Regional

By KRWG News

Texas – Police at the University of Texas-Brownsville say a stray bullet found on campus may have come from gunfire in Mexico.

The discovery comes after students living in dorms reported hearing what sounded like machine guns firing across the Rio Grande earlier this week. That led to university police urging students to stay in their rooms.

Juan Cardoza, the police chief for UT-Brownsville and Texas Southmost College, said ballistic testing on the stray bullet found Tuesday is under way.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – The Census Bureau reports more New Mexicans are living in poverty and only two states had a larger share of their populations in poverty.

The Census Bureau said the poverty rate in New Mexico was slightly more than 19 percent in 2008-2009 compared with more than 15 percent in 2006-2007.

Only two states had higher average poverty rates than New Mexico in 2007-2009: Mississippi at more than 21 percent and Arizona at more than 17 percent.

By KRWG News

Texas – Gov. Rick Perry has launched another attack on Washington, saying he wants quicker repairs for levees along the Rio Grande.

Perry on Friday released a letter he sent to the Obama administration that criticizes the federal International Boundaries and Water Commission for slow spending on millions of dollars slated for levee upgrades along the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas.

Agency spokeswoman Sally Spener says she hasn't seen the letter but said levees in south Texas are in their best shape in years.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – The NMSU Library launched a large scale materials reduction project in
spring 2010. Inflation rates for journals and databases continue to
increase. The funding lines used to supplement the Library's materials
budget, including indirect cost revenues and General Obligation Bond
funds, have decreased. In order to balance the materials budget, a 27 per
cent ($575,000) reduction of the materials budget was necessary.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – The state Department of Health is using recommendations from parent focus groups to improve immunization rates for toddlers across New Mexico.

The Atlanta-based U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says New Mexico immunized 70.2 percent of toddlers in 2009. The national rate was 70.5 percent.

The Health Department worked with focus groups to determine barriers to getting children immunized.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – The state Supreme Court has rejected a proposal that would have stopped the public from having Internet access to closed criminal cases in which there was no conviction.

The court announced its decision on Thursday by issuing an order.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – President Barack Obama is telling lawmakers that he'll work to help pass a bill allowing thousands of young people who attend college or join the military to become legal residents.

Rep. Nydia Velazquez says Obama told her during a White House meeting Thursday that he'll work with the Senate and support Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada in trying to get the DREAM Act passed.

By Vanessa Dabovich

Las Cruces, NM – The grants, which total $3.1 million, were awarded to New Mexico, Washington and Pennsylvania by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and will fund pilot projects to increase Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP participation among Medicare's Extra Help population.

Extra Help is also known as the Low Income Subsidy and helps low-income individuals or couples with limited resources pay for their Medicare prescriptions.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – Las Cruces Crime Stoppers is offering up to $1,000 for information that leads to the identity of a man who has been seen trying to entice young girls at several public places.

Las Cruces Police learned that at approximately 8 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 19, a man in a red pickup drove by the Alma de Arte school at 402 Court Ave. and tried to persuade young girls to accompany him. The girls did not know the suspect and reported the incident to authorities.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – County elections officials say a proposal by the secretary of state's office will fail to protect the secret ballot in New Mexico.

Bernalillo, Santa Fe and Los Alamos county election officials testified Wednesday against a proposed rule to no longer allow public access to the voter roster after Election Day in precincts where there's a risk of compromising ballot secrecy.

It's possible to identify voters and determine which candidates they supported in precincts where only a few people cast ballots.

By KRWG News

Texas – Texas voters probably won't see the top two Texas gubernatorial candidates debate before the Nov. 2 election.

Gov. Rick Perry said he was sticking to his midnight Wednesday deadline of having Democratic challenger Bill White release all of his tax returns for the years he's been in public service.

Perry said in Houston Wednesday, hours before his self-imposed deadline, that without the release of White's financial documents, there will be no debate between himself and white.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – President Barack Obama is calling on Hispanic voters to stick with Democrats this fall despite disappointment in the lack of movement on immigration issues.

Obama was the keynote speaker Wednesday night at an awards dinner sponsored by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute.

The president says Latinos should not forget who is standing with them and who is standing against them. He blames Republicans for the lack of progress on a comprehensive overhaul of the nation's immigration laws.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – Anglers can fish for free in New Mexico later this month as part of National Hunting and Fishing Day.

The Game and Fish Department said Wednesday that residents of New Mexico and nonresidents can fish without a license at public waters across the state on Sept. 25.

The department has scheduled a variety of activities at Fenton Lake State Park on that day, including instruction on fishing and fly tying as well as archery and air rifle shooting. There will be drawings for prizes involving outdoor sports.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – The New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department has opened a state fair booth so New Mexico residents can review unclaimed property held by the state.

Taxation and Revenue Secretary-designate Duffy Rodriguez wants New Mexico residents to visit the fairgrounds booth in Albuquerque to determine if any of the $120 million in cash, artifacts, jewelry and collectors' items belong to them.

By Vanessa Dabovich

Las Cruces, NM – THE SMALL BUSINESS JOBS BILL IS INTENDED TO PROMOTE JOB CREATION THROUGH A COMBINATION OF TAX CREDITS, IMPROVEMENT IN THE ABILITY OF THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION TO UNDERWRITE LENDING TO SMALL BUSINESSES AND ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR COUNSELING AND CONTRACTING PROGRAMS.