- COUNTRY SINGER-DEADLY CRASH
TAOS, N.M. (AP) — Authorities say country singer Kylie Rae Harris caused a three-vehicle crash in northern New Mexico that left her and a 16-year-old girl dead.Taos County Sheriff Jerry Hogrefe told the Taos News that investigators believe Harris caused Wednesday's crash and that speed appeared to be a contributing factor when she clipped the back of another vehicle, sending her into oncoming traffic. She then crashed head-on into an SUV driven by Maria Elena Cruz.
The Taos High School student died at the scene. The responding emergency crew included her father, Pedro Cruz, the deputy chief of the San Cristobal Volunteer Fire Department.
The community is holding a fundraising dinner to help the Cruz family.
Harris , a 30-year-old single mom, was in Taos to perform at an annual music festival.
- OFFICER SHOOTING-LAS CRUCES
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — Law enforcement officers involved in the fatal shooting of a suspect outside a Las Cruces Home Depot will not be charged.The Third Judicial District Attorney's Office said in a statement Friday that the June shooting of Francisco Tarin was justified.
Prosecutors say Tarin shot at a Las Cruces patrol officer and a round went through the officer's windshield and hit him in the neck.
Las Cruces police and officers from other agencies responded and found Tarin near a Home Depot store.
Authorities say they used less lethal devices to try and subdue Tarin and demanded he put down his firearm.
They ended up exchanging gun fire with Tarin.
A review done by police and a multi-agency task force says officers faced reasonable fear for their lives.
- MEDICAL MARIJUANA-NEW MEXICO-THE LATEST
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico has begun issuing medical marijuana registry cards to people who live outside the state.Two people in Texas and an Arizona resident have received cards to purchase medical marijuana in New Mexico after successfully suing to enroll.
Marissa Novel of medical cannabis producer and dispenser Ultra Health said that a card was delivered Friday to her company's Arizona-based CEO.
Ultra Health CEO Duke Rodriguez served as co-plaintiff in the legal challenge of residency requirements and qualified for enrollment based on his post-traumatic stress disorder.
Reforms to New Mexico marijuana laws this year dropped the in-state residency requirement. The administration of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham says that change was inadvertent and it intends to appeal.
Novel says it will be difficult to appeal the court order.
New Mexico prohibits recreational marijuana sales and use.
- HANTAVIRUS DEATH-NEW MEXICO
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Hantavirus has claimed the life of a teenager in northwestern New Mexico.The state Department of Health said Friday the death of a 15-year-old McKinley County boy is the third case of hantavirus in New Mexico this year and the second death.
Hantavirus is a deadly disease transmitted by infected rodents through urine, droppings or saliva. People can contract the disease when they breathe in the virus that is suspended in the air.
Health Secretary Kathy Kunkel says people need to avoid contact with mice and other rodents and be careful when cleaning up and avoid disturbing rodent droppings and nests, particularly in closed spaces such as sheds.
The department says the deer mouse is the main source for the hantavirus strain most commonly found in New Mexico.
- SANTA FE FIESTA
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Annual school visits by Spanish conquistador re-enactors in the oldest capital city in North America are being limited under new rules.The Santa Fe New Mexican reports the Santa Fe school board voted last year to shrink the presence of re-enactors amid criticism their visits whitewashed the history of the Spanish conquest of Native Americans.
The visits had been part of an annual September celebration in Santa Fe marking the Spanish re-entry into the city a dozen years after the 1680 Pueblo Revolt. But the celebration of a re-enactment of the Spanish retaking Santa Fe has been forced to undergo a major revamp after protest from Native American activists.
Under new rules, conquistador re-enactors can hold assemblies with only New Mexico history students instead of a school's general population.
- NAVAJO PARADE-CANDY
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — Oh how sweet it isn't.Thousands of people will line a highway on the Navajo Nation this Saturday for the largest Native American parade in the country.
But children eagerly waiting to scoop up candy might not get any tossed their way.
Tribal President Jonathan Nez has banned participants from handing out candy and other junk food at the parade in the tribal capital of Window Rock. He's encouraging healthier giveaways like fruit, vegetables and bottled water.
His efforts are soured by a legal opinion from the tribe's legislative branch that says the ban applies only to the executive branch.
Parade participants sign a waiver agreeing to throw candy from at least 5 feet (1.5 meters) away from floats. It recommends giving out school supplies and fruit.
- STOLEN SPEED TRAILER TIRES
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A mobile speed limit monitoring trailer in Albuquerque can still monitor speeding motorists but can't be moved because thieves recently stole its tires.KOB-TV reports that police said Thursday that the wheels of the speed trailer were stolen and the device is now stationary after it was put on metal pegs.
Police say the speed monitor still shows drivers how fast they are going and tracks the data.
Authorities say the trailer will be repaired.
No arrests have been made.
- CRASH-TWO KILLED-INDICTMENT
ALBQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — An indictment charges an Albuquerque-area man with vehicular homicide and other crimes in the collision deaths of a Santa Fe couple who were passengers in an Uber.A grand jury issued the indictment Thursday against Joseph Urvanejo in the May deaths of Kristina Martinez and Robert Gallegos.
The Uber driver was not hurt when that vehicle collided Urvanejo's car.
Prosecutors say police found a pipe used for drugs and open containers of vodka and other alcohol in Urvanejo's car. He is currently not in custody.
Online court records don't list an attorney for Urvanejo who could comment on the allegations.