News

Las Cruces annexed three undeveloped tracts of land within Moongate Water Company’s service area, and Las Cruces committed itself to provide water to the area.  The city won that right in the court of appeals, but Moongate took the case to the state supreme court.

The supreme court addressed two questions:

First, does Moongate have a right to provide water within the service area to the exclusion of Las Cruces?  The court said “no”…because the city is not subject to the Public Utilities Act.

The owners of a coal-fired power plant on the Navajo Nation are objecting to changes made by the tribe in approving a lease extension.

Under legislation signed by tribal President Ben Shelly last month, the lease for the Navajo Generating Station near Page would expire in 2044. The agreement also boosts yearly payments to the tribe to $43 million.

The plant's operator, Salt River Project, told tribal officials this week that amendments dealing with water rights and having the federal government sign on as a lessee are unacceptable.

  New Mexico is establishing a state-run health insurance exchange that's subject to open government laws.

Legislation enacted this year makes clear the exchange and its governing board must comply with New Mexico's Open Meetings Act and the Inspection of Public Records Act.

Those laws will require board meetings to be open to the public and that records, such as the exchange's contracts and other expenditures, are available for inspection by the public.

Washington, D.C. – On the morning of April 24, 1966, Clark David Franklin was aboard the USS Ranger as it was launching the first strike of the day against targets in South Vietnam. Franklin was directly in charge of four other crewmen and for the proper hook-up of the aircraft to the number three catapult.

Fronteras 312: Author/Storyteller Luis Alberto Urrea

  Fire restrictions will elevate to Stage II on the Smokey Bear and Sacramento Ranger Districts of the Lincoln National Forest, effective Saturday, May 11th, 2013, at 8:00 am. 

STAGE II FIRE RESTRICTIONS include the following prohibitions:

Former New Mexico Sen. Pete Domenici says he's disappointed to hear that he's persona non grata to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid because Domenici fathered a son out of wedlock in the 1970s with a daughter of then-Sen. Paul Laxalt of Nevada.

Domenici and Michelle Laxalt earlier this year disclosed that Domenici fathered her son, saying they feared somebody was about to make it public.

Reid told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that he won't see Domenici or mention his name because of his conduct.

The Census Bureau reports a larger share of New Mexico's Hispanic voters participated in last year's presidential election than in 2008 when President Barack Obama was first elected.

About 56.2 percent of eligible Hispanic voters cast ballots in November, up from almost 53.7 percent in 2008.

Turnout among non-Hispanic white voters, what in New Mexico often are called Anglos, was 70.5 percent last year compared with 71.5 percent in 2008.

Track officials at Ruidoso Downs say they are sticking with standards that will ensure integrity during this summer's racing season.

That means no trainers who have been suspended by the American Quarter Horse Association, The Jockey Club or any racing jurisdiction will be allowed to compete at the southern New Mexico track.

Track officials included a list of 17 trainers with Wednesday's announcement.

The track acknowledged that the trainers have certain appeal rights within their racing jurisdictions and Ruidoso Downs will continue to monitor their status.

Federal officials say 22 people were arrested on drug trafficking and other charges during a Wednesday raid around the New Mexico border town of Anthony.  Residents of the town, which straddles New Mexico and Texas just north of El Paso, woke to the sounds of helicopters, bangs and screaming as federal and local agents conducted an early morning sweep on homes.

New Mexico U.S. Attorney Ken Gonzales says 22 people were arrested in New Mexico and Texas, with most of the arrests in Anthony.

  Las Cruces Crime Stoppers is offering a $1,000 reward for information that helps identify the suspect or suspects responsible for setting fire to a recreational vehicle in Tortugas, just south of Las Cruces.

On Monday, April 22, Dona Ana County Sheriff’s Office deputies learned that the 1992 travel trailer, parked at 3800 Emilia St. in Tortugas, had been damaged by what appeared to be an intentionally-set fire.

U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) has co-sponsored the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), a bill to prohibit job discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. 

"Discrimination is unacceptable and has no place in the workplace," said Sen. Heinrich. "The LGBT community in New Mexico and across the country shouldn't fear harassment at work, or risk losing their jobs simply because of who they are or who they love. I was a proud cosponsor of EDNA in the House, and I will continue to support it in the United States Senate."

The University of Texas at El Paso is the newest member of The Center for Energy Efficient Electronics Science (E3S). UTEP joins the University of California - Berkeley, Stanford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as the university members of E3S.

  Silver City, NM – Dr. William Crocker, most recently the Vice-President of Academic Quality and Success at State College of Florida,Manatee-Sarasota, has been selected as the new vice president for academic affairs and provost at Western New Mexico University.

Crocker’s appointment is effective July 1. As vice president and provost, Crocker serves as WNMU’s chief academic officer, reports to the university president and acts as chief executive officer in the absence of the president.