- HAZMAT SPILL-INTERSTATE
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico State Police shut down a stretch of Interstate 25 in Las Cruces and a hazardous materials team responded after a rollover crash involving a commercial motor vehicle hauling fuel. The driver sustained unknown injuries and was transported to an area hospital Thursday afternoon. NMSP spokesman Dusty Francisco said the Las Cruces Fire Department's HAZMAT team was called to assist because diesel and gas was believed to be leaking from the tanker. Northbound I-25 was closed at the U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint near milepost 26 and I-25 southbound was closed at milepost 32. Northbound traffic was being rerouted onto NM 185.
- VIRUS OUTBREAK-NAVAJO NATION
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — Officials on the Navajo Nation are reporting 287 new cases of the coronavirus and 23 more deaths. Thursday's figures come on top of 225 new cases the tribal government reported Wednesday along with two additional deaths. Navajo President Jonathan Nez said the high number of cases reported over the two days is likely due to reporting delays over the Christmas holiday. Nez and other tribal officials received doses of the new coronavirus vaccine Thursday. The new reports bring the total number of cases on the reservation that extends into Arizona, New Mexico and Utah to 23,090. The death toll is 806.
- VIRUS-OUTBREAK-IMMIGRANT RELIEF
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Immigrant taxpayers and their families are celebrating a federal relief package that includes spouses and children who are U.S. citizens. Checks sent out in the spring didn't go to families if one spouse was an immigrant in the country illegally, even if the other was a U.S. citizen or legal resident. About 5 million Americans were left out that way. But even in the new bill, some 2.2 million U.S. citizen children won't receive a check because they live in immigrant households. In Democratic-controlled areas, officials have targeted rent relief and direct payments to those families. New Mexico lawmakers are unique in sending federal money directly to immigrants.
- ALBUQUERQUE-POLICE CHIEF
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The results of a recent online survey of some Albuquerque residents show reducing violent crime and police reforms should be among the top priorities for the city's next police chief. The city released the results Wednesday, saying nearly 2,300 responses were submitted. The city also made public a list of the 39 people who have submitted applications for the position. The city has held more than 40 community meetings over the last two months focused on the search and will be identifying those candidates most in sync with the community's priorities as the selection process continues.
- VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW MEXICO
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Albuquerque city officials say they've used all of the coronavirus relief money received earlier this year from the federal government. City finance officials announced Thursday that the municipal government has spent or otherwise applied $150 million in relief aid in an effort to meet the original Dec. 30 spending deadline. The city said it focused much of the funding on shifting employees from jobs that were limited by the pandemic into roles directly related to supporting relief efforts. In addition to personnel, the city used the money on direct economic relief, including $11.2 million for business grants and $2.5 million in emergency grants for vulnerable residents.
- HOLIDAY AIR TRAVEL-NEW MEXICO
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Officials at New Mexico's largest airport say that 72% fewer people passed through Albuquerque International Sunport this Christmas week than they did last year. Airport spokesman Jonathan Small said Wednesday that officials saw around 30,000 passengers pass through from Dec. 20 to 26 on their way to holiday destinations. The TSA has reported that air travel nationwide is down as well amid the coronavirus pandemic. More than 900,000 people around the country flew Dec. 22 to holiday destinations compared with more than 1.9 million on the same date last year.
- VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW MEXICO
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A group of businesses has sued in federal court to try to end New Mexico's COVID-19 public health order. They claim that Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and state health officials have imposed arbitrary and unnecessary rules in response to the pandemic. A spokesman for the state Health Department called it the worst pandemic in a century and said the lawsuit "appears to be out of step with these realities." Confirmed COVID-19 infections in New Mexico have topped 141,000, while more than 2,430 people have died. Health Secretary Dr. Tracie Collins said Wednesday that planning continues for the rollout of vaccinations.
- AP-US-NATIONAL-PARK-VISITOR-TASED
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The National Park Service says a man who was tased during a confrontation with a park ranger in New Mexico was seen climbing on and among petroglyph cliff features off-trail. The federal agency released video late Tuesday of the interaction between the ranger and Darrell House, saying an investigation is ongoing. The video shows the ranger telling House that Native American tribes from the area consider Petroglyph National Monument as sacred and that visitors are supposed to stay on designated trails to preserve the cultural resources. The video shows House, who identified himself as Navajo and Oneida, trying to walk away. House did not return messages seeking comment.