- VIRUS OUTBREAK-GOVERNORS-REOPENING
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — After a month in crisis mode, governors across the U.S. face their next challenge in the coronavirus pandemic: When and how to lift restrictions designed to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and return to something approaching normal life. California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday called it a "transition from surge to suppression." This week, two separate groups of states, in the Northeast and along the West Coast, announced compacts to work together on lifting shelter-in-place restrictions and reopening some businesses. Governors say the ability to test for the virus and trace infected people's contacts is essential.
- 2020 CENSUS-NEW MEXICO
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico officials say the suspension of field operations by the U.S. Census Bureau due to the coronavirus outbreak has left some residents in the state without the ability to easily participate in the national head count. The chair of New Mexico's Complete Count Commission says this has resulted in artificially lower-than-average response rates and poses a burden for the state to overcome. As of mid-April, 37% of New Mexico households had responded to the census, compared to a national average of 48%. Census workers have been unable to hand-deliver forms to households that don't have standard addresses or use P.O. boxes. This represents nearly 18% of New Mexico households.
- ENDANGERED WOLVES-RULE
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — U.S. wildlife officials will be looking for public comment as they prepare to update a rule that guides management of endangered Mexican gray wolves in the Southwest. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Tuesday it will be working on a supplemental environmental review of the 2015 rule. The process was prompted by a 2018 court decision that ordered the agency to take another look at the rule to ensure wolf recovery in Arizona and New Mexico isn't compromised. The court set a deadline of May 2021 to finalize a revised rule. There are more than 160 wolves in the wild in the two states.
- ELECTION 2020-NEW MEXICO-VIRTUAL
RIO RANCHO, N.M. (AP) — The campaign to reelect President Donald Trump quietly is turning to a get-out-the-vote app and zoom calls to train would-be volunteers in New Mexico and other southwestern states. Virtual training gives supporters talking points about the president's moves to fight the spread of the novel coronavirus. The TrumpTalk App allows volunteers in rural areas to make calls from home to potential voters and logs responses. Trump Victory regional spokeswoman Samantha Zager said the goal is to foster an army for a "ground game" months ahead of the November general election. Democrats in New Mexico also are using apps and data.
- MEOW WOLF-BOUNCE HOUSE
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A Santa Fe woman is suing Meow Wolf after she says her children were injured when the arts and entertainment company's rented bounce house was overturned by the wind. The Santa Fe New Mexican reports attorneys for Anita Vargas didn't say in court documents how the children were hurt at the 2018 block party but alleged that the children were trapped underneath the bounce house. The case was filed in state district court this week. After the episode two years ago, Vargas posted a picture on Facebook of her son, showing his bruised and bloody face. A spokesperson for Meow Wolf also didn't respond to emails.
- AP-US-OBIT-GLENNA-GOODACRE
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Renowned sculptor and painter Glenna Goodacre, who created the Vietnam Women's Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C, has died at age 80. Family members say Goodacre died of natural causes Monday night at her Santa Fe home. Born in Lubbock, Texas, Goodacre was known mainly for her sculptures. Her work included the Irish Memorial in Philadelphia and the Sacagawea Dollar Coin. She is survived by her husband, two children and five grandchildren. Funeral plans weren't immediately available.
- VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW MEXICO
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Some attorneys and prisoner advocates have petitioned the New Mexico Supreme Court for the release of more inmates from the state corrections system amid the coronavirus outbreak. Defense attorneys, public defenders and the American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico filed an emergency petition Tuesday. They want the court to order the immediate release of those at risk of serious illness from COVID-19, those within a year of release, and those held on infractions such as parole and probation violations. The request goes beyond the releases ordered by the governor last week. New Mexico has 1,407 cases of the virus as of Tuesday with at least 36 known deaths now.
- ELECTION 2020-NEW MEXICO
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The New Mexico Supreme Court ordered the state and local election authorities to distribute absentee ballot applications to all registered voters while rejecting a petition to scale back in-person voting in response to the coronavirus. Tuesday's decision by the Supreme court keeps in place in-person voting for the state's June 2 primary and at early voting centers. The pace of coronavirus infections in New Mexico is expected to peak in late May under current statistical modeling by state health officials. That puts the pandemic on a collision course with the primary vote. Democrats including the secretary of state wanted mail-in ballots sent out to all registered voters.