Emergency official: 5 missing after Oklahoma rig explosion QUINTON, Okla. (AP) — Five people are missing after a fiery explosion ripped through an eastern Oklahoma drilling rig Monday morning, sending plumes of black smoke into the air and leaving a derrick crumpled on the ground, an emergency official said. Pittsburg County Emergency Manager Director Kevin Enloe told television station KOTV …

Texas unemployment rate reaches 3.9 percent in December AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas; unemployment rate rose slightly in December to 3.9 percent, the Texas Workforce Commission reported Friday. Nationwide unemployment last month at 4.1 percent. The Texas jobless rate in November was 3.8 percent, according to the state labor agency. Amarillo and Midland areas had the lowest unemployment in Texas …

Oil and gas lobbyists spend big on campaigns, PACs By Steve Terrell The New Mexican Oil and gas industry revenues pay a huge share of the money that goes into the state budget. And lobbyists for big oil companies pay a huge amount of campaign contributions to New Mexico politicians. An analysis of lobbyist expense reports filed in recent days …

Legislative roundup for Jan. 18, 2018 The New Mexican A raise for politicians? The state’s top elected officials are past due for a raise, according to some members of a legislative committee. But Gov. Susana Martinez might not agree to a pay raise for her successor and other politicians. The Legislative Finance Committee has backed a bill to increase the …

Cost of addressing Carlsbad sinkhole could reach $43 million CARLSBAD, N.M. (AP) — Work to prevent a massive sinkhole from opening on the edge of Carlsbad could end up costing more than $40 million, according to a group of experts working on the problem. The Carlsbad Current-Argus reports the new price tag for remediation and other work at a former …

Sophia and Noah are top names for New Mexico babies in 2017 SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Sophia has overtaken Mia as the top name for baby girls in New Mexico, and Noah is the favorite for boys. The New Mexico Department of Health released the list of top baby names Thursday. The list is compiled by the agency’s vital …

New Mexico delegates renew push to limit drilling ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Democratic members of New Mexico’s congressional delegation are renewing their pleas for federal land managers to limit oil and natural gas drilling in the northwestern corner of the state over concerns about archaeological and cultural sites that dot the region. U.S. Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich and …

‘Get down!’ Gunfire erupts at New Mexico high school By RUSSELL CONTRERAS, Associated Press AZTEC, N.M. (AP) — Heaven Angelica Hughes and her classmates heard loud noises coming from the hallway just before bullets began flying through the window, striking a wall just over one student’s head. “Get down!” her teacher yelled. The 15-year-old freshman fell to the floor and hid …

Pipeline explodes in southeastern New Mexico oil patch LOVING, N.M. (AP) — A pipeline exploded in southeastern New Mexico’s oil patch, closing two highways but causing no reported injuries. Eddy County Emergency Manager Jennifer Armendariz says the pipeline that exploded early Wednesday morning is in a sparsely populated area about 10 miles (16 kilometers) south of Carlsbad believed to be …

New Mexico AG demands damages from Wells Fargo ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas is demanding damages from Wells Fargo after an investigation showed the financial institution created nearly 19,000 fake and unauthorized bank and credit card accounts in the state. Balderas on Wednesday accused Wells Fargo of victimizing New Mexicans. If a resolution can’t be …