- EASTERN NEW MEXICO-COACH
PORTALES, N.M. (AP) — Eastern New Mexico has named Southern Indiana assistant Brent Owen as its new men's head basketball coach. Eastern New Mexico Athletic Director Matt Billings announced last week that Owen will take over the program from Tres Segler. Segler resigned on April 6 to pursue other opportunities outside of basketball. Owen joins the Greyhounds following a nine-year tenure as an assistant coach at Southern Indiana. A native of Chrisman, Illinois, Owen was a three-time Academic All-GLVC performer during his career at Southern Indiana from 2006-2009. Eastern New Mexico posted an 8-19 record this season.
- MESALANDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE
TUCUMCARI, N.M. (AP) — Mesalands Community College has fired its president after placing him on indefinite paid administrative leave in March. The eastern New Mexico school's board voted last month to terminate the contract of John Groesbeck. The board declined to comment on the reason for placing him on leave and for his termination. Since March, he had not been allowed on campus. Groesbeck was hired as Mesalands president in July 2018 after the retirement of Thomas Newsom. The board gave Groesbeck a two-year contract extension last year. The board named Vice President of Academic Affairs Natalie Gillard as interim president.
- PETROGLYPH VANDALISM
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Vandalism at one of the largest petroglyph sites in North America appears to be on the rise. KRQE-TV reports Petroglyph National Monument Superintendent Nancy Hendricks said last week crews have reported three episodes of vandalism this year at the monument in Albuquerque. Those acts include spray paint on the rocks at Boca Negra Canyon in the past two months, vandalism at headquarters and carved rocks at the Rinconada Canyon Trail. Petroglyph National Monument features designs and symbols carved onto volcanic rocks by Native Americans and Spanish settlers 400 to 700 years ago.
- ELECTION 2020-NEW MEXICO
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Democratic U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich is throwing his political weight behind primary challengers to socially conservative Democrats in the New Mexico Legislature. Heinrich on Monday invited constituents to attend an online fundraiser for the campaign of school psychologist Siah Correa Hemphill of Silver City in her primary election bid to unseat state Sen. Gabriel Ramos. Ramos voted in 2019 against a bill that would have removed the state's dormant criminal ban on most abortion procedures. The statute could become relevant as efforts to roll back abortion rights make their way to the increasingly conservative U.S. Supreme Court.
- AP-US-VIRUS-OUTBREAK-NAVAJO-NATION
TUBA CITY, Arizona (AP) — The largest Native American reservation in the U.S. has some of the highest rates of coronavirus infections in the country. The Navajo Nation has a population of roughly 175,000 and spans three western states. The tribe has seen more than 3,100 cases. At least 100 people have died. The virus arrived on the reservation in March, hopscotching across families and clans, and churches and towns. The numbers continue to grow. Navajos are susceptible to the virus' spread because they are so close knit, that's also how many believe they will beat it.
- VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW MEXICO
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The famed Santa Fe Opera has been forced to cancel its season. General Director Robert Meya said Monday the opera explored every possible scenario _ including how to test and quarantine, limit theater capacity and conduct wellness checks. But he said the decision was made with the health and safety of staff, artists, patrons and the community in mind. More than $5 million in tickets already were sold. Meya is asking patrons to donate the value of their tickets back to the opera to help compensate artists, musicians and seasonal staff. New Mexico has more than 5,000 cases, and over 200 people are hospitalized.
- VIRUS OUTBREAK-WILDFIRE PLANS
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — New plans offer a national reimagining of how to fight wildfires amid the risk of the coronavirus spreading through crews. But it's not clear how officials will get the testing and equipment needed to keep firefighters safe in what's expected to be a difficult fire season. A U.S. group last week released broad guidelines to consider when sending crews to blazes. Different parts of the country can tailor the guidelines, which include having firefighters camp in smaller groups and keeping crews separated. A letter from lawmakers says the U.S. Forest Service determined that large fire camps could have a disproportionately high mortality rate in worst-case scenarios. Agency officials say that risk assessment is "outdated."
- AP-US-VIRUS-OUTBREAK-TRIBAL-CASINOS
SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Some 500 Native American casinos have shut down during the pandemic, often taking away tribes' main source of income. While some Native American-owned casinos have reopened or plan to in coming weeks, most are still closed. Besides costing tribes millions of dollars, the closures have forced layoffs and furloughs. One tribe in Washington state says it can't fund anything without the casino but recently reopened after two months. In Connecticut, workers at two large casinos are eager to get back to work. But they say it's better to be safe than sorry because "to open and close again would be terrible."