- PEOPLE-BOB ODENKIRK
LOS ANGELES (AP) — "Better Call Saul" star Bob Odenkirk has been hospitalized after collapsing on the show's New Mexico set. A person close to Odenkirk not authorized to speak publicly says crew members called an ambulance that took the 58-year-old actor to a hospital, where he remained Tuesday night. It was not immediately clear what caused the collapse, or how long Odenkirk might be hospitalized. "Better Call Saul," the spin-off prequel to "Breaking Bad," has been shooting its sixth and final season, which is set to air on AMC next year. Odenkirk has been nominated for four Emmys for playing the title role.
- FLOODED ARROYOS-RESCUES
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Albuquerque Fire Rescue crews are searching for three people believed to have been swept away in an arroyo. After heavy rain hit the northeast Albuquerque area Tuesday, the fire department's rescue unit was called out to search for two people who were spotted around 5 p.m. in an arroyo near Interstate 25. The National Weather Service had issued a flash flood warning for Bernalillo County shortly before the people were spotted. Last week, three men died after being swept away in arroyos following a flash flood. Their bodies were later recovered.
- VIRUS OUTBREAK-NAVAJO NATION
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — The Navajo Nation on Tuesday reported 15 new COVID-19 cases and one additional death. The latest numbers brought the total number of COVID-19 cases on the vast reservation to 31,322 since the pandemic began more than a year ago. The number of known deaths now is at 1,373. The Navajo Nation recently relaxed restrictions to allow visitors to travel on the reservation and visit popular attractions like Canyon de Chelly and Monument Valley. The reservation is the country's largest at 27,000 square miles and it covers parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. While cases are down, Navajo leaders are urging residents to continue wearing masks and get vaccinated.
- BANDELIER-WILDFLOWERS
LOS ALAMOS, N.M. (AP) — A bountiful wildflower bloom at Bandelier National Monument is drawing some early risers who want to avoid the midday crowds. The visitors center is responding to accommodate them. Starting Sunday, it will open a half-hour earlier at 8:30 a.m. Acting Superintendent Dennis Milligan says that will give staff more time to hand out information on trails and safety. The Southwest has been inundated with rain during the monsoon season, bolstering wildflowers. Monument officials say the massive wildflower bloom should last for several more weeks. They say visitors should feel free to photograph the flowers but don't pick them so others can enjoy the view.
- CRIME-FRUSTRATED FAMILIES
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Families have been devastated by Albuquerque's rash of killings as the city has one of its deadliest years in memory. The tally of homicides for the first seven months of the year is about to eclipse the record of 80 set for all of 2019. Police Chief Harold Medina says the criminal justice system is broken and something needs to change. Other cities around the U.S. also are seeing significant increases this year. Albuquerque officials have been working on changes, but families of victims see few consequences for those who repeatedly commit violent crimes.
- LEGISLATURE-SALARY-NEW MEXICO
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico voters may be asked whether to have the State Ethics Commission review and set salaries for state legislators. State Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto on Monday presented a proposed constitutional amendment to a legislative committee in advance of next year's 30-day legislative session. New Mexico is the only state where lawmakers receive no salary for their work, though taxpayers foot the bill for travel expenses and an allowance for meals and lodging when the Legislature is in session. Many lawmakers also have access to public pension benefits. Ivey-Soto said providing lawmakers with a salary would allow more people to serve in the Legislature.
- SEXUAL HARASSMENT LAWSUITS-SETTLEMENTS
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Two lawsuits that accused an investigator in the state public defender's office of sexual harassment have been settled. The Law Offices of the Public Defender agreed to pay $345,000 to resolve the lawsuits filed in 2019. The Albuquerque Journal reports that neither the office nor the investigator who worked at the Las Cruces location admitted liability as part of the settlements. An attorney for the plaintiffs says her clients are hopeful the culture in the public defender's office will change and others will be spared from similar treatment, including retaliation for reporting harassment.
- AP-US-WILD-HORSES-ADOPTION-PROTECTIONS
RENO, Nev. (AP) — U.S. officials who are trying to adopt out wild horses captured on public land say they are tightening protections to guard against the illegal resale of animals for slaughter. Advocates say the government needs to do more, including ending incentive payments for adoptions. The Bureau of Land Management said in announcing the changes that the agency is committed to the health and safety of adopted wild horses and burros. It says it intends to begin making additional inspections after adoptions, improve screening of potential adopters and other measures. The bureau says an estimated 86,000 wild horses and burros living in 10 Western states is three times as many as public lands can sustain. Advocates dispute that.