- ALBUQUERQUE-POSTAL INVESTIGATION
New Mexico delegates want postal problems addressedALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Members of New Mexico's congressional delegation want the U.S. Postal Service to implement recommendations prompted by an independent audit of postal facilities serving the state's largest city.
U.S. Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich and Rep. Deb Haaland wrote a letter this week to Postmaster General Megan J. Brennan, referring to what they described as troubling conditions and serious deficiencies.
The recommendations include filling staff vacancies, maintaining safe and secure facilities, and ensuring the timely delivery of mail.
Concerns were first raised by local postal union leaders. Requests for an investigation followed last year.
The subsequent audit found that postal facilities in Albuquerque failed to meet necessary building maintenance, safety and security standards.
The lawmakers also are requesting regular updates on the Postal Service's efforts to implement the audit's recommendations.
- FIREWORKS EXPLOSION-THE LATEST
The Latest: New Mexico city cancels fireworks show(Information from: Roswell Daily Record, http://www.roswell-record.com)
ROSWELL, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico city is cancelling its Fourth of July fireworks show after an explosion critically injured two firefighters while they were moving fireworks for the event.
Roswell officials announced Friday there will be a concert and other activities but no fireworks in light of the June 5 accident. The two firefighters remain hospitalized.
The city was forced to destroy the remainder of the fireworks for safety reasons. Related city equipment also was damaged.
Officials say they do not plan to manage fireworks through the Roswell Fire Department or any other city department in the future.
Whether fireworks — through hiring a contractor or using another option — will be part of future city Fourth of July events has yet to be decided. A laser light show is another possible option.
- 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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- 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.
- 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.