Regional

By KRWG News

LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Garrison declined to discuss why Ricky Madrid and Ralph Rios were abruptly terminated Tuesday. He says authorities will continue to work on the case as hard as before.

The Las Cruces Sun-News says the two cold-case agents were assigned six weeks ago to solve the April 14 shooting deaths of a Mesilla couple and their business partner.

Helga DeLisle, 72, her husband Gilles DeLisle, 69, and their business partner, Peter J. Weith, 68, of San Diego, were shot and killed April 14 in the DeLisles' secluded home.

By KRWG News

SANTA FE, N.M. – Economists for the Legislative Finance Committee reported Thursday the severance tax permanent fund has lower investment returns because of more than $400 million worth of economic development investments.

Lower investment returns translate into smaller yearly payouts from the fund to finance public schools and other government programs.

The report estimates New Mexico has given up $12 million a year for the state's main budget account because of the economically targeted investments.

By KRWG News

ALAMOGORDO, N.M. – Richardson filed a complaint Thursday in Washington, D.C., urging federal officials to examine the issue.

The chimps have spent the past decade undisturbed by medical researchers at the Alamogordo Primate Facility, where an agreement prohibits testing on the chimps.

By KRWG News

SANTA FE, N.M. – But it's uncertain whether a new state law limiting campaign contributions will apply to the money that's raised for that.

Martinez spokesman Danny Diaz says the incoming governor has not made a decision on how to structure her inaugural fundraising organization.

Diaz says, however, she intends to voluntarily disclose contributions that are accepted.

The day after the general election, a new law went into effect that caps contributions to candidates and political committees.

By KRWG News

SANTA FE, N.M. – Workforce Solutions Secretary Ken Ortiz said Wednesday that higher taxes on businesses and reductions in benefits are the options for shoring up the unemployment fund.

The Legislature and Gov.-elect Susana Martinez will decide how to fix the program.

if nothing is done and the unemployment fund runs out of money, then businesses will end up paying higher taxes.

By KRWG News

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – New Mexico Independent Editor Gwyneth Doland of Albuquerque says it was a grand experiment, but in the end, the business side wasn't as successful.

The New Mexico Independent was written specifically for the Internet.

Doland says it published stories at all hours and did video coverage and live blogging.

She says the Washington, D.C.-based The American Independent News Network launched the site in April 2008.

By KRWG News

DONA ANA, N.M. – A construction crew at Dona Ana found the body Tuesday close to a chain link fence near Interstate 25.

The body was sent to Albuquerque for an autopsy to determine the cause of death. Authorities said Wednesday that the victim is Kermit Earl Feazelle of Las Cruces and he's a homicide victim. Feazelle's age is not immediately available.

A Dona Ana County Sheriff's investigator says the body was found near a camping area used by homeless people.

An investigation into the man's death is continuing.

By KRWG News

El Paso – The El Paso City Council has let stand a voter-approved ban on health insurance benefits for domestic partners of municipal workers.

The city council Tuesday declined to reject the measure, approved Nov. 2, that will end such benefits for 19 gay and unmarried partners of city employees.

City Attorney Charlie McNabb had said the approved ordinance is so broad that about 200 people, including some city retirees, also will lose medical coverage as of Jan. 1.

By KRWG News

Silver City – Searchers have found the body of a man whose son told authorities he accidentally shot his father while the two were hunting in the McKnight Canyon area of southwestern New Mexico.

The 16-year-old boy has been arrested and charged with an open count of murder as Grant County authorities investigate.

Grant County Sheriff Raul Villanueva confirms the man's body was found Tuesday. The victim has been identified as 43-year-old Jeff Manning.

By Vanessa Dabovich

Las Cruces, NM – Senator Bingaman says the Senate will be voting to move on with legislation on electric vehicles and additional authority for the department of energy to encourage electric vehicle use in the county.

The electric vehicle bill has two parts to it, one being to encourage more use of electric vehicles and the other is to encourage more use of natural gas, and both will focus on buses and fleet vehicles of various kinds.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – State District Judge Jerald Valentine is retiring and his replacement will be named by Gov.-elect Susana Martinez after she takes office in January.

Valentine's retirement will create a vacancy on the court in Las Cruces as of Jan. 1, which is when Martinez assumes office.

A nominating commission will meet on Jan. 13 to screen candidates and make recommendations to the new governor.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – The New Mexico Spaceport Authority has issued a request for proposals from companies seeking to handle day-to-day operations at Spaceport America.

Spaceport Authority executive director Rick Homans says companies that receive the state contracts "will be on the front lines as we establish day-to-day operations for our launch customers."

By KRWG News

New Mexico – A company says a U.S. Supreme Court decision has cleared away the last legal challenge to its license to mine uranium at an aquifer that supplies drinking water to Navajo communities in northwestern New Mexico.

Supreme Court justices on Monday decided not to review a decision that allows Hydro Resources Inc. to leach-mine uranium at the aquifer that supplies water to 15,000 Navajos in the Church Rock and Crownpoint areas.

The mining company says it will move forward and expects to begin production in 2013.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – Interior Secretary Ken Salazar is ordering federal land managers to consider conservation as the primary focus of some 27 million acres of public lands in the West.

Environmental groups had been seeking the secretarial order to further protect the conservation lands, which include Nevada's Red Rock Canyon and other sites. The order was signed Monday.

By KRWG News

Texas – Texas leaders say they'll ask state agencies for more cuts in their current spending to use as savings to help handle the upcoming state budget crisis.

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and House Speaker Joe Straus say they're working to craft a letter to go to state agencies by the end of the month.