News

New Mexico State Police say a 17-year-old Glorieta girl is accused of trying to blackmail a 43-year-old man over consensual sex by threatening to falsely report that he raped her.

According to police, the man said the girl demanded that he pay her $1,500.

State Police says the girl made incriminating statements during an arranged phone call with the man and was arrested when she arrived at a store parking lot, supposedly so the man could pay her.

May 17, 2013 – Las Cruces, NM - On this edition of PUENTES, Emily Guerra bridges the community with CEO and Clinical Director of Esperanza Guidance Services, Rachel Madewell; and Esperanza Guidance Services UTEP Student Intern, with a Masters in Social Work, Donna Bleimeyer; and with Therapist for "A Journey of Hope" at Esperanza Guidance Services, Vietnam Veteran Gilbert Morales.

According to national news reports, the Better Business Bureau is warning of a new utility bill scam that is popping up throughout the U.S. and Canada. The scam involves asking people to pay their bills with prepaid debit cards.

The BBB reports scammers claim to work for a local electric, water or gas company. Callers tell people they're late on a utility bill and service will be cut off if they don't pay immediately. They then instruct people to purchase a prepaid debit card to pay their bill and call them back with the card number. Thieves then drain the value from the card.

Las Cruces Crime Stoppers is offering a $1,000 reward for information that helps identify the three suspects who broke into a Mesilla restaurant twice since April 9.

The Dona Ana County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the two burglaries at Meson de Mesilla, at 1803 Avenida de Mesilla, which occurred on April 9 and May 15. Surveillance photos from the restaurant show three men entering the restaurant shortly after 3 a.m. on Wednesday, May 15.

The same three men are suspected of burglarizing the restaurant the previous month.

The former director of an Albuquerque halfway house for criminal defendants and former inmates has admitted she stole from the federally funded treatment center.

The U.S. Attorney's Office says 56-year-old Robin Cash pleaded guilty Wednesday to four counts of thefts from a program receiving federal funds and three counts of willfully failing to file a tax return over three years.

Cash was executive director of the La Pasada Halfway House at the time of the offenses.

The New Mexico Supreme Court is considering whether thousands of state workers covered by union contracts are owed back pay and raises totaling millions of dollars.

The state high court on Wednesday heard arguments on an appeal by the administration of Gov. Susana Martinez.

Her administration is appealing a state Court Appeals' ruling.

A northern New Mexico historic site that is considered one of the best preserved examples of a 17th century Spanish colonial mission has been designated as a national historic landmark.

The San Jose de los Jemez Mission Church was added to the list of landmarks Thursday. There are now nearly four dozen national historic landmarks in New Mexico.

State Cultural Affairs Secretary Veronica Gonzales calls the church in Jemez Springs an "outstanding example of American history and culture."

Navajo Nation officials are holding public hearings on proposed sentencing law changes that include tougher penalties for numerous crimes, including possession of alcohol.

Officials say they're reviewing the sentencing laws because the tribe eliminated or reduced penalties in 2000 for nearly 30 offenses.

According to officials, that was because the tribe had limited resources to penalize offenders.

All Damian Garcia wants to do is wear his black robe when he and his fellow high school classmates graduate next week.

Officials at St. Pius X Catholic School in Albuquerque say no. Because Garcia was born as a girl, the school insists he must wear a white robe along with the other girls.

Television station KRQE reports that Garcia was born Brandi Garcia, but he identifies as a male and even had a legal name-change last year. Fellow students, teachers and faculty call him Damian and so does his family.

Conductor Marianna Gabbi and pianist William Leland met in 1975, when Gabbi first came to Las Cruces. Their friendship and musical kinship has not wavered, and this weekend, they perform Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto together, with Leland as soloist and Gabbi leading the New Horizons Symphony Orchestra. Gabbi reflects on music by Beethoven and Dvorak, as well as her long friendship with Leland, in this interview with Intermezzo host Leora Zeitlin.

Albuquerque police say a mother who saw her 5-year-old being abducted chased the suspect down and crashed into his car, triggering a manhunt.

Police say the incident unfolded Wednesday evening when the woman saw her child being forced into a car in Albuquerque's North Valley. She jumped into her vehicle and gave chase for about seven miles, unaware the man had pushed the girl out of the car shortly after grabbing her.

 It's strike two for a Mexican gray wolf that was released into the wild just weeks ago.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says the male wolf — dubbed M1133 — was captured Saturday just east of New Mexico's San Mateo Mountains. The animal left his pregnant mate and roamed outside the wolf recovery area that spans parts of New Mexico and Arizona.

Two weeks before, the wolf and his mate were packed into the Gila Wilderness on the back of a mule so they could be released.

New Mexico's top water manager plans to order irrigators, municipalities and industry in a portion of the state to install meters on their underground wells to measure water use.

State Engineer Scott Verhines said he will issue the order for the Fort Sumner Underground Water Basin this month and it will require meters to be installed by January.

No metering will be required for household wells or small wells used to supply water for livestock.

  Las Cruces Fire Department assisted the New Mexico Game and Fish Department with the rescue of a Great Horn Owl fledgling.  Officers from the New Mexico Game and Fish Department contacted The Las Cruces Fire Department Tuesday to ask for assistance with the rescue of a Great Horn Owl that was stuck on top of a local business sign.