Regional

By KRWG News

New Mexico – A former assistant football coach at the University of New Mexico has filed a civil rights lawsuit stemming from an altercation involving coach Mike Locksley.

J.B. Gerald filed the lawsuit Friday in U.S. District Court in Albuquerque against Locksley and the University of New Mexico Board of Regents.

The lawsuit says Locksley attacked Gerald on Sept. 20 by choking him, punching him in the face, and cursing at him in front of peers and athletes, and should have to pay damages to Gerald.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – President Barack Obama has signed a bill he says will address the unique public safety challenges facing American Indian tribes.

Obama signed the Tribal Law and Order Act on Thursday.

By KRWG News

Texas – Gov. Rick Perry is seeking a presidential disaster proclamation for 21 Texas counties hard-hit by flooding from the remnants of Hurricane Alex and Tropical Depression 2.

A statement issued Thursday by Perry's office says he's written to President Barack Obama to request federal disaster aid for the counties in west and south Texas.

The presidential disaster declaration would send federal resources to help with recovery.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – New Mexico now has a million registered organ and tissue donors.

Gov. Bill Richardson announced this week that the state hit the million mark for people registered as donors through the Motor Vehicle Division or through an online registry at www.nmdonor.org.

The state has added nearly 230,000 new people on the registry since it was unveiled last August.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – The Department of Higher Education will hold town hall meetings across the state in August to help in developing a master plan for New Mexico's network of colleges and universities.

The first meeting is Monday in Roswell. Other will be in Santa Fe, Farmington, Silver City, Albuquerque, Las Vegas, Hobbs, Las Cruces, Clovis, Portales and Gallup.

The department expects to present a draft of its master plan to state leaders by the end of the year.

By KRWG News

Silver City – A local Swift Boat veteran will speak at the opening of the new Western New Mexico University Museum exhibition, "Vietnam: Remembering Those Who Served" on August 21, 2010.

John Paul (J.P.) Jones served during the Vietnam War as a Swift Boat veteran and later was elected as Mayor of Silver City. He, along with the Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 358 Color Guard, will participate in the opening reception of the exhibition at the WNMU Museum.

By KRWG News

Alamogordo – The Pentagon today announced that Holloman Air Force Base will be the home of two new squadrons of F-16s, a mission that will bring an increase of trainees and contractors to the base.

Holloman will become a training base for the jet-fighter aircraft, which is one of the Air Force's most valuable assets. The F-16s will be in use for at least the next two decades.

By KRWG News

Alamogordo – Alamogordo city commissioners have asked the staff of the southern New Mexico community to put together an incentive package to lure Ruidoso Downs horse racing to Alamogordo if the track's owner decides to relocate.

Clovis is competing for the track, and Ruidoso Downs officials have discussed the possibility of moving to Las Cruces.

Clovis Industrial Development Corporation executive director Chase Gentry says Clovis submitted a business proposal for the track in April.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – Daniel Estrada wants to keep people on the move. And, he hopes funding from a fellowship program will help him do just that.

The graduate student, working toward a master's degree in applied geography, was recently awarded $5,000 from the Dwight D. Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship Program to help him research commuter railways and how they can affect driving patterns, especially along Interstate 10, between El Paso, Texas, and Las Cruces.

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.