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Latest New Mexico news, sports, business and entertainment at 3:20 a.m. MST

  • Groups demand cattle be corralled to protect mouse habitat

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Environmentalists say U.S. land managers are failing to keep livestock and wild horses out of streams and other wetlands in Arizona's White Mountains, resulting in damage to habitat that a rare species of mouse depends on. They are suing in federal court. The battle over the New Mexico meadow jumping mouse has been ongoing for years. The mouse was listed as an endangered species in 2014, prompting the U.S. Forest Service to fence off streams and watering holes in New Mexico, Arizona and Colorado to protect habitat thought to be ideal. That spurred criticism from ranchers and others that the federal government was trampling private access to public lands.

  • New Mexico sues Google over collection of children's data

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico is suing Google over allegations the tech company is illegally collecting personal data generated by children in violation of federal and state laws. The state attorney general's office has filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court. Attorney General Hector Balderas claims Google is using its education services package that is marketed to school districts, teachers and parents to spy on children and their families. He says the company is mining data without parental consent on physical locations, websites visited, saved passwords and other information. Google disputes the allegations, saying the service allows schools to control account access and requires they obtain parental consent when necessary.

  • Navajo Nation, San Juan County to pursue freight railroad

FARMINGTON, N.M. (AP) — The Navajo Nation and New Mexico's San Juan County have entered into an agreement to pursue a freight railroad to serve the Four Corners area. Thursday's agreement means cooperation between both governments to pave the way for rail service and the improvement of the local economy. Over the last few decades, there have been several feasibility studies to examine proposed alignments of freight rail service to Four Corners. The rail system would be a short line intended to carry freight from the area of San Juan County, south through the Navajo Nation and to the established Interstate 40 corridor railroad.

  • Out-of-state applicants increase at University of New Mexico

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The University of New Mexico has confirmed an increase in the number of nonresident applications for the coming school year. The Albuquerque Journal reported Wednesday that there are 5,694 out-of-state applications. That's a 56% increase from last year, when the school had received less than 3,700 out-of-state applications during the same period. University President Garnett Stokes told the Board of Regents d Tuesday that nonresident applications for the upcoming academic year have increased while in-state student applications are down about 6%. It is unclear how many of the students who applied will end up enrolling. 

  • New Mexico House Republicans say they see path to majority

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico House Republicans say voter anger over a red-flag gun bill and overspending will help them reclaim the majority in 2020. House Minority Whip Rod Montoya said Thursday that Republicans will take back the New Mexico House in 2020 and challenge Democrats in key swing seats. Republicans captured the House in 2014 for the first time since the President Dwight Eisenhower era. Democrats retook the House in 2016. The New Mexico Legislative Session ended Thursday after the Democratic-controlled body passed a $7.6 billion budget with big spending increases. Rep. Jason Harper says Republicans are working on a strategy to explain to voters the effects over overspending.

  • New Mexico lawmakers reach budget deal as tense session ends

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico legislators forged a budget agreement Thursday that increases annual spending on government programs and school districts by more than half a billion dollars. The spending includes new investments in early childhood education and college scholarships in a state afflicted by high rates of childhood poverty. In the predawn hours, the state House endorsed a $7.6 billion general fund budget for the fiscal year starting July 1. It raises annual spending by $536 million, or nearly 8%. In the final hours of the session, lawmakers approved the reinstatement of a rooftop solar tax credit that expired in 2016. 

  • Police say human bones discovered in New Mexico city field

CARLSBAD, N.M. (AP) — Police in New Mexico say human bones have been found in a field near a city street but there are no clear indications about the deceased person's identify. The Carlsbad Current-Argus reported the Carlsbad Police Department responded to a report of the discovery Tuesday night. Detectives and evidence technicians responded early Wednesday morning and began processing the scene in the southeast New Mexico city. Police found the skeletal remains as well as weathered pieces of clothing and other articles that may assist the investigation. A Carlsbad police spokesman could not say whether the remains are related to any missing person case.

  • New Mexico official: Flu is more pressing concern than virus

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The New Mexico Department of Health is telling the state's residents that it's more important to be  concerned about the flu than the virus receiving attention globally. The department said the COVID-19 virus should be subject to "heightened awareness"" but that the flu "remains a more significant illness" in New Mexico. Health Secretary Kathy Kunke says there haven't been any cases of the virus in New Mexico but that the flu season is continuing with hospitals and clinics still reporting many cases.