Regional

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – New Mexico State University has named nine faculty members as Bill Daniels Fellows. The group's task will be to advance the teaching of business and organizational ethics as part of the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative, a multi-university project to strengthen principle-based ethics education and to foster a high standard of ethics in young people.

By KRWG News

Alamogordo – Master Sgt. William Gales, 41, was pronounced dead at approximately 3:30 p.m. May 6. He was assigned to the 49th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron where he served as the end of runway supervisor. The incident remains under investigation by the U. S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – A special education teacher has been indicted for allegedly stalking his ex-girlfriend.

Authorities say 31-year-old Samuel Mario Lara works as a special education teacher in the Gadsden Independent School District.

He was arrested April 20 and indicted Thursday on a felony charge of aggravated stalking and a misdemeanor charge of stalking.

According to his bond information form, Lara has threatened to kill not only himself, but his child, his ex-girlfriend, her family and law enforcement officers.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – A fee increase, a sales tax hike and potential cuts to county departments may be on the horizon as Dona Ana County officials wrestle with a budget crisis in the coming year.

County commissioners in April heard they were facing a nearly $14 million shortfall in 2010-2011, the fiscal year that starts July 1. After a month of additional budget wrangling, county staff last week shrunk the figure to $5.6 million.

By KRWG News

Texas – University of Texas officials plan to cut more jobs as part of a plan to trim $14.6 million from the budget.

UT President William Powers Jr. said Monday that the school has already laid off 122 employees and will make more cuts in the next fiscal year.

Of the workers laid off so far, 72 worked in administration and 50 came from staff positions in academics.

University spokesman Don Hale says administration could see about another 80 job cuts by Aug. 31, 2011. Officials gave no projection for more academic cuts.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – Democratic Lt. Gov. Diane Denish has more than $2.7 million available to finance her campaign for governor.

Denish's campaign released a fundraising summary Monday, which is the deadline for candidates to file campaign finance disclosure reports with the secretary of state's office.

Denish has raised about $295,000 during the past month. The latest disclosure covers fundraising from early April through May 3.

Denish is running unopposed on the June primary election ballot.

By KRWG News

Mesilla – The town of Mesilla's budget woes may have reached a point where layoffs could become a reality.

The town's board of trustees is scheduled to meet Monday evening to consider approval of a reduction of force plan.

Town administrators worked out final details of the plan over the weekend. If approved, it would go into effect at the start of Mesilla's new fiscal year on July 1.

Mayor Nora Barraza says it appears 3.5 positions will have to be cut.

By KRWG News

Texas – Some legislators want to look at adjusting the 22-student class-size limit for lower grades as Texas faces an estimated $11 billion budget shortfall going into the 2011 session.

The Dallas Morning News reported Monday that state Sen. Dan Patrick of Houston says the limit is costing school districts "millions and millions of dollars" without any evidence that it boosts achievement.

By KRWG News

El Paso – El Paso is expected to save more than $17 million in drinking water-related costs over the next decade.

The El Paso County Water Improvement District has agreed to freeze the price of some water it provides for two years.

The El Paso Times reported Monday that annual increases will be tied to the consumer price index with a cap of 4 percent. The previous deal called for 8 percent annual increases.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – A disease known as Valley Fever is prevalent in neighboring states but probably underreported in New Mexico, so state health officials are launching a new initiative aimed at finding more cases of the illness.

State epidemiologist Dr. Chad Smelser says recent assessments have shown that a fungus called coccidioides is prevalent in Chihuahuan desert soils and is spread by wind storms.

The fungus can cause Valley Fever, which can lead to pneumonia, encephalitis, skin rashes and tumors.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – Police at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces say they've made a third arrest and are seeking a fourth man in the armed robbery of a couple in a campus dorm room.

Police identified three of the four men suspected of robbing the male student and his girlfriend on April 2 as students at the university. It is unclear if the one man who hasn't been arrested was also a student, but the victim told officers he knew all four.

A police report says two men burst into the dorm room after knocking on the door.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – State police have identified two people who were killed in a multi-vehicle crash involving a semi on U.S. 70 near Las Cruces.

A statement from state police says 42-year-old Manuel Campos and 28-year-old Robert Walters of Las Cruces were killed in the Friday evening wreck near the Sonoma Ranch exit.

Police say Walters was going west when a westbound car left its lane and hit Walters' pickup truck. Both vehicles went across the median, and they hit Campos' eastbound pickup and the semi head-on.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – The New Mexico Human Services Department is promoting electronic health records for Medicaid.

Human Services Secretary Katie Falls says the state has a Medicaid incentive payment program designed to help Medicaid providers interested in implementing or upgrading an electronic system.

The incentive program, funded by federal stimulus money, is scheduled to be in operation by October.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – The New Mexico Forestry Division will use $15 million in federal stimulus funds to help prevent catastrophic wildfires and improve forest and watershed conditions on state, private and tribal lands.

State Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Secretary Jon Goldstein says the projects will help protect New Mexico residents in case of a wildfire.

He says such projects also will increase forest health and gather information to target problem areas in the future.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – According to a new report, low-income families living in New Mexico have it better than those in other states when it comes to paying state income taxes.

According to a report by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, that's because New Mexico's threshold for personal income tax for working families is fairly high compared with other states.

The report was publicized by New Mexico Voices for Children, an Albuquerque-based advocacy group.