Regional

By KRWG News

New Mexico – A House panel has tabled legislation that would lay the groundwork for New Mexico's participation in a future cap-and-trade program.

More than two dozen people pleaded with lawmakers last week not to pass the measure, arguing it could cripple businesses and lead to higher utility bills.

Supporters say the measure would not set an emissions cap but rather give regulators the authority to establish rules for early emissions reduction credits and voluntary offsets.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – The Senate has voted to override a veto of legislation that would have required Gov. Bill Richardson to turn over confidential information to the Legislature.

The Legislative Finance Committee has sought information about Medicaid from a state agency, but it was denied because the administration contends the material is confidential.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – A legislator from New Mexico's oil and natural gas country is taking aim at state rules that govern drilling operations.

Republican Rep. Tom Taylor of Farmington wants to rescind New Mexico's so-called pit rule, which outlines the use of pits for onsite waste disposal at drill pads. The rule also regulates below-grade tanks and closed loop systems.

The industry blames the pit rule in part for a slowdown of drilling activity in New Mexico and the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars in state revenues.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – Authorities have identified two Las Cruces men who drowned at Caballo Lake after their canoe capsized Friday.

New Mexico State Parks officials say 25-year-old Joel Dominguez was recovered from the lake Friday afternoon. Park rangers administered CPR and he was transported to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Rescue workers searched the lake Saturday and Sunday for Eduardo Gonzalez. His body was recovered Sunday afternoon.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – The latest federal estimate for snowpack in New Mexico's mountains show above-average accumulations for this time of year.

But below average snowpack in the southern Colorado mountains that also feed the Rio Grande, Pecos and Canadian river basins means only average runoff is expected.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – The Senate has approved a proposal to cancel thousands of capital improvement projects to free up $150 million to improve the state's finances.

Supporters say the bill is needed to replenish the state's cash reserves, which have been depleted because of recent budget shortfalls.

The measure passed the Senate on a 36-to-4 vote. It heads to the House for consideration.

The bill eliminates money for more than 2,000 projects financed out of the state's main budget account and with bond proceeds.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – The House has approved a proposal to raise taxes on businesses to shore up the program that provides unemployment benefits to New Mexicans who lose their jobs.

The unemployment insurance trust fund will run out of money by next year because of increasing claims by jobless workers. The fund is financed by taxes on employers.

The House unanimously approved a bill Saturday to boost taxes on businesses by $20 million.

By KRWG News

El Paso – The Army says three people are dead after a medical helicopter crashed during a training exercise at Fort Bliss, just outside El Paso.

A statement Saturday from Las Cruces, N.M.-based Southwest Med Evac says one of its helicopter crashed on final approach to a landing zone Friday during a scheduled training session at the McGregor Range. Southwest Med Evac is a unit of Addison, Texas-based Omniflight Helicopters.

By KRWG News

Silver City – The chairman of Western New Mexico University's Board of Regents says the process of finding a successor to university president John Counts will be "open, transparent and inclusive."

It will be the university's first presidential search in about 20 years.

Counts will retire next year but Board of Regents chairman Tony Trujillo says school officials are planning a workshop in April to begin looking at issues involved in the transition.

By KRWG News

Alamogordo – The Miss New Mexico pageant is leaving Alamogordo, where it has been staged for the past 13 years.

The pageant's executive director, Carol Henry, says the competition is being relocated to the Kiva Auditorium in Albuquerque. This year's event is scheduled June 13-18.

The winner earns the Miss New Mexico title and competes for the Miss America crown.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – The Senate has approved legislation that would allow New Mexico residents to track spending by state agencies through a Web portal for access to government information.

The measure by Sen. Sander Rue, R-Albuquerque, requires the Department of Information Technology to establish a Web site by July 2011 to provide a wide range of information about state government.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – Legislation aimed at protecting New Mexico's spaceport from liability while the commercial space industry tackles the hazards of space flight has been approved on a 37-0 vote in the state Senate.

It's a victory for spaceport director Steve Landeene, who has portrayed the bill as critical to developing the $200 million complex, located 45 miles north of Las Cruces.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – New Mexico's state parks will remain open during the three remaining furlough days for state employees.

Gov. Bill Richardson announced the change Friday, saying he received dozens of requests from residents, municipalities and businesses to keep the parks open to avoid the impacts closures would have on local economies.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – The House has approved a $5.6 billion budget bill and a package of tax increases that are the largest in more than 20 years.

Lawmakers endorsed bills for an income surtax and to raise the gross receipts by a half-cent. Those will raise $300 million next year to balance the budget.

The proposed budget will cut spending slightly more than 1 percent below this year's levels. The budget does not require salary cuts for public employees but eliminates hundreds of positions in state government, some of which are vacant.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – A Dona Ana County grand jury has indicted three Anthony, N.M., teenagers on first-degree murder, robbery and other charges in the death of a 20-year-old man at a rest stop along New Mexico's border with Texas.

Prosecutors say 19-year-old Jorge Murillo, 17-year-old Irvin Ramirez, and 15-year-old Javier Orozco are accused of the Jan. 5 death and robbery of Adam Espinoza, who was moving from San Antonio to San Diego.