SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A murder trial for an Ojo Caliente man is slated to begin this week after being delayed more than a year because of possible COVID-19 exposure. The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that jury selection was underway Monday for the trial of 25-year-old Mark Hice, who faces first-degree murder and other charges. Hice was about to go on trial in July 2020 when his defense attorney disclosed she was exposed to COVID-19 patients while working as a midwife. The judge declared a mistrial. Hice is accused of killing 18-year-old Cameron Martinez and wounding three others on N.M. 68 north of Española in October 2018 in a case of mistaken identity.

  SANTA FE – The state Supreme Court today upheld the first-degree felony murder convictions of a Santa Fe County man for killing three members of a northern New Mexico family when he was 16-years-old.

In a unanimous opinion, the state's highest court concluded that the constitutional rights of Nicholas Ortiz were not violated when he was sentenced as an adult without a special proceeding to determine whether he was amenable to treatment or rehabilitation as a juvenile.  State law requires such a proceeding – known as an "amenability hearing" – for juvenile offenders other than those from ages 15 to 18 who are convicted of first-degree murder, a category considered "serious youth offenders."

Sean Hardy Lucky, 51, of Las Cruces was held without Bond in Third District Court.  Lucky is charged with 1 count of Aggravated Battery against a Household Member with a Deadly Weapon (1st degree felony), 2 counts of Battery against a household member (3rd degree felony), Larceny ($250 or less), and Tampering with Evidence.  District Court Judge Richard Jaquez found Aguilera to be Dangerous, and that Lucky failed to comply with conditions of release in his other cases and no Release Conditions will reasonably protect the safety of the community.  Lucky will remain in the Doña Ana County Detention Center awaiting a preliminary hearing.

SANTA FE- The New Mexico Department of Health (DOH) would like to encourage all individuals to get tested for COVID-19 if:

• You have COVID-19 symptoms including cough, fever, shortness of breath, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, and/or loss of taste or smell.
• You don’t have symptoms but were in close contact or are a household member of someone who has tested positive and are in their infectious period. This is recommended regardless of vaccination status.
• You don’t have symptoms, but you are unvaccinated and live or work in a high-risk congregate setting such as long-term care facilities, detention centers, and correctional facilities. 
• You are a patient scheduled for surgery or hospital admission, even if you’re fully vaccinated. Some medical facilities may require testing prior to surgery or admission. 
  

  Las Cruces police are continuing to investigate Saturday’s shooting that resulted in the death of a Nicodemus Gonzales.
 
About 3:30 a.m. Saturday, July 31, Las Cruces police were dispatched to the report of shots fired at a loud party on the 1800 block of Chaparro Street. Officers arrived to find 23-year-old Nicodemus “Nico” Gonzales suffering from at least one gunshot wound.
 
Gonzales was pronounced dead on scene.

  AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Officials say the resurgence of COVID-19 in Texas has put some cities’ health systems in dire circumstances, as intensive care unit beds fill up. In Austin, the health department said there were only nine ICU beds available on Friday for the 11-county trauma service region that includes the city and serves 2.3 million people. San Antonio is facing a nursing shortage caused by the COVID-19 surge. As of Saturday, only 43.8% of Texas’ total population had been fully vaccinated. That trailed the national rate of 49.5% and was far behind Vermont, which had the highest rate of any state, at 67.5%, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  

  AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Hundreds of people packed the steps of the Texas Capitol at a protest rally to make the end of a four-day march in support of voting rights. Country music legend Willie Nelson led spectators in singing “vote them out.” The march, which began Wednesday, was led in part by Beto O’Rourke, the former Democratic congressman and presidential candidate. Earlier this week, O’Rourke and marchers shut down the frontage road of Interstate 35 during the morning rush hour, funneled between restaurants and cut a path from red statehouse districts to blue ones. The rally culminated in a concert by Texas country singer Willie Nelson.

  ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Tens of thousands of people in New Mexico who are behind on their gas and electric bills could lose power as soon as mid-August. The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission prevented utilities from disconnecting service over unpaid bills during much of the pandemic. The moratorium for investor-owned and large gas companies ended in May but has a 90-day transition period. The soonest customers could be cut off is Aug. 12. Utilities say shutoffs are a last resort and would happen only after customers receive multiple past-due notices. The utilities and the state also have financial assistance for people struggling to pay their bills.

  DENVER, Colo. (AP) — Colorado officials say mudslides caused “extreme damage” to a major interstate, leaving it clogged with boulders and rocks and no word on when it might reopen. Forecasters Sunday warned of the potential for more flash floods across the Rocky Mountain and Great Basin regions. Wildfires across the West have left many hillsides more susceptible to erosion. Interstate 70 in Glenwood Canyon, Colorado, was hit by flash flooding that left lanes in both directions snarled by logs, boulders and other debris from a burn scar left by a 2020 wildfire. Flood watches were in effect for portions of Colorado, Utah Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and Washington state.