- FOUR DEAD NEW MEXICO
RIO RANCHO, N.M. (AP) — Police report that at least four people were found dead in a home in a suburb of Albuquerque on Christmas Day. Rio Rancho police Capt. Andrew Rodriguez says officers "found four people inside the residence deceased as a result of what we believe to be gunshot wounds." He says police officers responded at 4:14 p.m. to a call for help at the home. The officers found the deceased victims, the Albuquerque Journal reported. Authorities have not released the names, ages or the sex of the victims, or whether they are related.
- NEW MEXICO ENERGY FUTURE-SCHOLARSHIPS
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico's largest electric utility is making a $500,000 commitment to Navajo students in the Four Corners region to ensure they will continue to receive dedicated funding for future job opportunities. Public Service Co. of New Mexico recently announced its pledge as the utility prepares to close the coal-fired San Juan Generating Station near Farmington. In operation for decades, the power plant and the coal mine that feeds it have employed many tribal members. The utility already has funneled $1 million to the workforce training scholarship program since 2013. In that time, almost 700 scholarships have been awarded.
- WIND FARM-TRUST LAND
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — An Illinois-based company that develops wind farms in the United States and Canada has won a bid for thousands of acres of state trust land in New Mexico where it plans to build its next project. The lease was approved and signed last week by Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard. The Gladstone Wind Farm will be located in Union and Colfax counties in an area has been designated as prime for wind energy generation. It's also close to two existing transmission lines. Aside from the trust land, the project will include 8,000 acres (32 square kilometers) of private land.
- TROUBLED CITY-MAYOR CHARGED
LAS VEGAS, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico's attorney general has charged the mayor of a troubled city with six felony bribery and abuse of power charges after prosecutors said she steered contracts to a construction firm owned by a man she's accused of being romantically involved with. The Las Vegas Optic reported Tuesday that Las Vegas, New Mexico, Mayor Tonita Gurule-Giron was charged. Gurule-Giron's listed attorney, Ben Andrew Mondragon, did not return phone or email messages left by The Associated Press on Wednesday. She has previously denied having a relationship with the construction firm owner or having a role in the contracts.
- JACKSON WINK ACADEMY-TRAVEL WORKOUT
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Jackson Wink MMA Academy is planning to offer mixed martial arts fans a chance to travel to New Mexico and train like its fighters. Gym co-owner Greg Jackson told The Associated Press he will begin providing personalize packages for fans who want to train as a mixed martial artist in Albuquerque, New Mexico's high altitude. He says trainees will get a chance to run in the Sandia Mountains and exercise along the Rio Grande. The move comes after New Mexico created an outdoor office as part of a push to build on hiking, biking and other recreational offerings across the state's diverse landscapes.
- FATAL SHOOTING-ALBUQUERQUE
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The Albuquerque Police Department says it is investigating the fatal shooting of a man whose body was found by a passer-by. Authorities say officers responded to a report of a suspicious death after the discovery of a man's body in northeast Albuquerque around 9 a.m. Wednesday. Police say the man died from an apparent gunshot wound. The man's name was not immediately released and police did not say if there were any suspects in custody.
- GEORGE RR MARTIN-BOOKSTORE
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — "Game of Thrones" author and television producer George R.R. Martin is adding bookstore owner to his resume. The fantasy writer quietly opened Beastly Books last month in Santa Fe. The Santa Fe New Mexican reports the shop is next to the movie theater Martin revived in 2013. The store carries books by him and local authors, including some that are autographed. It also has "Game of Thrones" merchandise. Martin's novel series "A Song of Ice and Fire" inspired the HBO TV show "Game of Thrones." Martin is a longtime Santa Fe resident.
- LOS ALAMOS LAB-CONTAMINATION
LOS ALAMOS, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico officials are planning another public meeting focused on the state's oversight and scientific monitoring of environmental impacts at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The Environment Department has scheduled the next meeting for Jan. 9 at the University of New Mexico campus in Los Alamos. The gathering follows a recent decision by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that storm water runoff from the lab and Los Alamos County are contributing to violations of water quality standards and that those discharges must be controlled and regulated under an EPA-issued permit. Environmentalists say controlling the discharges will protect downstream users from heavy metals and other contaminants.