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June 13 First News: State Police Confirm Espanola Youth Armed When Shot To Death (Listen)

New Mexico State Police confirm a teenager was armed when he was fatally shot by an Espanola police officer, but investigators aren't providing any details about the weapon. State Police spokesman Lt. Emmanuel Gutierrez said Thursday the investigation into the shooting of 16-year-old Victor Villalpando is ongoing. Authorities say two Espanola officers responded to a report Sunday of a suspicious person in a parking lot behind a shopping center and then made contact with Villalpando. They say Villalpando was the person who called 911 to report the suspicious person. He used a different to make the call and claimed the suspicious person was armed with a gun and hitting himself. Espanola Public Safety Director Eric Garcia says officers tried to talk the teen into putting down a gun. According to the officers, he had a knife as well.

The Albuquerque Police Department has released new footage of the events that led up to officers fatally shooting a homeless man in March. The videos show a number of officers surrounding 38-year-old James Boyd as police try to get him to surrender. Boyd is heard telling officers he doesn't want to come down because they will shoot him. An officer responds, "no, we wouldn't."

There's some really big news in local real estate.  KSFR's Dave Marash has the story.

IN:  One of Northern ...  OUT:  I'm Dave Marash.  RUNS:  :55 (Transcript: One of Northern New Mexico's finest properties, associated with several of the Santa Fe area's most famous residents is going on the market this morning. Forked Lightning Ranch, it's 2,300 acres, including 3.5 miles of private Pecos River frontage, it's almost 10,000 sq ft main house, guest house, log house and equestrian facilities are all being sold by award-winning actress Jane Fonda. The historic ranch was founded in 1925 by the “King of the Rodeo,” John “Tex” Austin, and later purchased by E.E. “Buddy” Fogelson, who married another legendary Oscar-winner Greer Garson.  The asking price for Forked River land, properties and all that history and glamor: $19.5 million.  For KSFR News, I'm Dave Marash.

Scientists and paleontologists in New Mexico are excavating a prehistoric elephant skull that an expert says is one of the most intact ever found. Officials at Elephant Butte Lake State Park say the skull was being dug out Thursday. It will be protected with plaster and transported to Albuquerque. Paleontologists at the New Mexico Museum of History and Science are working with the park and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation staff to excavate the fossil. The Las Cruces Sun-News reports campers discovered the stegomastodon skull last weekend at the park, which is named for a rock formation rising above the reservoir. Gary Morgan, the museum's curator of paleontology, says it's the "most complete elephant skull of any kind" that he's seen in his 20 years of experience in the field. Experts say stegomastodons went extinct around 1.3 million years ago.

The Taos Town council has voted rename a park named that had been dedicated to famed 19th Century scout Kit Carson. The Journal North reports the council has renamed the park Red Willow over concerns by critics that Carson was cruel to American Indians.

Fear of flash flooding in the Santa Fe National Forest is forcing one of northern New Mexico’s most popular recreation sites to shut down for the summer. KSFR’s Sophie Wickert has the story.     IN:  The Holy Ghost Canyon north...  OUT:  I’m Sophie Wickert.     RUNS: 39seconds             (Transcript: The Holy Ghost Canyon north of Pecos is closing down for the summer starting Saturday.  The site, famed for its rugged beauty, and popular for its camping, fishing, hiking, and picnicking, was badly damaged by last year’s Tres Lagunas Fire. The losses in trees and scrub have left many slopes almost bare, sparking fears that even moderate rains could produce flash floods.  Rangers from the Santa Fe National Forest warn, Holy Ghost Canyon may have to close during the rainy season for the next few years. Forest road 122, campgrounds, picnic areas, tract home sites and trails will not reopen until September 30th.  For KSFR News, I’m Sophie Wickert.

New Mexico high school students are less likely to binge drink than their peers in other states, but they likely took their first drink at a younger age. That information comes from a survey released Thursday by the Centers Disease Control. The New Mexico Health Department analyzed and released by the New Mexico data, which shows 17-percent of New Mexico high school students report binge drinking, compared to 21-percent nationally. But 22-percent of students report taking their first drink before the age of 13, compared to 19-percent nationally. New Mexico students are also more likely to have used drugs like cocaine or methamphetamine, but were less likely to be sexually active.

Tomorrow, Taos will be host to the ninth annual “tour de taos bicycle parade.” Organizer Charles Kading stresses the event is a celebration of bicycling as, quote, “the finest form of human transportation.” Kading also says it’s a musical event, with performers serenading cyclists along the six-mile route: *****061314-Kading-1 :11***** The event starts at K-TAOS radio station’s parking lot.

Santa Fe Weather: Partly sunny today, with a high near 81 and a 20-percent chance for isolated showers or thunderstorms after noon. Tonight: Partly cloudy with a slight chance for showers, with the low down to 57. Tomorrow: Mostly sunny and windy with a high near 85.