Regional

By KRWG News

New Mexico – U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall and U.S. Representatives Harry Teague and Ben Ray Luj n today announced that more than $18.65 million has been awarded to three New Mexico Internet providers to expand access to high-speed broadband services to underserved communities across the state.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – Gov. Bill Richardson is traveling to Spain as part of an economic development mission.

The governor's office says he left Sunday and will return Friday.

Richardson is scheduled to participate in several meetings with business and political leaders as part of an effort to recruit jobs and investment to the state. Among those he plans to meet with are chief executives of solar and wind energy companies.

By KRWG News

Silver City – The Gila National Forest plans to start a prescribed fire Monday east of Mogollon and south of N.M. 159.

The forest's Glenwood Ranger District is planning to continue the prescribed burning through the fall and winter as the weather allows.

Forest officials say the idea is to reduce the danger of wildfires by burning piles of cut trees left by a thinning project.

Firefighting crews will monitor the burns.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – Candidates for governor will provide a look at their recent fundraising in new campaign finance disclosures.

The reports must be filed Monday with the secretary of state's office and will show how much money the candidates have available as the campaign season heats up.

Democratic Lt. Gov. Diane Denish and Republican Susana Martinez, the district attorney in Las Cruces, are running to become New Mexico's governor.

The finance reports will cover receipts and spending from late June through Sept. 6.

By KRWG News

Texas – A grant program for needy higher education students could be threatened by the projected $18 billion state budget shortfall.

The San Antonio Express-News reported Monday that about 24,000 first-time TEXAS Grant program recipients could be shut out in the next two years. The Texas part of the title stands for Toward EXcellence, Access & Success.

Gov. Rick Perry has ordered all state agencies to plan for a 10 percent cut in the next two-year spending period.

By KRWG News

El Paso – A 40-year-old man called a high-ranking member in a Mexican drug cartel has been sentenced to a life prison term and $100,000 fine on three federal drug conspiracy charges.

Fernando Ontiveros-Arambula, a lieutenant in the Sinaloa Cartel, was convicted March 10 on charges alleging he conspired to smuggle more than 100 tons of marijuana into the United States. He was sentenced Friday.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – A consultant says New Mexico may have to require government workers and educators to pay more into their pension plans or see lower benefits once they retire to shore up the long-term finances of the state's retirement plans.

Buck Consultants told legislators Friday that the finances of the Public Employees Retirement Association and the Educational Retirement Board will decline over the next decade unless contributions increase or pension costs are reduced.

By KRWG News

Juarez, Mexico – Mexican police have carried out the controlled detonation of a car bomb in Ciudad Juarez.

The federal Public Safety Department says a phone tip around midnight led authorities to a dead body in a car in a shopping center parking lot. In a second car, police found the bomb.

A Department statement issued Saturday said agents deactivated the device and removed most of the explosive material to analyze it.

Then they safely detonated the vehicle. There were no injuries.

By KRWG News

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – New Mexico's largest city will receive $500,000 in federal money for a project using landfill gas to provide energy.

The grant will fund a system that converts methane gas from Albuquerque's Cerro Colorado landfill into energy.

The gas-to-energy system will collect the methane generated by decomposing landfill materials.

First, the project will use the gas to fire a new kiln at a glass recycling facility.

By KRWG News

SANTA FE, N.M. – Three New Mexico schools are being honored by the federal government for making significant gains in student achievement.

The U.S. Department of Education announced Thursday that Bosque Farms Elementary School, Ranchvale Elementary School near Clovis and Santa Teresa Elementary School were selected as national blue ribbon schools. They were among 304 schools nationally to receive the honor.

By KRWG News

LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Las Cruces Public Schools officials say a gunshot fired outside a high school volleyball game earlier this week is believed to have been an isolated incident and not a sign of increasing school violence.

A suspect was taken by police from Las Cruces High School on Wednesday but no identification has been released.

By KRWG News

SANTA FE, N.M. – Three more New Mexico residents have been diagnosed with West Nile virus infections, bringing the total number of cases to five.

The Department of Health says a 61-year-old from Dona Ana County man has recovered, while a 40-year-old man from the same county is hospitalized with meningitis, a complication of West Nile. The department says a 43-year-old San Juan County man recovered after being hospitalized with meningitis.

By KRWG News

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – New Mexico airports in Los Alamos and Santa Teresa are getting more than $3.6 million in federal grants for runway extensions.

The funding distributed through the U.S. Department of Transportation was announced Wednesday by Democratic U.S. Sens. Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall.

Dona Ana County Airport in Santa Teresa will receive $2,287,944 in federal grants while Los Alamos County Airport will get $1,372,062.

By KRWG News

SANTA FE, N.M. – The Census Bureau says New Mexico ranks fifth in the nation in federal spending per person in the state.

Federal expenditures were the equivalent of about $13,670 for each New Mexican in the 2009 fiscal year.

Per capita spending was higher only in Alaska, Virginia, Hawaii and Maryland.

The Consolidated Federal Funds report said more than $27 billion was spent in New Mexico in 2009. That's an increase of 15 percent from 2008 and is partly because of an economic stimulus package.

By KRWG News

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Former state Republican Party chairman Allen Weh has formed a political committee to promote issues such as a strong national defense, limited government and free enterprise.

Weh established the committee, called For Country, with the Internal Revenue Service. It's known as a "527" organization because of the federal tax code section that provides for its tax-exempt status.