Regional

TAOS, N.M. (AP) — A judge's decision to allow the release of an extended family accused of child abuse at a ramshackle desert compound in New Mexico prompted a political uproar Tuesday by prominent Republican lawmakers.

The controversy was stoked even further when court officials condemned threats of violence made against the judge who issued the ruling and evacuated several administrative court offices as a precaution.

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — Colorful rock mosaics along the Tortugas Dam in southern New Mexico have been vandalized.

The Las Cruces Sun-News reports creator Kathy Morrow said this week she discovered vandals attacked her dragonfly mosaic at the end of the trail. She also found damage to her eagle and trout mosaics.

Morrow uses local and out-of-state rocks, and recycled materials, to create the mosaics.

For a chance to sip on Harry Potter-themed drinks, or learn about the many varieties of rosé wine, or dine on gourmet five-course meals with international flair, look no further than New Mexico State University this fall.

NMSU’s School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management has unveiled its roster of student-produced food and beverage events for the fall 2018 semester.

Beginning Sept. 11, weekly lunch service will begin at 100 West Café, the food laboratory for HRTM students in Gerald Thomas Hall. 

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The University of New Mexico Board of Regents will meet to satisfy claimed violations of state open meeting laws when it decided in July to cut four sports programs.

The regents voted unanimously July 19 to eliminate men's soccer, men's and women's skiing and women's beach volleyball. They also voted to cut diving from the women's swimming and diving program and reduce the men's track and field roster.

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Former Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson began his campaign Tuesday to unseat New Mexico's junior Democratic senator, seeking political opportunity in the space between Democrats and voters loyal to President Donald Trump.

Johnson, a former two-term governor of New Mexico, was added to the state's list of Senate candidates as final paperwork was being filed with election officials.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico school districts now will get student test scores by the end of the school year and will have 15 more days to prepare for statewide exams, according to changes announced by the state's Public Education Department on Tuesday.

State Education Secretary Christopher Ruszkowski said the revisions, adopted immediately, come after he and other education officials received feedback from teachers on New Mexico's required statewide exam — a test that has drawn strong criticism for teachers unions.

The recipe may only call for four ingredients, but brewing beer is a science, and the brewery engineering program at New Mexico State University offers students the opportunity to prepare for careers in the growing industry. 

In 2017, 67 New Mexico-based craft breweries, an increase from 25 New Mexico breweries in 2011, produced more than 116,000 barrels of beer last year, which had a $333 million impact on the state’s economy based on data from the Brewers Association.

Commentary: WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.), ranking member on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee overseeing the EPA’s budget, released the following statement on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Asbestos Problem Formulation document and Significant New Use Rule (SNUR) for asbestos:

Canadian singer-songwriter Shawn Mendes will make a stop at The University of Texas at El Paso’s Don Haksins Center on Saturday, Oct. 13, 2018 for a special college performance.

Ticket prices are $49.50, $69.50 and $89.50 plus applicable fees. Discounted student tickets will be $39.50 and $59.50 plus applicable fees.

Tickets go on sale on Friday, Aug. 17 at 10 a.m. and will be available at all UTEP Ticket Center locations, by calling 915-747-5234, or through Ticketmaster.com.

Las Cruces: The New Mexico Department of Transportation District One office (NMDOT) has posted an alert forMonday August 27, 2018:

Las Cruces Barricade (Traffic Control) along with Apache Construction (Contractor) will be performing guardrail replacement along Interstate 10 in Dona Ana Co. Traffic will encounter lane drops at times with eastbound and westbound exits closed off to all traffic as needed. Motorists are asked to reduce speed, obey posted signs, and use extreme caution, and be cautious of personnel in the area. Construction hours will be Mondaythrough Friday from 7:00 am to 5:30 pm and is expected to be completed by June 2019.

For updated information go to: New Mexico Department of Transportation at www.nmroads.com.

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — Navajo officials say a celebration of the Navajo Code Talkers will be held Tuesday.

The Navajo Nation Office of the president and vice president says this year's annual event will start at 9 a.m. in Window Rock, Arizona, at the Navajo Nation Fairgrounds.

There will be a parade, a wreath ceremony and a 21-gun salute in the morning. A Gourd Dance and a screening of the movie, "Navajo Code Talkers: Journey of Remembrance" will take place in the afternoon.

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico Department of Information Technology Secretary Darryl Ackley is leaving the job in a few weeks.

Gov. Susana Martinez's office announced Monday that Ackley is stepping down on Aug. 27 to serve as Chief Technology Officer at the Institute for Complex Additive Systems Analysis at New Mexico Tech.

Martinez appointed Ackley in February 2011 shortly after she took office.

  TAOS, N.M. (AP) — A state judge on Monday cleared the way for five defendants who were arrested on child abuse charges at a remote New Mexico compound to be released pending trial despite authorities' suspicions that the group was training children to use firearms for an anti-government mission.

Judge Sarah Backus set a $20,000 bond for each defendant and ordered that the two men and three women wear ankle monitors, have weekly contact with their attorneys, not consume alcohol and have no firearms.

BRANDON, Miss. (AP) — A man is pleading guilty in Mississippi to two in a series of killings and shootings of which he's accused.

Alex Deaton pleaded guilty Monday in Rankin County Circuit Court to murder, drive-by shooting and motor vehicle theft.

A judge is sentencing Deaton to life in prison.

Deaton admits that he killed his girlfriend, stole her SUV and shot a jogger in February 2017 in the suburbs of Jackson.

Police say Deaton then carjacked a New Mexico couple, fled to Kansas, shot a store clerk and stole the clerk's car.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Democrats say the endorsement of GOP New Mexico gubernatorial hopeful Steve Pearce by a former Democratic governor is connected to the former governor's son losing the Democratic nomination for governor.

Democratic Party of New Mexico chair Marg Elliston said Sunday that former New Mexico Gov. Jerry Apodaca's endorsement of Pearce is "sour grapes" on the part of Jeff Apodaca being defeated by Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham in the Democratic primary.

  ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The Republican candidate for governor of New Mexico has picked up an endorsement from former state Gov. Jerry Apodaca.

Apodaca announced Sunday that he's endorsing Steve Pearce in the gubernatorial race.

Apodaca is a Democrat who was New Mexico's 24th governor and served from 1975-79.

He says Pearce "is the only candidate willing to reach out across party lines and work with both Democrats, Republicans and Independents."

  The Animal Services Center of the Mesilla Valley is working to clear an outbreak of distemper, a contagious virus that affects dogs and can be fatal if not properly treated.

  El Paso Electric will conduct a planned power outage from 2 – 5 a.m. Friday, Aug. 17, to place new equipment into service.

Second and third graders at University Hills Elementary school were able to get answers to their questions about where their water comes from, learn about a “missing pond,” and gain an inkling of understanding about the water cycle that ties us all together…thanks to a presentation from Las Cruces Utilities (LCU).