“Mr. Lieutenant Governor, Senate Pro Tem Papen, Speaker Egolf, leaders of both parties, honorable members of the judiciary, honorable tribal representatives, distinguished guests and, of course, my family: In this moment, on this new day, we stand together on the precipice of immeasurable opportunity. I’m ready to begin the climb — and I know you are too. Esteemed members of …

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham sounded a rallying cry Tuesday to increase state spending on public education including preschool and encouraged allied Democratic lawmakers to revive initiatives on gun control, pay equity for women and climate-change regulation that stalled under her Republican predecessor. In her first State of the State address, Lujan Grisham pressed …

ODESSA, Texas (AP) — Police in Texas say three deputies have been shot and wounded while serving a search warrant at a home in Odessa. Ector County Sheriff Mike Griffis says officers returned fire and one person was killed during the Monday night shooting. Investigators believe the person who died was the subject of the search warrant, though authorities have …

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A state lawmaker is proposing a state holiday in honor of the late U.S. Sen. Dennis Chavez of New Mexico and the late farmworker union leader Cesar Chavez of California. New Mexico Rep. Miguel P. Garcia has pre-filed a bill that would designate the first Friday of every April as “Dennis Chavez and Cesar Chavez Day” …

TIJUANA, Mexico (AP) — Thousands of Central Americans journeying toward the United States were 2,500 miles from their destination in October when they reached a moment of decision: Should they press on toward the U.S. border? Or should they stop and put down roots in Mexico, where the government offered to let them stay? Pueblo Sin Fronteras, a group of …

PHOENIX (AP) — The federal government’s shutdown presents visitors with a mixed bag at national parks and monuments in the US Southwest, home to some of the parks system’s crown jewels. Hikers who already have backcountry permits can still hike down into the Grand Canyon in northern Arizona. But visitors arriving at Carlsbad Caverns National Park in southern New Mexico …

MOJAVE, Calif. (AP) — Virgin Galactic’s tourism spaceship climbed more than 50 miles high above California’s Mojave Desert on Thursday, reaching for the first time what the company considers the boundary of space. The rocket ship hit an altitude of 51 miles (82 kilometers) before beginning its gliding descent, said mission official Enrico Palermo. It landed on a runway minutes …

New Mexico regulators delay decision on racino license ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Bidders vying for a license to build New Mexico’s sixth and final horse racetrack and casino will have to wait for a final decision after regulators on Thursday put off awarding the coveted license when an applicant sought a preliminary injunction. The New Mexico Racing Commission voted unanimously …

GALVESTON, Texas (AP) — The Port of Galveston and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. plan to develop an $85 million terminal — the third for the cruise-popular city on the Gulf of Mexico. Port Director Rodger Rees and Royal Caribbean CEO and President Michael Bayley on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding. Royal Caribbean will pay for the new cruise terminal, …

Boy hits target, convinces town to scrap snowball fight ban SEVERANCE, Colo. (AP) — A 9-year-old boy has convinced the leaders of a small northern Colorado town to overturn a nearly century-old ban on snowball fights, and he already knows who his first target will be — his little brother. Dane Best, who lives in the often snow-swept town of …