- New Mexico reports 167 new COVID-19 cases but no new deaths
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Health officials in New Mexico on Sunday reported 167 confirmed COVID-19 cases, but no new deaths amid continued slowing of the coronavirus outbreak. The state's pandemic totals rose to 191,048 cases and 3,925 known deaths as seven-day rolling averages of daily new cases and daily deaths declined over the past two weeks. In the latest numbers, Bernalillo County had 50 of the new cases. The state's largest county that includes metro Albuquerque has had 54,495 of the state's total coronavirus cases with Dona Ana County having 23,735 total cases since the pandemic started.
- New Mexico State Police: 2 teenage girls abducted by a man
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Authorities say they're searching for two teenage girls who reportedly were abducted in the Albuquerque area. New Mexico State Police say an Amber Alert was issued late Saturday night after a man allegedly abducted the girls at a gas station in Santo Domingo Pueblo. They have identified as 14-year-old Zuriah Castillo and 16-year-old Jaylynn Miller. State Police and the Bureau of Indian Affairs say a 37-year-old Albuquerque man is wanted in the case. Authorities say witnesses have provided a description of the suspect's vehicle and his license plate numbers. According to the alert, the suspect has ties to the Gallup area, but it's not known where the vehicle was headed.
- Marijuana takes center stage in New Mexico special session
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico lawmakers are embarking on an unusual legislative session that focuses on the legalization of recreational marijuana. Efforts at legalizing the sale of cannabis to adults 21 and older faltered during the regular annual session that ended March 20, amid divergent views about government oversight among supporters of legalization. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has called back legislators to the Statehouse to hammer out an agreement on thorny issues of tax rates on pot sales, precautions against child access and court procedures for reversing past cannabis convictions. Negotiations are well underway in private.
- GOP picks Mark Moores to run US House seat that Haaland held
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A cadre of New Mexico state Republican Party leaders on Saturday chose state Sen. Mark Moores to run for the Albuquerque-based congressional seat held by Deb Haaland before she was confirmed as secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior. Moores was chosen with 40% of the 121 votes cast during a videoconference meeting by members of the Republican Party central committee who live in the 1st Congressional District. The seven-candidate field also included conservative radio talk show host Eddy Aragon, who placed second with 28% of the vote. Democrats have held the seat since 2009. But Republicans see an opening in a potentially low-turnout special election set for June 1.
- Navajo Nation extends, loosens its health order on COVDI-19
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — The Navajo Nation has extended and loosened a health order intended to help curb spread of the coronavirus. Tribal officials said the daily curfew hours are 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. MDT while businesses can remain open until 9 p.m. MDT daily under the latest "safer at home" order issued Friday. Officials said the order also includes provisions allowing outdoor "drive-in" gatherings in which people remain in their vehicles, park at at least six feet from other vehicles, and wear masks. The tribe on Saturday reported 12 additional confirmed COVID-19 cases and one more death, increasing its pandemic totals to 30,052 cases and 1,246 deaths.
- New Mexico reports 185 additional COVID-19 cases, 2 deaths
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico on Saturday reported 185 additional confirmed COVID-19 cases with only two more deaths amid continued slowing of the coronavirus outbreak. The state's pandemic totals rose to 190,887 cases and 3,925 deaths. Meanwhile, seven-day rolling averages of daily new cases and daily deaths declined over the past two weeks, according to Johns Hopkins University data Bernolillo and Sandoval counties each had one death from COVID-19 while Bernalillo accounted for about a third of the additional cases. Dona Ana, Sandoval, San Juan and Valencia counties also had double-digit numbers of additional cases.
- Judge tosses New Mexico rancher's claim after he kills wolf
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A federal judge has tossed a rancher's claim that he should still have the right to use federal land in New Mexico after it was revoked for killing a wolf. The Santa Fe New Mexican reported Friday that Craig Thiessen killed an endangered Mexican wolf in Gila National Forest six years ago and has since argued he should still be allowed to graze his cattle on the 48,000 acres of public land. That argument was rejected this week by a federal judge. Thiessen pleaded guilty in 2018 for killing the wolf. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service then revoked his company's permit to graze cattle on the public land.
- New Mexico plans to close women's prison in rural community
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico plans to close a women's prison located in a small rural town and transfer the inmates and workers elsewhere. Officials said Friday that timing and other details regarding the closure of the Springer Correctional Center in the Colfax County community of Springer remain to be determined. The head of the Department of Corrections said closing the prison "will allow for more fiscally responsible operation of the remaining state facilities, while maintaining safe housing for the inmate population." Numerous women have filed lawsuits alleging they were sexually harassed, assaulted or raped by guards and then ignored or retaliated against when they reported the abuse.