Regional

By Vanessa Dabovich

Las Cruces, NM – Thousands of New Mexicans are losing their unemployment benefits each week and New Mexico U.S Senator Jeff Bingaman says it's important that Congress pass an extension. KRWG's Vanessa Dabovich reports

By Vanessa Dabovich

Las Cruces, NM – This week the Senate is working on the Small Business Jobs Bill and New Mexico U.S Senator Jeff Bingaman says several parts of the legislation would benefit New Mexico. KRWG's Vanessa Dabovich reports

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – New Mexico State University Communications and Marketing Services units received honors at the Association of Communication Excellence Awards in St. Louis, Mo., in June.

Amy Smith Muise and Frank Sholedice, of the Marketing Services unit, won the Silver Award in the editing division of the Publishing Category for their work on the book "Cruising the Camino Real."

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that Las Cruces has been awarded over $1.5 million through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – The Las Cruces Police Department, a multi-agency task force and the Third Judicial District Attorney's Office are investigating a Tuesday morning shooting involving a police officer that resulted in the death of a 23-year-old man who was wielding a samurai-type sword.

Shortly before 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, July 13, Las Cruces Police were called to the Mesilla Manor Apartments, at 1101 E. Boutz Road, where a man was seen carrying a long sword and waving it in a hostile manner.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – The state Human Services Department says it collected a record-setting amount of child support payments in the most recent budget year.

The department announced Monday that about $115 million was collected in the fiscal year that ended last month. That's nearly 4 percent higher than the previous year.

About 60 percent of child support payments were made through witholdings of wages of parents. The department arranges for the money to go to a child's custodial parent.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – The New Mexico Spaceport Authority is seeking proposals for a contractor to provide regular sightseeing tours of the spaceport facilities and construction site.

Officials hope to start regular weekend tours as early as Sept. 1.

The so-called "Hard Hat Tours" will be conducted every Friday, Saturday and Sunday with clearly defined operational schedules.

Spaceport director Rick Homans says the tours will offer visitors an opportunity to watch as Spaceport America takes shape.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – Growers say prolonged cool springtime temperatures followed by a heat wave in June add up to a delayed and likely smaller chili harvest.

Hatch area grower Shayne Franzoy says he won't begin harvesting his 200 acres of chilies until early to mid-August, about three weeks later than normal.

Experts say the cool spring led to very slow growth for chili fields. The heat wave then stressed the plants. But New Mexico State University vegetable specialist Stephanie Walker doesn't expect the quality of the chilies to decline.

By KRWG News

El Paso – A pair of embattled state judges in El Paso have been indicted on new state charges of bribery and abuse of power.

Suspended District Judge Regina Arditti already faced a misdemeanor nepotism charge, and Manuel Barraza had been convicted earlier this year on federal bribery charges. Both were indicted Monday on state charges of bribery and abuse of power.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – Republican gubernatorial candidate Susana Martinez's campaign spokesman has been fired because he was arrested for drunken driving.

Martinez Campaign Manager Ryan Cangiolosi said Monday that communications director Raj Shah was fired on Sunday after his arrest in Albuquerque.

State police arrested Shah for aggravated drunken driving early Sunday, not long after midnight, according to a spokesman for the Department of Public Safety.

By KRWG News

Albuquerque – A gunman opened fire at an Albuquerque fiber optics manufacturer Monday, killing two people and wounding four others before turning the gun on himself in what police said was a domestic violence dispute.

Earlier Monday, police Chief Ray Schultz said there were six dead.

He explained at a news conference later that responding officers had seen people down and believed they were dead, then continued into the building to search for the gunman. Officers who arrived later determined several shooting victims had survived.

By KRWG News

Albuquerque – A gunman who opened fire at an Albuquerque fiber optics manufacturer killed five people and wounded four others before killing himself in what police said was a domestic violence dispute.

Police Chief Ray Schultz said the shooting at Emcore Corp. Monday appeared to involve the gunman's ex-wife or girlfriend, who was among the dead. He said the gunman was a former employee.

Chaos unfolded as the gunman started shooting, sending employees running for cover as police locked down the entire neighborhood.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – The New Mexico Retiree Health Care Authority has approved increases in the medical insurance premiums paid by retired governmental and educational workers.

The authority announced Friday the increases will average 8 percent and take effect in January 2011.

The authority offers several insurance plans and the premiums vary.

Rates for a 20-year retiree in the authority's top-of-the-line group health insurance plan will be about $216 a month. That's an increase of $16 a month.

By KRWG News

Alamogordo – Residents in Alamogordo are cleaning up after a heavy rainstorm flooded streets and damaged units in an apartment building.

Police Sgt. Michael Lawrence says at least two main streets were closed Sunday afternoon after the storm dumped heavy rain on the city. Floodwaters damaged parts of the Sahara Apartments and washed out ditches dug for a city water line replacement.

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Information from: Alamogordo Daily News, http://www.alamogordonews.com

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.

By KRWG News

El Paso – The FBI in El Paso says a hit-and-run accident and a vehicle that may have ended up in a shootout in Mexico are separate incidents.

FBI spokeswoman Martha Terrazas on Monday told The Associated Press that the incidents are separate and the agency is investigating.

The traffic accident happened early Sunday at an El Paso intersection. Police spotted a sport utility vehicle fleeing and chased it toward the Zaragoza International Bridge.