Regional

By KRWG News

New Mexico – A state commission is offering New Mexico voters an evaluation of judges up for retention in the November general election.

The New Mexico Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission provides its recommendations on a website www.nmjpec.org.

Two Supreme Court justices and two judges on the Court of Appeals are on the ballot statewide and the commission recommends that voters retain them.

By KRWG News

Eagle Pass, TX – Federal authorities are investigating the fatal shooting of an 18-year-old Eagle Pass drug suspect, allegedly by a U.S. Border Patrol agent.

Maverick County Sheriff Tomas S. Herrera said Friday deputies found no evidence Juan Mendez of Eagle Pass was armed when he was shot. The agent's identity hasn't been released.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – On Wednesday, Las Cruces Agents arrested a Sex Offender with warrants for his arrest while Ysleta Agents arrested two individuals with possible links to narcotics traffic organizations.

Border Patrol agents at the I-10 Traffic Checkpoint, west of Las Cruces, arrested a United States Citizen being sought by Putnam County, Florida Sheriff's authorities on charges related to "One Count of Sexual Battery" and "Four Counts of Sexual Activity with a Child in Familial Custody".

By Vanessa Dabovich

Las Cruces, NM – The campaign is in its 16th year and is hosted by The Keep Las Cruces Beautiful and New Mexico Clean and Beautiful programs.

The event consists of local volunteers who help collect litter at parks, schools and on area streets and business properties. The New Mexico State Aggie men's basketball team, girl and boy scouts and students from several local grade schools are set to participate.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – A visit to Cuba is not possible for most people without lengthy paperwork and, ultimately, a special visa. However, New Mexico State University is providing access to this off-limits island and an important piece of Cuban history in the form of a photography exhibit entitled "El Cubano se Ofrece: An Exploration of Cuban Identity."

The show features the work of internationally recognized Cuban photographer, Iv n Ca as, from Friday, Oct. 15, until the end of the semester, at the William Conroy Honors Center at NMSU.

By KRWG News

Juarez, Mexico – Mexican President Felipe Calderon has sent lawmakers a proposal to abolish Mexico's notoriously corrupt and ineffective municipal police forces.

Under the initiative, each of Mexico's 31 states would have just one police department under the command of the governor.

Calderon raised the idea months ago and formally submitted it to the Senate on Wednesday. He says the goal is to reduce corruption by eliminating hundreds of small police departments whose officers are poorly educated and badly paid.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – New Mexicans wanting a preview of their voting options for the Nov. 2 general election can find sample ballots on the secretary of state's website.

The website www.sos.nm.us provides sample ballots by precinct in all 33 counties.

Voters can click on their precinct and see the state and local candidates on their ballot as well as review proposed constitutional amendments and bond issues. The location of polling places for each precinct also is provided.

By Vanessa Dabovich

Las Cruces, NM – The Dona Ana County Commission District one seat is up for grabs this year. Outgoing Commissioner Oscar Vasquez-Butler is term limited.

On this year's ballot is Democrat Billy Garrett who is a retired national Park Service Administrator and Republican John Zimmerman, a retired missile test engineer and Navy commander.

Both candidates have an extensive list of priorities for the county ranging from health and safety programs to the county's master plan.

By KRWG News

Texas – Texas Comptroller Susan Combs says state sales tax collections were $1.57 billion in September, up 6.8 percent compared with the same month a year ago.

The figures released Wednesday showed a larger monthly percentage gain than the state had been seeing recently.

Combs says sales tax increases were posted across almost all sectors, including oil and gas, construction, manufacturing, wholesale trade, retail trade and restaurants.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing pollution controls that would mean an 80 percent reduction in nitrogen oxides from the Four Corners Power Plant on the Navajo Nation in northwestern New Mexico.

The EPA says that would reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides from about 45,000 tons per year to 9,000 tons per year, and improve public health and visibility at 16 national park sites in the area.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – A $1.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation will enable New Mexico State University and Las Cruces Public Schools to integrate the problem-solving tools of computer science into local science classrooms.

The program committee chose four eligible graduate fellows and four teachers to implement the program. Work on the project began at the start of the fall 2010 semester.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – Authorities say a man sought in the death of his estranged wife in Kansas has been found dead in southern New Mexico.

Dona Ana County sheriff's investigator Lindell Wright confirmed the body found Tuesday was that of Hoseah Masabah Kaminja, but said any information had to come from Kansas detectives.

Hutchinson, Kan., police Capt. Troy Hoover says the man's body was found inside his car parked in a Las Cruces neighborhood.

An autopsy was ordered, but Hoover says the death appeared to be a suicide.

By KRWG News

Anthony, NM – The Mescalero Apache Tribe and the Sunland Park racetrack and casino are opposing Jemez Pueblo's proposal to build a casino and hotel near Anthony, which is nearly 300 miles from the northern New Mexico pueblo.

The Mescaleros and the Sunland Park track issued a statement on Wednesday saying the Jemez casino could hurt their businesses in southern New Mexico. The Mescaleros also object that the casino is proposed within their ancestral homelands.

Jemez is partnering with Santa Fe art dealer Gerald Peters.

By KRWG News

Texas – The Mexican government says authorities have stepped up their efforts to find the body of an American reportedly shot to death on a border lake.

The statement from the Mexican Foreign Relations Ministry was in response to a call from Gov. Rick Perry, urging Mexico to use every resource available to find the body of David Hartley and have it returned to the U.S.

Tiffany Hartley, of Colorado, says her husband, David, was shot by Mexican pirates on Falcon Lake last week as they were returning to the United States on Jet Skis.

By KRWG News

Texas – Officials say a south Texas college student has been shot and killed in Mexico.

University of Texas at Brownsville spokeswoman Amy Lynch said 19-year-old freshman Jonathan William Torres was killed Wednesday in Matamoros.

Lynch tells The Brownsville Herald that the university was trying to get more information from the U.S. Consulate in Matamoros, across the U.S.-Mexico border from Brownsville.

Officials say it is unknown whether the death was connected to ongoing drug war violence in Mexico.