Regional

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.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – The latest report from a project analyzing how New Mexico courts handle DWI cases has found some defendants were pleading to reduced charges, sentences were deferred, and cases were dismissed because officers didn't show up for court.

The report also identified more cases in which district judges weren't complying with parts of mandatory sentencing requirements such as ordering ignition interlocks, DWI school, fines, community service, screening and treatment.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – The State Investment Council has approved a $260,000-a-year contract for a Hollywood lawyer to advise New Mexico on film investments.

The council on Tuesday approved a three-year contract for Peter Dekom, but the state can cancel the contract with a 60-day notice.

Several council members voiced objections to the state making interest-free loans to movie projects.

New Mexico can lend up to $15 million to a film project produced in the state. Dekom recommends whether the council should approve the investments.

By KRWG News

El Paso – A potentially deadly situation was averted yesterday after Border Patrol agents helped rescue two migrants in distress who jumped into the American Canal while attempting to elude authorities.

By KRWG News

El Paso – Mexico's National Human Rights Commission said Monday that it's sending inspectors to U.S. border crossings.

The commission says its inspectors will monitor deportations that might result if Arizona's new immigration law takes effect Thursday as planned.

The law is being challenged by the U.S. government in court, but the federal judge hearing the case hasn't indicated whether she might agree to the government request that the measure be put on hold.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – Gov. Bill Richardson has appointed Benjamin Woods of Las Cruces as chairman of the board of directors of the New Mexico Spaceport Authority.

Woods has served on the board since 2005. He works as an administrator at New Mexico State University.

Richardson also announced Monday that he has appointed Patrick Beckett of Las Cruces to the spaceport authority board. Beckett fills a vacancy on the board created by Woods becoming chairman.

Beckett is an archaeologist and owns a book store in Las Cruces.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – A report by the Annie E. Casey Foundation says New Mexico's ranking in the health and well-being of children has declined.

The state was 46th in the nation in this year's Kids Count report. That's down from 43rd in 2009.

The report released on Tuesday bases its rankings on 10 indicators of well-being for children. New Mexico is near the bottom nationally in several of those categories.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – Every Monday, Fred Martino speaks with Las Cruces Sun News Business Editor Brook Stockberger.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – The U.S. Economic Development Administration has awarded New Mexico State University's Arrowhead Center a $1.5 million grant for infrastructure improvements to the Arrowhead Business and Research Park and to expand the newly created Arrowhead Drive.