- VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW MEXICO
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is weighing whether to extend major provisions of an emergency health order that limits nonessential business activity and bans gatherings over more than five people. The governor scheduled a live-stream news conference on Wednesday to discuss statewide efforts to rein in the spread of the coronavirus and protect vulnerable residents. New Mexico's current emergency health order expires on Friday, as infections continue to surge in the northwest of the state. The Navajo Nation on Tuesday extended its executive order declaring a state of emergency and government closures to June 7.
- ELECTION 2020-NEW MEXICO
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — One of the two Democrats seeking to unseat New Mexico Senate President Pro Tempore Mary Kay Papen in the upcoming primary has dropped out. The Las Cruces Sun-News reports state Senate primary candidate Tracy Perry announced Monday she would suspend her campaign citing health reasons. Perry says surgery and recovery after suffering a broken back in October made it hard to continue. The newspaper reported that Perry was endorsing Papen's other Democratic challenger, Carrie Hamblen. The 88-year-old Papen of Las Cruces is one of many conservative Democrats more liberal Democrats are seeking to unseat in the upcoming June 2 primary.
- FATAL SHOOTING-BUSINESSMAN
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — Police are offering a $2,000 reward as investigators search for suspects in connection with the fatal shooting of a businessman in Las Cruces. KVIA-TV reports the reward offer comes days after police found 79-year-old Oscar Amezquita on Saturday following reports of gunshots. Amezquita, a longtime resident of the community and owner of the Landis Boot and Shoe Service, suffered at least one bullet wound and died shortly after officers found him. No arrests have been made.
- WIND FARM-GROUNDBREAKING
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Construction has started on 35,000 acres of state trust land for the La Joya Wind Farm in New Mexico's Torrance County. The project about 10 miles west of the Village of Encino includes a mix of private and state trust land. Avangrid Renewables was awarded the state land by New Mexico Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard through an open bid process last September. When completed, the project will consist of 111 turbines and have a total generating capacity of 306 megawatts. The portion sited on state trust land will include 74 new wind turbines capable of generating a total of 207 megawatts. The project is expected to be in operation by the end of this year.
- TRIBES-CORONAVIRUS RELIEF FUNDING
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — A federal judge says the U.S. Treasury Department is not unreasonably delaying the release of coronavirus relief funding to Native American tribes. The department is tasked with disbursing $8 billion to tribes that was included in a relief package approved in late March. Payments didn't start going out until more than a week after the April 26 deadline set by Congress. Despite that, the federal judge rejected an assertion that the Treasury secretary was "twiddling his thumbs." The judge's ruling comes in a case tribal nations filed against the federal government to force the release of the entire $8 billion.
- VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW MEXICO
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico has more than 5,200 COVID-19 cases with the confirmation of 143 new infections and 11 deaths. New infections and deaths were concentrated Tuesday in the northwest corner of the state, where the coronavirus has taken an outsized toll on the Navajo Nation. New Mexico officials announced that COVID-19 testing is now available for all workers in the state, symptomatic or not. Department of Health Secretary Kathy Kunkel says the state has expanded drive-up testing sites. The coronavirus has claimed at least 219 lives statewide.
- BODY IN SUV-MISSING WOMAN
TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES, N.M. (AP) — A sheriff says a Truth or Consequences woman missing since late January has been found dead in her SUV after it was discovered in Elephant Butte Reservoir. Sierra County Sheriff Glenn Hamilton said there was no immediate indication of foul play in the death of 88-year-old Janet Lorraine Mimovich. Hamilton said investigators believed Mimovich got disoriented while driving home after dining out. The sheriff said state park workers spotted Mimovich's silver Mercedes SUV on Monday when part of it emerged from the water when they raised a cable anchoring a boat dock. Hamilton said authorities previously searched in the area unsuccessfully because they suspected Mimovich took the wrong road while returning home.
- BAIL REFORM-NEW MEXICO
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A committee appointed by the New Mexico Supreme Court has hashed out recommendations for amending some of the rules related to keeping defendants locked up pending trial. The committee gathered Tuesday for a virtual meeting that lasted several hours. Members voted on numerous proposals that deal with the procedural aspects of New Mexico's pretrial detention system, from the timing of certain motions to how evidence is presented and which courts should retain jurisdiction. Prosecutors, judges and public defenders have all voiced concerns with different aspects of the system. The committee plans to submit its report to the Supreme Court on Friday.