- MIGRANT CHILDREN-THE TRAUMA
COMAYAGUA, Honduras (AP) — The 3-year-old girl traveled for weeks in her father's arms, as he set out to seek asylum in the United States. Now she won't even look at him.After being forcibly separated at the border by government officials, sexually abused in U.S. foster care and deported, she arrived back in Honduras convinced her once-beloved father abandoned her. He fears their bond is forever broken.
"I think about this trauma staying with her too, because the trauma has remained with me and still hasn't faded," he said, days after their reunion.
This month new government data shows the little girl is one of an unprecedented 69,550 migrant children held in U.S. government custody over the past year, enough infants, toddlers, kids and teens to overflow the typical NFL stadium.
- FUGITIVE ARRESTS-BARR
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — U.S. Attorney General William Barr plans to promote a crime-fighting initiative Tuesday in New Mexico as the state struggles to curb some of the highest property and violent crimes rates in the nation.The Justice Department says Barr is joining U.S. Marshal Service Director Donald Washington and other federal authorities to announce the arrests of 300 fugitives suspected of violent crimes.
Authorities say the arrests resulted from Operation Triple Beam, a program that has been conducted in numerous cities and led to hundreds of arrests.
The New Mexico arrests resulted from a three-month operation.
Barr's visit follows revelations last week that he rebuffed President Donald Trump's request to hold a news conference declaring no laws were broken when the president pressed his Ukrainian counterpart to investigate Democrats.
- ALBUQUERQUE AIRPORT-SUSPICIOUS ITEM
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Police say the terminal at Albuquerque International Sunport has been reopened after they investigated a suspicious item found at the airport.Airport staff announced the closure of the terminal about 5 p.m. Monday and police announced it was being reopened two hours later.
Police say the department's bomb unit investigated the suspicious item, but no other information was immediately released.
Airport officials didn't immediately say how many flights were affected by the terminal closure.
- IMMERSION ARTS STARTUP-NEW MEXICO
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Arts and entertainment company Meow Wolf has been awarded more than a half-million dollars in state job-training funds.The board of the New Mexico Job Training Incentive Program on Friday approved the $528,000 grant to the production arm of Meow Wolf as the Santa Fe-based startup plans new venues to Las Vegas, Denver, Phoenix and Washington D.C.
Expansion efforts are anchored at a one-acre warehouse in New Mexico's state capital city. The tax-payer funded incentives support training for 26 new employees at Meow Wolf.
The Economic Development Department says previous job-training awards to Meow Wolf total $910,000.
Meow Wolf board member Vince Kadlubek says state incentives have helped the company reassure investors as it secures financing from the private sector and recruits entertainment executives to guide expansion.
- URANIUM PLUMES-AQUIFER
MILAN, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico environmental officials say more wells are needed to measure uranium plumes in a major aquifer in western New Mexico.The Gallup Independent reports the state Environment Department is asking federal authorities to collaborate with the state to ensure accurate measurement of a plume of uranium contamination leaving the Bluewater Disposal Site.
State officials are concern the full nature of the groundwater plume within the San Andres-Glorieta aquifer has not been defined because of the lack of a comprehensive monitoring well network.
Bernadette Tsosie, site manager at the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Legacy Management, said the path of the San Andres-Glorieta aquifer plume remains 2 miles (3 kilometers) north of the nearest drinking water supply well.
- HEINRICH-CHIEF OF STAFF
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich has named the former executive of the National Hispanic Cultural Center as his new chief of staff.The New Mexico Democrat announced earlier this month that he appointed Rebecca Avitia, making her one of three Latino chiefs of staff serving in the Senate.
Avitia previously worked as Heinrich's state director.
The 37-year-old Columbia University School of Law graduate led the National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque for six years. She was asked to resign last year by incoming New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. Avitia opted not to reapply for her position.
The former prosecutor was credited with turning around the long-struggling center after years of mismanagement.
- SANTA CLARA-DISASTER AID
SANTA CLARA PUEBLO, N.M. (AP) — Federal officials say a New Mexico tribe will see an increase in federal disaster aid as it continues to recover from flooding that occurred several years ago.A significant portion of Santa Clara Pueblo's watershed was wiped out by wildfire in 2011 and the flooding that followed.
President Donald Trump recently authorized an increase in the level of funding for public projects undertaken as a result of flooding that occurred during the summer of 2012.
Under the disaster declaration issued for the state in August 2012, the federal share for public assistance was 75 percent of total eligible costs. Trump's order increases that to 90 percent for the pueblo.
The tribe is in the midst of rehabilitating the Santa Clara Creek and surrounding areas by building erosion-control structures and replanting.
- HYPERSPACE CHALLENGE
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — More than a dozen small businesses will be gathering in New Mexico next week for the 2019 Hyperspace Challenge .The Air Force and a business accelerator with ties to Central New Mexico Community College recently selected 14 finalists for this year's challenge.
The effort brings together technology startups and government innovators from around the country to collaborate and solve real-world problems facing the space industry.
Organizers say the space industry is a growing component of the economy and many entities are looking for ways to foster innovation and investment.
The finalists will participate in a three-day hyper-accelerator in Albuquerque. The startup with the most viable pitch will be awarded incentives and prize money to help establish acquisition or contracting opportunities with the government.
The startups will share their pitches during the Space Startup Summit on Nov. 20.