- Native American nominee's grilling raises questions on bias
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — The confirmation hearing for Deb Haaland has raised questions about whether she's being treated differently because she is a Native American woman. Some Republican, white senators have labeled Haaland as "radical" over her calls to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and address climate change. Those who support the Democratic congresswoman from New Mexico say Haaland is being attacked for her ethnicity and beliefs that are widespread among Native Americans. She would become the first Native American to lead the Interior Department. Republicans expressed frustration at her lack of specifics during the hearing and say it's not about race.
- Water near Arizona Air Force base is tainted in latest case
PHOENIX (AP) — The U.S. Air Force says it will distribute bottled water until at least April to thousands of residents near its base in suburban Phoenix. It's the latest case of chemicals from military firefighting efforts contaminating the water supply in a nearby community. Luke Air Force Base says drinking water for about 6,000 people and a few neighboring businesses showed high levels of the contaminants. Similar contamination tied to the use of firefighting foam has been found in water supplies near dozens of military sites in Arizona, Colorado and other states nationwide and has triggered hundreds of lawsuits.
- Navajo Nation reports 45 new COVID-19 cases, 9 more deaths
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — Navajo Nation health officials on Thursday reported 45 new confirmed COVID-19 cases with nine additional deaths. The latest numbers bring the total number of cases on the vast reservation that covers parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah to 29,655 since the pandemic began. There have been 1,161 reported deaths that were related to COVID-19. The Navajo Department of Health on Monday identified 21 communities with uncontrolled spread of COVID-19 from Feb. 5-18. That's an increase from last week's 15 communities, but down from 75 communities with uncontrolled coronavirus spread last month.
- House leader seeks anti-discrimination rules for Legislature
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Democratic House Speaker Brian Egolf says he wants to add new provisions to legislative ethics rules that prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, religion, national origin, gender and sexual identity. Egolf told news media on Thursday that he will ask a panel of leading lawmakers to incorporate elements of New Mexico's Human Rights Act into rules that apply to the Legislature and its staff. He said the request to the Legislative Council committee can't be made until late spring after the conclusion on March 20 of the current legislative session because of procedural constraints.
- New Mexico to boost vaccines for seniors, vulnerable groups
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico health officials say they have a plan to boost COVID-19 vaccinations among older people and other vulnerable populations. Health Secretary Dr. Tracie Collins said during an online briefing Thursday that the plan calls for increasing shots among seniors by 10% over the next two weeks. The plan also calls for allocating over the next three weeks more doses to those areas of the state that are considered particularly vulnerable. She pointed to McKinley County as an example. She said New Mexico is in line to receive more doses from the federal government so other areas will still receive their share.
- Some local GOP leaders fire up base with conspiracies, lies
A faction of local, county and state Republican officials across the country is pushing lies, misinformation and conspiracy theories online that echo those that helped inspire the U.S. Capitol insurrection. These GOP officials' posts are being amplified by algorithms that boost extreme content, allowing the officials to grow their bases on social media and exert outsize sway on their communities, city councils, county boards and state assemblies. The Associated Press reviewed social media accounts of nearly 1,000 federal, state and local elected and appointed Republican officials. The rhetoric exposes the GOP's internal struggle over whether it can include traditional conservative politicians, conspiracy theorists and militias.
- Minimal Interest Loans
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A bill is headed to the governor's desk that would provide minimal-interest loans to businesses in New Mexico that lost income in 2020 amid the pandemic and emergency health restrictions. The state House on Thursday voted 51-17 to approve a bill that expands eligibility for loans that will be underwritten by a multibillion state trust for infrastructure projects. It would authorize loans of up to $150,000 to small businesses at sub-prime rates of less than 2% annual interest with a payback term of up to 10 years. Those terms are more generous to borrowers than the original relief program that provided about $40 million in loans last year.
- New Mexico attorney general eyes utility costs during freeze
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico's top prosecutor has opened an inquiry into utility costs during a winter blast that plunged New Mexico and other states into a deep freeze. State Attorney General Hector Balderas says the weather emergency caused tremendous damage and he wants to ensure New Mexicans won't be further harmed by skyrocketing bills. Utility executives testified Thursday that they were able to cushion some of the blow by shifting fuel sources, but higher natural gas prices ultimately will trickle down to customers through increases in their monthly bills. The utilities plan to seek regulatory approval to spread the costs over 12 to 24 months to keep bills as low as possible.