Local and State News

By RUSSELL CONTRERAS, Associated PressALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A former New Mexico priest who fled the U.S. decades ago amid allegations of child sex abuse will await trial behind bars, a federal judge decided Tuesday, as his accusers in the audience applauded.Defense attorney Samuel Winder argued in court that Arthur Perrault was not a flight risk as he had no passport, no family and no means of leaving the country. But prosecutors described him as a danger to the community who fled before."He is known to manipulate and gain the trust of people," federal Prosecutor Sean Sullivan told U.S.

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The FBI's latest crime statistics show New Mexico again ranks among the most dangerous states.The FBI's report released Monday shows the rates of violent crime and property crime in the state increased in 2017.The state ranked first in the country for burglary and robbery and second in the country for motor vehicle theft behind Alaska — an improvement from 2016.The same report shows the violent crime and murder rates declining nationally for the first time since 2014.

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — The city of Las Cruces will receive $11 million in federal funding to spend on public transportation needs.The Federal Transit Administration announced the funding Tuesday. In all, more than $366 million in grants will go to dozens of projects to improve the safety and reliability of community bus systems across the United States.Las Cruces will use its share to build a new transit maintenance and operations center.

By MARY HUDETZ and RUSSELL CONTRERAS, Associated PressALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A fugitive priest who fled the U.S. decades ago amid allegations of child sex abuse has been returned to New Mexico to face charges after being arrested in Morocco last year, federal officials said Friday.Arthur J.

EL PASO, Texas (AP) — Josh Adkins hit Royce Caldwell on a 53-yard scoring strike late in the third quarter to give New Mexico State the cushion it needed to beat UTEP 27-20 in the Battle of I-10 on Saturday night.New Mexico State (1-4) grabbed its first win of the season and administered the 16th straight loss to the Miners. It is the longest active losing streak in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

 By The Associated Press

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Dora 50, Pine Hill 0

Fort Sumner/House 56, Mission Achievement & Success 0

Hope Christian 36, Bloomfield 21

Los Lunas 38, Cibola 35

Magdalena 52, Ramah 0

Newcomb 40, Lordsburg 38

St. Pius X 21, Portales 20

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Some high school football scores provided by Scorestream.com, https://scorestream.com/

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The University of New Mexico's top academic official says "hard decisions" loom due to a steeper-than-expected drop in student enrollment.The Albuquerque Journal reports interim Provost Richard Wood announced in an email this week that the university's main campus enrollment dropped 7 percent this fall.

By The Associated Press

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Eldorado 42, Albuquerque High 8

Las Cruces 42, Gadsden 0

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Some high school football scores provided by Scorestream.com, https://scorestream.com/

By MORGAN LEE, Associated PressSANTA FE, N.M.

ANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A $3.2 billion federal grant has been awarded to construct a state veterans' cemetery in the northern New Mexico town of Angel Fire.U.S. Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich, along with U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Lujan, on Wednesday announced approval of funding for the cemetery through a grant from the Department of Veterans Affairs.Udall says the facility will make it easier for many veterans to visit the gravesites of loved ones.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says the Sept. 11 memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, renewed his resolve to push for his stalled southern border wall.Trump tells Hill.TV in an interview published Wednesday that he marveled at the Flight 93 National Memorial during a visit last week.Trump tells the outlet, "They built this gorgeous wall where the plane went down in Pennsylvania, Shanksville."He says, "What they did is incredible," adding: "They have a series of walls, I'm saying, it's like perfect.

By MARY HUDETZ, Associated PressALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The U.S.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The national Democratic and Republican parties are jumping into a bellwether congressional race in southern New Mexico that may determine which party controls the U.S. House.The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee each have purchased attack ads this week in a race for the open U.S. House seat along the U.S.-Mexico border.The Democratic ad attacks Republican Yvette Herrell for failing to disclose nearly $500,000 in state contracts while a state lawmaker.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The national Democratic and Republican parties are jumping into a bellwether congressional race in southern New Mexico that may determine which party controls the U.S. House.The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee each have purchased attack ads this week in a race for the open U.S. House seat along the U.S.-Mexico border.The Democratic ad attacks Republican Yvette Herrell for failing to disclose nearly $500,000 in state contracts while a state lawmaker.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — The Catholic Diocese of Las Cruces has placed a priest on leave following allegations of sexual misconduct with adults.Bishop Oscar Cantu said in a news release Monday that the Rev. Rogelio Martinez, a pastor at St. Genevieve Parish, is on administrative leave with pay while multiple allegations are investigated.Cantu said the allegations "are serious in nature" and may involve clergy or church personnel.Diocese officials are launching an internal probe. They say a review board will look at the results.

By RUSSELL CONTRERAS, Associated PressALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The president of New Mexico's flagship university promised Monday to adopt further reforms amid an investigation into the school's athletic program and criticism over how regents voted to cut some sports.In her first annual state of the university address, University of New Mexico President Garnett Stokes said she would work to make the school more transparent and pointed out that she has created a search committee to make hires for key administrative positions.

ROSWELL, N.M. (AP) — A national consumer advocacy group is joining the fight against a proposed nuclear waste storage site in southeastern New MexicoThe Roswell Daily Record reports the Washington, D.C.-based Public Citizen announced last week it had filed to intervene in the license application submitted by Holtec International to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.Holtec International, a New Jersey-based company specializing in nuclear storage, has applied to the U.S.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez has traveled to Washington to attend a Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration hosted by President Donald Trump.The nation's only Latina governor attended a White House Hispanic Heritage Month event on Monday, days after Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairwoman Rep.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Authorities say a carnival worker at the New Mexico State Fair has been arrested on suspicion of assault for beating another employee with a hard plastic pipe.Witnesses say the two men argued and then fought Friday night on the Midway.State Police say Terry Farmer allegedly grabbed a PVC pipe from a trailer and ran up behind the other man and hit him with the object multiple times.The man suffered minor injuries.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The president of New Mexico's flagship university is scheduled to deliver the annual state of the university address Monday.President Garnett Stokes, in her first 200 days in office, has wrestled with criticism from state lawmakers, city leaders and others for a decision to cut some sports teams as part of an effort to rein in spending within the troubled athletics department.Stokes said in a statement ahead of the address that the university has much to celebrate, but it also has real challenges.

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — Ahmari Davis had four rushing touchdowns and the New Mexico defense had five interceptions, including two by Marcus Hayes, to help the Lobos beat New Mexico State 42-25 on Saturday night.Tyrone Owens had 30 carries for 110 yards and a score and Davis finished with 74 yards rushing for New Mexico (2-1).Davis' second touchdown run, a 1-yarder with 10:40 left in the first half, was the first of 28 consecutive points by the Lobos and trimmed their deficit to 17-14.

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The Republican candidate for governor of New Mexico said he plans to make good on a promise to release his tax returns.Congressman and gubernatorial candidate Steve Pearce told The Associated Press on Friday that he plans to make his 2017 tax returns available in mid-October. Absentee voting begins Oct. 9 in the general election.Pearce says his tax returns are delayed because of incomplete information from independent businesses that sought extensions.Democratic gubernatorial nominee and U.S. Rep.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Albuquerque's mayor says he's ending the city's contract with the National Rifle Association to host an annual shooting championship for police.The Albuquerque Journal reports Mayor Tim Keller announced late Friday that the contest Albuquerque has hosted since 2007 is a cost and resource burden to the city and "is a bad fit for Albuquerque." Keller says the city will stop hosting the event in future years.The NRA's National Police Shooting Championships are scheduled for Sept.

By The Associated Press

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Animas 61, Fort Hancock, Texas 16

Artesia 56, Deming 12

Belen 41, Highland 0

Bernalillo 53, Shiprock 0

Centennial 43, Sandia 7

Dexter 35, Hatch Valley 6

EP Coronado, Texas 10, Carlsbad 9

Eldorado 49, Atrisco Heritage 13

Escalante 51, Pojoaque 18

Espanola Valley 42, Gallup 6

Eunice 56, Tularosa 6

Farmington 32, Aztec 27

Floyd 32, Hondo 24

Fort Sumner/House 43, Jal 8

Gadsden 34, Chaparral 8

Goddard 28, Portales 0

By MORGAN LEE, Associated PressALBUQUERQUE, N.M.

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Federal figures show the poverty rate among children 5 years old and younger improved in New Mexico last year, but the state still has one of the highest child poverty rates in the nation.U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey results were released Thursday. They indicated 28.9 percent of the state's young children — or 123,000 total — were living at or below the federal poverty line in 2017.