Regional

By KRWG News

New Mexico – It's called ecotourism, described as nature-based specialty travel or wilderness experiences that enrich and educate.

New Mexico wants to join the ecotourism trend, promoting not only the state's natural beauty but also outdoor adventure, cultural heritage preservation and access to wild places.

Tourism is New Mexico's No. 2 industry, behind oil and gas production, and brings in an estimated $5.7 billion annually.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – A Las Cruces teenager could face life in prison for allegedly giving drugs to a 16-year-old girl the night before she was found dead beside him in his car.

Nineteen-year-old Zach Baker was indicted Thursday on a new charge of intentional child abuse resulting in death stemming from the January incident. A conviction on that charge carries a maximum of life in prison.

By KRWG News

Texas – Texas leaders today asked state agencies to trim their upcoming budget requests by 10 percent in anticipation of a shortfall that could reach $18 billion.

The request to lower future state funding proposals comes on top of a May 18 order for agencies to immediately trim 5 percent of their budgets.

Gov. Rick Perry, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and House Speaker Joe Straus say they want agencies, with some exceptions for critical programs, such as Medicaid, to lower their requests for the 2012-2013 budget.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – Democratic and Republican candidates for lieutenant governor spent more than $650,000 in the past three weeks, with much of that going for television and radio advertising to reach primary election voters.

Former state Democratic Party chairman Brian Colon reported the largest expenditures of five Democrats seeking the party's nomination. He spent $155,000, with more than 80 percent of that going for broadcast advertising, according to the latest state campaign finance report.

By KRWG News

El Paso – About 100 people demonstrated outside courthouses in El Paso to protest President Barack Obama's plan to deploy about 1,200 National Guard troops to the border with Mexico.

Some demonstrators Thursday chanted and held signs saying "No National Guard on the border, no need to bring more disorder." Another sign said "Obama deal with the issues, not the politics."

By KRWG News

New Mexico – New Mexico's unemployment rate dipped slightly in April from the month before, but still remains above the 2009 jobless rate.

The state's unemployment rate was 8.7 percent in April, compared to 8.8 percent in March and 6.6 percent in April 2009.

The federal government says New Mexico's April rate was not measurably different from the previous month.

The state Department of Workforce Solutions says April's rate represents a loss of 15,500 jobs from the previous year.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – Former state Republican Party chairman Allen Weh has loaned his gubernatorial campaign an additional $600,000 this month.

Weh reported Thursday that besides the loan he collected about $41,000 in contributions during the past three weeks.

The loan brought to $1.6 million the amount of personal money he has pumped into his bid for the GOP nomination for governor. That's about 70 percent of what he's raised since starting his campaign.

By Melissa Aguilera

Las Cruces, NM – The New Mexico Supercomputer Gateways project held a demonstration Wednesday at New Mexico State University. KRWG's Melissa Aguilera reports.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – As part of the Blue Star Museum Program, New Mexico's 14 state-run museums and historic monuments will offer free admission to active duty military personnel and their families all summer long.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – Earlier this morning at approximately 2:00 a.m Sheriff's Deputies were dispatched to the 9500 block of Polaris Street, Las Cruces, in reference to a domestic incident involving a woman, her boyfriend and two brothers.

By KRWG News

Texas – Federal regulators said Wednesday they will take over the entire job of regulating air quality in Texas if the state continues to violate the U.S. Clean Air Act.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – A state panel is revamping the investment strategy for New Mexico's $13 billion permanent funds in hopes of improving performance and ensuring they remain a stable source of financing for public education and other governmental programs.

The funds need to generate a long-term investment return of about 8 percent to make certain they can continue to pay out money to operate state government and not have their assets eroded over time by inflation. However, the funds have fallen short of that target.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – The New Mexico Department of Transportation is awarding more than $12.1 million in federal transit grants to projects statewide.

Most of the money $9.5 million will go to 24 rural public transit systems throughout New Mexico.

More than $1.3 million will be spent on buses and vans for 16 organizations that provide transportation for elderly and disabled residents.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – Two men have been arrested and charged for a pair of home burglaries that were committed on Monday.

William "Billy" Joe Estrada, 29, of Brazito, N.M., and Albert Lee Wall, 28, of Sunland Park, N.M., are charged with one count each of residential burglary, receiving stolen property, possession of burglary tools and conspiracy.

Las Cruces Police arrested Estrada on Monday and Wall on Wednesday morning. Both are being held at the Dona Ana County Detention Center with bonds set at $30,000 cash.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – Las Cruces Police have charged two teenagers for a pair of home burglaries.

Gabriel Polanco and Albert Terrazas, both 17, are charged with two counts of residential burglary and two counts of conspiracy. Both teens were handed juvenile Class III citations and booked into the juvenile section of the Dona Ana County Detention Center.