Years of drought, erratic weather and other stresses are taking their toll on the peppers that are central to the state's economy and identity. HATCH, N.M. - In all her eight decades of farming in southeastern New Mexico, June Rutherford has never seen a chile season this bad.

July 3 at 3:47 PM All-time heat records are at risk in Alaska in coming days as a massive and abnormally intense area of high pressure locks in and strengthens over the region. This heat dome is expected to produce temperatures near and above the highest values ever recorded for multiple days, particularly in southern parts of the state.