- VIRUS OUTBREAK-NAVAJO NATION
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — The Navajo Nation on Thursday reported two new cases of COVID-19 and one more death. Tribal health officials say the sprawling reservation that stretches into New Mexico, Arizona and Utah now has seen 30,976 known cases of the coronavirus since the pandemic began more than a year ago. The known death toll is at 1,348. Last week, the Navajo Department of Health lifted the tribe's stay-at-home order, easing restrictions to allow in-person meetings and ceremonies of 25 people or fewer and drive-thru gatherings of up to 100 vehicles. Face masks are required by everyone on the Navajo Nation, whether or not they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
- AP-US-BIDEN-VS.-OIL-TRIBAL-LANDS
NEW TOWN, N.D. (AP) — Oil pumped from Native American lands in the U.S. increased almost tenfold since 2009 to more than 130 million barrels annually, bringing new wealth to a handful of tribes. Other tribes left out of the drilling boom have become increasingly outspoken against fossil fuels as climate change's impacts grow worse. Drilling on tribal lands is overseen by the federal government and burning that oil produces greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to millions of vehicles. With huge reserves of fossil fuels on tribal lands still untapped, the Biden administration faces competing pressures to help develop them even as it seeks to curb emissions.
- NBCUNIVERSAL-NEW MEXICO
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Executives with NBCUniversal are celebrating the opening of the company's new production facility in New Mexico. They were joined at a ribbon-cutting event Thursday by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller. NBCUniversal had announced in 2019 that it would build the state-of-the-art television and film studio in a warehouse district just north of downtown Albuquerque as part of a plan to expand its footprint in one of the fastest growing film production hubs in the country. The company also has committed to $500 million in direct production spending over 10 years. Netflix also is expanding its operations in Albuquerque.
- CHILD WELFARE WHISTLEBLOWERS
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Two employees fired from New Mexico's child welfare agency have filed a whistleblower complaint. The lawsuit says they were fired for raising ethical and legal concerns. It's the latest fallout from the use of the Signal messaging app by the Children, Youth, and Family Department. Couple Debra and Cliff Gilmore say they raised concerns over instructions to use a feature in the app that automatically deleted messages. They worried the erasing ran afoul of state record retention laws governing writings of state government workers. The agency says use of the app's features was legal and important for securing sensitive information about the at-risk children it protects.
- GIRL KILLED-TRIAL
LOS LUNAS, N.M. (AP) — Jurors found a New Mexico man not guilty of a murder charge and deadlocked on two other felony charges in the 2018 rape and strangulation death of a 6-year-old girl. The Albuquerque Journal reported that jurors at Leland Hust's trial deadlocked on the charges of child abuse resulting in death and criminal sexual penetration of a child. Prosecutors plan to seek a new trial on those charges. The verdict came nearly three years after Ariana "Jade" Romeo was found dead and bloodied Oct. 11, 2018, in a bedroom of the Rio Rancho house she and her mother shared with Hust and seven others.
- FOREVER CHEMICALS-NEW MEXICO
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is among those calling on the U.S. government to list so-called "forever chemicals" as hazardous waste under federal law. The governor filed her petition with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday. It follows recent congressional testimony given by New Mexico Environment Secretary James Kenney in which he made the same request. New Mexico is locked in a legal battle with the U.S. Air Force over contamination by the chemicals at two bases in the state. Officials say designating the chemicals as hazardous waste would set a clear regulatory path for New Mexico and other states that are dealing with similar contamination.
- PANDEMIC RELIEF-NEW MEXICO
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A $1.7 billion wave of federal pandemic relief money has arrived at New Mexico's state treasury amid a power struggle between a Democratic governor running for reelection and leading Democratic lawmakers who draft the state budget. State Treasurer Tim Eichenberg confirmed the deposit from the federal government. The money is linked to the American Rescue Plan Act that comes with broad discretion on shoring up state finances and the local economy. Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham vetoed the Legislature's suggestions on relief spending. She has wagered an initial $5 million in relief money on a sweepstakes awards for people who get vaccinated.
- DRY NEW MEXICO
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Legislative analysts say many New Mexico communities are behind the curve when it comes to investing in drinking water infrastructure as drought threatens supplies across the arid state. New Mexico provided roughly $876 million for water projects over a five-year period. But analysts told lawmakers Wednesday that communities aren't doing enough to leverage federal and local dollars. They also said the state's system for financing projects is fragmented and tracking outcomes is difficult, leaving it unclear what taxpayers are getting for their money. Questions also were raised about whether the state can efficiently spend its share of federal relief aid and infrastructure funds to address some of the needs.