Regional

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – Dona Ana County Sheriff's Investigators last night arrested DOMINGO "TITO" GOMEZ, age 51, of the 120 block of Jean Avenue, Hatch, charging him with five (5) counts of: Attempt to Commit a Felony (First Degree Murder).

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – Republican gubernatorial candidate Susana Martinez proposes tougher penalties against corruption in government.

Martinez said Wednesday government officials should be prohibited from ever holding elective office if they are convicted of violating the public trust.

She said public employees and elected officials convicted of corruption also should lose their government pensions.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish proposes to increase the number of bears and cougars that can be killed by hunters.

The department plans public hearings starting next week on proposed rules changes for hunting bears, cougars, antelope and deer. The agency will make final recommendations to the Game Commission on Aug. 28.

The department proposes to reduce the bear population because of "high levels of nuisance and human safety risks" in some parts of the state.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – More than 100 people turned themselves in during the first hours of New Mexico's Safe Surrender program.

More than 100,000 people in New Mexico and El Paso, Texas, who have outstanding warrants are eligible to turn themselves in at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Cathedral in Las Cruces or the federal building in Las Cruces.

Those are the only sites in New Mexico for the U.S. Department of Justice program, which began Wednesday and runs through Sunday.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – Kiel Hoffman, chair of the Board of Directors for the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce, announced today the retirement of current President/CEO Jim Berry on Aug. 31, 2010. Berry has served as the President/CEO for the past six years.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – The state Supreme Court has cleared the way for state regulators to give another look at a double-digit rate increase for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico.

The court turned down on Wednesday a request by the insurance company to keep a rate increase agreement in place. The state insurance superintendent suspended a 21 percent average rate increase for the company last month and scheduled a public hearing on it in late August.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – Las Cruces Police are encouraging residents to use caution when dealing with potentially bogus door-to-door sales people who claim to be selling home security systems.

Residents of a High Range neighborhood have reported a pair of door-to-door solicitors who have become argumentative with homeowners who refuse to talk with them. A handful of homeowners have reported that the solicitors claim to be representing a home security business and have asked in-depth questions about current alarm or security systems.

By KRWG News

Arizona – A judge has blocked the most controversial sections of Arizona's new immigration law from taking effect Thursday, handing a major legal victory to opponents of the crackdown.

By KRWG News

By KRWG News

New Mexico – The State Investment Council has hired a law firm to help recover damages and losses from questionable investments and fees paid to third-party marketing agents.

The council on Tuesday approved the selection of a Day Pitney LLP, which has nine offices on the East Coast, including in New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., and Hartford, Conn.

The law firm will receive a sliding scale contingency fee based on what it recovers for the state.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – A 13-month-old baby has died after a single-vehicle crash in Las Cruces, and the boy's father has been arrested for drunken driving.

Authorities say 23-year-old Juan Miguel Benavidez sustained a concussion and a broken left arm in the crash late Monday. Benavidez has been charged with vehicular homicide, drunken driving and two counts of child abuse.

By KRWG News

Mexico City – Officials say the severed heads of eight men were found left in pairs along highways in the northern Mexico state of Durango.

Prosecutors said Tuesday that the bodies haven't been located, but officials say the victims appear to have been between ages 25 and 30.

In the border state of Chihuahua, prosecutors say a cousin of Gov.-elect Cesar Duarte was shot dead by attackers in the city of Parral. Lawyer Alberto Porras Duarte died while waiting in a vehicle outside his office.

By Vanessa Dabovich

Las Cruces, NM – Las Cruces City Council voted to change several street names in the East Mesa area this week. As KRWG's Vanessa Dabovich reports, the changes help to alleviate confusion when it comes to life or death situations.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – Once again, New Mexico has failed in a nationwide competition for billions in federal education funding.

Eighteen states and the District of Columbia have been named finalists in the second round of the federal "Race to the Top" school reform grant competition, giving them a chance to win a share of $3 billion.

Department officials provided The Associated Press with a list of the finalists ahead of a speech by Education Secretary Arne Duncan.

By KRWG News

Socorro – A Burlington-Northern Santa Fe train, traveling to Belen from El Paso, Texas, derailed around 6:40 a.m. (MDT) just outside of Socorro.

Authorities say there are no injuries.

About 19 cars have derailed. There was a fuel-oil car that broke during the derailment and officials are concerned about the leak's proximity to the Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge. Railroad officials say a cleanup team is en route.

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Information from: KRQE-TV, http://www.krqe.com

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.