Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Latest New Mexico news, sports, business and entertainment at 4:20 p.m. MDT

  • ELECTION 2020-NEW MEXICO

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Alexis Johnson of Santa Fe has won the Republican primary nomination in New Mexico's 3rd Congressional District. Johnson emerged victorious Saturday in the three-way primary amid a surge in absentee balloting that took several days to tally in the district's most populous county. Johnson will compete in the general election against Santa Fe-based attorney Teresa Leger Fernandez to succeed U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Lujan as he runs for U.S. Senate. Sen. Tom Udall is retiring. Democrats have monopolized the 3rd District seat since its creation in 1982 with the exception of one special election.

  • VIRUS OUTBREAK-NAVAJO NATION

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — The Navajo Nation's gambling operation had hoped to reopen its casinos in mid-June but they'll stay closed until at least early July because of the coronavirus outbreak. Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise officials said Friday that closures ordered to help curb spread of the outbreak will continue due to a recent order by tribal President Jonathan Nez that continues closures of tribal government operations through July 5. The tribe's sprawling reservation includes parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah and its casinos are located near Flagstaff, Arizona, and Farmington, Gallup and Shiprock, New Mexico.

  • CHILDHOOD DISPARITIES-NEW MEXICO

RIO RANCHO, N.M. (AP) — A new report says New Mexico has the highest child food insecurity rate in the country. The report by the Save the Children advocacy group released Tuesday also says New Mexico has one of the nation's highest childhood violent death rates. Only Alaska and South Dakota, which are two other states with sizable Native American populations, had a higher rate. A senior vice president with the group says the findings should serve as a wake-up call for political leaders to battle poverty in states like New Mexico. The report examined 2,600 counties using federal data from 2018 and earlier.

  • LAS CRUCES-POLICE CUSTODY DEATH

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — Prosecutors in southern New Mexico say a Las Cruces police officer is facing a charge of involuntary manslaughter in the death of a man who led police on a chase. District Attorney Mark D'Antonio announced Friday that his office was charging Officer Christopher Smelser. Police Chief Patrick Gallagher said it would be in the best interest of the department and the community to relieve Smelser of his duties. The chief cited the Feb. 29 death of Antonio Valenzuela, who had a parole violation warrant against him when he ran from officers following a traffic stop. Police say Valenzuela was combative and Smelser used a neck restraint to gain control. 

  • FIRE DANGER-NEW MEXICO

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Strong winds and dry conditions are expected to boost fire danger around New Mexico over the next couple of days. Forecasters with the National Weather Service in Albuquerque say they're monitoring the potential for severe winds each afternoon and evening from Saturday through Monday. The greatest threat on Saturday will be along and west of the Rio Grande Valley. It will shift to the northern half of New Mexico on Sunday and to the northeast plains on Monday. Peak wind gusts could reach 60 mph.

  • VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW MEXICO

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — The Las Cruces City Council has moved to ditch a proposed mandate backed up by misdemeanor penalties and instead will consider a resolution encouraging people to wear face coverings in retail and commercial businesses to help combat the spread of the coronavirus. The council on Friday tabled the proposal in favor of holding a special meeting Monday to consider the resolution. Violations of the now-shelved proposal would been punishable by fines up to $500 and up to 90 days in jail. City officials said in a statement that the council "prefers voluntary compliance over enforcement and does not want the effort to be punitive."

  • PURSUIT-CRASH

ROSWELL, N.M. (AP) — Authorities in southeastern New Mexico say a person pulled over for a traffic stop stole a police car, prompting a pursuit into the next county in southeastern New Mexico and resulting in two crashes that left two people injured. The Roswell Daily Record reports that the person who stole the Roswell Police Department car in Chaves County on Thursday later fled from the scene of a head-on crash that ended the vehicle pursuit in Eddy County but was arrested nearby. The name and age of the person who stole the police car weren't immediately released.  The incident is being investigated by New Mexico State Police. 

  • ALBUQUERQUE POLICE REFORMS-HIRE

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The head of Albuquerque police's Real-Time Crime Center, whose hiring in 2018 generated anger because of his role in an excessive force lawsuit in New Jersey decades ago, has been promoted. City records show that Leonard Nerbetski was recently promoted from his civilian status to police commander while he oversees a unit that includes dispatchers and crime analysts. Albuquerque police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos says the department changed Nerbetski's job to a sworn position because of the combination of managing crime data and field investigation functions. In 1999, an Associated Press report named Nerbetski as one of two officers accused of roughing up two law students, both women of color.