Regional

By KRWG News

New Mexico – Plague activity is increasing around New Mexico.

The state Department of Health's Scientific Laboratory has confirmed plague in a dog near San Jon in Quay County.

Other confirmed animal plague cases this year include a dog and cat in the city of Santa Fe and the rural Santa Fe County subdivision of Eldorado and a dog and cat from the Alcalde and Abiquiu areas in Rio Arriba County.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – The executive director of the New Mexico Spaceport Authority has submitted his resignation.

The Economic Development Department announced that Steve Landeene is leaving his position after meeting all legislative mandates and putting Spaceport America on track to be operational by the end of the year.

Economic Development Secretary Fred Mondragon says he appreciates Landeene's service and wishes him well.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – Attorney General Gary King says Gov. Bill Richardson's office may have violated New Mexico's open records law by not disclosing the names of 59 appointive state workers who lost their jobs because of budget cuts.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – New Mexico State Police are investigating a report that state Public Regulation Commissioner Sandy Jones was shot at Friday while parked on the side of Interstate 40 near Clines Corners.

Jones was not injured, but the back passenger window of his truck was shot out while he was sitting in it.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – A developer is offering to donate $5 million to a Santa Fe schools endowment if New Mexico chooses his site for a new government complex.

Espanola developer Richard Cook hopes his 40-acre office and retail building development near the Santa Fe airport will be chosen for the government complex.

The state, however, seems to be leaning toward a development proposed by a pair of Albuquerque developers. Las Soleras is about a mile to the east, near Interstate 25.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – Five candidates have been announced in the search for a new dean for the College of Arts and Sciences at New Mexico State University. The first three candidates will visit the campus next week and the other two will be on campus the first week of May.

Monday, April 19 - Neva Jacquelyn Kilpatrick, chair of the English Department at California State University Channel Islands.

Tuesday, April 20 - Ellsworth "Skip" R. Fuhrman, chair of the Department of Science and Technology in Society at Virginia Tech.

By KRWG News

Juarez, Mexico – Hundreds of families are fleeing the cotton-farming towns of the Juarez Valley, a stretch along the Texas-Mexico border 50 miles east of Ciudad Juarez.

All because the drug smugglers told them to.

In a new strategy, Mexican drug cartels seeking to minimize interference with their operations are using terror to empty the entire area.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – New Mexico's Democratic and Republican parties each raised about $200,000 during the past six months as they prepared for a critical election season in the state.

The Democratic Party's state campaign committee collected about $214,000 and the GOP raised $192,000 from October through April 5, according to the latest financial disclosures filed with the secretary of state's office.

The oil and natural gas industry contributed about $107,000 to the Republican Party.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – Former U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici will be hitting the campaign trail on Sunday.

Domenici will be stumping for his son, Albuquerque attorney Pete Domenici Jr., who is vying for the Republican nomination for governor.

The former senator and his son will be stopping in Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Santa Fe, Los Alamos, Las Vegas, Carlsbad and Hobbs over the next week.

The younger Domenici says both he and his father love New Mexico. He adds that his dad is excited about joining him on the campaign trail.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – Las Cruces Police have charged a man for his involvement in Wednesday afternoon's robbery of a motorist as he pumped gas at an area convenience store.

Christopher Michael Sanchez, 18, of the 5000 block of Answer Drive, is charged with one count of robbery and one count of tampering with evidence.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – Police arrested a Las Cruces man Thursday evening after he stabbed his 90-year-old roommate multiple times.

Howard A. DeSavino, 51, of the 4600 block of Nogal Canyon Road, is charged with one count of aggravated battery causing death or great bodily harm.

By Vanessa Dabovich

Las Cruces, NM – New Mexico U.S. Senator Tom Udall spent a week in Afghanistan and says U.S. troops should follow in the footsteps of British military. KRWG's Vanessa Dabovich reports

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that six New Mexico counties, including Dona Ana, been declared eligible for disaster assistance due to their proximity to Texas counties, which were declared disaster areas due to continuing drought.

As a result of the declaration, farmers and ranchers in Dona Ana, Eddy, Lea, Otero, Quay, and Roosevelt counties are now eligible to be considered for low-interest emergency loans from the Farm Service Agency, which is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – Earlier this morning at approximately 10:00 a.m. Sheriff's Deputies were dispatched to 2617 Mesilla Hills Drive, after an attorney became concerned when his clients failed to show for a civil hearing.

The attorney requested that a "welfare check" be conducted for the residents at the residence.

When Sheriff's Deputies arrived and no one answered their knocks, Sheriff's Deputies gained entry into the residence and discovered the three bodies.

By KRWG News

Hatch – Earlier this morning Sheriff's Deputies responded to the 700 block of Truman, Salem, north of Hatch, in reference to a domestic incident, after a woman had reported that she had locked her husband out of the house, for fear that he was going to batter her.

WILLIAM ESTRADA-IGUADO, age 18, allegedly broke out a window to the entry door and entered the residence, grabbed his wife and shook her.