New Mexico Reports 81 New Confirmed COVID-19 Cases – Associated Press
New Mexico health officials have announced 81 new confirmed COVID-19 cases.
That includes 11 new cases among state inmates at the Lea County Correctional Facility.
State officials said Monday that the new cases bring New Mexico's total to 26,842.
Officials also reported no new deaths related to the novel coronavirus. The number of deaths of New Mexico residents related to COVID-19 remains at 823.
There are 60 individuals hospitalized in New Mexico for the virus. This number may include individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 out of state but are currently hospitalized in New Mexico.
There are 14,470 cases designated as having recovered by the New Mexico Department of Health.
American Airlines Holding Off Decision To Cut Some Flights – Associated Press
American Airlines is holding off on its decision to cut flights to Stillwater, Oklahoma, and Roswell, New Mexico.
But the airline is warning that slumping demand and profitability in some markets are forcing the company to consider "difficult decisions to right-size our airline."
The Fort Worth, Texas-based airline announced last month it was planning to drop flights to 15 smaller U.S. cities when a federal requirement to serve those communities ends.
But the company said in a statement Monday they are deferring its decision on Roswell and Stillwater while conversations are ongoing with local officials.
The airline blamed low demand during the coronavirus pandemic and the failure of Congress to extend the federal Payroll Support Program.
Lordsburg Firefighters Resign En Masse Amid Pay Dispute – Las Cruces Sun-News, Associated Press
Firefighters in a southwestern New Mexico city have resigned en masse following a pay dispute with the officials.
The Las Cruces Sun-News reports the entire volunteer department of Lordsburg resigned last week amid a fight over how the city was paying the department.
The city said Wednesday that the firefighters were required to fill out W-4 forms to report stipends paid to them by the city.
That's a change from previous practice in which the chief would pay them and seek reimbursement from the city.
Lordsburg Finance Officer Martha Salas has said that previous practice did not conform with the law.
Luján Says Virus Bill May Keep Him Away From More Senate Debates - By Russell Contreras Associated Press
Democratic U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján says work on a potential COVID-19 relief bill may keep him away from an early October U.S. Senate debate against Republican challenger Mark Ronchetti.
Luján's campaign told The Associated Press on Sunday that his work in Congress to pass a coronavirus relief package and rescue the U.S. postal service may prevent him from joining a scheduled October 5th debate on KOB-TV.
Luján has agreed to two debates with Ronchetti but has not agreed to the KOB-TV debate. The station said it would still hold the debate with an empty podium for Luján.
Ronchetti has accused Luján of "hiding" from voters by not accepting debate offers from the other outlets.
New Mexico Reports 103 New Coronavirus Cases, 2 More Deaths - Associated Press
Health officials in New Mexico have reported 103 new confirmed coronavirus cases with two additional deaths.
The latest numbers from the New Mexico Department of Health on Sunday raises the statewide total to 26,761 cases and the known death toll to 823.
The new cases include 29 from Chaves County and 19 from Bernalillo County.
According to Johns Hopkins University data analyzed by The Associated Press, seven-day rolling averages for New Mexico of new daily cases and daily deaths both dropped over the past two weeks.
New Mexico County That Didn't Have Any COVID Cases Now Has 2 - By Paul Davenport Associated Press
New Mexico officials on Saturday reported the second COVID-19 case in a county that went months without any reported cases.
De Baca County in the thinly populated cattle country of east-central New Mexico on Thursday lost its status as the only county in the state without a confirmed COVID-19 case.
De Baca County stood alone without a reported COVID-19 case for two months after Mora County reported its first on July 10.
As of Saturday, only two other counties had case totals in the single digits.
Navajo Nation Reports 15 New COVID-19 Cases, But No Deaths - Associated Press
Navajo Nation health officials have reported 15 new confirmed cases of coronavirus, but no deaths for the third time in six days.
The latest numbers increase the total number of people infected to 9,969 with the known death toll remaining at 530 as of Saturday night.
Tribal health officials reported no additional deaths for the first time since March on Monday and Wednesday last week.
They said 99,153 people have been tested for COVID-19 so far and 7,177 have recovered.
Navajo Nation Will Participate In COVID-19 Vaccine Trials
Navajo Nation officials say they will participate in the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine trials amid a steady decline in coronavirus cases.
The reservation once had the highest coronavirus infection rate in the country, but has since seen a substantial decrease in community spread.
Navajo Nation health officials reported no new confirmed cases on Sept. 8 for the first time since the pandemic began.
The vaccine trials will be conducted at health care centers across the Navajo Nation. Participation is entirely voluntary.
Las Cruces Home Could Be 1st Listed Under Historic Ordinance - Associated Press
Renovations to a historic home in Las Cruces will soon be complete, and some hope the century-old property becomes the first addition to the city's new historic register.
The home is significant because it once belonged to Hiram Hadley, the first president of what's now New Mexico State University.
Dr. Robert McBride, who established one of the first hospitals in Las Cruces, also lived there and it was once used as a dairy.
Under the historic preservation ordinance approved in December, property owners can apply for designation and be put on the city's historic register.
The history of the home, which was built before New Mexico became a state, has been compiled from old newspapers, county records and historical collections housed at New Mexico State University's library.
City Historic Preservation Specialist Troy Ainsworth confirmed that, if approved, the Hadley/McBride House would be the first property added to the city register.
Under the ordinance, owners must choose to initiate the process.
New Mexico State Police Officer Shot; Arizona Man Arrested - Associated Press
Authorities say an Arizona resident has been arrested for allegedly shooting and wounding a New Mexico State Police officer.
Police say the officer suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was treated at a hospital and released.
They say 28-year-old Robert Benjamin Nelson of Scottsdale was booked into the Cibola County Detention Center on suspicion of attempted murder, aggravated battery upon peace officer, shooting from a motor vehicle and resisting, evading or obstructing an officer.
Police say Nelson was the driver of a pickup truck that was stopped on Interstate 40 about 9:30 a.m. Saturday. They say Nelson appeared to fire multiple rounds at the police officer's head as she approached his vehicle.
The officer was struck by bullets, but was able to return fire.
Police said Nelson fled the scene on I-40 and the officer got back into to her vehicle and chased after him.
After a short pursuit, Nelson stopped on the highway near the pueblo of Laguna, some 47 miles west of Albuquerque.
It was unclear Sunday if Nelson has a lawyer who can speak on his behalf.