- BORDER-MIGRANT COMPLAINTS
Migrants complain of poor conditions at US holding centersEL PASO, Texas (AP) — The Trump administration is facing growing complaints from migrants about severe overcrowding, meager food and other hardships at border holding centers.
Some people at an encampment in El Paso, Texas, have been forced to sleep on the bare ground during dust storms.
The Trump administration has blamed the worsening crisis on inaction by Congress.
The U.S. is seeing a record surge of migrant families coming into the country from Central America.
- NBC UNIVERSAL-NEW MEXICO
NBCUniversal to build state-of-the-art studio in New MexicoALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — NBCUniversal has announced plans for a state-of-the-art television and film studio in a warehouse district just north of downtown Albuquerque.
The announcement Friday comes as state officials are offering more than $10 million in incentives and promising that the economic impact from the venture will top $1 billion over the next decade.
The media giant said it has entered a 10-year venture with a developer to redevelop an empty free-span warehouse in Albuquerque into a studio with two sound stages, offices and a mill.
NBCUniversal will be joining Netflix, which solidified its footing in New Mexico last year.
In recent months the state has experienced a big jump in film productions. The state is set to more than double its annual spending cap on film incentives.
- RACIAL HARASSMENT-ELEMENTARY
Lawsuit: Black student faced racial taunts, called 'snitch'ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Court documents say a black elementary student endured months of racial taunts in New Mexico and was called a "snitch" when he reported the verbal abuse.
A lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Albuquerque this week said the boy faced "escalating race-based and physical harassment" early this year at Parkview Elementary School in Socorro, New Mexico, and teachers often did little or nothing to stop it.
According to the lawsuit, other students used a racial epithet toward the boy and made racist "your mama" jokes about the boy's mom, who is also black. Court documents say one student repeatedly called the boy a "snitch" after he reported an episode to a teacher.
Socorro Consolidated Schools Superintendent Ron Hendrix says the district couldn't comment on pending litigation.
- POLICE SHOOTING-SETTLEMENT
Albuquerque pays nearly $4M to family of man shot by police(Information from: Albuquerque Journal, http://www.abqjournal.com)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Albuquerque has agreed to pay $3.75 million to the family of a man who was left disabled after being shot about seven times by police.
The Albuquerque Journal reported Thursday the city has reached a settlement with the family of 24-year-old Rodrigo Garcia, who was unarmed when police fired dozens of times at him in May 2015.
A lawsuit filed in federal court last year claimed excessive force and civil rights violations.
Attorney Shannon Kennedy says Garcia is not expected to live much longer.
Kennedy says officers waited about 90 minutes before giving him medical aid after the shooting.
Mayor's office spokeswoman Jessie Damazyn says the settlement was among the last few remaining cases pending from the previous administration.
A police spokesman did not respond to the newspaper's questions.
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- CARJACKING-MURDER PLEA
Man admits to Mississippi slaying, avoids death penalty(Information from: WLOX-TV, http://www.wlox.com)
GULFPORT, Miss. (AP) — A man has avoided a possible death sentence by admitting that he killed a teenager in Mississippi before stealing his car and leading police on a chase that ended in a shootout in New Mexico.
WLOX-TV reports 27-year-old D'Juan Holloway pleaded guilty to murder Friday in exchange for life in prison without parole.
Authorities say Holloway killed 19-year-old Ray Howze in Gulfport and then drove across the country in Howze's car in January 2015. An officer spotted the car in New Mexico and tried to pull Holloway over. At the end of a chase, officers shot Holloway several times before taking him in to custody.
New Mexico authorities determined Holloway was incompetent to stand trial and dropped their charges. Authorities in Mississippi determined he was competent to stand trial in Gulfport.
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- IMMIGRATION-PREMATURE BABY
Advocate: Immigrant mom and premature newborn detainedPHOENIX (AP) — Advocates were shocked to find a teenage mom and her premature newborn daughter huddled in a Border Patrol facility in what they say was another example of the poor treatment immigrants receive.
The mother is a Guatemalan teen who crossed the border without a parent and was held at a facility in McAllen, Texas.
Hope Frye, a volunteer who visits detention centers to ensure they comply with federal guidelines, said the baby was born in Mexico in early May has a head the size of her fist. She says the baby should have immediately received medical care.
Frye said the mom was in a wheelchair and in extreme pain.
Advocates say they are being sent to a facility for underage immigrants on Friday.
Customs and Border Protection has not commented.
- FIREWORKS EXPLOSION
2 firefighters remain critical after fireworks explosion(Information from: Roswell Daily Record, http://www.roswell-record.com)
ROSWELL, N.M. (AP) — Officials say two New Mexico firefighters remain in critical condition after they were injured in a fireworks explosion last week.
The Roswell Daily Record reported Thursday that 46-year-old Jeff Stroble and 36-year-old Robert "Hoby" Bonham have undergone multiple surgeries following the explosion at a fireworks storage area in Roswell.
Roswell Fire Chief Devin Graham says Stroble is experiencing complications, but he is doing better than expected. He is expected to undergo additional surgeries.
He says Bonham is able to walk around but is still experiencing severe pain.
Graham says the 10 other firefighters injured in the blast are recovering and did not need extended hospital stays.
Authorities say firefighters were packaging the fireworks for the city's Fourth of July celebration.
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- CRIMINAL RECORDS-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico bans criminal histories from job applicationsSANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico has made it illegal for private employers to ask about a person's criminal history on an initial job application.
Workforce Solutions Secretary Bill McCamley said the new law goes into effect Friday under oversight of the state Human Rights Bureau.
Private employers are allowed to discuss prior arrests or convictions later in the hiring process. State agencies already leave out criminal history questions on initial employment applications.
Democratic state Sen. Bill O'Neill and Republican Rep. Alonzo Baldonado sponsored the legislation in an effort to give formerly incarcerated residents access to face-to-face interviews and the opportunity to provide for themselves and family.
Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham says people deserve the opportunity to rebuild their lives after a criminal incident.