Navajo Presidential Candidate To Appeal Ruling In Language Case – The Associated Press
A Navajo presidential candidate says he will appeal to the tribe's high court in a case challenging his ability to speak Navajo.
A tribal hearing officer on Thursday ruled against Chris Deschene after he repeatedly refused to answer questions in Navajo.
Tribal law requires presidential hopefuls to speak fluent Navajo and understand the language said to be handed down by deities.
Deschene has 10 days to appeal to the tribe's Supreme Court.
Two of his primary election opponents filed grievances against him, saying he lied about being fluent in Navajo.
Hearing officer Richie Nez announced his decision after viewing a videotaped deposition of Deschene and after Deschene was called to testify Thursday. Both times, Deschene declined to answer questions in Navajo, saying they unfairly singled him out.
CDC Expert Discusses Ebola During New Mexico Stop – The Associated Press
An official with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the key to saving thousands of lives in the battle against Ebola will be stemming the transmission of the deadly virus.
Dr. Toby Merlin is head of the preparedness and emerging infections division at the CDC's National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Disease. He spoke Thursday to dozens of doctors and students at the University of New Mexico.
Merlin made the stop in Albuquerque while on his way to Dallas, where the first person to be diagnosed with Ebola in the U.S. died Wednesday.
He says much has been learned from how the Dallas case was handled.
Merlin also said reducing the spread of Ebola in West Africa will be the only thing that keeps the U.S. and other countries safe.
Women Sentenced To Prison In Fatal DWI Accident - The Associated Press
A 37-year-old San Juan County woman has been sentenced to nearly four years in prison for an involuntary manslaughter conviction stemming from a February drunken-driving accident that killed a 4-year-old child.
The U.S. Attorney's Office says Patricia Benally of Mitten Rock was sentenced Thursday in federal court in Albuquerque to 46 months in prison plus two years of supervised probation.
According to the office, court filings say Benally was intoxicated when the vehicle she was driving was involved in a rollover accident on U.S. 491 south of Shiprock.
Benally said in a plea agreement that she fell asleep while driving and lost control of the vehicle.
The victim was among five passengers in the vehicle.
Feds: Mexican Gray Wolf Found Dead In NM – The Associated Press
Federal wildlife officials are investigating the death of a Mexican gray wolf.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Friday in a monthly briefing that the animal was found dead in Arizona.
The male wolf was a member of the Elk Horn Pack, but the agency did not provide any details other than to say the wolf's carcass was found within the Blue Range recovery area.
They say the case is under investigation.
Efforts to reintroduce the predators to parts of New Mexico and Arizona have been hampered over the years by illegal shootings, among other things.
The most recent survey — done last January — showed there were at least 83 Mexican wolves in the wild in New Mexico and Arizona.
Correction: According to the Arizona Game and Fish Department, the information in the version of this story that aired Friday morning on KUNM included information from an outdated report from 2013. It said a wolf was found in New Mexico and that it was uncollared. The story has been updated to reflect accurate information about the recent incident.
Torreon Man Pleads Guilty In Fatal 2013 Rollover – The Associated Press
A New Mexico man accused in a fatal rollover accident on the Navajo Nation last year has pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter.
Prosecutors say 30-year-old Isaac Gordo, of Torreon, will be sentenced to 37 months in federal prison under terms of his plea agreement Thursday.
Authorities say Gordo was charged with driving recklessly and operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol during the fatal accident in New Mexico's Sandoval County on July 17, 2013.
Prosecutors say Gordo admitted he had been drinking before he drove his vehicle off the roadway and it flipped over on its roof.
Gordo remains in federal custody pending his sentencing, which has yet to be scheduled.
NM Unemployment Center Closed For Holiday – The Associated Press
New Mexico's unemployment insurance operations center will be closed Monday for Columbus Day, but state officials say online and automated toll-free telephone systems will continue to be available.
The Department of Workforce Solutions says individuals can apply for unemployment benefits, certify for their weekly benefit claim and check the status of their claim through the website Sunday through Friday from 4 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The operations center will resume normal hours on Tuesday and customer service agents will be available from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The department says holiday closings of banks and the U.S. Postal Service could cause a delay in transactions for unemployment insurance debit cards, direct deposits of benefit payments and checks that are mailed.
The department's offices across the state will be closed Monday.