SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The New Mexico Supreme Court is temporarily suspending consumer debt collection — such as garnishing wages or seizing assets — in response to the coronavirus pandemic and related economic downturn. The court ordered the temporary suspension Friday in a new effort to alleviate economic hardship amid a surge in unemployment and uncertainties. The decision took place as a COVID-19 outbreak continued to race Friday through privately run prison facilities for state and federal inmates in Otero County.
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Republican election observers are expressing frustration as Santa Fe County officials spent a fourth day tallying absentee ballots from Tuesday's primary election. Presiding ballot judge Paul D'Arcy said that seven more people joined the vote-count effort, with several thousand uncounted ballots remaining on Friday. The majority of New Mexico primary voters shifted to voting by absentee ballot amid concerns about the coronavirus.
ROSWELL, N.M. (AP) — Authorities in southeastern New Mexico say a person pulled over for a traffic stop stole a police car, prompting a pursuit into the next county in southeastern New Mexico and resulting in two crashes that left two people injured. The Roswell Daily Record reports that the person who stole the Roswell Police Department car in Chaves County on Thursday later fled from the scene of a head-on crash that ended the vehicle pursuit in Eddy County but was arrested nearby.
Albuquerque police hire in old excessive force case promoted
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The head of Albuquerque police's Real-Time Crime Center, whose hiring in 2018 generated anger because of his role in an excessive force lawsuit in New Jersey decades ago, has been promoted. City records show that Leonard Nerbetski was recently promoted from his civilian status to police commander while he oversees a unit that includes dispatchers and crime analysts.
Today is Friday, June 5, the 157th day of 2020. There are 209 days left in the year.
Today's Highlight in History:
On June 5, 1968, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy was shot and mortally wounded after claiming victory in California's Democratic presidential primary at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles; assassin Sirhan Bishara Sirhan was arrested at the scene.
There was a startling admission late today from the commissioner of the National Football League. Roger Goodell says the NFL was wrong not to listen to its players' concerns about racism. And he says the league now encourages the kind of peaceful protests that many say cost former quarterback Colin Kaepernick his job. The statement, though, made no mention of Kaepernick. This all comes amidst a nationwide protest against police brutality against black people. Joining me now is NPR sports correspondent Tom Goldman.
All of the approximately 1,600 active duty soldiers who were airlifted to military bases near Washington, D.C., earlier this week are being ordered back to their home postings, according the Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy.
Hundreds and hundreds of cars wound through the streets of San Francisco. Drivers honked. Children chanted. Signs read "Black Lives Matter "and "No Justice, No Peace" as for hours protesters — socially distanced inside their own vehicles — added their voices to a national chorus of outrage.
