Regional

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — Another Sunland Park city employee has been arrested on suspicion of voter fraud. The Las Cruces Sun-News reports 26-year-old Priscilla Morales of El Paso was arrested Tuesday stemming from a secretary of state investigation last week.

Arrest documents say Morales used a former city councilor's address to register to vote and then proceeded to vote on Feb. 17.

Morales was arrested at City Hall just before the close of election-day voting in Sunland Park on Tuesday. She told reporters she didn't know why she was being arrested.

Gov. Susana Martinez is sharpening up her veto pen as she faces a deadline for acting on bills passed by the Legislature during its 30-day session.

The Republican governor is expected to use her line-item veto powers to eliminate money for some capital improvements in bills that allocate nearly $280 million in bond financing for projects across the state.

Martinez faces a deadline Wednesday for signing or vetoing bills approved by the Legislature. Measures are pocket vetoed if the governor doesn't sign them by the deadline.

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Republican Gov. Susana Martinez has vetoed a proposal to revamp the tax treatment of certain multi-state corporations and slightly lower New Mexico's top corporate income tax rate.

The governor said Tuesday she vetoed the proposal because it will raise taxes on some companies, hurt the state's economic competitiveness and increase the cost of some goods purchased by New Mexicans, including food and clothing.

Las Cruces Crime Stoppers is offering a $1,000 reward for information that leads to the identity and arrest of the man suspected in Tuesday’s robbery at an apartment complex.

Shortly after noon on Tuesday, March 6, Las Cruces Police were called to the Regency Pointe apartments at 3000 Majestic Ridge where a tenant returning home apparently interrupted a burglary in progress. The woman told police that she noticed the front door to her apartment was open and upon entering the residence was struck in the head by a man.

SUNLAND PARK, N.M. (AP) — It appears that Daniel Salinas is the winner of the Sunland Park mayor's race.  On election night, he said, "If I have to, I'll work from home," a reference to the fact that bond restrictions do not allow Salinas to enter city hall.

Unofficial results of Tuesday's municipal election shows Salinas with 637 votes compared to Gerardo Hernandez's 553 votes and Jose L. Hernandez's 66 votes.

However, the results will likely be challenged in court.

(LAS CRUCES) – People interested in space are getting a rare opportunity to speak directly to those that have gone where only 12 men have gone before…to the moon.

Local educators are giving their students a chance to learn about space.

“We’re really evoking some excitement in these students in terms these history makers that they are going to be seeing this week,” said David Kovar, who is organizing a 40th anniversary celebration this week as many around the country commemorate NASA’s Apollo 16 mission.

New Mexico State University is hosting a campus wide conference aimed at discussing diversity issues in higher education using cutting-edge research and best practices. Originally slotted to hold 75 participants, organizers were forced to close registration recently after an overwhelming 205 people signed up for the event. 

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A $1.5 billion effort to link the United States' three major electricity grids has caught the attention one of the country's largest American Indian tribes.

Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly has met with developers of the Tres Amigas Superstation and sees the project as an opportunity for electricity generated on the vast reservation to reach other markets.

With Tres Amigas, Shelly says Navajos have a chance to be a major energy partner and find a new, permanent stream of revenue.

DEMING, N.M. (AP) — Border Patrol agents working in the Deming area seized 19 bundles of marijuana weighing nearly 400 pounds and arrested a Mexican national suspected of being a drug smuggler.

Agents stopped a truck driven by a 38-year-old man last Friday and found the bundles of pot in the front seat of the truck.

A Border Patrol news release says the pot has an estimated street value of $310,000.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Some 52 percent of young people in Texas' six youth prison facilities have moderate or high mental health treatment needs, the head of the state juvenile justice department says.

Texas Juvenile Justice Department executive director Cherie Townsend said Tuesday that that figure "greatly concerns us."

She said early intervention programs designed to rehabilitate problem children before they enter the juvenile justice system are especially crucial for youngsters with mental health problems.

Fire crews from the Fairacres and Doña Ana Volunteer Fire Districts, joined by personnel and equipment from the City of Las Cruces, battled a large fire west of the Rio Grandé and south of U.S. 70 on Tuesday.

Firefighters were called at 12:10 p.m. to a mobile home at 3530 W. Picacho. Upon arrival, the mobile home was 25 percent involved and rapidly spreading. The residents of the mobile home arrived on scene and confirmed no one was inside at the time of the fire.

No civilian or firefighter injuries or casualties were reported as of Tuesday.