Regional

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.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – The Las Cruces Police Department issued 59 citations in one evening to people who were consuming alcohol at a city ballpark.

In response to citizen complaints of people drinking at the Hadley Ball Park, at 1875 E. Hadley Ave., Las Cruces Police officers saturated the area during the evening of Friday, Oct. 1, and issued the 59 citations in five hours.

A drinking in public citation is a petty misdemeanor that carries a mandatory appearance in municipal court.

By Vanessa Dabovich

Las Cruces, NM – The current District one commissioner Oscar Vasquez-Butler is term limited which leaves the seat open for the general election.

Democrat Billy Garrett who is a retired national Park Service Administrator is up against Republican challenger John Zimmerman, a retired missile test engineer and Navy commander.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – A White Sands Missile Range Soldier supporting Operation Enduring Freedom has died.

Sgt. Brian J. Pedro, 27, of Rosamond, Calif., died Oct. 2 in
Pol-e-Khumri, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked
his unit with small arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades. He was
assigned to the Forward Support Company, 2nd Engineer Battalion. This
was his second combat tour to Afghanistan.

By Vanessa Dabovich

Las Cruces, NM – Democrat Jeff Steinborn has held the state representative office for district thirty-seven since 2007. On this year's general election ballot he is up against Republican Terry McMillan.

McMillan who is a an ear, nose and throat doctor and native New Mexican says his top priority for the state and district is to create jobs and balance the state budget.

By Vanessa Dabovich

Las Cruces, NM – Bill payment drive-up services at the old City Hall closed in 2007 and the city contracted with El Paso Electric for City staff to accept utility payment at the Solano location. However, the city closed operation there in fall of last year and opted to open Western Union sites instead. Due to an increase in resident demand for the return of the drive-up window the council looked into the possibility during Monday's meeting.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – Democratic Attorney General Gary King holds the lead over Republican challenger Matt Chandler in a new poll as the candidates head into the final month of campaigning for the Nov. 2 election.

The Albuquerque Journal reports in a copyright story Tuesday that King is supported by 52 percent of the voters and Chandler by 32 percent, with 16 percent undecided.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that New Mexico will receive $10.7 million to help struggling homeowners stay in their homes. The funds come through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

The Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, signed into law earlier this year, set aside funding to implement the Emergency Homeowners Loan Program.

By KRWG News

Lordsburg – U.S. Border Patrol agents in New Mexico arrested a convicted murderer Monday near mile marker 23 on Hidalgo County Rd., located 23 miles south of Animas, New Mexico.

Agents from the Lordsburg, New Mexico Station encountered 59-year-old Manuel Diaz-Marquez during routine patrol operations. Diaz-Marquez who is a citizen of Mexico was taken into custody and transported to the Lordsburg, New Mexico Border Patrol Station for processing.