- Albuquerque eyes spike in drag racing during pandemic
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Officials in New Mexico's largest city are planning to crack down an a surge in illegal street racing and other disruptive driving that has accompanied the coronavirus pandemic. They say they'll seek regulations to help them. Interim Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina said Wednesday during a telephone town hall that the city is expanding late-night patrols in response to reckless driving including racing. He said the city will also lobby state lawmakers for stiffer penalties. He described illegal drag racing, loud mufflers and other tire-squealing maneuvers. Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller linked the spike to pressures of the pandemic.
- Affordable senior housing planned for New Mexico trust land
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — State officials say a blighted parcel along historic Route 66 in Albuquerque will be the new home of an affordable housing project for seniors. State Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard has signed a lease for the state trust land that will allow a subsidiary of the Greater Albuquerque Housing Partnership to move forward with the project. The four-story senior living space will consist of more than 90 low-rent units. The housing partnership won an auction for the trust land earlier this year. To help with the project, the partnership received low-income housing tax credits through the New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority.
- 2 longtime Democratic New Mexico senators vacate seats early
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A longtime New Mexico state senator has announced he is retiring from his position a month before his four-year term was scheduled to expire. He lost his bid for reelection this year. Democratic state Sen. John Arthur Smith, who had served eight terms and was chairman of the influential Senate Finance Committee, announced Tuesday he wanted to spend more time with his family. Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth said Smith's colleague Democratic state Sen. Richard Martinez also submitted his resignation early this week. It's unclear whether anyone will step into the two positions before the start of the next legislative session, scheduled to begin in mid-January.
- Virgin Galactic gets NASA contract, prepares for test flight
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — Virgin Galactic has been selected to provide regular access to flights for NASA payloads as the space agency conducts more research and development and plans for exploratory missions. NASA announced the partnership Monday and says the flight and integration services will benefit the agency's Flight Opportunity program managed out of Edwards, California. Virgin Galactic joins other companies with similar commercial contracts with NASA. The agency says the contracts are worth a combined $45 million. Virgin Galactic is preparing for its first test space flight from Spaceport America in New Mexico. The window for that flight opens Dec. 11.
- 2 engines, 12 cars on freight train derail in New Mexico
VADO, N.M. (AP) — Burlington Northern Santa Fe says two engines and 12 empty cars that were part of a BNSF freight train derailed in the southern New Mexico community of Vado early Wednesday morning. The railroad said in a statement that cause of the derailment was under investigation and that the train's engineer was taken to a hospital to be treated for minor injuries. The derailment left one engine on its side and the other off the rails but upright. The state Department of Transportation said parts of several highways were closed. Additional information was not immediately available.
- New Mexico surpasses 100K infections, reports 40 deaths
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico has marked another grim milestone with confirmed COVID-19 infections surpassing the 100,000 mark. State health officials on Wednesday also reported a new record for the number of related deaths in a single day with 40. The latest numbers come as some public health restrictions are eased following a two-week lockdown. Like elsewhere, New Mexico has been dealing with a surge. Data show about half of the state's total cases have been reported in just the past month, and laboratories have been busy with increased demand for testing. Health officials expect an uptick in the coming weeks as a result of gatherings over the Thanksgiving holiday.
- New Mexico jail seeks to return stolen money to inmates
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Officials are seeking to return funds that were stolen from inmates' accounts at the Bernalillo County jail over several years. The Metropolitan Detention Center said Tuesday it is trying locate 99 former inmates so the misappropriated money can be refunded. An independent audit recently made public by the state auditor's office alleges that a former fiscal supervisor at the jail tapped into inmate trust accounts to issue fraudulent debit cards. Jail officials were tipped off in 2019 when a former inmate called about money missing from the account. Officials say they've instituted new procedures and taken other corrective actions.
- Officials say snow-loving bird resilient to climate change
DENVER (AP) — Government biologists say a bird that roosts in the snow high in the U.S. Rocky Mountains is expected to survive warming temperatures over the next several decades and therefore won't be getting special protections. The white-tailed ptarmigan is the smallest grouse in the North America. It's found only in alpine regions of Colorado and a sliver of Northern New Mexico. The birds occurred historically in Wyoming but are believed to be gone from the state. While their habitat is expected to deteriorate as climate change brings hotter conditions, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists determined enough suitable habitat will be left through 2050 for the species to survive.