Planned memorial to honor women vets

LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Las Cruces officials say a new memorial planned for the southern New Mexico city will be the first in the state to honor female military veterans.

The Las Cruces Sun-News reports that the city is awaiting a blueprint of the monument. Once it’s reviewed by officials, preparation of the site at the Veterans Memorial Park would follow.

Construction could take several months to complete. Supporters are hopeful a dedication ceremony could happen in March 2017. A state appropriation of more than $406,000 will pay for the design and construction of the memorial.

1 dead, 1 injured in Cedar City crash

CEDAR CITY, Utah – The Utah Highway Patrol says a Colorado man has died and another person was injured in a rollover crash near Cedar City.

The Spectrum in St. George reports the incident happened around 5:40 p.m. Friday on Interstate 15 north of Cedar City, according to the UHP.

Authorities say William J. Wyman of Boulder was driving northbound on the interstate at 65 mph when his vehicle hit a patch of black ice. Wyman’s Toyota Tacoma slid off the right shoulder and rolled twice. UHP troopers say Wyman was ejected from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene. A female passenger was hospitalized with minor injuries.

Popular luminaria tour sells out in hours

ALBUQUERQUE – Tickets for Albuquerque’s annual luminaria tour have sold out in record time.

The city’s transit system, ABQ RIDE, says the 3,600 tickets that were available for the Christmas Eve event were gone in about four hours. It took 12 hours to sell out last year.

Six separate tours will leave from the Albuquerque Convention Center on Christmas Eve, the first at 5:30 p.m. and the last at 7:25 p.m. Each will last about 45 minutes.

Participants will get to see countless luminarias – or candles that are placed inside paper bags weighted with sand – and other Christmas lights on their tour through historic and other well-known neighborhoods in Albuquerque.

Associated Press