of a 2016 agreement with the University of New Mexico on prevention and handling of sexual assault and harassment. The Albuquerque Journal reports that the department told the university last week that it has determined "no further action is warranted at this time" while cautioning that it still could investigate any future complaints. University President Garnett Stokes announced the development during a Board of Regents meeting Tuesday and said the university has complied with training and all other requirements of the agreement on sexual misconduct prevention. The agreement also called for the university to revamp policies and investigation methods and it avoided a federal lawsuit against the university.
- NUCLEAR WASTE REPORT
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — An annual report on hazardous waste violations has revealed a contractor overseeing operations at a National Laboratory in New Mexico lost track of 250 barrels of waste in the past year. The Santa Fe New Mexican reported Monday that Triad National Security LLC had 19 violations of its permit from the New Mexico Environment Department after the contractor mislabeled and improperly stored waste containers at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Regulators say the barrels filled with low-level radioactive waste and other hazardous materials were shipped to a waste plant in Carlsbad without tracking. A spokesman says lab personnel were awaiting arrival of the waste to the plant before updating the shipping data.
- SPACE STATION CHAT
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The University of New Mexico is hosting a live chat with astronauts aboard the International Space Station. The school says hundreds of students grades kindergarten through high school are expected to pack UNM's Student Union Building in Albuquerque for Tuesday's event. Officials say it will be a chance for students to engage with NASA astronauts, space experts and others.
- CLIMATE-NEW MEXICO UTILITY
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The head of New Mexico's largest electric utility says the state can be a leader in clean energy. Public Service Co. of New Mexico's chief executive took her message to Spain this week for the U.N. climate meeting. She was asked to participate in a series of panel discussions about how U.S. utilities are dealing with the transition away from fossil fuels. New Mexico earlier this year adopted renewable energy mandates that call for zero emissions by 2045. PNM has pledged to beat that deadline by five years.