Regional

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – Police have arrested a woman who stabbed her boyfriend Sunday morning after arguing over a tryst the two had with another woman.

Sonia Soto, 23, of the 300 block of S. Almendra St., is charged with one count of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – A Sunday morning party-turned-fight at a home in north Las Cruces resulted in six young adults being transported to area hospitals with stab wounds and one suspect behind bars.

Pablo Guillen-Pinales, 21, of the 4200 block of Calle del Centro in unincorporated Dona Ana County, was arrested and charged with stabbing four of the party-goers. Guillen is charged with four counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and one count of tampering with evidence.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – Pecan growers in southern New Mexico's Dona Ana County are expecting higher prices this year.

That's because of increasing sales to China and an expected lower supply of pecans nationwide.

New Mexico State University's pecan extension specialist, Richard Heerema, says there's growing demand in China for American pecans.

Heerema says the U.S. supply, however, is expected to be down because pecans tend to produce a heavy crop one year and a light crop the next.

This is a light year.

By KRWG News

Las Vegas, NM – A cancer patient in Las Vegas, N.M., has been told that his use of medical marijuana has made him ineligible to receive a federal housing subsidy.

Seventy-year-old Robert Jones was told in an Oct. 12 letter from a local housing administrator that marijuana remains illegal at a federal level even though medical pot is legal in New Mexico.

Jones is appealing the decision to terminate him effective Nov. 30 from a voucher program that pays a portion of rent for low-income people.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – At last, it's almost time for the general election.

After months of campaigning and what seems like endless advertising on the state's broadcast airwaves, voters will learn Tuesday who will be the first woman elected governor of New Mexico Lt. Gov. Diane Denish or Las Cruces prosecutor Susana Martinez.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – President Barack Obama is helping with get-out-the-vote efforts for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Diane Denish.

Denish's campaign said Friday that Obama has recorded a telephone message that's being used in calls to nearly 150,000 Democrats across the state. The calls target Democrats who backed Obama in 2008 and were either new voters or had voted infrequently.

In the recording, Obama urges voters "to stand with me again and pledge your support for Diane Denish for governor by voting early."

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – The state Court of Appeals has ruled that New Mexico's domestic well law is constitutional.

The court 's unanimous decision on Friday overturned a 2008 ruling by a state district judge in Silver City.

Under New Mexico law, the state engineer must grant permits for new domestic use wells and can't reject a permit because of concerns how the well might affect the water rights of other users.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – Federal marshals say if registered sex offenders answer their doorbells on Halloween night, they probably won't see trick-or-treaters.

The Marshals Service is teaming with the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Department and New Mexico Probation and Parole Office to conduct address verification, house checks and random patrols to monitor sex offenders in Las Cruces and Albuquerque on Halloween night.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – Republican gubernatorial candidate Susana Martinez has collected $151,000 in last-minute campaign contributions.

Artesia-based Chase Oil Corp. was the largest donor, giving $75,000. Espanola-based Akal Security Inc. donated $10,000 to Martinez.

Also giving $10,000 was Stephen Bechtel, retired chairman of the Bechtel Group, an engineering and construction company headquartered in San Francisco, Calif.

Martinez filed the contribution disclosure Friday with the secretary of state.

By KRWG News

Albuquerque – A federal judge has ordered the U.S. Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement to reassess how the expansion of a coal mine on the Navajo reservation will impact the environment and cultural and historic resources.

The San Juan Citizens Alliance and Dine Citizens Against Ruining our Environment sued in 2007, claiming the agency violated federal laws when renewing the mine's permit in 2004 and approving a revised permit in 2005.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – New Mexico State University's Board of Regents has approved phases six and seven of the Dona Ana Community College's East Mesa Center.

Michael Rickenbaker, university architect, said this project implements the last phases of construction at the central plaza area of the East Mesa Center.

By KRWG News

SANTA FE, N.M. – Much of the work involved raising and realigning the rows of white marble upright headstones, as well as work to keep flat grave markers level and in their prescribed position with their tops no more than 1 inch above the soil.

The cemetery also $500,000 worth of new paving on roads and replacement curbs and drains, as well as new equipment such as a backhoe, snowblower and aerator. Some funds went for turf rehabilitation.

By Vanessa Dabovich

Las Cruces, NM – Election Day is Tuesday and the fate of many political hopefuls will be decided.

The 2010 midterm election will produce the first female governor in New Mexico whether it be Democrat Diane Denish or Republican Susana Martinez.

All seats in the U.S and State House of Representatives are up for grabs including Southern New Mexico's second congressional district that has Incumbent Democrat Harry Teague and Republican Steve Pearce vying for the position.

By KRWG News

SANTA FE, N.M. – Martinez reported spending $2.1 million, with three-fourths of that for broadcast advertising. Denish had expenditures of $1.6 million, with nearly two-thirds for advertising.

Martinez raised nearly $1.1 million. That included $50,000 each from the Republican Governors' Association and Larry Mizel, a Denver, Colo. developer.

By KRWG News

LAS CRUCES, N.M. – County Republican party chairman Mark Van Dyke says it appears someone in his organization tampered with the forms and he said on Thursday evening that he was "deeply sorry."

Las Cruces police spokesman Dan Trujillo say seven prospective voters chose a "no party" affiliation when they filled out the cards last month. But the cards had a handwritten "R'' on them when they were turned in to the Dona Ana County Clerk's Office and were rejected.