Regional

  CARLSBAD, N.M. (AP) — A major oil and gas producer in the Permian Basin has withdrawn its application for a permit to construct and operate a natural gas facility in southeastern New Mexico. The Carlsbad Current-Argus reports ExxonMobil subsidiary XTO Energy Inc. announced last week it is withdrawing its permit application in Eddy County, citing future infrastructure plans in the area. The application was for two facilities known as the Husky Gas Plant and Central Delivery Point planned to operate in Eddy County about 14 miles northeast of Loving. The facilities would have had the capacity to process about 200,000 barrels per day of oil stabilization.

  FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — American Airlines says employees can wear pins supporting Black Lives Matter. The airline is calling it a matter of equality, not politics. With the decision, Texas-based American joins Starbucks, Delta Air Lines and other major companies that let employees show support for the movement that protests police violence against Blacks. Starbucks let employees wear Black Lives Matter shirts after initially reportedly banning them. President Donald Trump has urged supporters to boycott Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. after a report that it approve Black Lives Matter clothing but not pro-police Blue Lives Matter or Trump’s campaign slogan. The tire company CEO later clarified that clothing supporting law enforcement is allowed, but not attire supporting political candidates.

  AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has extended the state’s disaster declaration in response to the coronavirus pandemic as the state approaches nearly 13,500 deaths. The extension of the disaster declaration came as three of the state’s largest school district experienced technical problems on Tuesday as their students started the new school year virtually because of concerns over the pandemic. When Abbott first issued his emergency order on March 13, state officials had not yet reported any confirmed deaths. Abbott has renewed his order every 30 days since and did again Monday. Texas health officials on Monday reported the state has had more than 640,000 virus infections.

  WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is muddying up claims about clean air and dirty election ballots in the U.S., falsely taking credit for lower gasoline prices and misrepresenting Democratic rival Joe Biden’s stance on the suburbs.

  SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico officials are reassuring teachers that they can't be sued by students who get the coronavirus as some of them head back to the classroom. Like most public servants, teachers are protected by insurance that covers court costs. Officials with the state's school insurance authority say it's too soon to say how great the risk of lawsuits against schools will be. Many large districts have opted to stay online for now. But Tuesday marked the first day of in-person learning for some younger students in 20 districts and charter schools around the state. 

  SANTA FE – New Mexico state health officials on Tuesday announced 44 additional COVID-19 cases. 

As of today, there are 68 individuals hospitalized in New Mexico for COVID-19. This number may include individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 out of state but are currently hospitalized in New Mexico. This number does not include New Mexicans who tested positive for COVID-19 and may have been transferred to a hospital out of state.

The Las Cruces firefighters extinguished a fire that damaged a portion of Nessa’s Café late Saturday evening.

Shortly after 10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 5, Las Cruces firefighters were dispatched to a fire at Nessa’s Café, 901 W. Picacho Ave. First-arriving crews could see smoke showing from the windows and a gable vent.

Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire and contained it to the area of the stove in the restaurant’s kitchen. The building received some smoke damage. No injuries were reported.

The fire remains under investigation. Damage estimates are not available at this time.

  SANTA FE – New Mexico state health officials on Monday announced 46 additional COVID-19 cases and 4 deaths.

As of today, there are 65 individuals hospitalized in New Mexico for COVID-19. This number may include individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 out of state but are currently hospitalized in New Mexico. This number does not include New Mexicans who tested positive for COVID-19 and may have been transferred to a hospital out of state.

  SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico officials have approved the start of production work by film crews in a sign the industry could soon be back in business after a suspension because of the coronavirus. The Santa Fe New Mexican reported film companies will follow specific guidelines created by an industry task force, while also adhering to public health rules for all businesses in the state. Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has not yet announced when health restrictions will be eased to allow filmmaking to fully resume. A union representative says several hundred crew members have returned to work.

  ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — University of New Mexico officials are investigating a video posted by a campus police officer that appears to make fun of people of Mexican descent. The school announced last week it has suspended University of New Mexico Police Department officer Eric Peer in connection with a video posted March 29 on the social media app TikTok. In the video, a man is seen laying tile with a “South Park” voice-over saying “scanning for Mexicans.” The video was recorded inside an unspecified house and showed the floor where the tile is being placed. No phone number is listed for Peer. 

  WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — Federal coronavirus relief funding has helped more than 100 homes on the Navajo Nation get connected to the electric grid. The Navajo Nation said Sunday that electric line crews are working to connect more homes to the grid ahead of a December 2020 deadline to use the funds. The Navajo Tribal Utility Authority plans to extend electricity to 510 families. Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said in a statement that access to the electric grid can help minimize the impacts of COVID-19 for families. The utility was awarded $13.8 million in coronavirus relief funds for power projects and $24.7 million to increase the electrical grid capacity.

  WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said he never called John McCain a loser — he did — and denigrated the record of the late Republican senator on veterans affairs despite routinely appropriating one of McCain’s crowning achievements on that front as his own.

Trump distorted events in Kenosha, Wisconsin, over the past week and his own hand in them before a furor over his reported comments on fallen soldiers diverted his rhetoric.

  LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — A historic hearse that is believed to have carried the Old West lawman known for killing Billy the Kid to his grave is now part of the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum. The hearse was the only one available in Las Cruces when Pat Garrett was fatally shot in a dispute over a southern New Mexico ranch. That has created the widespread belief that it delivered Garrett to his final resting place. The museum's curator of history says the odds are just as good that his family put him in the back of a farm wagon and drove Garrett to the cemetery. Still, the hearse likely will spark interest in Garrett. Garrett died in 1908.

  SANTA FE – New Mexico state health officials on Sunday announced 66 additional COVID-19 cases and 3 deaths.

As of today, there are 65 individuals hospitalized in New Mexico for COVID-19. This number may include individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 out of state but are currently hospitalized in New Mexico. This number does not include New Mexicans who tested positive for COVID-19 and may have been transferred to a hospital out of state.

Las Cruces is growing, and with that growth comes a need for utility services at homes and businesses including natural gas, water, wastewater, and solid waste disposal. Las Cruces Utilities (LCU) aims to meet that need and is undertaking an examination of its solid waste routes to balance the daily waste pickup across the city.

LCU anticipates the solid waste customer base will potentially increase by 25% over the next five years. This information is based on the current permits and plan reviews for master planned subdivisions and the number of residential lots expected.

  SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico officials are urging residents to take precautions while celebrating Labor Day to avoid spreading the coronavirus. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham says the state “has made great progress in the fight against COVID-19." But she says the holiday weekend will be a key to keeping spread of the virus low and to ensuring that students can return safely to school this year. She asks New Mexicans to “not let their guard down" and to continue wearing masks and avoiding large gatherings. State health officials on Saturday reported 152 additional confirmed COVID-19 cases and six additional deaths, increasing the statewide totals to 26,048 cases with 800 deaths.

  CARLSBAD, N.M. (AP) — U.S. nuclear regulators have hosted their final public hearing on a proposal to build a multibillion-dollar complex in southern New Mexico to store spent nuclear fuel from commercial power plants around the country. And there’s still disagreement about whether granting a license to Holtec International would be a good thing. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission heard from supporters and critics during Wednesday's meeting. The commission's draft environmental review says the project would have minimal environmental effects. A study on the project’s impact on human safety is pending. That will require another round of public comment.

  CHURCH ROCK, N.M. (AP) — Navajo Nation casinos are teaming up with regional census officials for a series of events they hope will boost participation. Billions of dollars in federal funding are at stake along with congressional representation, and many Native American communities are historically undercounted. The Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise will be hosting events in Arizona and New Mexico where people can either drive through or sit with a representative to complete the census questionnaire. The Navajo Nation this week joined a coalition of cities, counties and civil rights groups that are seeking a court order to keep the U.S. Census Bureau from winding down operations.

  SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Enrollment in Medicaid has increased by nearly 7% in New Mexico since the outset of the coronavirus pandemic as employers shed jobs and more families enter into poverty. In a briefing Friday to state legislators, Human Services Secretary David Scrase said an increase in federal Medicaid matching funds is inadequate to keep up with rebounding demand for medical services and could end abruptly. Also Friday, the state Supreme Court rejected without explanation a complaint by the governor’s office against Lea County Sheriff Corey Helton on accusations that his deputies coerced restaurants into opening in violation of a public health order.

  SANTA FE – New Mexico state health officials on Saturday announced 152 additional COVID-19 cases and 6 deaths.

As of today, there are 68 individuals hospitalized in New Mexico for COVID-19. This number may include individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 out of state but are currently hospitalized in New Mexico. This number does not include New Mexicans who tested positive for COVID-19 and may have been transferred to a hospital out of state.

Effective September 8, the Government Center, 845 N. Motel Blvd. will reopen to the public.  The main doors facing Motel Boulevard will be open between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.  We are taking every precaution to make sure that the public and our employees are safe. 

     Masks will be required to be worn when inside the Government Center.  If you do not have a mask when you arrive, we will provide you with one.  Hand sanitizer dispensers have been installed throughout the building.  Social distancing practices will be required and floors have been marked to assist with social distancing.  

Installation of Plexiglas barriers throughout the building will provide an added layer of protection for safe interaction between the public and our employees.

The City of Las Cruces Parks & Recreation Youth Services Section will offer tutoring services beginning Monday, September 14 through the Out-of-School Time Program. The sessions will provide students in Kinder – 5 (5 to 11 years of age) a safe, structured, and quiet space to get assistance while they are in the remote learning phase of the school year.

The tutoring sessions will be offered at three different locations: The Henry R. Benavidez Community Center, 1045 McClure Rd., East Mesa Recreation Center, 5589 Porter Dr., and Frank O’ Brien Papen Community Center, 304 West Bell Ave. The program and activities will follow the Governor’s guidelines on social distancing. Face coverings must be worn during the program and hand washing stations will be provided. Availability of sessions will be based on location and students can only participate in one session per day. Space is limited.