- ELECTION 2020-HOUSE-NEW MEXICO
RIO RANCHO, N.M. (AP) — Republican U.S. House candidates in a crucial race in southern New Mexico say they want to participate in televised and radio debates. Oil executive Claire Chase last week issued a public challenge to her two GOP opponents to participate in a televised and radio debate ahead of the June 2 primary. Las Cruces businessman and House candidate Chris Mathys accepted Chase's challenge. Former state lawmaker Yvette Herrell responded by asking for three television and three radio debates before the primary. So far, there has been no televised debate among the Republican candidates seeking their party's nomination to challenge Democratic U.S. Rep. Xochitl Torres Small for the traditionally Republican-leaning seat.
- SLOW BOBCAT CHASE
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Police say they are searching for a suspect accused of leading officers on a slow-speed chase in Santa Fe while riding a Bobcat tractor. KRQE-TV reports Santa Fe police pursued the alleged Bobcat bandit during an evening 5-mile-an-hour quest through town earlier this month. Police say the driver repeatedly ignored commands to stop the stolen tractor and eventually plowed his way through barbed wire. Authorities say the driver fled into a field and disappeared. No arrests were made. Police say the case is still under investigation.
- POLICE DOGS-RELEASE
RIO RANCHO, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico woman is facing charges after authorities say she and her 6-year-old son released police dogs from their cages. A criminal complaint says Veronica Center was arrested Sunday following an officer hearing his police dogs barking at each other. According to the complaint, the 33-year-old mother went into a Rio Rancho yard with her son and released the dogs from their cages. The officer says Center began yelling at him when he went out and saw her. Center was arrested and charged with harassment of a police dog, child abuse, and trespassing. Her attorney, Steve Archibeque, did not immediately return a phone message.
- VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW MEXICO
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Confirmed coronavirus infections are surging in a New Mexico county where nearly 80% of residents are Native American. Health officials reported on Wednesday said there are 133 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 in McKinley County on the Arizona state line that includes the Zuni Pueblo and parts of the Navajo Nation. Statewide infections increased by 239 for the day to more than 3,200 positive tests. Two deaths in McKinley and Sandoval counties increased the statewide death toll to 112 from the virus. Two uncooperative coronavirus patients in New Mexico have been ordered to self-isolate after state health officials obtained court orders in April.
- AP-US-VIRUS-OUTBREAK-NAVAJO-NATION
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — Residents of the Navajo Nation will be under another lockdown this weekend as the tribe seeks to keep the coronavirus from spreading further into communities. The lockdown is the fourth the tribe has implemented. Residents have been under nightly curfews for several weeks now. Navajo Vice President Myron Lizer urged people to tell family members, friends and co-workers to stay home. He says the number of deaths on the Navajo Nation is sad and has devastated many families. Tribal health officials say 1,873 people have tested positive for COVID-19 and 60 people have died.
- INDIGENOUS ART FRAUD
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A federal court is considering a proposed plea agreement in an alleged counterfeiting scheme that passed off crafts made in the Philippines as the work of Native American artisans. Two bulk vendors of Native American-style crafts and jewelry pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court to fraudulently passing off counterfeit crafts as authentic American Indian-produced goods at a video conference court hearing. Jawad Khalaf and Nashat Khalaf entered guilty pleas in an agreement subject to review by a U.S. District Court judge. The two defendants have previously denied accusations that they violated the Indian Arts and Crafts Act.
- NEW MEXICO ENERGY FUTURE
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico regulators are putting off a decision on a proposal by the state's largest electric provider to build two hybrid solar-battery storage facilities even though bids for the projects were set to expire soon. The new units would help fill the void left when Public Service Co. of New Mexico closes its major coal-fired power plant in 2022. A divided Public Regulation Commission voted 3-2 Wednesday to defer any action on the hybrid units, saying they want a full examination of the other resources the utility is seeking approval for as it looks to transition to more renewable energy over the next two decades.
- AGENCY-QUESTIONABLE SPENDING
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — An agency that promotes the Los Alamos National Laboratory is asking a state lawmaker to pay back $8,000 in reimbursements paid to her while she served as the organization's executive director. The Albuquerque Journal reports the Regional Coalition of Los Alamos National Laboratory Communities wants Democratic state Rep. Andrea Romero to pay back the money she made before her election in 2018. Romero previously reimbursed the agency $2,200, but that was before the state Auditor's Office released a report in August 2018 that identified 18 negative findings. Romero said she would not comment until she had seen the letter asking for new reimbursements.