- Man linked to 5 killings in 2 states faces more charges
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A New Jersey man facing murder charges in two states has been charged with the death of a New Mexico man. Albuquerque police announced Tuesday that Sean Lannon has been charged with an open count of murder and tampering with evidence in the death of Randall Apostalon. The earlier charges stem from the slaying of Lannon's ex-wife and two of her friends, whose decomposed bodies were found in a pickup truck that was left at an airport parking garage. Apostalon's body also was found in the truck. Lannon also is charged in the beating death of a man in New Jersey. Defense attorneys did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
- Vaccine supplies eclipse demand in New Mexico
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Vaccine supplies have eclipsed demand in New Mexico even as the state makes a hard push toward meeting a key vaccination goal Thursday. Health officials confirm that New Mexico's inventory includes nearly a half-million doses that are being stored in freezers around the state. Expiration dates range from this week through September. The state also has donated 372,600 doses of its undelivered allocation to the federal government. New Mexico is just shy of meeting its 60% vaccination goal. Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham wants to hit that mark this week so she can follow through on plans to fully reopen the state by July 1.
- US West swelters in record-busting heat, risking wildfires
PHOENIX (AP) — Dangerous, record-busting heat is spreading across the U.S. Southwest and into parts of Utah, Montana and Wyoming. It's caused by a dome of high pressure that's hovering over a large swath of the region, pushing temperatures into the triple digits this week and intensifying the risk for wildfires amid a long-running drought. Some of the highest temperatures are in bone-dry Arizona, where the National Weather Service has forecast a record high of 117 degrees Tuesday in Phoenix. The previous high for the date was 115 degrees in 1974. The excessive heat stretched from southeast California across Arizona and Nevada and into New Mexico. Utah set a heat record for the second day in a row.
- New Mexico education department mistake shuffles $35 million
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico is accepting a U.S. Department of Education decision barring the state from reducing funding for school districts that get certain federal aid. Education Secretary Ryan Stewart says the state would likely lose an appeal. The federal funding will now go straight to schools surrounded by land that isn't taxable, like Indian reservations and military installations. The state Legislature was relying on taking the so-called Impact Aid "credits" to redistribute some of the federal funding across districts for the annual education budget. Stewart is now asking for $35 million from a reserve fund to cover the budget shortfall.
- New Mexico rolls out same-day voter registration program
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Democrat-backed efforts to expand voter access in New Mexico are coming to fruition with the rollout of same-day voter registration. The first trial run took place in a low-turnout special congressional election June 1. It allowed people to register at early voting centers in the final weeks of balloting, including Election Day. In all, 2,012 residents took advantage of the opportunity during the pilot run. Previously, voter registration in the state was cut off 28 days before elections. Voting regulators are likely to adopt same-day registration for future elections. A 2019 bill opened the way same-day registration on a delayed timeline.
- Longtime Sandia Labs airline safety research center moving
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A decades-old program at Sandia National Laboratories that focused on new innovations in airplane inspection will be taking flight elsewhere. The Albuquerque-based weapons research and development facility announced Tuesday that the Federal Aviation Administration Airworthiness Assurance Center will relocate to Wichita State University in Kansas. The program will be part of the university's National Institute of Aviation Research. Officials say the move follows structural shifts at both Sandia and the FAA. Sandia Labs has operated the center for the FAA for 30 years. Under the program, researchers worked alongside aircraft manufacturers, industry experts and regulatory agencies to enhance airplane inspection and maintenance systems.
- Report: New Mexico threatens North Dakota's No.2 oil ranking
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota has ranked as the nation's second-biggest oil producer for nine years, but it's on the verge of losing that status because oil production is soaring in New Mexico. The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported Monday that New Mexico produced 1.16 million barrels of oil per day in March, while North Dakota's daily oil output that month was 1.11 million barrels. Texas continues to lead the nation in oil production. Lynn Helms, North Dakota's mineral resources director, told the Bismarck Tribune that New Mexico could surpass North Dakota unless it picks up the pace of production soon.
- Military veteran runs for New Mexico governor as Republican
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Investment adviser and West Point graduate Greg Zanetti of Albuquerque says he'll seek the Republican nomination for governor of New Mexico in next year's election. In a news release Monday, Zanetti says he wants to "restore some dignity" to the governor's office." Zanetti says he wants to work with local officials to reduce crime rates and improve schools, though he didn't provide detailed proposals. Democratic New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is running for reelection in 2022. Democrats control every statewide office and hold majorities in the state House and Senate.