News

AUSTIN, May 20- Today, the Legislature passed SB 124, which increase penalties for reporting false school data.

The Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) is used by TEA to collect student and teacher data from school districts and open-enrollment charters. Collecting accurate and complete data through PEIMS is vital to ensure accountability in the Texas school system.

Superintendent Steve Riley announced today that the Gila Cliff Dwellings will be closed from June 3 through 7, 2013 for hazard rock removal from the cliff face directly above the dwellings.  Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument will offer twice-daily, ranger-guided tours of the TJ Site while the cliff dwellings are closed.

New Mexico is switching gears on its plan for a health insurance exchange and initially will partner with the federal government for computer services needed for an online marketplace for uninsured individuals.

Exchange board chairman J.R Damron said Monday that New Mexico will focus on having a state-run insurance exchange ready for small businesses this fall and will use a federally operated exchange to offer insurance coverage to individuals for the next year.

The League of United Latin American Citizens says two recent cases of Spanish being banned at New Mexico high school games are examples of a "disturbing" pattern.

Ralph Arellanes, New Mexico LULAC state director, said Monday that the group has heard of a least five cases of high school players being ordered this school year not to speaking Spanish. Arellanes says LULAC will begin an aggressive effort to monitor future cases, and if necessary, will file lawsuits.

A classroom curriculum system used by hundreds of Texas school districts will stop offering lesson plans after some tea party groups claimed it was promoting anti-American values.

State Sen. Dan Patrick said Monday that officials who created the system known as CSOPE will vote to scrap thousands of lesson plans this week, effectively killing the entire system.

CSCOPE had helped teachers adhere to complicated state educational requirements with Web-based lesson plans and exams.

A member of the Texas House is killing bills authored by a Houston senator in retaliation for her opposition to an exoneration bill.

San Antonio Democrat Ruth McClendon filibustered two bills on Friday authored by Houston Republican Sen. Joan Huffman. She killed another bill last week.

McClendon is angry that Huffman is blocking a vote on the Timothy Cole Exoneration Review Commission. The panel would investigate cases where possibly innocent people have been falsely convicted.

         Doña Ana County and the City of Las Cruces will host a public meeting on Thursday, June 6, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Butterfield Community Center, 9350 Berry Patch Ln.

   The purpose of the meeting is to provide background to the public regarding the ongoing Joint Land Use Study (JLUS) for Fort Bliss, Holloman Air Force Base, and White Sands Missile Range and surrounding communities, as well as to share findings to date and gather input from residents on local issues, opportunities and priorities.

  The City of Las Cruces presents its annual “Music in the Park Series” of free outdoor concerts this Sunday, May 26, with the Jazz Fest starting at 6 p.m. at Young Park, 1905 E. Nevada Ave. The concert will feature John Tank Group from Silver City, NM, Billy Townes Group W/Michael Herndon from El Paso, TX, & Albuquerque, NM, and the NMSU Jazz Quartets.

City Hall and most other City of Las Cruces offices will be closed Monday, May 27 in observance of the Memorial Day holiday. Police and fire services will not be affected.

The following is a list of closures:

Thousands of people in New Mexico are still looking for work or at least better jobs even as the state's unemployment rate is down.

The Department of Workforce Solutions reports that New Mexico's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 6.7 percent in April, down from 6.9 percent in March and 7 percent in April 2012.

The department says New Mexico gained about 7,900 jobs during the past 12 months, for a 1 percent growth rate.

However, approximately 6,400 people showed up at a jobs fair at Marriott Pyramid North last week in Albuquerque.

The New Mexico Arts Commission says seven artists and supporters of the arts are recipients of this year's Governor's Awards for Excellence in the Arts.

An awards ceremony is scheduled Sept. 27 in Santa Fe at the New Mexico Museum of Arts and there will be a reception in the state Capitol.

The recipients are Rio Rancho painter and printmaker Edward Gonzales, Santa Fe painter Darren Vigil Gray, Taos musician Jenny Vincent, Taos painter and furniture maker Jim Wagner and Santa Fe potter Frank Willett.

The Dona Ana County Commission is expected to vote Tuesday on whether voters will ultimately decide a sales tax proposal and bond renewal on July 30. 

The Las Cruces Sun-News reports that the sales tax would generate $7.6 million annually and be used to expand staffing at the county's 911 center and pay for county ambulance service.

It also would go toward operating a center that temporarily houses mentally ill people who are in custody yet haven't been accused of a serious crime.

Uranium Resources, Inc. has announced that it will be closing its offices in Albuquerque, Crownpoint and Grants.

The move announced Friday is aimed at reducing corporate overhead, but URI President and CEO Christopher Jones says the company is still committed to the projects is has pending in New Mexico.

The Lewisville, Texas-based company says the changes will likely be complete by the end of June. The company expects to save about $1.5 million annual with the consolidation.

Gila National Forest officials say another portion of the popular Catwalk National Recreation Trail is expected to open soon.

Forest employees are replacing an additional quarter mile of the trail and hope to have the work done by Memorial Day.

Glenwood District Ranger Pat Morrison says the U.S. Forest Service recognizes the importance of the trail to local residents and tourists.