Some New Mexicans Petitioning To Secede From Santa Fe County—Associated Press, The Santa Fe New Mexican
Some residents of a New Mexico city are petitioning to secede from Santa Fe County to join a bordering county.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that Rio Arriba County is encouraging Espanola residents who want to secede and take with them what officials say could amount to $1 million in tax revenues.
Espanola is a city of about 10,000 straddling the border of the two counties. Some residents believe Santa Fe County's taxes are responsible for businesses shutting down and fleeing the city.
George Martinez is spearheading the petition drive and says Espanola is "disenfranchised" and ignored by Santa Fe County.
Santa Fe County manager Katherine Miller says the city of Espanola is responsible for providing municipal services and still will be if it joins another county.
New Mexico Gets Extension On Federal ID Requirements—Associated Press
The federal government is giving the state of New Mexico an extension until October 2016 to meet tougher federal identification requirements after the state Legislature approved new rules for immigrant driver's licenses.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security notified New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez of the extension on Friday in a letter.
The department last year denied New Mexico an extension from requirements under the federal REAL ID Act. After that, some military installations such as White Sands Missile Range stopped accepting state driver's licenses to gain entry.
Martinez plans to sign revisions to a law that gives state driver's licenses to immigrants regardless of legal status. Immigrants in the country illegally will be able to get newly created driver's authorization cards by submitting fingerprints.
Another Positive Test For Horse Virus At Sunland Park —Associated Press
It will be at least another two weeks before a quarantine can be lifted at Sunland Park racetrack now that another horse has tested positive for a fast-spreading equine herpes virus.
The outbreak at the track along the Texas-New Mexico border began in January. More than 70 horses in New Mexico have been infected and two cases have been documented in El Paso County, Texas.
There was excitement earlier this week since livestock officials hadn't reported a positive test in several days, clearing the way for live racing to resume Friday afternoon.
The new positive test was reported late Thursday, but track officials say the races are continuing.
The infected horse was not entered to race, but there were others in neighboring stables that were and will now have to be quarantined as a precaution.
Immigrant Children Set To Leave Holloman Air Force Base—Associated Press
Holloman Air Force Base is no longer hosting immigrant children and Department of Health and Human Services officials say the base is unlikely to host any more soon.
The agency announced that the last of the 129 children who were housed at the base over the last four weeks would be leaving Friday. They're being reunited with either parents or close family members.
According to a news release, the department is transitioning the temporary shelter at Holloman to reserve status due to a recent decline in referrals of unaccompanied children from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.
The shelter had 250 beds with room to grow to 700.
U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter directed Holloman to be the first of three temporary shelters to open in New Mexico, Colorado and Florida.