Regional

By KRWG News

Texas – Even though Texas has gotten millions of federal dollars from the economic-stimulus package to help poor Texans cut their energy bills, only seven homes had been weather-treated as of the end of last month.

The Dallas Morning News reports that Texas has spent $1.8 million of $163 million available over the past four months and most of that went to administrative costs like salaries for state workers.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – Sandia National Laboratories will receive more than $9 million over three years to develop advanced water power technologies under a Department of Energy competitive request.

Sandia will work in partnership with several national laboratories and academic institutions to lead two of the four topic areas awarded by DOE.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – Some $4.2 million in federal stimulus funds is going to help Sandia National Laboratories improve its Battery Abuse Testing Laboratory to develop low-cost batteries for electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

Sandia says its lab is a leader in the field of battery testing, making sure batteries meet real-world performance requirements.

By KRWG News

Texas – In Republican-dominated Texas, where voters opted for John McCain in 2008, the Democratic National Committee is waging one of its biggest organizing efforts in the nation.

Organizing for America, an arm of the Democratic Party established this year and successor to President Barack Obama's campaign, has a staff in Texas as large as any of its other state operations, including California and Ohio. It's seizing on the opportunity presented by the 3.5 million Texans, mostly in urban areas, who voted for Obama over McCain.

By KRWG News

Juarez, Mexico – Mexican law enforcement officials say four police officers have died in a series of attacks on patrol cars in the border city of Ciudad Juarez.

Chihuahua state police and prosecutors say two more officers are recovering from wounds suffered in three attacks by gunmen on Friday.

State police spokesman Fidel Banuelos says the first attack killed two brothers who were patrolling together but worked for different agencies.

By KRWG News

El Paso – El Paso police say the remains of a high school art teacher missing since August after apparently going camping have been identified.

El Paso police said Friday that a human skull found in November near the area where 47-year-old Gustav Erick Djerf was believed to be camping in Hudspeth County was confirmed this week as his.

Police say no other remains have been found and the cause of death is not known.

By KRWG News

Texas – The day after a group sued the state over delays in the processing of food stamp applications, the Health and Human Services Commission finished approving the applications for the seven families named as plaintiffs.

But a lawyer from Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, Robert Doggett, says that the approvals Friday don't mean the fight is over because thousands of other applicants are still waiting.

By KRWG News

El Paso – El Paso police say they are investigating the shooting death of a Fort Bliss soldier at a house party after someone grabbed a handgun at the gathering and it went off, striking the 24-year-old.

Police say Jacob Bige Engle died after being shot in the head early Saturday morning.

Police say investigators don't believe the shooting was intentional.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.

By KRWG News

Texas – Texas continues to order the state's full allocation of swine flu doses as more people are urged to get vaccinated. Texas now allows everyone to be vaccinated, while New Mexico is still restricting vaccination to priority groups.

The Texas Department of State Health Services on Friday said about 7.24 million doses have been ordered. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has allocated about 7.6 million doses to Texas.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – Gov. Bill Richardson is directing state agencies under his control to remedy any gender pay gaps among their workers.

Richardson also wants a process and schedule for contractors with the state to do the same.

The governor signed an executive order Friday after recommendations by his Task Force on Fair and Equal Pay.

That task force was created to examine gender and racial pay equity and job segregation within state government.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – New Mexico's Environment Department has reached a settlement with Marathon Oil Corp. under which the Houston company will pay $5.1 million in environmental projects and penalties to resolve air quality violations alleged by the state at Marathon's Indian Basin Gas Plant near Carlsbad.

The settlement includes environmental projects totaling $4.5 million plus a civil penalty of $610,560.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – State Motor Transportation police have seized about $350,000 in suspected drug money in three separate stops.

The state Department of Public Safety says money from the three stops Thursday was turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The department says a search of a pickup truck in Raton turned up seven bundles of cash worth about $100,000 hidden in a compartment between the engine and the cab.

Authorities say the driver denied the money belonged to him.

By Melissa Aguilera

Las Cruces, NM – Mesilla Valley Community of Hope in Las Cruces is having a vigil on Monday for the homeless who've lost their lives. KRWG's Melissa Aguilera reports.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – The losing candidate in New Mexico's 2002 gubernatorial race, John Sanchez, says he will seek the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor in 2010.

Sanchez, a former state representative from Albuquerque, made the announcement Thursday.

Sanchez says he has been encouraged by friends and supporters to run again for governor. But he says he wants to avoid a potentially divisive GOP gubernatorial primary.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – Gov. Bill Richardson wants the 2010 Legislature to pass an ethics reform package that includes an independent ethics commission.

Lawmakers convene Jan. 19 for a 30-day session.

Richardson proposes an ethics commission that would provide independent oversight of the executive and legislative branches and state employees. The commission would investigate complaints by citizens and whistleblowers and would be able to investigate and discipline public officials, state employees, lobbyists, contractors and officials.