- VIRUS OUTBREAK-NAVAJO NATION
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — Health officials have reported 124 additional coronavirus cases and two additional deaths from the virus for the Navajo Nation as of Sunday. In all, the tribe has reported more than 12,000 known cases and 593 deaths from the virus since the pandemic began. The tribe imposed a weekend curfew that ended early Monday due to the uncontrolled spread of the virus in 29 of its communities that has affected 29 communities throughout the reservation, which spans more than 27,000 square miles (70,000 square kilometers) in parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.
- GRAY WOLVES-ENDANGERED
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Wildlife advocates and environmental groups are challenging the removal of federal protections for gray wolves across most of the U.S. Two coalitions of groups have filed notice that they intend to sue the Trump administration in federal court unless protections are restored. The Interior Department last week ended longstanding federal safeguards for gray wolves in the Lower 48 states. That put states and tribes in charge of overseeing the predators and opens the door to more hunting. Gray wolves have recovered from near extinction in parts of the country but remain absent from much of their historical range. Colorado wildlife officials are planning to reintroduce wolves in coming years under a voter-approved ballot initiative.
- VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW MEXICO
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico on Saturday for the second day in a row reported nearly 1,300 additional COVID-19 cases and 16 additional deaths. Officials say there are 1,287 additional cases, a one-day record that was the same number reported Friday. But officials on Saturday also said that 10 of the cases reported Friday had turned out to be duplicates or not lab-confirmed. With those adjustments and the latest reported cases, the statewide case total reached 53,671 with 1,104 deaths. State officials warned Thursday that new records would be set over the coming weeks as the rate of spread remains high.
- MAN DROWNS-RETRIEVING DOG
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico man has drowned while attempting to retrieve his dog from a pond. Police Chief Freddie Trujillo says the Santa Fe man was seen heading into the pond at the Hilton Santa Fe Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino to retrieve his dog on Thursday night. Another man jumped into the pond to try to save the man. Trujillo says a crew from the Santa Fe County Fire Department found the man's dog later in the evening. Trujillo says police recovered the man's body late Friday afternoon after draining the pond. The man has not yet been publicly identified.
- SPOUSAL PRIVILEGE-NEW MEXICO
SANTA FE, N.M . (AP) — he New Mexico Supreme Court has revisited a 2019 decision that barred the state's court system from continued use of a longstanding legal privilege that disallows testimony by a defendant's spouse. The 2019 ruing said the so-called spousal communication privilege was based in misogyny and had "outlived its useful life," but the state high court on Thursday reinstated the privilege while ordering an advisory committee to study whether the privilege should be modified or abolished. The 2019 decision abolishing the privilege upheld the murder conviction of a Clovis man, David Gutierrez II, and the latest order affirms that part of the 2019 decision.
- AP-US-VIRUS-OUTBREAK-OLDER-TEACHERS
FARMINGTON, N.M. (AP) — Some veteran teachers are sticking it out during the pandemic while others confronted with the headaches of distance learning and the health risks have retired early or taken leave. New Mexico is tied with Maine for having the oldest teachers in the country. A 2018 National Center for Education Statistics survey of teachers and principals showed one in four are older than 55. And the New Mexico education department says 6% of the state's teachers and teaching assistants are 65 or older. One 86-year-old teacher in Farmington, New Mexico, says he has been adapting to distance learning with help from colleagues.
- GRANDFATHER KILLED
FORT SUMNER, N.M. (AP) — Authorities say a woman sought on suspicion of killing her grandfather in New Mexico has been arrested in Florida. New Mexico State Police say Candy Jo Webb, 27, was arrested Thursday by U.S. Marshals in Jacksonville, Florida on a warrant for first degree murder and tampering with evidence in the death of her grandfather A.J. Harden.Harden's remains were found Oct. 15 inside a tool chest at a Fort Sumner property. Agents believe Harden's granddaughter gave him the drugs Xanax and Ambien, then after he died concealed his remains in the chest and drove them to the property. Webb is awaiting extradition to new Mexico.
- NEW MEXICO STORM
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico is in line for some more snow. Forecasters with the National Weather Service say two storms are expected to hit northern and central parts of the state through Monday night. The first storm will bring high winds and some snow to the northern mountains starting Saturday night. The next storm will bring more snow with cooler temperatures starting Sunday night. This follows an epic storm that blew through New Mexico in late October. The record snowfall provided some relief for the persistent drought conditions. Overall, precipitation was below normal in October in the central and southern parts of the state.