Regional

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – A Dona Ana County mother is facing felony child abuse charges after her infant daughter tested positive for cocaine.

Yvonne Sanchez was indicted on two charges earlier this week. She remained in custody Friday.

Court documents say the 26-year-old Sanchez was originally arrested in October after police responded to a parking lot fight and recognized her vehicle as being involved in an earlier crime.

By KRWG News

Dexter – A national fish hatchery in southeastern New Mexico will be making some much needed repairs and improvements thanks to $320,000 in federal stimulus funds.

The Dexter National Fish Hatchery and Technology Center will use some of the money to replace leaking valves in 25 ponds. The rest will be used to replace deteriorating pond liners to prevent water loss, improve a well and pumping station and install insulation, programmable thermostats and more efficient light bulbs.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – Biofuels research in southeastern New Mexico will benefit from a settlement reached by the New Mexico Environment Department and Western Refining Co. over air quality violations at two of the company's refineries.

The settlement calls for Western Refining to pay $1.95 million to the Center for Excellence in Hazardous Material Management in Carlsbad for work that aims to turn algae into biodiesel.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – A $32.5 million contract to build Spaceport America's terminal and hangar facility has been awarded to an Albuquerque firm.

Summit West was the lowest of four bidders on the project.

New Mexico Spaceport Authority executive director Steve Landeene says the bid award is a significant step in the overall construction of the $200 million state-owned spaceport located southeast of Truth or Consequences.

By KRWG News

Texas – State Farm Lloyds has filed an appeal to an order to pay home insurance policyholders $310 million in refunds and interest for alleged overcharges going back as far as 2003.

Spokesman Kevin Davis says Texas' largest home insurer filed a motion Wednesday for a rehearing with the Texas Department of Insurance.

Davis says the company also plans to file an appeal in Travis County district court Monday.

By KRWG News

El Paso – Thirteen members of the Bloods street gang have been arrested on federal drug charges.

Some of the alleged gang members were already in custody on other charges; the others were arrested in El Paso this week. All have been indicted on charges that they conspired to sell more than 500 grams of cocaine. Two people were also indicted on a charge of possession with intent to distribute the drug ecstasy.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – New Mexico Health Department officials say four more people have died from swine flu, bringing the statewide total this year to 40 deaths.

The latest deaths include a baby boy from Quay County and a 49-year-old man from Bernalillo County, both without chronic medical conditions.

A 54-year-old woman from Curry County and a 74-year-old woman from Valencia County who had chronic medical conditions also died this past week.

By KRWG News

Socorro – A volunteer group has donated 140 acres, including a 6,272-foot peak, to the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge near Socorro.

The Friends of the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge bought the land from the Highland Springs Ranch development in 2007. The group raised more than $72,000 for the purchase.

Congress incorporated the land into the adjacent Chupadera Wilderness in September.

By KRWG News

Albuquerque – The New Mexico Land Office says 10,260 acres of newly acquired state trust land has been designated to boost income for Carrie Tingley Children's Hospital in Albuquerque.

Land Commissioner Patrick Lyons said Wednesday the hospital owns no developed mineral resources and receives no income from the Land Grant Permanent Fund.

The hospital was founded in 1937 by former first lady Carrie Tingley to care for children suffering from polio in what is now Truth or Consequences. The hospital relocated to Albuquerque in 1981.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – A new state Health Department report shows alcohol abuse cost New Mexico $2.5 billion and 993 lives in 2006.

The report from the state Health Department released Tuesday says the economic burden of alcohol abuse cost $1.25 per New Mexican.

It was 26 times greater than the $97 million in tax revenue collected from alcohol sales.

The economic costs come from lost productivity due to death, incarceration or illness, health care expenditures, property damage from crashes and fires and other administrative costs.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – New Mexico's jobless rate rose to 7.9 percent in October, up from the 7.7 percent reported the previous month and the 4.5 percent rate in October 2008.

The state's labor department, the Department of Workforce Solutions, says the state lost 27,800 jobs between October 2008 and October 2009.

It said New Mexico's unemployment rate is at a 21-year high, rising sharply during 2009.

The state recorded a record low unemployment rate of 3.5 percent just two years ago.

By KRWG News

Texas – A preliminary study by a nonprofit advocacy group says Texas teacher's colleges generally do a poor job of training prospective teachers.

The Houston Chronicle reports the report by the National Council on Teacher Quality is already drawing scorn from many college deans.

The group graded each of the 67 college-based teacher training programs in Texas. The council is awaiting responses from more deans most of whom have ignored its request before publishing the report.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – Santa Fe County Commissioner Mike Anaya says he is pursuing the Democratic nomination for state land commissioner in next year's election.

Anaya, a rancher and resident of Stanley, has served on numerous state boards and commissions and recently completed a term as president of the New Mexico Association of Counties.

By KRWG News

El Paso – Residents in the violent Mexican border city of Ciudad Juarez will soon be able to report crime through an anonymous international tip line.

Mayor Jose Reyes says telephone operators outside the country will take calls starting in December.

Reyes said Wednesday that officials teamed up with the international organization Crime Stoppers because residents do not trust local police.

Mexico's government acknowledges that police corruption is widespread with many officers on the payroll of drug cartels.

By KRWG News

El Paso – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the El Paso port of entry seized 29.6 pounds of heroin in a single seizure Monday. Two residents of New Mexico were arrested in the bust.