Regional

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – Police have charged a former resident of Las Cruces with raping a young family member multiple times.

David Juarez Carbajal, 56, who currently resides in Houston, Texas, is charged with 13 counts of criminal sexual penetration of a child under 13 and one count of incest. Carbajal was arrested in Houston over the weekend and is in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He has already waived extradition back to Las Cruces.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – Every Monday, Fred Martino speaks with Las Cruces Sun News Business Editor Brook Stockberger.

By Vanessa Dabovich

Las Cruces, NM – The measure is asking voters statewide to approve an amendment to the state constitution which would grant a property tax exemption for all congressionally charted veterans' service organizations in New Mexico.

State Representative Jeff Steinborn introduced the measure every year for the last four years , with the amendment getting legislative approval in the 2010 session. He says the annual tax burden threatens the viability of veterans' posts.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – The New Mexico Department of Health says more high school students in the state were overweight or obese in 2009 than in previous years.

A survey of high school students shows 28 percent reported being obese or overweight.

That's up from 23.5 percent in 2003.

The New Mexico Youth Risk and Resiliency Survey is conducted every other year by the Department of Health and the Public Education Department.

It collects data reported by students themselves from most of New Mexico's 89 school districts.

By KRWG News

Texas – More than half of the registered voters in Texas back enacting legislation similar to Arizona's that would crack down on illegal immigrants, according to a poll for five major Texas newspapers.

The telephone survey by Blum & Weprin Associates found 53 percent of just over 1,000 registered Texas voters said they support passage of Arizona-style legislation by the upcoming Texas Legislature. That's less than in previous polls.

By KRWG News

Raton, NM – A former wildlife manager for a northern New Mexico ranch owned by media mogul Ted Turner alleges he was wrongfully fired from the ranch after a new general manager began pushing religion on employees.

James Baker's complaint does not charge religious discrimination, but says his three-decade-plus career at Vermejo Park Ranch went sour because he didn't attend Bible classes run by general manager Mark Kossler.

By KRWG News

Santa Fe – A film based on New Mexico author Rudolfo Anaya's novel, "Bless Me, Ultima" will shoot in the Santa Fe area beginning in October.

The production is expected to hire 150 New Mexico residents for the cast and crew.

"Bless Me, Ultima" chronicles the coming-of-age story of Antonio, a young boy growing up in New Mexico during World War II, and his relationship with Ultima, an elderly traditional healer or curandera.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – The Cibola National Forest is beginning surveys about recreation on the forest.

National Forest Service and contract employees will be interviewing visitors starting Friday and continuing for a year.

They will be posted in recreation sites along Forest Service roads. They will wear bright orange vests and have a "Traffic Survey Ahead" sign and orange safety cones at interview sites.

Such ongoing national forest surveys already have been conducted twice on every national forest in the country.

By Vanessa Dabovich

Las Cruces, NM – The Dona Ana County Special Projects Office is working with the Animal Services Center of the Mesilla Valley, Action Programs for Animals, the Spay and Neuter Action Program and the Humane Society of Southern New Mexico to coordinate a rabies vaccination clinic that will include pet adoptions and a pet food drive.

By Vanessa Dabovich

Las Cruces, NM – The Humane Society of Southern New Mexico and several other local animal shelters in the area have foster programs for animals in need of temporary care.

By KRWG News

Texas – U.S. Census figures show Texas is ranked third nationally when it comes to number of Hispanic-owned businesses.

The number of Hispanic-owned businesses in Texas grew by 40 percent between 2002 and 2007, reaching 447,000. The government figures, released Tuesday, show Texas was behind California and Florida.

The Austin American-Statesman reported Wednesday that Texas was also No. 3 in percentage of businesses that are Hispanic-owned, with 21 percent.

By KRWG News

Ruidoso – Lincoln County voters have approved a five-year gross receipts tax aimed at helping Ruidoso Downs racetrack.

The tax proposal passed by 420 votes in Tuesday's mail-in election. County officials reported 3,719 votes supporting the tax and 3,299 opposed.

The county will increase the gross receipts tax by 3/16ths of a cent on goods and services. It is expected to fund up to $750,000 each year.

By KRWG News

Texas – The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has acquitted a convicted murderer imprisoned primarily because a trio of bloodhounds allegedly matched his scent to the crime scene.

The appeals court reversed the 2007 guilty verdict against Richard Winfrey Sr. on Wednesday, ruling the evidence was legally insufficient to convict.

By KRWG News

Texas – Gov. Rick Perry and Democratic challenger Bill White are mostly keeping talk of immigration policy off the campaign trail.

Despite the national debate over immigration in the run-up to November, Perry and White have seldom talked immigration while crisscrossing Texas, which has an estimated 1.6 million illegal immigrants.

Perry says discussing immigration policy is pointless until the border is secure. White says he'll have his hands full with state issues and can't fix all the federal government's problems.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – The City of Las Cruces Utilities Board is seeking qualified city residents to serve on the community advisory group for its Water Conservation Program.

It has been widely accepted that the most cost-effective way to extend water resources is through conservation. Conservation programs are only successful if they have a long-term focus and continual stakeholder involvement and it is the City's goal to form a stakeholder group that will assist the Water Conservation Program in this manner.