ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — An Albuquerque-based company has been awarded a more than $80 million contract to building a stretch of new border wall in Texas.

KVIA-TV in El Paso, Texas, reports Southwest Valley Constructors was recently chosen by U.S. Customs and Border Protection to build an 11-mile stretch in Hidalgo County, Texas.

  BELEN, N.M. (AP) — Authorities say a body found south of Belen has been identified as a Marine veteran missing since last month and a suspect in the murder case is in custody.

Valencia County Sheriff's officials says detectives located a body in a ditch back Friday night.

On Saturday, the Office of the Medical Investigator positively identified the body as that of 32-year-old Matthew Gurule, who was last seen on July 27 at the Isleta Resort and Casino.

Sheriff's officials won't say what led them to the body or how Gurule died.

  LOS ALAMOS, N.M. (AP) — Officials at Los Alamos National Laboratory have plans for $13 billion worth of construction projects over the next decade at the northern New Mexico complex as it prepares to ramp up production of plutonium cores for the nation's nuclear weapons arsenal.

They outlined their plans at a recent meeting attended by hundreds of representatives of construction firms from around the country.

  SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — An economic boom in southeast New Mexico has been attributed to skyrocketing oil production.

The Albuquerque Journal reported Friday that New Mexico's revenue exceeded projected levels allowing lawmakers to authorize a $663-million spending increase for the budget year that started in July.

Officials say the 11% increase is expected to be used toward teacher salary increases, education spending, highway repairs and construction.

HOBBS, N.M. (AP) — Authorities say three-people were killed in a head-on crash of two vehicles in southeastern New Mexico.

The State Police said cars driven by 27-year-old Travis Wheeler of Leesville, Louisiana, and 36-year-old Linda Sandoval of Hobbs collided Thursday night and that both were killed along with a passenger in Wheeler's car.

According to the State Police, the initial investigation indicate that Wheeler's car was heading north in the southbound lanes on State Road 18 between Hobbs and Eunice and that alcohol appeared to be a contributing factor.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — U.S. Vice President Mike Pence has been scheduled to visit New Mexico as a special guest for a United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement trade event.

Local news stations reported Thursday that Pence is expected to attend the Aug. 21 event hosted by America First Policies, an organization supporting policy initiatives.

Federal officials say Pence will speak about how the USMCA agreement will benefit the economy and its workers.

EL PASO, Texas (AP) — The text was alarming: "today medical start force feeding only with me. They put the pipe in my nose 3 time. My nose is bleeding and pain."

Attorney Linda Corchado had feared this might happen when she heard her clients on hunger strike inside an immigrant detention center had been forced to receive fluid through IV drips two weeks ago.

On Thursday she said one of the men, an asylum seeker from India, was brought out to her in a wheelchair with tubes threaded through his nose, and he told her he had been force-fed.