Some visit monument despite shutdown

ALAMOGORDO, N.M. (AP) — The federal government’s partial shutdown hasn’t stopped some people from visiting White Sands National Monument though the site in southern New Mexico is closed.

The Alamogordo Daily News reports that hundreds of unauthorized visitors climbed over a fence to enter the monument since the shutdown started and that numerous cars were parked outside a perimeter fence Monday when people were seen playing on the dunes.

State highway workers were sent to the area Monday to erect “no parking” signs along U.S. 70 outside the monument.