- AP-US-MANHATTAN-PROJECT-PRESERVATION
US nuclear museum, nonprofit team up for preservationALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The National Museum of Nuclear Science and History and the Atomic Heritage Foundation are teaming up.
Officials say their new partnership will ensure that the foundation's collection of oral histories and other materials about the top-secret Manhattan Project will remain available to the public.
The nonprofit foundation is closing its Washington, D.C., office. Officials say it's been hard to sustain a fully staffed office as supporters have dwindled over the years.
The foundation notes that less than 3% of World War II veterans are still alive.
Since 2002, the foundation has been posting firsthand accounts and other programs on social media. Last year, 1.6 million people accessed its online resources, and its website audience continues to grow.
The foundation also helped pushed for the creation of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park.
- DRIVING TRACK-DWI CRASH
Impaired driver crashes onto law enforcement driving trackSANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico State Police say officers were teaching driving techniques at the Law Enforcement Academy in Santa Fe when an impaired driver crashed his vehicle through a fence and onto the track.
They say 23-year-old Jose Jimenez was arrested Monday on suspicion of driving while under the influence of liquor or drugs.
It appears to be his second DWI offense.
State Police say Jimenez's vehicle veered off a road and through a field before crashing through the fence surrounding the academy's track.
At the time, officers were teaching driving techniques to this year's Youth Academy and had just left the area of the track where the crash occurred.
Members of the Santa Fe Police Department Motor Team also were conducting training on the track.
Authorities say no injuries were reported.
- WORKER DEATH-NATURAL GAS WELL-FINE
Colorado firm fined for death of worker in well explosion(Information from: Durango Herald, http://www.durangoherald.com)
DURANGO, Colo. (AP) — A trucking company has been fined $10,608 for an explosion that killed one of its workers in Colorado.
The Durango Herald reports 47-year-old Randy Yellowman died in a Jan. 2 explosion while working at a natural gas well site.
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued the fine last week.
Yellowman was working as a driver for Overright Trucking Inc. based in New Mexico.
An official says Yellowman was transferring water to his truck when the explosion occurred at the site 327 miles (526 kilometers) southwest of Denver.
A representative of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe that conducted the investigation into the explosion on its land had no comment.
Overright Trucking officials were not available for comment Monday.
___
- STATE SENATOR-CAR CRASH-DWI
DA asks attorney general to take state lawmaker's caseSANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The New Mexico Attorney General's Office plans to prosecute the case of a state lawmaker accused of drunken driving — a move that comes in response to a request from the local district attorney.
Marco Serna, who is the district attorney in the state's First Judicial District, asked the attorney general in a letter last week to take the case of Sen. Richard Martinez, a Democrat from Espanola.
Serna has recused himself to avoid what a spokesman described as "even the appearance of a conflict of interest."
Serna's jurisdiction includes Santa Fe, Rio Arriba and Los Alamos counties.
Martinez pleaded not guilty last week to aggravated DWI.
He was arrested and released after a June 28 collision at an intersection in Espanola, where police say his SUV struck the back of another vehicle.
- HOMICIDE CASE-TEEN ARRESTED
Teenager wanted in Bernalillo County murder case is arrestedALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Bernalillo County Sheriff's officials say a teenager wanted in a homicide case last month is in custody.
The 17-year-old boy was arrested Monday by the U.S. Marshals Service Task Force.
The teen's name isn't being released by The Associated Press because he's a juvenile.
Sheriff's officials say the boy is facing charges of murder, attempt to commit a felony, aggravated battery, shooting at or from a motor vehicle and shooting at a dwelling.
Authorities say one man was found dead on June 27 and two others had gunshot wounds.
Sheriff's officials have identified the man who died at the scene as 20-year-old Isaiah Villanueva.
They say another teenager also was arrested in the homicide case on June 28 and he's facing charges of murder and tampering with tampering with evidence.
- TULAROSA POLICE-FATAL SHOOTING
State Police investigating fatal police shooting in TularosaTULAROSA, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico State Police say they're investigating a fatal shooting involving a Tularosa police officer.
They say the officer responded to a report of a man with a rifle who allegedly was firing shots near a restaurant around 9 p.m. Sunday.
The policeman arrived on the scene and had some kind of encounter with the victim, who's been identified as 43-year-old Johnny Vigil of Tularosa.
Authorities say Vigil was shot and transported to a hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
State Police say details about the incident including what led up to the officer firing his weapon still are under investigation.
- FINANCIER-TEENAGE GIRLS-THE LATEST
The Latest: Victims speak out after Jeffrey Epstein chargedNEW YORK (AP) — Some of Jeffrey Epstein's accusers say they're encouraged he's been charged with sex trafficking.
Accuser Sarah Ransome says in a statement Monday that Epstein's arrest "is a step in the right direction" for holding the wealthy registered sex offender accountable.
The 66-year-old Epstein pleaded not guilty Monday in his first court appearance following his weekend arrest. He will remain in jail at least until his July 15 bail hearing.
Epstein's lawyers contend the charges involve allegations that arose in a Florida case more than a decade ago. Epstein struck a secret deal to avoid significant punishment in that case.
Virginia Guiffre praised federal prosecutors in New York for taking on Epstein and showing the case is "being taken in a serious way."
- FOREST RESTORATION-LAWSUIT
Groups appeal ruling over Santa Fe thinning projectSANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Environmentalists are going back to court in hopes of putting the brakes on plans to thin thousands of forested acres in the mountains bordering Santa Fe.
Wild Watershed and others filed their appeal Monday, arguing that a U.S. district court judge erred when allowing the Santa Fe National Forest to move ahead with its plans for Pacheco Canyon and areas near Hyde Memorial State Park.
The plaintiffs say forest officials failed to analyze the cumulative and indirect effects of clearing and burning in the area.
In initially approving the projects, forest managers said the work needed to be done to reduce risks posed by disease, insect infestation and catastrophic wildfire.
The environmentalists are concerned that the projects will end up targeting larger, older trees that are critical for many species.