Fort Union Monument To Get Resident Artist – The Associated Press
Officials at Fort Union National Monument have teamed up the National Parks Arts Foundation as the nonprofit group works to expand its artist-in-residence program to parks and monuments across the country.
The application process started Friday. It will be up to a group of curators and advisers to choose the artist for Fort Union.
Similar programs are starting at Carlsbad Caverns, Big Bend, Death Valley, Hawaii's Volcanoes National Park and the Gateway National Recreation Area.
Fort Union, in northern New Mexico's Mora County, was the region's largest military fort during the second half of the 19th century.
Officials say the artist program is aimed at helping visitors interpret the nation's parks and monuments through paint or pencil, photography, prose, video and other expressions as the National Park Service gets ready for its centennial in 2015.
Suspect Who Escaped From UNM Hospital Is Arrested – The Associated Press
A man who led authorities on two stolen vehicle chases in New Mexico and then escaped from a hospital and fled in a stolen van now is in custody.
Bernalillo County Sheriff's officials say Jason Smith was arrested Friday night at a gasoline station near Carnuel.
He had escaped from University of New Mexico Hospital on Tuesday and allegedly stole a van, which police later found near Milne Stadium in Albuquerque.
Sheriff's officials say Smith fled the van still wearing his hospital gown.
He was arrested and hospitalized Dec. 10 after fleeing from deputies for the second time in two days.
Authorities say Smith is facing charges of aggravated fleeing, aggravated battery and assault on a peace officer and receiving a stolen vehicle.
Winter Weather Turned The West White On Friday – The Associated Press
Residents winding down from their holiday revelry are encountering heaps of snow, icy roadways and expectations of more frosty temperatures through the weekend.
Snow coated cars and Christmas decorations in Denver, while 2 feet fell in the mountains of southwestern Colorado.
Next door in Utah, the mountains got up to 2 feet of snow, while the Salt Lake City area saw from an inch to a foot.
In New Mexico, a winter blast made roadways slick and snow-packed.
Driving conditions were also treacherous in Wyoming. The state got several inches of snow, producing black ice. Cold weather will linger, with blowing snow forecast into the weekend.
That's when Washington state could see more than a foot of snow in the Cascade Mountains, and as much as 2½ feet in other areas.
Freezes and frosts won't leave out California, which has seen damaging winds in the south that toppled massive trees.
Suspect Arrested In Albuquerque Vehicle Vandalism – The Associated Press
Authorities say a man has been arrested for allegedly slashing tires and etching offensive words on numerous vehicles in the Albuquerque area.
Albuquerque police say 22-year-old Wade Goodyear was arrested Friday.
They say multiple victims have reported more than $15,000 dollars in damages to their vehicles on Tuesday.
Police say a man was captured on surveillance and the video was released to the media.
Detectives received information that allegedly identified Goodyear.
Police say Goodyear was interviewed and admitted to more than five cases involving the vandalism.
Goodyear has been booked into jail, but it was unclear Friday if he has a lawyer yet.