- BOOMING OIL REGION-SCHOOLS
HOBBS, N.M. (AP) — A school district in the heart of New Mexico's booming oil and gas area continues to grow and see record enrollment. The Hobbs News-Sun reports the Hobbs Municipal Schools recorded enrollment at 10,586 students on the 80th day. Officials say that's 361 more students than the 80th day of last school year. Superintendent T.J. Parks announced that because the district is now above 10,000 students, it moves into a higher honor statewide. The enrollment jump comes as southeastern New Mexico has seen a spike in oil production and oil prices, creating high-paying jobs and helping state revenues.
- BOEING-CREW CAPSULE
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Boeing's crew capsule is back on Earth after an aborted flight to the International Space Station. With a test dummy and no astronauts aboard, the Starliner landed in the New Mexico desert before dawn Sunday. Red, white and blue parachutes popped open and air bags also inflated around the capsule to ease the impact. This first test flight was cut short and the space station docking canceled because of an improperly set clock on the capsule. NASA says it hasn't decided whether another test flight is needed before flying astronauts.
- ANIMAL SHELTERS-TRANSPORTS
PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona's most populous county has shipped more than 4,000 cats and dogs to shelters in other states over the past 19 months, angering local rescues who say the program has severely depleted the pet supply in Phoenix. The Arizona Republic reports that two-thirds of the animals shipped out of state between January 2018 and July 2019 were never given an opportunity to be adopted locally before they were placed on transport hold. County leaders say they were animals Arizona families didn't want such as pit bulls, chihuahuas and pets with medical or behavioral issues. The animals go to shelters in New Mexico, Utah, Idaho and Washington state.
- AP-US-WHITE-SANDS-NATIONAL-PARK
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The White Sands National Monument in southern New Mexico is now White Sands National Park. White Sands became the 62nd designated national park when President Trump signed defense legislation enacted by Congress. That legislation includes a provision on the re-designation. The monument was established in 1933 by President Herbert Hoover to preserve the dramatic landscape of rare white gypsum sand dunes. Efforts to establish a national park in the area date back more than a century as some locals wanted to protect the dunes from commercial interests that were attempting to mine the gypsum.
- SCHOOL DISTRICT-NEW MEXICO
FARMINGTON, N.M, (AP) — A northern New Mexico school district's board has approved a policy allowing the administration of medical marijuana to students enrolled in the state's medical marijuana program. The policy adopted by the Aztec school district's board Tuesday brings the district into compliance with a 2019 state law. The law mandates that districts allow students access to medically prescribed marijuana on school grounds, as long as it is not administered via smoke or vapor and not administered or possessed by the student. A student's parent has to take the medication to school and administer it to their child.
- AP-US-SCI-BOEING-CREW-CAPSULE
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Boeing's Starliner crew capsule is returning to Earth this weekend after its first test flight, its mission cut short by an improperly set clock on the spacecraft. Ground controllers are aiming for a Sunday morning touchdown in the New Mexico desert. The Starliner _ carrying no astronauts, only a test dummy _ was supposed to spend a week at the International Space Station. But the capsule ended up in the wrong orbit after launching Friday from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The space station docking was scrapped, and managers decided to bring the spacecraft home as soon as possible.
- AP-US-ELECTION-2020-NEW-MEXICO-REPUBLICANS
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The Republican Party of New Mexico is facing criticism for urging supporters to change the "complexion" of the state's congressional delegation. The party in an email pleaded with supporters "to work hard to change the complexion of our Congressional delegation." The email came after Democrat Ben Ray Luján voted to impeach President Donald Trump. Luján is Hispanic and is running for the U.S. Senate. He called the language "race-baiting." GOP Senate hopeful Gavin Clarkson, who is Native American, also called the language a "careless word choice." A GOP spokesman says the email was referring to changing the state from blue to red, not about skin color.
- PRISONER SETTLEMENT RECORDS
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico Supreme Court has refused to overturn two lower court rulings in a public records lawsuit forcing a former state prison contractor to release settlement agreements with prisoners. The Albuquerque Journal reported Thursday that the original lawsuit filed in 2016 stems from a refusal by contractor Corizon to release settlement agreements over alleged malpractice and sexual abuse by a physician. Court officials say the high court decision upholds a verdict requiring Corizon to release requested public records and pay legal fees. Officials say Corizon had to comply because it was under contract with a state agency to perform a public function.