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Latest New Mexico news, sports, business and entertainment at 11:20 a.m. MDT

  • VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW MEXICO

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — State officials say new Mexico's health care system has a limited statewide stock of about 44,000 snug-fitting N95 face masks that can protect medical workers from the coronavirus by filtering out small airborne particles. New Mexico also has about 2.4 million exam gloves, 70,500 medical gowns and 234,000 surgical masks that offer less protection from virus infections than N95 masks. State officials provided the figures Wednesday after The Associated Press requested details about the state's supplies. The information about New Mexico's health protection gear was drawn from a survey conducted last week of supplies in the state's 33 counties. Twenty eight counties responded to the survey.

  • VIRUS OUTBREAK-UNEMPLOYMENT-NEW MEXICO

RIO RANCHO, N.M. (AP) — More than 28,000 New Mexico residents have applied for unemployment benefits _ over 50% the amount filed the previous record week. A U.S. Department of Labor report released Thursday said 28,182 people in the state applied for unemployment benefits last week compared to record 17,187 the week before. That's a 55.7% increase. Filings for unemployment aid generally reflect the pace of layoffs. The numbers show the widespread economic shutdown caused by the coronavirus appears to be continuing to inflict damage to the nation's economy. Labor Department said more than 6.6 million Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week _ doubling a record high set just one week earlier.

  • AP-US-VIRUS-OUTBREAK-CONSTRUCTION-CAMPS

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Major construction projects are moving forward along both U.S. borders and raising fears that the influx of workers could spread the coronavirus. Along the northern border, a Canadian company says it will start work this month on a disputed oil pipeline that could bring thousands of workers to rural areas in Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska. Along the southern border, workers travel every day from camps in New Mexico to build President Donald Trump's border wall. Residents, tribal leaders and state officials worry that the work could make problems worse in rural areas with little or no medical infrastructure capable of handling an outbreak.

  • CHICANO STUDIES-ENROLLMENT JUMP

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The University of New Mexico's Chicana and Chicano Studies Department is seeing a jump in enrollment, defying overall student enrollment declines at the state's largest college. Numbers show one of the nation's first Chicano Studies programs saw a 636% spike in students since 2011 as other areas at the university experienced declines. While colleges across the U.S. also report enrollment drops, similar Latino studies programs are reporting growth in enrollment. The department chair says universities are experiencing a rise in Latino students, and they are hungry for Latino studies classes. She says studies show those classes help with graduation rates among Latino students.

  • SHIRT HITS OFFICER

HOBBS, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico man is facing charges after police say he was arrested for drunken driving and threw his clothes at an officer. The Hobbs News-Sun reports Alonso Martinez of Eunice was taken into custody following a traffic stop in Hobbs. According to police, an officer found an open container of Michelob Ultra in the car's center console. Police say Martinez was taken to Hobbs City Jail to detox when, during a clothing exchange, he threw his shirt in the face of the officer. Martinez was charged with battery upon a peace officer and aggravated DWI.

  • 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.

  • GIRL SCOUTS-TRUCKERS

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The Girl Scouts of New Mexico Trails have announced a partnership with Love's Travel Stops aimed at donating cookies to truck drivers. The state's subsidiary organization of Girl Scouts said this week it wanted to show its appreciation for truck drivers who are delivering critical supplies during the spread of the novel coronavirus. The group says Donations for Drivers allows individuals and businesses to say thank you by donating boxes of cookies that will be given to drivers at Love's Travel Stops along Interstate 40 in New Mexico.

  • NEW MEXICO ENERGY FUTURE

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico regulators have green-lighted an application by the state's largest electric utility to abandon its interest in a major coal-fired power plant. The Public Regulation Commission on Wednesday voted unanimously in favor of letting Public Service Co. of New Mexico divest from the San Juan Generating Station. The commission also approved an order allowing the utility to issue $360 million in bonds to fund decommissioning costs, severance packages for displaced workers and job training programs. The bonds will be paid off by utility customers. The votes came after a delay in the online proceeding that resulted from an outburst by a group of young people that included epithet-laden chat messages and rap music.