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Headlines: Drought Lingers In Four Corners, Los Alamos Plastic Bag Ban...

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May Showers Do Little For Severe Drought In Four Corners - The Daily Times, The Associated Press

Forecasters and officials say recent storms have made little dent in the drought affecting the Four Corners region.

The Daily Times in Farmington reported Friday that a series of storms earlier this month brought about an inch of rain to San Juan County in a 10-day period that ended last week.

The U.S. Drought Monitor says that 15 percent of New Mexico, including San Juan County, still falls into the category of severe drought.

According to the National Weather Service, the state received an above average amount of rain in the spring but the snowmelt will likely be below normal for a fifth year.

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation says it would have been more helpful if the showers had been snow to boost the snowmelt.

Harvey Girls Recognized For Role In History Of American West - The Santa Fe New Mexican, The Associated Press

New Mexico is recognizing the legacy of the Harvey Girls, the thousands of women credited with helping transform the West by taking waitressing jobs along the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway line.

The Santa Fe New Mexican reports Gov. Susana Martinez and the mayors of Santa Fe and Albuquerque are declaring Saturday as Harvey Girls Day.

Harvey Girls was the nickname given women who began answering help wanted ads in the 1880s from Fred Harvey Co. establishments.

Historians say more than 100,000 women were waitresses in dining rooms at stops along what was then a new railway route.

Researchers say the women were usually between ages 18 and 30 and came from small towns.

Their work allowed them to be independent and share money with their families.

FBI, Albuquerque Police Search For Bank Robbery Suspect - The Associated Press

Federal and local authorities are searching for a man suspected of robbing a bank in Albuquerque.

The FBI says the suspect entered a Wells Fargo bank in the northeastern part of the city around 12:10 p.m. Saturday.

The suspect allegedly demanded money from a teller and told the teller he had a gun.

FBI spokesman Frank Fisher says the suspect ran out of the bank after getting an undisclosed amount of money.

He was last seen heading north on Juan Tabo Boulevard.

He is described as black, around 5-foot-7 and between 40 and 50 years old. Fisher says he was wearing a light-colored hooded sweatshirt, a light-colored baseball cap, and sunglasses.

Los Alamos Panel Holding Hearings On Plastic Bags Ban Plan – The Associated Press

A Los Alamos panel is holding a hearing on a possible ban of single-use plastic bags.

The Los Alamos Monitor reports that the Los Alamos County Environmental Sustainability Board is taking public comment on the proposed ban.

A citizen petition on a ban in April was presented to the Los Alamos County Council who sent the proposal to the board for further discussion and options.

The Santa Fe City Council voted in April to impose a 10-cent fee for paper bags. The Council approved the fee after the city's ban on plastic grocery bags did not motivate enough people to bring their own reusable totes.

 
Santa Fe Teacher Won't Face Charges In Book-Throwing CaseThe Associated Press

A Santa Fe middle school principal and teacher will not face charges over allegations the teacher threw paperback books that hit two students.

The 1st Judicial District Attorney's office said in a court filing Friday that De Vargas Middle School teacher Marcy Slaughter and Principal Marc Ducharme will not be prosecuted.

District Attorney Angela Pacheco says Slaughter's alleged action qualifies as a petty misdemeanor battery.

But Pacheco says prosecuting Slaughter "serves no legitimate purpose."

Pacheco is, however, requiring she get anger management counseling.

Police charged Slaughter with child abuse in the April 30 incident. Ducharme was charged with misdemeanor obstruction for not reporting the incident to law enforcement.

Pacheco says Ducharme was caught in a conflict of whether the school system or police should have handled the incident.

Improvement Plans For Farmington Could Cost $2 MillionThe Associated Press

The city of Farmington's goal to transform its downtown center could cost more than $2 million.

The Farmington Daily Times reports that consultants are developing plans to help lure more residents to the city's Main Street.

City Manager Rob Mayes says officials will look into state and federal grants to help lighten the projected costs.

Mayes says residents and business owners consider revitalizing the street a priority.

The proposal would include more green space, fewer lanes and wider sidewalks.

Farmington has paid nearly $60,000 to Blue Zones consultants to come up with designs on how to rebuild Main Street.

Blue Zones is expected to present a full plan to the city council in a few months.