Regional

By Vanessa Dabovich

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – The 102nd annual New Mexico Knights of Columbus State Convention will be held May 5-8, 2011 at the Las Cruces Convention Center.

The convention will be hosted by the Las Cruces Knights of Columbus Council # 1226.

"We are very excited about the opportunity to showcase the city's brand new Las Cruces Convention Center and the many attractions our beautiful city and surrounding area has to offer," said Convention Chairman Miguel Frietze.

By KRWG News

Truth Or Consequences – USDA Rural Development State Director Terry Brunner was in Truth or Consequences today to present a certificate of obligation to The Bountiful Alliance, a local non-profit, in the amount of $98,942 to pay for the construction of a certified commercial kitchen.

The Rural Business Enterprise Grant (RBEG) administered by USDA Rural Development's Business and Cooperative Service program is funding the project which will help vendors meet state food processing standards and to compete effectively in the marketplace.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – The Boston bulldog that was taken Aug. 31 at knifepoint from a 79-year-old good Samaritan has been located and returned to its owner.

Las Cruces Police detectives learned that a woman, who does not wish to be identified, spotted the dog on Saturday, Sept. 11, with a man she believed to be homeless. The woman contacted the Animal Service Center of the Mesilla Valley and the dog was confirmed to be the one stolen Aug. 31.

The dog appeared to be in good condition and was subsequently returned to its rightful owner.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – Las Cruces Police have arrested and charged three more teens - including the boy who fired a handgun - for their involvement in the Sept. 7 affray at Las Cruces High School.

Lucas Verdugo, 17, and 16-year-olds Pedro Carrillo and Dominic Hernandez have been arrested. Verdugo, arrested Monday, is charged with negligent use of - discharging - a firearm, unlawful carrying of a deadly weapon on school premises, unlawful carrying of a handgun by a person under age 19, conspiracy and public affray.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – The New Mexico Department of Veterans' Services plans a conference for female veterans and active-duty personnel late this month in Las Cruces.

Two featured speakers will talk about the latest federal developments and services available to female veterans.

Other speakers will outline benefits and services available to women veterans in New Mexico.

The conference is set for Sept. 25 at the Hotel Encanto. The cost is $25 per person.

More than 16,000 of New Mexico's 180,000 veterans are women.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – A four-day hearing on a proposal that would give special protection to miles of rivers and streams, more than two dozen lakes and acres of wetlands begins Tuesday in Santa Fe.

The New Mexico Water Quality Control Commission is considering a petition filed by the state Environment Department that aims to designate bodies of water in federal wilderness areas across the state as so-called "outstanding national resource waters."

By KRWG News

New Mexico – Democratic Attorney General Gary King has reported raising $273,000 for his re-election since late June, which was twice as much as Republican challenger Matthew Chandler.

The latest campaign finance disclosures show that King had a cash balance of $340,000 as of Sept. 6, and Chandler had about $166,000.

Chandler is the district attorney from Clovis and his campaign collected contributions of about $113,000. Included was $25,000 from the state Republican Party.

By KRWG News

El Paso – A school board member indicted in an El Paso-area public corruption investigation has resigned.

The Ysleta school board has accepted the resignation of Linda Chavez.

Chavez was among 11 people indicted Sept. 2. She faces one corruption charge for allegedly accepting money in exchange for her vote on a contract. Chavez has said she is innocent.

The board accepted the resignation Monday and plans to appoint a replacement in November.

All eleven defendants who were indicted this month have pleaded not guilty.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – Violent crime is down in New Mexico, a trend that also is being seen in much of the nation.

Nationwide, the FBI said violent crimes reported to police dropped 5.3 percent last year.

The FBI's latest crime report shows the total number of violent crimes in New Mexico dropped to 12,440 last year from 12,896 in 2008 and 13,085 in 2007.

The rate of violent crime per 100,000 New Mexico residents was 619 in 2009, down from 649.9 in 2008 and 664.2 in 2007.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – New financial reports show Republican gubernatorial candidate Susana Martinez raised $2 million for her campaign since late June, which is more than twice as much as Democrat Diane Denish.

Martinez spent almost $1.3 million and had a cash balance of slightly more than $1 million as of last week, according to a statement from her campaign.

Denish raised nearly $796,000 and had a campaign balance of $1.3 million.

Denish spent nearly $1.7 million on her gubernatorial bid since late June.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – New Mexico Congressman Harry Teague says federal disaster assistance is on its way to help parts of the state damaged by recent storms.

State officials say two weeks of violent monsoons caused infrastructural and property damage in McKinley, Cibola, Socorro, Mora and San Juan counties.

The destruction caused by the heavy rain, hail and flooding was assessed on federal, state and local levels. The surveys identified damage to roads, bridges, buildings, water control facilities and drainage canals.

By KRWG News

Texas – The U.S. Border Patrol says agents fired gunshots into Mexico after coming under attack while making a drug bust along the Rio Grande.

Border Patrol spokeswoman Rosalinda Huey said Monday that no agents were injured during a "fire fight" in Mission over the weekend. She did not say whether anyone in Mexico was hit by Border Patrol gunfire, citing the ongoing investigation.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – A legal battle has erupted over whether state regulators can proceed with a hearing on a proposal by the Richardson administration that calls for giving special protection to hundreds of miles of rivers and streams, more than two dozen lakes and thousands of acres of wetlands.

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.