- TRIPLE SHOOTING-TEEN ARRESTED
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Albuquerque police say a 15-year-old boy has been arrested in the shootings of three people, including two women killed in the Jan. 27 incident. Police said the teen is accused of going to an apartment complex and fatally shooting 21-year-old Aerial Mallam and 31-year-old and Jessica Casaus Lucero and of shooting Stephen Mitchell, who survived his wounds. Police said the youth was wounded in an exchange of gunfire with another person as the youth tried to take a vehicle before running away. The Associated Press generally does not identify juvenile crime suspects. An arrest warrant charged the youth with murder and multiple other crimes.
- LEGISLATURE-NEW MEXICO
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The New Mexico Legislature has approved a bill that would provide a one-time waiver of annual liquor license fees, amid discussions of a broad regulatory overhaul of alcohol sales. A 64-0 vote of approval by the House of Representatives on Thursday sent the measure to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who has embraced a variety of economic relief measures in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Bill co-sponsor Rep. Matthew McQueen of Galisteo called the fee waiver a gesture of good will to liquor license holders. Many state lawmakers want to relax state restrictions on liquor sales in efforts to energize the hospitality industry.
- VIRUS OUTBREAK-NAVAJO NATION
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — The Navajo Nation on Thursday reported 19 new COVID-19 cases with seven additional deaths. The latest figures from tribal health officials bring the total number of COVID-19 cases to 29,816 cases since the pandemic began. The death toll now is 1,194. Health facilities on the reservation and in border towns are conducting drive-thru vaccine events or administering doses by appointment. The Navajo-area Indian Health Service has vaccinated more than 135,000 people so far. A daily curfew from 9 a.m. to 5 a.m. and a mask mandate remain in effect for residents of the vast reservation that covers parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah to prevent the spread of the virus.
- NEW MEXICO CHILE
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — For chiles, 2020 wasn't all bad as New Mexico farmers reported increased production and yield levels for the state's most famous crop. Numbers released Thursday by the U.S. Agriculture Department's statistics service show 68,000 tons of red and green chile were produced in 2020. That's an 8% increase over the previous year. The crop's value also increased to nearly $52 million. Growers had reported labor shortages and reduced demand last year due to the pandemic. State Agriculture Secretary Jeff Witte says the positive numbers are a testament to New Mexico's farmers. He said the crop forms the basis of salsas, sauces and other valuable products.
- GOVERNOR'S SPENDING-AUDIT
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Senate Republicans are asking for a special audit of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's use of a discretionary fund following reports that the Democrat spent thousands of dollars on liquor and groceries during the pandemic. Fourteen GOP lawmakers sent a letter Thursday to the state auditor requesting the review. Lujan Grisham recently acknowledged that her spending on goods and services such as dry cleaning, tuna steaks, tequila and Wagyu beef over a six-month period in 2020 didn't look good. The governor's office had said that some of the groceries were used to feed her cabinet and staff at long meetings during the second half of last year.
- VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW MEXICO
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico's top insurance regulator is putting medical providers on notice that people cannot be charged for coronavirus testing after reports that residents have been required to pay for rapid-result tests. Insurance Superintendent Russell Toal said Wednesday his office is preparing an administrative bulletin to ensure testing costs are not passed directly on to consumers as state health officials push for robust testing to track infection rates and new strains of COVID-19. Toal says the Office of the Superintendent of Insurance has received reports of people being charged in excess of $100 for testing services that should be free.
- BIDEN CABINET-INTERIOR
WASHINGTON (AP) — A key Senate committee has approved the nomination of New Mexico Rep. Deb Haaland to be interior secretary, clearing the way for a Senate vote that is likely to make her the first Native American to lead a Cabinet agency. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee approved Haaland's nomination, 11-9, sending it to the Senate floor. Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski was the lone Republican to support Haaland, who won unanimous backing from committee Democrats. The committee vote follows an announcement by Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Main, that she will support Haaland in the full Senate.
- VIRUS OUTBREAK-NAVAJO NATION
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — The Navajo Nation on Wednesday reported 20 new COVID-19 cases with three additional deaths. The latest figures from tribal health officials bring the total number of COVID-19 cases to 29,794 cases since the pandemic began. The death toll now is 1,187. Health facilities on the reservation and in border towns are conducting drive-thru vaccine events or administering doses by appointment. The Navajo-area Indian Health Service has vaccinated more than 135,000 people so far. A daily curfew from 9 a.m. to 5 a.m. and a mask mandate remain in effect for residents of the vast reservation that covers parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah to prevent the spread of the virus. Tribal health officials say more than 16,000 people have recovered from COVID-19.