News

By KRWG News

Texas – Two senators say it's time to consider ending a contract for a "virtual fence" along the U.S.-Mexico border that they contend isn't keeping illegal immigrants out of the United States.

Independent Sen. Joe Lieberman said Tuesday the government should either terminate the contract with Boeing Co. or take from it any working parts and scrap the rest.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – The New Mexico Environment Department has concluded pollution in the Rio Grande coming from Los Alamos National Laboratory remains below standards for drinking water.

The department says concentrations fell below the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's standard for PCBs in drinking water and are not a threat to Albuquerque's drinking water supply.

The results released this week come from a 2009 study on water quality in the river near Santa Fe's Buckman diversion project and during storm flows in Albuquerque.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – A legislative task force will look at whether New Mexico state government should be reorganized.

The task force holds its first meeting Wednesday in the Capitol, and is to hear testimony about past governmental restructuring efforts, including during the 1970s when Democratic Gov. Jerry Apodaca pushed to streamline agencies, boards and commissions.

By KRWG News

Texas – Dozens of tax exemptions drew scrutiny as the Texas House Ways and Means committee prepares to deal with an estimated budget shortfall of $11 billion.

About 150 lobbyists and interest groups filled a hearing room yesterday in Austin.

A representative from the state comptroller's office said Texas lost $2.7 million in potential tax revenue in 2009 from exemptions on solar and wind energy devices.

By Vanessa Dabovich

Las Cruces, NM – As school districts in the area face record budget deficits and cuts our U.S Senators have co-sponsored a bill to keep teachers in the classroom. KRWG's Vanessa Dabovich reports

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – A vehicle registered to two of the victims murdered in a Las Cruces area home was located at approximately 9:00 a.m. Tuesday morning at the City of Las Cruces Utilities Complex, Visitor Parking lot, located at 680 Motel Boulevard, by City Utility workers.

City Police were called to the scene, which in turn preserved the vehicle for processing, notifying Dona Ana County Sheriff's Investigators.

By Vanessa Dabovich

Las Cruces, NM – New Mexico U.S Senator Jeff Bingaman says he does not support efforts to shift offshore oil drilling revenues. KRWG's Vanessa Dabovich reports

By Claudette Ortiz

Hatch – Las Cruces Sun News Columnist Claudette Ortiz reflects on taking time to appreciate the diverse landscape around us...and the diverse group of people who live here.

By KRWG News

Silver City – Grant County sheriff's deputies are investigating the discovery of skeletal remains in a remote area of Grant County.

Authorities say investigators had to hike and use all-terrain vehicles to get to the location off N.M. 78 in the Mule Creek area.

Grant County sheriff's Lt. Michael Aguirre says the remains were discovered Monday by a hiker.

___

Information from: Las Cruces Sun-News, http://www.lcsun-news.com

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – Two New Mexico men have been found shot to death inside a car near an Alamogordo park and three others are in custody.

Alamogordo police Lt. Gary Smith identifies the dead men as 23-year-old Hilario Jimenez of Las Cruces and 19-year-old Ricardo Bustillos of La Luz.

Smith says officers responding to a call about gunshots Monday evening found them dead in the car.

Three Alamogordo men have been arrested.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – A bipartisan group of U.S. senators from western states wants to expand federal compensation for people who became ill from working in uranium mines, living near debris left from mining or living near atomic tests from the 1940s to the 1960s.

The measure, introduced Monday, would broaden who's eligible for compensation, expand the downwind exposure area to include seven states and fund a study of health impacts on families of uranium workers and people living near uranium development.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – Fred Martino speaks with Danielle Lucero, a 2009/2010 Junior at Mayfield High School and one of the Las Cruces Mayor's Top Teens.

By Vanessa Dabovich

Las Cruces, NM – Silver City is having an electronic waste collection this weekend and as KRWG's Vanessa Dabovich reports the event is the first of its kind in the area.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – Every Monday, Fred Martino speaks with Las Cruces Sun News Business Editor Brook Stockberger.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – New Mexicans can qualify for a $200 rebate for buying certain energy-efficient appliances starting Thursday.

Gov. Bill Richardson and other state officials announced the rebate program Monday at a Santa Fe business.

Rebates will be available on a first-come, first-served basis for New Mexico residents who buy Energy Star qualified clothes washers, refrigerators or a natural gas furnance from a retailer in the state.