Regional

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – Every Monday, Fred Martino speaks with Las Cruces Sun News Business Editor Brook Stockberger.

By KRWG News

Albuquerque – Veterans suffering from post traumatic stress disorder can attend a free conference in Albuquerque later this month that focuses on alternative treatment therapies.

The state Department of Veterans' Services said it's offering the conference on Oct. 30 along with Presbyterian Medical Services and other groups. It will be at the Hotel Albuquerque and veterans are eligible for a $40 gift card if they register in advance.

By KRWG News

Sandoval County, NM – Gov. Bill Richardson has declared Sandoval County's Kewa Pueblo a disaster area because of a severe storm that hit the area on Oct. 2.

The storm brought hail and extensive flooding.

The declaration frees up $250,000 to help the pueblo pay for cleanup and repairs or rebuilding of roads and other public infrastructure.

The state finance department will coordinate the payout of the money. Requests for aid will be handled by the homeland security and emergency management department.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – Sunday morning at approximately 4:00 a.m. in the 5200 block of Comanche Trail, Las Cruces, several fights broke out among party goers, male and female. One of the party goers, who was being battered at the time, attempted to flee from the area by jumping into his truck and driving away.

In his haste to get away, the driver of the vehicle ran over a seventeen year old female, dragging the victim approximately 150 feet, while pinned underneath the vehicle.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – A program designed to help low-income New Mexicans with their heating bills helped a record number of households last year, and state officials are encouraging families that need help to apply again this year.

The state Human Services Department says more than 80,000 families were helped during the 2010 fiscal year. Those families received a once-a-year benefit that averaged $194 per household.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – A man who was 14 when he killed his father, stepmother and stepsister at newsman Sam Donaldson's southern New Mexico ranch has been freed from detention.

KOB-TV in Albuquerque reports that Cody Posey was recently released from a state juvenile detention facility and was a free man on Friday, the day before his 21st birthday.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – New Mexico State Police say a Ruidoso woman has been killed by a car that hit her as she walked along a highway outside Chaparral.

Rosa Rodriguez-Bersosa in a pickup and was being followed by her sister along U.S. 54 on Friday afternoon and the two women stopped about 10 miles north of Chaparral. Rodriguez was walking back to talk to her sister when she was hit by the Cadillac driving by a Deming man. She was thrown to the side of the highway. The 57-year-old died at the scene.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – New Mexico is stocking sterile rainbow trout in waters statewide in an effort to prevent the rainbows from interbreeding with the state's native Rio Grande cutthroat and Gila trout.

The state's attempts to maintain native trout populations against interlopers like the rainbow are an ongoing battle.

That's according to the fisheries chief for the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, Michael Sloane.

So it's stocking triploid rainbow trout. They carry an extra chromosome, which makes them sterile.

By KRWG News

Texas – Gov. Rick Perry touted his appointments of minorities to state positions and advances in education during an appearance before the Texas State NAACP.

Perry spoke to the group on Friday.

"You look at our flag that has one star because we are one Texas. We are one people," Perry said. "We are in pursuit of basically the same thing: the values of family, faith and hard work."

By KRWG News

Texas – Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill White emphasized educational issues during an appearance before the Texas State NAACP.

White spoke to the group on Saturday.

The Houston Democrat said his goals include the expansion of pre-kindergarten programs and technical education at the high school level, moving away from standardized testing as a measure of competency and "creating a sense of emergency" when any student drops out of school.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has awarded a total of $26.4 million to help New Mexico health care centers expand access to quality health care.

The funding was made possible through grant programs established under new health insurance law that took effect six months ago.

Funding was awarded to the following New Mexico health care centers and can be used for construction and renovation needs and to expand access to quality health care.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – Environmentalists are concerned that a revised plan by the New Mexico Game and Fish Department would allow more cougars to be hunted around the state.

The Game Commission will make a final decision on the hunting limits for both cougars and bears during an Oct. 28 meeting.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – Two federal grants will help New Mexico senior citizens and people with disabilities navigate through their options for health care and long-term care.

The U.S. Health and Human Services Department announced the grants for more than $871,000 to New Mexico's Aging and Long-Term Services Department.

State Aging and Long-Term Services Secretary Michael Spanier says the grants will help senior citizens and adults with disabilities understand their long-term support options and help them make informed decisions.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – A state commission is offering New Mexico voters an evaluation of judges up for retention in the November general election.

The New Mexico Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission provides its recommendations on a website www.nmjpec.org.

Two Supreme Court justices and two judges on the Court of Appeals are on the ballot statewide and the commission recommends that voters retain them.

By KRWG News

Eagle Pass, TX – Federal authorities are investigating the fatal shooting of an 18-year-old Eagle Pass drug suspect, allegedly by a U.S. Border Patrol agent.

Maverick County Sheriff Tomas S. Herrera said Friday deputies found no evidence Juan Mendez of Eagle Pass was armed when he was shot. The agent's identity hasn't been released.