- New Mexico Legislature considers 'hybrid' session for safety
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Leading legislators in New Mexico say the next regular legislative session in early 2021 is likely to take place in a hybrid of in person and online. Democratic Senate majority leaders Peter Wirth of Santa Fe said Monday that a "huge piece" of the next session likely will be conducted online through video conferencing as a precaution against pandemic dangers. He noted that many local governments are conducting public business entirely online. The Democratic House speaker indicated that online committee hearings are likely and that the House will limit the number of bills that can be introduced by each member to five to streamline proceedings.
- New Mexico electors support Biden, as GOP sues to invalidate
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Five New Mexico electors have cast their votes for Joe Biden to formalize the Democratic candidate's victory in the state's presidential vote. The electors wore face masks as a precaution against the coronavirus as they met Monday inside a Statehouse committee room. Biden won the statewide popular vote by a margin of nearly 11 percentage points over President Donald Trump. The last time New Mexico sided with a Republican presidential candidate was for the 2004 reelection of George W. Bush. Monday's meeting was accessible to the public and media by video webcast only. Electors of diverse backgrounds greeted the public briefly in English, Spanish and a Native American language.
- Vaccine arrives in New Mexico as deaths mark another high
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The first coronavirus vaccines have arrived in New Mexico as hospitals prepare to distribute doses to frontline health care workers. The first vaccinations came Monday with health care workers at Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center in Santa Fe. New Mexico will get more than 17,500 doses as part of the first wave. The shipments come as new COVID-19 cases have decreased but hospitalizations and deaths remain high. On Sunday, New Mexico tied its previous record of 44 for the number of coronavirus-related deaths reported in a single day. Hospital leaders say they're excited about the vaccine, but they warned that protective gear and protocols are still necessary.
- US Supreme Court sides with New Mexico in Pecos River fight
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court has sided with New Mexico in a fight with Texas over the Pecos River. The decision issued Monday centers on evaporation and New Mexico's obligations to deliver a certain amount of water to Texas each year. The court found that the river master overseeing the compact between the two states correctly calculated that New Mexico should get credit for floodwater it stored in 2014 at the request of Texas. That state had argued that a significant amount of water had evaporated while it was in storage. The states wanted the court to clear up how to account for the evaporated water.
- 'Lost connection' hampers Virgin Galactic's test flight
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A Virgin Galactic test flight Saturday ended prematurely as the spacecraft's rocket motor failed to ignite. It then glided down safely to its landing site in southern New Mexico. The spacecraft's engine is supposed to ignite moments after the craft is released from a special carrier jet, sending the craft into a near-vertical climb towards the edge of space. Virgin Galactic CEO Michael Colglazier said in a statement that the spaceship's onboard computer that monitors the motor lost connection, triggering a fail-safe scenario that halted ignition. It was to be the first rocket-powered flight to space from Virgin Galactic's headquarters at Spaceport America.
- US agency looks to open rare lizard's habitat to oil and gas
CARLSBAD, N.M. (AP) — Federal wildlife managers are considering offering permits to landowners in the Permian Basin that environmentalists say could further compromise habitat for a rare lizard found only in parts of southeastern New Mexico and West Texas. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will be accepting comments on the proposal through Dec. 21. The Carlsbad Current-Argus reports that the permits would be available to landowners who are participating in candidate conservation agreements with the federal government. The permits would cover situations when lizards are harmed or killed during oil and gas operations, sand mining, renewable energy development, agriculture or construction activities.
- Navajo Nation reports 231 new COVID-19 cases, 12 more deaths
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — Navajo Nation health officials are reporting 231 new COVID-19 cases and 12 more deaths as they prepared to implement a weekend-long lockdown for reservation residents. The tribe has now reported 19,199 cases and 711 known deaths since the pandemic began. The lockdown that begins at 8 p.m. Friday will require everyone on the reservation except essential workers to stay at home. All businesses are are required to remain closed until the locldown ends at 5:30 a.m. Monday. The tribe also has a generral stay-at-home order in place through Dec. 28.
- Education advocates push for early teacher vaccinations
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Education advocates are calling for teachers and other school workers to get priority in the national coronavirus vaccine rollout expected to start next week. In New Mexico, state legislators are calling for educators teaching in-person to receive the vaccine alongside healthcare workers and first responders. In separate statements this week, Utah Gov. Gary Herbert and Indiana Congressman Rep. Jim Banks are saying that teachers should be in the second phase of vaccinations, after health workers but ahead of the general public. Teacher union officials from the National Education Association agree teachers should get priority, but caution that even with a vaccine for adults, schools will have to practice social distancing, mask-wearing and frequent hand-washing.