Regional

By KRWG News

New Mexico – It's time again for the biggest show in New Mexico.

The State Fair opens its 16-day run in Albuquerque for the 71st year. Gov. Bill Richardson and other dignitaries will attend the opening ceremony Friday morning at the remodeled Villa Hispana.

State Fair commission chairman Luke Otero is inviting all New Mexico residents to attend.

By Vanessa Dabovich

Las Cruces, NM – This week New Mexico State University hosted a statewide Graduation Summit sponsored by Lt. Governor Diane Denish. As KRWG's Vanessa Dabovich reports Denish and other state legislators say they hope the conference will help to decrease the high school dropout rate in New Mexico.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – Fred Martino speaks with Kristie Arslan, Executive Director of the National Association of the Self-Employed. The group says health care reform legislation is missing a key element--equal treatment for the self-employed, who currently do not receive a tax deduction for health insurance costs.

By KRWG News

Texas – A new report from a nonpartisan think tank urges U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to keep better records about its detention system.

The report is being released Thursday by the Washington-based Migration Policy Institute.

It says there are gaps in information kept about the more than 33,000 people in the system that holds immigrants awaiting court hearings or deportation.

The gaps include whether a detainee is dangerous or might have a claim to U.S. citizenship.

By KRWG News

El Paso – Authorities have identified a body found in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, with its severed arms crossed and placed on its chest as a Texas man kidnapped from his El Paso-area home.

The El Paso County Sheriff's Department says 30-year-old Sergio Saucedo was abducted from his Horizon City house Sept. 3. His mutilated body was found Tuesday in the Mexican border city across the Rio Grande.

Sheriff's spokesman Jesse Tovar says it's apparent that the spillover of the drug violence plaguing Juarez and much of Mexico has happened.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – A 26-year-old Vado woman has pleaded guilty to two counts of child abuse after her children, ages 2 and 3, tested positive for methamphetamine.

Dona Ana Sheriff's officers arrested Candice Holden in December.

Sentencing was not immediately scheduled.

In April, the father of the children, Justin Kropf, asked state District Judge Mike Murphy to rescind Holden's visitation rights, which included daily, two-hour supervised visits.

By Vanessa Dabovich

Las Cruces, NM – The Dona Ana County Health and Human Services Department is resolving several problems as a result of an audit. KRWG's Vanessa Dabovich reports .

By Vanessa Dabovich

Las Cruces, NM – Now that congress is back in session the top priority continues to be health care reform. As KRWG's Vanessa Dabovich reports New Mexico U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman says he continues to hope to get an agreement on a bipartisan basis.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – The outdoor metal awnings that line the north section of Main Street in Las Cruces will start coming down Thursday.

It's part of the second phase of re-opening Main Street from Las Cruces Avenue to Mountain Avenue.

The awning removal is expected to take about 12-weeks.

The $2.5 million dollar project will include two-way traffic, parallel parking on both sides of the street and extra wide sidewalks.

By KRWG News

Texas – The Environmental Protection Agency says it won't approve portions of Texas' air-pollution permitting program that don't meet the federal Clean Air Act.

In a statement issued Tuesday, the agency announced its intentions to reject aspects of the plan. Final decisions about changes to the plan will be made soon under a recent agreement with Texas businesses.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – More than 26,000 people rode the New Mexico Rail Runner Express over the Labor Day weekend.

The state's commuter train said Tuesday many of the 26,483 people used the train to get to and from the New Mexico Wine Festival in Bernalillo or Santa Fe's 400th anniversary celebration.

The service extended the hours of its late trains during the weekend.

The Rail Runner also will run late service from Santa Fe on Thursday to allow people to attend the traditional burning of Zozobra and still use the train.

By KRWG News

By Melissa Aguilera

Las Cruces, NM – Tuesday some students in the Las Cruces Public School District had the opportunity to listen to President Barack Obama's speech on education and the importance of achieving goals. But as KRWG's Melissa Aguilera reports parents could sign a form preventing their children from participating.

By KRWG News

Portales – Two Eastern New Mexico University students have been confirmed with swine flu.

ENMU President Steven Gamble says the cases were confirmed Friday, and the parents of the students took them home.

Gamble says it's better for everyone if the students can recover at home. Both students were from outside Portales.

The cases were announced on the university's Web site and in an e-mail to faculty and students.

However, Gamble says he expects business as usual at the Portales school.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – Every Monday at 7:51am, Fred Martino speaks with Las Cruces Sun News Business Editor Brook Stockberger.