SCARY MOMENTS FOR STUDENTS AT LA CUEVA HIGH SCHOOL TODAY AFTER REPORTS OF AN ARMED PERSON ON CAMPUS. THE SCHOOL WAS PLACED ON LOCKDOWN FOR SEVERAL HOURS WHILE POLICE AND SWAT TEAMS SEARCHED THE SCHOOL AND FOUND -- WHAT TURNED OUT TO BE A FAKE WEAPON. VALERIE CASTRO IS LIVE AT LA CUEVA WITH THE DETAILS... IT WAS A TENSE MORNING FOR BOTH APD AND STUDENTS HERE AT LA CUEVA HIGHSCHOOL AFTER IT WAS REPORTED THAT AN ARMED PERSON WAS PROWLING THE CAMPUS. APS SAYS IT ALL STARTED AROUND 9:30 THIS MORNING WHEN A SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER NOTICED WHAT LOOKED LIKE A STUDENT WAVING AROUND A GUN ON SURVEILLANCE VIDEO. THE SCHOOL WAS IMMEDIATELY PLACED ON LOCKDOWN AND APD JUMPED INTO ACTION SENDING SWAT TEAMS OUT IN FULL FORCE. APD SAYS ONCE POLICE FIGURED OUT WHAT CLASSROOM THE SUSPECT WAS IN, THE SWAT TEAM USED A FLASH BANG IN THE ROOM TO TAKE THE STUDENT INTO CUSTODY. 'we were able to locate and take into custody this one individual, i can tell you at this point that weapon has been identified as a false or fake type weapon.' POLICE SAY THE WEAPON TURNED OUT TO BE A CARDBOARD GUN THAT A STUDENT HAD BROUGHT TO SCHOOL. AT THAT POINT POLICE STILL CHECKED OUT EACH AND EVERY CLASSROOM, EVACUATING ALL STUDENTS TO THE BALL FIELDS AT THE SOUTHWEST END OF THE CAMPUS UNTIL POLICE HAD GIVEN THE ALL CLEAR. ALBUQUERQUE POLICE SAY THE STUDENT IN CUSTODY WAS 17 YEAR OLD LUKE SCHIFFER AND HE WILL BE CHARGED WITH INTERFERING WITH THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS. APS SAYS ANOTHER STUDENT WAS ALSO BEING DETAINED FOR QUESTIONING. THEY SAY IF THE WHOLE THING TURNS OUT TO BE A PRANK, THOSE RESPONSIBLE COULD FACE SUSPENSION OR EVEN EXPULSION. LIVE AT LA CUEVA...VC ..EWN 4. PARENTS, MEANWHILE, WERE TOLD TO GO TO A NEARBY PARK AT CORONA AND WYOMING ... WHERE THEY COULD GET UPDATES FROM A-P-S AND A-P-D OFFICIALS. MANY OF THEM SHOWED UP AFTER GETTING CALLS OR TEXT MESSAGES FROM THEIR KIDS SAYING THEY WERE UNDER LOCKDOWN. UNTIL WORD CAME THAT EVERYONE WAS SAFE ... PARENTS HAD NO OTHER OPTION BUT TO WAIT AND WORRY ABOUT THEIR KIDS. 01:37 she says the swat team entered her room, they made her put her hands on her head, they were patted down, then they were marched out to the field. A-P-S TELLS US MOST STUDENTS WERE BACK IN THE CLASSROOM BY TWO THIS AFTERNOON, AND WERE RELEASED FROM SCHOOL AT THE NORMAL TIME. AN ALBUQUERQUE MAN IS RECOVERING TONIGHT... AFTER GETTING LOST IN THE SANDIA MOUNTAINS AND SPARKING A NEARLY 12 HOUR SEARCH AND RESCUE MISSION. THE MAN, WHO'S IDENTITY IS NOT BEING RELEASED, WANDERED AWAY FROM THE HIKERS HE WAS WITH ON THE LA LUZ TRAIL SUNDAY AFTERNOON. WHEN HE DIDN'T TURN UP LATER THAT NIGHT, HIS FRIENDS CALLED POLICE. SEARCH AND RESCUE CREWS COMBED THE AREA ALL NIGHT... AND FINALLY SPOTTED HIM AROUND TEN THIS MORNING. I feel real good ... How he's doing. THE MAN WAS FOUND NEAR THE SANDIA TRAMWAY... LYING ON A ROCK AND WAVING FOR HELP. HE WAS EVENTUALLY HOISTED OUT OF THE CANYON... USING A NATIONAL GUARD HELICOPTER. NO WORD YET ON HIS CONDITION. IT'S A NICE DAY ACROSS NEW MEXICO ... AND IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET WARMER TOMORROW. METEOROLOGIST SHAR SPALDING IS IN THE PINPOINT FOUR STORM CENTER WITH MORE. THE TRIGO FIRE IN THE MANZANO MOUNTAINS IS COOLING DOWN. FIRE OFFICIALS NOW SAY THE 49- HUNDRED-ACRE BLAZE IS 83 PERCENT CONTAINED. THE HUMAN- CAUSED FIRE HAS BURNED 18 BUILDINGS, INCLUDING NINE WEEKEND OR SUMMER HOMES. IT ALSO DESTROYED TWO R- V'S. THE FIRE HAS COST MORE THAN 5.4 MILLION DOLLARS TO FIGHT SO FAR. FIRE RESTRICTIONS ARE NOW IN EFFECT IN PARTS OF THE MANZANO MOUNTAINS. STARTING TODAY, NO OPEN FIRES OF ANY KIND ARE ALLOWED IN THE CIBOLA NATIONAL FOREST. SMOKING WILL ONLY BE ALLOWED IN A CLOSED CAR OR BUILDING. ALL CARS AND TRUCKS MUST BE KEPT ON FOREST ROADS. A SMALL BUT INTENSE BRUSH FIRE IN THE NORTH VALLEY GAVE HOMEOWNERS QUITE A SCARE THIS AFTERNOON. ALBUQUERQUE FIREFIGHTERS WERE CALLED OUT-- AFTER RESIDENTS SAW 60- FOOT HIGH FLAMES IN A FIELD OF OVERGROWN BRUSH AND TRASH COMING CLOSE TO HOMES. 'This is years of buildup, and i've been thinking for years that i've got a matchbox right there, and some day this is goinna happen.' A-F-D CONTAINED THE BLAZE RELATIVELY QUICKLY AND IS KEEPING AN EYE ON IT. AT THIS POINT NO HOMES WERE BURNED. ANOTHER NEW MEXICO SUPERDELEGATE IS BACKING BARACK OBAMA. SENATOR JEFF BINGAMAN ANNOUNCED TODAY HE'LL VOTE FOR OBAMA AT THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION. ABOUT A MONTH AGO GOVERNOR BILL RICHARDSON MADE HEADLINES BY DECLARING HIS SUPPORT FOR OBAMA OVER HILLARY CLINTON -- DESPITE CLINTON'S VICTORY IN THE NEW MEXICO CAUCUS AND RICHARDON'S LONGTIME FRIENDSHIP WITH BILL CLINTON. AND A WEEK BEFORE INDIANA AND NORTH CAROLINA VOTERS HOLD THEIR PRIMARIES -- OBAMA'S FORMER PASTOR IS BACK IN THE SPOTLIGHT. REVEREND JEREMIAH WRIGHT'S DEFENDING HIMSELF OVER COMMENTS HE MADE IN SERMONS TO HIS CONGREGATION-- WHICH MANY CONSIDER UN- AMERICAN. POLITICAL ANALYSTS SAY WHILE OBAMA IS TRYING TO WIN OVER WHITE....BLUE COLLAR WORKERS -- WRIGHT IS WORKING AGAINST HIM. 'Injecting race into this presidential contest where barack obama is seen and portraying himself as above that is never good.'SENATOR HILLARY CLINTON IS POUNCING ON THE ISSUE-- SAYING SHE WOULD HAVE LEFT PASTOR WRIGHT IMMEDIATELY AFTER HIS COMMENTS WERE MADE YEARS AGO. SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN IS ACTUALLY SUPPORTING OBAMA -- SAYING OBAMA IS NOT A REFLECTION OF THE REVEREND'S COMMENTS. REPUBLICAN JOHN MCCAIN ALSO SPOKE ABOUT REVEREND WRIGHT TODAY. MCCAIN TOLD REPORTS HE NEVER QUESTIONED WRIGHT'S PATRIOTISM, AND EVEN WENT ON TO PRAISE HIS MILITARY SERVICE. Presidential Candidate :12) 'I am sure that service to one's country in the military always enhances my appreciation of any american who does serve their country in the military.' MCCAIN MADE THE COMMENTS AT A ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION AT A MIAMI CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL. WHILE THERE MCCAIN ALSO PROMISED THAT HEALTH CARE WOULD BE AFFORDABLE AND AVAILABLE TO ALL AMERICANS IF HE'S ELECTED. WASHINGTON STATE'S GOVERNOR IS CALLING ON GOVERNOR RICHARDSON TO HELP RAISE MONEY FOR HER RE- ELECTION CAMPAIGN. RICHARDSON AND WASHINGTON GOVERNOR CHRISTINE GREGOIRE ARE BOTH SUPPORTING BARACK OBAMA IN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. GREGOIRE NOW WANTS RICHARDSON'S HELP AS SHE RUNS FOR A SECOND TERM IN WASHINGTON. SHE'S FACING OFF AGAINST A FORMER STATE SENATOR WHO SHE NARROWLY DEFEATED IN 2004. AMERICANS ARE STARTING TO RECEIVE THEIR TAX REBATES FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. PEOPLE WHO CHOSE DIRECT DEPOSIT ARE SEEING THE MONEY STARTING TODAY. PAPER CHECKS WILL START GOING OUT ON MAY 9TH, A WEEK EARLIER THAN PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED. THE EXTRA CASH IS INTENDED TO HELP AMERICANS COPE WITH RISING GAS AND FOOD PRICES, WHILE BOOSTING THE SLUMPING ECONOMY. SUPPLY CONCERNS ARE PUSHING OIL PRICES TO ALL-TIME HIGHS... AS OIL FUTURES SURGE TO A NEW RECORD AT CLOSE TO 120 DOLLARS A BARREL. THE PRICE HIKE IS PARTLY BLAMED ON A WEEKEND REFINERY STRIKE IN SCOTLAND. IT CLOSED A PIPELINE THAT DELIVERS A THIRD OF BRITAIN'S OIL FROM THE NORTH SEA. THE NATIONAL AVERAGE FOR GASOLINE PRICES HAS HIT 3-60 A GALLON, ACCORDING TO TRIPLE-A. NEW MEXICO'S AVERAGE IS JUST FIVE CENTS BELOW THAT DOZENS OF TRUCKERS HONKED THEIR OWN HORNS TODAY IN PROTEST AT THE NATION'S CAPITOL. A NUMBER OF TRUCKERS DROVE AROUND CAPITOL HILL TRYING TO GET LAWMAKERS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE SOARING DIESEL PRICES. IT'S BEING CALLED THE BIGGEST COURT DECISION RELATING TO POLITICS SINCE BUSH VERSUS GORE IN 2000. THE U-S SUPREME COURT TODAY UPHELD INDIANA'S LAW REQUIRING VOTERS TO SHOW STATE-ISSUED PHOTO I-D. AS TRACIE POTTS EXPLAINS, THAT COULD IMPACT VOTERS NATIONWIDE IN NOVEMBER. nats IN feed 'Voter card? NEXT WEEK - WHEN HOOSIERS VOTE -- THEY'LL STILL HAVE TO SHOW A STATE I-D OR DRIVER'S LICENSE. 'I didn't know we could not vote without the license.' THE U-S SUPREME COURT UPHELD INDIANA'S PHOTO I-D LAW... PASSED BY REPUBLICANS THERE IN 2005. DEMOCRATS AND CIVIL RIGHTS GROUPS SAY SOME SENIORS AND POOR PEOPLE DON'T HAVE OR CAN'T AFFORD BIRTH CERTIFICATES AND OTHER DOCUMENTS TO GET THE I-D. 'We don't have a problem in this country with voters really impersonating somebody to vote or trying to vote when they're not registered.' BUT SIX JUSTICES AGREED... THAT EVEN THOUGH NO ONE IN INDIANA'S BEEN PROSECUTED FOR IT... THERE'S A '...REAL RISK THAT VOTER FRAUD COULD AFFECT A CLOSE ELECTION'S OUTCOME. ' INDIANA'S SECRETARY OF STATE AGREES: 'This says to voter you can have confidence in our elections because we're doing some of those things the guy at video store does when you go to rent a video.'INDIANA IS ONE OF ONLY THREE STATES REQURING STATE PHOTO I-D -- AT LEAST 17 OTHER STATES ARE CONSIDERING IT. CIVIL RIGHTS GROUPS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE IMPACT IN OTHER STATES. 'At the polls in November, you're gonna be seeing voters asked for identification where it's not required in their jurisdiction.' THEY SAY IT'S ALREADY BEEN A PROBLEM IN THE PRIMARIES.... NOW... THE COURT HAS CLEARED THE WAY TO DENY BALLOTS TO VOTERS WHO CAN'T PROVE WHO THEY ARE. audio outcue: 'Tracie Potts, NBC News, Washington.' IT LOOKS LIKE THE COURT MAY HAVE LEFT THE DOOR OPEN FOR FUTURE CHALLENGES. THREE OF SIX JUSTICES IN THE MAJORITY WROTE THEIR OWN OPINIONS, SUGGESTING THESE LAWS COULD DISENFRANCHISE VOTERS. TEXAS CHILD WELFARE OFFICIALS SAY THAT MORE THAN HALF THE TEEN GIRLS SWEPT INTO STATE CUSTODY FROM A POLYGAMIST SECT'S RANCH -- HAVE BEEN PREGNANT. CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES SAYS 53 GIRLS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 14 AND 17 WERE LIVING ON THE RANCH IN ELDORADO. OF THAT GROUP, 31 ALREADY HAVE CHILDREN OR ARE PREGNANT. STATE OFFICIALS TOOK CUSTODY OF ALL 463 CHILDREN AFTER A RAID PROMPTED BY CALLS TO A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE. UNITED AIRLINES AND U-S AIRWAYS ARE SAID TO BE IN VERY ADVANCED TALKS, EXPECTING TO ANNOUNCE WITHIN TWO WEEKS THAT THEY ARE COMBINING. THAT'S WHAT TWO PEOPLE CLOSE TO THE NEGOTIATIONS TELL THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. THE MERGER WOULD RIVAL THE ONE BETWEEN DELTA AND NORTHWEST, FOR THE WORLD'S LARGEST AIRLINE. UNITED AND U-S AIRWAYS STEPPED UP THEIR TALKS AFTER CONTINENTAL AIRLINES ANNOUNCED IT WOULDN'T PURSUE A DEAL WITH UNITED. A POTENTIAL WATER CRISIS IS AVERTED IN ONE NEW MEXICO COMMUNITY. SEE WHICH CITY SAYS THINGS ARE BACK TO NORMAL, AFTER HAVING PROBLEMS WITH WATER WELLS. AND... A BRAND NEW BARBECUE GRILL LITERALLY MELTS UNDER PRESSURE. NEXT -- CONSUMER REPORTS EXPLAINS WHAT MODEL TO AVOID THIS SUMMER... FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY. CREWS ARE WORKING TO
