- NEW MEXICO ENERGY FUTURE
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — An online meeting that was meant to decide the future of a major coal-fired power plant in New Mexico has been derailed by a group of young people who interrupted the proceedings by playing rap music laden with racial epithets and posting derogatory messages. The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission was hosting the virtual meeting Wednesday regarding the planned closure of the San Juan Generating Station. The interruption came as the chair was speaking about needing to protect the rights of customers of the state's largest electric utility. It wasn't immediately clear if the meeting would resume and when regulators would be able to vote.
- COUGHING ASSAULT
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A Santa Fe man is facing charges after police say he entered a store and intentionally coughed on several people. The Santa Fe New Mexican reports Edward Babcock was arrested last week following reports he was coughing on customers at a Big Lots store in Santa Fe. According to a criminal complaint, the 4O-year-old Babcock coughed on a woman and her 10-year-old daughter after telling the woman, "It's on, it's on." A witness told police Babcock was getting close to others and coughing on them, too. Police say the victims all felt Babcock was exposing them to COVID-19. He was charged with two counts of assault. It was not known if he had an attorney.
- ELECTION 2020-NEW MEXICO
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A coalition of liberal groups has begun a campaign to target critical moderate New Mexico Senate Democrats who have blocked some liberal proposals. The coalition calling itself the No Corporate Democrats community coalition said Monday it will work to unseat five Senate Democrats they say oppose more spending on early childhood education. The senators have stopped proposals aimed at dipping into the state's largest permanent fund to pay for the expansion of early childhood programs. The five Democrats also voted against an unsuccessful abortion rights measure in 2019. The bill would have repealed a 1969 anti-abortion law.
- OIL DOWNTURN-AIRPORT EXPANSION
HOBBS, N.M. (AP) — A southeastern airport in the heart of New Mexico's oil region is continuing its expansion despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and drop in gas prices. The Hobbs News-Sun reports officials say the expansion of Lea Regional Airport is on course and the completion of the airport terminal expansion Phase 1 should finish by the end of April. Designed to add about 9,000 square feet to the current 4,400-square-foot terminal, Phase 1 will triple the amount of space available for passengers. Phase 2, the reconstruction of the existing terminal, will start only after Phase 1 is completed. Phase 3 will double the phase 1 gate seating area.
- ELECTION 2020-MAIL VOTING-NEW MEXICO
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The New Mexico Republican Party is objecting to universal mail-in balloting procedures proposed by local election officials in response to the coronavirus pandemic as a substitute for in-person voting. The dispute erupted Tuesday as a host of states rush to adopt alternatives to in-person voting amid a national public health emergency and government directives to avoid public gatherings and human contact. The Republican Party and affiliated state legislators say the state's June 2 primary should be handled by absentee procedures in which currently registered voters submit an application for a ballot that can be mailed or hand delivered.
- STATE REPRESENTATIVE BALLOT
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico district judge has ruled that Democratic state Rep. Patricio Ruiloba did not follow procedure in collecting petition signatures required to quality for the ballot. The Albuquerque Journal reported Tuesday that Judge Joshua Allison ordered Bernalillo County and the state election officials not to include Ruiloba on the June 2 ballot. The state representative was disqualified because he did not include his district number on his paperwork. Allison says the state Supreme Court had previously ruled the district number is required to ensure voters signing the petition know whether they are qualified to sign. Ruiloba has said he intends to file an appeal.
- AP-NM-VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW MEXICO
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico is expanding coronavirus testing to many people without medical symptoms as state health officials are acknowledging that the demand for hospital beds and intensive care resources may outstrip capacity as infections accelerate. Officials including Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Tuesday described in detail the state's scientific forecasting for the spread of COVID-19, noting that an early surge of infections is expected in the northwest region of the state in the coming week. New Mexico's death toll from the coronavirus pandemic has increased to five, with the case of a man in his 40s.
- POLICE SHOOTING-ALBUQUERQUE
ALBUIQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A man accused of beating his neighbor with a hammer and threatening to kill him just weeks ago is dead after being shot by Albuquerque police. Authorities say the shooting occurred at a home Monday after officers attempted to make a welfare check on 52-year-old Valente Acosta-Busttillos. Police were contacted by his concerned employer, who had not heard from him in several days. Officers discovered Acosta-Busttillos had a warrant for a violent felony related to the incident with his neighbor and attempted to arrest him. Authorities say officers tried less-lethal force but that's didn't work. At least one officer fired his weapon, striking the Acost-Busttillos.