Regional

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – State police have charged three teenagers from Anthony with murder in the death of a 20-year-old man whose body was found inside a burned car.

State police spokesman Lt. Eric Garcia identifies those arrested as 16-year-old Irvin "Shadow" Ramirez, 15-year-old Javier Orosco and 18-year-old Jorge "Phatboy" Murillo.

He says they are all charged with first-degree murder, tampering with evidence and receiving stolen property in the death of Adam Espinoza of San Antonio, Texas.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is being sued over a petition that seeks to list the Mexican gray wolf on the federal endangered species list separate from other gray wolves in North America.

Conservationists submitted the petition in August, arguing a separate listing was biologically warranted and legally required.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – New Mexico lawmakers are back at work and facing a difficult task of cutting state spending and possibly raising taxes.

The Legislature convened at noon for a 30-day session that's dominated by budget problems.

The opening day of the session is mostly ceremonial. Gov. Bill Richardson delivers his final State of the State speech, which outlines his agenda for legislators.

Among the governor's proposals is a measure to allow domestic partnerships.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – Investigators from the Las Cruces Police Department and Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway are continuing to look into Monday evening's death of a man who was struck by a train, though preliminary information leads detectives to believe the fatality may have been accidental.

Sean Fischer, 36, of Las Cruces, was struck by a southbound train shortly before 10 p.m. Monday, Jan. 18. Fischer was pronounced dead at the scene near McClure Road.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – Investigators have confirmed the identity of the suspect that was shot by Las Cruces Police yesterday. The suspect is identified as Anthony Medrano, 22, of Las Cruces.

Officers responded to the 3000 block of Petunia to arrest Medrano for domestic battery. When officers attempted to make contact with Medrano, he armed himself with a knife and bat.

Officers gave numerous verbal commands for Medrano to drop the weapons and submit.

By Melissa Aguilera

Las Cruces, NM – The Department of Labor announced millions of dollars in grants to lend a helping hand low income communities. KRWG's Melissa Aguilera reports.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – A well-known name in New Mexico politics has joined the race for governor.

Pete Domenici Jr., a lawyer and the son of longtime U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici, announced his candidacy Sunday, adding his name to an already crowded GOP field.

The younger Domenici, who was flanked by his parents, called himself an ordinary citizen who has developed his own roots "in common sense conservatism."

By KRWG News

Lordsburg – CBP/Border Patrol Agents throughout the El Paso Sector were busy confiscating narcotics this past weekend with the most notable events occurring in Lordsburg and Deming, New Mexico where agents seized over 1,780 pounds of marijuana in six separate incidents.

By KRWG News

Anthony, NM – Wanted for questioning are RICARDO "RICKY CASTILLO, age 26, (DOB: 04.21.1983) of Chaparral, New Mexico and JUAN CASTILLO, age 22, (DOB: 11.12.1987) of Anthony, New Mexico.

These two individuals were last seen leaving the scene of the shooting in silver, 2005, Nissan Altima, displaying New Mexico registration JZR 457.

Anyone with information regarding these two individuals is asked to contact Criminal Investigator John Palmer at 575.525.8898 or 575.202.9855

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – Every Monday at 7:51am, Fred Martino speaks with Las Cruces Sun News Business Editor Brook Stockberger for a look at the latest business headlines.

By KRWG News

Texas – Gov. Rick Perry, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and House Speaker Joe Straus are asking state agencies to submit plans for reducing their budgets.

It's been less than a year since the state budget was written, but the Republican leaders appear to be preparing for prolonged state revenue declines and a tough 2011 budget-writing session.

In a letter to agency heads, the three asked for a plan to reduce expenditures by 5 percent no later than Feb. 15. They also asked departments to minimize the impact on services.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – State Land Commissioner Patrick Lyons says a resurgence of oil field activity in southeastern New Mexico has improved the Land Office's second quarter lease sale revenues, but royalty earnings remain flat.

The State Land Office has collected nearly $96 million during the second quarter of this fiscal year. That brings total earnings for the first half of the fiscal year to $186 million, half of last year's mid-point earnings.

By KRWG News

Alamogordo – Alamogordo authorities say a man has been arrested in connection with an attempted kidnapping at an elementary school.

Timothy McKearney was taken into custody Friday in Tularosa after the Alamogordo Department of Public Safety issued an arrest warrant for him.

Authorities obtained the warrant after a man in a pickup truck approached a student outside Sierra Elementary School on Thursday.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – Officials with the 49th Fighter Wing have announced Holloman is currently hosting an aerial exercise involving a number of aircraft. The exercise, which is taking place over portions of White Sands Missile Range airspace, will continue until Friday, Jan. 22.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – Researchers from New Mexico State University will join others from around the country as part of the National Alliance for Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts, a consortium of universities and research institutions awarded $44 million by the U.S. Department of Energy to commercialize algae into a biofuel. The funding is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act passed last year by Congress.