- UNEMPLOYMENT-NEW MEXICO
RIO RANCHO, N.M. (AP) — Small business owners in New Mexico are pleading with Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to ease some coronavirus restrictions as federal statistics showed another spike in unemployment. The owners pressed this week for the Democratic governor to consider modifying some restrictions after she halted nonessential business activity last month. According to figures Thursday from the U.S. Department of Labor, 19,494 people in New Mexico applied for unemployment benefits last week compared to a revised number of 26,132 the week before. Both are among the highest of weekly unemployment claims in state history. Lujan Grisham on Wednesday ruled out lifting significant business restrictions.
- AP-US-VIRUS-OUTBREAK-NEW-MEXICO-MASSES
RIO RANCHO, N.M. (AP) — A Roman Catholic diocese in New Mexico says it will reopen churches and allow a small number of people to attend public celebrations of Mass in what could be the first move to alter a diocese-declared ban on public services in the U.S. Diocese spokesman Christopher Velasquez said Wednesday that priests were encouraged to hold public Mass at the Las Cruces Diocese while having parishioners abide by social distancing restrictions ordered by the governor. That means five or less people in attendance who must stay 6 feet apart, The Catholic News Agency reports the diocese is the first in the nation to modify a declared diocesan ban on public Masses.
- HORSE RACING-NEW MEXICO
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico's horse racetracks have been idle for weeks now because of a string of public health orders issued in response to the coronavirus outbreak. While the grandstands and casinos are empty, some stables are still operational as groomers and others take care of the horses. A group of New Mexico horse owners on Thursday asked state racing regulators to consider options for restarting live racing, saying it could be done with the right protocols in place to protect the horses, jockeys and the personnel needed to run races. Such a move would need the approval of the governor. The state Racing Commission would have to adopt rules for reopening.
- VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW MEXICO
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — The Las Cruces Diocese has lifted a ban on the public celebration of Mass, reversing a mandate to suspend most parish events to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The Las Cruces Sun-News reported Wednesday that the Catholic News Agency says Bishop Peter Baldacchino is the first in the U.S. to amend the diocesan ban on public Masses. The southern New Mexico diocese is encouraging parishes to celebrate Mass in parking lots and to continue online streaming. Priests have been advised to set up altars in parking lots so parishioners can remain in their vehicles. Parishes holding Mass indoors can have five or fewer people inside.
- AP-US-WESTERN-MEGADROUGHT
KENSINGTON, Maryland (AP) — A new study finds that much of the western United States is baking in what scientists call an emerging megadrought. Thursday's study in the journal Science blames almost half the problem on man-made global warming, which scientists say is only getting worse. Multi-decade deep droughts happen every couple of hundred years. But the current one is one of the most severe since the year 800. Some scientists say this drought, which started in 2000, may not have lasted long enough yet to qualify as a megadrought.
- ELECTION 2020-HOUSE-NEW MEXICO
RIO RANCHO, N.M. (AP) — Democratic U.S. Rep. Xochitl Torres Small is maintaining a huge fundraising advantage over three Republican opponents for a critical seat in southern New Mexico. Federal campaign finance records released Thursday show she raised nearly $760,000 during the first three months of 2020 and had $2.9 million in cash on hand. She has more than three times the amount of money in her campaign coffers as her Republican opponents combined. Oil executive Claire Chase reported raising $319,842 and had $263,899 in cash on hand. Former state lawmaker Yvette Herrell's campaign says she raised $122,601, with $377,755 in cash on hand. Las Cruces businessman Chris Mathys reported raising $3,810, with $200,075 in cash on hand.
- FOREST RESTRICTIONS
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — National forests around New Mexico are imposing campfire restrictions to protect the health and safety of employees and communities during the coronavirus outbreak. Forest officials from Taos to Alamogordo announced Wednesday that campfires will be prohibited through June 30 on all five forests and on national grasslands in New Mexico and neighboring Oklahoma and Texas. They're taking the step to prevent the drawdown of fire and medical resources to unwanted human-caused wildfires and to reduce firefighter exposure to COVID-19. Violating the campfire restriction may result in an appearance in federal court, fines and possible time in jail.
- BORDER-ARMED GROUP-SENTENCE
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The leader of an armed group that detained immigrants who were crossing the U.S.-Mexico border into southern New Mexico has been sentenced to 21 months in prison for a firearms charge. Larry Mitchell Hopkins was sentenced Wednesday, after previously pleading guilty in January to a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Hopkins was arrested last April in Sunland Park, New Mexico, near the border where his group was stopping migrants and ordering them to wait as they alerted Border Patrol. He acknowledged possessing nine guns and ammunition.