In the West, minorities are helping boost populations in rural areas, including in New Mexico.

That’s what a recent report by the independent research group Headwaters Economics found. Analysts looked at data from the U.S. Census Bureau and compared the populations and demographics of rural counties from 1980 to 2015. Nearly every county saw a growth in minority populations, echoing the shift in demographics of the nation as a whole.

This trend is as pronounced in New Mexico, which already has among he lowest percentage of white non-Hispanic white populations, as in any other western state.

Kelly Pohl, a geographer who works at the Montana-based Headwaters Institute, explained...

The U.S. House Committee on Ethics unanimously dismissed an ethics complaint against Rep. Ben Ray Luján.

The committee made the announcement Tuesday, and a spokesman for Luján praised the decision shortly after. In a statement, Joe Shoemaker said the allegations came from a “ politically motivated complaint, filed by a partisan outside group.” He added that Luján is “committed to abiding by House Rules and will continue to do so in the future.”

The Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust, a conservative group, complained that Luján conducted campaign or political activity from the House floor, which is prohibited, after he sent a  fundraising email highlighting a...

NAME: Dave Begay

AGE: 18

BOOKED: 7/12/17

NOTES: Open Container; Poss. of Marijuana/paraphernalia

NAME: Elias D. Rangel, Jr.

AGE: 26

BOOKED: 6/17/17

NAME: Darrall J. Begay

AGE: 32

BOOKED: 6/9/17

NOTES: Imm. Notice of Accident; Agg. DWI

NAME: Erika Clara Taylor

AGE: 28

BOOKED: 6/8/17

NOTES: Agg. DWI; Destroy/Damage/Defacing property

NAME: Renalden Saunders

AGE: 40

BOOKED: 4/28/17

NAME: Roslyn S. Kiyite

AGE: 28

BOOKED: 4/28/17

NAME: Guy Joe Begay

AGE: 73

BOOKED: 4/26/17

NAME: Norman Tsosie

AGE: 56

BOOKED: 4/25/17

NOTES: Open Container

A man walking with a woman along the north side of the road, near 3010 E. Highway 66, stepped into oncoming traffic Thursday evening. The man was struck and killed by a white SUV.

Gallup Police Department Capt. Marinda Spencer said the call on the accident came in at 9:09 pm. The man, whose identity is being withheld until next of kin are notified, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The woman with him was taken to the hospital, but Spencer said she hasn't received any updates on her condition, and it's not clear whether she was struck by any vehicles.


"They did give the driver a roadside breath test and she tested 0.00," Spencer said.

When asked, Spencer said she's meeting with...