Regional

By KRWG News

Santa Teresa – The state of New Mexico has been awarded a grant worth more than $1 million to help expand commercial rail service to the southern part of the state.

U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman, a New Mexico Democrat, announced the funding Friday. It was awarded through the Economic Development Administration.

The grant will be used for a study to help determine the feasibility of a bi-national railway bypass from south of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, to Santa Teresa.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – A legal challenge is in the works against red light and speed cameras in Las Cruces.

Retired attorney Anthony Avallone said he plans to file a civil lawsuit against the city over the cameras.

Avallone said he hopes the case eventually turns into a class-action lawsuit one that seeks the return of all fines collected from ticketed drivers.

The Las Cruces resident said the idea was sparked after his son received a traffic camera citation this spring.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – A 2-year-old boy is being treated for a fractured skull at an area hospital and his mother's boyfriend is charged with inflicting the injuries.

Jason Narvaez, 25, of the 1800 block of Locust Street, is charged with one first-degree felony count of intentional child abuse resulting in great bodily harm.

The boy is listed in stable condition at University Medical Center of El Paso.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – The New Mexico Department of Health has approved six more medical marijuana producers.

That makes 11 nonprofits licensed by the state to provide the drug. The first producer was approved in March 2009.

Health Secretary Alfredo Vigil says the additional producers will help meet the needs of patients by making medical marijuana more accessible in all regions of the state.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – Details of how a Las Cruces father allegedly taught his 6-year-old son to build explosives have been spelled out in a criminal complaint filed by police.

The complaint says the boy was able to draw diagrams of how his father allegedly constructed the bombs with fuses and black putty in milk jugs and gunpowder in plastic tubing. He told detectives he was first showed how to make the devices during Independence Day, 2009.

Detectives allege the boy went to the desert several times with his father to blow up explosives.

By KRWG News

Sunland Park – Sheriff's officials say the body of a federal inmate who escaped from jail in El Paso was found at a landfill eight miles away in New Mexico.

El Paso County deputy Jesse Tovar said the body of 30-year-old Carlos Roberto Medina Bailon was found Friday afternoon in a landfill in Sunland Park, N.M., that the jail's trash company uses. He still was wearing a dark blue jail jumpsuit and knee-high rubber boots when the jail trash collector discovered his body.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – The City of Las Cruces will hold a public meeting regarding a proposed amendment to the City's sign code Tuesday, July 13th, 6 p.m. in council chambers at City Hall, 700 N. Church St.

The proposed amendment establishes a regulatory framework including the minimum standards for the use of on-premise and off-premise digital signs.

The public is invited to attend the meeting to provide input.

By KRWG News

El Paso – A 36-year-old Barrio Azteca gang member will spend the rest of his life in prison for leading a cocaine distribution ring in El Paso.

Gualberto Marquez was sentenced Wednesday after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distributing narcotics earlier this year.

Marquez is one of nine Barrio Azteca gang members who have been sentenced for their roles in the trafficking ring. Prosecutors say he led the group that distributed more than 400 pounds of cocaine in El Paso and Midland.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – New Mexico is offering residents a new way to check the credentials and background of investment advisers.

The state Securities Division has added a link to its www.protectYOURmoney.org website that accesses the Investment Adviser Public Disclosure website.

That gives residents access to information about people who work for money management, financial planning and other firms offering investment advice to clients.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – The New Mexico Department of Agriculture is receiving federal funds to create a Food Protection Task Force in the state.

The grant, $10,000 a year for five years, comes from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Such grants support meetings that help foster cooperation among state, local and tribal food protection, public health, agriculture and regulatory agencies.

The New Mexico task force will bring together different groups to improve the safety of food in the state.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – The Department of Public Safety says it plans to speed up the availability to law enforcement of DNA information about crime suspects by taking over DNA analysis for a statewide database.

The department announced Thursday it will take responsibility for the processing of DNA tests and entering the information into a statewide database. Currently, an Albuquerque police crime lab has performed the work for the state's DNA Administrative Center.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – The Las Cruces Police Department's SWAT team - assisted by officers from New Mexico State Police, the Dona Ana County Sheriff's Office and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - arrested a man Thursday morning after detectives learned that he taught his 6-year-old son how to build explosives and threatened to kill the boy's mother.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – On July 19, 2010, Branigan Library will temporarily close its public computer lab in order to move into the recently completed Dresp Room Computer Lab. Public computers will be unavailable from July 19th to 24th while the computers are moved, cleaned, repaired and updated.

By KRWG News

Texas – The Department of State Health Services has outlined nearly $246 million in possible cuts as Texas faces a potential $18 billion shortfall in the next budget period.

The 2011 Legislature will have the final say as agencies respond to budget-trimming orders from Texas leaders, including Gov. Rick Perry.

More than 20,000 Texans who receive state-funded mental health services would lose care under proposed DSHS budget cuts released this week.

By KRWG News

El Paso – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agriculture specialists working at the El Paso port of entry have made an important pest interception. They discovered 12 living fruit fly larvae in a mango that a California bound traveler had in his possession.

"The introduction of living fruit fly larvae to citrus growing regions could be devastating," said William Molaski, U.S. Customs and Border Protection El Paso Port Director. "Stopping this type of pest at the border is another way CBP is protecting the nation."