Regional

By Marco Grajeda

Las Cruces, NM – This school year, the Las Cruces Public School District is kicking off a program, which encourages parents to be more involved in their kid's future while getting an education of their own. KRWG's Marco Grajeda has the details.

By Copyright KUNM

Santa Fe, NM – One of the leaders of the New Mexico State Senate is questioning whether Governor Bill Richardson's call for an additional 3 percent cut to state agency expenditures will be enough.

Richardson earlier this week ordered agencies to find that amount in their budgets for consideration by lawmakers later this year. But Senate President Pro Tem Tim Jennings, a Roswell Democrat, in a letter to the press Wednesday, said the state's fiscal crisis requires a 5 percent across-the-board cut.

By Vanessa Dabovich

Las Cruces, NM – With the passing of influential longtime U.S Senator Ted Kennedy late Tuesday, the political world has reflected on his many contributions and accomplishments. As KRWG's Vanessa Dabovich reports, New Mexico U.S Senators Tom Udall and Jeff Bingaman praised his life and legacy.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – Two organizations that provide services to farm workers and two injured farm workers want the New Mexico Workers' Compensation Administration to stop excluding farm and ranch workers from coverage.

HELP-New Mexico, Sin Fronteras Organizing Project and former farm workers Joe Griego of Los Lunas and Isaac Marquez of Arrey filed suit Tuesday in district court against the state and the state Workers' Compensation Administration.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – State police say a Mora County man has been arrested for his 22nd drunken driving offense and his blood-alcohol content tested almost five times higher than New Mexico's legal limit.

Delano T. Vigil of Guadalupita, N.M., was arrested Monday near Espanola. State police said the 51-year-old man was so drunk, he had to be taken by ambulance to Christus St. Vincent hospital in Santa Fe.

A blood-alcohol analysis showed a content level of .393 percent. New Mexico's limit for presumed intoxication is .08 percent.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – New Mexico has been awarded more than $4.2 million in federal funds to support crime prevention and reduction efforts and to assist crime victims.

Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., said the state Department of Public Safety will get $2.87 million through a U.S. Department of Justice program to help state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies with crime prevention and control.

By KRWG News

Mesilla – Mesilla trustees have extended a moratorium on building turbines for wind energy for 180 days to give a task force time to finish a study and make recommendations.

The current 120-day moratorium would have expired Sept. 8.

Mesilla officials have said the existing ordinance that regulates windmills needs to be updated because it doesn't include wind energy.

By Melissa Aguilera

Las Cruces, NM – The non-profit organization New Mexico Voices for Children is calling on the Governor and Legislators to hold public meetings to discuss the budget shortfall. As KRWG's Melissa Aguilera reports, the request comes one day after a three percent budget decrease for state agencies was announced.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – From The City of Las Cruces: The city will hold a public input meeting on the proposed Demolition Delay, Reuse and Adaptive Reuse Ordinance for Historic Structures. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 1st from 6:00-7:30pm inside City Hall, Council Chambers, 200 N. Church Street.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – From The City of Las Cruces: The city is seeking eligible properties for purchase under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP). The program is part of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008.

Under Title III of the program, the City of Las Cruces received $1.5 million in federal grant funding through the State of New Mexico, to purchase and redevelop foreclosed or abandoned, blighted or vacant properties.

By Marco Grajeda

Las Cruces, NM – Las Cruces dealerships are praising the federal Cash for Clunkers program, which expired yesterday, saying it provided a significant boost for business; and as KRWG's Marco Grajeda reports, they expect to see the benefits of the plan long after the deadline.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – Gov. Bill Richardson is asking executive branch agencies for plans to cut spending by 3 percent to help close a state budget deficit.

The governor will call a special session of the Legislature, probably in October, to balance the budget. Revenues are projected to fall more than $400 million short of what's needed to pay for this year's state budget.

Richardson and legislators hope to negotiate a deficit reduction agreement before the session. The governor plans to offer a budget-balancing plan as part of those talks.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – Sen. Jeff Bingaman told more than 200 people attending a health care town hall that a reform proposal wouldn't provide coverage for undocumented immigrants because "the American public would not support that."

Participants asked Bingaman a range of questions Monday, seeking information about a cooperative system and how the government will finance reforms.

Bingaman said he supports a public option.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – The Forest Service is adding 140 positions in Albuquerque, most of them high-level administrative jobs.

Forest Service human resources spokeswoman Sandra Lopez said Monday an undetermined number of those jobs will be employees relocating from other parts of the country, but workers also are expected to be hired in New Mexico.

Lopez says the federal agency has centralized its business operations in Albuquerque and will be looking for additional space to house the new employees.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – White Sands Missile Range in southern New Mexico has a new commander, Col. John Regan.

Regan took command Monday, replacing Brig. Gen. David L. Mann, who is now commanding the 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command at Fort Bliss, Texas.

Regan says he plans to be at White Sands for a while.

His predecessors, Mann and Brig. Gen. Richard L. McCabe, each headed the range for less than a year.