Firefighters Continue The Fight On Dog Head – The Associated Press
Authorities say firefighters contending with 100-foot flames have made progress in keeping a New Mexico blaze that destroyed two-dozen homes from moving farther north toward rural, mountain communities.
However, fire information officer Denise Ottaviano said Friday the 26-square-mile fire remains extremely active as hot, dry weather stifles attempts to contain it.
Lighter winds gave firefighters some reprieve as the size of the fire held steady through Friday morning and crews worked to hold firelines established the night before.
The fire that erupted in the Manzano Mountains south of Albuquerque on Tuesday has been fueled by downed timber and thick ponderosa pine stands.
Air tankers and helicopters are dropping retardant and water on the east perimeter in an effort to protect homes.
The cause is under investigation.
Arizona Wildfire Smoke Leads To Health Alert In Albuquerque – Associated Press
The Environmental Health Department's Air Quality Program has issued a health alert due to smoke from an eastern Arizona wildfire causing elevated levels of particulate matter in Albuquerque.
Health officials say the alert is in effect through noon Friday.
Satellite imagery Thursday showed a large plume of smoke from Cedar Fire near Show Low, Arizona moving toward central New Mexico.
That smoke was expected to settle into the Rio Grande Valley on Thursday night, reducing visibility across the Albuquerque metro area.
Health officials say people most sensitive to particulate pollution include young children, adults age 65 and over, pregnant women and those with heart and/or lung disease, asthma or other respiratory illness.
New Mexico Gov. Martinez Eyes Fireworks Ban Amid Dry Weather – Portales News-Tribune, Associated Press
New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez is urging local leaders to consider the viability of banning fireworks amid dangerous wildfire conditions.
The Portales News-Tribune reports Martinez sent a letter to municipalities earlier this month and said leaders should take note of the state's high winds, dry conditions and warm temperatures as July 4th approaches.
She asked leaders to hold emergency meetings to discuss whether or not a local ban on the use of fireworks is needed in their area.
News of Martinez's letter comes as officials in a number of western states, including New Mexico are battling wildlife amid heat temperatures and dry conditions.
San Miguel County Pays Out $38,000 To Email Scam – The Associate Press & The Las Vegas Optic
San Miguel County is out $38,000 after a sophisticated email scam persuaded the county finance supervisor to transfer the funds to an outside account.
The Las Vegas Optic reports that New Mexico State Police is working to figure out who is behind the email, which made it appear that Les Montoya instructed finance supervisor Melinda Gonzales to transfer the money to pay a consultant.
The false email appeared to have been sent from Montoya's iPhone.
Montoya says that if policies and procedures had been followed, the money would not have been transferred.
Similar scams were sent to multiple counties and school districts in the state. Employees from San Miguel County, Zuni Public Schools and Deming Public Schools initiated transfers to the scammers totaling over $100,000, though the schools were able to stop the process.
Health Dept: Rio Arriba County Teen Is Diagnosed With Plague – The Associated Press
State health officials say a Rio Arriba County teenager is hospitalized after being diagnosed with plague.
The New Mexico Department of Health announced Friday it's the first human case of plague in the state this year.
New Mexico had four cases of the disease last year with one death.
Health officials plan to conduct an environmental investigation at the 16-year-old boy's home to look for ongoing risk and ensure the health of the immediate family and neighbors.
Humans contract plague from infected flea bites or direct contact with infected animals, rodents, wildlife and pets.
Symptoms in humans include fever, headaches, weakness and — in most cases — swelling in the lymph node in the groin, armpit or neck.
Health experts say most plague cases occur in late spring and summer.
New Mexico Superdelegates All Back Clinton – The Associated Press
The final undecided Democratic superdelegate from New Mexico says he will back Hillary Clinton at the Democratic National Convention.
The Friday announcement by state Democratic Party Vice Chairman Juan Sanchez means all nine superdelegates from the state plan to support Clinton over Sen. Bernie Sanders for the presidential nomination. Superdelegates are party leaders who can vote for the candidate of their choice.
Clinton won the popular vote among Democrats in the New Mexico's June 7 primary and will receive 18 pledged delegates to Sanders' 16.
Although Clinton has secured enough pledged delegates and superdelegates to become the presumptive nominee, Sanders has not conceded the race. Sanders is pressing his "political revolution" to turn its attention to defeating Donald Trump and wants to work with Clinton to transform the Democratic Party.
Secretary of State Candidates Trade Barbs Over Voter ID – The Associated Press & The Roswell Daily Record
Candidates for an open New Mexico Secretary of State seat are trading barbs over the issue of voter ID.
The Roswell Daily Record reports (http://goo.gl/yBEIfL) that Republican Nora Espinoza told a group of GOP women this week that those who assert Hispanics lack the ability to obtain IDs to vote insult all Latinos.
Espinoza, a state lawmaker from Roswell, says the state needs voter ID laws and she intends to make it a campaign issue.
Meanwhile, Democrat Maggie Toulouse Oliver says Republicans propose voter ID laws to drive wedges in the electorate.
Toulouse Oliver says Espinoza, in 10 years in the Legislature, never sponsored an election-related bill until the day after Espinoza announced her campaign for secretary of state.
Toulouse Oliver is the Bernalillo County clerk.
Los Alamos Lab Cited For Health, Safety Violations – The Associated Press
The federal government has cited the Los Alamos National Laboratory for several electrical safety violations, including a 2015 incident that left one person with serious injuries.
The National Nuclear Security Administration sent a letter to managers of the New Mexico lab address issues with its electrical safety program, including an explosion that severely burned a worker in 2015. In the letter, Undersecretary of Nuclear Security Frank Klotz notes that the government pointed out safety issues last December, the same time it told Los Alamos National Security LLC that it would not renew its contract to operate the lab.
Lab spokesman Kevin Roark says safety is a key concern for operators, who are working to correct 47 issues that came to light after last year's explosion.
150 New Mexico Coal Workers Laid Off – The Associated Press & The Santa Fe New Mexican
At least 150 coal workers were laid off this week as two of the state's largest producers cut back due to the declining market.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that Peabody Energy officials confirmed Thursday that the company was laying off 65 workers from mines in Cibola and McKinley counties and San Juan Coal Mine in Farmington laid off 85 salaried and hourly workers.
Peabody spokeswoman Beth Sutton says the cuts come as the coal market continues to struggle. The two affected mines produced 6.4 million tons of coal in 2015, 2 million tons less than in 2013.
The San Juan Coal Mine was recently acquired by Westmoreland Coal Co. This is the second round of cuts at the mine in the past few months. Westmoreland officials did not respond to requests for comment.
Secretary Of State Candidates Trade Barbs Over Voter ID – Roswell Daily Record, Associated Press
Candidates for an open New Mexico Secretary of State seat are trading barbs over the issue of voter ID.
The Roswell Daily Record reports that Republican Nora Espinoza told a group of GOP women this week that those who assert Hispanics lack the ability to obtain IDs to vote insult all Latinos.
Espinoza, a state lawmaker from Roswell, says the state needs voter ID laws and she intends to make it a campaign issue.
Meanwhile, Democrat Maggie Toulouse Oliver says Republicans propose voter ID laws to drive wedges in the electorate.
Toulouse Oliver says Espinoza, in 10 years in the Legislature, never sponsored an election-related bill until the day after Espinoza announced her campaign for secretary of state.
Toulouse Oliver is the Bernalillo County clerk.
Doña Ana County Sheriff's Deputy Under Probe Over Force Use – KVIA-TV, Associated Press
A Doña Ana County sheriff's deputy has been placed on leave after a report says he put his hands around a suspect's throat while handcuffed.
KVIA-TV in El Paso reports Sgt. Jason Gleason was placed on leave following the arrest of Victor Jaime on suspicion of drunken driving.
According to an incident report, Gleason lost his patients with Jamie at the Doña Ana County Detention Center's booking on Sunday and placed his hands around Jamie's throat. Gleason also pushed Jamie on his back against bench area while Jamie was still handcuffed.
Jamie was later transported to a nearby hospital.
New Mexico State Police are investigating possible criminal wrongdoing. The sheriff's office also is conducting an internal "use of force" investigation.
It was not known if Gleason has an attorney.
New Mexico Still Struggles To Hire State Police – Associated Press
The New Mexico Department of Public Safety says it continues to encounter difficulties in recruiting new officers after raising starting salaries by 12 percent.
Agency Sec. Scott Weaver briefed state lawmakers Thursday on efforts to better recruit and retain officers at a meeting of the Legislative Finance Committee in Roswell.
The department plans to implement a more modest $1.2 million increase to its officer pay plan with the new fiscal year starting July 1, after a $3.2 million increase the previous year.
Weaver said fewer employees than are departing the roughly 675-officer force than in previous years. That leaves a 10 percent vacancy rate in state police positions. The average across state agencies is 13 percent. Patrolmen currently earn between $21.62 and $27.16 an hour.
AG: Man Charged In Deaths Of 5 In Custody Of Interpol – Associated Press
The New Mexico attorney general says the man accused of killing his wife and four daughters before escaping to Mexico has been transferred into the custody of Interpol.
Attorney General Hector Balderas said Thursday that the suspect, 34-year-old Juan David Villegas-Hernandez, is being held in Hermosillo, a city 180 miles directly south of Nogales, Arizona.
Formal extradition proceedings are underway.
Villegas-Hernandez is charged with first-degree murder in the killings of his wife, Cynthia, and children — ages 14, 11, 7 and 3.
A Roswell police spokesman says he also has been indicted on four counts of intentional child abuse resulting in death.
The victims' bodies were found late Saturday night at their home in Roswell. Authorities in Mexico say they apprehended Villegas-Hernandez the next day in his hometown of Arizpe.
Authorities say the suspect has dual U.S.-Mexico citizenship.
Young-Adult Fiction Writer Lois Duncan Has Died – Associated Press
Young-adult fiction writer Lois Duncan has died at her home in Florida at age 82.
Albuquerque-based private investigator Pat Caristo said Thursday that Duncan collapsed and died at her home in Florida. Caristo helped Duncan with a decades-long inquiry into the unsolved homicide of Duncan's daughter that was chronicled in two books.
Duncan was best known for suspense novels for young adult readers as well as children's books that were among nearly 50 published titles. Her thriller "I Know What You Did Last Summer" and kids adventure "Hotel for Dogs" were turned into movies.
Duncan moved to Albuquerque in 1962 and taught magazine writing at the University of New Mexico. Her most personal writing chronicled the mysterious 1989 killing of her daughter Kaitlyn Arquette in Albuquerque as Arquette drove home.
Obamas To Fly Into Roswell Before Carlsbad Caverns Visit – Roswell Daily Record, Associated Press
President Barack Obama and his family are scheduled to fly into Roswell before their upcoming visit to Carlsbad Caverns National Park.
The Roswell Daily record reports that the Obamas will land in Roswell Friday afternoon. Obama was last in the New Mexico city in March 2012, when he was on his way to an energy junket.
Mayor Dennis Kintigh says Obama went to the oil patch during that visit, but is passing through this time as a tourist.
A news release from the White House says the Obama family's brief stop at the Roswell International Air Center will not be open to the public. Kintigh says he will be there and only a few other people will be allowed in the area.
Retrial in deputy shooting case scheduled for November
(Information from: Las Cruces Sun-News, http://www.lcsun-news.com)
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — The retrial of a former Santa Fe County sheriff's deputy accused of killing a fellow deputy in 2014 has been scheduled for Nov. 28.
The Las Cruces Sun-News reports that last week jurors told a Las Cruces judge that they couldn't reach a decision in the Tai Chan case after nearly 14 hours of deliberations. Chan had been charged with first-degree murder in fellow deputy Jeremy Martin's death.
The judge scheduled the November trial on Tuesday, but Chan's defense attorneys say they are working to push the trail to early next year.
Chan and Martin were in Las Cruces the night of the shooting in October 2014, staying at a hotel after transporting prisoners to Arizona.
Chan's attorneys say the shooting was in self-defense.